catwoman7

a lot of people have had that done. Insurance policies vary, but I seem to recall that many of them do cover it if it's for medical reasons (as opposed to the person wants to lose more weight). GERD would be a medical reason.

that's what I was going to say. Seeds. We weren't supposed to have anything with seeds the first few months post-surgery

my surgeon kept me on PPI's for a year - but that was before all the bad press came out about them. I assume he's having them do it for six months nowadays - that seems to be the standard. that said, I had no reflux for at least two or three years after surgery. It started to come back during year three, but it's not nearly as bad as it was pre-surgery. In fact, I'm not sure you could even call it GERD - it's more a gassy, acidy, gurgly feeling after I eat sometimes. It's not like the burning-throat-in-the-middle-of-the-night thing.

you don't want the doctor kind (the kind insurance would cover). That only measures bone density. You want one of the commercial ones - or sports ones. That covers bone density AND body composition. Body composition is the one that tells you the percentage breakdown of fat, muscle, and bone. THAT is what you want. Unless you're just interested in bone density (e.g., to see if you have osteoporosis). Either type will tell you that. it's done the same way - but the doctor ones don't measure body composition. I'm sure they COULD measure body composition, but doctors aren't interested in that part, so it's not included.

some people can only maintain on very few calories - I'm so glad I'm not one of them, and I'm so sorry you are!! I was maintaining well by averaging 1700 calories a day, which was do-able. But I seem to be struggling lately, so I may need to drop down a bit (maybe 1500-1600). Crap!! It is SO HARD to cut back on calories once you're used to eating more!!!!

I try to remember to chew my food more. Your stomach can't churn as much as it did pre-surgery, so you have to help it by chewing your food to applesauce consistency. I don't always remember to do this, though. Whoops. But yes - the size of my bites and my swallowing are like they were pre-surgery.

I"m pretty sure I was driving within about a week. I don't think I had any stair restrictions. I couldn't lift more than 10 lbs for awhile. And the only exercise I could do at first was walk. I was cleared for all exercise except for lifting weights at four weeks out. I had to wait eight weeks, I think, before I could do strength-training (that was probably the point at which I was allowed to lift more than 10 lbs, too...)

I'm not a revision patient, but at over four years out I can eat anything. Even at two years out, I could eat anything. Most of the restrictions and food intolerances are in the first few months post-surgery. as far as volume, you can eat more and more as time goes on (although just because you CAN doesn't always mean you SHOULD). Right now I would characterize myself as a "light eater". I highly doubt anyone would guess I've had WLS (whereas early out, it was obvious that something was going on). I eat normally, but fairly lightly. Not any different than my regular weight-conscious, normal weight friends eat, really. If I go out, I typically get an appetizer - or a salad - or I'll order an entree and bring half of it home. Most of my naturally thin or weight conscious friends do that, too.

22 lbs in the first month is pretty normal. I haven't done or seen any scientific research on this, but just from hanging out on this and other bariatric boards for the last five years or so, it seems most people lose in the 15-25 lb range the first month. So if anything, you're on the higher end of that. Congrats!!

I had low vitamin D before surgery. Vitamin D deficiencies are actually very common. My surgeon put me on prescription vitamin D, and that brought it up really fast. I've taken OTC vitamin D since surgery - my levels are fine now.

me too!!!

I'd lost 26 lbs when I was at the eight week mark, and I managed to lose every pound of my excess weight. You are doing fine. As Fluffy said, quit watching My 600 lb Life. Those folks start out at MUCH higher BMI's than the average weight lost surgery patient does, so of course they're going to lose a lot more weight the first couple months than most of us are. You are right on target!

