Dr-Patient

It's up to you, but current medical data (plus patient satisfaction surveys and long-term outcome studies) indicate greater success, satisfaction, and fewer late complications with the sleeve or WLS procedures other than the l-band. Some patients do well; but the adjusting, etc, plus later chance of ulceration, need to remove it, etc...

Consider a good discussion with your surgeon to discuss all procedures, your own medical hx, then decide what you feel you want. Most wls surgeons don't even offer the band now, given success v complication rates. Good luck. Choose wisely and I hope all goes well.

See ~5-6 of my most recent posts. I'm ~ five years post VSG and gained ~22#s. I am so mad at myself; I didn't want to EVER AGAIN see 200#-anything!! I crossed back to 204 pounds!!!!!!!!

BUT...THIS WEEK (that "It's Monday, so I'll start today" thing), I DID start again, and already I've lost four pounds. I've been very strict about protein; and have had no white stuff--no bread, rice, chips, or ice cream. It's been eggs, chicken, hamburger, steak; some bell peppers, onions, cheese and almonds. Plus sips of a Protein Drink (Lemon-Tea flavored, to which I add some vinegar and a S&L). My cravings for crap has waned greatly.

Ghrelin returns around the 5 year mark.

Recommit to the Protein plan. Resist the bad carbs. I'm not an exerciser, but if you are, even better. You can begin again. But catch it now; 45 is a lot (as is 20), so it's easy to see how resorting to old habits (and food volumes, and eating too fast, etc) can mess us up.

Get back on program. You can do it!!!

PS: It is not me underlining certain keywords in my posts. I know it's good for the BP store, but [note to Alex B] I personally find it minimally...distracting [yea, that's a good word]; and it makes it seem that the poster is highlighting those words, when it's a BP link to a product. Just my observation.

I'll email you, Alex. just a comment. Members...please Disregard "post" to the message board.:-)

I need to read your note more thoroughly. But upon a quick read, it seems you are ingesting many forbidden foods, and way too many bad carbs. Yikes. 5 weeks post-op, and you have in your house--and you're eating--sugar? toast? macaroni and cheese...?

Ask your doctor what size bougie did he use? Maybe he left too much room in your stomach and your ghrelin hasn't been diminished.

Also, were you given a food plan/schedule? Did you stick to it at all?

Meet with your surgeon and their nutritionist and get more info...and get help so you can make this work for you.

I tried the Premier Protein and liked the chocolate best. But I got sick of the vanilla/chocolate flavors, so lately (based on reviews here at BP), I recently bought Syntrax Lemon-Tea and I can tolerate that much better and more consistently.

Also, in the Syntrax, sucralose is the last ingredient listed, so that helps me because I don't lose weight with Splenda/sucralose in whatever; it blocks my weight loss. Hence, I didn't use them much in any phase.

But this lemon-tea mix...I can add a bit of whatever (fruit juice, vinegar, more lemon, etc), and make it whatever I want. I couldn't find it in stores, but on that online A>Z mega place (that's running local businesses out of business). But find it there :-).

This week, I've been drinking it (since I'd gained weight!), and I can tolerate it well and periodically throughout the day, between my food. Four pounds down so far this week.

I always laugh when patients are told "lose 'x' pounds before your surgery." I always think, if it was easy to lose those pounds, I wouldn't be here. But re: wls, consider it a means to a great end...for a great new beginning!

How old are you? Have you had a colonoscopy?

You're on a lot of medicines; some of which cause bleeding. You might have a small, slow internal bleed. The blood can irritate the lining of your abdomen and may cause the shoulder pain, and of course, the low blood count.

It seems that you need a thorough workup. What you're describing may not be related to your wls surgery, but, with the passage of life, is due to some other medical condition: ulcer, perforation; small bleed, cancer, hemorrhagic cyst; a pancreatic lesion; other.

Get the CT scan, for sure; hope it's of your abdomen and pelvis. Full battery of blood tests and a good exam. An MRI might be indicated, as is a colonoscopy, and possibly an upper endoscopy (looking down your esophagus and further, as far as possible).

