ScoutCR

I can only tell you my reasons as everyone has their own story and reasons why they chose the surgery they had.

I initially asked for the sleeve. I liked the less complications and thought that was going to be good enough for me. I was doing the surgery for health reasons even more than weight loss. My DR pushed hard for RNY but I resisted until I found out in pre op tests that I had barrett's esophagus. At that point sleeve surgery was not an option. I did a 180 and started considering RNY, but then my insurance said I could have RNY or DS but no sleeve. I asked my DR for his opinion on which surgery was right for me. He still thought RNY was the way to go but he left the decision up to me and told me the benefits and risks of both. I decided RNY was the way to go and so far so good health issues resolved and weight still being lost.

I feel this way every time I eat 1-2 bites too much of anything. I found chicken and shrimp are my safe Proteins and are easily digested.

3 minutes ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

Tell them that you're having metabolic surgery. They'll probably be too embarrassed to admit that they don't know what that is. And include that one of the "side effects" of your surgery is losing weight and maybe some Hair loss. (The hair loss is for a little shock value).

The best part is that this is all true. You are having metabolic surgery.

I wish I had said metabolic surgery it would have made my disclosure much easier and it is completely correct! I had read another post from Missouri-Lee's Summit that explained this further and it was a Au ha moment for me! Amazing that we are all doing this surgery for better health and are have such a stigma about the fact that we are having surgery that improves our health!

I work at a privately owned company that is self insured, so they were going to see the insurance bills...it is a big reason they are self insured so they see what is going on with their workforce! I also am a regional sales manager who was not going to be able to travel for 3 months so I had to let them know a few weeks before my surgery. It was hard as I saw judgement from one side of management, a few of them made snarky comments, but to my surprise, others said it is for your health and we are behind you all the way! If I did not have to disclose I would have just said I need stomach/digestive surgery.

Look you know more than the others here that you will be okay. You have knowledge that the rest of us assumed we knew before our surgery, so be confident in your decision. You are worth this effort and journey. Health reasons forced me to look at this surgery and once I made my decision I never looked back, but yes I had doubts about how my life would change and so did my wife. The 6 months before my surgery we had some trying times, but it is all worth it! I do not know your history, but as you know health issues resolve with this surgery. It is not the easy way out, but so worth it. Please go forward and give yourself a longer more full life.

My Dr said ok to go at 4 weeks!

17 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

Sweating

because I may or may not try one soon and join the cult of Werthers...

You all do know they make them sugar free I ate the sugar free ones for years as a diabetic and they are not bad!

I wish you well, I am 13 weeks post gastric bypass and still have issues drinking plain Water, but flavored water is good and I can drink as much as I need. Of course it is sugar free flavoring. Good Luck!

On 7/20/2018 at 6:10 AM, roleypoley said:

I'm 3.5 weeks post op and i find poached eggs work the best for me.

I did poached eggs at 4 weeks and had no problem, and moved on to scrambled eggs at 5 weeks and now at 13 weeks I about gag on any egg. So sad as eggs were a big part of my pre OP diet as I lived for 16 years on high Protein low carb diet as a diabetic. Good luck!

So sorry to hear about your experience. I am also surprised that it was not mandatory for you to see a cardiologist. I had every test known to man before my surgery but that was an insurance requirement. You are lucky that they did stop as I had several people and family tell me about people who died during bypass surgery. They were just concerned for me, but it does make you think about what could happen. Good luck and I hope the surgeon gives you a break on the next operation.

2 minutes ago, ScoutCR said:

Only 13 weeks post OP so here is my take at this point. My health issues are all resolved! No diabetes, no High Blood Pressure, NO Kidney Disease! I do not dread flying for my job now as I fit in the seat and even if a larger person is sitting next to me it's not a problem! Before this was a problem. I am still in the honeymoon phase but I do not miss food and do not have hunger! I am not looking forward to when/if I regain my hunger. That was the most strange thing for me to get used to. Eating was and is a chore with no hunger to let you know it is time to eat. LOL. Also getting to know the "tells" that your body lets you know when it is time to stop eating are interesting. I either get small burps, hiccups, or my nose starts running. It is all good as of now, but I am somewhat obsessed with my diet and exercise. Good Luck!

