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Hi everyone, it has been a couple months since I posted last and everything is going pretty good. I am now 15 months post op. I lost about 65-69 lbs total and still have about 18 lbs to lose. However, things have completely stalled out and i haven't lost anything in many months. my stress level is sky high with grad school two kids, a new job, and life in general. i have noticed over the past few months that my stomach fat is much more noticeable and although the scale hadn't changed (THEN, but haven't weighed in 1 month) things just are sitting differently. i actually FEEL very similar to how my stomach felt pre op, but i'm still wearing the same size pants, it's just very bothersome to me. my main issue right now is i just started a new night nursing job which i really love, but not being a night owl, i find myself eating small Protein, fruit, snack and drink portions (not all together) through the night to stay awake and functional. although it is a VERY busy unit, we get very quiet and sit down around 1AM and don't do much for a few hours (this time is the hardest for me). i have found i got reactive hypoglycemia a few times when i tried to go without eating and then started my morning rush. i try to NOT eat much during the days before work, knowing that i'll eat a few small meals when i'm there, but i AM getting plenty of calories each 24 hr period. further, we aren't allowed to leave the floor regularly on night shift, so going for a walk or something isn't really an option, we eat our meal and hang out in the break room area. Anybody who works nights, especially those in healthcare who only work 3 shifts a week may be able to relate. there is no 'regular' schedule anymore. however, i enjoy my team and prefer nights for my graduate school demands. but i don't know when is the best time to weigh, how to count meals anymore, etc! i am also trying to help my hubs lose some pounds as he has put on about 20 lbs in the past year. i can eat mostly everything. i only get dumping issues when i eat something REALLY packed with sugar (tried a small scoop of ice cream once-never again!) i eat around 1200 cals per day. i only exercise by walking a few times a week. Here is my plan: 1. Go back to including a Protein shake DAILY maybe as a smoothie for 'breakfast' on non-work nights and take with me as a meal supplement when i do work. 2. try to fit in a walk every 24 hour period 3. can't abate the stress much, but MAYBE trying some basic yoga or stretching regularly 4. start logging on here every day and seeking the same level of support and involvement i did pre op and immediately post op ( my area support group meets while i am working, and the nutritionist that works with my surgeon now is very specific to meeting only with people who have gained more than 20 lbs back OR are still pre op!) anybody have any other suggestions or support for me? i really need to lose these final pounds. i also need to get in to see my surgeon and wanted to in the next 8 weeks, and DO NOT want to be the same weight i was the last time he saw me!

I agree with all the previous posters...you definitely have to be in the right frame of mind prior to surgery. You have to be ready to change your entire life and you need to be honest with yourself. Banding has been one of the best things I have ever done BUT I considered getting it for years, himmed and hawed about it, made appointments then backed out because I wasn't mentally there yet. I'm glad I waited to a degree because I was absolutely ready, mentally and physically. I knew people who had the surgery and failed for various reasons but I knew I was different and I would be damned if I was going to have surgery and fail...and I haven't. I have had a few episodes of vomiting/regurgitating BUT I could link it always to either what I ate, how I ate or reactive swelling after a fill. GL with whatever you decide but don't let other people make up your mind for you, do the research and make whatever decision is best for you. Best of luck!!

I also developed Reactive Hypoglycemia about a year ago (I probably had it longer, just didn't realize) I wear a Libre CGM and have discovered it reads a bit lower than my one touch meter. I have been following The Glucose Godess for tips on how to eat without creating a huge spike and a deep drop. I feel like so much food is out of my reach now as almost everything causes a spike. I see an endo for this issue and strive to keep my spikes under 150. I have heard this can be reversable, but not sure if this is true.

