Prestonandme

No, no diet change or increase in salt intake. No exercise changes either. I’m just glad it’s over.

I know most of you are not doctors, but perhaps you can speculate about something that just happened to me. For the past year, I have maintained within a 3-4 lb range, never deviating. About six weeks ago, within three days I had gained seven pounds to my highest weight in about two years. I dismissed it as water retention because I hadn't changed my diet or any medications, but for the next six weeks I stayed five to seven pounds above my baseline, so I began dieting and drinking more water but to no avail. I couldn't figure out how it could be from food because I log calories every day and there were no changes in calories or types of foods that I ate. Then a few days ago, I had a horrible mood swing -- so bad a depression that my family and friends were really worried about me -- and they said they had never seen me act like that before. I recovered from it but the following day, I began vomiting out of nowhere, tons of water, something that has never happened before since WLS and was something I can't ever recall happening even before WLS. And then for these past few recent days, I'm exactly back to where I was for the entire year -- within that 3-4 lb range again. The five to seven pound gain is gone. I'm post-menopausal so it's not hormonal I think. No dietary changes. No new medications or getting off old ones. No changes in activities and exercise. The massive weight gain seems to have just "happened," remained in my body for weeks, then dispersed. And possibly could have caused a serious mood swing. Oh, and for an annual checkup I had an EKG which was normal so it has nothing to do with my heart. And I had a recent brain scan six months ago that showed no abnormalities. My blood work also is normal.

Medical marijuana definitely helps many people, but be careful about THC, one of its active components. Some people are totally fine with a high THC percentage while others (me included) cannot even tolerate a small percentage of THC because it causes fear, anxiety, and shortness of breath and can take a long time to get out of the system. That's why I take CDB, another active component, by itself. But if you decide to try medical marijuana, speak to a knowledgeable person at a dispensary (or physician) about how much THC they think would help you.

When I've been under huge stress, the urge is really intense -- it's a quest for that initial period of calm and peace that comes with a few sips. But our brains are terribly unhelpful at reminding us of what comes afterwards -- the decline of the calm and peace (which may cause us to keep drinking to regain them), followed by even more depression. And let's say we do keep drinking to try to keep the horrible feelings away... then there's the unbearable hangover that (in my case) will last for nearly 12 hours. People without alcoholic tendencies try to be helpful and say things like, "take a walk in the sunshine" or "listen to feel-good music" but they don't understand that those activities, while very helpful, don't bring the calm and peace that have quieted our disturbed minds. I think some of us just have different wiring. So what's the answer? First, I have to absolutely stay away from alcohol and fight the urges by reminding myself of their price. Second, I'm seeing if CDB will help me by allowing me to feel calmer and slowing my racing thoughts. Third, like you, I'm in therapy and my therapist constantly quizzes me about my feelings about alcohol and my current attempt to totally abstain. The toughest people I know who've given up alcohol say "ride it out" and they actually do push themselves through the bad feelings until their cravings pass. I hope to be one of those people eventually. But know that there are a lot of us who totally understand and feel your situation.

Yes, there's a lot of science that very high A1Cs of 10 and above can drop more quickly than lower A1Cs.

Lizonaplane is exactly right. You are being asked to do something nearly impossible within that time frame. A1C lowers over a 2-3 month period. But very high A1C's (e.g., 10) will lower faster when treatment is provided. Postponing may seem very disappointing but it would give you a chance to drop to an acceptable A1C by being extremely strict with your diet, exercising, and taking any medication prescribed to you. The only other possible option (and maybe not a great one) is to consult with an endocrinologist about whether the endocrinologist believes you could safely undergo the procedure with your current A1C. But he or she would have to consult with and get the approval of your bariatric surgeon for this.

I had battled alcohol problems long before WLS also due to PTSD and physical ailments. After WLS I gave up alcohol for a year and a half, but due to a series of crises this year, I began to "drink-medicate" again -- just to escape the terrible feelings of stress, anxiety, fear, and sadness. "It's only a couple of glasses," I'd reason wrongly. But I had two binge drinking episodes after sudden crises that finally provoked me to give up alcohol altogether. The first caused me to end up in urgent care, with elevated liver enzymes. The second caused me to fall and get a gash across my forehead. Because I am an atheist, I wouldn't consider AA. But I was directed to an amazing book called "Alcohol Explained: Understand Why You Drink and How to Stop" by William Porter. All I can say is it is absolutely incredible and since I finished the book, I haven't touched alcohol and don't intend to again. Porter explains what really happens when we drink: the wonderful calming and relief from worries... followed hours later by an increase in anxiety, depression, and hangovers as our brains readjust to the alcohol (which is a toxin). So the vicious cycle begins -- drink to stop the bad feelings... the bad feelings get worse after the drink effects go away... requiring us to drink again... etc. And there's so much more to it, too. Porter does not believe that alcoholism is a disease (the AA model does) but it is a behavior that can be changed through learning, reframing, and changing behaviors. I can't recommend this book enough. Lastly, something I should have been thinking about all this time... Before WLS, my surgeon told me he had only had one patient die after the surgery. The man binge-drank a few times over a three month period and succumbed from alcohol poisoning. His new body couldn't handle the volume of alcohol he used to drink prior to the surgery. We never think such a thing could happen to us but... now I know.

