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@@LibrarianBecky I still have a hard time eating more than 2oz of dense Protein like chicken, shrimp, pork and beef. I am 20 months post op. Now, other soft foods I can eat a lot so measuring for me is critical.

@@kealot I am also guessing you will also have some swelling for several months. I think they look very good compared to before. I am green with envy, my arms are the worst part of my excess skin. Do you mind if I ask how much it cost you to have it done?

Yup shoes and jewelry, glasses, head gear for C-pap if you use one. I joke with my husband regarding the head hear for C-pap.....I must have had a big fat head and I don't any more. It definitely is not cheap losing all this weight but it is too much fun shopping for new stuff. In fact trying on clothing and shoes is my favorite thing to do because I fit into normal sizes. I used to avoid shopping for clothing and shoes like the plaque because it was depressing. p.s. Hopefully you will lose the C-pap within the 1st year anyway but some people don't.

@@PdxMan They have you drink a solution while watching your digestive system using X-ray. This way they can see if you have a stricture or if everything is working as designed.

@@Ele marie Yes, it will go away as you get furthere down the road. The problem is, you really really really need to stay hydrated. It is the number 1 most important thing right after surgery. Try adding some fruit or veggies to your Water to enhance the flavor. That perfume thing happens to some people. I know that I had the same problem but simply had to muscle through it. I tried some of those water enhancers but it only made it worse for me. My doctor had me try adding cucumbers or watermelon and that helped. For me that became too fussy to deal with so I simply started drinking plain room temp water and forcing myself to drink it. That feeling passed once I made it to soft foods.

It is disheartening to know that our bodies work so hard against us but it does make sense given how many times in my life I dropped 50 to 100 pounds through diet and exercise but those pounds always came back and brought some buddies with them too. When I was young it was almost a game for me, I got good at losing the weight. What I did not see coming was how age plays into your ability to lose. I actually got to a point where I could lose tops 5lbs only to have it return and frustrate me. When I realized that i was doing more damage than good I finally threw in the towel when it came to diet and exercise completely. By then though a lot of damage to my bones and organs were in full swing. Ugh. I have learned that there is no such thing as a diet for me. A healthy balanced meal that consists of good Proteins, vegetables and fruits in my diet is critical to my being able to maintain my loss. As I have just entered the maintenance phase in the last couple months I am still learning how many calories I can eat per day to maintain. For me, it is lower than most because I am also not physically capable of doing the exercise i would like to. Hopefully soon we will figure things out so I can get back to cardio daily which will allow me to add some additional calories. I am sad for those folks who are obese and don't understand how this works. I am thrilled for the young folks who recognize they need to do something more permanent. The only cure for obesity long term is WLS. I believe that to be completely true. I would argue those folks that go through WLS and dont take the time to learn good nutritional habits still won't be successful long term and they will continue to blame it on the surgery. Obesity is an epidemic and it is quite scary. I seriously notice people more now that I understand the disease and I feel like our PCPs are not educated enough about obesity and the cure. When you are in a crowd of people just stop and take notice of those around you. There are very few normal sized people. Most are overweight, on their way to being obese or obese already. It's frightening.

I had a neurostimulator in my spine for 10 years and just had it removed in November. Mine was an older device that did not have rechargeable capability and given I had lost over 100lbs it was literally sticking out of my lower back, I got it stuck in the slats of a chair once didn't know it and tried to stand up. Ouch!!! Anyway, I wanted to respond because this device literally gave me back my life. I had severe nerve pain running down my leg following lumbar fusion surgery. We tried everything for 5 years and finally they offered me the neurostimulator solution. The first time we turned it on in the operating room it felt magical. The pain was gone and it felt like tiny littles champagne bubbles running up and down my spine and my leg. They work! It only makes sense that they could somehow use it to resolve the feelings of hunger. I do believe in order for long term success a person would still have to deal with head hunger, cravings and the underlying food addiction issues. I know even days or weeks after my RNY, I had head hunger that would make me want to go eat a cheeseburger. I had to learn how to deal with it. Obviously the same diet and exercise will be important as well right? Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

@@axlr8n My first blood sugar in the am is usually between 70 and 75 which is excellent. Your morning numbers are great. It is all about eating a balanced diet. Good carbs and Protein for every meal. If you can stick to that it should not be a problem. It is smart to document when you do have an episode and then look back at what you consumed. That is how I know cream of wheat will do it for me if I don't follow that bowl of cereal with a protein bar or shake. My doctor loves that I have that cereal, it is whole grain and a very good source of Iron. He immediately said don't stop eating just try adding protein and hour later, so far that has worked great for me. I know in every instance it has happened exactly why and it has to do with the combination of what I ate and the timing of that food.