So, I was laying in bed the other night trying to drift off to sleep when my formerly obese cat JD jumped up on the bed and then slowly walked up my leg, onto my belly and then stood on my chest, purring like mad while staring at me and purring some more. It was then that I thought two things...1...I was quite thankful that he had lost so much weight, though still a bit jealous (why can't I have hyperthyroidism instead of hypo-?) and 2...wow...this is gonna suck after I have surgery. How on earth am I gonna sleep at night? So, how do you sleep at night? My eventual sleeping position is my stomach. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest that laying on your stomach right after surgery is probably not the best idea...just a hunch. But what about on your side? My cats still crawl on me when I'm on my side, but the belly is a bit more protected. If I lay on my back, the belly is less protected. There are no doors or spare rooms to lock my cats away into (or me into) so that's out. What have you done, my fellow cat people?

Thank you everyone. I've been gone for awhile because I got busy again but I got my blood test back and my hemoglobin was low (10.6) and my fasting blood sugar was 106. ???? I still am having the strange sensations of pressure coming down from my head and being dizzy when I stand up. At first, it was just after eating food but now it's after I take my medicine and after I eat food. My PCP still isn't doing anything and my surgeon hasn't called back yet to schedule any test. I see my APRN tomorrow afternoon and I am going to talk to her about the medication and how it's affecting me. I've been on zoloft, wellbutrin, and risperidone since 2011, its not working and it's time for a change. I also took my medical symptoms into my own hands and did some research on it. It seems I really do have reactive hypoglycemia or POTS. Also, my surgeon isn't doing anything about my bleeding because its bright red blood...its not in his "medical jurisdiction". ???? It was dark red one time but that wasn't enough to worry him? I just can't figure out why no one is helping me down here other than the fact I have medicaid and they treat us badly.

I have hypothyroidism/hashimoto as well as anemia and hypoglycemia. I was sleeved in December and really have to work on not bottoming out from the hypo and anemia. I am also allergic to iron tablets so I have to get my iron through foods. It is a struggle. Sent from my SM-J327T1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thanks for indulging my curiosity. To [hopefully] clarify the conversation, black are my original questions, red are your replies, purple my feedback. Just to ensure everyone is on the same page, Dumping Syndrome is typically related to consuming sugars and/or fats, as has been previously mentioned. Dumping on other foods is exceptionally unusual. How often do you dump? If it's responsible for the majority of your weight loss as you claim then you would be dumping pretty frequently. If it is actually dumping you wouldn't likely be dumping enough to impact weight loss. So I never said I was losing weight because of this. I think I lost weight just from keeping on the proper plan initially. I would say I get sick at almost every meal, regardless of the ingredients, but it's severe with anything carb or sugar-related. Sorry about my misunderstanding. I inadvertently connected two unrelated thoughts. I apologize. The fact you get sick at almost every meal would tell me you aren't generally dumping. It's not to say that you are never dumping, just that it is not generally what is going on. What actual foods cause you to dump? Pretty much everything but it's particularly horrible with carbs, sugar, and greasy/deep-fried foods. Again, "Pretty much everything" would indicate that much/most(?) of what you are experiencing is not dumping. Dumping is in response to specific foods rather than most foods. In what quantities? I don't measure anymore but it doesn't take much. A few bites will do it, or even a small square of something sugary. I understand that you don't measure, neither do I. "A few bites" does answer the question, though. A 1.5" x 1.5" square of fudge or comparable sugar dense candy can easily make me dump. How soon after you eat do your symptoms appear? Within 10-15 minutes. What are the symptoms? It feels like my heart is going to pound out of my chest, feel dizzy, head pressure, brain-fog, and overall sense of anxiety. I also get reactive-hypoglycemia...but not true hypoglycemia. My body just responds very poorly to blood sugar drops because they happen so fast, but rarely have I been in hypo numbers. These comments add I think what are the more important pieces of information. If this were dumping, you could simply reduce the sugars or fats that might be causing distress. But when it's almost everything, frequently, then it doesn't sound like just or even mostly dumping, if it's dumping at all. If you are, in fact, over consuming sugars and/or fats over frequently then your initial steps would be clear: stop doing that and see if this fixes your issue(s) in short order. If you've tried yet continue over consuming sugars and/or fats frequently and unable to stop yourself then were I in your shoes I'd get myself to a therapist post haste. [ETA: I have not gotten the impression you are out of control in this way. Quite the contrary.] This is not a diet or nutrition issue in my opinion. It's not that you're not working to eat the correct foods, it's that eating any foods too often cause physical distress. Were this me, I would have long ago become a squeaky wheel. I would be camping in my surgeon's or PCP's offices until I got a resolution, or at least significant progress, in fixing whatever is going on. I would not be put off. Bottom line: Get your medical team to work helping you. Be your own advocate. Good luck, Tek

