LisaS73

So many... I use a normal towel after I shower instead of a beach towel. I use a normal public bathroom stall instead of the handicap stall. I cross my legs all the time. I don't sweat as much. I am never out of breath. I can run up the stairs at my house instead of hanging on the banister all the way up. I'm in single digit clothing. I don't dread being in a picture... In fact I'm front and center now. So many more.... I smile all the time now!!!

Yep some non surgery victories :-D Friday I went to the movies with a friend and was able to put both arm rest down and still have plenty or room in my chair :-) Now my niece can hug me and wrap her arms all the way around me :-) oooo... Was able to wear a REALY cute pair or wedges all day :-D Okay I wanna hear some of y'all's now :-D

Set them aside and try again in a few days.
I had my surgery on Tuesday Sept 1. I went home on Wednesday. My surgeon is fine including Protein shakes in the stage one post-op diet, so I tried that. UGH, no. No no no. Felt thick and gross in my mouth, the smell bothered me, I kept thinking maybe the shake had gone bad.
So, I went back to just Syntrax nectar flavors. Two days later, Friday, I tried again. A *little* better, tasted okay. The next day, a shake again made me queasy, so I set it aside, went back to nectar.
Today, I'm having a PP chocolate, with almost no problems. Now, I'm gonna be honest, today, the flavor isn't there -- my taste buds have shifted from day to day -- but the shake doesn't feel too thick, and the flavor isn't gross -- it's just not very chocolatey tasting to me.
My point is that your taste buds and experience of stuff will change every few days. If something isn't working, don't force it. Set it aside. Come back in a couple of days. And practically speaking with shakes, I like adding flavors using Mio drops or Torani sugar free syrups. Orange/Tangerine Mio + vanilla PP shake = Creamsicle flavor. :-)

@@sbagby1960
I think the best thing to do is sit down and reread your Bariatric Program's suggestions. At three days I was still on Clear Liquids, and I was told to stay away from straws forever. We may be telling you things that are contrary to what your doctor thinks is best for you, so it's really worthwhile to go over the written information they sent home from the hospital with you.

I'm 11 days post op. Try drinking with a lid and a straw. That way you don't smell it. I've noticed that my smell in general is now hypersensitive.

According to my NUT this only applies to bypass. For me, I can drink right up until the time I eat. I try to eat pretty slowly anyway so even if I take a sip or two while eating it doesn't interfere with my being able to have room for my food.

I am so excited!! I am going to definitely be pushing myself this week. I am so exited because this is normally the time in my "normal diets" I start gaining my wight back. But I am excited that I will be still losing the weight and will hit MY goal of 165. Here is a picture of me at my daughters graduation in May at 260, and a picture of me today at 203lbs.  

Thanks ladies, it's good to know I am not just losing my mind! I had not heard of hormones fluctuating with fast loss before. I think I am also going to call the pre op counselor tomorrow and schedule an appt. Maybe he an give me some suggestions to cope until I can start really exercising. Till then I am just gonna walk my neighborhood every time I feel an episode coming on.
It's just so hard to deal with the food. I thought I wouldn't have this problem after surgery. And my family tries to be so accommodating. They don't ever eat in front of me unless I tell them it's ok, but one second is it and the next I turn into the Tasmanian devil about it. I am pretty sure I will never touch Jello for the rest of my life when this liquid diet is over!!

Let it go. A year from now I promise you, the why will not matter. You will have your life back, new energy, a gratitude for health, mobility, and a second chance. Look forward and be happy. It all changes now!

One thing I learned through this process is that obesity is a disease. It is not a moral failing or a character flaw. Our bodies were not designed to survive in a time of constant abundance but for cycles of feast and famine.
Trying to diet and lose weight is actually fighting against biology and our bodies are very good at fighting back. Once I decided to have surgery, I started to feel, for the first time, that I wasn't somehow defective for not being able to lose weight and maintain that loss.

I have gained and lost weight probably 10 times. I have been the weight I am currently twice. Losing it is easy. Keeping it off is the hard part.
With this surgery, it has given me the fighting chance I needed to keep all or most of the weight I've found over and over off for the rest of my life. It's not a magic bullet, because over time the effectiveness of the surgery wanes. But with the use of this tool, I have learned what it takes to maintain my weight. And let's face it, my stomach will never be the size it was before. That right there gives me more than a fair advantage.
I did what I had to do. I'm not ashamed at all, and never will be. Some people just need a little extra "help". There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It doesn't make me weak, or lazy, or unmotivated. I have worked harder at this than any other "diet" I've ever been on, because for the first time in my life, I'm doing it right.