I surmised that I probably wouldn't have dumping problems after I began eating red grapes as snacks and having no physical issues. However, I have had a few rare instances where I've eaten something a bit sugary and within minutes experienced nausea and cramping, which didn't let up for a couple of hours. But that's nothing compared to what I've heard others describe. When it does happen to me, it's uncomfortable... and totally unpredictable.

I'm 30 months out. My dietitian got concerned when several months ago I had dropped down to 116 (I'm 5'4) and seemed like I was in an endless free fall since my surgery. But like you, I had some medical issues that seem to have caused the continuous weight drop. Since surgery, I've struggled with extreme nausea and g.i. problems which may have resulted from a damaged vagus nerve. Oddly enough, though, for the past month or so, after a course of antibiotics for a UTI, the constant nausea has stopped (at least for now) and I can eat at regular intervals. I'm now hovering between 119 and 121. Even when I was precipitously losing, my surgeon never suggested reversing the surgery. My dietitian instead focused on increasing my caloric intake, having me eat healthy fats, etc., just like you, and she also had me drink Ensure on days when I couldn't eat at all. You may be going through an adjustment period which will soon stabilize. Be easy on yourself -- you just endured an obstructed bowel and abdominoplasty. And as others have said, no one -- no one -- can force you to undertake an *elective* surgery such as reverse RNY. If you are still unsettled, definitely get a second opinion about your weight situation.

I had surgery two and a half years ago. I, too, had an extremely traumatic childhood, part of which involved being frequently left home alone without food. That obviously led to a host of eating/food issues and a considerable weight gain in adulthood. I've lived with a fear of starvation since childhood, so was also concerned about whether I could go through the various eating stages for the surgery. What really bolstered my confidence was when I was able to severely restrict my food intake a few weeks *before* the surgery, paring down my calories to about 800/day, which is what I would live on for the year after surgery. After the initial fear wore off, it actually became easy. I was really shocked at how easy it was. Plus, I was lucky to have weekly therapy to discuss my progress and concerns. The surgery resulted in my losing my lifelong fear of starvation. My brain now knows that there is always food available to eat, that I won't be threatened with hunger, etc. It has been really uplifting. I hope this happens for you, too, whatever your childhood issues were.

Even prior to surgery I was cold a lot. But post-surgery it's been even worse for me, I'm afraid. I actually have worn a jacket to bed sometimes during the winter months... and I live in California. And I have two blankets and a comforter on my bed. Really, the best solution to feeling cold all the time is to keep layered. I wear a short sleeve shirt with a pullover virtually every day, and often put on my jacket when I'm feeling extra cold inside the house. I share my place so I cannot do what I'd do if I lived alone, which is jack up the inside temperature to about 75 degrees.

I'm one of the sad exceptions. I was borderline pre-diabetic and chose bypass hoping to stave off diabetes. For the first three months post-op, my fasting BG was around 70-80. But after the three month mark, it shot back up into the 90's, and today, two years out, it's right back to where it was originally -- typically 95-104 fasting. My A1C went from 4.9 right after surgery to 5.2, so I'm still reasonably okay, but the surgery did not change my situation at all.

I've been having mammograms for years and pre-/post- experiences have been the same except for one instance where the technician was so adept that, like you, I experienced no pain at all. But what did happen to me after surgery was that I was summoned back for an ultrasound because apparently there was something within my left breast that needed further examination. Fortunately, nothing was wrong, and the technician told me that I had lost so much weight that my past and current mammograms looked extremely different and this was why the doctors were taking a second look.

I am about two years post-surgery and have occasionally eaten pizza and pasta, but my own personal rule is to have an extremely small portion of those when I do indulge.

One thing that's helped me a lot post-surgery (especially at the early stage of recovery) was making a list of substitute very low calorie foods that tasted great and then keeping them stocked in my kitchen so that when I had cravings or just wanted to nibble on something, I could eat a cherry tomato or a few grapes or a cooked veggie, etc. Over time, you'll be able to create your own list of go-to very low calorie foods so if you find yourself struggling, you can at least have a healthy treat. And as others have mentioned, there are lots of substitute activities you can do to calm your mind and take your thoughts away from food. For me, I like to do online jigsaw puzzles and brain training games which keep my mind very occupied.