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I have hypo too- I have lost fairly steadily since being banded Nov. 2009. My levels have been where they should be. My doc. wants to keep an eye on it though- he said dosage is weight related.

I am hypo and was banded in feb 2010 and have lost only 26 pounds....its super frustrating because I work out and eat right for the most part and have decent restriction...i take 100 mcg of synthroid and just recently had my levels checked and they are fine...

I'm supposed to eat 4 oz every hour. I can't, it's too much in one shot. So I eat 2 oz every half hour. For the food portion, I Water down Campbells broccoli and cheese. I make a big pot (1 can-skim milk based) and put it in the fridge. Then when I need some, I just measure out my 2 oz. Because it cools quick, I make it nice and hot and eat with a spoon. For my powder I do: 8 oz skim milk 8 oz Crystal Lite Orange (sugar free Tang is even better, if you can find it.) 2 scoops whey vanilla (contains 60g protein) purchased at Walmart. BLEND WELL. Chill a tray of orange ice cubes. Either drink (or nurse )4 oz ever few hours, or nurse an 8 oz glass half the day, and the other, the second half. The orange ice cubes help keep the taste going, and it really takes like an orange smoothie. I'm sure other Crystal Lite Flavors would substitute well, like strawberry. OH and I keep a diary so I don't forget. Weird, before the lapband, I could get up in the morning and not even think about food until 6 hours later. Now, I'm HUNGRY. I guess it's completely psychological. As a large person I knew I was supposed to eat three meals a day to keep up a good metabolism (and mind is sluggish and hypo), but I just couldn't bring myself to doing it. BUT was forced to to keep that diary and eat all those meals to prepare for the surgery. Now that I'm used to eating all day, going liquid sure is hard. I feel that I just need to immerse myself in some work and I'll forget how hungry I am all the time. So that when I set the timer to remind me to eat, I'll be pleasantly happy OR maybe disillusional.:eek:

As reassuring as it is to know that we are all in this 'left shoulder boat' I am concerned about it. It had all but subsided after day 4 and the day (day 6) that I had my drain removed, it came searing back at that very moment. I'll try to walk more and I'm keeping up with the Tylenol and ice pack but, wow, does it hurt. Same exact place that you've described (in the joint). Maybe the drain being pulled out somehow 'reactivated' the nerve irritation that had subsided?? Any thoughts or support would be appreciated, Amy )

I am dealing with tjis too. My dr dx it as RHG its called Reactive Hypoglycemia. It comes on from losing weight and malabsorption. Whenever eating a carb i have to have protein to balance it out. An by carbs i mean even in fruits veggies an such. If you gpogle RHG it gives tons of info HTH

They can be caused by reactive hypoglycemia, which I have found is common in WLS patients that are 18+ months out. Mine are not menopause (hysterectomy 5 yrs ago) and the docs did a bunch of tests to rule out cancer. I final started tweaking my diet and have figured out how to get rid if them.

I think that would be pretty rare. Some people develop reactive hypoglycemia (I emphasize SOME people - certainly nowhere near everyone!!), but you usually just get dizzy with that, and you can prevent that by eating something every 3-4 hours and really limiting (or avoiding) sugar. But totally passing out would be very unusual. Plus I'm not even sure her passing out is related to weight loss surgery in the first place. And like the above person said, it could be that she was dehydrated and eating way too few calories, too. Hard to say without a lot more info. edited to add that in answer to your question, no, it is not normal. If it were, we'd hear about that all the time on here. I don't even remember if I've ever heard that at all in the four (??) years I've been on this forum.

If I don't eat enough Protein I drink a protein juice drink. I like the flavor and it is from Syntrax....nector. They have some cool flavors. I also have protein meals from Blissfull Wellness. I like their hot chocolate. They range from 15 to 30 g of protein per serving. I have just found out that I am reactive Hypoglycemic so now instead of eating 4 times a day I have to try to eat 3 meals and 3 Snacks. I had no idea that I could get that but they said they did not want to tell me because why add another thing onto what I have already have..But like me I got it so they say.LOL I drink 64 oz of Water a day. Ii love water and when it gets closer to summer I will drink more....I can't handle boiled eggs. They are too dense for me so I eat scrambled. Weird to be able to eat it one way but not another. I try very hard to make food interesting and different as much as possible. I eat so many different kinds of things now. Except. Beef it hates me. Pork does not care for me either. But I eat a lot of Beans and legumes, peas, nuts and seeds like squirrels do..lol If I am shopping it takes me forever to buy food because I always look for salt content. Calories and amount of protein. Their are a lot of tasty recipes on Pinterest for salads and healthy meals that look and taste great. I never count calories and I eat very slow....I sometimes can eat more then I need and other times I can't eat much. But I put a plate together. Protein, veggies and carb and I always eat the protein first. Then the veggies and last but not least the carbs. I am a true believer that we need everything in our diets as we live in the real world. But in moderation and balance..... Hope this is what you were looking for.....

