Jaelzion

Just a heads up for those of you who, like me, have lost a large amount of weight. I'm now less than half my previous weight and sometimes I run into downstream effects I wasn't prepared for.

Recently I had to take a medication that I haven't needed for some time (certainly not since I've been this small). My doctor and I were not thinking about my weight loss and how that would affect the appropriate dose for this med. Because I am so much smaller, the dose I regularly took before was way too much and I had crazy side-effects and toxicity. At first my doctor was stumped as to what is going on (even though she has seen me and is aware of my weight loss). It was my cousin, who is also a doctor (a hospitalist), who figured it out. As soon as I desceribed my symptoms, she said "That's an overdose, you're taking too much." and she reminded me that my weight affects the necessary dose.

When I went back to my doctor, she agreed that was it and reduced my dose to match my weight. And the problems went away. So don't forget that weight-based dosages will need to be adjusted as you get smaller! Even doctors may not remember to make the necessary adjustments.

Just now, The Greater Fool said:

And where exactly is anyone dismissing this event with "boys will be boys," as you claimed? No one in that article, or in general (aside from disreputable sorts) is excusing what this man did. Not because he "had a bad day." Not because "boys will be boys." This is the claim I took exception to.

But, again, I agreed with what I believed your intended claim is. That the same actions by men and women are viewed differently. By both men and women.

I am not the person you were debating with. I just added this because you seemed not to be familiar with the quote she was referencing. And I do find this law enforcement officer's language ("fed up", "at the end of his rope" and "a really bad day") to be minimizing and dismissive of what Robert Long did. Whether that's because he's male is up for debate, but I do find the tone to be excusing.

22 hours ago, The Greater Fool said:

I'm sorry but I've never heard of a man shooting a bunch of people, or beating his wife and kids dismissed with "boys will be boys." Except in certain religious circles family abuse is hidden because it's in no way acceptable. I believe you over stated your case.

But I agree more generally with your premise (and oddly, @TimC's), that men and women generally respond to and are treated differently for the same actions. By both men and women. While there will be changes as society changes, I believe it will always be a part of the human condition.

Observing that men and women are one way or another statistically may true in the general but useless when applied to the specific. That's how statistics work.

Tek

Just clarifying where the "having a bad day" comment came from:

"“He was pretty much fed up and kind of at the end of his rope. Yesterday was a really bad day for him and this is what he did,” Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Baker said Wednesday. He was describing the 21-year-old man accused of killing eight people, mostly Asian and almost all women, in a rampage across three Atlanta-area spas."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/17/jay-baker-bad-day/

I am in maintenance and I do have a sweet treat occasionally. As long as I get right back on plan, I haven't found it to be a problem. Like you, it's not realistic to think I will NEVER again have a sugar-sweetened dessert.

That being said, I was more strict during my pre-op diet. At that time I didn't eat off plan (although I did break down and eat yogurt when I was supposed to be on liquids only for 10 days). It's not the end of the world, but try to stick to the pre-op diet as good pre-op dietary adherence has been found to correlate with good weight loss outcomes. Don't beat yourself up, just try to start over.

I was 54 at surgery but not menopausal and I lost all my excess weight. Not sure if there's a correlation between age, menopause and amount lost. Interesting question.

I'm sorry, I know that's awful. I remember the combination of pain, nausa, and distress. Unfortunately I don't have any remedies because the one time when I overate, about 5 minutes into the ordeal I upchucked and that was the end of it. So I don't know if there's anything that can make you feel better but I do know what you're going through. Hang in there. Hugs.

22 hours ago, Elidh said:

I watch this show, but I really prefer the British show “Fat Doctor”. Not as exploitive and more low key. I watch episodes on YouTube

Me too on both counts!

Co-sign on going very low-carb, it does indeed work.

I'm getting ready to eat a cheese enchilada. A regular cheese enchilada, with a tortilla and everything! 😁

I was one of those who had to carefully sip in the beginning. But as everyone said, your body will let you know if you need to slow down (LOUDLY) in my case. Two years out from my surgery I can chug about two swallows now, LOL.

From the beginning, I could eat a fourth of a cup (4 tablespoons, two Fluid ounces). I think your capacity is pretty normal (but of course I'm not an expert).

Edit to clarify: once I was able to eat, I could eat a fourth of a cup. But for the first two weeks, I really couldn't eat at all. I lived on clear Protein drinks during that time. But once that eased up, my capacity was about a fourth of a cup.

12 hours ago, Arabesque said:

It’s also the age I began menstruating & from when I started to put on weight - about 5kg a year & I was exercising more & eating less. Prior to that I was not overweight. Damn hormones!

Interesting, I began having a period at 9 and that is also when I started rapidly gaining weight.

