lmb012182

Congratulations and good luck! The beginning can be tough, but you will look back on it with so much pride because after surgery and recovery comes transformation of every imaginable kind.

They said it all. Eggface will change your life! I've been cooking her crockpot carnitas for family get togethers for years now and all of my non-bariatric patient family loves it too!

I would absolutely apply brave to gastric bypass. It's not just the surgery, which is in and of itself a scary prospect, but it is a total lifestyle change. For me, it was also a commitment to myself to stop hiding behind my fat body and start living my life more fully. How many people do you know who have completely changed their lifestyle, and gone through physical and emotional pain to get there? I definitely think that those of us who have taken this step should consider it a brave choice.

I really don't know but for me this is so true. I can't handle spicy, super sweet, or rich foods. I have nibbled on fried chicken since the surgery ONCE because it smelled good and it tasted like burnt oil. I always thought it was just a matter of going so long on a post surgical diet of broth and sugar free Jello.

I am just curious about this. Did the tummy tuck result in any weight loss? I've always wondered if my loose skin weighs much... Also, what was the recovery time for you?

The best thing I ever did for myself was roux en y gastric bypass. I will never regret it. If you are committed to becoming healthier through weight loss, if you've tried dieting without success, if you want to make a BIG change, then you should do it. I am six years out and I honestly believe that I would be dead if it weren't for my surgery. No regrets here.

The man I was with at the time of my surgery actively tried to prevent me from going through with it. He was convinced I would get smaller and stop loving him. It broke us up. We had been together for a little over a year. Later, after he saw pictures of me, happy, healthy, and smaller, he admitted that he was insecure and wrong. We did not get back together but we made our peace I guess. I would have given anything to have a supportive partner during that time. If WLS is going to break a relationship up, I think the relationship was not strong to start with. It sounds like you and your hubby are very happy. I imagine that as you shrink, that happiness will only grow as he sees you transform and become healthier.

I forgot to ask... Are you taking your vitamins as you should? That can give you the shaky nervous feeling you associate with hunger too. I don't know what you're taking but Bariatric Advantage worked best for me because they are chewable.

This is going to sound really annoying, but I'm going to say it because I experienced the same situations. This is not true hunger, your body is still acclimating to the pouch and I think you're confusing that with being hungry. Also, when it comes to food, our brains are our worst enemies. I used to believe I was hungry, eat, then be miserable because I was too full (or throw up). Even now, 6 years later, I rarely have hunger pangs. I know that everyone knows their own bodies, and that they believe what those bodies tell them, but trust me on this one, your body is fibbing. When the hunger 'pangs' strike, drink Water. Discuss with your surgeon how much you should be eating and stick to what they say. Also remember that no matter what you're eating right now, it is way less than you used to, and your body will not accommodate enough food to cause you to gain at this point. Later, yes, but if you become vigilant now about what you eat, when you eat, and how much- you are going to do awesome.

Definitely not. Eventually, everyone is able to eat a bit more and you still aren't eating a ton. Just remember to drink your Water and eat the right things and you'll do fine.

No way you stretched your pouch this soon after surgery.

I am 6 years out, with no complications. I have gained a little bit of weight back, my fault, but I have zero regrets. I do not miss the pain from standing or walking, not being able to find clothes that looked nice, the way people used to dismiss me at a glance. I have two close friends who had the band and have BOTH gotten a sleeve due to complication from that. They had serious medical problems associated with the band and serious regrets as a result. I cannot imagine anyone regretting bypass. It was a lifesaver for me in more ways than one.

WLS surgery is life changing in more ways than anyone could ever guess going in. It's hard, and it's not a perfect solution, but the benefits far outweigh any down sides. I was convinced I would not make it through the surgery, it was my first surgery ever. Yet, I went in and did it because I knew that I had no quality of life as I was. I am no longer in pain, I am more active, more health conscious, and overall much happier. Hang in there, you will be OK and what's more, you'll feel so empowered as those pounds start to melt away.

