catwoman7

If your ferritin level is OK, I wouldn't worry too much about the iron, esp if your surgeon hasn't said anything. Ferritin is the iron stores in your body that your body taps into if it's too low on iron. also, as far as people taking different amounts of supplements, it depends on the surgery (DS and RNY patients malabsorp vitamins and minerals, so they're usually required to take more of them than sleeve patients are), and as someone else said, after the initial few months post-op, how much you take is going to depend on your labs. If you're too low on something, you'll be told to take more of it; too high on something else, you'll probably be told to cut back. hair loss this far after surgery could be due to a lot of things (although I just read that iron deficiencies CAN cause it). Are you meeting your protein requirements? That can cause it, too.

read as much as you can (hanging out on this forum should be very helpful!) and start trying to eat a really healthy diet - lean proteins, fruits & veggies, whole grains. You may or may not be required to lose weight before the surgery, but I was - I think 20 lbs or something (it's been over nine years for me, so I can't remember the exact number). I worked with a dietitian for six months (actually required by my issurance) and she had me eating 2300 calories/day in addition to focusing on types of food (same ones I mentioned - lean proteins, fruits & veggies, whole grains). I ended up losing more like 50 lbs rather than just the 20! Also, some programs (but not all) require you to give up caffeine for the for the first few weeks or months after surgery, so she also had me gradually wean myself off of it (replacing regular coffee with decaf a little at a time until I was on total decaf). She also got me exercising - slowly at first (I think I started with walking - but I eventually added swimming, too). All this really prepared me for post-surgery life, and I think made it all much easier.

I'm the same - I can't sleep if it's too quiet. But instead of the TV, I have a radio next to my bed. I turn that on at night (usually to BBC World Service since it's on all night, but it really doesn't matter...). Music might keep me up - but news doesn't. I keep it on all night. If I'm away from home, I have to click on the BBC's web site from my phone and put it next to my bed - otherwise I can't sleep. Something like that might work since it wouldn't involve light. The other thing I've used a few times in the past are some of the Tibetan singing bowl videos on YouTube. Some of them go for eight hours. There are other kinds of meditation/relaxation/sleeping videos on YouTube as well.

P.S. tomato soup. It could be the creaminess, but it could also be the tomatoes. Tomato things are very acidic. Even now at nine years out, some tomato products still bother my stomach because of the acid.

first of all, most people who aren't the size of the folks on "My 600 lb Life" tend to lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the entire first MONTH. So at only two weeks out, you are way, way ahead of the game. secondly, you are starting out at a MUCH lower BMI than most WLS patients, and starting BMI is one of the factors that determines your rate of weight loss those first few weeks and months. So your rate of weight loss would be expected to be at the lower end. So again, esp given your low starting weight, you are way ahead of the game. third, you have likely hit the infamous "three-week stall". The vast majority of us have our first major stall within the first month or so after surgery. It's usually the third week, hence the name, but it can happen any time during that first month or so post-op. It usually lasts 1-3 weeks. I had mine during weeks 2 & 3. After it broke, I dropped like six or eight lbs practically overnight. so first, you need to manage your expectations. You are not going to lose like someone who starts out at over 600 lbs. But again, you are currently WAY ahead of most of us even "normal" WLS patients at this point. Secondly, the stall: you just have to ride it out. The only thing you can do is make sure you are following your plan to a "T", and stay off the scale. Stop weighing every day. Just weigh every few days or once a week until it breaks. And it WILL break as long as you're compliant with your plan. if you want more info on the three-week stall, do a search on this site for it. You will find over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding.

I use it all the time, although I've read what you heard - that it really shouldn't be used all the time because there's a risk your body will stop producing your own natural melatonin.