Hi there, thanks for responding. Here are answers: How often do you dump? If it's responsible for the majority of your weight loss as you claim then you would be dumping pretty frequently. If it is actually dumping you wouldn't likely be dumping enough to impact weight loss. So I never said I was losing weight because of this. I think I lost weight just from keeping on the proper plan initially. I would say I get sick at almost every meal, regardless of the ingredients, but it's severe with anything carb or sugar-related. What actual foods cause you to dump? Pretty much everything but it's particularly horrible with carbs, sugar, and greasy/deep-fried foods. In what quantities? I don't measure anymore but it doesn't take much. A few bites will do it, or even a small square of something sugary. How soon after you eat do your symptoms appear? Within 10-15 minutes. What are the symptoms? It feels like my heart is going to pound out of my chest, feel dizzy, head pressure, brain-fog, and overall sense of anxiety. I also get reactive-hypoglycemia...but not true hypoglycemia. My body just responds very poorly to blood sugar drops because they happen so fast, but rarely have I been in hypo numbers.

Aww, thanks! I'm glad it helped! It is amazing at how sensitive and reactive our tummies are post-op. They definitely have opinions! How are you feeling now with another week having passed? Early out things can change so quickly looking back on it but in the moment feel like they take forever. I blame it on the "drinking water like it is your only job" thing, the day seems to stretch on sooo long when you have 64oz worth of baby sips to take! 🤣

normally the moisture absorbing packet is a non-reactive (inert) substance when it is used in food type products, so I would not worry about it being toxic, but it could certainly make you sick. Always best to contact someone in your area just to be on the safe side though.

Hi Everyone , I am new to the forum , but I have been reading the post for a while now. I am a 34yr old woman that has battle with weight issues my entire life .My eating disorder progressed when my mom passed and I adopted my siblings(total of 11 children total) I have yo-yo dieted , took every diet pill out there and have even went thru starvation periods to loss weight. Ive even been on various weight loss programs to seeing weightloss counslers. I realized that i needed to do something that was permenant , because if i didnt , i would probably end up killing my self trying to get skinny. I was sleeved on Feb18th,2012 in Mexico with Dr Garcia. Everything was going well up until 2 wks ago when I hit a stall. I lost 18lbs the first 3wks , but have not lost a pound or any inches since . What I think I did wrong was: before my surgery in Mexico , I started the process of going thru my Insurance , but I felt that that process was going to take to long to get approved. While I was working on going thru my insurance( after just to yo dieting again and losing 24lbs ) , I had to actually gain 20lbs (my BMI was to low when i lost the 24lbs) for my insurance company even consider me for the surgery , even with all my illnesses( hypo thyroidism, High Cholestrol, High Blood Pressure, Water retention, etc....) so in the meantime , I started to eat what I wanted to and gained the 20lbs so my insurance would accept me, but while researching a lot about WLS I found out about the the surgery being offered in Mexico and how much it costs . So I felt that it was time to make a change now , so I did. ???? But now , here comes the problem , After my surgery , I felt no hunger, I lost 18lbs post op in the first 3wks and I was happy with the way things were going . ???? However, now at 5 wks and 2 days I am hungry all the time ,I can eat a lot more now . ???? I am at a stall ( for the last 2 wks) . And I am doing everything from eating Protein first, 500-800 calories per day 70-80 g of protein per day ( I even take protein pills 500mg to supplement me not eating meats) to eating 6-8 small meals thru out the day and I almost forgot , I'm taking meds for acid as well ,and I'm drinking 64oz of water per day . The only exercise that I do daily (5 days) is 20mins of walking and around 30 bicep curls and 30 squats per day. ???????????? Nothing major because I'm currently being tested for heart problems , so my doctor advised me to take it easy until I get my results. So can anyone answer this question for me : Did I only loss the 18lbs that I originally gained to have the surgery? Did I mess my self up with purposely gaining the weight for surgery? Can this be fixed? If so , how ? What else can help my hunger ( not head hunger, but stomach hunger)? What can I do to get pass this stall ? SW: 220lbs CW: 202lbs GW: 145lbs HELP..... I messed up Disappointed and Discouraged ????????????

