James Marusek

Are you getting the required daily protein?

I had RNY surgery 29 months ago. Severe acid reflux or GERD is incompatible with the sleeve. RNY is definitely the better choice here. I had several episodes of severe acid reflux before surgery and none since. I had a number of medical conditions prior to surgery and the main reason why I did the surgery was to get those under control. Within days after surgery, my diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, sleep apnea, frequent urination problems went into remission and stayed there. I was off my meds. One of the reasons why I liked RNY was that it caused you to lose weight the quickest and produced the deepest weight loss and most importantly had the least amount of revisions. If I went under the knife once, I sure did not want to do it again, and again. RNY surgery is not like dieting. I tried dieting a couple times and it was a complete failure. After surgery I completely lost my hunger. It wasn't difficult to lose weight when hunger was not constantly gnawing at my bones.

Go to the drug store and buy a pill crusher and a pill splitter. You inability to swallow should only last a couple months after surgery and then you should be back to normal.

Your doing good!

Long before surgery, I began to bruise easily. In my case I was taking an aspirin a day. I reduced my dosage down from 325 mg down to 81 mg and the bruising went away. Some over the counter pain medicines such as Excedrin contain large amounts of aspirin. Aspirin is a blood thinner. My mom was taking 4 to 6 Excedrin a day for pain relief. She did this for several years. Eventually she saw blood in her stool. She had to have blood transfusions. Once I got her off the Excedrin she recovered.

These are some of the abbreviations used in this site: Abbreviations ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliopancreatic Diversion (Scopinaro procedure) bs = blood sugar btw = by the way CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RTD = ready to drink RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y s/f or sf = sugar free smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = Vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight : ) or :-) = ☺ = smiley face : ( or :-( = ☹ = sad face

Congratulations on your weight loss thus far. Life might seem a little discouraging to you but look at the positives. In my case, because of the surgery, almost all my medical conditions went into remission and stayed there. Also my stamina (ability to perform manual labor) improved dramatically. Last year I moved by hand 100,000 pounds of gravel and 50,000 pounds of concrete landscaping blocks. I am 66 years old. Also I was able to go to normal department stores and buy clothes. I went from a size 3X in shirts down to a size Small and from a size 46 in pants down to a size 32. WLS may not fix all the problems in your life but it helps. It sounds like you need to get out of the rut, exit out of your safe box and do something really exciting.

Perhaps due to 2 reasons. 1. You are from England and are asking questions that are somewhat specific for weight loss surgery in England. Although some of the members on this site are from around the world. Most are from the U.S. 2. When you send out a question, you blast it with 3 or 4 threads almost at the same time. It is better to send one and only one thread on a subject, not bombard the site.

It sounds like you are getting enough exercise. In my case I made one change prior to surgery that caused me to lose some weight. I knew that after surgery I had to give up carbonated beverages and caffeine. I had a 6 diet coke habit so I decided to go cold turkey. It was hard because after 50 years of drinking cokes I was addicted. I suffered severe headaches for a week by withdrawal syndrome from the lack of caffeine. But because of that one change I lost 20 pounds. I suspect that it has to do with the carbonation. I feel that the microscopic bubbles exploding in my stomach expanded my stomach microscopically which enlarged my stomach over time and caused me to gain weight. Stop the bubbles and some weight is shed. Now that I am 29 months post-op from RNY surgery, I might offer a couple other suggestions. When you eat, concentrate on eating Protein foods. Go easy on the carbs and almost complete restrict yourself from processed sugars. Use only artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda, and sugar alcohols), non-nutritive natural sweeteners (such as Stevia) and the sugars found in fruits and milk. To curb your hunger use fats.

I basically told everyone even strangers on the street. Most people were either supportive or curious. I think the reason why some people are so guarded about discussing this is from their past experiences with dieting which normally ended badly. Perhaps the reason why I was so open was because I wasn't much into the dieting thing prior to surgery.

For me it took about a year from the time that I started the process and I had the surgery. But I am in the States. Medical insurance was a big thing. They required that I undergo a 6 month medically monitored weight loss and exercise program in order to qualify. So the steps that I went through: Initial Consultation Psychiatric Evaluation 6 Month Medically Monitored Weight Loss Program Began diet and exercise program Attended Bariatric Surgery Support Group Meetings Finally approved by my insurance Half day of extensive pre-op testing Half day of bariatric program classes Second round of pre-op tests (These tests are done by specialist in the field when they uncover medical conditions that could impact surgery.) Had RNY gastric bypass surgery

I found the whole experience exhilarating. I couldn't buy clothes in a normal department store before surgery because I was too large. After I dropped the weight and went into the maintenance phase, I completely replaced my wardrobe. I am a good bargain shopper. Generally I can find good brands on sale for 70-80 percent off at the end of the season. Generally I shop at Macy's because that is where I find the best bargains. But it is all a matter of preferences in clothing styles and shopping outlets. Go out and have some fun.

