bitingcat

Yup. About the same - I love that they're all "Go directly to the hematologist! Do not pass go!" and it's really 6 weeks of waiting to get in to see someone. Maybe get an appointment as soon as you can? I had my second transfusion this week - around here a lot of hematologists seem to work out of cancer centers, so everyone's really nice. Comfy chair, warm blankets to help your veins cooperate. Pretty much the same as above - saline, Iron, then saline. They checked my iron right there the first week and will check it again next week. They may also talk to you about other things to help with absorption of pills - no calcium/dairy before or after; acidic environment in stomach (hematologist recommends a shot of orange juice); watching levels of other Vitamins. I might have a problem with unmethylated b-12 making it worse, so I'm trying to fix that. But I'm also having massive hormone problems post-op (pretty extreme blood loss) so I'm working on that, too. Stay warm and be careful - people pass out and hit their heads all the time. Good luck! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm right at four months post-op and trying to clear up the myriad health problems I've got going on. Sure - I already had a jacked up ankle before surgery that limits movement, but I do PT twice a week. I've lost the giant boot but still need a brace and a cane - better than nothing, right? However the post-op menorrhagia and resultant anemia are crippling me more than my foot . I'm trying all the things - hormone doctor has doubled progesterone *twice*; finally gotten into a hematologist and started Iron I.V.s; got a very uncomfortable ultrasound for the OBGYN; and today they said, "Oh, sorry - you've got giant fibroids and your only option is a hysterectomy." Seriously? I'm right at a 40 lb loss since surgery - by no means speedy, especially with about twice that left to go. About two months left of the alleged "honeymoon" and my choice is *more* major surgery or continued dehabilitating bleeding and anemia. I'm really tired of surgery . (Both my kids were c-sections; my ankle doctor is threatening 4 separate surgeries; and my PT wants me to see a hip specialist.) Anyone else had a hysterectomy after being sleeved? Or have any brilliant ideas for magically teleporting fibroids out of their body? Just tired of getting kicked in the teeth. .. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Yes, and yes - except mine started during the pre-op diet. I'm working with my hormone doctor, an OBGYN specialist, and a hematologist to address the resultant anemia. This week I also got to have the oh-so-fun inside and out ultrasound - I'm also amazed they didn't send you in for one. They were able to list all my fibroids - full and fun-sized - as well as a couple of ovarian cysts. In my case, the doctor said the troublemaker was too large/weird/inconveniently located to remove by anything short of a hysterectomy. . Not thrilled with that, but I've already been trying HRT and currently need i.v. Iron for the anemia. Definitely push for better testing so you don't end up where I am if you don't need to - on a six week waiting list for a consult with the laparoscopic robot doctor. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Well, that's not awesome . I hope your sister is doing better. I wasn't planning on ignoring them, btw - just looking at options and experiences. A little venting. A lot of hoping to hear a positive stories about people getting another surgery a couple months after being sleeved and how they managed to stay on track/get back on track. Thanks for sharing, btw. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm only 3 1/2 months out, so my experience with sleeve is limited. My experience with dieting is not. I started young and was *never* able to lose more than a few pounds. The weight always came back and usually brought friends. The deck was kind of stacked against me - as it is for many. Severe food allergies (almost all veggies and some fruits) meant I was chronically malnourished. Severe hay fever limited those easy outdoor walks and bike rides. Skin allergies, eczema, and asthma meant even indoor exercise was challenging. As an adult I sought medical help, traditional and alternative, but I was already broken - overweight and clinically depressed with a trashed metabolism and busted joints. And my weight kept going up. Fortunately about 20 years ago (after wrecking my personal life, too) I ended up marrying one of my best friends. School, work, and two very difficult kids on the autism spectrum later, we've both put on far too much weight. Ten years of high stress and no sleep tend to do that even without help. I'd though about the band for years, but just didn't like the complications and my hands were full with therapy and homeschool. We tried to eat clean and healthy and be active, but at best we maintained. Two years ago my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it