AZhiker

I think it takes about 40 pounds before people notice. And of course you lose it first in the face and boobs! Seems like it melts downward and the bottom part is the last to finally go! Hang in there. You are still actively healing. It takes at least a couple of months for those tissues to heal and swelling to go down. Fluids and protein are your first priorities. FluffyChix has a great link to dealing with head hunger. Maybe you could post it here again, FluffyChix?

Yup, me too. This, too, shall pass! I'm enjoying my short, thin haircut for the summer. My hair loss is probably less dramatic looking, because I did get it cut short. My drain will not look nearly as clogged as yours. Hang in there. We'll get through this.

We all are! Gotta take the plunge! On your way to a new life!!!!

I really appreciate your perspective. Loose skin does seem to be something a lot of us newbies spend a lot of time thinking about. I have decided to wait at least a year after I reach goal to decide if I want any kind of surgery. That will give my brain time to catch up with my body. It probably just won't matter then. Losing the weight and getting my life back is a much higher priority in the grand scheme of things.

Because I already have had a Barrett's polyp, with gastritis and Barrett's esophagus, I am super sensitive to the acid issue. Interestingly, I switched to decaf before surgery so I wouldn't go through caffeine withdrawal. After surgery, I just lost my taste for it completely. I actually tried a bit about a week ago and it tasted awful - not anything like coffee is supposed to taste. Green tea (decaf) , however, tastes sweet now. Funny. I have to say that giving up caffeine, as well as sugar (risk of dumping), has resulted in me having very steady energy and mood levels throughout the day. I wake up full of energy, have no afternoon slump, and feel great. No ups and downs. It has been a pleasant reward for having given up two things I really enjoyed in the past.

Very interesting information. I think, as with many disorders, there is a wide range of symptoms, from minor to extreme. Perhaps going through a major body change such as WLS brings on a temporary condition, which resolves as the brain catches up with the body. I mean, losing over 100 in a year, for anyone, means a really big image distortion that one has to adapt to. The Mayo article brought out that some people will obsess over 1 part of their body that no one else notices. I can relate to this. I think my face and neck look awful, along with my bat wings, but people tell me I look younger and my family denies any weirdness with any of it, so I have to accept their appraisal as more realistic than my own. It's good to have honest feedback. Like others, I look in the mirror and think I am looking at someone else. But what horrifies me even more is when I look at "before" pictures. I cannot believe I was that big. I have patients who are very large, and I was even larger. When I was fat, I saw myself as a bit overweight - not morbidly obese. I feel so embarrassed by those pictures, and even more by my denial I was living in. Fortunately, for nearly all of us, we are going to get through this just fine as we adjust to the new shapes and sizes. The article is a good reminder, however, not to become extremely obsessive over something that others probably don't even notice. Thanks for posting it.

I didn't know there was low acid coffee. That's great news!

Yup, normal.

My BMI was borderline 39-40 and so having the sleep study and finding out I had extreme sleep apnea (over 60 apneic episodes/hr) gave me the co-morbidity to guarantee surgery. My machine is not quite yet paid for. Insurance covers most of it, and now that I am almost at goal, my doctor has reduced the pressure and will order another sleep study to see if I need the machine anymore. I would suggest that if there is any doubt about qualifying for surgery, and if the machine is mostly covered by insurance, get the machine. There is nothing like sending the receipt to the insurance company to demonstrate your co-morbidity and your compliance with doctor's orders. But...…. if I had to pay out of pocket, and IF my apnea was mild, I might hold out and see what happens in 6 months. A problem might lie in having a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but you not showing compliance by not using the machine, which is something to consider.

I don't use any sugar or artificial sweeteners, but.... I will use monkfruit sweetener in something special. for example, I love to make pumpkin custard (pie without the crust) from my own homegrown pumpkins and eggs from my chickens. It is nutritious and high in protein, but not great tasting without at least a little sweetening. The monkfruit works well for this. We make a lot of prickly pear lemonade in the summer (from our lemon tree and local cactus) and I will sweeten mine with a little monkfruit, if I decide to have it rather than plain ice tea. My brother, who is also gluten free and sugar free, uses monkfruit to make the most amazing GF bread. So it does have its place. I just don't want to create a "sweet tooth" or have any start up sweet cravings by using it too frequently.

Every person is different. Your young age is a big advantage for you. Your skin will be more elastic. If you lose more than 100 pounds, you are going to have some loose skin, no doubt. But.... there are ways to cope and your health is a lot more important than outward appearance. I am 63 and I have loose skin, but by golly, I earned every bit of it! I feel quite wrinkly and old looking, especially in my face and neck, but more than a few people have told me I look 10 year younger. Go figure. Maybe I look younger because I FEEL 10 years younger, have more zip, and am much happier and more confident. As you get thinner and feel better, I think others pick up on the positive vibes and don't even notice the wrinkles or looseness! They just see the new you!

