pik

I do supplement with shakes almost daily . I am still battling with a lot of Hair loss but I think that is because I have had to go under anesthesia around 7x since surgery. hair goes through 3 month cycles and with all this going on it is a wonderful I am not bald!

My lord I have no idea. I know I didn't have a nut by that name. Not in my Dr's office. Nothing was laid out for me because I had so many strictures. I was basically liquid diet for the first 5 months. I thought I was dying and they thought they were gonna have to place a feeding tube. I was malnourished, it was awful.

Absolutely.

I used to track vigilantly but not anymore. I should probably pick it up because I gained a few pounds.

@check your during that time I was very sick. I had a very hard time with my surgery. Had to go on every about month and a half for an endoscopy to get stricture opened up. It was awful. At this point my life and life changes are my new normal. I don't even think about the way I eat or drink as being "because of surgery" anymore, it is just my new life norm. I have become very active and that is an awesome thing. Where do you live?

How far along is everyone? I had gastric bypass on July 16, 2014 at Fair Oaks and I live in Woodbridge. So just over 2 years ago. I was 244 the day of surgery and I had lost 21 lbs. I have gotten to my lowest of 143 but my body seems to feel more comfortable around 146-147.

Anybody online from NoVa? Fairfax or Loudoun? Hello??!!??

I am but I do not use this site anymore. Woodbridge.

They did X-ray and ctscan on me and said that there is not stricture, I think there is. The X-ray doctor said it's very tight! I'm going to try to convince the doctor to enlarge it, because at 7 weeks I Shiism be able to drink and eat a little without pain and vomit. Thank you for responding to me @@pik

They did the same thing with me and said the same thing, but there was a stricture. I would request an upper endoscopy if it continues.

I did had a stricture, they did 2nd dilatation last Thursday. Doc said should work!!! Will see! What a pain! He talked about scar tissue??? I don't know what really causes, also he mention steroid shots if problem doesn't solve ???? Will see.

Yes. The scar tissue grows which forms the stricture. I have never heard about steroid shots with strictures before and I went through 5 of them! Maybe your dr is more aggressive than mine, which could be a good thing!

They did X-ray and ctscan on me and said that there is not stricture, I think there is. The X-ray doctor said it's very tight! I'm going to try to convince the doctor to enlarge it, because at 7 weeks I Shiism be able to drink and eat a little without pain and vomit. Thank you for responding to me @@pik

They did the same thing with me and said the same thing, but there was a stricture. I would request an upper endoscopy if it continues.

@@pik how are you now? I been having similar problems, I'm now 7 weeks out I can't eat or drink without pain or vomiting.

Hi there. I am nine months out now and doing a lot better. All of that happened to me very soon after my surgery. After that, I continued to have strictures, which I had while in the hospital as well. The surgeons finally admitted that was most likely the case but had never had a patient with strictures so early on after surgery.

I had to have five endoscopies to open them up, my last one being this January. I have been good since then.

I go to a monthly support group meeting at the hospital (Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA), but I was thinking something once a week or once every other week would be good. I have not meet anyone else who has had this surgery, other than at the hospital support group. There must be lots of other people in Northern Virginia, not only patients of Dr. James Mayes or Dr. J. R. Salameh. But how do I find them, and find out if they are interested in starting a group?

Maybe something like a meet up group or even do it here. I would go.

I think an offline (in person) support group for Northern Virginia would be a very good idea. How would we go about organizing one? I'm in Falls Church City.

Well a group of people can plan to meet and go from there. I went to one that was included at one of the hospitals and there were just so many people and everyone was talking over each other and it was pretty aggravating.

I started at 264. Surgery on July 16 at 241. Today I am at 182.

I am ok with it all. (amount of weight loss) I have had 4 strictures and 4 endoscopy/dilations and working on my 5th. My diet is for the most part liquid to include things like chili. Most of the time yogurt.

In less than 6 months I have lost 58 pounds. I know some others have lost more in the same amount of time. Even in just 2 months! I have 6 more months to lose roughly 30 pounds which is totally doable. Also with my slower weight loss....less loose skin!

I'm in Northern Virginia, so Williamsburg is a little far for me.

It looks like Dr Halmi left. Their website is now metrobariatrics.com. The main page refers to them as Bluepoint-Inova. Interesting!

I don't know. Halmi is still in the same office but looking for another office starting next month. I saw him last week.

Just not going to work for me. I am going to see Dr. Nain.

@@395Ron I would call and see where you need to go for your appointments, etc, because the only one in the group now is Halmi.

Best wishes on your upcoming surgery! I used to live in Mechanicsville!

Any Northern VA WLS, open to connecting online and off?

I don't know if I saw this or responded, but I would!

Not sure who knows or doesn't know but I found out today Bluepoint Surgical Group split up. The only dr in that practice is Halmi.

I have a stricture that I have had to have endoscopy and dilation four times now and it is coming back. An option is a stent placed for 10 days. One of my surgeons seems to be ok with it, and the other does not.

The one who is ok with it is also the one who has told me wait patiently, you will be fine all along when I actually had a closed up esophagus and the one who has always come to my rescue is the one against it.

If anyone has had this, can you please tell me what your personal experience was with this?

I am headed towards something, possibly another surgery, but something. I can't have endoscopies every 2 weeks for the rest of my life!

Thank you!

I haven't posted in here in a while, but I have gone to caffeine with no issue and I am having the skiiny peppermint mochas with a couple of splendas in it.

@@pik East of Fred, towards the Northern Neck... I'm actually right by Dahlgren Navel Base.

Oh ok, I am out that way every once in a while.

I usually do not offer it up but everyone wants to know how I lost my weight, and that is when it comes out.

@@coastalchick Is that down past Fredericksburg? I am trying to think....

It really is! I am at 188 now and working with a personal trainer and I love it!

Woot woot! You can do it!