catwoman7

you said the day of your surgery you weighed 386 and now weigh 365. That's 21 lbs...

21 lbs in five weeks is very normal. We started off at about the same weight, and that's about where I was at that point I think shows like "My 600 lb Life" give people unrealistic expectations about their weight loss. You have to remember that those people start off at MUCH higher BMIs than the average WLS patient. Most of us lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month. So your loss is perfectly normal! I went on to lose over 200 lbs - so the surgery works as long you're committed and stick to your plan. Edited to add that almost all of us hit our first major stall sometime during the first month after surgery. It's usually the third week, thus we call it "the three week stall". That may explain the 2 lb drop over those couple of weeks (367 to 365 lbs). If you search this site for "the three week stall" you will find over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding). but overall, you have lost 21 lbs since surgery. Again, that's a normal loss for the first five weeks.

I've had several MRI's since surgery (diagnostic and part of research studies). No issues. They use titanium staples, which don't matter. They don't interfere with the MRI

I've heard of RNY to DS (which has a sleeved stomach and a (mostly) bypassed small intestine), but not an RNY to just a plain sleeve. Interesting...

pretty normal - I've had four surgeries in my life, and I always freak out before having one. And they've always gone well!!!

it's pretty uncommon. Bypass usually cures (if not greatly improves) it.

Wow - sorry to hear you are dealing with this. Bypass usually cures (or greatly improves) GERD, so I'm so sorry it didn't do the trick for you. I've heard of Linx but don't know that much about it - but anything that helps with the GERD is probably not a bad idea. That can evolve in Barrett's esophagus (which in turn can evolve into esophagus cancer) if unmanaged - so I'd be inclined to do whatever they recommend. Again, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this!!

Don't freak out quite yet. I was self-pay for plastic surgery and the total (which I paid in advance) was somewhere in the $20K's. I got a bill afterwards for over $100K. I called them, and they got it straightened out. It was clearly some kind of mistake on the hospital's end. Not sure if it was someone else's bill, or if that was the amount they would have charged the insurance company had my insurance covered that kind of thing (which it doesn't). But either way, it was dropped.

I didn't have to take blood thinners - but check with the clinic. You may have a medical situation I (obviously) wouldn't know about - or it could be that that clinic just requires them of everyone. But I'd check.

unless you're the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life", 12 lbs the first three weeks is perfectly normal. Most of us "normal" WLS patients lose somewhere in the 15-25 range the first *month*. Yes - you'll find some who lose more or less than that, but they're outliers. Most of us fall somewhere in that range. So if you've already lost 12, you'll likely end up in range by the end of your first month, too. I started off at almost 400 lbs and lost 16 lbs by the end of my first month - and I went on to lose over 200 lbs. So don't lose hope yet!

Leaks are almost always caught before you even leave the hospital, and you'd be really sick if it were that. It may still be gas pains - I think I had mine for a few days. Check with your clinic, though...if nothing else, for peace of mind.

I think it took about eight weeks for it to completely lift, but it got a little better every week until it was completely gone (in other words, you won't feel this tired for the whole eight weeks (or however long it takes for you)). It'll gradually get better.

you would have had to have eaten 21,700 calories above and beyond what your body needs to have put on 6.2 lbs in one week. I suspect it's just water retention. Or it could be due to a very full bowel.

14 lbs in three weeks is actually fabulous - esp after a revision since weight loss is typically slower after revisions than it is after virgin surgeries. I don't know why you wouldn't be able to lose more weight if you really work at it (which it sounds like you're doing). Don't give up yet!

it's not uncommon to develop some food intolerances after surgery - although they're often temporary. Milk is a common one - and so is artificial sweeteners (especially sugar alcohols - the ones whose names end in -itol (like xylitol)).

if you're swollen, that likely means you're retaining water. Might explain the weight issue. like others have said, it could also be the infamous "three-week stall" (that most of us experience) a little early - or you could still have some of the IV fluids in you that were given to you in the hospital. Some people leave the hospital up to 10 lbs heavier than when they went in!

this sounds weird but...I wish I had that problem. Unfortunately, my body is still totally fine with sugar ?

re: adding protein powder to protein shakes: keep in mind that you can only absorb somewhere in the 20-30 gram range at one time. If your protein shake already has 25 grams and you add another 25 grams in powder, you're not going to absorb all of it - UNLESS you sip it over the course of a couple hours (or more).

not that common with sleeve or bypass. Much more common with the DS. for sleevers and bypassers, constipation can be a chronic issue, though. A lot of us take Miralax, stool softeners, or magnesium tablets every day to stay on top of it.

extremely common. Estrogen is stored in fat cells, and it's released during rapid weight loss. Lots of women report screwed up cycles and moodiness. It'll stabilize within a few months.

food restrictions are temporary. After awhile, you'll be able to enjoy the foods you do now, just in smaller quantities (and for some food items, just as an occasional treat). I didn't really have "food funerals" beforehand, but I did go out to eat a couple of times the week before my pre-op diet to have a couple of things that I knew I wouldn't be able to have again for a few months. I didn't overdo it, though.

14 lbs in two weeks is excellent. I lost 16 lbs the whole first month! (not a revision - I have a virgin bypass). people tend to lose slower after revisions than they do a virgin surgery - but again, 14 lbs is quite a lot. I wouldn't throw in the towel yet...

I found it very liberating once I got used to it. For once in my life, my mind wasn't constantly on food! I wish I was one of the lucky few whose hunger never comes back, but unfortunately, that's only a small minority of people.

it returns for most of us sometime within the first year. Mine came roaring back at five months out. Be grateful for its disappearance - although it's kinda weird to get used to, it will never in your life be easier to lose weight than it will right now, when you're never hungry and don't give a flip about food. Things will get more challenging once it returns. I wish mine never had.

I probably eat about half as much as I did pre-surgery. I could do a small turkey wrap (or half a large one) and maybe a side dish for sure. raw carrots can be hard on my stomach. In fact, I sometimes eat some of them when I'm at risk of binging on something. They tend to irritate my stomach, so it stops a binge in its tracks (usually....). Long way of saying - raw vegetables like that can still irritate our stomachs even after being years out - so that's not uncommon... I tend to go more by calories now, since I still count them. Pre-surgery, I was probably eating 3000+. Now I eat somewhere between 1600-2000, depending on how much exercising i'm doing. On holidays I've been known to eat more than that - 2300 or so - but eating that much makes me feel like i just ate an elephant, and I feel like crap that day and the next. 2300 would have been nothing when I weighed over 300 lbs. P.S. yes - I sometimes do feel restriction - but not like I did the first few weeks & months after surgery.