Born in Missouri

The RN at my Bariatric Center stated that many times people seek revision after the sleeve due to GERD. This isn’t an issue for me. When both options (sleeve and bypass) were presented to me, and I was told that I could develop GERD even without a history of it if I had the sleeve, I was convinced that I wanted nothing to do with the sleeve. Taking vitamins is no hardship, but having to contend with something like GERD was a dealbreaker. And sleeve people have to take vitamins, too, so why not go with he bypass.

@James Marusek Have you conducted any experiments with essential oils that could possibly alter our skin's microbiota/odor signature? Since we have an estimated 1m bacteria per square cm of skin, often comprising hundreds of species, it would seem that there is too much variation from person to person. Still, it's fascinating to think about! I love science!!!

Hm. Maybe our odor signature changes after surgery. Interesting. Since it’s the bouquet of microbiota on our skin that seems to attract an egg-laying female, I wonder what changes about us post-surgery. Next time you’re out and about and in the company of mosquitoes, be sure to let us know if anything changes. You might be at the threshold of discovering something new and exciting about the blood-sucking behavior of mosquitoes… a discovery that could change the world as we know it!! Hey, it could happen. And why not to one of us on this forum?! ! ! A Scientist Explains Why Mosquitoes Bite Some People More Than Others https://www.sciencealert.com/why-mosquitoes-bite-some-people-more-than-others

I found it! This isn't the exact source I remember (I think it was a fashion documentary on Netflix), but this will have to do. Not a bad source either, I suppose. The only downside is that this is a very dated source. For many women, finding the perfect dress or outfit is only half the battle. Then, it must be altered. Women frequently have to pay for such services, though basic alterations have commonly been provided to men at no charge. Stores and tailors say altering women's garments is generally more complicated than it is for men's. But Saks Fifth Avenue has begun providing basic alterations to skirts and dresses at no charge as part of a settlement of a sex-discrimination suit brought by two California women. Saks no longer charges to hem unlined and unpleated skirts, shorten or lengthen sleeves, take in or let out center and side seams in unlined garments and add shoulder pads to dresses. Previously, each of these services cost $12 to $18. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/01/style/fashion-in-fitting-room-a-little-more-equality.html

Like J San, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Either you're feeling desperately low or your account has been hijacked. What's going on? Do you need to vent? We're here! We're here! Bariatric Evangelists aren't supposed to treat Newbies like this, enjoyinglife. Pick on someone your own size, assuming you are enjoyinglife.

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So, I'm confused, if men are forced to pay more for 2 categories of dress, and only 1 for women, how is this statement from your title accurate? "but almost exclusively on women's clothing, not men's" Plus-sized Men also have the added "benefit" of having to pay extra for suits, that pretty much always have to be tailored to fit, another fun additional cost, just to have something they can wear to work. I'm not sure where I heard it, and I may be mistaken, but I thought men received altering services for free in most places (where they bought their suit), but women were nearly always expected to pay for the same services. Shoes aren't priced according to size, are they? There's a big difference in a woman's 5 and 11, no? A lot more leather, more bling, more everything.

Don't have a driving, fishing or hunting license currently. In many states, fishing and hunting licenses are free for seniors (65+). There are exemptions for certain fish/game, but free is free.

So, I'm confused, if men are forced to pay more for 2 categories of dress, and only 1 for women, how is this statement from your title accurate? My title reflects the news articles I found. I didn't create the news, I just shared it. And when have titles ever represented the content of an article accurately? Titles like this are created to draw readers in. To titillate and confuse, to poke and pester... No reason to blame the messenger. I have no interest in misrepresenting a title to draw readers in here. What's the prize?

Men don't have much variety in terms of clothing anyway: pants/shorts, shirts... what else is there? Women have skirts, dresses, pants, blouses, shirts (in a multitude of styles). I'm not disagreeing that men also pay more... but, in general, they are excepted to pay for TALL and BIG. Tall women aren't penalized, mostly just plus-sized women.

Yes, but this store is by no means the only store. There are plenty of stores in the U.S. that quietly but deliberately fat-tax plus-size women. I linked to this example because it was the most publicized (and one of the more egregious) examples. Also, this forum is a global community (I've seen members from the UK, Australia, Canada and elsewhere), so it shouldn't really matter if it is a UK store; we're all in the same fat-shaming, fat-taxed boat.

The suggestion of self-sabotage doesn't make sense for me when considering one weight-loss surgery over another. Real self-sabotage is doing nothing, taking no steps toward reclaiming one's life via the tools of WLS. I often wonder why some people have opted into a revision (from sleeve to bypass). Did they make a mistake in choosing the sleeve in the first place? I have no regrets in selecting the bypass. None. I think I'd be upset if I'd had ended up with the sleeve, though.

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis* It's hereditary, going back to my great-great grandmother and many other close female relatives. Yes, biotin will absolutely mess with your doctor's tests. Don't take it! BEWARE OF BIOTIN: biotin can skew test results to be either falsely high or falsely low. https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/january-2016-thyroid-month-beware-of-biotin/ My body is still compensating (churning out some thyroid hormone), so my endocrinologist doesn't want me to take levothyroxine yet. *Actually, it's not entirely accurate to refer to Hashimoto's as hypothyroidism since in its early stages and sometimes later you can teeter between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Of course, since the body is destroying one's thyroid, one will ultimately and exclusively exhibit symptoms of hypothyroidism, but that's down the road for some (including me).