Because you're not superman? I mean, if you'd tried to do anything else literally for 20 years and could not, would you be beating yourself up over it like this? I doubt it. Chances are you would say something like "Well, I gave it my best shot. I tried my hardest. I tried for 20 long years and I tried lots of different ways, but obviously this is something I cannot do on my own. I need the professionals." I encourage you to extend grace to yourself and realize that you are only human... an imperfect, yet beautiful being who can't do everything simply because you wish you could. Please be gentle with yourself and your decision to have surgery. It's simply a weight loss tool that you will be utilizing. Nothing more. Best of luck on your journey, it is going to be fantastic! Don't let your shame and doubts get in the way. 20 years is long enough.

@@LisaS73
You are new at this.Not a failure....be a bit more kind to yourself.
You have passed thought the surgery pain and it sounds like you are moving on. Fantastic you are off your medications. The emotional ups and downs sound normal to me.
food addictions and old behaviors are something many of us have had to deal with and change to be successful with surgery. As an emotional/stress eater. I have had to find other ways to cope instead of food. ( hobby's exercise)
Keep going! Work your plan and follow your surgeons instructions. Make everyday better than the day before.

I am so sorry you have had such a difficult time. It will get better.
I am guessing at least part of what you are going through is because of the fluctuating hormones that many of us experience as we lose fat. Also, since we no longer have the option of using food to self-soothe, our emotions can be very raw.
As you are able to get more nourishment, things will improve. Just stay hydrated, get in your Protein, and try to walk/exercise. Exercise and sunlight both help me with improving my mood.

Look for Dannon's Oikos triple 0 - 15g Protein, 0 added sugar (stevia), 120 calories. I love all the flavors, but the coconut creme I mix with my chocolate Protein shake to give me a "I'm eating a Mounds bar" feeling

Think you don’t have time to commit to losing weight and getting healthy? Think nobody has a less healthy relationship with food than you do? Then you haven’t met Robanne Robin. She’s a mother of 3, a motivational speaker, a diabetes prevention educator, and a weight loss and fitness coach for kids and adults. She’s also a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patient.


A Lifelong Struggle with Food
Some weight loss surgery patients have nothing but memories of being obese. Robanne did struggle with food her entire life, but her ordeals included battles with anorexia and bulimia as well as childhood obesity and morbid obesity as an adult. By the time she was 37, she had high blood pressure and diabetes, and had two trips to the ER. She was close to giving up. That was at a weight of 300 pounds.
The Decision and Her Surgery
Robanne knew her health was the result of her weight. She researched the various WLS possibilities and felt Roux-en-Y was the best option for her because of the long-term success rate. Also, she had a friend that had lost 100 lb. after RNY.
She got her surgery in 2009 with Dr. Brenda Cacucci at the St. Vincent Bariatric Center of Excellence, in Carmel, Indiana.
A Personal Decision with Family Support
The decision for Robanne was personal. She explains she had enough on her mind at the time of her surgery, and was not in a place to be able to justify her decision to friends and family. So, she only told them about the surgery after she got it done. She also did not want to deal with judgmental people, since she was scared and uncertain at the time.
Her friends and family were supportive when she told them. She says her children “were particularly excited that ‘mommy would be able to jump on the trampoline with them some day.’” Now she says she is “strong enough to believe in my path,” and her results show it. She lost 150 lbs. and now weighs 150.
Overcoming the Challenges and Becoming a Dancer
Robanne faced the same challenges many WLS patients can relate to. It was tough to get in her dietary supplements and drink her Protein Shakes. In the beginning, exercise was a serious challenge – so much so that she tried to convince herself she didn’t need to exercise.
Luckily, she went to a group exercise cardio class, which happened to be a hip-hop dance class. She was too embarrassed to quit, so she stayed in class…and says it was the best thing that could have happened! That class changed her life.
She loved it, and learned that exercise could be fun and not dreadful. But she took it much further. Robanne worked at it, and now teaches seven hip-hop classes a week. She leads group exercise classes for the Obesity Action Coalition's national conference. Look for her at their next conference in San Antonio in August!
Robanne’s also been selected as a national national spokesperson for the Y.. She’s appearing in a national commercial rolling out this year. It is currently on the air in Seattle, WA and starting to pop up across the country, and you can take a look on
.


