catwoman7

I still haven't gone back. I ride my bike a lot when the weather cooperates. Otherwise, I usually do youtube videos - Zumba, virtual runs/jogs (I especially like ones like Treadmill Traveler, where you "run" through places like London or Paris). There are also some upbeat walking ones I like - like Gina B's videos and "Reps to the Rhythm". I have a set of barbells and some resistance bands, so I also do strength-training videos. My gym also livestreams some of the classes and have Zoom versions of others. I'll go back to the gym in person once I get my vaccinations, probably.

I still drink one as my morning snack and I'm almost six years out (or sometimes I drink them for breakfast if I'm not really in the mood for eating real food...). They're a vehicle for my daily capful of Miralax - plus I like them, too. I often make fancy coffee drinks out of them, too - like iced "lattes". Or I'll throw some frozen fruit in there and make smoothies out of them. I've gotten pretty creative over the years...

a protein shake for breakfast is fine. I know several post-ops who can't stomach solid food in the morning, so they just drink a protein shake instead. I've done it, too...

yes - I have scars. And yes - it was painful. Manageable, but painful. Definitely more painful than RNY, at least for me. But it was worth it and I'd do it again.

I think mine was about six months as well. Same as above - classes, labs, a bunch of medical tests, a sleep study. The time went quickly.

stalls are a normal part of the weight loss journey. Just follow your clinic's program and stay off the scale. The weight loss will start up again in 1-3 weeks. I wouldn't do anything but continue to follow your program.

most of us aren't. I think a lot of people's perceptions are based on "My 600 lb Life", but the people on that show are not "average" WLS patients. Most bariatric surgeons wouldn't operate on anyone that large, so they go to specialists in high-risk bariatric surgery, like Dr. Now. I worked with the pre-op classes at my clinic for about three years (before COVID, that is). I would say the majority of patients are about your size. 40-ish BMI. And then there are usually a handful who appear to be in the 300-400 range. And once in a while someone who looks to be over 400 (although of course I'm just guessing...). But I would say the majority (of women, at least) are somewhere in the 200s. I've never seen anyone anywhere near the size of the people on "My 600 lb Life". But I think that's what people think when they think "bariatric patients". I know I did... Yet I was the biggest person in my co-hort when I went through. I was very surprised. you won't die. Mortality rate is about 0.3% - which means 99.7% of people sail through just fine. My surgeon has been at it for over 20 years and hasn't lost a patient yet! Also, most of us have little to no pain with these surgeries. And they'll always send you home with pain meds, so if you are one of the unfortunate ones who DOES have pain, you'll be able to manage it.

25 lbs is actually an excellent loss. A 30 or 40 lb drop the first month isn't that common. You see that on shows like "My 600 lb Life" because those people start off at MUCH higher BMIs than the average WLS patient, but for those of us more "normal" patients, yea, you see it occasionally, but that's more the exception than the rule. Sounds like you're doing just fine!

sounds like it. A lot of people seem to think every time they throw up that is "dumping", but it's not - what you described sounds like the real thing. I've never dumped, but I think it can go on for quite awhile. I don't think papaya enzymes would work for dumping - I think people use them when there's a piece of meat or something stuck. You may just have to wait it out. It WILL stop.

I didn't sleep sitting up. I've read about some people sleeping in recliners the first week or so because it was easier to get in and out of them, though. I slept in my regular bed but propped myself up with some extra pillows. I bought a wedge pillow when I had plastic surgery two years later - that probably would have been nice when I had RNY as well....then I wouldn't have necessarily needed the extra pillows. I didn't hurt at all when I was lying down, but my abs hurt when I transitioned (e.g., went from lying down to sitting up or standing. It felt like I'd done about 100 crunches the night before). So being partially propped up with pillows or a wedge pillow does help with the transitioning. And it's really just for the week or so. Or at least it was for me.

You don't want to dump. I don't, but I've heard it's miserable. Plus too much sugar isn't good for you. A lot of us take a capful of Miralax every day (I dump it in my morning protein shake). Some take stool softeners or magnesium tablets. Some drink Smooth Move tea - or eat a few prunes every day. Or some combo of the above. Whatever works! Unfortunately, chronic constipation seems to be a common problem - so you'll have to find a way to keep on top of it.

sneezing (or runny nose) seems to be a common one. I just feel pressure in my chest. Once I feel that, I know I need to stop unless I want to risk it coming back up.

as the others have said, it depends on how well your recovery goes and what kind of job you have. I had a pretty quick recovery and a desk job. I took three weeks off but could have gone back after two. Maybe even earlier, but I was pretty tired the first few weeks. I was kind of glad for that third week...