I found that my nutritionist was very helpful. But you had to ask the right questions.

The weight loss will vary by individual and the type of surgery. Generally an individual will gain a few pounds in the hospital because they pump your body with fluids. So you first have to lose that weight. Also in the beginning your body is in heal mode. I had a RNY. Once I started to lose weight, it came off quickly. Sometimes at a rate of 2 pounds per day.

If you have gastric bypass surgery, there is a good chance that your taste buds will change after surgery and what might taste good now will not after surgery. So just a word of warning. Be prepared to experiment to find a Protein shake that agrees with you. There are many types available. I used Muscle Milk Light (vanilla creme) powder. I blended it using a Ninja blender with a single serve cup with Water and a half a banana. I found that trying to mix protein powders by hand would not provide the proper consistency. I had a RNY and Protein Bars were off limits for several months.

How did your visit go?

If a couple weeks goes by then probably a good idea to give a call. But I would start with my doctor's office first.

Generally I weigh myself each morning. I normally have a BM before I weigh myself. If I weigh myself before I have a BM, I weigh about a pound more than after a BM. During the day my weight can fluctuate around 2 pounds throughout the day.

The skin on my face developed very fine wrinkles. My wife suggested that I use BioOil which is available at CVS and other drug stores. I followed her advice and applied it once each morning and that fixed the problem.

Your taste buds may change after surgery, so be prepared to experiment some more after the operation. I used Muscle Milk Light (vanilla creme) powder and it was lactose free.

An EGD tests. Had to look this one up. It stands for esophagogastroduodenoscopy. I had a RNY and this test was not called out for that procedure. Is it common for a sleeve patient to have and EGD tests done routinely or was there some underlying problem? This test can be used to uncover the following conditions: * Celiac disease * Esophageal rings * Esophageal varices (swollen veins in the lining of the esophagus caused by liver cirrhosis) * Esophagitis (lining of the esophagus becomes is inflamed or swollen) * Gastritis (lining of the stomach and duodenum is inflamed or swollen) * Gastroesophageal reflux disease (a condition in which food or liquid from the stomach leaks backwards into the esophagus) * Hiatal hernia (a condition in which part of the stomach sticks up into the chest through an opening in the diaphragm) * Lower esophageal ring * Mallory-Weiss syndrome (tear in the esophagus) * Narrowing of the esophagus * Tumors or cancer in the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum (first part of small intestine) * Ulcers - gastric (stomach) or duodenal (small intestine) This test is generally ordered if you have cirrhosis of the liver or Crohn disease. I had severe acid reflux which also goes by the name GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) prior to surgery. Individuals with GERD should not have sleeve. That is why I had a RNY gastric bypass. It took care of that condition.

After surgery, I find that my taste buds are constantly changing. What I like one day, doesn't taste good the next. But generally this does not result in throwing it up. I am guessing that you are somewhat along because you are showing a weight loss of 92 pounds. In the beginning after gastric bypass surgery RNY, you stomach will be intolerant of processed sugar and fats. They can produce dumping. You might check the soup and see how much added sugar it has. This might be the cause.

Stalls are common. While in the hospital, it is normal to gain some weight because they fill your body with fluids so by the time you leave the hospital you weigh several pounds more than when you went in. During the first couple weeks your body is in a heal mode. Around half way through my weight loss I hit a stall. I realized that my meal volume was increasing and that I was deriving more Protein from my food and I didn't need as much Protein shakes and the calories that went with the protein shakes. So I dropped off one of the shakes and my weight loss picked up again.

I am 26 months post-op RNY. I relied on home-made high Protein chili and Soups. I wrote a short article about my surgery and included some recipes. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf I am not sure about the pain in your right side. It doesn't sound normal. I did not have a drain so I can't say for sure. Could it be infected? I lost my hunger too after surgery. The important thing is meeting your protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting stored fat into the energy that drives your body - thus you lose weight.

I tried it and didn't like it. But at 40 grams of Protein per bottle I thought it might be a good alternative. It took me almost 2 hours to drink one bottle, it tasted that bad. I let my wife have a taste and she liked it. Others seem to praise it. So it is all a function of your taste buds.