VDB

At a year out from gastric bypass, still can't "stomach" beef or solid red meats...I can eat lamb, very soft, in stews, turkey burger, fish, but my bariatric surgeon relative says that beef requires enzymes to digest that will typically not return until 18 mos to a 2 years out....

I have been open with family and friends and less so with everyone else. I live in a small town and people on the street stop me and comment on my new size. I just say "Thanks" and if they persist and need to know why/how -- if they are not close friends, I just say "I did lose a bunch of weight -- Thanks again for noticing". If they still persist, I just look at them and repeat "hey, Thanks for noticing" -- all but the most persistent nosey people get the idea... but pretty much just use humor with people. I am a shrink and will often just say "the shrink shrunk" or "Now I am petite" -- most people are just happy for me. I have found that family are the rudest --- last weekend, at a large family gathering, a loud cousin said in front of everyone "So, John, exactly how much weight have you lost?" Aaarrrggghhh. Family!

Thrift store are hit or (mostly)miss for bigger men's clothing. Ebay, enter what you want, size, color and poof-"new" clothes (that will only fit for several months!) Lather, Rinse, Repeat. I have saved thousands...

YES! I buy everything except socks and underwear on EBAY -- and am fully wardrobed from farm clothes to dress clothes, all of about 25 cents on the dollar.... makes my thrifty nature feel great

As Ron White said: "Have you ever taken a s**t so big it made your pants fit better?"

At one year out, what works for me, routinely now, no problems at all in this area, is 4-5 dried prunes and an ounce or two of dried apples every morning for a snack. I know they are carbs, but very good carbs and the body loves the nutrients. That, and lots of Water -- 100 oz a day.

Thanks everyone, GREAT perspectives and thoughts. My 32 year old daughter told me the other day that I was still walking like I did like before, still moving like a fat guy. When I watched myself on video doing my TED talk recently (talk about putting your body out there for thousands to view), I was pleased how relatively skinny I looked, but also realized my posture was still like it was when my bones were weighted down with that excess weight... I like the idea of building more muscle and getting more in shape, and focusing on posture...

Yes, after one year, have a transformed body, still have a ways to go but am so much healthier, it is amazing.

My problem is fairly common for WLS patients. I can't seem to shift my self image, the picture in my head.

For example:

• Before, I could not just reach down and pick something up off the floor. I used a grabber. Now, I can just reach down and pick it up, but I rarely do because in my head, I am still too fat to do it. I still reach for the grabber.
• I still think that people out around town (small town, everyone knows everyone else) still stare at me and think "Man, he is so fat", but realistically I am now only about 40# overweight and due to huge frame and height, don't look all that fat. People may still stare but it is primarily because I am a very large man who walks around with a very attractive yellow lab!
• Before, I had to have a platform under my easy chair and had a very hard time getting up out of the chair. Now, I just get up, but each time I get up, still mentally prepare for the great effort even though there is no great effort, I just get up like a normal person.

Is this (for you older people) just 40 years of being fat and all those habits, or do you think I should get some professional help. For you who have experienced this, did it get better over time?

Thanks in advance, you "Pals" always come though for me when I need help.

Speaking as a guy, which I am, you look great and not boyish but rather like a gorgeous healthy woman! I have recently quit wearing just t-shirts and have graduated to nice cotton shirts and substantially upgraded the quality of my wardrobe -- yes, actual colors, prints,

10,000 steps/day.

Some days I do less. Some days I do more.

I'm 70 years old.

Thanks!

It looks like 10K a day is a good goal for me...

When I add in some cycling, heavy gardening/light farming, and some free weights, that is a reasonable exercise to keep the old metabolism up.

I now weigh about 290 after over 130# loss and just bought my first smart phone (low tech old timer who loved his flip phone) and found it has a step monitor. Can anyone share their goals of steps per day? I also swim, do heavy gardening, and some treadmill time.

THANKS!

Kealot -- will be thinking of you. I had my by-pass exactly one year ago today, the best decision I ever made outside of marrying my sweetie almost 40 years ago. You will be a different person in one year, I sure am.