was officially too much. My kind-of-stable weight starting climbing; my blood pressure shot up; my blood sugar spiked; and my hormones went bonkers. I was 43 and my body had had all it could take. I had researched gastric sleeve off and on, but after spending time caring for him in the hospital and a year of watching him balk at all the doctors orders, I felt like Chrmow - why can't he just follow directions to care for himself? Followed by the awareness that I was doing the very same thing. I researched, prayed, and researched some more. My husband and I were both scared of complications, but math says the odds are no worse than a lot of other surgeries. And I had control over my own choices post-surgery and knew I could be compliant and follow directions, which can minimize post-op complications. Surgery is scary and I've had plenty of minor non-surgical complications, but have healed really well. And the amazing thing is, for the first time in my life, I longer feel like I'm starving to death. I still have to make good food choices and I still have a long way to go, but I've lost 40 lbs since surgery and that really does help everything. The reduced weight on my joints means I'm able to do more physical therapy for my bad ankle and hip, for instance. The reduced stomach means I'm able to eat Protein and largely be done instead of looking for filler. The therapist sounds like a great plan, for both evaluating "food addiction" and for monitoring/getting a handle on depression. I seem to be one of the few people who hadn't had "buyer's remorse" after surgery, but a) I did intense research into all aspects of the surgery; I had already dealt with a lot of food-as-comfort issues; and c) I'm 45 and was ready to really change. I've eaten enough pizza, cake, and Cookies for a lifetime and am largely fine with never being able to eat those things again. I've seen people on forums who freak out when they realize they'll never being able to eat a whole pizza again for comfort. I've seen the people who "can't" do liquid post op diet and try to eat steak a week after surgery. And I've seen people who realize they can still eat a box of crackers, do so, and can't seem to stop. Don't worry about the actual surgery itself -- worry about whether or not you're truly willing to change your life. Because the last few months have been life changing for me, but even at this point, it's a lot of work. Having said that, my husband started doing Keto concurrent with my surgery, partially to support me and partially as his last ditch effort to not have to. He's lost as much weight as I have eating eggs, cheese, and grass fed meat - which was basically my pre-op liver shrink diet. Assuming you're medically capable, you can always try that first. The first week trying to get off sugar and carbs is really hard, but improves a lot after that. If you can handle that, it might help on its own. Or it might end up preparing you for surgical pre and post op diets. I know - really mouthy for a total noob . But my big regret is not finding a way to do this ten years ago, when my kids were still little. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

You really are looking great! I'm about 3 1/2 months and rocking the same stretchy pants look, too . And no, I am NOT a fast loser. It's so frustrating... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

At 3 1/2 mos I'm too new to speak to long term concerns. But as someone who went in with a serious ankle tendon injury, had a hiatal hernia repair with 6 weeks of "no abs!", and developed pretty bad anemia post op, I'd like to second the PT idea. I'd get a list of restrictions from medical team and she'd work around what I could and couldn't do towards both strengthening my leg and general fitness. After losing muscle post surgery, I've started gaining again at the 3 mos mark. That's while still using a cane to walk, btw. . The medical staff was super impressed. Otoh, I've become an athletic stretchy pants person and I feel like I need a "I did PT today!" sticker to justify fat woman with cane in athletic clothes. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I wasn't ever allowed to have anything but Water for at least a half hour with my thyroid meds. And 10 lbs is really good - it took me 2 weeks to lose the surgery bloat! