catwoman7

bypass is usually recommended if you have GERD. There's a significant minority of people (I believe I've read 30%, but don't quote me on that) for whom the sleeve will make it worse. Note that means it does NOT make it worse for the rest, but 30% is still a fairly big risk - and you'll find several people on here who originally had the sleeve but were later revised to bypass because of it. I also had GERD and was advised to go with bypass, so I did. I wasn't willing to take that chance. The GERD went away (as it usually does with bypass), and I've been very happy with my decision. malabsorption is rare as long as you keep on top of your vitamins. I don't think bypass is really that much more complex - and it's been around for a long time (much longer than the standalone sleeve surgery). That part of it appealed to me as well. the decision is ultimately up to you (or it SHOULD be, anyway), but there are some medical conditions for which one surgery is more appropriate than the other, and GERD is one of those conditions.

you'll do just great! See you on the other side!!

I wouldn't have been allowed black bean soup on my liquid diet - but maybe yours is different. I could only have 4-5 protein shakes a day, all the no (or nearly no) calorie clear liquids I wanted, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, and a limited amount of tomato juice/V8 and chicken broth (I think it might have been a cup of each). That's it. But I know surgeons allow their patients to have a small amount of food. Did they tell you what you were allowed to have? My clinic was pretty clear about it...

I dream about it sometimes at 5.5 years out of surgery. I still dream about smoking sometimes, and I quit 26 years ago. I think addictions are sometimes like that...

it's the infamous three week stall. Almost all of us go through it. It's not always the third week (but it is for most of us) - but at some point within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery, almost all of us go through our first major stall. Mine was weeks 2 & 3. Didn't lose a lb. Then during week 4, the stall finally broke and I lost like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Just continue to follow your program and stay off the scale for a few days if you need to - and know that it WILL break! And also know that you'll likely hit these several times during your journey. It's all part of the game...

I don't think it's going to make much, if any, difference. The sagginess is due to overly stretched out, damaged skin that isn't likely to bounce back. But it depends somewhat on how long you've been overweight, too - I knew there was no hope for mine bouncing back regardless of how fast or slow I lost weight. I just wanted to lose as much weight as I possibly could during the "honeymoon" period, since I knew it would get harder after that (and it does...)

I know - I could have kids that age...

I had 'em at 59. I'm still contemplated a face lift, and I'm now in my 60s. 38 is young!

I was probably where you are (500 kcal/day) the first month or so. Then I was in the 600-800 range for several months. I didn't consistently go over 1000 kcal a day until I was around a year out. At that point, I was at 1000-1200 or so from one year out until my weight loss stopped around month 20. I can maintain my current weight if I stay in the 1500-1700 kcal range - although that's going to vary for everyone. Some women can eat 2000 and maintain; others can only eat 1200. Depends on age, metabolic level, activity level, height, how muscular you are, etc. Once you hit maintenance, the best way to find your ideal range is just trial and error - you'll figure it out pretty quickly.

just so you know, the malabsorption wears off by about two years out, and many (most) of us gain 10-20 lbs during year three. It's not inevitable, but it happens to most of us. So I wouldn't slack off too much and let bad habits sneak back in - otherwise it'll be hard to pull back if/when that rebound happens. I thought it would never happen to me, but it did. I'm about 17 lbs higher than my lowest weight, and I was convinced I would NEVER gain that weight back. WRONG. I did. But even though I hate to admit it, I probably look healthier at my current weight. I'd gotten a bit too thin before.

they usually say to focus mostly on getting in your fluids the first few days - your body is OK with lower amounts of protein for a couple of weeks. I was able to get all my protein right from the get-go, but it does take some people a couple of weeks to get up there - and for a few more like a month. however, another issue you may be having is lactose intolerance. A lot of those protein shakes have whey in them. It's not an uncommon problem. Often it's temporary - but for some people it's permanent. Maybe try a protein shake that doesn't have lactose in it?

that's really common as well. I bought a coccyx pillow for my office chair and another for my car. I've since retired, so the office pillow is now in my husband's car. I still use them, 5.5 years later. My butt doesn't start hurting right away anymore like it did (I think the fat or something has shifted around - either that, or I've just learned how to sit on it "correctly"), but it will start hurting after sitting on it for a significant amount of time. Those pillows/cushions do help, though!

all of that is pretty common (feeling cold, tastes changing...). My internal thermostat seems pretty normal now (the first year post-op I was always freezing), but with some people, that seems to be a permanent change...

could be coincidental, too - it's the time of year for things like colds and sore throats..

my surgeon didn't use Robard (or any other commercial diet), but it looked about the same as yours otherwise - 4-5 protein shakes a day, plus all the zero (or near-zero) clear liquid beverages I wanted (which included sugar free Jello and sugar free popsicles). I was also allowed to have tomato juice/V8 and plain broth (like chicken broth) - but I'm pretty sure I was only allowed to have like a cup of each of those a day because of the sodium.

oh yea - I had to dilute the tea for sure!

this is pretty much how I've done it, too - only I used monk fruit or some other artificial sweetener instead of sugar (can't remember which - it's been awhile)

I've made that a few times. It does take awhile - but it's ridiculously easy to make. and yes - that syrup is great! The only thing about homemade crystallized ginger is that it can be really intense, though. Sometimes it's fine - but other times it's TOO intense...

^^^^ this for sure!!

you're starting out at a much lower weight than most WLS patients, so your rate of loss is likely to be pretty slow in comparison. 12-14 pounds a month is a pretty rapid rate of loss. Maybe not for the first month, but afterward, that would be on the high side. I started out at almost 400 lbs, and after the first month, I was losing 10-12 lbs a month (for about the first 6-7 months, then it got much lower). So just an FYI..

as long as you're sticking to your surgeon's food plan and the general weight trend is down, you're good.

I had weird-colored BM's for the first month or so - then normal ever since. I've heard this before, so I don't think it's uncommon during the first few weeks.

I think a lot of the people here think of "treats" as things like cookies, cake, chips, candy - that sort of thing.

yep - it's the infamous three-week stall - right on schedule!

not sure if this is actually dumping. Even if it is, it doesn't seem it should be going on this long. I'd call your clinic and let them know what's going on.