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July right here. Well, or probably it will be post poned. I had sm accident in church n now im n crutches i pulled a ligament from side n back of knee (the miniscus) Pulled or broke. Takes months n therapy to heal. I have finished all the preliminarys three months ago. I waited 3 months for a surgery date. I dont know whats going to happen now because I have gained 15 Lb. Since. Sttarting weight 205. Now im up 220 Lb. My general dr dont want to give me the clearance letter for surgery yet. She wants me to loose atleast 10Lb. Because my legs are retaining liquid. They swelling. She wants to see if i can loose weight on my own with no surgery. Sent from my LGMS210 using BariatricPal mobile app

It depends on your health issues. Their situation where people have chosen to go with the sleeves and then have to convert to gastric bypass. I think that you should just do a lot of research on both procedures and she was which one is best for you. I did the gastric bypass and I'm 14 days post-op and I haven't had any abnormal complication, but it is a challenge. Both procedures are just tools to help you loose waves so either way it's going to be challenging. What I love about this app is that the support that you received from different people all over. I wish you the best of luck with whatever decision you make keep us updated. Sent from my SM-G950F using BariatricPal mobile app

Well i have another Endoscopy scheduled- have not heard from Columbus recently- believe after the Mid-May fiasco with those 2 nurses at the clinic They now are practicing Structured Neglect. Well I have worse things I could call it but I am a lady, at least my parents raised me to be a lady. Well a couple other problems have popped up, shall we say gastrointestinally. Not the pouch but much farther downstream, my theory after the recent flare- ups maybe developing IBS or Crohns, oh I will be thrilled if I am wrong. So on the 12th of June, coincidentally Tomkitten's birthday, age supplied on demand, my gastroenterologist,here is doing it, my PCP set itup. Am I worried? WELL just a little, I had hoped after my RNY I would be in the lap of healthn not finding and addressing these bothersome little blips. The more I lose, the more things they seem to be finding. Its like my fat was sheiding things from view! Oh down deep I suppose I'm grateful but every test seems to have a " by the way" attached. And I long to scream WHAT NEXT? I am thinking about getting a job as a Sewing Dummy, that way,they can put markers and pins wherever they desire. And my weight is continuing to diminish, know they will weigh me at Ambulatory Surgery, last weight was 203, so it's not impossible I have jumped over into Onderland, as I have been losing still !3-5 pounds every week to 10 days. See while I was on TPN. my weight loss crawled down almost to a stall, in the month after it was removed , I dropped 30 pounds, ka-thunk, so truly my "Honeymoon Period" was merely deferred and I am still quite actively losing. Also haven't had a full Blood Test since my iron. INFUSION in March. Oh there has been blood dra2n for other purposes but NOBODY has checked my Iron Level. PCP said in his experience Infusions might be Every 3 Months, well another thing Thing1 and Thing 2 at the clinic don't care about! I logically should be having another in June. If nobody wants it, I'll just keep and use all I have! So my lovelies, that's how Frustr8 turns in the wind, toppling over into 18s, missed 24 completely, and haven't,been in 20-22 too long, maybe month/ month and half, but the slacks are starting to slide down and some of the tops are so loose it looks they are Maternity smocks, went through everything I still have, packed 9 boxes 18 by 18, they're left over from when,I got TPN supplies, see a lot of them were frozen for freshness, so these were Styrofoam with lids. Make nice,Mini-coolers for soda pop or beer, neither of which I drink anymore. Oh really nothing still taste good, no sweet tooth, and when I do think of something , 2 or 3 bites and I AM DONE, even my homemade soups, maybe 1/4 cup tops , found out my,own taste better than canned. I notice,the Chunky or Progresso Light,seem to be chicken or chicken-broth based, and Guess What, I am no longer enamored of the fowl🐥anymore And his or her fruits of labor, eggs come bouncing right back up if I try to eat them. Precious Pouch,is much more picky than a monarch would be. So to keep peace my diet is morning and,pretty bland, have not cut protein shakes out, they often are my breakfast or Early Day choice. Usually make powder up with 1% milk, a compromise with TK, still tastes almost identical to the 2% we used to buy. So I will update you of anything newsworthy, but right now these tests are the high light of my Bland & Dull life.

yep got it. celebrate it and rejoice in it. no one dies from saggy skin.