People have died or had horrible complications having their tonsils out (remember the Jahi McMath case?). I also seem to remember some case from a few years ago of someone dying after having their wisdom teeth extracted. But how often does that happen? Almost never. Same with weight loss surgery. The morbidity rate on gastric bypass is 0.3%, and it's even less with the sleeve. So you have a 99.7% or greater chance of pulling through just fine. Horrible complications are very rare, too. It only seems like they're more common than really are because people post about them. They're looking for advice and support. People who have never had a problem don't typically broadcast that fact. So you're getting a very skewed perception. Even minor complications aren't all that common. I had a stricture. Very minor and an easy fix. It happens to about 5% of bypass patients, making it one of the most common complications. I'd hardly call something that happens to 5% of us "common", but there you have it. Complications - minor or otherwise - just aren't all that common. I read those horror stories before I had surgery, too, and they scared the crap out of me. I finally just stopped, realizing that stuff like that almost never happens. My advice is to do the same. Focus on all the success stories instead, as they are INFINITELY more common!!

maybe three or four months (??). I didn't lose very much, though. All I really noticed were some extra strands in my comb when I combed it out after washing it. Otherwise, I never would have noticed.

Ketosis. It should go away when you get further out and are eating more carbs. Meanwhile, mouthwash should help. I used Biotin mouthwash a lot since it increases saliva.

you're bound to get a bunch of different responses to this because people's tastes are all so different. That said, my favorites are/were Syntrax and Unjury products.

I was afraid I was going to die on the operating table, even though I knew there was a 99.7% chance I would pull through just fine. Other than that, I don't really remember any true fears. I was worried about not being able to take NSAIDs afterward because I used to get headaches all the time, but oddly, I rarely get them anymore - and Tylenol will usually knock them out.

best part is being a normal weight and having a normal life for the first time in decades. Worst part is that it's HARD WORK to stay this way! But....I'm not going back! I NEVER want to be morbidly obese again!

the sipping part is true only during the first few months post-op. I'm over four years out and I think my water-drinking speed is about the same as it was pre-surgery. Same with gum - I've never been a huge gum-chewer, but I chew it occasionally again.

I never thought getting 80% of your stomach removed and thrown in the trash any less invasive, although many people seem to think that. As for the bypass, it's been done for years and years and they have lots of longitudinal data on it. Techniques have improved substantially over the years to get around some of the issues they used to have. There are more complication risks than with the sleeve - but not by much. And as with the sleeve, most are minor. Other than a stricture, which happens to about 5% of bypass patients (making it one of the most common complications, I might add - although I'm not sure I'd consider something that happened to 5% of people "common"), I've never had any problems. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And yes, type 2 diabetics tend to fare better with it. As for substantial weight loss, there are people who have had enormous success with both surgeries - but you get a bit more of a tail wind with the bypass due to the malabsorption the first 1-2 years (malabsorption of calories eventually stops - but malabsorption of vitamins does not - you have to supplement for the rest of your life. Of course, they're now requiring that of sleeve patients, too) I had GERD pre-surgery so it was a no brainer for me. But I would have leaned toward the bypass regardless because it's been around longer. At the time I had surgery, VSG was just becoming popular, and I had a fear of it being "Lapband II". It's proven itself since then (as in, it's not "Lapband II"), but I still have no regrets that I went with the bypass.

this is the first time I've heard of that - maybe it's a new test? Or maybe something just not commonly done? Not sure. At any rate, I didn't have that done.

I don't notice more wrinkles between my eyes. Rather, they're on my lower face - I look kind of "jowly" now and have more wrinkles around my mouth and on my neck. I'll message you a picture so you can see what I'm talking about

they do an upper endoscopy. If they see a stricture while in there, they use this instrument with a balloon-like thing on the end of it. They inflate the balloon to stretch out the stricture. It's a quick procedure and they put you under before they do it, so it's no big deal. I felt about 100% better afterward.

different methods work for different people. I'm a calorie counter, even though my dietitian hates that and wants me to do "intuitive eating" instead. Sorry - but that doesn't work for me. I intuitively ate my way up to 373 lbs in the past. I'm going to continue calorie counting as that DOES work - at least for me. Sounds like it would not work for you. So I'd say do whatever works. It's going to be different for different people.

I had a DEXAscan when I weighed 146 (I hover around 150 now). I thought I had another 10-15 lbs to go, but the technician said my body fat percentage was 22%, which is considered lean for women. In other words, within the normal range, but on the lower end. She advised I consider stopping my weight loss. My PCP agreed. I did eventually get down to 138, but I felt too thin. I knew it was time to switch into maintenance mode.