I also forgot no more CPAP my sleep apnea is resolved as well.

Only 13 weeks post OP so here is my take at this point. My health issues are all resolved! No diabetes, no High Blood Pressure, NO Kidney Disease! I do not dread flying for my job now as I fit in the seat and even if a larger person is sitting next to me it's not a problem! Before this was a problem. I am still in the honeymoon phase but I do not miss food and do not have hunger! I am not looking forward to when/if I regain my hunger. That was the most strange thing for me to get used to. Eating was and is a chore with no hunger to let you know it is time to eat. LOL. Also getting to know the "tells" that your body lets you know when it is time to stop eating are interesting. I either get small burps, hiccups, or my nose starts running. It is all good as of now, but I am somewhat obsessed with my diet and exercise. Good Luck!

George, Good for you, but I will tell you that even with your positive attitude it will still be the most stress you have ever had, but there is life after divorce. Be strong, keep your good attitude, and take care of your son as she will not make it easy once she sees you are willing to leave her! Take it slow on the dating scene and do not rush into a relationship just because someone is attracted to you. I did that because my first wife had me so insecure about myself.

You are correct in your summary that your wife does not like the new more confident you! When my marriage fell apart I was on a very high note with my career and she tried to tear me down at every opportunity. I also was losing weight with the success of my career and the renewed confidence and those things combined gave her insecurity and I saw real hatred directed at me. I also could not believe that someone I loved with all my heart could try to destroy me. In the end I had to find leave the relationship for my own good and you know that once I was free of her it felt like chains were taken off of me! Good luck and remember there is someone out there for everyone, just proceed slowly.

On 7/24/2018 at 8:59 PM, jldoublee said:

Protein is at least 60 (preferably from "real" food). No calorie limit, her view is that if you focus on Protein and eating non-processed food, the rest will fall into place. I've lost a tad over 80 so far with this method and haven't once felt deprived like with say a calorie counting diet. I do stay away from bread, Pasta, and rice though for the time being.

This is the same philosophy as my NUT but she wants me as a male to have 85 grams of protein per day which as a gastric bypass patient is hard with just food alone. She only once mentioned calories when I called her during my stall at 8 weeks and she said I shouLd be eating 600-800 calories a day at that point. I have tried but I could not reach the 85 grams by eating alone. I have recently started protein powders (which I never did pre or post op until now, (just already made Premier Protein shakes) and I love the power as it can be added to so much food. Also as a diabetic (in remission yeah!) I was used to eating a low carb high protein diet, but then I could eat a big portion of protein, but not now. I will most likely be on this type of diet the rest of my life.

George you look great man! Deep down you know that everything you went through to get healthy you did for you and your family. So your wife is not happy with herself and doing all these things to lash out at you. It is her insecurity and she is trying to make you think it's all your fault. Regrettably I know from personal experience with a divorce 12 years ago that this is a way the other person rationalizes what they are doing to you by trying to get you into a place where you think you are crazy or ugly or fill in the blank... The bad part is that when you are going through it that you actually start to think they are right, but it is just a tactic to justify their actions.

Hang in there you have done a lot of tough work to get to where you are (looking and feeling good about yourself) so do not let her get you into that place where it seems she wants to put you. Good luck and keep moving forward!

My first cheat was today 13 weeks post OP. I had some Popeyes shrimp. I only had a few ( less than a handful) but it was still a cheat.

Thanks! Even though my weight loss is currently stalled the health benefits are way worth it. I am ok if my weight stays where it is as long as I do not regain and my health issues are resolved.