You're doing the right thing to check on it. Hang in there.

1 hour ago, hoot temple said:

2yrs, weight coming back, help

How much weight have you regained? What have you been eating?

See my posts from yesterday. I'm ~ 5 years post VSG and began eating (not much at a time, but more regularly) the 'white stuff' a bit too much (rice, potatoes, potato chips; sugar) and I've gained weight. But, as in days of yore..."It's Monday; I will start my program today." I thought I'd never have to say that again!!! lol. But...

We can do this; we just have to get back on track. if you strayed from the program, just refocus, regroup and let's re-lose--the weight :-). I'm even starting a food log today. "Good morning, heartache; here we go again..." :-)

Thanks to everyone for your support. Proudgranny, of course I remember you; we've been here a good while! Thanks!

(And to 'Creek...' Surely I'm not speaking about good carbs (beans, berries, etc); I'm speaking about grabbing the bad carbs.)

I do understand, mgt3. Fortunately I didn't have any reflux, etc. But, let's just reset our minds and our mouths re: our intake:slow it down and choose wisely what we ingest. Hang in there, as I will, too :-).

I can do this!!! And I WILL.

Hi, If you had a VSG 4-6 years ago (and are still 'here' on BP), please post how you're doing. Are you still on program? Sticking with hi-protein? Have you regained? If so, how much, and what are you doing about it (or did, to lose it again)? Are you eating too fast, or still eating slowly? Exercising (or not)?

Admittedly, I've regained a few pounds. Well, more than a few; ~ 18 pounds; and I notice I'm eating faster, so I seemingly have stretched my stomach. grrr. I'm so mad at myself.

I spoke with my friend/colleague/surgeon, and he said that ghrelin DOES return ~ the 5 year mark, and that is exactly where I am (Dec. 4th, 2013 was my surgery date). This is especially true with carbs being in the diet. There's that word again. To you WLS 'youngsters': DON'T start with revisiting carbs; it's hard to break the cravings.

Based on reviews here, I bought some Syntrax Lemon-Tea, it tastes good; so I think I need to try the cold turkey route for a couple of weeks; hope i can do it!! But I'd like to know how others are doing. Pray for me!!! I CANNOT gain more weight; I was doing so well!!!

Thanks.

My very first post to BP was ~ 2..5 weeks after my VSG (2013). That was my complaint: "I can't drink enough water."

But do what you can. Your stomach is smaller, and also still swollen from being "jacked with" (not a medical term). But over time, after the healing occurs and the edema goes away, you will get in the liquids. For now, small sips, as tolerated. (Later I leveled out at ~ 4oz a time. I try to not push that amount of liquid now, though I can tolerate more.)

Don't panic. Sip what you can. sugar-free popsicles may be good to try, as well.

liquid is liquid. Cottage cheese, etc., is soft. If you are still in the "liquid" phase, I'd hope your doc didn't say to start with soft foods. Small particles can get trapped in the incision/staple line and you don't want that to happen. Usually the transition is Clear Liquids -->full liquids [~creamed Soup liquid, etc.]-->soft foods, with particulate matter, etc. [If in the liquid phase, what are you, 1-2 (or 3) weeks post-op?]

Before starting anything more than true liquids, I'd check with the doctor/nutrition team.

Original Poster...did you have the surgery? And, just curious: what was your start weight pre-op? Did you have the VSG or other procedure? If you had the surgery, how are you doing...with him, and mainly, with yourself...? Good luck. Do what you must do for YOU and your health. Wishing you well.

Quick afterthought: I remember when after losing ~ 70 pounds, I was stuck at 200.2...for almost a week. I thought, Crap! I will never break 200!! WTH! Then, a few days later, the next number I saw was 197.8. I was soooo happy. So, hang in there. Your body is just adjusting after the shock of the sudden weight loss.

In addition to short walks on my block (into two near cul-de-sacs), etc., around the two-week mark, I went to big stores like Wal-Mart and Sam's (even Home Goods) etc., grabbed a cart for support, and walked the aisles...without buying anything. I felt that really helped me get my strength back, and also some easy exercise.