I've never been a gum chewer, but I do eat sugar free breath mints occasionally. If you have dry mouth, try the ones with xylitol in them if you can find some. It's a sugar alcohol so it may give you G/I issues, but it doesn't for everyone (luckily, it's never bothered me). Xylitol supposedly stimulates saliva production, which can help with the dry mouth. There are also sprays, mouthwashes, and lozenges for dry mouth. Any pharmacy or places like Walmart or Target should have some...

you're still early out. Many people are eventually able to eat bread - but some never or rarely do because it bothers their stomachs. I can eat it, but not a lot of it - it feels like a rock in my stomach if I eat more than a little of it - but some people can eventually eat it without issues. Also, your stomach is probably still swollen from the surgery so it's still quite small, so you have to focus on nutritionally dense foods that your body needs. Bread isn't that nutritious. But in time, you may be able to eat it again. you will definitely be able to eat more as time goes on. I'd probably be considered a "light eater" now. No one would be able to tell I had surgery, because although I don't eat a lot, it's still within the normal range, I think. I eat about the same amount as some of my never-been-obese women friends do.

Major complications aren't very common. Many (I would say most) of us have no complications at all - or only minor ones that are "fixable". The above poster is right in that people are far more likely to post when they have a negative experience than a positive one, so it gives the perception that problems are a lot more widespread than they actually are. I read horror stories a couple weeks before surgery, too, and they scared the crap out of me, so I made myself stop reading them. I'm very grateful that I had my surgery and would do it again in a heartbeat. I was afraid if I stayed at almost 400 lbs I wouldn't live to see my 60th birthday. But here I am - 60th birthday come and gone - and healthier and more active than I've been in years.

dumping syndrome affects about 30% of RNYers, supposedly. I've never dumped and know many people who haven't - and for those who do, it can be controlled by limiting (and for some, avoiding) sugar (some people dump on fat, but sugar is the major culprit). It does happen with sleevers, but it's not as common as it is with RNYers I don't know how many people have to have their gall bladders removed - some, yes - but I don't know too many who have. hair loss - very common. But it's temporary - and many of us don't lose enough for others to notice (but WE notice it, of course!). I think I can speak for most vets by saying in retrospect, it was a minor annoyance and a small price to pay.

it'll be six years in June

stalls will eventually break as long as you continue to follow the rules. and weight loss DOES slow down the closer you get to goal. The last 20 lbs for me was an absolute BEAR to get off - took probably a good 4-6 months. That's true of more normal-weight people, too. I used to roll my eyes at these slightly overweight women at Weight Watchers who'd moan and complain about how hard it was to lose 10 lbs. Now I totally get it...

yep - that's exactly how I felt before surgery! Freaked out but excited!

well, people have died from tonsillectomies and wisdom tooth extraction, but then...how many people are we talking about? Your chances of dying are higher than THAT, but the mortality rate is 0.3% of dying from gastric bypass, and lower for the sleeve (I can't remember the rate for the sleeve, other than it's lower). So you have at least a 99.7% chance of NOT dying, which I'd say are excellent odds. I think a lot of people - esp oldsters like me - remember the old intestinal bypasses and other weight-reducing surgeries they did 30+ years ago, and yes, those WERE risky. But the surgeries they do now are very different - and they're really no more risky than having your gall bladder out. They're safer than hip replacement surgeries, which are done every day. just do your research. I was very surprised when I did - my perceptions of weight loss surgery were proven wrong, and I'm so glad I had it done.

sounds perfect - protein, healthy fat, and a vegetable!

surgeons are good at cutting. If you find a friendly one with a good bedside manner, that's a bonus. It seems like in a lot of clinics, the nurses, PAs, dietitians, and psychologists take care of most things and do most of the educating.

then that could be. I know a lot of women mention their hormones being screwed up for awhile the first few weeks or months after surgery...

if you follow your program, you WILL lose weight. You are likely just in a stall. They are very common. I had several of them along the way.