leonardsmama

Leonardsmama and artdecade I going to send you a friend invite this morning. I had gastric bypass surgery July of 2014 and I love this for logging food and exercise. It also helps me stay on top of my Protein intake that is how we live now protein protein protein.

Hi Cheryl. I had RNY surgery on Dec 8th too. As of today, I am down 32 lbs, no dumping or real side effects other than I get tired more easily. Started soft foods Dec 24th. For past 2 days I have hit a plateau, may not be drinking enough Water? Also because my starting weight was so high and I have arthritis in both knees, I have not been able to start exercising yet. Time to dust off my "Sit and Be Fit DVDs and walking laps inside my house to start slowly. I am in Everett, WA north of Seattle. What area of the country do you live in?

I just assume they're asking a question they don't know the answer to and want to see if anyone is willing to answer, it really doesn't bother me. In my job I deal with people of all levels of intelligence and so what seems crystal clear to some is going to be confusing and a gray area to others.
Since quite a large number of people who have weight loss surgery lose weight and gain it all back I think it's an opportunity for us to support each other and provide as much good information as we can with as little judgment as possible.
As to why they'd commit to such a big surgery without a lot of research and reflection? Myriad reasons, I would imagine. Again, I think we're all assuming everyone has above average intelligence and self awareness and a lot of people simply do not. They may be feeling so desperate to lose weight they don't consider consequences or how much work really goes into it. Maybe they know someone who breezed through WLS and think they can too. As many reasons and you have people who do it.

I try to just ignore it. I really hope if people want to know the answers to those questions that they research on here, get good answers that will help them, and that they heed any good advice given. I worry about the ones that ask those questions looking for an answer that will support their behavior, and they have no clue about the need to change, or really demonstrate a lack the desire to make the needed change for success. Of course, we have no way of knowing who will fall into which category, but I just skip most of those posts now to avoid the irritation.
But one thing that is baffling to me - where in the world did these people have surgery that they got NO post op instructions? Or did they actually get instructions that they ignored, or somehow think they should get the instructions from internet strangers who are not qualified to give advice, hoping to hear what they want?

SLOW DOWN!
I will be 14 days post op come Monday and I'm still not fully mobile. Most likely you still have air in your belly from surgery - hence the dimple. I had that for roughly a week. As long as you all your functions are working...burping, passing gas, and pooping...I hear that's most of the battle. I was in the hospital for 4-days and spent another 4 days in my bed at home going to the bathroom and back to bed (20ft) until things started to deflate (if you will). Stay focused on the here and now...it will all come together!

Hello everyone,
I had to look up the word, you know in that archaic item on the shelf, (book they call a dictionary). That is not a complaint. Thank you to the person who originally posted the word "flounce" and in doing so, added it to my vocabulary. I actually am one of those people who are thankful when people use a word I'm not familiar with and I have to look it up. I know, I could easily have used the internet but I'm "old-school" and like to look the word up so I can remember it.
flounce\'flaun(t)s\ vi. flounced; floun cing [perh. of Scand origin; akin to Norw flunsa to hurry] (1542) 1 a: to move with exaggerated Jerky or bouncy motions <flounced about the room, jerking her shoulders, gesticulating -- Agatha Christie>; also : to move so as to draw attention to oneself <flounced into the lobby> b : to go with sudden determination <flounced out of the room in a huff> 2 : FLOUNDER, STRUGGLE.
Thanks again for a new word in my vocabulary. Hope y'all have a good one, wherever you may be : ) .
Blessings,
Kathleen

Try not to give to much stock to these people. They will never fully understand what it means to go through the journeys we all have. To a large extent even those who support us and try to understand never full will. I have been lucky in that not too many people have really said much to me about how it is "taking the easy way out:" For those who have I spend time to educate them on facts.
Being 260 lbs overweight the chances of me dying before I was 40 was extremely high. Traditional diets had failed. If I had found a traditional diet somewhere along the line that would work, statistically the chance of losing all of that 260 lbs and keeping it off for at least 5 years is less than 1%. Granted, there are some who are able to do it (like Jared from subway), but if you look at how they did it, they usually didn't have traditional jobs and spend four to six hours or more a day working out and moving. Far too often this is just not a feasible way to live when you have school, work, children, or many other responsibilities. The odds improve greatly when your weight loss is aided by one of the surgeries. For the sleeve that percentage of those that lose it and keep it off for 5 years is about 75% and with gastric bypass i know that percentage is closer to 85%. I emphasis that it was a TOOL not a solution. My body's hormones and insulin levels were fighting every attempt I made to lose weight making it far more difficult than a normal person with normal hormone levels so I needed something to get my body out of the way of its self.
Then as far as an easy way out ask them to tell you what sounds easy about, going with liquids only for two weeks until you are irritable and just want to die, only to have someone punch six holes in your stomach to mangle your stomach and intestines turning you into a Frankenstein of sorts. From there spend 3 or more days in a hospital dependent on pain medication to be able to move around that first week. Finally, once you are home you only can sip liquid, slowly add baby food, and eventually after six months may be able to take in a cup of food six times a day. All during this time you are in constant threat of dehydration, malnutrition, reliant on Vitamins every day for the rest of your life. This is all if everything goes perfectly with the surgery and don't get me started on if it doesn't. I bet you can imagine.
It all sounds horrible, but the pain and heartache of dealing with all of this is nothing compared with the pain of not being able to walk down a flight of stairs, or play with your children, or even take a walk. Now on top of it, I have to deal with an @$$hole like you who has no clue what they are talking about. I did this to save my life. My life needed a drastic change and to do so quickly, safely, and effectively, with the greatest chance for success, this was the tool I chose.
That is typically what I have told the few who have brought up the easy way out scenario. I know why so many people choose not to tell others and I can agree with your reasoning. I personally chose to tell everyone because it keeps me accountable and gives me a stronger drive and determination to succeed. The choice to tell is very personal and there is no right or wrong answer. To anything we do in life there will always be detractors. I just urge you all to not just get upset and walk away. I urge you to get upset and fight back with the facts. It is a lot harder to argue with.
As always, if I can help you out in any way with advice, guidance, or just a shoulder to cry on. I am here for you all.