kellieym

Yes, absolutely! I’m 6 wks out RNY and not only are tastes off, but smells are too. Eggs now have a slightly wet dog odor to my nose. I gag if I don’t cover them in shredded cheese. It feels quite similar to pregnancy where my stomach and nose were NEVER on the same page. Some consistency’s make me ill as well. Dry chicken, tuna and cod. If I’m honest, I have become a little frustrated with proteins as the more of them I try, the smaller my options seem.

I have hope that after 8 and 12 weeks my senses will calm a bit.

Right after surgery I was able to lose weight faster than a speeding bullet, my restriction was more powerful than a locomotive and my metabolism could easily leap a tall building with a single bound. Today, my kryptonite is time. Time has made me once again a weight loss mortal. I am able to gain weigh even though my diet has remained healthy. I don't lose the weight gained as fast and I am able to eat more. What to do? I actually fore saw this problem.
The first year of my WLS journey when I was researching and going through the process to be approved I went to as many group meetings that I was allowed to attend. I always picked the brain of the people in attendance. Like many on this board they were ALL newbies with the success stories only newbies can tell. Not a single failure in the group. That is until one day a woman showed up and started telling us her story. She was five years out from surgery lost a lot of weight and put most of it back on. She warned everyone that things would change as you get further out from surgery and that it wouldn't necessarily be for the better. She had wished that she did not get caught up in the euphoria of her early success. She said that it's like winning the lottery. One day you have more money than you'd ever dream of having. If you don't plan on saving it you'll go bankrupt. That's what happened to her. She won the weight loss lottery. She lost more weight than she could have dreamed losing. Trouble was, she didn't plan her long term weight loss and now, she went "bankrupt".
As I went through my daily routine I came across others who had WLS and many had indeed gained the weight back. I was in my doctors office and the medical attendant there told me about her failure when I told her that I was going through the process to get approved for WLS. She told me that it creeps up on you. Two pounds turns to four, four to eight than you're back to where you started. You start to Feel helpless and give up. As I went to the group meetings pre and post surgery I noticed not many people stuck around. There were no veterans in the group just eager newbies who can attest to the success of WLS. Seems as if the veterans drift away and either gain the weight back in silence or just get tired of hearing the same stories of success over and over.
I knew that I would probably lose my WLS super powers someday and I had hoped to plan for it. First, I did lose a lot of weight in the mid 90's and I never thought that I'd get back to being obese. I was so wrong. Like my medical attendant experienced, five pounds turned to ten then to 20 and you know the rest. It took me less that four years to gain back the weight and then some. It took another 17 years to get WLS. I decided that I would use every tool that I could in order to keep the weight off and maintain my health. I joined Over Eaters Anonymous. It's another support group away from the support group my surgeon has. I started seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. ( I'm a compulsive over eater) and I have family and friends who have had WLS who I can call to get and give support to. I also weigh myself every week at the same time on the same scale and set a "Red Alert" weight of 160lbs. ( Have a log since the day of my surgery) If I go above the 160 I know that I must redouble my efforts. Here is where my lost WLS super powers comes in. Despite all this I am having a difficult time losing the five pounds that I am over. I feel as if I am now a mere weight loss mortal who has to work two to three times harder to lose and maintain the weight loss.
I can't say it wasn't expected. From all the people I spoke to I knew this day would come. It's that, I was once a WLS immortal and now I have to struggle like all others to lose weight. My saving grace (I hope it is) I planned for it since I went through it before and I took the advice of those who went before me seriously. For all of you newbies who are experiencing the euphoria of being WLS immortal plan for day like me when you lose that super power.
Just a note, there are many who do maintain their WLS super powers. They are on this forum and they are truly superstars. They unfortunately are the exception to the trend. I find their advice to be invaluable and I look for their posts for such advice. To everyone, good luck with your new found health.

Yes, I usually eat around 600 calories per day... no more than 800 calories and that's if I eat A LOT...
@kellieym --You will not be hungry after surgery. Trust me. In the beginning, I struggled to even get 600 calories in.
And your body doesn't need more than that, if you research. You will do great, especially if you are that disciplined.

If you follow the instructions of your surgeon you will lose weight. The only issue I had is that they didn't say don't worry the first 2 weeks you will gradually start, I sipped protein drinks all day and if I got 3 down that was my protein needs. You have to sip all day. But I'm absolutely thrilled with my results and miss absolutely nothing about my former life.

I hate to ask this question but I am month 4/6 in pre-approval process. My whole life I have tried anything you can think of and I have been so very sure each one was the answer. I usually lose between 8-12 pounds each attempt and then stall. It's been the same thing pre-op. I did intermittent fasting with being gluten free since 7/31/19, no problem fasting 20-22 hours but when I would try to do alternate day fasting or 24 hour fasting I would gain with the lower calories. I have researched starvation mode and most experts agree it does not exist. I ended up averaging 19 hours and plateaued at 12 pounds after 3 months and then started gaining again even with the fasting. When I did my pre-op I was at one of my lower weights (my weight plot looks like shark teeth) and was told I was not allowed to gain at all during the process or my surgery would be denied. As part of my pre-op I have continued intermittent fasting for an average of 16 hours but I also gave up all grains, dairy, sugar, and soy. I have lost another 12 pounds for a total of 24 but cannot get any lower. I've played with calories, food types, anything I can think of. I track all my calories and activities and range 1200-1500 being mostly on the lower end of the range and get at least 30 mins of walking 5 days a week. I have no emotional issues with food and am very disciplined. I do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis but my hormone ranges are good according to my bloodwork. My thyroid is almost not existent except for a large nodule so my endocrinologist wants me to have me thyroid removed in addition to the sleeve. My big fear is that there is something weird with my metabolism and that I'll have the surgery and not be successful. It sounds crazy to even say that but this is a support group and that is my truth.

