Gottajustdoit

7 hours ago, Rocketman said:

Hey was just checking In to see if you have been feeling better.

Thanks for checking in, Rocketman! Love your post on paranoia. Very interesting perspective! I have been keeping my GERD at bay by taking a daily dose of Fromadine acid reducer and Papaya enzymes after a meal. I won't be seeing my doctor yet for a couple weeks, but I will be asking how long he thinks I need to take the Fromadine. I was really hoping to get rid of GERD for good!

PS: Great photo! You look happy and upbeat. 🙂 Your weight loss has been amazing!

44 minutes ago, gabybab said:

You are doing fabulous. Congrats!

I am type 2. However, my blood sugar is normalizing. I'm on nothing during the day and 8-20 units of Lantus at night. My fasting bs and evening one is averaging about 140. The endo said not to take glimeperide if the sugars are under 180. I'm hoping to come off all meds sooner or later.

Thanks! I think you will eventually be off ALL medication for diabetes. 🙂

On 4/23/2019 at 10:11 PM, Recidivist said:

For the men in the February club: How saggy is your skin? (I ask the men because we lose weight and sag differently from women.) I'm only seven weeks out, and already my stomach is a wrinkled mess that looks like a melting candle, and I'm developing a serious neck wattle. (I caught a glimpse of my next in the rear view mirror today and it frightened me.) I'm still waiting to see what my man-boobs look like when they deflate. I never thought I would do skin removal surgery, but I'm beginning to think I might.

OK, not a guy, but I am noticing that my neck is looking very wrinkly. I took a selfie today and thought my face has more lines and wrinkles too. My arms are starting to look saggy. I think I'll have saggy skin around my thighs and gut as well. I wonder if it's possible to firm things up with weight lifting, etc., but I fear the answer might be no. Oh no.

On 4/23/2019 at 10:43 PM, gabybab said:

Hi everyone. Yesterday marked 8 weeks post-op. I'm doing ok and have lost about 44 lbs. However, I have only lost about 2.5 of that in almost 28 days.

I went to the PA last Friday and she said I was where they want me to be. She wants me to exercise and I have not since surgery, other than walking shopping etc.

I'm eating more and am doing about 1000 calories. I asked the PA and she said, yes, that's where you should be.

I'm so worried because I don't want to fail, but 800, like some do, is not enough for me. I eat Protein like I'm supposed to do. I have nibbled a bit, but nothing scary. Is anyone else where I am?

Do I need to cut calories? I can't figure put why I'm not losing more.

Also, anyone with diabetes still having to take medication? I'm averaging about 145 in the morning while taking 8-20 units of insulin only. My endo told me to skip meds if I'm 180 or under for dinner and Breakfast. So far I've only had to take glimeperide one time this week. Hoping it will continue to drop. After surgery it was over 200 for the first month.

Thanks all!

Gabybab--Are you a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic? I am type 1, so I'll have to be on insulin the rest of my life, but I'm so happy to report that I'm off Metformin and have reduced my injections of long-acting insulin from 78 units a day to 28 units a day and my short-acting from up to 15 units to no more than 6 units per meal (often a lot less). This is by far my biggest success given insulin stores fat and I was in a horrific habit of injecting more insulin so that I could eat more carbs. NOT a good cycle to be in. Next month I'm due for an HbA1c check and am eager to see if I've come down from 7.9 just before surgery.

As for calorie intake, I think I'm eating about 700ish calories a day. I have a Protein Shake in the morning, about 15 green olives as a snack in the late morning, a Kind (protein) bar for lunch, and usually chicken for dinner. I usually also have another Protein shake before bed. I need to get in more vegetables as I'm not getting any in, but I do like having the olives as a snack. The "good" fat oil from the olives seems to help my Constipation issue (along with the Fiber gummies). If you like olives and do not have an issue with sodium, consider eating those as a snack---very low in calories.

As for exercise...I try to get in 5,000 steps per day. I'm not a fan of exercise so this is a big deal from me and a change from my previous lifestyle!