your body doesn't store B vitamins - whatever it doesn't use is excreted in your urine - so a high dose isn't toxic, it just might be wasteful if your body isn't using most of it. I'll check the requirements of the American Association of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeons and post it - they've changed their Web site since I was last there, so I have to hunt for their supplement list. also, it's the thiamine part of the vitamin that smells and tastes awful. The other B vitamins don't smell. I switched to B complex capsules, since they don't start melting until they hit your stomach. Much better - these don't smell or taste weird. EDITED to add: it looks like their supplement requirement sheet is now in the "members only" section. Cripes. I'll see what else I can find. I had my surgery nine years ago, so I don't remember how much thiamine I was told to take, other than whatever it is is in the B complex capsules I take. EDITED again to add: I'm still looking for Thiamine (B1) requirements for bariatric patients, but NIH does say that 100 mg is a common dosage for people with thiamine deficiencies, which I guess would be us (for normal people, 12 mg is recommended). I'll let you know if I find anything else, but I'm guessing 100 mg wouldn't be considered too much for us, since we're prone to vitamin deficiencies. EDITED yet again: I just cut and pasted this from a very long report by the NIH. Since it says 12-50 mg twice daily, that would be 24-100 mg if you only take it once daily. SO...100 mg isn't too much. I would take it - the problems with thiamine deficiency sound pretty awful, and if you're taking the upper end of this recommended dose (100 mg/day), it should keep those at bay. Try capsules - they changed my life. Not sure if that much comes in gummies. Maybe liquids - but then with liquids, you're still going get that smell/taste. Postoperative bariatric surgery patients should receive thiamine supplementation as part of routine multivitamin therapy (12–50 mg orally, twice daily)

I haven't heard of this (and I live in the US) - but like someone said, maybe it's because it's being covered or partially covered by insurance. Or something.

I wanted the best surgeon I could find that wasn't too far from where I live (within two or three hours). Although I would have been open to traveling if I couldn't find anyone in the region. I don't think he had the best bedside manner of those I did my consults with, but he specialized in plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients and had been doing this particular type of surgery for years...and years. He had excellent reviews. Of course, it's great if you really connect with the person, too - but you'll only be seeing this person a handful of times - if that - but you'll be living with the results of your surgery for the rest of your life. You might want to schedule a couple more consults before deciding. I found realself.com to be somewhat helpful when I was coming up with my list of potential surgeons. you're in California - Dr. Katzen is nationally known and specializes in massive weight loss patients, I believe. EDITED to add - looks like he does all kinds of plastic surgery, he doesn't specialize in massive weight loss patients. However, he's very well known in the bariatric community.

I'd personally let it continue. Most of us have a rebound gain after we hit bottom - 10-20 lbs is pretty common, usually during year 3. Some people even gain more. I purposely went below my goal to account for it, and I'm really glad I did, because yep - I put on 20 lbs during year 3 (have put on about 10 more since then, which I am NOT happy about...) and yep - I looked way too skinny at my lowest weight (esp in my face), but my fat shifted around after awhile and I looked much better. Then the gain started...I sure as heck don't look too skinny now!

it won't affect your stitches. It's in your large intestine - no stitches in that area. It's very common for it to take a week +/- for the first bowel movement - there's not much in there to come out. although that first one can be a doozy. Daily Miralax or stool softeners can help. just so you know, for some of us, constipation becomes a chronic problem. I think it has more to do with the high protein diet and some of the supplements (iron and calcium are the worst culprits) more than anything else. I have a capful of Miralax every morning to keep on top of it. Others use magnesium tablets, stool softeners, SmoothMove tea - whatever works!

I had this issue about a year out from surgery and had a complete workup because it could be due to many things - orthostatic hypertension, inner ear imbalance, low blood sugar, even a UTI. In my case, everything from my workup came back completely normal, so they were baffled. But a couple weeks later, I was at a retirement party and ate a piece of cake. A whole piece - not just my usual one or two forkfuls. About an hour or two later - dizzy. Very dizzy. I told my PCP. She suspected reactive hypoglycemia, sometimes known as "late dumping". She said to try eating something about every three hours - a protein. Or if a carb, then pair it with a protein. I haven't had that issue in a long time, so in my case, that was likely the culprit. It's just that my glucose level might have been normal when I was there for the workup; thus, they didn't catch it. In your case, it could be one of those other things mentioned, too (orthostatic hypertension is pretty common - although that tends to hit pretty early out from surgery - although that could definitely be the culprit, too..) P.S. I just re-read your post. Since it seems to be happening when you're standing, sitting, etc - then it sounds like it might be orthostatic hypertension in your case. Hopefully you'll get some answers soon!

