2Bsmaller18

How many days post op we’re all of you able to drive? Go to the grocery store by yourself etc?

2weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months and then annually. Blood work done at 6 months, then annually unless there’s an issue.

Can you soak in the tub -like maybe just your legs not to your incisions in a bath with a lot of Espom salt? Maybe your skin would absorb the magnesium? May not do anything but just a thought.

When I got sick that second week after surgery (from the flavoring in MOM) I felt like crap fir over 24 hours. I went back to Clear Liquids only and a little yogurt. By day 2 I was back to the new normal.

I got clarification re the Calcium supplements. She said that if it was a pill or chew it would be a bright spot on the scan. If it was a powder from a drink it would have probably been fine.

I had a reduction years ago when at a BMI of around 34. I went from a saggy 40G/F to a perky 38 DD/DDD. They were great and over the past few years despite not gaining or losing more than 5-10 lbs. they lost perkiness and dropped a bit but were still WAY better than prior to reduction.

Now from WLS and losing from 195 to 145 I went down to a 34 DD. Still fullness etc. so a smaller bra and everything was fine. Then last 15 lbs from 145 to 130 made them go down a lot to a sad droopy 32C/D but that is only because side boob skin helps fill up the cup. I am flat at the top (lost fullness). However I now wear a thickly padded bra they are ok in clothes and I feel like I look balanced out but will definitely have to get a padded swimsuit next year. It's OK and manageable but not great.

I can see others on here at my height 5'2"ish weighting 125 or less look great. I honestly think I personally looked better 10 pounds heavier than I do now and I think a lot of that is due to the loss of my boobs. I love the smaller waist and skinnier legs from the last 15 pounds of loss. However, I do not have great skin elasticity and my skin reacts like a grandma,very wrinkly and I looked better naked 10-15 pounds ago.

I am trying to maintain at around 127 for now and stay at that for plastics. I am going to have plastics for arms and a TT in a few months. I am assuming once I heal my body will go back to 127 like I did post breast reduction (I lost 4 pounds of breast skin/fat but my body within 2 weeks was back at my prereduction weight and stayed there for a long time.

Now here's where my crazy thought process is. I am assuming I will stay at 127 even though I will lose 3-4 pounds of skin from my TT and arm lift but I am assuming those few pounds will settle else where in my body. I am also assuming I will have they the typical bounce up a lot of us have 2-3 years post surgery. If that happens it would probably get me to where I think I look better at around 135 and the increased 10 pound shouldn't all settle in my arms or belly since I will have less fat cells there. I am assuming the fat would hopefully go to my boobs, maybe butt and probably thighs.

That said it could be wishful thinking and the 10 pound weight gain I assume will happen may not happen at all or could go straight to my calves or back or big toe, who knows. I briefly considered implants but do not want to have to think about going in to have implants replaced. The doctors on the TV show Botched made a comment about the average life span of an implant being 10-12 years. I had no idea that was a thing. I also kick myself for not doing the WLS before the reduction but hindsight is 20/20. I just want to have this one plastic surgery and be done with it so I don't think implants are in my future. I don't judge others who have multiple surgeries etc. but I am anxious about the risks and feel guilty and spending the $ and time recovering.

You are still early enough out from WLS that maybe your body composition will shift even if you don't gain or lose much weight and maybe you will feel differently one way or the other in 6 months.

I read somewhere that one mineral that’s hard to digest post RNY is copper.
I was looking at the label for pistachios and realized they have a ton of good Vitamins and minerals.
I will be adding some to my menu.

I am sure you are miserable but be careful to not do something that would give you diarrhea. If ice cream works maybe just try a few spoonfuls, not a bowl.
Just in case the MOM. etc work too well have a few bananas (if you think you can tolerate them) on hand. If you end up with diarrhea eat just a few bites of banana and don’t forget yogurt to get your Probiotics back. The antibiotics from surgery have wiped them out too.

I am having a bone density scan today. I don't have an issues/family history. I am in my 40's, 10 months post op and want to get a base line. I figure if there are no issues then I will ask for one in a few years once i'm close to 50 and then maybe repeat every 4-5 years if it still shows no issues just to be safe.

I thought it was interesting that they said I couldn't take any Calcium supplements for 24 hours before the scan so I skipped my Vitamin and calcium supplements.

I stood on a scale at the gym and I am curious if the % muscle etc. will be comparable or way off.

Do you think you can eat some prunes in addition to the MOM? I eat 2-3 occasionally and it helped and I tolerated it (no dumping etc).

Dumping can vary even for the same person. I have had one cookie, small piece of chocolate, or a bite of ice cream etc occasionally after 8 months and on maintenance and been fine. However I’ve had stomach aches from crackers I’ve eaten a dozen times before.
This weekend I had limited choices not being home and ate mashed potatoes (had them before) and 5 hours later had diarrhea. So you will eventually figure out if you are someone who can tolerate small amounts like me or not. However that doesn’t guarantee it will never happen.

Hmmm an earlier post mentioned TMJ. Maybe you have that issue from being intimated? If you have a dentist appointment coming up you can ask about it. If not maybe see an ENT who can give you a better diagnosis.