2 hours ago, Goody222 said:

Has anyone been prescribed medicine to prevent gall stones? I was and it made me nauseous. I have not been able to eat for a week now. If you are taking medicine is it making you sick?

Did you just start taking the medicine? I had gastric bypass and had to start taking Ursodial (brand name Actigall) right after I got home, one capsule twice a day, to prevent gall stones. Of course for the first 8 weeks I had to empty the capsules as I couldn't swallow them. Blech. I now can take the capsules whole and I do with as much Water as I can swallow. You have to take it for several months for it to be effective and I've been told to take it for 6 months. I have not had any nausea with it, thankfully. I take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and at night before bed. On the Web it says common side effects include stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, back pain, Hair loss, or cough. Maybe your doctor can prescribe an alternative?

On 4/21/2019 at 2:31 PM, TheMarine79 said:

Me

GET OUT!!!! This is amazing!

9 hours ago, Sheribear68 said:

Okay. So for some reason I’m feeling adventurous and I’m gonna post some pre-surgery and 10 week photos.
The first one is from Christmas Eve. My thin sister ambushed me and took the pic before could protest.
The second set is a recurring monthly now: hubs takes front and profile pics so we can track how the body is changing.

Lol, less than 4 months between these photos and NOBODY has said they’ve noticed a loss. In fact, I had a coworker yesterday ask me did I think I was losing any weight. I was kinda stunned and didn’t really say anything besides “ I’ve lost over 50 pounds since I started this journey”. 😝🤪
Guess maybe the next 50 pounds someone will say something. 🤣🤣

Let me just say, these photos are amazing. Thanks for posting! I am shocked that you haven't had more comments about the already drastic weight loss. You can definitely see it in your face and absolutely all over. I do NOT think you look older but I know what you mean. I was following a very popular YouTuber who had gastric bypass and over the course of the year, I felt she looked so much older than she did before the surgery. She looked really good, but the "fluff" was gone in her face (as you mentioned) and it definitely aged her. I told my husband I think I will look older as well (I'm 53) when I lose weight because of my puffy baby cheeks. Someday I will be brave like you and post before and after photos. Looking good! (And welcome to the 50s!)

32 minutes ago, Recidivist said:

Sheribear, let me join the chorus of those saying how great you look. The difference is quite obvious!

I'm traveling to see family for Easter (none of whom know I had surgery). I know that I'm just "passing through" this weight on my weight to my goal weight, but I thought a few new items were in order. I was wearing a 40 (very tight) or 42 (comfortable) pants before surgery, and I fit relatively easily into a 36 today. Woo-hoo! I was also able to look at "large" shirts, which has far more selection that XL or XXL. This means more to me than the number on the scale!

That's awesome!!!!

26 minutes ago, taylormomto6 said:

I finally hit 199.8 after 5 days stuck at 200.1, so I’m happy about that. Only 54.2lbs till goal, lol.

Awesome isn't it??? Hitting a milestone whether it be 299 or 199 is something to really Celebrate.

10 hours ago, Sheribear68 said:

Sorry I’ve been gone a couple of days guys.
Bulgogi was one of my all-time faves, but watch the sugars... it’s loaded.
Maybe it’s time to try to find a low-sugar alternative. 🤔

Re: sugar-free candies.
Even as a young person, my body doesn’t respond well to artificial sweeteners of any kind.
They either make me feel slightly headachy or nauseous and in the long run they stimulate my hunger. I think it’s head hunger that the “fake” sweet stimulates so I try to avoid artificial at all costs.
The only exception is a small bit of stevia that I sometimes put in coffee. I’ve only done that 3 times since surgery as coffee and me aren’t the best of friends (even though I miss it dearly).


