notmyname

OK ladies, some questions - may or may not be weight loss surgery related, but I figured there was a good group of ladies here who might have insight. I already have my yearly exam scheduled for later this month, but thought I'd see if anyone has any insight. And crowdsource questions I should ask my doc when I see her. Background: I'm 11 months out from surgery today. I'm in my early 40s. I hadn't had my period in months before surgery (and for about 2 years, it was very inconsistent - sometimes 2 weeks apart, sometimes 3 months). After surgery, I got my period back with a vengeance, but it was still inconsistent, anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks apart. VERY heavy. I've had night sweats for years. Had my vitamins checked a month ago and everything looked fine (except cholesterol - which is weirdly higher than before surgery). Had my thyroid checked around April, and it was fine (I do have a history of hypothyroid). Current issue: About a month ago, I started getting what I think are hot flashes. But, really, I just am having a really hard time regulating my temperature. Sometimes I'm freezing cold, then I'll get astonishingly hot. Happens at least 5-10 times a day, and several times at night. Every day. Not at all connected to when/what I've eaten (and I got the sleeve, so the likelihood of it being dumping is fairly remote). Haven't had my period in 2 months, but, again, that's not super abnormal for me. But, last month when i was scheduled for my period, I did get my characteristic worsening of acne, just no actual period. From what I read, you can get hot flashes in perimenopause in your early 40s - but the literature says that they should be infrequent and typically right before your period when your hormones dip. That just isn't my experience - it is multiple times a day, every day. And I feel like I also get colder than most people. So, anyone have any advice on how to deal - or thoughts about what I need to discuss with my doc? Really appreciate it. Thanks!

Thanks. I haven't had hormonal testing yet (I did a couple years ago when I didn't have my period for about 6 months, but it was fine). I'll ask my doc when I have my appointment at the end of the month.

My surgeon said that I need certain blood tests done at least once a year, but that they could be done by my PCP. He offered to call my PCP and tell her what tests I needed. Could you call your old surgeon and ask what he recommends and see if he'll either tell you or your PCP what tests to run?

i had a similar thing several months after surgery. I'd had a hernia repair during my surgery as well and it came back. Surgeon said it can happen. I had to have some sort of swallow test to diagnose the problem.

First - good for you for realizing you need to do something with the stress of this situation to not eat - that is SUCH a healthy realization. So, can you think of something else to do. Can you vent to your husband? Go on a walk? Turn on some music and dance the stress away? Use a punching bag? As for the substance of your problem, I'll put my biases out there first: I truly don't understand why people get upset about the choices other people make about their weddings. I just have never put much weight on being in a wedding/invited to a wedding/where people have their weddings/etc. So, with that said, it is her wedding. You can't control your feelings, but it is her wedding to plan how she and her fiance want it. You have no idea her reasons for not asking you to be in it - they could be completely benign or not - but they're not your business. I suspect she's getting grief from all sides about various choices she's making (mostly because it seems like in our culture every marrying couple gets crap for all of their choices). And then you, someone she really cares for, questions her too. So, I can see why she's upset at you for questioning her choices. Sometimes you can't control how you feel about things. but do you really want this one thing to ruin an otherwise good relationship? If not, then you could try to apologize. You don't need to apologize for things you didn't do, but you could tell her (jf true) you now realize that it is her wedding to plan, that you're sorry that you added to her stress. And that you value her friendship and want to get back to a good place with her.

I love the ThirdLove T-shirt bra. I also went to a lingerie store to get fitted - really helped figure out my new size.

I used an app called good habits. You set your own habits, how often you need to do them, and can have a reminder. Then when you do whatever you need to do, you check it off. So, when I was first post-op and taking 4 chewable vitamins a day, I had an entry for Vitamin 1, Vitamin 2, Vitamin 3, and Vitamin 4. I could see how often I took them (or didn't) and it helped me keep track. Now that I'm on one a day vitamins, I still have an entry for it. It helps me remember.

I'm working with my therapist to try to see the good side of this surgery . I originally wrote a long post about how crappy I feel, but instead I'm going to focus on the good (if you're curious, you can see my most recent rant post). I've lost 88.65% of excess weight (measured from weight on date of surgery to top of healthy BMI), 42% of total weight (measured from highest weight) and 81 inches (bust, chest, waist, hips, both thighs, both calves, both arms, and neck). My nails are really strong (not surprising given how much dairy I eat) and I've been cleared to stop taking extra calcium. Most of my blood tests are good (except cholesterol which is, weirdly, higher - but still not horribly high) NUT at last appt (which was last week) asked if I wanted to stop losing. I was a bit surprised at the question. I guess I haven't really focused on what would be the goal weight-wise. Doc has never set a goal (just says that 50% lose 60% EWL), and I haven't really either because I know if I set a goal and don't meet it, even by half a pound, I'd feel like a total failure (a trait I am working on). Before surgery, I would have said beating the average would be good. But maybe given where I am, I aim for a healthy BMI - about 15lb more? Who knows - something I need to think about. Surgeon has basically said I need to continue to do the blood tests he wants, but that I can do that with my GP if I want and he'll call her to tell her what to look for. some pics for reference. Please ignore my messy bed (I should be better about making it - particularly before pics - but i never thought I'd show these to anyone). I hope all are doing well.

So, I was trying on my rings (all are far too big now, even with my ring sizers on) and realized my high school class ring fits (and I’ve been out of high school for well over half my life). It hasn’t fit since I graduated college. I think my fingers have lost more weight than the rest of my body - I definitely couldn’t wear any clothes I wore in HS. 🤣

Thanks! I’ve been googling, but haven’t come up with anything. May need to go peruse the book store too. :)

And by water down - I mean add milk. Water makes it gross. But you can add milk and get it to a consistency that you can likely eat at whatever stage (but check with your team)

Have you tried double milk - essentially milk mixed with powdered milk. (or add milk powder to yogurt - water down the yogurt to a consistency you can have). That helped me when I started to not tolerate protein shakes.