The only thing I can think of is if you have a food allergy. If you started a Protein Drink or some other supplement around the time of surgery.

Volume question. I am 10 months post RNY. I can drink a shake in 10 minutes without issue or 5 oz yogurt with a 1/4 cup of granola on top in 10 min or less the same with an egg, 1/4 or slice of cheese and cup of spinach cooked in it but it takes closer to 15. At dinner I can eat maybe 2oz if meat with maybe 1/3 cup veggies and sometimes can’t finish that.
I am estimating I can eat 1/2 cup of food not much more.
I’m trying to maintain and have to eat sliders and carbs to get calories so I’m not eating much fir healthy veggies.
When were you able to eat more volume? I have read a cup of food at the 1 year mark.
I don’t want to force it but I hate creating bad habits to get calories in.

7 hours ago, mousecat88 said:

Yes, I drink very rarely. Beer is irritating to my stomach. I drink straight vodka only. I imagine wine would be sugary... The vodka is fine - I get the smoother, more expensive stuff to lessen the burn. lol. I've drank about 5 times maybe.
I'm not sure what you mean by normal meals. I eat a larger quantity of food, but still a very limited selection - with the exception of yesterday's cookie exploration. lol. I am actually about to do a reset and go back to soft, bland foods for a while because I think I have an ulcer.

I meant if you were back to your "normal" meals post plastic surgery. I didn't know if you lost weight from surgery alone or less calories etc.

I hope you don't have an ulcer, fingers crossed.

I started at a BMI of 36. I always got in my 60g of Protein but barely and averaged 500 calories for the first 3 months, up to 600 maybe OCC 700 months 3-6 and at month 7 I was already below my goal weight so I purposely increased calories and carbs to slow/stop the weight loss.

I lost 60 pounds in the first 6 months. I do feel like looking back I maybe should have been closer to 700-800 at months 5-6 thinking maybe that would have helped me slowly increase my tolerance and made going into maintenance easier as it was really hard to increase calories suddenly to stop weight loss but I managed to lose what I wanted and basically maintain at 22/23 BMI now.

So just my 2 cents. I felt fine re energy level and got in enough protein those first 6 months. If I was still far from my goal at 6 or even 8 months out I would NOT have purposely increased my calories over 1000. Since I was purposely trying to slow the weight loss/maintain I have had to start "bad" habits like eating foods that slide down easily, eating when I don't feel like it, and increasing carbs I had no desire to eat. I know that's not a good plan but what I needed to do for me (with my MD and nutritionist aware). Now I will have to concentrate on stopping snacking etc now that I can eat more calories during meals. I would not advise anyone to purposely push up calories if it feels like an effort and creates bad habits especially if you are still far from goal. That's what got a lot of us here to begin with. So just be aware of your habits now and how that can effect the long term.

Ugh, so sorry. I have had small cheats here and there and been fine which i view as good and bad. . I don't want to push it eating a large amount of sweets for fear of getting ill. Have you tried alcohol? Not that I am encouraging that, just curious if you tolerated it since you didn't tolerate the sweets. I haven't and don't plan to anytime soon but someday would like to enjoy a half a glass of wine twice a year.

Are you back to eating your normal meals post surgery?

I had a body composition at the nutritionist a few months ago. It seemed accurate based on the findings. I have since lost some weight from 134.4 to 125.5 lbs. but I do NOT feel like I have bulked up muscle, just thinner overall. I am still doing the same basic exercises machines, I haven't even really went up on the resistance or reps. I only make it to the gym maybe once a week. I don't do free weights or heavy weight lifting etc.

Today I used a body composition scale at the local gym and it has my body fat at 15.5%. 3 months ago and 9 pounds heavier I had a body fat of 25% at the nutritionist office. It is 2 different machines so that's why I am questioning the accuracy. My BMI is now 22.4 so within the normal range but not low however according to the scale at the gym my body fat of 15.5% seems really low.

Any thoughts? I don't have plans to go back to the nutritionist so I can't compare the results.

On 12/16/2019 at 14:46, Healthy_life2 said:

@AJ Tylo

118 pounds is fantastic.

It does not matter where any of us land on the BMI chart or fat% chart. Resolve your medical issues and live a healthy life. Find a weight you feel comfortable maintaining long term.

Many of us lose/burn muscle with rapid weight loss. You will look healthier after your weight stabilizes. (adding carbs/calories in maintenance) The comments “skeletal” “cancer patient”” too thin” are not helpful. It’s hard enough to deal with rapid weight loss. No need to cause more body dysmorphia issues.

Just an observation on this site over the years.

Most of us are accustomed to seeing ourselves at our high weight. It’s a shock to see your face and body changing. Do you see other people at your weight as too thin? Do you see others at a overweight/normal BMI as too thin?

This!!!! I look at pictures of others on here that are similar weight and height and think they look better (healthier, fitter, thinner) than me because I still don’t see myself as a “normal” weight. I also try to remind myself that I am carrying around a few extra pounds of skin that someone who was never overweight would have so my BMI isn’t accurate.
I also have found that with only a 2-3 pound loss over the past few months (purposely trying to maintain now) that my body looks much different than 3 months ago since things are shifting around re muscle loss, filled in cheeks, flatter stomach etc.

