VDB

RNY will save your life, it has mine. At 4 months post RNY, I have no high blood pressure problems, no edema (it was terrible), no urge incontinence, diabetes is 90% better, blood work is great, all the co-morbidities gone or much better. In 4 months, half of the 170# I have to lose is gone. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being high levels of complications, mine have been a "2". Very easy overall.

I have driven a full size pickup since I was a kid, no problem with room there. However, my wife's Hyundai Santa Fe suv, that was another story. Very tight, very uncomfortable. Still not great, but with 85# down, no problem. We are taking it on a long trip soon and am not worried.

What I always dreaded was having to ride in someone's car, someone who drove a sub-compact. I was picked up at the airport by someone who drove a Subaru Justy -- could not fit in. Another car I could not get into was the small Buick sports car, no way, but that was also a height issue.

I can understand your being nervous. I am a shrink and I was nervous! Also know enough about standarized testing to know not to take it all too seriously. I had spent many years privately and publicly underestimating my weight, lying to myself about how I was really secretly not that fat, was sure I would come across as a big fat liar, tight pants on fire, etc. But no, I passed. Now 4 mos past by-pass, no need to exaggerate my losses, this 85#+ is real, check out my before and 14 week past surgery photo...

B-52, you are an inspiration for this 4 mos. post bypass guy. You seem to have it in control and are enjoying life.

THANK YOU!

I know I could substitue the white flour with almond flour... I order a great almond flour (very fine) from Nuts.com.... but am going to try these in the morning....

Thanks everyone!! I will get some petal extenders and see if they make riding pants my size, and will develop a dog protection plan... and of course, pad the seat even more! These tips really helped. Once I get riding again, I will Celebrate and post a picture, not long to wait.

Dub, very funny. I guess this is major surgery, so while they are in there....

@ - Congrats and glad you are still on track. Riding pants because you have less padding down there than you used to. And while you have been putting on muscle, the ones you use biking are different, so add a little bit at a time and enjoy the wind in your face man.

Thanks pirate, riding pants are a great idea, will check on them...

I currently weigh 336, down from 422. I swim, walk, and garden for exercise, and have a 2 year old lab who gets me out in the fields many times a day. However, my favorite exercise was always riding my bike, which is a large frame ten speed with cruiser handle bars and a larger seat. Still have it and replaced the tires and bearings, getting ready for use. I live in a rural area with lots of great places to ride that are not too steep. I do have a helmet.

I have not been able to safely ride it since about 1988, when my weight got really out of control and I got too top-heavy for safe riding. However, I am rapidly approaching my 1980's weight and expect to be able to safely ride in less than 30 days. I was wondering if any PALS had any tips on getting back into riding, if any of you ride. I was hoping that my swimming muscles (I do aerobic swim workouts with large foam dumbells and do laps about three hours a week) will make it less painful to get back on the bike.

Thanks!

I have had some stalls (4 mos out now) but deal with them through not weighing frequently and just watching how my body is feeling, how loose the pants are, how easy it is to move... I do weigh now and then, probably average every two weeks, but I like others consider stalls as healthy little breaks from such rapid weight loss. 85# in four months, half the weight I have to lose, is alot of pounds. I just watch my Protein grams, drink alot of H2O, consider my calories, but just cruising and appreciating what RNY did for my body.

I lived in flannel pajamas... but did not go out much!

I went to school and lived out in PGH for a little! But I am Lancaster county and live in Lancaster city. It's about an hour and a half west of Philly.

I hate the humidity! Makes my hair all crazy and I sweat like no one's business. Hard to look presentable!

You should definitely start using the pool. Water fitness is excellent for losing weight and building or toning muscles! You could also get some hand weights and go on YouTube for workouts you can do at home. Once you find something you like, or dislike the least, it gets a bit easier, I.think. it's just a matter of making it a habit, which I am still working on. I might always be working on it lol. I know what I don't like, though- a lot of.jumping around! Everything bounces,including my brain. Nope, not for me.

I would echo what she said about the pool. My journey back to health began with going to the pool in a nearby town. At first, I was embarrassed to show my body in a swim suit, but now even 85 pounds over goal weight, don't even think about it. I got much more flexible and did not hurt my joints like is possible with non-water exercise. I had a PT prescribe Water exercises to strengthen my core muscles and add flexibility. I also now do deep water workouts with large foam weights to increase resistance, and now with 85# gone, swim laps as well. There are at least six very large guys using the pool now, we have taken over!