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Sweat, loose clothes, loose skin, cleavage, braids - the ACLU just went after them for getting all up in black women's hair. Those stupid things have an unbelievable false positive rate. They're basically total crap, so anything they can't figure out - like less than perky breasts - means you get felt up by your not-so-friendly TSA agent. After my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer I had to fly SEA to DFW quite a bit. Thing lit up like a Christmas tree Every. Single. Time. Under the breasts; between the breasts; under the belly; up, down and around the thighs all the way up the crotch. Ugh. It was just extremely upsetting. God knew I'd had all I could take - the flight home after the funeral, my 13 yr old got random TSA pre-check and I got to join her in the past. You know - where you leave your shoes on and just walk through a metal detector like a real person instead of being treated like a prisoner during lockdown? So as soon as I got back (and calmed down) my honey and I applied for those newfangled Nexus cards. They come with Pre check, global entry, and the use of the fast lane across the Canadian border. So worth it! I really hate having to pay to not get groped, but I still recommend getting a card if you travel much and/or set off those giant pieces of security theater. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Wow - I was reading this thread and said, "Wait, did I post this?" Yeah, as a mom of two spectrum kids I've heard all kinds of stupid and ugly. One of many reasons I told very few people about surgery. Those I did tell are all super supportive and on board My PT however... I obviously had to tell her and she's trying to understand, despite being from a professional athlete/a calorie is a calorie background. But she's still asked if my stomach will grow back and what the sleeve's made of Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A friend of mine was talking to her delivery man about church and he said he just couldn't get past all the hypocrites and liars. She told him that was the thing about God - He lets everybody in. Becoming a Christian doesn't make you perfect. It doesn't magically make you less judgy or gossipy or mean spirited. We all know it doesn't make you suddenly not-fat . So while church should be a loving, caring and accepting place, it's unfortunately full of, you know, actual people. And while Christians are (hopefully) trying to hold themselves to a higher standard, they're still made of clay, just like everyone else. So no, I don't feel it's dishonest to keep my private business private. My husband and I *are* eating low carb - and I don't feel the need to mention that mine came with a side of surgery. I really like my church family, but I don't need their approval or judgement for this decision. I certainly don't need to tempt people to gossip or spite or stupid comments there or out in the real world. (I get enough of those without any help.) If I feel moved by the Spirit to share my story with someone, then I will, as someone has done with me. But like abuse, addiction, and traumatic relationships, not everybody needs to know everything. (And I say this as a person who shares "My kids have autism," and "Hi - let me tell about food allergies!" stories at the drop of a hat for general public edification.) Now, if you feel like you need the targeted prayers and support of the whole congregation, that's a whole different matter. Just be prepared to do a lot of education, debunking, and dealing with stupid comments. You know - just like the rest of the world Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was basically doing Keto the couple of weeks before surgery. Didn't really loose while getting off sugar; was up a couple of pounds at my 1 weeks pre-op. I was so bloated from the hormone dump... But my surgery went well and my liver looked amazing! (I know because they showed me pictures.) Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Well, they see it as yelling, and any one with an ounce of sense thinks they're being a moron... Let's call it late night hyperbole fail - most of you vets have *infinite* patience. I have almost exactly none. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I always feel like obesity is similar to food allergies, clinical depression, and just a host of other things most people haven't personally experienced. Some people just don't get why you can't just "cheer up". You know - haven't you ever tried not being depressed? Taking a brisk walk always gets them out of a funk, so it should work for you, right? Wouldn't, you know, not sitting on the couch eating donuts just fix your weight? But then again, in addition to depression ("why would you need to take meds?") I also have serious and bizarre food allergies that most people don't actually believe in. (Seriously - try being a fat woman explaining that she's anaphylactically allergic to salad. ) The ones that get past the patent disbelief and really think about it usually begin to grieve for all the foods I can't eat. "You mean, you can't eat Caesar salad? What about lettuce wraps? Not those either?! What do you EAT!!!" They're too used to people claiming allergies when they don't like something, just like they're used to people being down claiming depression, and people who are 20 lbs overweight being hopelessly overweight. So if you actually can communicate the level of difference, they kind of freak out a little. I've seen people finally understand what