Well after my scale victory last week in losing over 3 pounds, this week was kinda “meh”.
I managed to drop 2.0, which is slightly disappointing but normal for me now.
Still waiting for that magical “whoosh” week.
Still I’ll take the 2 pounds and now I officially have 5.4 more to lose til I get to ONEderland.
Sadly I’m thinking I won’t hit that milestone by May. Guess I’m going to be the poster child for slow and steady gets it done also. Emphasis on “slooooooooow”. 😩😩

Non-scale victory:
Monday I did back-to-back Pilates classes, which is something I wouldn’t have fathomed being able to do 2 months ago and I hit a local consignment store that specializes in high-end clothing and had an appointment with a personal shopper.
Sent her my current clothing size and a photo from last week and explained my transitioning and she was able to select some things that are 1-2 sizes below what I wear now. The amazing part was that I was able to tug on a pair of size 14 pants from Ann Taylor over my hips and I bet they fit like they should by June.
I can’t remember the last time I wore size 14 anything.
I was shocked at how much fun it was to try on new things and my hour session just flew by.

I ended up with several career pieces for summer and even splurged on a couple pair of workout pants and tops.

Congrats on the victories. My bet is that with all the pilates you are doing you are building muscle and we all know that muscle weighs more than fat so you're on the right track!

scale shmale. Mine is refusing to budge much. I'm losing about 1 pound a week. Not speedy at all. I've started planning a summer vacation with the family to Jackson Hole/Yellowstone/Red Lodge, MT---I used to get excited looking at recommended restaurants in the areas we vacationed, but it's so different now. I am now just looking at their menus online to make sure there is SOMETHING I can eat and enjoy with the family. PS: Good idea on the consignment shopping!

Group--what are you thoughts on sugar-free candy? For the past several weeks I have had about 4 to 5 sugar-free hard candies during the day. I know they contain sugar alcohols and I am wondering if any of your NUTs have advised against them. They satisfy me between meals and when I feel like I want to eat out of boredom (not hunger). They are a quick fix for me in these situations. I have no issue with a laxative effect as I'm only eating a few. Thoughts?

Just wanted to share this video with you. It is a good representation of what happens to the pouch when you drink with or right after meals. No bueno!

On 4/13/2019 at 3:57 PM, Sheribear68 said:

So late lunch today as I’m working on painting a spare room to get it ready to be a guest room.
It’s a little skimpy on Protein, but the hot pickle, olives and Kim cheek is delish

YUM. I was happy to see olives. My new snack is olives. I have found them in individual servings of 80 calories, no carbs (but no Protein either). I like the green ones, but they have black ones too. I think they provide the salty taste I'm looking for and they are good for you!

3 hours ago, Rocketman said:

I’ve lived with gerd for nearly 20 years, I’m 36 now... this, in my case, is not gerd. this is a pain that I’ve never experienced before. It’s very similar to the dull pain that happens when the pouch is full, except it’s consistent even when I don’t eat. It’s not an unbearable pain, i is definitely not incapacitating, it only prevents me from having any true appetite, and sort of makes me feel bloated. I’m no doctor, but seems the most common complication of gastric bypass is ulceration sat either the stapled area, or where the small intestine is connected to the pouch. I’m sure the dr will most likely take precautions and have me go back on Zegerid daily, ( Zegerid is the best btw). It’s OTC now, I recommend you try it, basically it’s Prilosec with sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda). The sodium bicarbonate neutralizes any acid present immediately, and the prilosec does what it normally does, and prevents the acid from coming back. If you take that, and your pain goes away, most likely you’ve got an ulcer.

but.... from everything I’ve researched, tests need to be done to diagnose and treat these ulcers correctly, so go see your surgeon as soon as you can, and explain it to them. Don’t take my word as gospel.

Thanks, Rocketman. I'll look into it at my next appointment if the pain persists. If so, I'll ask my doc about Zegerid.