So I am one of the unlucky ones who gets reactive hypoglycemia. It is not fun and I am still trying to figure out the combination of foods that cause if for me. I have had it happen about 12 times since surgery 20 months ago. When it comes on, you don't even realize it is happening until it is almost too late. I suddenly don't feel right, I start shaking and I crash very fast. It takes a lot to get my sugars back to normal. I was a very controlled diabetic before surgery. I will usually have a Protein shake for break fast but occasionally I like a small bowl of cream of wheat. On the days I have that cream of wheat I have to be very careful eating some protein within an hour of the cream of wheat. If I don't do that I am almost guaranteed a episode. Once you have an episode it is very difficult to get control of it without eating more carbs all day long so the trick is never getting there in the first place. I had an episode last week and looking back at why, I know my carbs were higher than normal and my body simply does not like that. It is a very scary condition and if it gets too severe and you don't figure out what causes it, the only cure is having your bypass reversed which is absolutely not a solution for me. So, I have to be diligent about eating right and checking your sugar the minute you feel weird. Last week when I felt it I tested my sugar and I was at 43. Scary! I hope you figure out what might be causing your situation. Make sure you get to the bottom of it so you don't break your face!

I had sleep apnea and was on bipap. I have not needed my machine for over a year now. Recently however they put me on heavy duty pain meds (fentanyl patch). This med is scary because it definitely affects your breathing. I have been on it for 6 weeks and I recently asked for a different plan as this drug is effecting me in a negative way. Anyway, I hauled out my bipap machine and have been using it while on this medication. I cannot simply stop it because I am on a high dose and will go through severe withdrawals so they put me on a cocktail of antidepressants for pain control and it will take about 6 weeks for that to start working. So they have me taking this high dose for a month of fentanyl and then we will ween me down slowly. It is not a drug I would allow them to put me on in the future. I have the strangest dreams that reoccur and continue. Also my memory is shot. Things that happen for real, I mistake for dreams and dreams become real. It is very friggin scary stuff.

I was nearly 5' 11" my entire life, then in 2001 I had a lumbar fusion and suddenly I was 5'10". In June I had a 3 level cervical fusion and now I am 5' 9 3/4" I mean seriously can I stop shrinking please! Hubby thinks it's funny, I do not. I like my height.

I focused my efforts on walking, walking, walking initially. Like you I could not get up a simple flight of stairs without feeling like my lungs would literally explode. I purchased a treadmill and a recumbent elliptical bike. I started slow and ramped up to more time and more resistance every day. I got to the point where I was actually able to run. Pushing myself a little everyday. Take it slowly and if you feel pain back off a little and then try again. In June I ended up having some surgery on my cervical spine. That was the end of my cardio workouts. In November I had more back surgery and in February I had a shoulder surgery. During this time I had to focus 100% of my plan on diet. I did get to goal but I lost so much muscle mass that it is scary and I am in pain every day. I am working with physical therapist now to build my strength back. I cannot wait to get back on my elliptical and treadmill and get my groove back. Best of luck to you! You can do this!

For me it has actually been more expensive. Eating good quality fresh foods vs. all that processed crap is definitely more expensive. My grocery shopping bill has gone up, not down. Now with medications it has been a wash. New Vitamins replace the prescriptions.

I hope all goes well today and you are on the road to recovery!

@@VDB, @@KindaFamiliar It is very nice to have a guys perspective that isn't my hubby because he of course will always tell me I look nice. Unless of course I look hideous in something, then he will tell me, which I do appreciate! Anyway, thank you for sharing your opinion, it definitely gives me more confidence.

I am 100% with @@BarrySue on this! I refuse to watch that show for every reason she articulated. My biggest fear is gaining my weight back. I choose to believe that I am way better educated about real nutrition and because of this I make better choices. I know that regain is 100% my responsibility and with the help of my new smaller stomach I can better control portions, the rest of the battle is all about choices. I do not want to be one of those bypass patients that claim this surgery doesn't work and I know that it does but I have to put in the effort. The folks on the biggest loser simply don't learn that they have to make good choices everyday, they actually lean that they can simply stop eating and work out 6 hours a day. What they don't know is that the older you get, the harder it becomes to lose even a few pounds. I know this because it happened to me. I was a rock star at losing weight. I would lose 80 lbs go back to old behaviors gain that weight back and then some believing that I could simply diet and lose it all again. I can remember when I went on Atkins, it was so easy to lose that 60lbs and I was never hungry. I would think, I will just do that again. When I tried, I would lose 5 or 10 lbs and then gain it plus another 10. Then I turned 45 and couldn't even lose 10lbs. I wish the best for the young lady that gained her weight back. I totally feel for her.