The following abbreviations are commonly used on this website: ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliary Pancreatic Diversion bs = blood sugar btw = by the way C25K = Couch Potato to Running 5K CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray DDD = degenerative disc disease Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band LES = lower esophageal sphincter lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine MFP = my fitness pal msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-Scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive Sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PICC= Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight

I have a 8 year old stepdaughter that lives with us half the time. She is 4'7" and weighs 113lbs. (Hubby and I have only been married a year so I'm still adjusting to my new role.) I've expressed a huge concern about her weight at such a young age. We've discussed it with her mother but she feels like we are making a mountain out of a mole hill. (We don't discuss it with the daughter, just me, hubby, and her mom.) I wonder if I am not overly sensitive and reactive to it because of the way I grew up being fat. I want so badly to "fix" this in my stepdaughter so she won't have to deal with all of the cruelness that comes with being overweight. I've always sworn that I would NEVER let my kids get too big. Do you think I worry about it more than I should? In a way I feel like a hypocrite because I am trying to help control her portion sizes and food choices and exercise and then I look at myself. I didn't do a very good job of those things pre-band. The last thing I want to do is make her self-conscious about her weight and expose her to eating disorders and low self-esteem. But how do you get it under control with a delicate touch?

Am having open rny on Jan 20 I have hypo thyroid. This makes losing weight really hard. Does anyone else have thyroid and can I still expect to lose regularly with only an occasional plateau?

I just love this thread! I am pre band and also have hypothyroidism. I have lost almost 40 lbs over the past year just trying to get approved for the band and it has been incredibly hard, but I haven't given up. I always come here and read all these posts from the "hypo bandster" and y'all keep me going! I just wanted to say THANK YOU ALL for sharing.

I didn't think sleeve patients got it either, but who knows. Maybe some do but it's just not that common? Or it may not even have anything to do with your sleeve - I think even non-WLS people can get reactive hypoglycemia.

late dumping syndrome is reactive hypoglycemia (also known as postprandial hypoglycemia). It's not that uncommon in RNY patients - I don't know about sleeve patients. It seems to start when you're a couple years out.

Exactly this! Now I literally eat what ever I want because I exercise a lot. Early on, my cravings were for protein, fruits, and veggies. I do not eat much in the way of concentrated sugars at this point, due to reactive hypoglycemia, (said as I munch on some teddy Graham’s). 🤦🏼‍♀️With that said, I am in maintenance, ran 4 miles today, and do not want to lose weight. In maintenance, you can eat foods you want to eat providing they do not make you physically ill or cause you to gain unwanted weight.

