Born in Missouri

This is the first blood-draw I've had that looks at any possible deficiencies after my bypass. My next blood-draw is at six months. After that, it's yearly. Certain results suggested borderline anemia. Also, my B12 was 6,000 with 900 being the maximum in the normal range. From now on, I'm only planning to take B12 weekly instead of daily. Other than my Vitamin D (which is always low), everything seemed okay. My son helped me interpret the results; he's a medical doctor. I asked the nurse the same questions, but she wasn't able to answer them and she didn't offer to ask the doctor for me, so I didn't bother following up with her. At this three-month visit my doctor (who ordered the above labs during this visit) wanted to know four things: 1. Are you taking your vitamins? (Yes) 2. Are you eating your protein first? (Yes) 3. Are you exercising on a regular basis? (No) 4. I forgot the fourth question, but I remember him asking four. I think it was are you hydrating enough? (No) Dr. S--- was happy with the weight I've lost so far and was pleased that I'm not overly concerned with just pounds. I promised to find ways to exercise that doesn't focus on weight-bearing maneuvers. The three-wheel adult "tricycle" we have is recommended for someone under 200lbs, and I'm 228 now. I'm trying to picture myself rolling along our suburban oak-lined streets with a water bottle in my old-lady wire basket in the front of my trike.

Turns out that it wasn't my knees at all. I have a hereditary condition with my toes (they start turning from forward to the side. I've had the joints in my big toes fused together so they won't turn, but it's not doable with the others. I have an excellent podiatrist treating me and the best she can advise is "good shoes". In the meantime, the upper part of my left foot is numb. It contributes to my feeling off-balance. I've fallen several times. The worst time recently was while holding a very sharp snipping tool. I often know that I'm going down, so I try to prepare. With the tool, I made an effort to throw it clear of myself. The last thing I wanted was someone finding me bleeding out with a razor-sharp blade protruding from my neck. I don't necessarily have to trip on anything. I can just go down because my foot starts to develop that "sleepy-numb" feeling and I can't place it anymore. I've had to resort to a walker at times. A cane doesn't do enough. In the meantime, I'm losing weight. Less padding. And here I thought I'd fall less after losing weight. Bad luck, back timing, and unfortunate genes, I guess. Does anyone else have a problem with balance or falling?

You'll definitely find a goldmine of information here. Read, compare, question, and be a fearless self-advocate. We're here to help if you have specific questions, but no one can give a one-time post that would be enough to prepare you for everything you'd want or need to know. Don't be a stranger here. But do something. Take some action. Today. Right now. It's good that you were committed to exercise in the past because that will be a key part of your post-surgical regime if you decide to move forward. Oh, and.... welcome.

I wish I was bold enough to ask (not that any doctor would be forthcoming about this information) for the percentage of each type of procedure the surgeon performs. Also, how many revisions has s/he done in which s/he was the original surgeon? I was a little taken aback by Matt's statements about doctors who tend to do the surgery of THEIR preference without a patient's best interests in mind. I can believe this, but it's nevertheless shocking. Doctors are often no different from the rest of us when it comes to shady motives. When the information out there is overwhelmingly dubious, I'd be a little suspicious if a doctor paints a well-documented outcome a different color. I think it's still hard for those of us who've had bypasses to sit clamly* by when someone opts for a sleeve when they actually have a choice. As I mentioned before, our forum friend @macadamia had no choice. He was missing key parts of his digestive system because of his Crohn's disease (something he already shared with everyone; I'd never pass on what wasn't already shared by Andy first...). Anyway, @macadamia had no choice. A sleeve was all he could have. It's just hard to reason how permanently removing a body part could be considered less radical than merely repurposing what's already anatomically there. *I noticed this typo and thought about correcting it, but I found the typo amusing so I left it as-is. I'm currently picturing myself sitting clamly.

