SuzeMuze

I completely agree with you, James! I also think it's important to point out that there's the equally scary reality that some folks don't "dump" at all no matter what they eat. It only takes a bite with no ill effects... that turns into two...and possibly more, which will defeat the purpose of what your'e trying to accomplish. Me personally? I stay away from fatty sugary stuff from an equal fear of dumping and worrying that I won't dump and revert back to old habits.

Congratulations to you! You're taking a huge step toward a healthier you, and the fact that you acknowledge there will be bumps in the road is actually a good thing. These forums were (and still are) a great source of information, experiences and support for me- I hope it's the same for you. Best of luck to you!

I've had the Mirena for a little over 8 years and had 2-3 very light periods a year with it. However, since RNY (and after what I guess was an adjustment time) I have them now regularly every 3 weeks or so, and they're not light by any means. (1 week on, 2 weeks off for the most part) Kind of annoying, but no doctor seems concerned about it.

Sadly, yes. I never had magazine worthy boobs to begin with, but (along with my batwings) they are my #1 disappointment with what's left of me physically. Even at nearly 300 pounds at my highest weight, my boobs were quite small compared to the rest of me and they went "bye bye" with the weight loss. My RNY surgeon recommended a plastic surgeon in my area who confirmed that I have "no breast mass tissue" left after all this weight loss. Don't get me wrong, I'd NEVER go back to where I was, but the "Water balloon in a tube sock" look w/o a bra is traumatizing to me. I'm having a lift/implants done next month, and even though I'm nervous because it's cosmetic & I can't approve the results beforehand, I'm pretty excited!

For what it's worth, I'm 9 months out and have been able to enjoy pizza for the last 3 or so. Thin crust, and usually not even a whole slice...and not always. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes I regret the choice, but for the most part, pizza is in my life now and then

Even if you do get sufficient Protein, hair loss can happen. Since about a month after surgery, I've consistently gotten over 100g of protein a day and still had it happen to me. I think I'm the only one who notices it, but it still really bothered me. Fortunately, a couple of weeks ago, I pulled my hair back and laughed out loud when I saw this little 2 inch corona of baby hairs framing my head- looks like it's growing back- yay!

Aww, I feel like I'm "too late" in responding, but I'll go ahead and echo what the other "posters" have said. I didn't have very severe emotions, but I did wonder what I'd just done to myself & if I'd ever feel "right" again. Honestly, 9 months out I really don't even want all the junk food that was such a big part of my life before RNY. Once the weight started coming off, that was my real motivation to keep going, I've worked so hard to get where I am, I don't want to sabotage myself. And yep.. I can eat "normal" food now- even stuff that's not on my list like a bite of a real cookie or pie...I just have to modify my other choices that day to keep myself accountable for choosing to eat that bite of whatever the treat was. Hang in there- it WILL get better

@@caligul Congrats on venturing into what I fondly call "The other Side of Dress Barn"! For years my only stores were Lane Bryant & Dress Barn, and I dreamed of the day I could stroll about any store I wanted and be able to wear some of those cute outfits. But... oddly enough, when it happened to me, it was a near panic attack when I walked into Dress Barn and instinctively went to the right side of the store, only to find out nothing fit me any more. I cautiously wandered over to the left side & immediately convinced myself that nothing would possibly fit- everything looked so small! It'll get easier, I promise! The only thing I still can't get used to is actually having to try stuff on- that was always a nightmare for me & I got really good at eyeballing what would fit and what wouldn't at those stores. Strange how the clothes I was so eager to wave goodbye to were actually such a source of comfort to me in a weird way. I still have a few of my original clothes & try them on from time to time to remind myself of how hard I've worked and that this life is way better than that one was!

Wow- so many folks having their surgery tomorrow! Best of luck to you all- stay strong and congratulations!

@@missy5099 I'm in Maryland, a bit north of DC and had RNY back in October. I'd love to stay in touch with you and help you along with anything you might need

@@thbrown223 Glad I could help!

Yep, so was I. So much so that I asked to have extra time to see the surgeon again at my pre-op appointment last week for a 'lil extra assurance that I was going to turn out ok. The surgeon was happy to oblige to ease my fears.

As someone who's going through exactly the same thing, here's what I would advise based on my consultations with a plastic surgeon. 1. Take a good, honest look at your body and prioritize what you really want/need to change, and what you can live with. Due to anesthesia limitations, my surgeon told me that I couldn't wake up and be "fixed", but could choose two of the 4 procedures I wanted done at a time. For me, that ended up being the boobs & arm lift- the two things I felt caused me to feel the most self conscious and were the hardest to disguise, especially in the summer. The other two can wait till winter time. 2. Get an expense estimate with the length of validity. Plastic surgery is quite expensive, and depending on what you're interested in, many insurance companies won't cover the cost. Check out financing options to help guide your priorities. 3. Ask to see before/after pictures, and allow the surgeon to "manhandle" you to give a relative idea of the results. This part was a living nightmare for me to be honest- standing in a pair of (horrifying) surgical panties in front of a complete stranger who was pushing, pulling and tugging at parts of me that I didn't want to touch, let alone someone else But....it gave me a semi-realistic view of what he could do to help, and he realized my discomfort immediately and said something along the lines of "I know this is rough for you, but think of it this way. I see women just like you every single day. I'm not looking at what you are, but what you can become. I'm an artist, and your'e my canvas. Let me show you the beautiful artwork I can create." I was sold. 3. If you're going for a boob job, don't be afraid to try them on for size. My surgeon had a special bra you could pop implants in to get an idea of how you'll look- kind of like those maternity belly pillows some of us tried on in the store when we started needing maternity clothes It's ok if you have no idea what would look good- he/she will, and will be able to explain the types of implants and what they would recommend. 4. If the idea of scars freak you out...I asked my surgeon to use his marker to actually draw the placement of the scars on me. I "wore" them for a day and decided I could live with it. 5. It's your body, but it's his/her specialty. My surgeon was recommended by my RNY surgeon as the best in our area, and I couldn't agree more. I did a ton of research online about him, his practice, and the procedures I was considering. If there is anything about any procedure that I'm not completely happy with, he'll "fix" it without charge. I'd recommend that anyone else do the same. Hope this helps!

It sure will- stay strong! I agree with you that getting all the "yuck" flushed out of my system before surgery was definitely the toughest part!

@@Elode Congrats- you're a great inspiration!