I think a maintenance level of 2100 kcal/day for someone 5'7" who's had WLS would only work for someone who was super active - or was blessed with great metabolism. A dietitian I worked with years ago told me people who've lost a lot of weight almost always need about 300 +/- fewer calories to maintain their weight than a person of the same weight and stature who's never been obese. I heard that again from a nutrition professor last summer when I was auditing a university-level course on weight loss and obesity. There's some scientific explanation behind that that I can't remember at the moment, but it's disappointing - but that's the way it is, evidently. that said, a couple of thoughts. First of all, you may or may not be done yet. After the first year, there were several times my weight loss seemed to stop and I'd think "well, I guess this is it..", and then I'd suddenly drop a couple of lbs. Also, you are very close to a normal BMI. Weight loss at that point is EXCRUCIATINGLY slow. I remember the last 20 lbs being a BEAR for me to lose. But I kept at it and finally got there.

yes - your loss will slow down considerably after the year mark (although a lot depends on your starting BMI), but I kept losing until I was 20 months out.

I'd ask if you're worried, but it may just be the blood breaking up or moving around in there. The green/yellow parts are definitely blood breaking down.

I took Colace occasionally right after surgery, but I haven't taken it in years. I do take a capful of Miralax every morning, though, because if I skip it for more than a couple of days, the constipation comes back..

I wouldn't make a huge effort to stop. I started freaking out when I got down into the 130s (and looked pretty awful, to be honest), but like so many people, after being there for awhile (my body kind of stopped on its own), my weight started heading up again. It's very common to have a rebound of 10-20 lbs after hitting bottom. That's one reason it's probably a good thing I got into the 130s, because after that rebound, I ended up where I originally wanted to be.

I agree with the others - we're all different, and several factors play into your rate of weight loss (most of which you have little to no control over), but that said, that sounds like a terrific rate of loss! You're losing it much faster than I did.

it's due to the trauma of the surgery + the ultra low calorie intake the first few months post-op. Your body has better things to do with the limited energy (i.e., calories) - like - heal itself. Hair is something that isn't at the top of its priority list. It'll grow back, though. I lost hair (although not much, fortunately) from months 5-9. In the grand scheme of things, it's kind of a minor blip on the screen. You'll probably feel that way when you get past it and have dropped a ton of weight. It's worth it in the end.

I have not although these days it's not that uncommon when someone has a re-gain (well, a somewhat major one, anyway - not 5 or 10 lbs. I do know of a couple of people who've had 40 or 50 lb re-gains who are using it, though). Obesity is a complex disease and it takes a multi-pronged approach to control it - and often for life. I see no problem with it as long as diabetics are able to get their meds, which as far as I know they ARE able to get it now.

my B12 is always above 1000 (I'm nine years out). My team never said anything until it once read over 2000. At that point, they just said to cut down on my supplements a bit. High B12 is pretty common with us and not really an issue. I've heard some WLS patients say that feel better when it's above 1000. High vitamin D would be more of an issue since it's a fat-soluble vitamin (the B's are water-soluble so not usually toxic when they get high). 119 isn't that much above normal range, though, so they may just let it go for now - but worst case scenario, they'll just have you cut back on your supplementation.

I was able to swallow all tablets but two (because of their size) as soon as I got home from the hospital. After about three weeks, I could swallow all tablets.

it's common - but not inevitable - for women of child-bearing age. It's because estrogen is stored in fat cells, and it's released during fast weight loss. People report mood swings and screwed up menstrual cycles because of it. But it's temporary.

I thought FMLA was up to the employer, not whomever did your surgery. Or did the surgeon's office have to sign off on something verifying that they expected it would take x-number of weeks to recover (??). It's been several years for me but I don't really remember - but it could be that my clinic had to state that I would require so many weeks to recover. My employer was the entity that granted the FMLA, though. But as far as the rest of your post, yes - I would think it might take more than two weeks to recover from the DS. The surgeon's office probably should have said that you might need up to (however many) weeks... although sleeve2bypass is correct - two weeks seems pretty standard. Although the vast majority of people have sleeve or bypass, which aren't as extensive.

other than walking, my primary warm weather exercise is biking, and my primary cold weather exercise is water aerobics so...both!