https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/print/endocrine-today/{1dc23215-49dc-4ad7-90da-346ba16663d6}/post-gastric-bypass-hypoglycemia-a-serious-complication-of-bariatric-surgery Bypass people have more hospitalizations for hypoglycemia and tend to have more severe symptoms, but sleeve folks can get it, too. Research on this complication is ongoing. Of 175 eligible patients, 120 were randomized 1:1 to RYGB or SG; 117 (93%) completed the 12-month follow-up. Reactive hypoglycemia was detected in 14% and 29% of SG and RYGB patients (P = 0.079), respectively, with the effect of treatment in multivariate analysis significant at P = 0.018. Daily hypoglycemic episodes during continuous glucose monitoring did not differ between groups (P = 0.75). Four of 59 RYGB subjects (6.8%) had 1 to 3 hospitalizations for symptomatic hypoglycemia vs 0 in SG. The static β-cell glucose sensitivity index increased after both treatments (P < 0.001), but the dynamic β-cell glucose sensitivity index increased significantly in SG (P = 0.008) and decreased in RYGB (P = 0.004 for time × treatment interaction). Whole-body insulin sensitivity increased about 10-fold in both groups.

Hi, I am Type 1 on a pump and have a date for Surgery in January 2015, I'm having the gastric by pass , any ideas on how to keep blood sugars normal after the op? Bit worried about having a lot of hypos as I won't be eating many Carbs

I am hypo and have pcos. I am going in tomorrow. I have been struggling for 15 years with all of this. Looking forward to the future!!!

@proud3bme Thank you for your response. My surgeon said it's not uncommon for WLS patients to have "reactive hypoglycemia" from eating carbs. He said to avoid carbs. BUT...that's the thing, I haven't been eating them. Yesterday I had 9 g of carbs and that would be typical for me at this point due to the restricted diet they have me on. So he's not right...it's not reactive hypoglycemia (I researched it)...he was no help. I think I'm going to add in a few more complex carbs each time I eat from nutrient dense foods like sweet potatoes. Maybe that will help. I drank 1/2 of a Protein shake before bed and it didn't help at all.

I had my surgery in March and had hypothyroidism for 24 years and was on 100 mcg of synthroid. After losing 45 lbs in the first three months o went from hypo to hyperthyroid so doctor has taken me off synthroid completely. Just had blood work again last week and TSH and others thyroid levels are perfect. Just stay in contact with your doctor if you start feeling sluggish or have mental fog after losing some of your weight. I am thrilled that my metabolism has reset and I no longer need synthroid 🙂

@AuthorLizzy thanks so much for your insight. I really feel motivated now ! thank you so much ! i will be " following you '' and your journey for sure. Can you give me some tips please ? do you know any others who have hypo and wls surgery that has lost slower also ? congrats and blessings on everything !! here is my personal email address also smaries_21@yahoo.com thank you!😍😍

