Victoria Wank

At some point we all plateau in our weight loss. The thing to do is hit the protein shakes more than you used to. Pretend it’s the earlier stage, where you were limited to protein shakes and almost no carbs. I’ve had to do that myself when I gain weight or plateau. It’s not what we want, it’s what we need to do.

You may have to reduce your caloric intake more. I’ve run into this problem myself. There have been times when I gained up to 20 pounds. I had to eat less regular foods and more protein shakes and protein in general. I’m not quite back to where I was, but I’m trying. Good luck!

Sorry for the semi-duplicate post. I was falling asleep while I was writing it, and some of it disappeared. Good luck with your GP, surgeon and dermatologist. I have also dealt with hives, even before my original gastric bypass surgery. We couldn’t find any causal reason. After trying several medications alone, my doctor and I decided to try a “cocktail.” I was on 4 medications, but I only recall Ranitidine and Zyrtec. It worked! I had the gastric bypass a few years later, and the hives left me alone.$!

I have also dealt with hives, even before I had the surgery. One day they just appeared. Long red welts on my abdomen and thighs. I went to an allergist, who couldn’t determine any cause for the hives. I was diagnosed with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (hives that have been there for longer than 2 weeks without apparent cause. After trying several medications alone, my doctor and I decided to try a “cocktail.” I was on 4 medications, but I only remember Ranitidine and Zyrtec. When the hives showed up again, we tried a couple of different combinations and finally landed on Doxepin and Benadryl. If I go a few days without the meds, the hives start itching again. During one stay in the hospital, the doctors gave me a topical cream called Sansa. It’s helpful.

I suspect you feel the construction of the chair, because you have less padding. Buy some memory foam or gel cushions.

Maybe the fact that you are practically starving yourself is the problem. Even with the weight-loss, your body still needs enough calories, including protein, carbs, and fats to burn. That’s when you start (or continue) losing weight. When you start eating too few calories, your body reads that as famine. It holds onto whatever calories it can. Your best bet is to eat enough calories that you and your body don’t think you’re in a famine.

I know exactly how you’re feeling! I get the feeling of food being stuck in my stomach pouch. It’s very uncomfortable. The only thing that makes it feel better is throwing up. I’m okay with soft foods (mashed potatoes, oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, pudding, protein shakes). The only solid food that I’m confident in eating is Ritz Toasted Chips. I can stuff myself with those chips and dip and have no problems. Only recently have I been able to handle chicken, and even then, I have to be careful. Beef still gives me problems, although ground is better. I have to try the trick where you add water to ground beef.

I’ve been undergoing revision on my 2004 gastric bypass. I’ve noticed that my hair looks and feels thinner. I hadn’t connected it to the revision. Thank you!

You’ll stop losing weight at some point. Don’t freak out, but eventually the surgery stops working. Also, your body knows when to stop. Then you have to learn how to maintain without the help.

You’ll stop losing weight at some point. Don’t freak out, but eventually the surgery stops working. Also, your body knows when to stop. Then you have to learn how to maintain without the help.

I had problems with water, too. It was uncomfortable, just sitting in my stomach pouch. I found that if I added sugar free drink mix, I could get it down. Now there’s “Cirkul.” They’re flavor cartridges, with sugar free flavors. You get one of their bottles, plastic or stainless steel, and you screw in one of the cartridges. Put ice and water inside, and turn the dial until you get to the strength you want. It may help get the water down. Don’t gulp the water at first. Save that for later when your stomach can handle it.

I had that, too.

Oddly enough, I find it easier to eat grains than protein. There are low-carb cereals available on the internet, as well as some health foods supermarkets. There are also recipes for low-carb cereal. Don’t be afraid to try it.

I would doubt that any insurance company would cover all plastic surgery. It’s generally considered to be cosmetic.

It’s a very different situation. I had RNY back in 2004. I lost a lot of weight and maintained it for 18 months. Then it started creeping back on. When I was finally ready for a revision (somewhere around 2014-ish, different team), the team kept losing my endoscopy results. I finally lost interest. In the last few years, I’ve felt ready to try again. My insurance has changed, as have revision methods. My insurance approved a procedure called Endoscopy with Argon Plasma Coagulation. They make the opening to the stomach pouch smaller by zapping it and creating scar tissue, making it smaller. I had the first procedure in 2022. Unfortunately, the surgeon didn’t tell me that there were more to come. No one reached out to schedule the next procedure. I assumed that the revision consisted of that one procedure. That’s why I thought the revision wasn’t working for me. When I spoke with my surgeon, she was surprised that I had done as well as I had with just that one time, as well as the fact that no one had contacted me to schedule the next procedure. I’ve had the second procedure, and I have continued to lose weight. I know the stalls are maddening, and if it continues for more than a few weeks, talk to your surgeon.