Strange thing happened today. I was weeding in the garden, moving around quite a bit, and just for a minute, I felt like I was not fat. It was sort of an out of body experience, I was shocked as I realized I was bending over easily as I weeded, I was not out of breath, was not making animal like grunts as I worked, and it felt pretty wonderful.

I had 170# to lose. In 14 weeks, halfway there, still formally fat, but I loved that sensation. Any of you have that experience?

When I watch his show, I always want to bash Gordon Ramsey in the face and I am a totally non-violent person, but he triggers the worst outlaw cowboy response in me -- I think I would take a sledgehammer to the scales! Nope, I am going with the nice female soft voice "Looking good, big boy!"

My son-in-law's dad is a bariatric surgeon. He says absolutely, all types of surgery can be defeated, but you have to work at it. In the honeymoon year after surgery, most people lose large amounts but he says by two years, significant gain could happen, and after three to four years, the patient can be back to pre-surgery weight. RNY is most subject to pouch stretching, but pouch stretching is only one way to defeat the surgery. Carbs, empty carbs, is the dominant way patients defeat this, lack of Protein and taking supplements is another big one,

This is a tough one. I am married for decades to skinny Minnie, and the gift she gave me was to accept me the way I was. Yes, every few years she would snap and tell me she was worried about me, tell me she wanted to keep me around, but overall, never fat shaming. It took until I was in my 60's, a heart attack, severe diabetes, etc. for me to truly accept responsibility for my health, if she had nagged me, it may never have happened.

I think the greatest gift we give our partners and our kids is unconditional acceptance, no strings attached.... and I have always had that from my sweet wife.

I had RNY three and 1/2 months ago, have lost about 85# and diabetes, BP, edema, other things gone or vastly improved. It is worth it. I am predicting being a normal weight by February at the rate it is going, first time since age 3. I am 64 and retired but there was no way I could have gone back to work in a week, even with a desk job. Try to get at least 3 weeks off, this is major surgery and your body will be in shock. I had to take major painkillers for about 10 days.

I have gone from a size 18 EEW to a 17W.... Big Foot lives still, can't imagine wearing a tiny 14!

I am so nervous I just know that this will benefit my health so much less pain ohh can't wait for that

It will change your life forever, the first couple of days were tough for me, but honestly after that and going home, the overwhelming hope and optimism for my future, my longer and better life, took over, now at 14 weeks post, am SO GLAD that I did this....thinking about you today!!! WAY TO GO!

I know, recently bought a t-shirt at a normal JC Penny and then at a Target store (have gone from a 3XL to an XL), was shocked and awed by the experience, felt like a shoplifter!

Within a couple of weeks of surgery, the edema in my legs, ankles and feet was gone, and I dropped an entire shoe size in length and width...

This is a very commonly asked question and one I feel is a very personal decision. Pre-surgery I told everyone that was close to me so that it wouldn't put me in an awkward situation when going out to eat etc. Once the weight loss was continually noticeable a lot of people ask what did you do and at that point I tell everyone I had WLS. I know some feel that its no ones business and it's really not but for me I'm proud of the decision I made and the results it gave me and maybe by me telling my story to someone else who may be struggling it can help them, then it's even more worth it!

I agree with enjoythetime... now at 80#+ down, people in my community are definitely noticing and asking, I also reply "I had WLS, a gastric by-pass" and most know what that is and are supportive. Actually, I am proud that I have the gumption to go through a year of prep, fight the insurance monster, and go through the surgery to this 3 mos post time.... I also know that some people who have never experienced being really fat don't have any real perspective on this change, so I don't blame them for thinking "You should have just lost weight!" I swim 3x a week, have for years, and some of the other obese people have been asking me what happened, and more than one are now considering WLS.

My new goal for the spring is to climb the mountain right across the valley from my rural Colorado home. I am going to try to post a photo of it, Mt. Lamborn, just to the right of my yellow lab's ear in this photo

I'm trying to imagine the voice....

Think Siri, but with more of a judgmental tone

What I want to know, is there a way to get the scale to lie? Say, announce much lighter weight? Or maybe, give you compliments?

Daveo, I have been married over 35 years, so am not an authority on finding a woman....I know alot about keeping a woman! However, one of my children who was alone for 20+ years and had pretty much given up on finding a partner has in fact found a permanent life partner, I just met her and she is wonderful. How did she do it? She got involved with a group of singles at a large church, even though she was not especially religious. She went to dances. She volunteered. And she found her sweetie. I expect she will marry this one.... having said this, I know that being alone can be tough, I don't mean to offer glib solutions, I know it is painful.