WNC AV8R

I was finally able to get past on VERY long gout attack, but it took IV fluids and a lot of Allopurinol. To keep them at bay I take the capsule form of Tart Cherry every day and Allopurinol tablets. The team did finally allow me to take Colchicine, but only for a short time and with a PPI. As usual, Tylenol is largely ineffective at controlling gout pain. Bottom line for me anyway, fluids - fluids - fluids. Prevention is the best medicine. You're absolutely right though, the gout will definitely dampen the exercise routine, which is a shame because I (finally) feel good enough to actually work out. Thanks for the encouragement. Congratulations on your progress. Looks like you're doing very well.

So I haven't seen the sub-200 zone in quite a long time (maybe 15 years) and I wanted to say thank you for all the support this forum has offered. Down to 198 and feeling fine. Still some trouble with solid food, particularly meat or dense proteins. Still some issues with gout. But in general I feel great and have no regrets. I'm still out of work, but unfortunately I don't have any control over that process (all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted...just waiting and waiting and waiting). The only advice I can offer to anyone; hang in there. If I can do it, you can too.

You got this! Hang in there. I'm almost 3 months post op and the stalls are just part of the process.

My bypass was in December and I'm still out of work. My job requires medical clearance from a federal agency after a 2 month post-op wait. Paperwork submitted, but the bureaucratic review will take another 8 to 12 weeks. Got a part-time job in the meantime and trying to keep expenses minimized. Surgery was worth it, but the financial hit has been BIG.

Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc about 7 weeks post-op. Did fine, but definitely felt it. Drank mostly brown liquor pre-op, but I haven't felt the need to try that again...yet 😉

99% of the people I work with are men so questions about weight loss are rare, but when I do get the question I say, "Not that it's ANY of your business, but I had to have intestinal surgery to correct a serious medical issue. I'm better now." If they press for more information, I literally tell them that I'm not discussing it with them since it's a private medical issue and go about my day.

Chicken causes me all kinds of 'stuck' and pain issues. I have tried all kinds of ways to make it go down/pass easier with suggestions from the dietitian and surgical team, but it still causes issues. The last suggestion I received was to focus on thigh meat instead of breast meat since it's fat content is higher, but I haven't gone that route yet. Even ground chicken causes problems. Turkey is not much better. The few times I've tried ground beef, especially finely ground beef, I have not had any trouble.

I had this issue for several months and a family member had it for over a year. Chronic cough that is not attributable to other ENT conditions is very typical of GERD. In my case, the only way to be sure was endoscopy with biopsy and brush samples sent for laboratory interpretation. This will also rule out more serious issues as well (Barrett's esophagus, neoplasm, etc.) What about trying different GERD medications? In the past Rabeprazole (Aciphex) worked for me, but I was switched to Pantoprazole (Protonix) which has been much more effective.

Awesome job!

Medicine cups definitely work, but they're not convenient. I started using a graduated water bottle and literally setting a reminder every 15 minutes on my watch. It's OCD-ish but it works. Cold liquids have been very difficult for me, but room temperature tap water isn't too much trouble.

I have a protein drink in the morning only; usually Premiere Protein or Core Power. For the rest of the day the 'meals' that I consume are always a protein/veg combination with no powdered protein isolate supplements of any kind. I'm still having A LOT of issues with soft foods, so the meals are very small (3-5 bites). I do have some protein snacks to munch on if I get hungry, but I'll only have one every 3 or 4 days. Thanks!

Thanks for your feedback. Keeping up with all the water has been hard enough, but taking in even more than the minimum required for gout-flushing purposes has really been difficult. After a while that much water leaves me feeling nauseous and weak. I have a couple of more months before I can return to work, so hopefully I can get it stabilized before then.

I will definitely ask to be referred. Certainly would be good to get another opinion.

I've struggled with gout for the last 4 years or so, on an off, which was basically kept under control with dietary restrictions (avoiding beer, shellfish, etc.). Since the RNY my gout has been basically constant, like one long attack that never fully goes away. Most times the pain is in the 2-3 range out of 10, but in the last 2 weeks it has become unbearable. Pain, swelling, tingling, and redness in my ankle, foot, and toes. Tylenol is basically useless and the Colchicine is a no-no according to both my family physician and the surgeon's office. Started taking Allopurinol, but it takes months to have any noticeable effect and can actually worsen an attack in the near term. Also taking Tart Cherry and Turmeric, but those have limited benefits, and I'm drinking water...a lot of water! What I've gotten from the various medical folks is 'well it's part of the weight loss' and 'it's expected'. That's great and all, but there's no way I'm going to be able to return to work if this lasts much longer or becomes a permanent thing. It's pretty disabling at this point. Anyone have other tips? Just looking for some relief. Thanks.

I am in the soft food stage as well and I can tell you it has been VERY challenging. Most days I really don't even want try soft foods and just stick to liquids. When I do, I use a timer to monitor my intake, 3-5 minutes between bites, and only 11 or 12 bites total. It makes eating unpleasant (which is maybe the goal). When the pain occurs it's usually 20-30 seconds after I swallow something, just at or below the level of my rib cage. After a few attempts, I can get down a few bites, but as soon as I feel any pain I stop immediately. A few times the pain was so bad I had thoughts of going to the ER, so it's made me pretty wary. The worst foods I've found have been finely ground turkey and scrambled eggs. Chicken salad can be ok, but it has be like utter mush. Veggies seem ok as long as they are mashed like very loose baby food. I should add that I'm still having issues drinking any unthickened liquid as far as pain and resistance. I'm able to get by by taking very, very small sips at a time. My dietitian said it's normal for this stage and that people heal at different rates. One thing's for sure, I'm losing weight. So far my calories never reach what the program calls for, but I don't feel hungry.