being celiac or having a life threading peanut allergy really means (niece and nephew) and just about lose it over the thought of never eating Oreos, or restaurant buffet, or soda ever again. What they don't get is that compared to the consequences we're already living with, a restaurant buffet or two really doesn't really matter. Is it frustrating to go to a party and not be able to eat a single thing there? Absolutely - but I've been living with that my whole life. And compared to morbid obesity (or, you know, anaphylactic shock) I'm willing to live with it. But then again, I get stupid comments all the time And I try never to attribute to malice what can be laid at the feet of ignorance or stupidity. Hopefully your friend will see you living it up in your skinny jeans and realize the world doesn't end with her own experiences. More and more research indicates that weight loss, like depression, isn't usually an easy fix and can require drastic measures. Sounds like you made the choice with eyes wide open for the same reasons as me. Hopefully we'll both justify our decision Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'd rather have the truth from a vet any day. But then again, I'm old enough to know someone seeking justification usually knows they're in the wrong. As a total noob, I appreciate you vets yelling at people for being morons - God bless you for your eternal patience! I'm only 3 months out and find myself rolling my eyes at the same posts over and over. "Look!" I want to say, "The poster two down asked the same question two days ago!" But two days post-op, I know you just want someone to acknowledge that your life sucks right now. But still - fried shrimp? Seriously? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Electrolytes? I swore by my Ultima Replenisher post-op and still drink it when I start to go dry mouth. (Also used more Celtic sea salt.) Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

to people's good advice! - Absolutely see a doctor to re-evaluate meds! - The hormone dump is real and can cause all sorts of trouble - Depending on your meds, the alcohol might be making it worse - Consider trying to be outside in natural light for a while each day - Check/improve your Vitamins - winter gray + no D = bad news I'm saying this as someone who's been on meds for 10 years, has serious nutritional deficiencies, and lives in the stinking grey hole known as Seattle. I know exactly how hard it is to go out and do stuff, but judging from your list, your depression is not under control and is trampling all over you. Talk to a doc and start trying to rein it in. . Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Did you also have a hiatal hernia repair? I did, and the upper chest and shoulder pain were killer. They could barely ask about my incisions because I was so busy bitching about the gas pain in my chest and shoulders. They ended up giving me Valium for the chest pain and Dilaudid for the incisions - I think the Valium was supposed to relax my chest muscles. It did seem to help, but yeah - breathing really hurt for a few days. A heat pack on my back helped me relax a little too, and I spread a little arnica gel around my incisions (no where near the stitches) to help with bruising. Be sure to keep in touch with your doctor, though. Hopefully you'll start to feel better soon. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was really lucky - I didn't have much nausea at all. Most of it was probably my surgeon's very vigorous anti-nausea protocol. I also worked really hard to stay hydrated from the get-go because I tend to get sick really easily. (Two pregnancies that felt like endless motion sickness - I literally threw up from pregnancy test to the O.R. table during my c-sections.) Having said that, do keep in touch with your doctor to make sure you're within normal ranges and aren't experiencing serious complications. Track Fluid intake, etc. It can be hard to tell the difference between, "Sucks but I'll survive," and "Needs medical intervention now." And I'm saying this as someone who just got yelled at by their surgeon for not making a hematology appointment when staff "suggested" it last week. . With that out of the way, here's what I found to be helpful. "Ultima Replenisher" No-cal, stevia sweetened, electrolyte drink. I got an assorted flavor pack off Amazon and would add part of a packet to my Water and it made it SO much easier to drink. I think the inherent dehydration and nausea can just spin cycle off each other and make it really hard to kick once you're there. The extra electrolytes and little bit of flavor really helped. I also would have a thermos of bone broth with me that I'd sip on whenever I could. My favorites were the chicken broth my honey cooked with a Parmesan rind, and chicken broth with a spoon of miso paste and soy sauce (both were filtered after cooking). Notice the "salty" theme. But I made it my mission