Djmohr

Hooray!

@@Pedro Valle-Inclan It is normal for the first month following recovery for you to hold Vitamins. It is all about your new tummy healing and the fact that you have some Vitamin stores built up in your system. This is exactly why they don't test you for the 6 months. It is really important that people understand it is so important to get your vitamins and Water. I had a friend (Peggy) who had gastric bypass surgery about 29 years ago. She thought she was doing so well because the weight was coming off fast and she was feeling pretty good. I lived with her at the time and I know for a fact that she never once took vitamins or focused on Protein. In her defense she was not given detailed instructions like you get today with Bariatric surgery. What she ate, never changed. She had 5 kids and did not have a lot of money to buy good protein and veggies. Their main meal was macaroni and cheese with canned tuna in it. They ate Pasta probably 5 days a week. She was nearly 400lbs and about 5.5. After a year and a half she was down to 97lbs and severely malnourished. Peggy almost died before they went back in and reversed her bypass. Back then they did open bypass and I remember it vividly because I lived upstairs and took care of her children for 3 weeks while she was in the hospital. Within the first year post reversal she had gained over 150lbs back. Yes, she was still malnourished but now overweight again. She never exercised, never took a single vitamin nor did she ever focus on protein. She was critically ill. I got married, moved states and lost touch with Peggy after that so I don't know what ultimately happened but she was very ill. Can you imagine losing all your weight, becoming too small and then gaining it all back? I always wonder and believe that had she been better focused on her diet and vitamins would this have happened to her? Peggy is one of the reasons I waited so long to have this surgery. I spent months researching and understanding my role in Bariatric surgery success. I vowed I would follow instructions to ensure I did not put my family through my getting critically ill.

I have had a couple of "friends" who have basically changed the way they behave around me. I am not sure why but I suspect it is because they are no longer comfortable around me. The two friends I am speaking about are both morbidly obese themselves and they know I had bypass. These friends also made it a point to tell me about every single person they ever knew who had the surgery and gained all their weight back. And shared horror stories about complications. One of them works in a hospital. This happened when I shared I was having the surgery 2 years ago. As my weight started to come off, my hubby and I were usually left off the invite list. This is a couple who we were very close to and my hubby grew up with him. When he got married we became a pretty tight group. So, we made it a point to invite them out a couple of times recently. Neither of them said one word about my drastic weight loss or gave me a compliment. When we go out to eat I can always find something on any menu to eat but they are clearly uncomfortable around me. I try very hard not to act differently or be a pain because of what I eat. I think I am a reminder that both of them need to do something themselves but choose not to. We never ever talk about my weight loss or the surgery itself. I do think there is some jealousy but it is really uncomfortable for me to be with them because there is a big elephant in the room. It's a bummer because this is a great couple to hang with. My hubby doesn't get it either, he knows something is different but doesn't realize it has anything to do with my weight loss. We have tried to do activities that don't involve good and it's still not the same. When we were all fat, we would have a great time. Now it's strained and weird.

This article does a pretty good job of comparing both surgeries. http://sassesurgical.com/bariatric-surgery/laparoscopic-procedures/mini-gastric-bypass/

I know this much, Vitamins and Protein are critical to a WLS patients overall success. Not taking them against doctor recommendations just isn't very responsible. Both bypass and sleeve patients require long term nutrition management. There is a reason it is for life. Given the sleeve is so new and there is not a lot of data, I hope irresponsible patients who end up with complications don't skew the real data. Those that do follow doctors orders. My two cents!

I take b1 and calcium in the am Multi Vitamin & d at bedtime The only 1 that don't fit into a pill organizer is the calcium and I just have a process. I get up in the am, stop at the cabinet grab my calcium which is the first thing I take. Down the road I will have to add b12 back in but that is taken once per week.

@@LipstickLady No, not the trash next to the cottage cheese?!

I do a quick blanch to soften them a little then I sauté with a small amount of crispy bacon. Right before they are tender I splash with balsamic vinegar. They get Carmelized are are absolutely delish!

I must have missed said post. LOL!

@@Babbs Jan and dean - surf city

The rule is 1 gram of Protein for every inch you are tall minimum everyday. Some people have to be careful going too high with protein as it can cause your kidneys to work harder. You don't need to double down but make it a rule to hit the minimum everyday and maybe a little more. You are doing great and it is normal that the weight loss slows a bit after those first initial months. As @@Babbs said, just stick closely to the plan and the weight will continue to come off.

@@CharlotteKat I must complain at least 100 times a day that my butt hurts. I literally have lost my entire rear and because of it my tailbone sticks out. It hurts! I have a gel pillow in my chair at home and in the car and although it does help a little it certainly doesn't take it away. I have been working with a physical therapist for other back issues and she taught me to sit forward on my thighs and that works as well but I cannot sit like that for long. My butt is so wrinkled from loose skin that hubby says he would like to use the Iron on it. LOL. He is joking of course and since losing so much weight apparently he loves it because he is always playing grab ass with me. But you are right, my butt hurts and I haven't figured out what to do about it.