I had this surgery for entirely metabolic reasons. I was also overweight but my reason for checking out the surgery was for health. I was diagnosed last May with chronic kidney disease with a GFR then of 28. I was told dialysis was 2 yrs or less away for me. I also had diabetes and high blood pressure. I had a stroke when I was 50. After my kidney diagnoses researched my options and found UPMC in Pittsburgh was promoting Bariatric surgery as a way to improve or cure all the reasons I needed the surgery. Fast forward to April 27, 2018 and I had my gastric bypass at UPMC. I just had my checkup with my kidney specialist and my GfR is now 87. He says it should improve further but he considers me technically cured of my CKD. My diabetes is in remission always in the normal ranges and my BP is normal. Thanks to this operation I have a bright future!

17 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I agree with this. I have learned my full feeling, and rarely overeat. Most recently was a month ago with a sushi roll. That was because the pieces were big, and of course it's awkward to take bites. So 2 1/2 pieces would have been perfect, 3 pieces was too much.

I also can just take one bite of something and be satisfied. I find no need to keep going back for it. For instance fries, bite of cake, chips and salsa, mac and cheese. It is truly so freeing.

So true! I know in my head that I am done and yet I take one bite, literally 1 bite more than I should and am I am in agony. I always loved shrimp before surgery but now they are my go to meat (they are not really meat), low in calories and good Protein and last night I had 1 shrimp too many and I paid the price. Gotta start listening to my head, 6-7 shrimp are good 8-10 are too many.

15 hours ago, Taoz said:

The "starting weight" figure includes losses pre-surgery. ScoutCR may have had a longer pre-op weight loss period. ScoutCR also had bypass surgery, which tends to have a more dramatic early weight loss (and faster overall loss) versus sleeve surgery.

Exactly correct! I lost 32 lbs in my 6 month pre OP and 52 since surgery! Bypass is a different procedure than the sleeve as we all know. I started out to have the sleeve procedure, but my insurance nixed that once my pre OP tests showed I have barrett's esophagus. My pre OP weight loss was a problem as my insurance questioned how much I lost on my own so my kidney Dr and family Dr wrote letters saying that the surgery was medically necessary. That cinched it and as they say all went well so far.

Way to go! I did this for health reasons also. I had kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and barrett's esophagus. Now 3 months out, my kidney doctor said I do not have to come back!, my kidney issues are resolved, my diabetes is in remission, my high blood pressure is resolved, my esophagus issue will need another operation but my GERD is resolved. Thank God that my health issues are so much better! Weight is good but of course I am frustrated that my losses are stalled currently. Well we all have a lot to be thankful about!

On 7/18/2018 at 9:32 PM, GSierraGold said:

Insulin dependent diabetic with acid reflux. At age 64 I had to have a R-N-Y Bypass on May 15th. No insulin, no diabetic meds! God is Most Gracious and Most Kind.

On 7/18/2018 at 1:55 AM, FinallyBackToMe said:

Kevin,

Your pic is great!

Sounds like you are doing so well.

Keep us posted.

Thank you! I am trying so hard as we all are doing this to have better health! Take care and BTW I have started growing my hair out. I shaved my head because of the Hair loss that happens with gastric bypass but people have been so judgemental about me shaving my head and my weight loss. People have asked me if I have cancer! Oh well I have to say thank you again as it is rare to have a good comment. Good wishes for the best health for you!

Party at MIZ60's house! LOL, as my wife says we will be cheap dates. Enjoy!

Only an observation...but I think gastric sleeve vs gastric bypass is the answer to why some people seem to tolerate / handle alcohol and others get hit like a brick in the head. I have a friend who had a sleeve and he can sit and drink 5 vodka cranberry drinks and it seems to not phase him. (BTW, he is 2 years in and has not had any weight regain.) I on the other hand with a gastric bypass cannot finish 2 vodka drinks without passing out before finishing my 2nd drink. Go figure, I tell my wife I am a cheap date, but seriously I will never drink and drive (not that anyone should) not even after 1 drink. My experience at home has taught me that I cannot handle even a fraction of my pre OP alcohol consumption.