Prestonandme

17 minutes ago, Grammie2 said:

Are you still taking all your supplements you took right after surgery? I know some have opted to just take a regular or even children’s chewable vitamins, but I’d hate to take the chance. There have been a few who say they have had severe teeth problems since their surgery, so you are not alone, but thankfully it doesn’t seem to be a big problem. I’m going to ask about it when I go to my family dr and the Bariatric dr again in January.

Yes, I take my bariatric vitamin/mineral supplements every day. My former roommate had WLS ten years ago and has had a lot of dental problems, too, including the loss of two teeth, but that could be due to other factors.

9 minutes ago, Grammie2 said:

I can understand the stomach acid causing teeth problems - did you have GERD issues before the surgery?

No, I never had GERD.

3 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

I know having a dry mouth can definitely cause tooth issues. Do they have you using something like artificial saliva? Even without the tooth issues, I bet having a dry mouth is really uncomfortable!!!

I first used XyliMelts (dissolvable tablets that are placed against the gums before bedtime) but then was told by my dentist to rinse with Biotene before going to sleep every night. I also keep Water at my bedside and sip it in the middle of the night if I awaken. I'm trying to be as proactive as possible by scheduling regular checkups and cleanings.

Yes, dry mouth is very uncomfortable.

1 minute ago, Hop_Scotch said:

Do they know what caused your dry mouth? Auto-immune issue? Medication?

Definitely not autoimmune issues, GERD, stomach acid problems, or medication effects. Those have been ruled out. My Calcium levels are within normal range. The surgeon and the dentist do not know why I began having dry mouth issues just days after surgery.

I had WLS 1 1/2 years ago and have been since diagnosed with dry mouth, which causes teeth erosion and cavities. I didn't have it before the surgery. I lost one molar (it just cracked in half) three months ago and have had more cavities than I ever had before. My dentist said that I will have a challenging time (and will spend a lot of money) trying to keep my remaining teeth.

I have been struggling with intermittent severe nausea during the 18 months after WLS. My weight last month dipped to 117.6, but now I am back to 120.6. Every time I have had an extended bout of nausea, which has lasted days, my weight drops because I have trouble eating even 50% of my necessary daily calories.

My nutritionist has me drinking Ensure Plus when I can't eat, eating creamy Soups, oatmeal, avocado, nuts, and other healthy fatty foods. She also said I should have a small meal before bedtime each night. I need to stabilize my weight so that I hover around 124-125 lbs. But we can't figure out why I'm having prolonged nausea and how to remedy it.

So far, I have not tested as having malnutrition. I take Vitamins daily. My one concern is that I am a bit Protein deficient right now even though I take protein supplements every day.

Yes, I developed dry mouth after surgery. I still get it occasionally and I am 18 months post-WLS. My dentist recommended rinsing with Biotene every night before bedtime. You can also take Xylimelts which are tablets you place against your gums before you go to bed.

If your dry mouth continues, it's important to let your surgeon and dentist know so that they can make recommendations about how to best treat it. In some cases, medications taken after the surgery (but not necessarily related at all to WLS) can suddenly start causing dry mouth. Dry mouth can be somewhat dangerous because it causes tooth erosion and cavities, so definitely be proactive about it.

I didn't have neck or back pain, but had strong pains under my rib cage, usually after eating fatty foods. The pains were intermittent and sometimes would last hours, other times would cease sooner. Occasionally I felt winded, like my breathing was constricted.

My doc simply changed me from once a day Extended Release Lamictal to twice daily split dosage.

Another option is chewable berry-flavored BariMelts. They're designed for bariatric patients and taste great.

If you decide to eat a burger, consider requesting a "protein burger" which is wrapped in lettuce instead of bread. It actually tastes a lot better.

I had my surgery last year when I was 59. Great results, no post-op pain whatsoever, fast recovery, etc. My one poor outcome was that the 100+ lb. weight loss aged me terribly. I look about ten years older than I did when I was fat and my skin is wrinkled like a SharPei's. That said, the WLS was still absolutely necessary and a lifesaver for me.

55 minutes ago, JessLess said:

OK, I found my people. Good.

I got sleeved 10/18 and reached my goal of 175. I am now in perimenopause. Such fun. Then I decided to try to get to 150. I got down to 161 and COVID hit. I never stopped tracking.

II just want help staying motivated. Thanks in advance!

Perimenopause is the scourge of the gods. I had been normal weight until then and had been able to eat huge quantities of food and never gain weight. Then perimenopause: 136 to 245 at my highest, over the years. For some of us, our metabolism nosedives.

You were doing great and still are in good shape. You've caught the gain creep in time and you're doing everything right -- logging/exercising... Maybe you might consider making a long list of really low-calorie foods (e.g., radishes, cherry tomatoes) that taste good and can satisfy snack cravings. Also, come to the forum whenever you need encouragement. Even if that means a few times a day for awhile. There are hundreds of thousands of posts by people who are in similar situations and also by people who have managed to overcome weight regain. We're in this together through the ups and downs. And we all, every one of us, go through them.

Before surgery, people repeatedly suggested that I log my food at MyFitnessPal and weigh the food every day. That was way too burdensome for me.

