Duke483

I have been more hungry lately particularly in the afternoon. I've gained about three pounds this month but according to my Renpho scales, it's 2.8 pounds of lean body mass. My dietician also said my muscle mass was increasing. I am spending about eight hours a week lifting weights. I also walk about 5 miles a day. I'm not too upset. My body fat is about 17.5 %.

One of the things I like is the way it works with the Health App on my Apple Phone. All those statistics on weight, BMI, body fat, are on the phone too.

I wouldn't worry too much about small weight movements on the scale. Scales are not necessarily all that accurate. I found my weight on my old scales could vary by one or two pounds. I could step on the scale and get one weight, step off, reweight immediately and get another weight that might vary by as much as a pound and a half. My new scales (renphro) always repeat the same weights. Still I can be up or down slightly from day to day. I might weight 201, 202, 201, for several days and then drop three pounds the next day. Then I'll go 198, 199, 198, etc.,

I've found I do better in the Tall cuts, ie, LT, XLT, etc., rather than the Large or XLarge. I mostly in LT's now but I do wear my XLTs too since I want to maximize the wear I get from them. Very much the same in pants. I can wear 34s but I'm wearing my 36's to maximize their wear. The 36's are getting rather baggy so it won't be long till I'm pretty much in the 34's. FWIW, I was wearing 3XLT and 48 pants before the surgery. I've had to downsize my shoes from 12 Wide to 11's.

My dietician suggested using small, dessert size, 7" plates for meals. Half the plate protein, one third veggies, the rest carbs. Don't pile the food high, just normal. It has worked for me. Tough on the shoulder surgery. I've had both rotators done and the last also had a torn biceps. The CV shut me out of the gym but I've been back the last two months. I'm 74 and my bench is up to 145 now. Not great but not bad for my age. I've found that when I'm 'starving' between meals, one or two saltine crackers does the trick. I'm down eighty pounds, my body fat is 17.5%, I weigh 199 and my lean body mass is 170. I'm very pleased. (So is the wife).

How do you plan on getting enough protein if you cut the meats?

Major milestone breakthrough. Weighed 280 on surgery date 20 January. Just busted through 200 pounds. Now 199.2, down over 80 pounds or almost 30% of total body weight.

Check your blood pressure. BP can drop significantly after surgery. I've known several others who have the same dizziness. Their surgeons attribute it to lower blood pressure. Here's a hint. Don't go directly to standing. If you're laying down, sit for a few seconds on the side of the bed before standing.

Checked your blood pressure lately? The dizziness on standing is fairly common when you're blood pressure has dropped into the normal ranges. Just be sure and don't get up suddenly. Some have passed out. I was taking two blood pressure pills, now none. My BP has dropped from 170/80 to 130/60. My resting heart rate is now in the low/mid 50s.

That's very much like my last shoulder. My first shoulder was very easy. All with the 'scope'. That was in 2010. In 2016, I needed to do the other shoulder. I expected, the doc told me, it would be 'scope', three small snips again. I woke up with the three small snips and a full filet cut across the top of my shoulder. Doc. said he was surprised to find that my tendons were in such good shape they could be repaired. And, OBTW, he said, I fixed your torn biceps too. That's why the filet. No problems since. All in all, I've had both cuffs, two neck fusions, and had all four tendons in my right hand had to be reattached. (I know a lot of docs.) I've been told I lead an active life. I'm 74. I've lost 75 pounds since January. I'm down to 205. I walk 3 miles a day. I spend an hour and a half six days a week lifting weights. I spend a couple of hours a day playing/practicing my golf game. I could do none of those things before my sleeve. My BP was 165/80 with two pills per day. No meds now and it's 130/60. My resting heart beat is in the mid 50s. Not bad for an old guy. I meet with the doc in two weeks for my six month check up. He's probably going to push for me to lose another 40 pounds. I don't know. I would be satisfied with another ten or fifteen.

My surgeon is a fanatic about therapy. Three days prior to surgery, you have to call and tell his nurse where/when your first appointment for therapy will be. It must be within three days of surgery. His nurse confirms your therapy. He will cancel your surgery unless you comply.

I've had surgery on both cuffs. You'll get through it. Be sure and do your physical therapy. A friend decided it hurt too much to move. His shoulder 'froze up' and he had to have another surgery to 'break it lose'. Just my experience but I gain weight every time I have surgery. They pump the fluids to you. BTW, I gained over five pounds during my sleeve surgery. It was gone rather quickly.

I used an electric heated throw blanket for about three months after my surgery while I watched TV.

My wife has hot flashes and keeps the thermostat low. I had the sleeve and I'm cold all the time.

You should google "plastic surgery after bariatric surgery". The first hit indicated that it would be wise to wait up to 18 months after weight loss surgery to make sure your weight has stabilized. It does say you can visit your plastic surgeon guy for an evaluation prior to that. He can tell you what to expect at that time. PS. I'm beginning to think I may need to see a plastic surgeon too.