Saggy boobs - Well, I had a boob reduction BEFORE WLS, so that was dumb. LOL. I dropped 2 cup sizes so far and the breast reduction came with a lift, so I do have sagging but maybe not as bad as if I hadn't had a reduction prior. They deffo aren't perky anymore, though. Hair loss - YESSSS. Started at 3 weeks and now at 7 months it is slowing down. Lost about 40% of my hair. Other people did notice, but screw em. It's freaky seeing wads come out, but it's stopping now. I imagine it will come back even lusher than before, lol. Loose skin - YESSS. I am having plastics. It's a personal option. Some people don't mind it if it doesn't physically interfere with anything, but I want to finish the package and don't consider me to have met my "goals" until I have all the skin off, too. It isn't really bothering me as far as rashes, other than my arms, which I am doing first. The rest I will do in stages over the next few years - no rush. Just a vanity thing personally.

For my stay in the hospital I put the following into a little travel makeup bag so I could have it in easy reach on the tray table & stuff wouldn't be rolling around: Toothbrush & Toothpaste (my mouth was so freaking dry & nasty I brushed my teeth at least 4x that first night) Hand lotion Face lotion Eye drops (some people get very dry skin after surgery, figured having these on hand wouldn't hurt) Chapstick I had a second bag with all my chargers. At home: Sugar free popsicles Diet Snapple Protein shakes Whatever soup you're allowed

I know, now that I'm starting to think a bit clearer, I can't believe I'm worrying about it. You make an excellent point there. Loose skin can be hidden, obesity cannot. Congratulations on all your success.

the hair loss is temporary - if you even lose hair at all (I did not). Even if you do, if you're like a majority of us, you're the only one who'll notice. It's rare for it to come out in huge clumps and leave noticeable spots. the saggy skin isn't ideal, but it is WAY better than being morbidly obese. Most of us can easily hide it -- but you can't hide being obese. I obsessed constantly before surgery about the loose skin and the hair thing. In retrospect, I can't believe I wasted even one brain cell on either one. In the grand scheme of things, both are extremely minor. I am SO MUCH happier being normal weight!! I would take temporary hair loss and saggy skin ANY DAY over being morbidly obese!

Once again I want to thank you all who took the time to reply to this inquiry. I think the primary reason this subject is bothering me is because I can't shake this "I can't catch a break" feeling. If I end up with loose skin, deflated boobs and thin to no hair, I'm afraid I'll be perceived as unattractive as I was when I was heavy. You know? I'm still young, never been in a relationship before and really want to experience that. I especially want to marry and have a family. So I'm sure you can understand why I would feel the way I do. I want to look as good as I feel. I will admit that since going to my first in-person support group last night, I do feel considerably better about things than I did a few days ago. Hopefully, this newfound optimism sticks with me throughout this whole process. Fingers crossed! Also, a very big congratulations to all of you who've been through this journey and have kept the weight off.

Wow, a VERY big thank you to all who took the time to reply to this inquiry. As I mentioned in one of my replies, I think the primary reason it's bothering me is because I can't shake this "I can't catch a break" feeling. If I end up with loose skin, deflated boobs and thin to no hair, I'm afraid I'll be perceived as unattractive as I was when I was heavy. You know? I'm still young, never been in a relationship before and really want to experience that. So I'm sure you can understand why I would feel that way. I want to look as good as I feel. Once again, thank you all for your input. I appreciate it! :)

I have gone back and forth and back and forth the whole time between being loose and constipation. I think it really differs from individual to individual. (Mine is totally black at the moment btw. Hehe.) On the pre-op diet I was also back and forth as well but mostly on the loose side. So I wouldnt get too worried just yet. Just make sure to keep drinking LOTS of liquids. If Ive learned anything from from having that catheter was that I was under-drinking lots even when I thought that I was drinking constantly. (Since the pee was in a bag, you really get a chance to see how the color changes during the day.) And since you are loose, you will be losing water a bit faster.