But when I reached maintenance weight a year post-surgery, this became my life-saver. Through MyFitnessPal, I discovered that prior to logging, I was eating about 300 calories a day more than my daily required caloric needs (1200/day) and was wildly off when I guesstimated how much food was in a cup. (I always overestimated). If I hadn't started logging and weighing, I would be quickly regaining all the weight I had just lost.

Yah, it's a pain. It's time-consuming. And it's burdensome.

But it may be what helps you lose those 10 pounds and shed even more.

My surgeon predicted that I would bottom out at 150 lbs. and I would have been very happy with that goal, but somehow I was able to lose more weight than expected. During my one-year checkup last month, my surgeon told me that it's highly likely that over the next few years I may gain back 15-20 lbs. (which he says is average for WLS patients) but even if I do, I'll still be happy at that higher weight.

Hopefully it won't be a gallbladder problem but if it is, don't panic. Before the surgeon removed my gallbladder, he first performed an easy, quick procedure to remove the stones. This is done via the mouth and throat. In many cases, that resolves the problem, but in some cases like mine it's not enough and surgery has to be performed.

My gallbladder surgery went perfectly well. I recovered quickly and experienced no pain at all.

I hope this might put your mind at ease a little.

Best of luck to you. Please keep us informed about your diagnosis and progress.

During my first year of weight loss, I weighed myself once a month because I knew that if I weighed myself more frequently I would ruminate over every stall, every uptick of the scale. It was a happy surprise each month to see how much weight I had lost over the previous four weeks.

When I hit one year out, I began weighing daily. (I'm 13 months out). This is because my weight seems to have plateaued and now I have to be really careful about how much I eat and exercise so that I don't regain. I log my daily weight in MyFitnessPal and watch the 30-day and 7-day trends to be sure I'm on course.

It's probably something else, but I had exactly the same symptoms when I had gallstones. Eventually a surgeon removed my gallbladder and the symptoms went away.

It's never overkill to inform your surgeon about your symptoms so s/he can properly evaluate you and make recommendations about what to do.

On 6/18/2020 at 8:04 AM, Deemar007 said:

I still have in the back of my mind the twenty pound weight gain they say will / can happen at the two or three year mark.. I weigh weekly so I can stay on top of that situation..

Same. My surgeon has repeatedly told me to expect the 15-20 lb. regain. (I'm 13 months out). He says it is rare for a WLS patient to remain at his/her lowest weight. When I get sad about this, he always answers "but if I could have guaranteed you a surgery that would cause you to lose 70 lbs. wouldn't you still be happy?"

19 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

I can maintain my weight if I stay within the 1500-1700 calorie range, but this is going to be different for everyone. To lose, I stay at the low end of my range (or under) most days. If I go over 1700 too often, my weight starts heading north.

Man, you are lucky. I am 13 months out and am maintaining on 1200 calories a day, including exercise. This is how much my body says it needs/wants or it will add weight again. It is really rough because I could easily eat 300 calories a day more if I were permitted. I am so envious...

Perhaps because Gay was so ambivalent about WLS, the nutritionist worried that Gay might read posts about complications, regret, diet neglect, etc. and reconsider surgery or develop bad habits afterward. Even in Gay's 2018 post-surgery posts, she still seems frustrated with her body.

Initially after surgery, my surgeon and nutritionist urged me to join an in-person WLS group, but after one attendance I dropped out because the issues discussed were not relevant to me (e.g., a couple talking about their marriage, a woman obsessed with an upcoming 10k) . Now both surgeon and nutritionist are really supportive of my visiting WLS forums, saying that this shows I remain "engaged."

1 minute ago, BriarRose said:

I am 10 years out. Lost 140 pounds. In last 5 years gained 40back. Life happens. In the last year I have lost 36 of those pounds. How ? Back to basics. Protein - I grill fish or chicken or beef. Portion it up - then I make lots of vegetables - fresh riced cauliflower brocolli carrots and chop in onions or garlic fresh herbs steamed and then a quick sautéed in olive oil - meals for lunch and dinner for a few days. Hot cold - over salad - add stir fry veggies to that .... filling and all healthy. My carbs come from the veggies and fresh fruit. I also will have a daily treat that I don’t count - as anything. One skinny cow ice cream or a piece of chocolate - 2 little dove bites are heaven. And I am in control !!! Intentional eating.

That's fantastic! Thanks for sharing your success story.

1 hour ago, JordanKylie said:

I've been on Wellbutrin forever and nobody will make me stop. Although I am worried about my ability to swallow pills after my surgery. However, just be an advocate for your mental health! Sometimes it takes a LONG time to trial different medications to see how it will affect your mind and body. But just stick with it. I really hope you feel better soon!

Sent from my SM-G981U using BariatricPal mobile app

When I had my surgery, my doctor changed my prescription from Wellbutrin XR (extra release, which slowly releases the medication throughout the day) to two Wellbutrin regular dosage pills, dividing the overall dosage in half, since our stomachs can no longer lastingly absorb the XR.

I've been taking Wellbutrin for several years. It didn't interfere whatsoever with my weight loss.

I've been taking BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE capsules for six months. I've had my blood work done twice and everything is fine. I've had no problem tolerating the capsule. Also, BariatricPal's Multivitamin annual subscription (four bottles) costs much lower than most other bariatric multivitamins.