Daisee68

LOL! Hang in there! I think they are usually pretty quick. Mine was unusual - submitted at noon on a Friday and approved by 10 am the following Monday!

@@Lisa1996 - Not gonna lie. It definitely takes discipline (which most of us didn't have pre-op - well I know I didn't!). Some days are better than others. Transitioning to denser foods (which you aren't to yet) will help. Meanwhile, I find my stomach will growl (or gurgle) sometimes when I am just thirsty, so make sure you get fluids - it will help. You just gotta hang in there! The first 6 weeks or so can be difficult as you figure things out but you will hit a stride and never look back!

One other thing to keep in mind is that your calorie restriction is so very limited that sometimes it is difficult to have enough energy. Some folks actually don't lose during certain phases because their body goes in to starvation mode because they are burning WAY too much and eating WAY too little. You will be able to walk, but as other said, it is major surgery and just as you would with any other major surgeries, you need to give yourself a little break and give your body time to heal.

"Full" is definitely different after surgery but "satisfied" will likely come when you start to eat more dense meats. But caution to pay attention to portion sizes. Some days I can eat more than others. Don't eat for more than 30 minutes and stick with your portion sizes recommended by your NUT. You are still new at this. Promise it gets easier / better.

My 2nd through 3rd week was rough! I was more tired and more nauseas. I think it is something about that magical 3rd week (my 3rd week after my hysterectomy was awful too!) And just a heads up if you haven't read it yet, there is a very infamous 3 week stall for most people, so stay off the scale or at least don't panic!

One night and I was bypass.

I am 11 1/2 months post-op and have the same issue - sometimes different days, sometimes within the same day, sometimes it depends on what I am eating. Just make sure to pay attention to your portions recommended by your NUT for now.

So I emailed the dr that I had the consult with and he said he can break up the procedures in to 3 separate surgeries but that it is not cost effective. He said he does 8 to 12 hour surgeries once or twice a week. He can bring in an assistant surgeon if needed at extra cost (which I may request be done just to cut down on time). He is booked until mid-August, so I still have a little time for my weight to stabilize. (Wasn't sure I wanted to do it during the summer anyway.) Also, they have referred patients to an after care nursing company who will come to the hotel once a day (or however long you pay them for I suppose) to help with the drains, wound care, transport to follow up appts, etc. They are sending me that info so I can check in to pricing. (That will help tremendously so I can send my family home after a few days.) The hotel they refer out-of-town patients to are very used to working with him and make arrangements to get recliners or lift-chairs delivered to your room for duration of the stay. BTW, I was super impressed that I emailed the dr my questions on late Sunday night and got a personal response from him within about 30 minutes. I also emailed the surgery scheduler and she responded by 9 am. this morning. Really like the way these people work! My local WLS support meeting was having a plastic surgeon speak tonight. I was gonna go (but didn't). I looked up that drs website and his results are nowhere NEAR as good as Dr Fisher's results! Made me even more resolved to make Dr. Fisher my choice.

I would not have survived if it wasn't for cheese! Seriously. I am sure of it! My most recent treat (11 1/2 months post-op) is a sort of caprese salad with grape tomatoes and garlic herbed goat cheese. Holy cow!! It is SO good! I eat an ounce of it (fits in my particular food budget) and that goes a very long way. Sharp cheddar has been a regular part of my diet from early on. As long as it is well chewed, it is fine. I have gotten shredded cheese (not melted) stuck before when I didn't chew well enough...

For what it's worth, I am about 11 1/2 months post-op bypass. I was scared to increase too and she told me at about 8 months to start increasing (and I was at 800 calories per day). She has me up to 1200 right now but I am nearing my goal. I find that at 1100 calories I still lose (and I don't workout as much as you do). It gets easier. You don't want your body to only get use to surviving at 750 calories or maintenance is going to be really tough. As @@Inner Surfer Girl, try adding some Protein Snacks. I still have a Protein shake once per day (30g protein) as a snack. Sometimes I add another snack and sometimes I don't. Just sort of depends on what else I have eaten that day. I am told that 1200 calories will be my lifetime calories, but that seems a little low to me given my height and build, but I will deal with that once I get to goal (6 more pounds).

750 calories at 11 months post-op is too low especially if you are working out hard. What does your NUT say about where you should be now with calories and Protein ? Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

@@csawesome - Hey Checkout Poshmark.com. There are a lot of 18/20's on there. It is used clothes and I have had a great experience. I was able to buy some, sell some and even resell the ones I bought that no longer fit! You can search by brand if you know which brands you like (i.e. Lane Bryant, Avenue, Torrid, etc.) and size. Otherwise, I would say your wardrobe sounds about right. I went through pants faster than anything.

@JaimeLogical - I know you had your first surgery back when you lost the first time. You say your results stayed great even though you regained. What are your thoughts on waiting or going forward now? Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

I have another one - NOT sweating so much! It used to take NOTHING for me to break a sweat and then it wouldn't stop. Now I have to work pretty hard to sweat!

@@CowgirlJane - Thanks. That makes me feel a little better

26 (I had a pair of 28's I was wearing but they were a little too big). I am now in 14's in some and 12's in others. I still have a lot of thigh/butt loose skin, so it makes pants harder. Believe it will be a little bit smaller after plastics but I would anticipate not going below 10 (maybe 8 in some things?). I am 5'10" with a pretty big frame though and don't want to be any smaller than that. I was in 26 last January and in 14's by this January.

