WhoKnows

I had to google it, since I wasn't sure what Berocca is, but it's made by Bayer, so it's definitely available in Germany. It doesn't seem to be a full Multivitamin, but better than nothing! I also found some kids chewables, so between those two, I guess I should have my bases covered for a a little while. But do people eventually get the OK to take pills again?

My guess is that if it's cycle related, it's just bloating or Water weight, which means you may still be losing fat, but not seeing it on the scale. Even if not, it's clearly not related to anything you're doing wrong. Are you measuring yourself as well? Your lower tummy may be bloated that week, but maybe you'll still see differences elsewhere?

A lot of acne is hormonal. It's pure myth from companies like Johnson&Johnson that acne is (generally) caused by lack of hygiene. Of course there are a few people who don't wash, and then that's the result, but most people (though maybe I should say women, since that's what I know more about) get acne when their hormones are out of whack (hence why teenagers, women with PCOS, and women getting off the pill tend to break out a lot). If I were you, I'd go see an endocrinologist and get some blood work done. Don't let anyone try and give you antibiotics - I've never knows anyone who found them helpful for acne, and you'll probably just get a yeast infection. If it gets really bad, you can try Accutane. It gets a bad rap in the US, but it's really the only thing that's proven to work for severe, cystic, hormonal acne. I used when I stopped taking the pill (I also have PCOS) and it was like a miracle. There are some crazy laws about needing to be using various forms of birth control when you're on it (so, condoms + the pill, condoms + a diaphram, ect) since it causes sever birth defects, but it's totally worth it. Good luck!

I agree. There are medical/biological reasons beyond our control regarding why most people are unable to lose weight without the medical intervention of WLS, but it's all our own willpower and drive that allows us to make the decision to finally have it done, and it's thanks to our surgeons and ourselves that we're successful. Thanking God absolves you of any stake in your own wellbeing and doesn't give credit where credit is do. (Of course some people say "Thanks God!" rhetorically, but that's clearly different.)

I'll be having mine in Germany.

Wow, what a nightmare! I'm so sorry things have been so awful for you! But I agree with @@mentalistfan that you should definitely get a second opinion before you go under the knife again. Travel if you have to. Converting to bypass is a major undertaking, and you should see if you have other options first. Best of luck and keep us posted!

I haven't downloaded the app yet. I've just been using it on my browser. Is the app good/user friendly?

So is this the thread all us May 28-ers will use the day of to talk to each other?

So, I'm looking for an app to track my nutrition. I've had a look at MyFitnessPal, but I'm not pleased with the nutritional info. You can look at individual profiles for various nutrients, but not all of them, and not all of them all at once for a single day. I'd like something that I can look over in the evening to check if I've gotten all of my B12, omega3s, zinc, etc., and then decide based on that info what to have for dinner and whether to take additional supplements. Preferably, I'd also like something I can use both on my computer as well as on my phone or iPad. Any recommendations?

What's an "omega loop bypass"? I've never heard of that before...

Thanks for the reality check! This is something for us all to keep in mind.

We need to stop thinking of obesity as a moral failing. Yes, this surgery is expensive, but medical science's best bet is that you won't lose weight without it. You wanna gamble on being a statistical outlier? Be my guest, but meanwhile the rest of us are gonna do the best we can to fight this thing, and right now, 'the best' is surgery. For more information on how we become obese, check out this very informative article: http://aeon.co/magazine/being-human/david-berreby-obesity-era/

Yeah, two week high protein diet. I'm thinking three days before I might go all liquid just to be extra safe...

I think people usually lose quite quickly at the beginning. I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's probably mostly you getting rid of food that was already in your system, plus shedding water weight. Just make sure you get in your protein so you don't lose too much muscle!

I don't think the rational behind the MDR for Water is weight loss necessarily. I think it's that you're body simply functions better when you're hydrated, and the MDR helps everyone keep in mind what it takes to stay that way, especially since getting fluids in becomes more difficult after surgery.

Good luck you two! Keep us posted on recovery!

You can change your settings on Facebook so that you need to approve a tag before it shows up on your wall or timeline.

How do people prove they've lost the weight?

Praying I experience this! I'll be sleeved at the end of May, and I really want to be able to to go to the gym in the summer. But I tend to deal with heat really, really badly, and country I live in doesn't do air conditioning. During July and August if I don't have to be anywhere, I usually spend all day in a cold bath and only come out when the sun has gone down (at 11PM).

Obviously it's everyone own personal decision whom they do and don't tell, but I wouldn't tell those girls. Teenage girls (including college girls) can be so horrible, even to friends. And college is always sooo full of gossip. You may want to tell people in a few years, but honestly, if I were still in college, I wouldn't tell anyone if I had to wonder whether it was a good idea or not. If you don't know for sure without having to ask yourself, then don't do it. Like someone else said, just tell them your dieting like crazy, changing your lifestyle, moving more, etc.

I'm May 28th as well! I'm from Long Island, but I live in Germany now.

@@ebert , thanks for yet another thoughtful reply! I just find the whole international bariatric surgery topic really, really interesting. And that's especially interesting about the testosterone shots! I suppose as a woman with PCOS (a hormonal disorder that means I already have too much testosterone), such a treatment would be out for me, but I'm very concerned about making sure I can gain as much muscle as possible pre- and post-surgery. I'm hoping to get back into the gym and lifting as soon as possible. You should start a thread about your experience with Lipokine and testosterone; I'd be interested to follow your progress in that regard, and I'm sure others would as well. Also, love your analogy about the clown nose! Unfortunately, I don't have the protection of always looking like a ridiculous foreigner, since I only out myself as such when I speak (and even then, sometimes it takes a while). Hopefully my weight loss will just allow me to blend in with the Germans even more.

So, I finally have my surgery date! I'll be sleeved (assuming nothing is weird with my EDG) on May 28th. I'll take a week off from university/work, and then the following week the university has free. This means I don't need to be back until June 17th, which is just a day shy of three weeks post-surgery. I'm not too worried about being a student in class. I can sit and sip my Water, and it shouldn't be a problem. But once a week I also TA a class, which mean I spend 90 minutes teaching bachelors students (there's also a lot of prep work involved, but this can be done at home). I posted about this once before, but it seems more pressing now that I actually have the dates in front of me. I'm just wondering where you all were at at three weeks out, both physically and mentally. Do you think you could have explained complicated concepts to people who needed help understanding? A large component of teaching is performing and helping students engage with the material, but I'm worried I won't have the energy to do this well - that I won't be capable of being 'on.' Also, not only do I worry about doing my job well, but I'm also worried people will notice if I seem different after my two week absence, and I don't want anyone wondering if I've had weight loss surgery...

I think when you consider the fact without surgery the success rate for obese people with long term weight loss effectively falls to 0, any kind of success in the long run is an improvement. Maybe half us will regain some (or all) the weight, but I'd rather have a 50% chance (or a 20% or 10% chance) of success than what medical science basically says is a 0% chance. Without surgery, no amount of will power is going to get the job done for 99% of us (at least not in the long run), but with surgery, I think will power comes back into play. Maybe it's a reset button that gives us a second chance, and then we have to decide what to do with that second chance.

Thanks so much @@ebert ! It's really nice to get a response from someone in a similar situation, even right down to being an expat! How are you feeling now? Are you doing ok eating outside the home while you're at work? Have you been able to start exercising? Also, if I may ask, how was it for you being obese in country that isn't as used to see obese bodies? Germany also has a weight problem, but nothing like the US; plus I live in major city so most people are relatively fit, making me almost always far and away the fattest person in the room. Do you mostly surround yourself with other expats, or do you spend a lot of time socially with people from Japan?