13 hours ago, SleevednowAK said:

I’d hate to be too specific but the southern dumping for me was painful stomach cramping that is very similar to when you have a stomach bug/really have to go but are stuck in traffic kind of misery. I was sweating bullets, in tears at some points and needed to stay near my bathroom to on safe side rest of the evening. Since surgery, I’ve only experience vomiting dumping once after eating baked mahi mahi tuna. I barely could vomit and there was dry heaving but I’d take that over the other end any day. Forgive me Feb buddies if my description is too graphic. I’m really worried I won’t be able to enjoy my favorites (Alaska raised) like halibut or copper river red salmon😩.....too afraid to even try any fish at this point and now I’m going to add salad to the “forbidden” list. At least until 3 full months postop.

Thanks for sharing. I can't believe how much I've been discussing my bodily functions with my family since the surgery. I have yet to have "southern dumping" but I've had the nausea and dry heaving and yes, the profuse sweating. Not fun! I would start off with a white, flaky fish. I have had tilapia a few times (just a few bites) and had no problem. Has anyone had steak yet (very tender, like filet)? If so, did it stay down?

2 hours ago, Rocketman said:

Seems like I’ve got some minor ulcer symptoms. The last couple weeks I’ve felt a dull ache under my sternum intermittently. It would get worse on days when I didn’t eat regularly. I decided to take my Zegerid to see if that helped... sure enough no pain nearly immediate relief. Logical explication is some ulceration being irritated by the minimal amount of stomach acid in the pouch, which is exasperated if I don’t eat. I was initially worried it could be gall stones.... anyways I’ve got a follow up with the surgeon Monday, and will run it all by him to make sure no additional precautions are necessary. Figured I’d fill you guys in.... I feel great, gym time has been amazing, and couldn’t b happier.

Rocketman--please let me know what your surgeon says. I'm not sure if I'm dealing with an ulcer or heartburn/GERD. I have started taking the acid reducer again and it has helped a little, but I'm curious what your doc has to say in differentiating what might symptoms of an ulcer vs. GERD. I have the ache in the same place that varies in intensity. Thanks!

6 hours ago, SleevednowAK said:

Some but I don’t think more than 2-3 grams since it was a small amount of salad and even less dressing needed. I am supposed to stick a soft diet so I just assumed it was the salad. Nothing else out of daily norm-2 Protein Shakes and chicken but yesterday chicken was in my salad. Like Sheri, the scale doesn’t move for me much but I’m glad my clothes are looser or I’d be depressed. Hit my minimum 10K steps goal well enough too. Dora/Ellen’s ‘Just keep swimming’ chants all day long.

Now I'm super afraid to try salad! What were the symptoms of your reaction/dumping?

19 minutes ago, ldawn said:

I had RNY on 2/5. I only had to take PPIs for 4 weeks. No issues since stopping it 4 weeks ago. Prior to surgery I took my pantoprazole daily and still had break through indigestion.

I hope it gets better for you.

Thanks for all the responses on this so far. I was on pantoprazole for about 10 years prior to the bypass and was also told I could stop taking it after 4 weeks or so. I was told to take it after surgery to ensure that I would not get an ulcer. I am going to have to call my doctor on this one. I want to get rid of GERD for life!

I'm curious how many of you who had gastric bypass are taking an acid reducer. I have been having a lot of chest pain (heartburn?) lately. This can occur after a few sips of my Protein Shake, as soon as I start eating, or even an hour before I start to eat. I am very conscious of chewing everything and eating very slowly, so I can only assume its GERD. I was told I did not have to take my Protonix any longer at this point because I would no longer have GERD after gastric bypass surgery. Are others of you having this crushing chest pain on and off (not just when eating or right afterward) and if so, are you taking an acid reducer or not? I had the bypass as opposed to the sleeve because of my GERD (surgeon saying GERD would only get worse if I had the sleeve). SO confusing, I am starting to take my Fromadine (generic acid reducer) again as the pain is obnoxious!

8 minutes ago, Everythinganna said:

I still can’t believe that another person in this group, has surgery the same day I did, same hospital, with the other dr in a 2 dr practice. We were probably one room away walking the halls and then... we are on this same forum? How random is that?

That is pretty random since I think we have at least three countries represented in this group!

3 hours ago, taylormomto6 said:

Froufrou- it’s certainly a learning process!