I am so sorry. I would guess maybe it's your hormone levels? A lot of us have crazy heavy periods during the weight loss due to increased hormones being released from fat. Maybe that could be the issue. Can you ask your OBGYN to do some blood tests?

On 12/14/2019 at 8:07 AM, sillykitty said:

Checking in. Today is 5 days post op. Just spent my second night in the hotel after three nights in the care center. As @catwoman7 wrote that time in the care center was invaluable. I needed a minimum of two night there, and the third was just a precaution. I would not have been ready to move to a hotel or home straight after surgery.

Yesterday was a breakthrough day as far as pain goes. I have been off any pain meds for over 24 hrs. The pain is very mild, unless I move sharply or sneeze, cough, etc. I am also getting around much easier and significantly less hunched over. My boobs even look slightly less square and weird today. I slept in a regular bed last night, with just a pillow under my knees to prop me up. Best sleep I have gotten. I did take an Ambien, as opposed to my pain meds to sleep. In other breakthroughs, with the help of MOM, I had my first BM. I was nervous about that, as I had a traumatizing first BM after my VSG

My surgeon hasn't started me on the inject able blood thinners yet. My drains are a still too bloody. I'm not sad about that really, as I don't know if I can inject myself. (My mom definitely is not capable)

Randomeness, my LBL incision is very numb about 4-5 inches above and below it. My surgeon used Experal for numbing, but that should have worn off by now. I'm not sure if that is just an effect from surgery? It feel similar to being numbed from dental work. In good news, I still have nipple sensation! 😀(Peri aerola incision)

I'm not going to be posting many pics here, with this being a public forum. But if anyone want to see some, you can PM me

Thanks again for everyone's well wishes and support.

Do you know if it is common to take blood thinners after plastic surgery? I didn't know that. Is it because you had the LBL? I will have to ask the surgeon I am looking into about that.

Very common. I had surgeon in Feb. i noticed it right away. It was a great summer not feeling too hot. I am now at a maintenance weight, am colder than in the past but on par to friends that are within a normal BMI. So I think it may have improved although since it's now winter it's harder to judge. I do feel chilly in the freezer section at grocery stores but it's bearable.

same

On 12/11/2019 at 12:11 PM, FluffyChix said:

Yay! Congrats on such a great report! And congrats on losing half of the vacay bloat!! Way to be at 100% loss of EBF! Yeeehawww! And in 10 months. That's amazing!! Aren't you beyond excited and pleased with yourself? What did she tell you about how she thinks you are doing?

Yeah, I'd realized the whole extra Protein conversion. It's close 50% of extra gets converted to carbs. I think I have figured out the culprit though. I think it's the SF Torani syrups I've been adding to my coffee since right before Thanksgiving. And they have to go. I didn't have any yesterday and wasn't hungry all day until dinner. And today I added them and I was so hungry by 11am, I caved and had turkey breast, cottage cheese and raspberries/blueberries. #crap So much for IF today but I can still pull off an ADF today if I have a super skinny din of foil fish tonight or an egg white puff and salad.< /span>

I know I need to go back to limiting my Protein too. I've been too loosy goosy with it and have been over-eating it. I know I am out of ketosis and can tell I'm having insulin/bg spikes and lows again.

So if we eat too much protein our body converts it to carbs? I try to get 1500 calories with 40% carbs 30% protein and 30% fats. That means 150 carbs per day! That was hard to get over mentally but it also means 112g of protein and 50g of fat. However, to get in 1500 calories a day they have to come from something and I don't want to increase fats. I rarely hit that mark for protein.

Just my 2 cents and I know others on here hit that 120 lbs. at your height. However remember you still probably have a few pounds of loose skin that someone who has never been over 125 pounds will not have. I am 5'3" or maybe 5.2 1/2 and I had a goal of 140 but flew past that. I purposely tried to stop or slow weight loss since I felt the loss was out of my control. Now I have been bouncing around 125-128 for 2-3 months but seem to be closer to 126 this month vs 128 a month or 2 ago.

Others on here said your body will naturally slow down the closer you get to your own body's ideal. I have found that to be true however even with increasing my calories I have dropped a few pounds so my body must not be settled yet.

Are you still loosing at a steady rate or has it naturally slowed down?

I still see myself as heavy and pick up bigger clothes when shopping however at the same time I feel too thin at 125 if that makes sense. I thought I looked better in the 130s with less wrinkles but recently saw a picture from this summer at 145 and thought wow I was still heavy back then. It's mentally a challenge and takes awhile for your head to adjust.

Do you feel like you are beating yourself up about a certain number on the scale or if you don't hit a certain number you failed? If you played out the scenario in your head that in a few months you settled at 130 or 135 would you be ok with that? IMHO I think it's fine to have a goal and even a lower dream goal as long as realistically you would be happy at a higher number and not start bad habits to reach a number. You have come so far already and succeeded past what most charts say people reach after WLS.

Also, don't forget the scale might stall out but things shift and clothes will get looser, stomach smaller etc without a pound lost.