catwoman7

Like Lynda, I also had drains with my tummy tuck. They're not as common with weight loss surgery, but the SADI is more extensive than most of the other common surgeries, so...

that stair-stepping pattern to weight loss is pretty common. re: protein - most surgeons seem to recommend something in the 60-80 g range. I have to average 100 g a day or else my prealbumin level tanks, but I'm kind of an exception. I do know others without protein malabsorption issues who do consume about 100 g (or even more) a day, though. I've read that taking in more protein than you need is more of a problem for people who already have existing kidney issues, and not so much for people who don't. I don't know what the general medical consensus on this is, though.

interesting. This more-or-less confirms some thinking I've had. I had one of those commercial DEXA scans when I was 146 lbs. My body fat was measured at 22%, which is considered lean for women. I've been in the mid-150s now for awhile and am having a devil of a time keeping it there, let alone getting below that. I was kind of wondering if maybe that gain was mostly muscle (i.e., lean mass), which might help explain the struggle. This article does indicate that there's some evidence that your body will continue to defend lean muscle weight after RNY. That of course is not an excuse for me to throw in the towel and stop trying, but that MIGHT be part of what's going on here...my body might be resisting because it's my fat percentage might now be more "normal" (as opposed to lean) ????

after I did all that, I had to go through three months of classes, then it was submitted to insurance. It took my insurance company maybe a week or ten days to approve it (although they had up to 30 days to respond). Once they responded, I got my date.

that is actually fantastic. I'd lost 26 lbs at that point.

a 10-20 lb rebound after you hit your lowest weight is unfortunately very common. Losing eight pounds should be do-able, though - much easier than 20 or 30. I had a 12 lb rebound, so I can relate - and yes, it's tough to take off - but some people do it by going back to basics. For some reason, I have a hard time doing this, though!!

that's pretty normal. I was freaked out about it, too. But...everything worked out great!

I think it's a combination of malabsorption ending (bypass), being closer to a normal weight (when weight loss becomes a lot harder because there are only so many calories you can cut), and diet fatigue.

as you've read before, just stick to your plan. Stalls happen - and as long as you stick to your surgeon's plan, they eventually break. I've had them last anywhere from a week to a month.

it seems like a lot of people here and on other forums use Dr. Carmina Cardenas in Tijuana or Dr. Francisco Saucedo in Monterrey. For other names, check www.realself.com It's a site where people rate doctors - all specialties - but most seem to be plastic surgeons. A lot of the patients post before/after pictures, too. people usually stay in the area for a couple of weeks after surgery to make sure everything is OK. Dr. Cardenas has a place where patients stay for the first week that is staffed by nurses. Not sure about Dr. Saucedo - if not, he has them stay in a hotel near his clinic (can't remember - but I did do an email consult with him and I'm pretty sure the price included this stay). as long as you do your homework and pick a reputable surgeon, it should be safe. you'll have to ask your insurance company if complications are covered. I had to have my PCP remove a staple that was sticking out (I had my surgery in the US, but out-of-state), and insurance covered it. I don't know if that's universally true, though. also, payment up front vs payments would depend on the surgeon. I suspect most would want it up front, but you never know...

it depends on so many factors that it's impossible to tell - age, gender, metabolic rate, starting BMI, whether or not you lost weight prior to surgery, etc. The only thing you really have control over is how committed you are to your program. I was a slow loser, but I almost never went off my program. I lost all my excess weight, but it took around 20 months. the only way I know of to increase your metabolism is strength training. Muscles burn more calories than fat, so the more muscular you are, the more calories you'll burn, even when you're sleeping.

I was told to wait until all my surgical glue and scabs came off before swimming. That took about four weeks, as I recall.

I had that happen. I wondered what the heck was going on since bypass supposedly improves - if not outright cures - heartburn, and I was on omeprazole to boot. Turned out I had a stricture. Keep an eye on it. If you start vomiting stuff up, that could be what's going on. NEVER MIND. I just noticed you had your surgery a year ago. Wouldn't be a stricture. Not sure what to tell you.. my heartburn did come back about 2-3 years after surgery (after completely disappearing), but it's not as bad as it was pre-surgery. You might want to let your surgeon know just in case it's something else.

dumping isn't a given. I've never dumped, and I know a lot of other RNY'ers who've never dumped. The statistic I see thrown around a lot on internet forums is that about 30% of RNY'ers dump, but I don't know if there's any hardcore research behind that number. Suffice it to say, a lot of us don't dump. if you DO turn out to be a dumper, it's easy to control. It's caused by too much sugar hitting the small intestine. Just avoid sugar - or severely limit it (which we all should be doing regardless).

you do need more protein and water, as the above poster mentioned. other than that, the only control you really have over your rate of weight loss is whether or not you stick to your surgeon's plan. If you stick to the plan, the weight WILL come off, whether fast or slow. I lost 16 lbs the first month and thought I'd never get all this excess weight off (over 200 lbs), but I did.

actually, the only pain I really had from surgery was in my abs when I was trying to switch position (e.g. lying down to standing). So it might be a challenge getting up, but you should still be able to do it. Maybe have some "props" nearby to help.... (edited to add that if you're two weeks out, that pain may be gone by then....I think I only had it the first few days)

6-8 oz of chili at 4.5 weeks out sounds like a lot to me, but if your medical team is OK with it, then ....there you go. And yes - you should start feeling restriction once you start eating solid food.

sometimes that's due to an allergic reaction to the surgical glue or tape, but this sounds like it might be too far out for that. Maybe just part of the healing process? I'm not sure. I'd call my clinic and see if they know.

walking right away. Four weeks for most everything else except for weight lifting. I think I had to wait eight weeks for that.

depends on your surgeon. No surgeon will allow it early out, but some do once you're healed - as long as your stomach can tolerate it. My surgeon is in the "no" camp, but I tried it once I was 3+ years out. It really bothers my stomach, so I don't drink it unless I let it go really flat first.

most of us reach a point post-surgery where we can eat anything again (that's not saying we necessarily DO, but we CAN), so I personally wouldn't worry about that. You will most likely be able to eat all those things again in moderation once you're a few months out, so I would spend this time practicing the way you're going to eat the first few months post-surgery. Then the change in diet isn't going to seem quite so radical - you'll be used to it by the time you have surgery.

bypass tends to be a bit more effective at resolving diabetes, but I know people with the sleeve who've had it resolve, too. Ask the surgeon - he/she should be able to advise you one way or the other.

I think leaks tend to show up very quickly after surgery - often before you even leave the hospital. I'd contact the dietitian, though - feeling that way after 3 teaspoons of food that people can normally eat at four weeks out is a bit unusual. She may just tell you to go back to an earlier phase for a few days and then try again, but I'd definitely let her know what's going on just in case.....

yea - I can't eat that much fat at one sitting. Maybe 4 or 5 fries, but not a whole thing of them. I'd be in the bathroom vomiting. Congrats on the 40 miles, though!

some people gain up to 10 lbs from the IV fluids they give you in the hospital. I'd wait a week and see what happens. You may have lost all that water weight from the IV fluids PLUS that extra 2 lbs. and losing 6-20 lbs the first week? No. Maybe six - but losing 20 lbs the first week would be very unusual. Maybe for someone on "My 600 lb Life", but for more "normal" WLS patients, that would be an exception. I didn't even lose 20 lbs the first MONTH, and I started out at over 300 lbs.