I have gained a bit of weight back, and I have to admit that it's hard not to freak out completely. I was reading up on post wls weight gain and came across this procedure. Have any of you used it? I am thinking it would be very extreme for the amount of weight I've gained. But I am curious.... http://gastro.ucla.edu/site.cfm?id=321

When I first got the surgery I didn't have enough time off at work so I didn't tell them what I was doing, just that I had to have surgery. Later, I told everyone. It was pretty obvious that I'd done something because I was losing weight so quickly. Now, years later, I rarely tell anyone. Not out of embarrassment but because it doesn't come up and I don't feel like explaining myself to every single person I meet. In fact, just a couple of months ago I realized my MIL didn't know. I just never though to tell her and neither did my husband!

A friend of mine told me once that a man told her that she could be pretty if only she was thin, she told him, "I can lose weight and be prettier but you have an ugly heart and that's not as easy to change." She was right!

Clothes! Even 6 years out, I am obsessed. I will never take for granted being able to wear pretty dresses. At my heaviest I couldn't find a single dress that looked nice. I shop waaay more than I should but I at least find good deals. For a little while, I was swimsuit addict too, but I ran out of room so I've cut that one out. Also, truthfully, for the first year after my surgery I was obsessed with looking at myself in the mirror. Thankfully, that one is gone because it was embarrassing, but I couldn't help it! It was so weird to see myself in a smaller, healthier body.

When I told my husband about WLS and my resulting loose skin, he told me that he thinks I am beautiful and that was that. Since then we've talked about my getting tummy tuck, because the skin issue upsets me so much. I am grateful that he is someone I can tell these uncomfortable things to and that he has never been judgmental about them. I dated a few men who had comments about how weight would affect their opinions about a partner. In those instances I decided that they were entitled to their opinions and I am entitled to say adios!

My doctor recommended ideal protein for me. I have not started it yet as it is expensive, but he said it's a good diet for bariatric patients. I gained about 30 pounds back and I am definitely upset with myself. I had the surgery a couple of months after you did. I hope that you get back on track and that your heart heals. Your husband and brother are true heroes and we thank them for their service.

I've never experienced any regret whatsoever. I've had problems, mainly problems of my own making. I would be shocked to learn that people regret their bypass surgeries unless the surgeries were failures somehow. I would never wish to go back to the health problems I had before my surgery.

I am in a similar situation. I am going to try the ideal protein diet. It was recommended by my doctor. It is essentially a bariatric diet that is also monitored by medical staff. Surgery is truly not a magic bullet and I will struggle with my weight my whole life. At least right now I am starting from a healthy place and have a better idea of what I need to do to be successful.

I wish I could rock a bikini, but until I have a tummy tuck, there is just too much loose skin. HOWEVER, I have tried on many high waisted bikinis and they are not half bad. Also, I have several one pieces with cutouts in them that are hella sexy without showing the loose skin. So there are options!

You are by far not the only person who has had poor results (long-term) with the band and has needed another surgery. Do not be so hard on yourself, I think that what the bariatric community is learning is that the band has some serious problems. I had roux en y bypass 6 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. I was terrified of the surgery but I bounced back and I am so much healthier and happier as a result. I wish you the very best and much happiness!

I really appreciate the encouragement. I have considered the pouch test and wondered if it wouldn't be too many years since surgery to try it. It sounds like it worked well for you, so I think I will give it a shot. A jumpstart to weight loss would be great. I am also guzzling water and one thing I've noticed is that sometimes when I think I am hungry, I am actually thirsty. So the water has been helpful too!

About a month after my surgery I had lost about 25 lbs and a man I worked with came over and chatted with me about weekend plans. It was the type of small talk everyone engages in at work and it didn't occur to me that this man never really spoke to me. Finally he asked me if I'd lost some weight and I said yes I had. He said, "I thought so. Good for you. It's good that you're finally taking care of yourself." My initial reaction was to be angry because it was a backhanded compliment (which I would learn is part and parcel of weight loss) but then I had to laugh. This was a fit young man, who went out drinking every night of his life, smoked cigarettes, and worked in a high stress job. Of course he was relieved to find out that I was trying to lose weight. But he was far from an expert on taking care of oneself. Also, I know that in his mind, he was being generous to me. So I accepted the part of his statement that was a compliment and ignored his ignorance. That policy has served me well because he was far from the last person to treat me differently because of my weight loss or say something insensitive. People are dumb sometimes, but I think for the most part they are happy for the changes in your life and unable to verbalize that happiness in a way that isn't kind of rude. In the words of my very Southern grandmother, "Bless their hearts."