I work in the GI department of a hospital. Today we had a patient who was 14 years post gastric bypass. She looked great, but had started having pain in her upper abdomen. She had also started drinking alcohol fairly regularly. The endoscopic exam revealed a horrific ulcer at the jejunum-gastric anastomosis. I have seen other post bypass patients with ulcers and erosions at the anastomosis, but hers was the worst by far. I do not want to offend anyone, but seeing the damage done by becoming a bit careless or overconfident, even years after surgery, was enough for me to commit to NEVER touch alcohol, and certainly never to smoke. I will not drink coffee again, either. I had surgery to improve my health and I never want to risk it by slipping into any habit or vice that could do damage to tissues that obviously remain more fragile for many years, if not forever. To anyone who cares to listen, please heed your doctor's instructions when he/she tells you not to drink, smoke, or eat/drink particular items. There really is a good reason, and what I saw on the endoscope today really brought that reality home.

I stalled for a couple of weeks. I started tracking more carefully and getting consistent with intermittent fasting. It has helped and the scale is moving again. I think the stall was actually good, It seemed like my body was changing faster than my head was. I was struggling with body dysmorphia and need a little space. The stall gave me that bit of time to let my brain catch up to my body, if that makes any sense. I feel a lot better now and am looking forward to my 6 month check up in a couple of weeks.

38 pounds in 1 month is amazing!

I went through a chocolate craving for a while. I bought some 60% cacao chips and put them in the freezer. In the evening I would eat about a tablespoon of them WITH some almonds to add some protein. It was a nice little treat. Don't need it now. I also have chocolate protein drinks for a quick meal replacement in a pinch.

Keep a positive attitude and keep looking forward to the new you! Recovery will pass!

I'm almost six months out and still have trouble with course textures, whether meat or veggies. I did make salmon patties tonight and they were delicious! A lot depends on how the food is cooked. I had some real trouble yesterday with brussel sprouts that were just not cooked tender enough - same with broccoli, cabbage and carrots. However, if they are cooked til very soft, they are fine. It's more about texture at your stage than the actual foods. Yoghurt and cottage cheese are still staples for me.

Be sure not to take your calcium and iron together. The iron ties up the calcium, I take my multi with iron in the morning and my calcium/vit D in the evening.

I can relate. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I didn't even take a "before" picture, and always hid behind someone in family pictures. I would not accompany my husband to events, as I felt I would be an embarrassment to him. I would size up everyone in a room to see if I was the fattest. I tried to blend into the background. Social events, even just going to church was hard. Get ready for a new life! Now I have so much energy I can hardly go to sleep at night. It has taken a bit to make the mental change from being obese to being pretty normal looking now, People seem to treat me differently, too, although I can't really know if that is real or only my imagination. Now I LIKE going out - especially when I can wear something new in a smaller size! It just feels so good to be average, I hid behind my weight for so many years, that it is now a little bit of a challenge to learn who I really am as a person and not as a fat person trying to hide. It truly is a journey and an adventure, for sure. But a GOOD one and one I wouldn't trade for a million bucks. I feel better, am healthier and depression is on the run. My joints don't hurt and I can actually do anything I want now physically. I think we hardly know how much adipose tissue affects our well being. It produces inflammatory cytokines and hormones, ties up vitamin D, messes with our thermoregulation, and who knows what else. Then consider all the weight related conditions - asthma, GERD, sleep apnea (interferes with metabolism, glucose and cholesterol levels, hormones, urinary function), diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, depression, elevated lipids, infertility, fatty liver which can lead to cirrhosis and cancer...… the list goes on and on. YOU ARE ABOUT TO LEAVE ALL THIS BEHIND or at least greatly improve any existing conditions. You will be healthier and much happier. Yes, you will have work to do. Surgery is not easy, but you will recover. You will learn to modify your entire life. You will develop a different relationship with food. Everything is about to change! But if you know this is your last chance, you will do it and you will be successful. For many of us, there were no other options other than surgery. A lot will depend on your attitude - keep looking forward to the new you! Embrace the changes! Let the old stuff fall aside. You are a beautiful butterfly about to emerge from the chrysalis! You won't have to hide any more.

So sorry you are going through this. Sounds like he is experiencing a lot of anxiety/depression but doesn't know how to work through it except by being passive/aggressive toward you and hurting himself. If he won't see a counsellor, maybe you can go by yourself to learn how to deal with this. You are becoming a new person, but you sure didn't expect hubby to become a new person, too, in the worst way. I really feel for you. I bet others have had unexpected reactions from their spouses as well. It's almost as if he sees you taking control of your life and making amazing changes and this somehow threatens him because now HE is the vulnerable one and now HIS issues look even more magnified. Please consider seeing someone for YOU! And hang in there! Don't let his behavior undermine your success and your new journey.

And it could just be a "bug" that is passing through. Another possibility is that if you ate a lot of fruit without a meal on board first, or at least some protein, you had a little dumping from the sugar. Always eat small amounts of fruit after a meal as a dessert, or with protein like yoghurt, cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

I was so ashamed before surgery that I did not even take measurements or a picture. However..... I have gone from a 42DD to a 36B! And from pant size 24 to 12, which I am wearing today for the first time! And WHITE at that! (Mama said to never wear white - it would make me look fat. Like black made me look skinny?????) Woo Hoo! I am very happy with those measurements!

appendix? Complication from your surgery? You need to call your doctor and maybe get it checked out in the ER.

You are right. Carbs should be the last thing added to the menu. A little fruit (with protein - like berries in yoghurt) would be a carb source until closer to maintenance.

Thanks! Just placed my order. Can't beat that deal.