I would be surprised if every single person who had weight loss surgery didn't think about it. I can remember setting my goal and thinking there is no possible way I will ever lose 145 lbs and keep it off. Then I realized that WLS is nothing but a tool and I am in control of that tool for the rest of my life. This is all about where your head and heart is and how bad you want it. If you want it bad enough, you can see yourself getting to goal and maintaining that goal. Well I am down 142lbs very close to my ideal weight and now it about maintaining. If you want it and your ready just remember you are in control. The best of luck to you!

Oh and I never eat bland food. I have learned that good seasoning and even spicy food is fantastic. Even in the puréed stage.

@@lauraellen80 This was very very well said! It is exactly how I approach food. What I choose to put in my mouth has to be worth it and if I do make a choice like a piece of toast or some chips, I make other better choices to offset it during the day. As a morbidly obese person I never ate a lot of food, I just made wrong choices in what I ate all day long for every meal. If I have learned anything about nutrition it is how to eat properly and in moderation. There are things my body no longer desires and I am thankful for that. I really love delicious Protein and good carbs but I also love to have a treat on occasion and I do mean occasion.

@@antionettemn619y1 I am thrilled for you! Your BMI is clearly morbidly obese which will in fact lead to serious health issues down the road. Trust me I waited way to long tried way too many diets that ultimately allowed me to lose, gain it all back and then some. RNY is an excellent tool to help you meet your goals whether they are to get healthy or get skinny. It is the gold standard in WLS and getting to a normal BMI from where you are can be challenging. I did it to get healthy and after a very short span of time getting skinny became more important than I though it would be. And yes, I recently had a clothes moment when I went to buy new jeans. I was wearing 12s, and thought I needed to move to a 10. Well, the 10s were too big so I put on a pair of 8s which fit perfect! The clerk suggested I try on a 6 in another color because that color was more forgiving. Guess what? I got the 6 on, got them zipped and everything! I will say, you need to be realistic though. You will likely have a lot of loose skin to deal although you are younger and some may bounce back better than someone my age. The best of luck to you!

I had massive hair loss that began almost right away, but got really bad starting in month 4 and continued until my weight loss slowed way down which was month 12. It started growing back as quickly as it started coming out so while I was losing it was coming in. My hair is now coming in everywhere but it has changed significantly. The texture is much thicker, coarse, curly and even a bit frizzy. I spoke with several doctors while I was going through this and everyone told me my hair would stop or slow down when my weight loss slowed down. Right around 12 months my weight slowed to a crawl which scared me because I still had more to lose but that is the point where you really have to work harder to continue losing. I am still losing but about 3-5 lbs per month and I am 3lbs from my ideal weight.

Um, yum! That sounds delicious!

@@Daisee68 You are doing fantastic! I totally understand where your therapist is coming from but there is also a way to get your variety at the same time. I will usually have a Protein and good carb at every meal. I just make sure that it is not the same thing everyday. I personally know that I will not be successful that way because like you, I need variety in my food. I also believe that I have so little space that what I do choose to eat had to fulfill my nutrient requirements but also satisfy me. If it don't I find myself going off plan. Food is still very important in my life so I want it to be worth eating.i refuse to eat prepackaged, processed, fast food garbage. I make most of my meals from scratch and I make sure I change it up everyday. I don't know about most of you but I know that I have made choices that are not always the best when eating out but I try to limit the occurances of that happening to once in a while. I am usually pretty good about my selections. I am in control of what I eat and I know that if I choose to have a couple chips every once in a while I adjust the rest of my day. Or if I decide I need something sweet i will fight it until I finally give in. The difference is I have a bite or two and know that I can control myself. I remember once making a whole apple pie (before surgery), slowly throughout that weekend I ate that whole damn pie. I was mortified! Now if I were to have a couple bites of that pie I am satisfied and I am in control. Honestly for me if I abstain completely that is when I get into trouble. You are doing fantastic! Maybe see if you can make variety in a different way. Instead of several bites of several foods at one meal, try ensuring there is variety throughout your day and you are trying new recipes. I have found Pinterest to be so helpful in changing what I choose to cook. I am thankful my husband comes along for the ride. I focus most of my choices on the protein but I also leverage great veggie recipes as well. Good luck!

@@LovinSoul I will have to try the Brazilian blow our or devacurl products and see if it helps. I am thrilled to have this thick head of hair back. Yay! I just need to learn to make it behave.

This is a really great topic and looking forward to reading all the posts!

I honestly don't know if biotin did anything for me. I had massive hair loss but as someone else said, it will grow back. My hair is thicker than ever however it came back very curly. Annoyingly so. I would still rather have dealt with the hair loss and loose skin.

When it first came back I tried to go in there several times but was alone by myself. LOL!

It took me a couple of months before I could eat them raw but I do eat them almost every day. I love my tomatoes and cucumbers!

Oh, by the way. Said mother n law was obese herself!