Honestly if there is something I want or crave I will usually have a few bites and I am satisfied. For me, there have been a few days in the last 20 months in which I felt like maybe I was over indulging and I called it a slip. So far, my strategy has been to immediately get back to the basics. About a month ago, we had traveled and during that time I made some food choices that were not the best. I gained 2lbs over a period of 3 days. I got back home and immediately went back to my safe place where I make good choices and control myself. Within 5 days I lost those 2lbs and lost another 2 on top of it. So for me the rule of thumb is, if I slip I immediately go back to the plan.

@@NewAngela Fairlife is a very good option and by the way it is lactose free.

@@nursey10465 I am 19 months post op and still have to drink 1 30 gram Protein shake per day. I have good restriction and have a hard time getting enough dense protein at my meals. I am allergic to legumes and my pouch does not tolerate eggs which I am still sad about. You do what you have to in order to stay healthy.

@@Sajijoma I would definitely challenge your nut. You are likely in starvation mode. I went through the same thing at 7 months out. I was at 800 calories, 70 grams of Protein. I was doing an hour of cardio everyday. I stalled for 28 days, I was beyond frustrated. Both my trainer and nut told me to eat more and exercise less. They took me from an hour down to 30 minutes and had me add healthy Snacks. I was required to get at least 1000 calories but could go as high as 1200. I rarely got to 1200 but consistently got to 1000 by adding high protein and good carbs like fruit. I added a half cup cottage cheese with some fresh strawberries or peaches. It did the trick. After a 28 day stall I knew something was not right. I began loosing at a nice pace. About 2lbs per week. That was the longest stall I ever had.

Wowser! You look fantastic. You were beautiful before and now you look stunning and healthy! Congratulations!

@@yami17leth I am so sorry you are having struggles with hubby. My husband is extremely supportive so I know that I am lucky. Given that, he still eats like crap and brings junk food into my house. I feel like I cannot ask him to change because I chose to have surgery. I had hoped that seeing my success will get him to the same place over time, The reason I tell you this is because I had to decide whether or not I could change my behaviors regardless of what crap food is in my house. I decided I wanted to get healthy and so I literally convinced myself that I could do it and I have. Now, there is one place where I have literally put my foot down and that is I do not ever eat crappy fast food so if he wants it, he has to go get it himself and if we go out to eat it will never be at a place like mcDonalds. He understands and allows me to pick the restaurant. It has worked for me. In the very beginning (first 8 months post op), I stuck to the plan 100%. I never strayed for fear of dumping. Now, on occasion I can and do have chicken noodle soup! LOL......or something along those lines.. The important thing is that I am in control of what I choose to eat, not him. He respects what I have done and is very proud of me because I make decent choices 98% of the time and that is half the battle. In terms of fighting cravings, that will be there always. Sometimes you will give in to it but the majority of the time, stick to the plan especially this early post surgery. Best of luck to you!

@@RNY-Gal Thanks so much for sharing your story. You are doing fantastic! I had a very difficult time losing anything pre op. Keep us posted on your progress. I am excited for you to experience life after weight loss surgery. Life is so fun now as a normal weight! You get to experience so much more of it!

@@beachgal2935 Wow! Stunning! Congratulations!

@@nursey10465 I think you just figured out your issue. Water and Protein is essential to losing and staying healthy. I learned this very early on as well. As soon as I was able to get a minimum of 48 oz. of water, I noticed my weight started dropping rapidly. The same is true of protein, your body needs it badly. I learned in the beginning to literally hold that water cup in my hand and sip until it was gone. I start in the am even now with 2 16 oz bottles of water. I get my 48 before lunch every day. The cup is in my hand and I would sip about Avery 15 seconds or so until it simply became a habit. The same thing with my Protein shake. I literally hold it in my hand and sip on it until gone. For some reason when I set that cup down, I forget about it. Your body is likely in starvation mode. You need to get a handle on this and when you do, you will see a significant change. I promise!