catwoman7

I'd call your clinic if you haven't already, That doesn't sound normal for 12 weeks out.

it's still in place. They just separate the two parts with surgical staples. As far as I know, the two parts are not physically cut apart or anything. In fact, the RNY is technically reversible (although they don't do it unless the patient has some severe issue that can't be resolved any other way - or if they're going to revise it to a duodenal switch - in which case they reverse the RNY and then sleeve your stomach)

your age won't be an issue. I know several people who had WLS in their 60s. I was going to say the same about the list of medical issues you listed, but the one I wasn't sure about was pacemaker. But the commenter above answered that one...

I had a stricture at four weeks out and again at eight weeks out, but those are a minor issue and an easy fix. Otherwise.....???? Nothing I can think of. I'm really glad I did it and wish I would have done it years ago.

they do make chewable calcium citrate, but I've never found any in stores - I've always ordered it online. Bariatric Advantage is one brand of chewable calcium citrate, but there are probably others. BariatricPal Store sells Bariatric Advantage chewables - but you can find it on other sites as well. Calcium citrate tablets you can find at places like Walgreens and CVS

you're having this surgery for yourself, not for others, so why feel guilty? Plus it's a medical/health issue and therefore as private as you want to make it. You wouldn't feel obligated to tell people all the details of your latest colonoscopy, so why feel that way about weight loss surgery? I told my immediate family and some of my close friends. My boss also knew. I didn't tell anyone else. I didn't need negativity in my life. I still told very few people after the fact. When people asked me how i lost weight, I'd tell them I was working with a dietitian and living at the gym. Which was basically true - I just left out one detail - that I'd had surgery. Never-been-fat people tend to believe that. I was more open with other obese people, because of course they'd know that was a bunch of schlock. I'm more open about it now that I'm normal-sized and a few years out - although then again, it rarely ever comes up at this point. Almost everyone has already seen me at a normal weight (so the shock is long gone), or else they never knew me when I was obese. the decision to tell or not tell is totally up to you. If you're not comfortable telling, then don't. You don't owe anyone any explanation.

yes - it may be that the calcium carbonate vs citrate issue is more for an issue for bypass patients than sleeve patients.

Hi - I think Viactiv are calcium carbonate. We were told to take calcium citrate instead. Although if your clinic is OK with Viactiv, then who am I to say??...

LOL! You're a valuable contributor here, so no reason to worry, Arabesque! we occasionally get a rude know-it-all on here - and they often seem to be people who are fairly new to all of this yet think they know everything. And it's not just that - it's the rudeness. Haven't seen one of those in awhile - they usually don't last too long. Thankfully.

I've always just taken Centrum or the generic equivalent (Walgreens and CVS both have a generic version - some other places probably do as well). They seem to go on sale at least a month, either BOGO or buy one, get second one half off, so I'm always stocked up. If you go with a drug store/grocery store vitamin, get one of the better ones (Centrum would qualify for that), and you'll need to take two of them a day to meet our requirements.

our program discourages that since it puts people in a "diet" mindset - but if it works for you, then..??? They always tell us to just go back to tracking and following all the rules.

most people deal with the opposite issue - constipation - although yes, people sometimes post about diarrhea. If it continues you can always check with your clinic.

^^^ totally agree. I'd take the loose skin any day of the week over being morbidly obese again!!

we get some real doozies on here once in awhile. We haven't had one in awhile, but if you stick around long enough, one will eventually show up.

I agree with the others. Very light walking for now. I was cleared to do most other exercises (except for weights) at four weeks out (I had to wait eight weeks to do weights)

same here - I haven't done it in awhile

I bought everything except for swimsuits and underwear at thrift stores - many of them do have larger sizes!

I bought everything except for swimsuits and underwear at thrift stores the whole time i was losing weight for that exact reason

compression garments are common after plastic surgery, but I haven't heard of doing it to keep your skin tight while losing weight. It doesn't sound like that would really do much since the skin sags because the fat that keeps it "unsagged" is disappearing underneath it.

2000 calories is a lot. I biked a lot last summer - on some days for two hours - and burned about 600 calories on those days (if my tracker and Fitbit are correct, that is). Of course the amount of calories burned depends on so many factors, including your current weight. you will stall occasionally throughout your journey - it just part of the process. Frustrating, but...it happens to most of us. and yes - hunger does go away for the majority of us. Sorry yours didn't - it does make things quite a bit easier when you're not dealing with hunger.

I was going to say exactly what Rick said - they seem to work well for some, but not for others. I've never tried them since I was afraid I'd be in the latter group. I've considering getting some for taking on trips, though, so I wouldn't have to haul a bunch of pills and bottles along with me. Even if I'm one of the people whom the patches don't work for, I don't think a week of getting no (or only a small amount of) vitamins would be a disaster.

not all surgeons require a liquid diet. Some just want you to fast the day before the surgery.

yes - it slows down a lot after the first month or two...

that seems to be one of the biggest worries among pre-ops and new post-ops, but I think I can speak on behalf of almost all "vets" that in the grand scheme of things, the hair loss is a temporary inconvenience that's a small price to pay for what we get out of the surgery (i.e., massive weight loss). In retrospect, I can't believe I wasted one minute worrying about it! But I do relate to what you're saying since I felt the same way at the beginning of this process. Luckily, most of us don't lose enough hair for other people to notice, though.

you're right - surgeons are all over the board on this one. There seems to be no consensus at all. I know people who were drinking coffee while they were still in the hospital! My surgeon allowed decaf fairly quickly out - maybe three weeks out or something? (I can't remember - it's been awhile). We weren't allowed to have caffeinated coffee until we were six months out, and then we had to limit it to 1-2 cups a day. But again, that's just my clinic. Some surgeons aren't that strict (well, and on the flip side, some are even MORE strict - some tell you never to drink caffeinated coffee again for the rest of your life...)