I went from Hyper thyroid to Hypo thyroid now. Last year I was diagnosed with Graves disease, was severely Hyper thyroid. Yes, my WLS surgeon and his endocrinologist picked up on it. My WLS had to be put on hold. Had Radioactive Iodine last August 2015, went Hypo thyroid December 2015. On Thyroxine since January 2016. At least it is only one tiny tablet per day, versus 16-20 I had to take daily, when I was Hyper thyroid! Both Hyper and Hypo suck! I am also concerned re: slower weight loss now. I am 24 days post op, so too early to see re my weight loss. I know, it is no good to compare myself with other people. I am glad that I can connect with other Thyroid members

The three most important elements after weight loss surgery are to meet your daily Protein, Fluid and Vitamin requirements. food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. You are at least 10 weeks post-op. If you can't keep Water down, you may have a stricture. If you are unable to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements, you need to seek medical attention and resolve the issue. Your problems may be caused by dehydration. They may be caused by a lack of Vitamins and minerals. It may be caused by reactive hypoglycemia. The fact that you were dizzy and took soda (sugar) rested and then felt better does point towards reactive hypoglycemia but you may have a whole slew of problems to deal with.

mine isn't chronic, but I was experiencing occasional reactive hypoglycemia (RH) when I got to be about two years out (it'd hit me about two hours or so after eating - not all the time, but enough that i knew something was going on and had a complete work-up). My PCP recommended eating something about every three hours - preferably a protein - and if I DID eat a carb, to be sure to pair it with a protein. Seems to have helped - I rarely have that issue anymore. btw - if yours is due to RH, that's not unheard of with bypass (not sure about the mini version of bypass, though...)

Wow, long time since I've posted. Winter has gotten the best of me, was diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and its time to get the winter weight off. Will post later when I have more time, just wanted to reactivate my journal!

Hey yall! I've been hovering in the background for a few weeks now. But, today's the day the journey starts, so I figured it was time to post. I've battled with weight issues my entire life, but didn't pack on the pounds until my freshman year in college, where I gained over 100lbs my first year. After that I've been steadily gaining ever since, with my peak weight being a few months ago at 370lbs. My ex Husband passed away suddenly in August, and as terrible as that was, I think it was the wake up call I needed. Since then, I've managed to lose about 15lbs on my own, but have stalled since then. I met with my surgeon this past Friday to start the 6 months supervised weight loss, and am looking at September or October for surgery. Today we start the weight loss program the surgeon suggested. 1200 calories a day. Wow. My concerns are more with excess skin and hair loss. My hair is super thin, so I'm worried about losing all of it after surgery. So, just dropped like $75 on Biotin, Vitamin e with collagen cream, Multivitamins etc. Does anyone have any suggestions on the Protein drinks? There are so many options I don't even know how to pick the right one!!! Any suggestions on preventing hair loss and excess skin? I'd like to be proactive rather than reactive on these issues if possible!

It is common for some patients that undergo gastric bypass to experience a condition called Reactive Hypoglycemia. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778 So I do not know if this is common for gastric sleeve patients. But I would agree with GibbsGirl that this is the area that I would explore.

Thanks for this! My daughter has been diagnosed with adhd autism spectrum v. Severe reactive attachment disorder. Ocd anxiety to name a few. I stress eat, so in the last 8 years. Since she came to live with us, i have put on 75 pounds. I need the sleeve as a tool to help me remember to eat reasonable portions and think about what I put in my mouth. The moe stress the more i eat the worse i feel a out mself which stresses me out more. I need to stop the cycle, i need to feel better about myself, feel healthier so I can tackle this lifetime commitment befor me. I am just now sitting in the psychiTrists waiting room in an emergency visit as my daughter appears to be decompensating.

No he's not, I've been thinking about seeing one occasionally.Though I don't feel like it is necessary an finding one in my area that will take my insurance is a problem for me. I did discuss this with my doctor though and he says whenever I would like he will send out a list of those near by. I wouldnt mind seeing one mostly because I feel it would be a little more easing being diagnosed by a pysch. I do not feel I have depression (something I struggled with long ago) an which is what the new med is for though he stated it was for hypo.. but! I am hoping my symptoms are from anxiety and that it will help me with that atleast. :/