Good thread. At 65 years old, I can speak as the old guy. For over 40 years, I lived with being very overweight very well. No huge health issues, traveled the world, ran a small farm, etc. Sure, I had long term high blood pressure and had to order all my clothes on line, but overall, not too bad a life, certainly successful in my field of work. The Drs. always said "Just wait, it will catch up with you" -- I largely ignored these inputs.

Then, at 59-60, it all fell apart. Heart attack. Type 2 Diabetes. Edema which limited mobility. sleep apnea. Back surgery as my spine would not continue to hold it all..... funny, turned out the Docs knew what they were talking about, who would have thought?

So, at 64, bypass, one year ago today. All co-morbidities gone except sleep apnea, which in my case is likely more genetic than physical. From 56 waist to 44, still shrinking... I echo what others said, best thing I ever did... and I can get down on the floor with my grand baby and and here it comes --- get back up again!

I will say this --- I think the Advil ban helped me understand that I was using Advil too much -- and that many of the aches and pains were related to being so overweight.

With bypass, can't ever take Advil again due to causing ulcers. I miss it when I overdo -- but have not had any for 11 months... and Tylenol seems to have no effect on me, I don't even notice it.

What is a pouch test? Not a familar procedure to me....

@@VDB,

Fascinating talk, and you looked great! How wonderful for that young man to have a team that was so persistent and wouldn't give up on him.

YEP! Kind of like Bariatric Pal!

Alex, better results than I could have believed possible. At 11 mos post bypass:

Prior to surgery: Type 2 diabetes getting worse each year, even with good compliance; been on high blood pressure meds for 42 years; edema in legs and feet starting to limit mobility; blood fats not good; diabetes related neuropathy in feet getting worse, future risk of losing feet, certainly all feeling in my feet. sleep apnea, use of CPAP for over a decade.

Results: The diabetes is 90% better -- my A1C (quarterly test of average daily blood glucose) was normal with a tiny amount of meds -- my doctor thinks I might go off all diabetes meds with another 40#. Off all blood pressure meds since day one of surgery, have not had a high reading in 11 months. My edema is completely gone since 90 days out. My blood fats are actually low now -- for over 6 months. My neuropathy is stable (can't be reversed but no more damage since surgery); still have to use CPAP because my apnea is likely related to genetics (slim dad and brother both severe apnea). Mobility -- amazing, riding a bicycle again, walking, hiking, swimming with greater ease. And all of this with a reduction in weight of over a 130#.

I am someone who over the last 30 years, spent much time on the road lecturing and within a very narrow range of society, had some reputation in my field. I was used to seeing the 425 pound me on video or in training films, always was prepared to gulp a bit at how incredibly fat I had become over 30 years, each new video a bit bigger. I would always tell myself that the video adds 25 pounds at least, maybe even 50. Good old denial. Recently, fulfilled a bucket list item and did a TED talk and just got it back yesterday after editing, seeing myself down 130+. This time, for the first time, I was shocked that I looked that relatively slim...and thought -- maybe the camera takes away pounds! Still could not believe it was me even though I still have a ways to go with weight loss. http://tedxtalks.ted.com/ , put "Children Must Live with Families" in the search bar.

Amen to all of these. Just yesterday, was feeling my sternum carefully to make sure it was not something other than bone. Last week, had to sit in a metal folding chair and my rear end got sore from the bones hitting metal... and hips, actually have hips! The other thing, as a 65 year old, pre-WLS I looked alot younger because, like a baby, my face was round and the skin tight. Now, not so young looking, but much better shape which compensates.

My insurance had a history of turning down these surgeries.... so I decided that I had one shot at it, and really provided highly detailed documentation of health effects of obesity for me (diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood fats, edema), and the past/potential cost to my insurance of those areas of concern (I had a heart attack four years earlier, diabetes was worse, blood pressure out of control, edema threatening my mobility). I finally, with my clinic, submitted everything and got approval less than 12 hours later.

BTW, at almost one year post bypass, diabetes reduced 90%, blood pressure normal without meds, blood fats actually low now, edema gone, mobility back).... what results! Gone from 9 daily meds other than Vitamins to 3 daily meds, and one of them is gout prevention.

This is not a problem for me at 11 mos post surgery, but for the first five months, i learned that the 4 prunes in the am and 4 prunes in the pm did it for me, and when it was not as effective I did take a bit of metamucil.