to drink one over the course of a few hours. Or when I woke up at night. I also drank unsweetened herbal tea - my favorite was the Sleepytime Peach because it was chamomile based but had a hint of mint that was amazing for my cranky tummy. Once I moved past Clear Liquids, I had a hard time with Protein shakes, but could tolerate yogurt or kefir with a drop of berry stevia. It does get better - I'm at three month and can eat and drink most things within reason. Still like my Ultima Replenisher packets, especially if I'm fighting off a cold or overdoing it. But I absolutely spent most of the first month just managing eating, drinking, and meds. And the first couple weeks of forcing down liquids suck - it's like the worst full time job ever. Good luck! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Seriously amazing job! I'm only 3 months out and a pretty slow user with nagging infections, anemia, and an ankle injury slowing me down even more. The scale doesn't move and I start freaking out that I've blown the magic honeymoon and omg, this isn't really going to work, and ugh it's just like all the other things that didn't work... Hearing you've not only done so well, but are continuing to do so well so far in is really encouraging . Especially after such a rough start. Amazing job and you're really looking great! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Both my kids are high functioning ASD - I know what you mean! We mostly avoid artificial/processed food, but the pre-op diet was tough. I'd already picked up a few Sucralose products during the insurance mandated diet, but went full chemical sugar free for the last few weeks of super low carb. Man, it was *nasty*. But I've seen the pictures from my surgery and my liver looked FABULOUS, so I'm pretending it helped my liver shrink and am moving on. Like elisa5150, I did use sugar free stuff the first month or so - especially the sugar free popsicles - but also Gelatin, Protein powder, and some protein hot chocolate. Now, I use flavored stevia drops for kefir or yogurt (yay live cultures!) and a little xylitol (a sugar alcohol) in my tea. Some of Protein shakes (Orgain) have stevia and erythritol (another sugar alcohol) or monkfruit and inulin (Jamie Eason Lean Body for Her). Personally, I do really well with xylitol and okay with erythritol (though their "naturalness" is highly debatable). And while current research increasingly makes it look like sucralose and other traditional artificial sweeteners are really messing with gut health, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that stevia, monkfruit, xylitol, or erythritol have much effect one way or the other. There are natural(-ish) protein powders out there - as long as you can keep the carbs and protein where they're supposed to be. (My NUT recommended youbars - they make custom Protein Bars with options for natural sweeteners.) We love grass fed butter and cheese, though I'm sticking with olive oil and coconut oil for now. I do have a tub of natural coconut oil based vegan butter spread I use every once in a while, but I wouldn't give up grass fed dairy for margarine if I had a choice. Mostly, though, my new stomach prefers savory moderate to low fat food, so I try to work with that as much as I can. When I was still eating dairy, I discovered I could mix herbs (Penzey's Fox Point seasoning) into low fat Greek yogurt and use it as a dip. Still got my protein, but didn't have to sweeten it. Which is probably for the best. I don't think living on artificially sweet or fatty things is necessarily better than living on real sweet or fatty things. So, good fats when we eat them - grass fed beef; pastured eggs; olive & coconut oil - and all in reasonable amount. If a dish is too fatty, I can't eat enough to meet my protein goal. Sort of a self limiting problem, so I don't see the need to drag margarine into it. As for sweets... research just keeps making it look like artificial sweeteners wreck your gut and make you crave more sweets. Which kind of makes sense since some "bad" gut bacteria has been tied to increased sugar consumption/desire for sugar. And sweets have gotten me into a lot of trouble in general, so I feel like this is the time to develop better habits. Thank heavens I did full on high fat/low carb Keto before surgery - I rarely had sweet things anyway and it still kicked my butt! But it really did kick the sugar cravings and I am so glad I didn't have to deal with that post surgery! It's made it way easier to explore healthy options that don't involve so many chemicals. Now to try and get back on my gut health protocol and try and get my kids onboard. Wow - sorry this is so meandering - it's the middle of the night and we have a small herd of cousins over for the first Christmas break sleepover. Brain. Fried. Let me know if you need product ideas - I feel like I've researched them all . Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Youbars.com does custom Protein bars. I need to avoid dairy right now, so I've had some vegan ones made up. 12 grams of protein isn't *enormous* but it's something . They use nuts in the base, and I think mine have about 14 grams of carbs, almost all of which is Fiber. Just as a snack option. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Ah - as to set point, the study computercat is referencing is talking about The Biggest Loser study. This article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the-biggest-loser-metabolism-is-slower-and-weight-is-back-up/ also discusses that, but mentions that RNY (at least) doesn't have that problem. Might be good for your dad. There are a few studies looking at long term gut health changes, too, but a lot of studies seem to suggest that wls is just really different from regular weight loss. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Yeah, I'm 45 with a 16 yr old and 13 yr old at home. Despite other health problems, I always had great cholesterol, solid blood pressure, and decent fasting blood sugar. Until about 2 years ago. My hormones shifted, my blood pressure spiked and my blood sugar and cholesterol starting rising. Then I was diagnosed with PTTD (tearing ankle tendon) and had a minimum of three separate surgeries recommended. Obviously, my years of relatively healthy fatness were over and all I could see were years of illness, surgery and meds ahead of me. I don't want to be that person. I researched surgery for about a year then settled on gastric sleeve because the odds are so good. I think knee replacement and a host of other "minor" surgeries have worse odds. I also chose I because gut health is increasingly looking like a major player in weight loss and I think this is a good opportunity to burn it down and start over. I had surgery in September, have had some compromised immune system issues and healed a bit slowly. Haven't lost buckets of weight, but have lost some and that's new. At this point my big regret is not doing it when my kids were still young. Do what you need to do . Pick a reputable surgeon with a great track record. Follow your post-op directions carefully. Stay hydrated. Eat Protein. Take Vitamins. Talk to your team if anything seems wrong. I think that gives you more much better odds of success than doing more of the same thing you've probably been doing for the last 30 years Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm right in the thick of it - about 2 months post surgery - and went into it at 45 with jacked hormones, hypothyroid, tons of allergies, auto-immune problems, and a partially torn tendon in my ankle that requires low or no weight bearing exercise and PT. Not your ideal patient . My surgeon was never negative about my losing potential, just upfront with "most patients lose x% of excess weight" but made it clear that everyone responds to surgery differently - fast losers, slow losers, big losers, small losers. I am apparently a very slow loser. It took me weeks to drop below my day of surgery weight and even now I'm still a bit short of a 20 lb loss from that day. However. That number is still a good 15 lbs lower than my lowest weight in the last decade, and about 35 lbs lower than my "normal" weight. My surgery went well, but I am having new and different health problems tied to my compromised immune system and hormones. I'm working closely with my hormone doc to monitor things; she's doubled my armor thyroid and increased progesterone to try and deal with sudden onset menorrhagia. I've also had a severe bacterial infection in my ear that spread to my neck and jaw - 2 courses of antibiotics later and it's not entirely resolved. The giant eczema flare on my scalp travelled into my ears, making it worse, and I'm trying to figure out if I can truly give up dairy and still come close to my Protein goals. Do I worry I won't lose enough weight? Absolutely - I have well over 100 lbs to lose. Do I hate the ongoing health complications? Extremely - they make it very hard to exercise and go to PT. Do I think they're surgery related? Tangentially. I was jacked up going in and it potentially flared up all kinds of things. However. I am actually losing weight, which I've never managed to do in my entire life. The scale isn't moving tons but my body is changing, hopefully for the better. So I don't regret the surgery at this point, health problems and all. Not feeling hungry all the time is *amazing*. So I just keep plugging on, keeping in touch with all the doctors, and praying that I actually manage to finally make that big change that will make the weight come off and stay off. I'm not trying to be negative, just prepare you for unexpected complications and encourage you to keep a sharp eye on your thyroid and hormones. People keep saying "the sleeve is a tool" and I think they're right - even if I'm still struggling to use it properly Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App