Recidivist

I see that you are well below your goal weight and at a quite low BMI, so you certainly have a comfortable cushion. I think you've done very well if you feel that your honeymoon is just ending now, because I think mine was over at about 14 months. To be honest, I prefer maintenance (at least so far) because it seems like I can eat more or less normally--albeit a new normal--and my weight stays within a pretty tight range. You just have to find that sweet spot, and after nearly two years you definitely have the knowledge to do so.

Same here. My husband never struggled with his weight, and as a result could not grasp why it was so difficult for me to lose weight and keep it off. His attitude was always "just eat less." He didn't mean it maliciously--he just didn't get what could possibly be so hard about losing weight. When I finally made the decision to have surgery (after we had been together for more than 20 years), he was completely supportive. He ensured that I had the foods I needed at the various stages and helped me stay on track. He also changed our food shopping habits to ensure that there wasn't any temptation for me in the house (hello, ice cream) and changed to a much healthier diet himself. That has made maintenance much easier for me.

My favorite was Isopure protein water (grape flavor), with 60 calories per bottle (although I must say that 90 calories is by no means excessive). I preferred Isopure because it was very light, where as some protein "waters" have an unpleasantly thick consistency.

Yep, all of this. I was completely exhausted for at least three weeks and barely had the energy to get up and drag myself into the shower. I did my best to stay away from the scale at the beginning and just focused on water and protein goals. If you are doing that, you will lose weight. There is not a universal standard of "normal." If you follow the plan, you'll get there!

Since you opened the door, Bufbills: That was indeed a surprising (and welcome) side effect of surgery!

Too many to list, really. Increased energy and stamina, able to participate in physical activities that were out of reach for years, no more BP or cholesterol meds, no more sleep apnea, being in control of my eating and my weight (and more generally my life), pride in what I've accomplished, not feeling like I'm being stared at in public (or actually being stared at), having clothes that look good and fit well... I could go on, but you get the idea.

It's not going to make any difference when it comes to your surgery. Some doctors don't even require a liquid diet prior to surgery. Let it go and don't beat yourself up over this.

Love your attitude! That's going to help you so much on this journey. My surgeon did tell me to get off caffeine during the 2-week liquid diet and for at least six months after, but I never knew why. Being the good little soldier that I am, I obeyed--and definitely went through caffeine withdrawal. However, my drug of choice was Diet Coke (4-6 cans per day), which I know was bad for a variety of reasons having nothing to do with caffeine. I started drinking coffee six months after surgery for the first time in my life, and it's now part of my morning routine.

As usual, I agree with Catwoman. I think the "pouch reset" is more of a psychological reset than an actual physical phenomenon. It might be useful if it gets you back in the mindset of watching what you eat and sticking to a high protein, low carb diet. Whatever works for you.

I will confess to having drunk a half of glass of champagne on three occasions over the past year, and the world did not come to an end. I don't make a habit of drinking carbonated beverages, however. Exactly! Instead of beating ourselves up for not reaching our goal weight, we should focus on how much we have accomplished! And for most of us, the original goal weight was a fairly arbitrary number. The important thing is that you are way healthier than you were two years ago. Congrats!

Hi, all. I already posted this in the general forum, but I wanted to let all of my February 2019 friends know as well. (You may recall that I was an "honorary" member of the February group after my original February surgery date was postponed until March.) I celebrated my two-year surgery anniversary a few days ago (March 3, 2019), and I'm happy to report that things are going well. I gained about ten pounds during maintenance, and in retrospect I think that my low weight of 132 was too thin. (I never dreamed two years ago that I would be saying those words!) I feel like I am eating "normally," though in smaller quantities and without most of the junk I ate when I was obese. I still avoid sugar, carbs and fat, but I've gotten a bit more relaxed about indulging from time to time. I celebrated my two-year anniversary with a huge piece of cake washed down with an ice-cold Coke. (Just kidding--I ate my usual diet!) I'm attaching a photo taken two days ago to show what I look like these days. I hope all of the February 2019 members are doing well!