Tips from the Top
Anyone who’s lost and been able to keep off half her body weight probably has a lot of good advice, and Robanne is very willing to share it. First, she says to try new things. If you’ve been sedentary and overweight for years, she says, how do you know what you like? So try everything!
Also, “keep it real.” You’re not in the best possible shape right after surgery, so just work up to the tougher workouts instead of jumping right in. You don’t want to get hurt, burned out, or discouraged. Fitness is about being strong and pursuing health, not about a single number on the scale.< /p>
Another piece of advice comes in the form of one of her favorite quotes. "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible"--St. Francis of Assisi.
And finally, stay focused. Robanne says, “Every day, I recommit to do what it takes to stay successful.”
A Day in the Life
What does a typical day look like for 6-year WLS veteran who’s lost half her body weight?
Something like this, at least for Robanne.
Coffee...with cream.
Breakfast: 1-2 packets of plain, heart healthy instant oatmeal sweetened with Splenda.
First morning snack: Greek yogurt.
Late morning snack: 1-2 hard-boiled eggs
Lunch: some kind of chicken (usually grilled), on a bed of mixed vegetables (usually salad). She uses salsa for dressing.
First afternoon snack: something crunchy like Skinny Pop popcorn.< br> Second afternoon snack: a slice of cheese, and handful of turkey, or some kind of lean Protein.< br> Dinner: lean protein, 1/3 cup brown rice and broccoli or a small salad.< br> Every other day: a Protein Shake.< br> Plenty of Water.< br>
Robanne says she’s a creature of habit and keeps eating what she likes. The key for her is snacking on protein instead of carbs for the most part. She splurges on occasion on something like a cookie or something chocolate. But, she says, eating too much sugar and refined carbs makes her feel less bad. She sticks to whole grain carbs instead of white.
And exercise? This hip hop instructor is no slouch! She teaches 6-7 classes a week, including 2 days with 2 classes each. She also does weight training to keep up her muscle mass. She has 2 days off each week.
More from Robanne
If you want to learn more about Robanne, take a look at her Get Your Strong On site. It details her work in motivational speaking, weight loss coaching, and promoting corporate and kids fitness. You can also check out her inspirational video called “
.”Robanne wrote her story in a book, “Half My Size,” which she’s offering at a discount for BariatricPal members. You can order yours for $10 each with free shipping! The book is her story along with the lessons she learned for overcoming obstacles.
And for more ways to connect with Robanne…check out her bariatric motivation page on Facebook and give her hip-hop workouts a try!

Feeling fullness after surgery is quite a new experience.


Feeling fullness after surgery is quite a new experience. Patients who have had surgery share with pre-surgery patients that “you will know” when you are full after surgery. Fullness changes after surgery. There are several ways that you might “feel” fullness.
Some of our patients hiccup, sneeze or quickly sigh to indicate they need to stop eating. You may also feel fullness or pressure right below the rib cage, food may quickly lose its taste or you might have some nausea or heart burn. Post-surgery patients have also shared that they sometimes had to learn when to stop eating before they felt full, otherwise they will be overfull.
Learning your own full signal may take a few tries, but you will quickly figure it out.

Making the decision to have weight loss surgery is a very big deal. It seems obvious to say that when someone agrees to weight-loss surgery they're desperate for help to change the way they're living, or not fully living their lives. Everyone goes into the procedure ready and willing to surgically alter their anatomy hoping for a better future.