Which surgery are you having? Glad you passed the psych eval... I am one of them shrink types and felt like I had fooled them, too!

About the doubt... normal for most of us. For me, after decades of failure, it is unreal to even contemplate that I could lose this weight. But, I did. Now that the rapid loss period is over for me, I am facing the reality of having to be very careful. But, the good news is that my pouch is small, I literally can't overeat. The bypass part of the surgery is there always, helping cut nutrient absorbing, and honestly, it is easier to avoid weight gain and with careful eating and good activity, the pounds are still coming off. I still am shocked when I look in the mirror or see myself in a window reflection... but I deserve this new body.

Started at 420+, but had been as high as 460# in the past. Lost about 130, gotten under 300# when my maintenance kicked in at 9 months out (I had gastric bypass), which meant the rapid weight loss period was over and loss became much slower but still is steady, slow and steady. It is great you are thinking of this now. I did not do this until 63 years old and wish I had done it at your age. I had led a full active life, even flying 30 times a year with a seat belt extension, but at 60 years old my normally healthy bod finally did what the docs had always said it would do -- sleep apnea, diabetes, edema, heart problems, bad cholesterol readings, etc. I also was at risk of losing mobility -- walking and running my small farm were huge barriers. I missed alot with my kids because of the weight and it certainly effected my relationship, even though we are going on 40 years together.

So, now, 11 months out, diabetes 90% better; edema gone; heart strong; blood readings perfect. The apnea goes away for some, but mine is likely genetic as a slim dad and a slim brother both had severe apnea. I will have a sleep study when I am at goal weight but likely will still use the CPAP.... not problem. My mobility is so much better. I can ride a bike again, swimming is much easier. Today, spent the entire day maintaining irrigation ditches and working my greenhouse, no problem at all. Walking my dog three times a day, no problem.

BTW, my results are fairly typical. Negatives -- the first week was a bit painful, but could get out within 10 days The first month post surgery was challenging, mainly learning to eat so differently, quantity so much less, etc. but now am used to it without any real challenges. I do eat too many carbs, but not to much excess really, am working on that, guess what I am saying that food challenges don't stop. I found that the rapid weight loss was very debilitating -- did not have much energy even though almost always ate healthy according to instructions and took my Vitamins etc. I was actually glad when the loss slowed, as I needed the energy in my work. It is tempting to declare victory and say that with these great results, that is enough. However, I have been fat since I was 3 years old, and I want to experience not being overweight! I did not have any unusual prep instructions, pretty routine.

You really deserve to have this monkey off your back. I encourage you to reclaim your life!

The large cheesecake slice from the cheese Cake Factory... nah, just kidding. I can't believe I ever ate that monster amount of calories, fat, and sugar. I also used to eat a double cheese Whopper and a large shake, how bad for the heart and soul that was!

The single serving of refried Beans from Taco Bell works for me, is about the right volume. The grilled chicken sandwich from Sonic or Chick-fila, only eating a few nibbles of the bun -- funny how just a small bite of the bun is enough, but don't need the carbs, ask for extra lettuce. After a year, still can't eat beef in any form, but my MD says that is normal until 18 months out. For some reason, I can't stomach (love that term) anything from Subway anymore.. but used to eat their small salads with a dash of oil and vinegar, now everything from there tastes old and rancid. My tastes have changed.

When I am traveling, I take some chopped dried fruit (home dried from my orchard) and nuts (walnuts) with me in a little zip lock bag, throw a small apple in my briefcase, a little sugar free hard candy to get me through an airport snack emergency, and a few dark chocolate Hersey's kisses in a bag. Funny about those dark chocolate Hersey's kisses. The act of unwrapping them is just enough work that I never eat more than two, whereas if they were free of foil, I might eat a handful. For the first day of traveling, a few sliced carrots works great, or any chewy vege like celery.

Good luck, RNY saved my life -- 11 mos out, a great great thing to do, you will never ever regret it. Congrats for having made it this far.....

Thanks for the tip, thrift stores here are very hit or miss.

I am closing in on my permanent size, and have a really nice wardrobe, including sportcoats, sweaters, slacks, quality dress shirts, Pendleton wool shirts, etc. for all around $300. I love EBAY -- especially those sellers who take offers, feel like I am on American Pickers.