Just hang in there. Do NOT get despondent, and, out of frustration, do NOT grab something to eat that you shouldn't (you can't get that much in you anyway). Stay the course, and in a few days, you might see a sudden drop of 3-4 pounds.

I wish I was just four weeks out. Now, at almost five years, I'm having to fight with some hunger, carbs and eating too fast. It's best to NOT start deviating from the regimen.

SO...head up. Stay the course. You WILL see the pounds keep dropping; just don't give up! Your best is yet to come!!

On 1/10/2018 at 2:48 PM, Seahawks Fan said:

These are great and come in different flavors. I use a scoop of each per shake for over 30grams of Protein.

Where do you find these? I REALLY need to go cold turkey again: back to liquids only for a bit. I have gained weight and can't break my cravings, NOTE to ALL: DON'T DO CARBS! lol. They lead to cravings, overeating and eating fast now. Plus, the effect of them takes days to clear, so the cycle continues. Aaagghh. I WILL get back on track. I must :-).

My VSG was done as an outpatient.

The sweet smell might be ketones. Do you smell it when you urinate, or are just bare, even if not having recently urinated? If doing high Protein, you could be spilling ketones, as expected you would]. Do you have some urine dipsticks? You can check for ketones. That indicator turns purple, when they are present.

Good for you. Hang in there; and enjoy that you're so early post-op. I wish I was now [early post-op, when I couldn't eat], because I find myself eating more (and faster) than I KNOW I should. Aaaghh.

Hang in there, and keep doing well! And if still there, win some money :-)

Splenda (sucralose) used to say "it tastes like sugar, becaus it's made from sugar." And with that--being 'made from sugar'--in me, it ACTS like sugar, and blocks my weight loss.

When I stopped using splenda/sucralose (and went back to Sweet & Low), I lost nine pounds, with just that simple change. I discovered that seven years ago, even before my VSG. But to each his own.

Unfortunately, practically all of these supplements have that stuff in it, so I mostly avoid it. But... we'll see for a week or so, if that's all I'm ingesting. [cold turkey attempt.] :-)

I was 58 when I had my VSG. Best thing I ever did for myself. Don't worry about your age; and having the surgery may add to your longevity, whereas being overweight won't. Enjoy the journey.

I remember Isopure; some days I could tolerate it, others, not. But I might try it again for a few days, since it's clear. Thanks.

And I didn't have any "inconvenient" reactions to sucralose; it just blocks my weight loss. Documented...it really does. Thanks.

Hello, all. I haven't been "here" in a bit. What are some of the better-tasting CLEAR Liquid Protein supplements; also which others? [I don't do well with sucralose, but I know it's in practically all of those things, so I'll deal with it for a bit. But usually, I do NOT lose with sucralose/splenda.]

I had my VSG Dec. 2013 and have done very, very well. I am totally THRILLED with my surgical results, and my life hence!!!! ALL GOOD. But this past year, I gained a few pounds; not because I could eat a lot of anything, but I admittedly, had more carbs, sugar, etc. So I gained ~ 14 pounds. Not bad, but not wanted.

Overall, I've gone from 272--->180; now hanging at 195. But I'm wearing a size 12, feeling good, and not camera shy at all. Still sexy, etc. Yes, I can say that. But I don't want to be anywhere near that 200 mark!! So, I need to get serious again and get to 175--my overall goal weight. [I thought I wanted to be 160, but I don't want my face to look much thinner].

I want to do the hard turn back to some liquids for a week or two. Any thoughts on which ones are tasting good these days? Thank you in advance.

I've always used a straw. Just be sure to purse your lips onto the straw. Drink up!

Have you checked your blood pressure? With the weight loss, your BP might be quite low compared to what was your usual. Also, your sodium might be low.

Not advising this, but when I felt that way (around the same time you are) , one day I sucked on potato chips to just give me a bit of salt, to raise my BP a wee bit. It helped. Felt much better.

If you feel really woozy, check with your doctor.