I was told by my surgeon (who trains other surgeons to do bariatric procedures) that one can develop GERD and or acid reflux post-sleeve despite no current history. I have no history of reflux but I was afraid that with a sleeve, I might develop GERD since it's possible. Talk about an unwelcome side benefit! GERD, however, was not my main aversion to the sleeve... but it was certainly near the top of my list. As for having my insides rejiggered, I was more comfortable knowing that nothing would be permanently removed from my body. What if too much of my stomach was removed? I am three-months post-op. I have never experienced what is referred to as "dumping syndrome". I don't struggle with hunger either. The downside for me is that I have no appetite, but I'm hoping that will change. I need the protein and the calories. I'm glad that you feel confident with your decision since you are the one who will be living in your body. No one can or should make this decision for you. Others can give their (often unsolicited ) advice, which in my case and I'm sure in Matt's case, is offered in good faith. The number of people on this board who are happy with their decision to have a sleeve seem to greatly outnumber those who ended up regretting their choice or who upgraded to a bypass. I hope you will be one of the happy majority. I look forward to your post-op visits. But in the meantime, HEY INSURANCE COMPANY! GET ON THE BALL. TEENYSHELL IS WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!

I was thinking the same thing, Matt. Not sure what was meant by not being comfortable with what the RNY entails... This morning I literally met a woman in the lobby of the hospital where I had my bypass who was there to meet with a bariatric surgeon to discuss getting a bypass. Apparently, her sleeve turned out to be nothing she had hoped it would be. Reflux, weight gain. She expressed regret (to me) that she didn't get the bypass from the beginning and was upset that her surgeon hadn't steered her in that direction. I know I'll always be grateful to my surgeon for persuading me to get the bypass even though I thought the sleeve was what I needed (based on what I had read at the time). This was before I joined this board. I doubt I would have ever considered the sleeve if I had joined several months prior.

I'm with Matt. Always curious why one chooses one procedure over the other. Some people don't have a choice (my buddy macadamia comes to mind because of his Crohn's). So happy that you've reached this point in what has no doubt been a long and arduous road. My experience was a quick turnaround with insurance approval. Hope your experience is the same. Stay positive. Keep reading all you can. Mental preparation and knowledge is everything. You'll be able to conquer things ahead of you that you never thought possible. We've all faced these obstacles and somehow found the fight in us in order to take on all sorts of unforeseen experiences. Remember, we'll be here for you. Now that you've made the plunge with your first post, don't be a stranger.

I had my gastric bypass in June and I have yet to experience a single day in which I've felt actual hunger. No appetite whatsoever. I remember recalling (and rolling my eyes) back in the day when "skinny" people would say things like, (insert annoying voice) "Oh, I forgot to eat today." I'd roll my eyes at myself today. Eating isn't something that I enjoy anymore, so, yeah, I forget to eat. When I can barely eat little more than a few bites, there's not much to work myself up about. I went to Chipotle's recently (hoping to eat something with a memory of enjoyment attached) and I couldn't even finish ONE hard-shelled chicken taco. I remember when three tacos were barely enough.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2701812?widget=personalizedcontent&previousarticle=2698683 Lack of correlation between gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and esophageal lesions after sleeve https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29571635 Conclusions: Overall GERD symptoms are not more common in patients who have had LSG versus LGB, however, those who have had LSG reported having worsened GERD symptoms when lying down, after meals, and reported to have to change their diets in order to prevent GERD symptoms. https://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/laparoscopic-sleeve-gastrectomy-does-not-worsen-gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-symptoms-in-morbidly-obese-patients/

I was thinking of you (my big* bariatric sister) Frust8 when I decided to post this: https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/obesity/74961 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2698683 *big as in older, not heavy