Today I decided to give salad a try. I used a mix of baby spinach and spring mix, a few peas, red onion, sprinkle of cheese and 1 1/2 oz grilled chicken with a T of breannas cilantro lime dressing. It has set well and one plus is that it took me a while to eat it. It was delicious! I think I’ll be doing a salad each day from now on. Hopefully it helps with bathroom issues as well.

Taylormomto6--you are courageous. I've wanted to order a side salad as a meal, but was afraid the lettuce would be too hard on my pouch or I'd only get about two pieces in. Was it a tiny salad, or about the size that would come as a side salad in a restaurant? The cilantro lime dressing sounds really yummy.

Dubchild: My nutritionist told me that I should be eating about 600-800 calories a day. Not sure if it's the same for men and women. Oddly, no one on my medical team has stressed exercise at all (that is, they haven't asked me about it or said I need to do it to burn calories). I am at a computer 8 hours a day and have to force myself to take a break at lunch and walk around. I'm trying to get 5,000 steps a day in but sadly, a normal day is way less than that. Oof. I really hate exercising.

1 hour ago, jenniefeefee said:

Oh no!! That must’ve been horrible! I don’t know if any of y’all have heard this, but my team gave me this info for times when food gets “stuck”.

meat tenderizer? Who'd have thought? I also see the papaya enzyme. That has helped my digestion. Do y'all eat an ounce every ten minutes? I take a small bite, chew it to mush, then put my fork down while I swallow the food. I maybe should be even eating more slowly. My new plan is to read a book while I'm eating, committing to two pages before the next bite. I know if I'm just sitting down to eat with nothing else going on, I will get too impatient.

Thanks for the Protein Bar recommendations. Do you think having a Pure Protein or Quest bar for lunch is a good choice? I'm in need of variety and one of these brands seems like a good choice to me. No?

Question for Protein Bar eaters: Today for lunch I was actually able to entire an entire Kind bar (protein bar). It was a peanut butter/dark chocolate variety, chock full of almonds and peanuts. After I was done, I looked at the wrapper. I was stupid and should have looked at the nutrition FIRST. I felt find after eating it, but was disturbed to read it had 200 calories, 13g of fat, 16g carbs, and 9g of sugar. Only 8gs of Protein. I was wondering if any of you have found a peanut butter/chocolate (or chocolate) protein bar with way less fat, carbs, and sugar and more protein. I have always loved the Kind bars for their flavor and Fiber, but I feel they are full of more carbs and sugar than I should be having. THANKS group.

1 hour ago, taylormomto6 said:

Dub this is not just for reporting success, but struggles as well. We can all benefit from reading about both.

You are doing great, dust yourself off and start fresh.

Agreed. Success and Struggles!

19 minutes ago, Recidivist said:

My big news: When I weighed myself on Friday, I was at 199.6 lbs! I can't even remember the last time I was under 200--even if it's only by .4 pounds!

The other news is that we took our first mini-vacation (three days) this weekend, and every meal was in a restaurant. I stayed fully on the program by ordering strategically and then only eating what I could. (In one case I had to order a full meal and eat just a fraction, which is sort of a waste of money.) The downside is that it reminded me that I will never again be able to go to a restaurant and eat like a normal person. I try to keep telling myself that I will probably live 10 to 15 years longer thanks to the surgery, and that makes it all worthwhile.

Sweet! Reaching ONEderland should be a huge celebration. I've been at 198 for about a week now. At my last post-op appointment I was told that the weight loss is like a rollercoaster ride--sometimes you take a drop and other times you just coast along. I guess I'm just coasting! May I ask what you ate at all the restaurants? I have the best luck eating the four-piece grilled chicken bites at Chick-fil-A. They seem to be the right portion size, although I mostly eat only three. They have a good flavor. Other places I've just had shrimp and a few potatoes, eating the shrimp very slowly. The au gratin potatoes are a no-no, but I had a few and am counting the cheese as a wee bit of Protein. Would love to hear what successes you had "off the menu."