I thought a positive Celiac Diagnosis disqualified you for surgery in 2012? And for good reason.....its simple. Our small intestine is long and each piece along the way has a different 'job' in our health. The very first part of our small intestine is the part that does most of the nutritional absorption. It also is the strongest and heatiest part of the organ. RNY moves a good share of the stomach AND the first part of the small intestine aside - creating 'mal absorption' trickling down to weight loss (quickly)......You have just disabled the strongest part of your small intestine and relying on the weaker parts to hopefully take nutrition from your food - but you will have to no doubt take supplements as your body no longer can to the full job. Celiac is a biologic reaction to Gluten. Some will tell you only injestion - I can tell you I have reacted standing in the bread isle too long at the market! This reaction kills the lil 'fingers' in your small intestine that pull the nutrition from the food back into your system....they are the working mechanism of the organ and Celiac crippled and kills them.....no fingers ....means crappin yourself on a regular basis, belly pain, bloating and lets not forget the RASH!. Once you eliminate Gluten from your diet - the fingers have a good chance of growing back - but no guarantee - crippling you more nutritionally.....so lets talk about this lil RASH....Dermatitis Herpetiformis - Durhings Disease - aka Gluten Rash. Gluten causes leisons inside your small intestine. Gluten RASH causes the same leisons ON YOUR SKIN! Its like shingles on crack times infinity. All of this is genetic - so genetic and blood testing is key - and its also crappy on your blood. Be SURE you are taking your iron and get that checked often. I am 12 years out... have maintained my 200+ pound weight loss - my ONLY side effect from my RNY is Post RNY HypoGlycemia - and Celiac and DH has significantly worsened The specialist have all told me that if I had not done the RNY = I would not be suffering as I am now. My weight loss was significant and rewarding - I cannot say if I would do it all again - all I do know is this is on a 3 year flare and Im 2 yrs gluten free now and Im more miserable than ever. I just joined this groun and was so hoping you did not go thru with the surgery. Stay informed - Gluten Free is NOT always Gluten Free (Mission Tortilla's - GF are NOT)...read labels more...its not just bread - if you are reacting - iodine will make it worse...salts and such....Life as a Celiac disorder is not kewl - but made worse by irreversable surgery is sad. Good Luck - sorry Im so wordy

well i guess im in this phase a s well now have made my dr s goal and my personal goal still feel i could loose 10 more or soo think i will just keep doing what i have been doing and see what happens with out increasing the calories and increasing the exercise see how i feel and where the weight wants to be i still weigh every week and keep a record of what i consume daily water and food never hungry so i eat on a clock not when i would feel hungry otherwise i would not eat at all lol

Not so much a question about peeing but...I had my sleeve done on May 30th and I have already had some loose stools? Is this normal? I always hear about everyone having constipation.

Thank you everyone! I had the most horrible day. I was able to get 1:45 on the cpap last night. Just horrible, fell asleep and ripped it off in my sleep thinking I was drowning. I called my surgeon office and was treated horribly. Tried to explain what was going on and how my skin burns from the mask because off my psoriasis. They would not let me schedule with surgeon or talk to him. Said to comply or cancel surgery. I asked what to do so I can comply. I scheduled with a pulmonologist and had settings changed. Called some other surgeons Incase I need to switch. I emailed the office how disappointed I was in how I was treated and the nurse assistant called back and apologized. So I guess I will find out what to do tomorrow. My husband offered to wear my cpap if I can’t. Lol that’s how upset I was/am. With my psoriasis I cannot stand even clothes touching me. I couldn’t even wear a bra for two years. All in my medical records. I wear a tank top and shorts at home and only get dressed when I go somewhere. It feels like fire on my face. Thanks again for helping and hopefully I can get thru till July.