It is a little early, but I think you will be ok. I would make sure to take a lot of stuff with me just in case. When I went to Mexico in February (8 months post-op), I took Protein powder (1 scoop in a baggie), Protein Bars, nuts, Jerky, etc. Things I knew I could eat if I couldn't find something just right. (Not sure you will be able to have nuts and jerky at 2 months post-op but just an example). I ate a lot of chicken (with sauces scraped off), soft cheeses, eggs, etc. I think some places also have yogurt though that is not something I tried. You will also be able to walk a lot more which will help. I don't know that you will want to drink alcohol that early but everyone has a different opinion. Definitely talk to your NUT before you go to get some more ideas about what you can eat.

Congrats! Great job! I have the same successes and it is truly amazing! Keep up the awesome work!

@VSGAnn2014- Thanks and I appreciate and understand your advice and actually not sure I disagree. A lot of what is running through my head is about how to best work it in with work timing-wise but not sure that is the best reason to have surgery (and I had the same thought last year when I had the bypass at the busiest time of my work which still went fine - and then despite my efforts to work from home after surgery - I got laid off in December...) I promise I will take your advice under sincere consideration. Let me ask you this though - do you think there is any chance that having the excess skin removed earlier and feeling like I am more "normal" will perhaps give me more incentive to maintain? (I have actually lost 160 pounds from my highest weight so skin is pretty significant - especially in the rear / thighs and pants are VERY difficult to get on. Additionally, I am only 48...)

@@Christinamo7 - Well I have often heard many doctors (plastics and bariatrics) said you had to be at a stable weight for at least 1 year before they would do plastics. My NUT says you will typically be your smallest at 18 to 24 months post-op and then will experience (most likely) a weight gain (albeit hopefully very little). Even the plastic surgeon said I would need to make sure to be stable after surgery because a significant gain or significant lose after plastics could affect the results. I think my NUT is concerned about potential gain. I'm kind of thinking my therapist really knows me best since I have seen her the most so I will definitely spend a lot of time talking to her about it before I make an decisions.

I think a lot of people struggle with that. I certainly did. One of the better pieces of advice I received was to try to focus on changing behaviors instead of just focusing on the diet. For example, start with cutting down on sodas for 1 week, then next week cut them out, then next week add not drinking with a meal, then the next week add not drinking for 30 minutes after a meal, etc. All the habits you have to do after surgery. You will also feel accomplished as you tackle these and those will lead to (perhaps) cutting down on some of your foods. Also, the very most important one (to me) was tracking. Not everyone tracks, but it is truly key to my success. Start now and write down EVERYTHING. I mean every single bite. Even when it is not the right bite. It really helps you see where you are. And what @@KristenLe said - writing down emotions is good - even if just one word on your food logging app. Hang in there!! It's a marathon not a race! Start with tiny good habits and then build on them.

Ok so I had my first PS consult today. I went to Dr Peter Fisher in San Antonio (thanks to several folks on here who highly recommended him). He said good things - I was a good candidate, at a good weight (in fact wouldn't lose anymore than 5 or 10 more pounds IF that), had good muscle tone, had a good figure already, etc. All good things to hear. He wants to do everything in 2 procedures: First procedure - Lower Body Lift (which includes tummy, butt, lipo of thighs and some thigh lift) and brachioplasty - procedure last 8 to 12 hours! Second procedure (no less than 3 months later) - Thigh lift and Breast Lift / Augmentation - 4 to 6 hour procedure I am not necessarily worried about the pain and in fact, his theory in doing so many procedures together is less recovery time and less anesthesia long term (i.e. only 2 times instead of multiple). I was watching something about PS recently and the advise was to steer clear of drs who want to do lots of procedures at once. Now I don't think that necessarily applied to this type of surgery since we have to have so much work done but it still is stuck in my head. How does a dr actually perform surgery for that long? Don't they get fatigued? And is there more long term hazards of being under anesthesia so long? Ok - and lastly, my NUT says no surgery until at least 18 months post-op RNY. I am just going to be 1 year on June 4. Dr. Fisher wasn't at all concerned about that (all labs are good and in good health, exercise, etc.). He questioned me about nutrition, counseling, past weight struggles, etc. and didn't seem concerned at all. My therapist (who I have been seeing for 16 months and no end in sight) seems to think it is not too early. (She specializes in bariatric patients and is actually an RN so she has seen others go through this.) I haven't talked to my bariatric surgeon yet though I will at my 1 year follow up in a couple of weeks. Thoughts? IS it really too soon (given my weight is right and has pretty well stabilized the last couple of months)? I really want to get it all done this year if I can because I currently work from home and it will be much easier to recover without missing work since I don't have to drive / sit at a desk AND I have the potential (hope) of getting another job I have wanted but they are looking at hiring at year end. As always, appreciate all the advice.

@@CowgirlJane - Honestly, I would even list them now. Lots of people are cleaning out their winter stuff and people looking for discount stocking up for next year. Give it a try. You can always remove the listing if you don't sell them in the time you want.

You may just need a different med for a while to get it under control. I have been taking a PPI (pantoprozole) since surgery. Hoping I can go off at my 1 year visit but not sure yet. Will let you know what my dr says. Meanwhile, you might inquire about getting a prescription for pantoprozole (brand is Protonix) and take it for a 3 week round and see if it resolves.

I find that mine changes. Some things taste horrible one day and not so much the next week or month when I try them again. I struggle more with texture issues (for example - any meat that is too chewy - I have spit out more than once - gross!)