The “Fat Tax” Is Everywhere, From Retail to the Nail Salon Clothing stores and salons keep charging plus-size customers more. https://www.racked.com/2018/5/21/17369488/fat-tax-retail-new-look-salon-plus-size-upcharging Size is a sensitive subject in the clothing business. So when one of Britain’s most popular and affordable clothing giants was found to charge more for plus-size clothing, it was accused of imposing a “fat tax” on women. “Obviously it costs more to make plus-size clothing because of the amount of fabric used, but if the pricing metric is going to be based on size, then every size should be priced differently." “If smaller-sized people aren’t getting discounts, then plus-sized people shouldn’t have to pay a surplus." “We rarely see ‘tall’ and ‘maternity’ editions of clothing being priced differently. It’s cruel and unfair to single out one body type.” Fashion’s ‘fat tax’: Bigger women furious at having to pay more for clothes https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/designers/fashions-fat-tax-bigger-women-furious-at-having-to-pay-more-for-clothes/news-story/b170b879bd535dd7bc8d1724e1aaa59e

There is probably nothing you need to do, Jingle123423. However, they are less likely to use you now that you are in their "old" range. Who "woulda thunk" that 45 is old? That being said, if you are the only possible match for someone, how could they deny them the prospect of having a matching donor? If you have a number to call or an email for the registry, contact them and ask them a few questions about your donation and if your status has changed. Thank you for signing up. I have a special blood status, which would include my bone marrow, but I'm probably too old for them now. Barely a senior citizen, but no longer in their optimal range.

Please keep us informed, 2shea . I had never heard of this procedure until today (which is why I posted information about it. Not that my lack of knowledge about something is postworthy in itself. )

As surgical wounds are healing, there are often some distinct changes that occur to the skin both around and near the wound. A few things that one can expect – and things to watch out for: https://advancedtissue.com/2013/12/3-ways-know-difference-healing-infected-surgical-wounds/ A study was conducted that looked at patient incision care and other discharge concerns. The study found that knowledge of incision care and amount of information received about incision care were rated low. The five most frequently mentioned postdischarge concerns included bowel trouble at home, wound pain at home, looking for wound complications, watching for wound infection, and activity limitations. (This study is 12 years old. Hopefully, knowledge of incision and discharge care has improved drastically.) https://www.o-wm.com/content/bariatric-surgery-patient-incision-care-and-discharge-concerns

Why does my wound itch? The skin contains specialized nerve fibers that detect when the dermis is being irritated and send signals to the spinal cord, communicating that there is an itch. This is known as "mechanical stress". Wound healing also elicits mechanical stress that activates itching. As it heals, the cells around the wound proliferate, which means the margins around the wound grow and migrate inwards toward the base. In fact, the cells follow an electrical pathway at a voltage that is different than the margin so they can tell where the base is. The cells then unite at the center, attach together and contract to pull the wound shut. This process creates a mechanical stress that activates the itch nerves and tells the spinal cord to scratch. The dangers of scratching Scratching a wound that is trying to heal can cause damage to the new tissue that has grown to replace and repair the damaged tissue. If this happens, it can slow the healing process, which leaves your body susceptible to wound infection longer and can result in excessive scarring. Additionally, it can cause potentially harmful bacteria on the hands to transfer to the wound, again putting you at a higher risk of developing an infection. To find out more, including tips to reduce itching: https://advancedtissue.com/2014/10/understanding-wound-healing-itching-dilemma/

Talk about feeling unwanted. Too old and too fat. I guess that's that. The donor weight guidelines state that for people joining the registry, the maximum acceptable weight would be a person's weight associated with a body mass index (BMI) of 40*. To see the maximum weight (in pounds) for a given height (in feet and inches), see the chart below. *BMI Formula: weight (lb) / height (in) 2 x 703. Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65") Calculation: [150 ÷ (65) 2 ] x 703 = 24.96 https://bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/join-the-marrow-registry/weight-guidelines-for-joining/ Too old? Pay $100 and you're allowed to join. If you are between the ages of 18 and 44 patients especially need you. Research shows that cells from younger donors lead to more successful transplants. Doctors request donors in the 18-44 age group 85% of the time. At donor registry drives, we focus on adding registry members most likely to donate. If you are between the ages of 45 and 60 and want to join the registry, you're welcome to join online with a $100 tax-deductible payment to cover the cost to join.

Yes, I was Elmered. (You know what I mean.)

That pre-op diet ruined me from ever wanting to drink broth again. Are you allowed to have beef broth?

There is one thought I can't get out of my head. What are the long-term effects of weight-loss surgery? Because WLS is still in its infancy in many respects, none of us can predict the outcome of our decision when we become old and frail and we are in need of all the nourishment we can get. We've limited our bodies to benefit us now, but later... what about then? What struggles do we face when every spoonful might count. I love older people to pieces. I enjoy their company. I'm genuinely interested in what they have to say about their lives, past and present. I've also noticed that many older people don't eat much. If the little I eat now is only partially being absorbed, what will happen when I get older... when I'll conceivably need all the nourishment I can get to live a long and healthy life? Let's hope that knowledge keeps pace with our surgeries. Heck, there are still unknowns about which medications are poorly absorbed as well as other unknowns about how our bodies process various vitamins and minerals. Are we creating ailments that didn't exist on the same scale before millions of people embarked on these surgeries? Outside of pregnancy, I can't recall ever being concerned about a nutritional deficiency (well, except for Vitamin D, but that's because I abhor the sun and I'm too stubborn to spend even the lousy ten minutes required to absorb what I'd need.)

@Bellasoo Is your surgeon's office really serious about putting in a feeding tube, or do you think they're just trying to scare you into action? A feeding tube sounds a bit drastic. I guess the threat worked because you're drinking the awful stuff they recommended.

What scars? I can barely find the incision sites for my bypass. All that remains are very faint lines. As for my pregnancy stretch marks, those are here, front and center. I guess having multiple ten-pounders will ruin any belly for life. Where was my scar cream then?