1 minute ago, ms.sss said:

whoa. You must have been feeling twilight-zone-y when you reached goal! Are you used to it yet?

I have no idea how much I weighed at 10 years old but it was probably less than 60lbs. I wonder what that would like on me now. Probably not very good!

I'm not! I literally don't know anything about being a normal-sized adult. I experience something new and different almost every day.

2 minutes ago, Crick said:

Yeah the averages thing can be a mess. When I had my 2 month post-op virtual check-in with the nurse a couple of weeks ago, I got really frustrated because the nurse said I shouldn’t set a goal in the normal BMI range. Their goal is to get you below a 35 BMI. Well, hell, at that point my BMI was around 30 already so a 35 BMI would be a failure for me, since my BMI at surgery was 37. I fully expect to get to a normal BMI range and I was actually a bit taken aback by her insistence multiple times that I shouldn’t set my goal that low even after I gave her my stats. I know she was going by the averages but given where I am at this point at 2.5 months post-op, I don’t see why a normal BMI shouldn’t be my goal.

I liked my surgeon's approach. He gave me the stats on how few people get to a normal BMI and said he would be happy if I lost half my excess weight. But he went on to say that the statistics are just averages and some people lose more and some less. And there was nothing stopping me from being one of those who lose more, so we would see! And so I did. It's good to understand the statistics but you don't have to assume you'll be average.

5 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

That is a very specific prediction!

Most will find that predictions are just that: guesses based on statistics. So many factors are in play that aren't considered in these predictions, so I wouldn't put too much weight on it. Only way to know for sure is to go through it.

P.S. I may not be the standard, but I weight less today than I did when I graduated high school (but more than when I started high school)

I weigh less than I did when starting high school. I haven’t been at this weight since I about 10. That’s why it’s so surreal.

2 hours ago, BigSue said:

I can't answer from my own personal experience because I started with a BMI over 60 and had gastric bypass. But I can offer you a link to a calculator that will tell you the average weight loss at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years:

https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013

Enter your data and click the disk icon on the top right of the page to see your expected weight loss. Note that the numbers they give are averages, so your personal results could be significantly higher or lower, but I still think it's useful information to get a ballpark estimate.

This is really interesting, thanks for posting it. It was super accurate for me at Year 1, I did weigh very close to the prediction. Year 2 is where I started to diverge, in reality I kept losing but the prediction was essentially that I would stay the same. I switched it to Lap RnY to see how it would affect the prediction - my projected weight loss went up by 15 pounds and my probability of complications went up 10% (to 20% total). With open RnY, the projected weight loss didn't change but the probability of any complications was 30%. I would love to see the model this is based on, it's pretty fascinating.

That's so funny, it bothers me too! I have absolutely no idea why, but I never use it.

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

soooooo.....I suppose I just wanted to say to my fellow "extremists" that IMO, so long as logging your 4.5 almonds in MFP doesn't negatively affect you, your safety, your relationships, or your quality of life, there ain't nothing wrong with what you are doing. And even if it does, the hope is that you will learn to deal.

P.S. Further to the poster who considered a Flintstones chew-able Vitamin as dessert...last night I considered my solitary sour kid Gummy as dessert! Mind you, I also considered my 1/2 cup of yogurt as "dinner", and my vodka caesar as "breakfast"...so maybe its just a matter of semantics.

You distilled what I was trying to say, thank you!

Regarding the dessert, there's been more than one occasion when I wanted something sweet at the end of the day and realized I hadn't taken my Multivitamin soft chews. These are sweet, chewy, and similar to a Starburst candy. I don't consider them "dessert" normally but on those occasions they did serve, LOL.

8 hours ago, summerset said:

You won't feel "abnormal" for very long. Promised.

Indeed, some of my "always thin" friends have been fighting against weight gain all their lives. They say that my eating now resembles theirs and there's nothing abnormal about it. When I pass up dessert or take more than half my meal home in a doggie bag, it looks no different from what they customarily do.

20 minutes ago, Lorey_a said:

I am going back and forth because I used to work out and eat right. I lost my way and now am a mess. Really looking to hearing about the experience from start to where you are now specific to the sleeve. Did you have a hard time getting back up and moving after surgery.

VSG is a major abdominal surgery, so recovery will be a process. They start getting you up the next day after surgery (or same day, if you're awake enough), so you're not going to be spending a long time bed-ridden. I was able to get into and out of bed, sit and stand from a chair, walk to the refrigerator or bathroom, etc. from day 2 onward. I got stronger and more mobile every day and was back to normal about 3 weeks out.

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Were you having vomiting issues, any leaks or a need to have additional surgeries?

I had no major complications, no follow up procedures, etc. Eating was very uncomfortable for the first 3 weeks but that's not a universal experience. A lot of people report minimal discomfort.