I had severe acid reflux before I had my mini. I had a hiatal hernia too. That was fixed and my mini was done last year. I have since lost 120 lbs. I don't have any acid reflux, none at all. I may have had one small episode of bile reflux last fall but I'm not sure. It didn't last but 10 minutes and went away with a few swigs of mylanta. I don't take any medication for reflux but I'm prepared to take Nexium if need be. They sell it pretty cheap at Costco and I have a friend who gets bile reflux after she had her gallbladder out. She said Nexium works very well. As for eating, I can eat anything. I don't dump, I don't crush pills. I just eat very small amounts of food 5 or 6 times a day and stay on my healthy diet. I had a small piece of cake at a wedding and a cadbury egg at Easter but I have lost my sweet tooth so I don't crave that stuff anymore. It was really satisfying to allow myself a treat and find that I didn't want to finish it all. I just was not interested. I really love meat, veggies and fruit. I drink a protein shake every morning. I use a straw daily. I take my chewable vitamins and so far I have no complains. This was the best decision I ever made. My philosophy is that nothing is perfect. I can either deal with the health issues that come with being obese along with how uncomfortable I was and that I hated my appearance OR I can deal with the very few health issues that might come with WLS. So far, it is one episode of something (maybe bile reflux) and a lot of extra skin. I"m good with that trade off. I hope that helps!

I am so glad to hear your story. I am 62 250lbs and 5'2" and just starting this process and am leary about it. Looking forward to getting healthy and getting off my HBP, diabetic meds and sleep apnea machine. How is the sagging skin?

However, when do you stop losing weight? I've lost 150lbs... very satisfied! The hanging skin, well that's another story! I'm getting a little worried. Was 300, lost half of my weight. I eat but when I get full I stop. I eat small portion, lots healthy but some I do indulge...It will be a year, the end of this month the 26th. I don't want to go under 150. My legs are so little my son calls me stick legs, I'll take it though. I'm much healthier, I move around a lot easier, exercise, ride my bike and tons of other stuff I wasn't able to do before. I slowed down with the exercising because I don't want to go below 150. Any suggestions? Also, my hair...OMG! it started falling out. I'm not that big on protein and very sensitive to vitamins. However, started back to protein and drink and eating things high in vitamins, any suggestions on this would be helpful too!

I sure do, after years and years of obesity my skin is too stretched to bounce back, but better floppy flabby skin and ready to break into Onederland than 365+ piybds, hardly able to move, do my ADLs , crying a lot with pain and just waiting for the Death Angel to show up and claim me as His Own. I am chugging down the path to Victory like a brave little Jalopy, dings,crust, a fender missing, hoping my tires are not too bald, yeah I may not look like a flashy Sports Car, but I am reliable, hard-working, solid made, no plastic or Fiberglass on this chassis, & no matter what I AM ON MY WAY! Beep Beep Baby, Beep Beep, if you're not on this journey, please pull over and let the winning entry through!🚘

No exercise will tighten loose skin. I've made peace with mine for the most part. I don't hide them, most of the time. I wear tanks & short sleeves. Working on my biceps seemed to help.......or maybe just wishful thinking.........either way, if I feel they look better, no one's opinion matters. @AZhiker 3/4 sleeve shirts are perfect for covering. Also, sometimes when I wear short sleeves, I'll wear a long sleeve under.

Ask for a full mask instead of the nose pillows and shop around on amazon, they have these soft slip covers for the straps so they don’t irritate your skin

I hear you 20 to go and I'm getting comfortable where I'm at. Also not loosing, only around 2 pounds in a month.

I hope you can enjoy the beach and feel comfortable in your own skin. Realize that there will be other body types on the beach. Many people share insecurities in the summer. In a perfect world. body image issues would disappear with surgery. 🙂 I found a swimsuit with underwire and a short sarong helped. It’s frustrating but try many on to find a flattering one that you can feel comfortable in.

I apologize for my post. I realize I can be an @ss hat somedays. I do respect anyone’s choice to have plastics or live with the situation. I have a former obese woman’s body issue/chip on my shoulder. After many years of having people say negative things about my obese body. I have a hard time with people describing my current loose skin as something to be ashamed of. Your fear/concern is legitimate. I had the same thoughts. I googled worst- and best-case photo scenarios. If your skin causes rashes or mobility issues some insurance companies will cover them. Many do self-pay

I hear ya, I often lament the state of my upper arms. But you know what helps? Tighter clothes. Keeps everything in nicely. Leggings and fitted tops are my new best friends. As far as swim suits go, I plan on wearing some skin tight rash guards come vacation time this summer...