I hate to ask this question but I am month 4/6 in pre-approval process. My whole life I have tried anything you can think of and I have been so very sure each one was the answer. I usually lose between 8-12 pounds each attempt and then stall. It's been the same thing pre-op. I did intermittent fasting with being gluten free since 7/31/19, no problem fasting 20-22 hours but when I would try to do alternate day fasting or 24 hour fasting I would gain with the lower calories. I have researched starvation mode and most experts agree it does not exist. I ended up averaging 19 hours and plateaued at 12 pounds after 3 months and then started gaining again even with the fasting. When I did my pre-op I was at one of my lower weights (my weight plot looks like shark teeth) and was told I was not allowed to gain at all during the process or my surgery would be denied. As part of my pre-op I have continued intermittent fasting for an average of 16 hours but I also gave up all grains, dairy, sugar, and soy. I have lost another 12 pounds for a total of 24 but cannot get any lower. I've played with calories, food types, anything I can think of. I track all my calories and activities and range 1200-1500 being mostly on the lower end of the range and get at least 30 mins of walking 5 days a week. I have no emotional issues with food and am very disciplined. I do have Hashimoto's thyroiditis but my hormone ranges are good according to my bloodwork. My thyroid is almost not existent except for a large nodule so my endocrinologist wants me to have me thyroid removed in addition to the sleeve. My big fear is that there is something weird with my metabolism and that I'll have the surgery and not be successful. It sounds crazy to even say that but this is a support group and that is my truth.

I think we all had that fear that WLS works for so many, and what if I'm the person who doesn't lose any weight. I think the fact that you've already lost 24lbs speaks to your determination!! I bounced up and down a few pounds during my waiting period, but didn't really lose any weight until my 2 week pre-op diet. So you are already way ahead of the game!!
It still amazing me that I live happily on 600 cals per day. The funny part is there are days where I feel like I totally pigged out, but when I add it all up, I was still only at 650 or 700. It's a crazy feeling, but a great one!!
Best of luck to you!!!

Well, one thing that will be different and should help is that you will only be taking in anywhere from 600-1,000 calories max during the weight loss phase. After that, maintenance phase will get up to 1,200-1,400 calories daily range, depending upon where you find your body begins putting weight on and is no longer losing is what will determine the magic number for you to maintain.
I know, this 600-1,000 cal daily sounds impossible, and prior to WLS it would have been for me. Your smaller pouch helps restrict you, as well as fewer hunger pangs.
Congratulations on your 24lb weight loss! We’re same height and that’s better than I did pre-op. You can do this!!

hi there. i have been on hypothyroid meds for like at least 7 years. i too have struggled with weight and my primary recommended i look into vsg. i know some people develop GERD but as sleeve is the less invasive, that is the best option for many people, myself included. you can always revise if you have to, but many people seem to thrive after vsg though each case is unique in its own way. i've been back and forth but i think this is the best option for me and im sticking to my july 20 vsg date. good luck to you!

I’m only 4 days s/p, but I do have hashinotos and RA. I did fine with the preop liquid diet, losing 16lbs and another 2 since yesterday. I’m hoping to regain my energy after the soreness goes away. So far so good ?

I’m only 3 weeks post op so I haven’t had my levels checked yet. But I was gaining weight no matter how much I dieted and exercised. My primary doc was the one who suggested weight loss surgery because she saw me struggling so much and my thyroid function was continuing to tank. I also have 2 other autoimmune diseases.
Including my 1 week pre-op diet I’m down 30 pounds.

No thyroid issues but the bypass has totally changed my metabolism and the way my body processes food after 8.5 months I'm in maintenance after losing 156lbs total

I had the sleeve = TOTAL SUCCESS BEST DECISION I HAVE EVERY MADE I AM HEALTHY AND HAPPY! DID FIX ALOT OF OF other medical issues like BP and levels

I have hypothyroid and have had sleeve surgery. Had to revise to bypass because of severe GERD.

I have had much more success with the bypass although I did lose weight with the sleeve. If I had it to do all over again, I would go straight for bypass. Mostly because of the high rate of gerd among people that are sleeved. I also believe that the bypass is just a much better surgery as far as losing weight. It has been for me.

I hate the shower scenes, there is no good reason other than drama to show those poor people in that compromising position. Even when I watch it I always fast forward through the nakedness.

I have all but stopped watching this show. I used to watch it to sort of inspire me and keep me on track, but I realized that I just could not watch these people doing some of the things they did. I'm sure that the show edited for drama, but I just couldn't keep watching them shove their faces full of food.
I also had questions about Dr. Now's approach. Why would he wait until AFTER the procedure to get his patients into psychological counseling? It made no sense to me. I also thought he was rather judgemental and harsh, but at the same time, I think if he'd gotten them started in psychological counseling he could have avoided some of these mind games they play with each other.
Rather than all these weight loss journey episodes, maybe he should blend in some "where are they now" episodes. I'd really like to know how successful his patients are in the long-term.