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My doctor wants me on a pure liquid diet for 5 weeks. Nothing but Protein Drinks and pureed Soups at most. That part I can deal with I am just worried about some of the negatives I have read about on other sites such as chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Wow, that's a crazy long time for the liquid diet! I struggled with my 10 days, LOL. I haven't had chronic nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (actually Constipation has been more of an issue for me).

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Any one had to deal with Gallstone issues following surgeries? Scarring that caused blockage and needed a revision? Sounds like these things could pop up over the long term including ulcers so wondering if anyone has had these experiences.

My surgeon routinely prescribes medication to prevent gall-stones. I had no unusual scarring or stricture of any kind.

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What about food intolerance? Big Italian family who drink wine and do Sunday dinners at least twice a month. I am good with the moderation completely just concerned that I wont be able to tolerate anything normal in the future.

This one is very much YMMV. Once they get through the eating stages, some people can eat just about anything. Some of us find that there are foods we used to eat that we don't tolerate now or that don't taste good anymore. Ground beef is one of those things for me - it just doesn't sit well in my tummy.

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I am second guessing my decision but know I should probably not be. I have lost 12lbs on the pre-op diet and have been optimistic until now. Think I am allowing paranoia to take me over:( Words of wisdom and any stories you wish to share on what you experienced over a period of time would be most welcome. Thanks for listening

Have you talked these concerns out with your surgeon? People love to share horror stories when they know you are going to have WLS and of course people are more likely to share when something goes wrong. I mean, you don't see people posting on here: "Hey, I just wanted to let everyone know, it's been two years and I'm fine", LOL. People who post generally have a need or an issue of some kind (unless they're just here for the support and friendship). It makes the site a great resource but can give a false impression that almost everyone has complications.

I had surgery two years ago, lost all my excess weight, am learning how to maintain that loss and have no complaints. There are lots of others like me, they're just too busy enjoying life to share updates, LOL. Talk to your surgeon, ask him/her what the risks are, which ones particularly apply to you and how they will be managed. And tell everyone who brings you a horror story to get lost, LOL. <--just kidding about that, but honestly, I got sick of it when I was pre-op.

4 hours ago, ms.sss said:

There is probably some truth to that. I'm pretty much a grazer now at 2.5+ years out.

But it would have been pretty challenging for me to finish eating a "meal" in under 30 mins back then. Even now, It takes me about 45 mins to an hour to finish a "normal" meal for me (longer if there's lots of talking). If I eat too fast, I'll barf, so its necessary for me to eat slow.

I've been a grazer almost from the beginning. I eat about 6 mini-meals throughout the day. It just comes naturally. Eating a full meal is slow and uncomfortable for me. About the closest I come to a regular meal is eating a can of Soup. Because my appetite is a lot less frequent and also less urgent, so far I haven't found myself overeating. Just eating a small snack every two hours or so.

One advantage of eating this way is that I almost never come close to testing the boundaries of my restriction at all.

3 hours ago, Tim C said:

I can tell when I am approaching full and want to stop before I get there. I have not overeaten yet.

Trust me, I only did it once. It was absolutely miserable. After that, I learned to pick up on the more subtle "fullness" cues I got after surgery.

On 3/28/2021 at 1:49 PM, Creekimp13 said:

Ya'll won't admit it....but I've seen ya. I've peeked in those windows and I know you do all sorts of awful stuff. You eat peanut M&Ms and drink soda and beer and buy the occasional McDonald's kid's meal and can of Pringles. At Christmas, you cheat. You eat stuff you shouldn't. You ate Halloween candy.

I'm with you. I don't even use the term "cheating" to describe what I eat. That sounds like I'm doing something dishonest or illicit if I decide to eat off-plan. My character doesn't depend on what I eat. I usually say I had a "treat" or an "indulgence". There's no cheating, just decisions, for better or worse. Some I may regret later but it was still my prerogative to decide what I put in my mouth. On this part, I'm so with you.

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How many calories in two almonds and one dried cherry? I HAVE TO WRITE IT DOWN.

But here's where you lose me. If someone else needs to log every bite of food they eat, what is that to you? Why can't you work through this process your way, while allowing everyone else to do the same (without wanting to slap them)? Some people can eat off-plan often without being derailed. I can do it occasionally as long as I get right back on-plan. Another person may not be able to do it all. Why are any of those experiences worthy of snark and slapping?

None. Wish I hadn't waited so long (although I know the timing was right for various reasons).

4 hours ago, ms.sss said:

Oh, if you look, you'll find quite a few posts about "excessive" exercising, references to "obsessive" activity, and dire warnings about the inability to sustain activity levels and the "inevitable" crash and burn as a result.

Sigh.

Oh, I see. But "excessive" is a subjective standard, so...we all get to define it for ourselves, no?