So why is it that so many will fall short of losing the optimal amount of weight for their health and will actually regain within 3 years much if not all of the weight they lost? Some studies say 1/3 of patients will regain most of their weight post-surgery. I think the number is actually higher because many people who regain simply fall out of contact with their bariatric surgeon and support staff because they feel ashamed, so the statistics do not include these people. So, why do most people regain the weight? What can you do to help insure that you will be one of the successful long-term losers of your excess weight? By examining why people fail you can create a plan for how you will succeed.
The government agency, National Institutes for Health (NIH) defines weight-loss surgery as "merely a tool that helps people get a new start toward maintaining long-term good health. The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off. Together with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet and daily exercise, surgery will help an individual lose weight and maintain the weight loss.” Please read that a few times. That is how important this quote is! The surgery alone will not help someone lose weight and keep it off.
We as weight-loss surgery patients have a history of seeking comfort, happiness and pleasure through food. We wouldn't be here if that weren't true. Me included. The process of surgically altering our anatomies does nothing to remove from us the tendency to seek comfort in familiar ways but assures there will be physical suffering if we do. Post-surgery we will still have the same brain that is used to comforting us with food, and we will still have the fingers and the arms that are used to lifting food to the same mouth to find comfort and pleasure. It is critically important that the WLS patient seek out new ways to soothe, comfort, and find pleasure in their world other than by eating.
ONE main reason patients regain their weight is they search for ways to get around the surgery, still thinking of food as primarily a source of pleasure, not a source of fuel that can be pleasurable. This is often done relying on liquid calories, which may pass more easily, like high calorie coffee or juice bar drinks or alcohol. This is also done post-operatively by trying to maintain the presence of “trigger foods” in their lives. “Trigger foods” are often foods from the patient's past that helped cause obesity, do not satisfy hunger but instead create a craving. Many are high-calorie and highly processed, not nutritious. Trigger foods can include chocolate, chips, crackers, bread, Cookies, ice cream, pudding, lattes, frapuccinos and alcoholic beverages. Really, any food can be a “trigger food” if there is so much pleasure in the “mouth-feel” or taste that repeating the pleasurable experience takes on more importance than actually feeding hunger. Very successful patients cultivate a mostly trigger-free post- surgical life. Bariatric surgeons and the NIH know the most common reason for regain and the most common post- surgical complication is “noncompliance.” Non-compliance is a fancy word that means the patient is not eating and exercising the way he/she agreed to before surgery. These people “talk the talk.” The successful patient “walks the walk” after surgery and changes how they eat and move.
A SECOND reason people often regain beginning in the second or third year post-op is that the “honeymoon” is over. The “honeymoon” generally encompasses the first 12 to 18 months post- surgery. During this time many patients will say, "I could eat all the chocolate and ice cream I wanted and still lose weight. I didn't have to try and the weight just came off.” This is often true because the body has been through such a shock after surgery that it takes months for the body to reset itself and learn to function with its' new physiology. Patients who regain their weight often believe that this “honeymoon period” is the new way that it will always be and don't adopt healthy eating patterns. So when their “honeymoon period” ends as it will they believe that the surgery has somehow failed them. In reality they have failed their surgery! During the first 12-18 months post-op it is essential to develop healthy patterns around food and exercise. This is the time when it is actually easiest to do and to not do so wastes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to begin a great new life with positive momentum.
A THIRD reason many patients regain much of their lost weight is a lack of support. Humans are social animals and we desire and need the support of each other throughout our lives. For thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years people coming together as a family or a community over food has been a way we connect with each other. Post-surgery, when the patient isn't able to eat what others are eating or in the quantities others are eating, or others are eating their 'trigger foods”, life can feel very stressful and lonely. This can be compounded by being around unsupportive people or people who want to be supportive but don't know how. Patients fail by not surrounding themselves with supportive people in a safe environment where they also must be accountable for their actions and behavior with food and their bodies. It is key to have a community of professionals and non-professionals who understand the challenges and hardships faced by those carving a new life with a new anatomical structure. There are online and in-person support groups. Even patients who've gone abroad for weight loss surgery can often use the support services available with their local medical group's Bariatric department. Creating relationships that support and assist you in becoming a healthier person and that hold you accountable for making healthy choices are key.
These are my top three. What would you add to this list? What plan will you create to deal with the items you add to this list? Who will support you on this journey of your life.....for your life?

Lord that must have been torturous!

Hi I am 6 days post op and doing well, lot of pain still - especially those from the stomach spasms but I'm on my last bit of Meds and it was made clear that once finished- I will not get anymore so I will be trying some MJ today and see how that works for me.
Will keep you all updated????

Hi @@Swampdoggie,
I can really only speak from experience so here goes. Much like with big pharma meds you'll have to spend some time finding the right strain of marijuana for you. Marijuana has varied side effects and those side effects vary from person to person. Some strains will produce a short term high, others a longer high. Some strains will make you sleepy, others will just relax you. Some strains will give you insane munchies, others won't.
For me, I use marijuana recreationally as needed. Lately I've been enjoying half of a small joint before bed. It allows me to focus on sleep and not what's going on at work, what's up with my husband, our home, our families, various social obligations, what's on TV, did I defrost something for dinner tomorrow, etc. I experience very little munchies with what I have right now - I did have half a piece of bacon last night (strange craving, I know). To combat the cotton mouth effect that others touched on, I just drink more Water. If you're well hydrated then you'll be fine (pre & post op).
Good luck!

Very interesting topic! I have been fighting chronic pain for over 15 years and take a large amount of narcotics. I am very open to trying medicinal marijuana, but my state does not yet have the legislation in place for legal consumption. I am one of those people who won't even try marijuana if it isn't legal because somehow I would get caught or screw something up. I have researched the medical marijuana and I am hoping it will become a treatment option I can try. The narcotic medications I have used in the past and the ones I currently use have a wide array of side effects and have a sever negative impact on my quality of life and don't take the majority of my pain away.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences and opinions. I know it is a controversial subject, but to each his own. I love hearing everyone's experiences and perspectives.

I have friends that smoke after the bypass.Did not effect the weight loss.. Be carefull though ..hehe.just make sure you have healthy munchies handy...make sure you are far out from surgery date.I am guessing that the smoke will cause gassss.no one likes gas pains...

I am 4 months post op and i smoke weed every day . I started 2 weeks post op . I don't get the munchies I feel it's something mental and I can control it . It relaxes me and it's just something I choose to do. It hasn't affected me in any way I am 70 + lbs down . So that's my experience and my opinion and everyone is entitled to one

Seek out high cbd (for pain), a hybrid for relaxation, indica for nausea and munchies, sativa for relaxation and sleep.
I'm in a legal state so there are many reasons, and situations for usage.
I'd rather see you have a little occasionally than become a drinker.