"Most people before their surgery, their favorite foods are just what you'd expect -- ice cream, French fries, burgers, pizza," said Patricia DiLorenzo, professor of psychology at Binghamton University. "But afterward, their favorite food was salad, for example. Twenty percent of people said that their favorite foods were vegetables. Those people -- the ones who said they changed their taste preferences -- lost the most weight." Mainstream article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180916152716.htm DiLorenzo and her team also found that people who liked coffee more post-surgery were also the people that lost the most weight. Coffee and vegetables share a bitter flavor, indicating that post-RYGB surgery, some patients' taste preferences shifted from high-fat and sweet foods to ones where bitter tastes were less aversive. Patients who experienced this effect lost the most weight and had lower BMIs in the long run after surgery. Original study: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0199508

For decades, the medical community has ignored mountains of evidence to wage a cruel and futile war on fat people, poisoning public perception and ruining millions of lives. https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/everything-you-know-about-obesity-is-wrong/ author: Michael Hobbes "Growing up, my mother's weight was the uncredited co-star of every family drama, the obvious, unspoken reason why she never got out of the car when she picked me up from school, why she disappeared from the daily photo album for years at a time, why she spent hours making meatloaf then sat beside us eating a bowl of carrots." ---- "Doctors are supposed to be trusted authorities, a patient's primary gateway to healing. But for fat people, they are a source of unique and persistent trauma. No matter what you go in for on how much you're hurting, the first thing you will be told is that it would all get better if you could just put down the Cheetos."

What topic are you searching for?

I take back what I said about not having any enoxaparin shots after my bypass. I had one in the hospital, and none after I was discharged (the next day).

What is this... The National Enquirer? Your title suggests that these are big, deal-breaking secrets that were hidden for some reason. Both are less than earth-shaking and have logical explanations behind them. I didn't have time to read the comments below your post, but I'm almost certain that others have addressed both concerns. I didn't notice any putrid smells following my surgery. I also didn't need to have any enoxaparin shots after my bypass, but I did have them after my full-knee replacements. The needle is so thin, you can barely feel it. I gave myself a week's worth of injections once home.

(Reuters Health) - People who have weight-loss surgery for extreme obesity may lose more weight with an older operation known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass than with a newer sleeve gastrectomy procedure, a small U.S. study suggests. Article link: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-weightloss-surgery/type-of-weight-loss-surgery-matters-for-people-with-severe-obesity-idUSKCN1LM314 Study link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039606018303180

I've had a barium swallow test before, which is how I know about my allergy. It wasn't that bad. You have to drink something chalky and then they watch the liquid (via technology that I can't recall the name for) run its course in your body. No salad tongs involved. You are my hero, Frustr8! You, go, big sister! (big as in older, not big as in big).

I was never required to have a swallow test. Maybe it's because I'm allergic to contrast media with iodine. Then again, it was never even mentioned as a post-surgical requirement. I probably had one of the most hands-off bypasses ever.

I have several unused containers of good whey protein. I just can't down that stuff anymore. It was easy BEFORE my surgery (during my pre-surgery fast), but now... can't do it. I'm going to concentrate on meat.

Thanks, Matt. Statements like "the body can only handle..." rarely sit well with me. There are too many unanswered questions associated with something so absolute.

Do you have a link to a study or a scientific reference to support this statement? (I'm not being sarcastic; I'm just curious if it's documented.)

I ended up drinking less than half a cup. I thought this would be the answer to my problem. It wasn't. Protein by way of drink just doesn't work for me. Back to square one.

I've struggled with getting enough protein since my surgery. I'm hoping to finally be able to get what my body needs. I found this drink at Sprouts. Brand: Shamrock Farms 19.7 fl oz (582ml), Rockin' Protein Builder Max Protein Shake, lactose-free, available in vanilla and chocolate. 50g of protein per bottle. Found in the dairy section, must be refrigerated. I'm not a fan of vanilla or chocolate (wish they had coconut). Sprouts was out of chocolate, so I tried the vanilla. It tasted (to me) like melted vanilla ice cream. No horrible aftertaste either. Completely tolerable.

Do exemptions exist for medical reasons? It sounds risky for you this time around, not the food fasting... but the no fluids.