I'm not really asking for advice, I just need to rant somewhere. And my friends have heard enough of it. Don't have a therapy appoint for another couple weeks. So I came here. Had my 9 month (well, because of delays 10 month) check up today. Ever since February, I've felt rotten. The reflux has gotten better, but I'm still pretty much unable to eat much other than soft foods. Sometimes I can eat fish or tofu,but they usually cause pain. Sometimes terrible pain. I've also had a migraine for 3 months now. Doc says that the food issues may be caused by a small hernia, and to fix that he'd need to convert to bypass. Which for a whole host of reasons I can't do. And he's not actually sure the hernia is causing it. So now I'm left to know that I did this horrible thing to myself to feel better and stave off future health issues - I really couldn't give two craps what I look like. Instead I feel like crap on a stick every day - and apparently that isn't going to change. I feel like I I made this huge decision that has made my life worse, and there just isn't anything I can do about it. I DREAM of veggies - especially nice, crisp raw veggies. My diet was so varied and healthy before - I ate mostly fish/veg, but a lot. And now 90% of my diet is dairy. Which I don't even like. It is just so hard to know I've made a decision to try to make my life better which made my life worse. THis is all compounded by the terrible migraines. So, I'm just tired. And venting. But, he basically released me to not see him anymore if I get my bloodwork done by my GP. So there's that. And at least he didn't say that patronizing thing that most people say - "Well, but at least you lost all that weight, that has to feel good." No, no it doesn't.

So, I think the most helpful thing for me (even more than surgery itself) was going to a weight loss clinic that has a couple therapists that specialize in weight issues and several therapy groups that focus on issues in weight loss. It has really helped me think about WHY I eat or don't exercise and come up with coping mechanisms other than food/sloth. I went for about a year before surgery, and have been going since (therapy anywhere between once a month to every week - depending on how I'm feeling and one group a week). It has really, really helped. And, honestly, the surgery only does some of the work, the rest is all about you. Also read the thread on the importance of doing the head work.

10 months out. My total cholesterol and LDL are both up. But that's likely because I've been having a lot of problems with my stomach, so the only things I can reliably eat without pain are soft foods like yogurt/milk/cheese. So I eat a lot of that, which is likely killing my cholesterol .

I'll work with my neuro on the migraines. But on the stomach issues, it appears there isn't much I can do. So, I'll work with my therapist to figure out how to live with it.

I'm female, so dresses lasted me several sizes, particularly with belts. When things were on sale at old navy or other cheap stores, I'd buy a few pairs of jeans in several sizes on the way down. Basically, my transitional wardrobe was: a few dresses that worked even when I was a different size, two pair of work pants, a few work shirts, a few t-shirts. I probably had to buy that in a few sizes. Shirts would last 2-3 sizes though. Pants were harder, but I bought them cheap. I've been roughly the same size for a few months, but still losing. So I have a small summer wardrobe.

No. It sounds like you're hearing all of this second hand. You have no idea if your coworker is a reliable narrator of what is going on. I'm fairly confident you'd hear something similar from one of my relatives - that I am not eating solid food (mostly true, my doc knows, and I've been so sick there isn't much they can do), that I drink too much (I've had exactly 3 glasses of wine total spread over 4+ months - but my relative thinks ANY drinking by ANYONE is bad). Again, my doc knows and said it was OK. But my relative is SURE I'm not telling my doc anything. The truth is you have no idea what this person you don't know is up to, what they have or have not told their doc, what biases your coworker has, etc. This is just not any of your business. Plus, the doc just randomly calling the patient isn't likely going to make him get any help even if he needs it.

Good suggestions above, but it can also help to find a therapist to talk through all the changes you're going through of those don't work. Mine specializes in weight loss issues and has really helped me a lot. Granted, my depression was compounded by some unfortunate complications and serious regret, but I think we all can benefit from a little mental check in every now and again.

I have a lipoma as well. My GP said it would have to be removed surgically. Will need to talk to my surgeon. I asked a friend if she could see mine, and she pointed to several places she had them - I've known her for years and had never noticed them. So I think they're more noticable to us than to others because we know what our bodies look like.

One of my favorite purees (at least allowed on my plan) was ricotta bake (google eggface ricotta bake). I could eat it on puree, but it tasted and felt like real food. i added pureed spinach to mine and it was delicious. I still eat this all the time 9 months out Also, for your veggie fix, I loved pureed spinach and pureed sweet potatoes.

I know it can affect thyroid function tests. Because my thyroid doesn't work and my meds have to be carefully calibrated based on the blood tests, I don't take biotin at all (although my doc said that he thought I could stop taking it for some period before my tests and it'd be OK - don't remember how long, and I don't really trust it). https://www.thyroid.org/patient-thyroid-information/ct-for-patients/december-2018/vol-11-issue-12-p-3-4/

Sorry for your loss. What phase are you on? I've found string cheese lasts fine for a few hours not refrigerated. I usually take some bars, almonds, string cheese, and (when I could have shakes) single serve protein powder and a shaker bottle. You can also almost always buy eggs, cheese, hummus, etc in the airport. Take an empty water bottle.

After doing blood tests.

I've been on synthroid for years. My TSH has gotten a lot better, but I'm still on my meds - just at a lower dose. I do have my TSH checked every few months to monitor it.