Dare, you are spot on with the above comment! I definitely look older thanks to my floppy neck, but I'll take that any day over being obese and unhealthy. And there is always plastic surgery to minimize the effects of loose skin (although I'm not interested in that myself.) I was 59 when I had surgery and had decades of obesity behind me. I want to mention that I lost 90 pounds in my late 20s with Optifast (aka "the Oprah Diet") and had no saggy skin--everything bounced back and I looked fantastic. I'm sure that was due to my age and the fact that I had not been obese for very long. Needless to say, I gained back all that weight, and then some.

My gastric bypass was two years ago yesterday, and I'm happy to report that things are going well. I gained about ten pounds during maintenance, and in retrospect I think that my low weight of 132 was too thin. (I never dreamed two years ago that I would be saying those words!). I feel like I am eating "normally," though in smaller quantities and without most of the junk I ate when I was obese. I still avoid sugar, carbs and fat, but I've gotten a bit more relaxed about indulging from time to time. I celebrated my two-year anniversary with a huge piece of cake washed down with an ice-cold Coke. (Just kidding--I ate my usual diet!) I'm attaching a photo taken this morning to show what I look like these days. I think it's useful for those of you just starting this journey to get a glimpse of what life can be on the other side, particularly in maintenance.

Yes, that was indeed me. Thanks for the compliment! I'm turning 62 in May!

I had been on BP meds for more than ten years as well and stopped taking it fairly soon after surgery, but I can't remember now exactly how long it was. I was actually experiencing extremely low BP and getting very dizzy. I didn't expect to be able to stop taking the meds until I lost a significant amount of weight, but that wasn't the case.

Interesting you would ask that! You may have meant it as a joke, but I actually wasn't able to sing very well for almost a year. I went back to a voice teacher and got some vocal rehab and am just now getting my "old" voice back. I assume it was a side effect of surgery, but I have no idea why! By the way, I'm not sure whether you meant me or someone else--but I'm not in Alabama. I live in Australia!

i'm at two years and have noticed a lack of energy. In my case, I think it's the fact that I'm still not physically fit, although I'm quite slim. I had hoped to join a gym and start a regular fitness routine when I reached maintenance, but COVID had other plans. That will be my next goal.

My only close family member (my sister) was completely unsupportive, and it actually seemed that she hoped I would fail. (I haven't.) I did have a spouse and a couple of close friends who were quite supportive, and I could rely on them when things got tough. However, they didn't really understand what I was going through (or even why I wanted surgery in the first place). I can tell you that this forum was an incredibly valuable source of support for me, both before and after my surgery. If you post here often, you will find a number of people who reply regularly and whose advice you can trust. As BetterMe said, don't worry about what others think. You know that you are doing this for yourself so that you can be healthy and not burdened by obesity in your daily life. Keep your eyes on the prize!

I agree with both Tim and Catwoman. My recovery was incredibly easy, with almost no pain. (Well, it was after they repaired a leak the day after surgery.) I felt essentially no hunger for months, and I agree that you may well be feeling "head hunger," which is some ways can be more challenging than actual hunger after surgery.

Okay--since you brought it up, let me post my "before" and "after" pictures side by side.

Yes, I had extremely low blood pressure for the first couple of months. I often felt very dizzy when I stood up.

Is it possible you are going through caffeine withdrawal? That happened to me for the first several days of the pre-surgery liquid diet, because I quit caffeine cold turkey!

When I had surgery, I said I would never drink again. At two years, I now have a half glass of wine every few weeks. Regarding food costs: it depends. I obviously eat way less than before, but I do purchase specialized high-protein, low-carb products (including from the Bariatric Pal store), and they can be pricey. Also, skim milk is a regular part of my current diet--mostly in coffee!

This is the best possible reason to do it now. I had surgery at age 59 after putting it off for years, and my only regret is that I hadn't done it decades earlier. You are quite lucky to be dealing with this now so that you can have a long and healthy life ahead of you. For whatever it's worth, I was having second thoughts up to the moment I was wheeled into the operating room. It's normal to feel that way before any surgical procedure.

Yes!! I had them quite frequently in the beginning, and I still do after two years. In my dreams I'm eating huge amounts of "forbidden" foods (usually cake and cookies), and I'm fully aware that I shouldn't be doing so. Unlike you, I don't try to undo the damage with a protein shake.