MichiganChic got it right. So that being said, I'll going to address a few things I learned with whatever medical resources I have. Please note that I have a local medical school with the best librarians in the world, and I use those resources a lot. I realized I don't have all of them on me, so I'll go this weekend and get specific references. Always pays to ask your doctor as the references I have come to 2 different conclusions (regarding Protein binding of calcium, whether or not its charged on the negative areas or truely is free of the protein molecule itself). I'll try to keep to the "lighter" end of things so you get useful info rather than a lot of scientific snooze material (or as my sister calls it, my reading & video material). Calcium: Several ways calcium can be measured: Serum blood Ionized Urine (24 hour collection) Differences between blood levels and ionized levels is serum blood calcium (what you find in a BMP (basic metabolic panel)) is your total calcium level, whereas the ionized calcium is the free in plasma type only. ** My sources differ on this** Serum blood calcium measures calcium that is attached to albumin/globulins or Proteins AND the free or ionized calcium in plasma OR it attaches to the negative charged sites on protein OR it is bound to proteins, bound to anions, and free/ionized. Parathyroid hormone & Vitamin D regulate your calcium. However, the kidneys assist in getting rid of the excess, so if they are not functioning right, you can find this out by doing urine studies. Many molecules attach to proteins or other blood particles and use them as a sort of "ferry" to get to where they need to be. If you have problems with abnormal levels of proteins like albumin or globulin, this may be one reason you need ionized levels checked. I'll list some items here that would be pertinent to us. Normal ionized calcium levels with high total calcium levels is called pseudohypercalcemia. It can happen due to hyperalbuminemia (basically an edema type condition where the Fluid leaks from your cells surrounding the tissue) or excess Vitamin D. Normal ionized calcium levels with low total calcium levels is called pseudohypocalcemia. It can happen due to hypoalbuminemia from liver/kidney disease. Low ionized calcium levels with low total calcium levels can happen due to parathyoid issues, Vitamin D/Magnesium deficiencies, and high phosphate levels. High ionized calcium levels with normal total calcium levels can happen due to hypoalbuminemia, parathyoid disorders, or acidosis. High ionized calcium levels with high total calcium levels can happen due to parathyroid issues. I'll stay away from high levels because lower levels would make more sense to us, excess Vitamins A & D would probably be the main causes for us. If you have lower levels, hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption, osteo types of problems, but mostly Vitamin D deficiency would be the big issues. Increases in pH levels in the blood, aka alkalosis, will cause more of the calcium to bind to the protein molecules and will decrease your ionized calcium levels. Decreased in Ph levels in the blood, aka acidosis, causes less of the calcium to bind to the protein molecules and will increase the free calcium levels. I add this due to authors' interest, as since the surgery, metabolic acidosis and alkalosis seem to be my buddies. Acidosis in the hospital after the surgery, alkalosis doing a number of endurance athletic competitions. When you get these tests done, make sure to review things such as your other electrolyte levels, PTH levels, Vitamin D, and phosphorus & magnesium. A change in this electrolyte can cause or be influenced by changes in other electrolytes. Calcium is excreted out of the body in urine and feces (a few other things but those are the most important). An increase in pH, alkalosis, promotes increased protein binding, which decreases free calcium levels. Acidosis, on the other hand, decreases protein binding, resulting in increased free calcium levels. Total calcium measurements, as you've seen, can be misleading. If you have hypoalbuminemia, you will have normal ionized calcium levels but total calcium levels decrease. There are ways to compensate for that, what I cheat and do is look online for the medical calculators. If you have kidney or low bicarbonate or serum albumin levels, you should measure the ionized free calcium to diagnose hypo/hypercalcemia. A few of the reasons to test the ionized calcium would be liver or kidney issues, abnormal total calcium issues, parathyroid issues, numbness or muscle spasms around the mouth, hands or feet. Drugs that can increase your ionized calcium levels would be things like thyroxine. Drugs that can decrease your ionized calcium levels would be things like heparin, epinephrine, alcohol. Urine tests measure how much calcium gets excreted out by the kidneys. It can look for problems with the parathyroid glands or the kidneys, or to check and see where the body is getting calcium from. Normal levels for urine calcium can be anywhere from 100-150 to 300. A calcium free diet goes from 5-40, low diets are 50-100 or 150. High levels can be caused by kidney issues, taking too much calcium, too much parathyroid hormone, and very high Vitamin D levels. Low levels can be caused by too little parathyroid hormone, low Vitamin D levels, and not enough calcium and/or malabsorption. If you show up with higher levels of serum calcium, lower levels of urine calcium, and possible bone loss changes, what is happening is that your body is leeching calcium from the bones (bone loss), causing the higher levels of blood calcium, the kidneys are holding on to the little bit you have and not urinating it out (low urine calcium).

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! 🤣

I agree with the suggestion about seeing a nutritionist. Perhaps the calories you're taking in aren't quite the right kind for you. I do notice that for me, the scale moves lower if I eat more...but only if it's good calories (Proteins with a very few whole wheat carbs). Keep track of your foods religiously for a couple weeks before you see the nutritionist so s/he can pinpoint where things could change. I love the app Lose It, but others prefer My Fitness Pal. Good luck!! you'll get there!! ETA: PS I am hypo too and so far my meds haven't changed since having the lap band. Are you taking them in the morning on an empty stomach (no meals for 30min to an hr)? For the first year of taking Levothyroxine, I didn't know that you had to do that. I take it right when I wake up before my shower and morning routine.

It really depends on your body. Sugar may cause dumping. About a year out, it's becoming more common to develop reactive hypoglycemia. If either happens, you'll be avoiding sugar. I don't have dumping so I eat things with sugar. I find I don't feel like more than a few bites and then I'm done. Not like before where I'd stuff my face on sweet stuff.

To the OP: I think you've got your research straight and your head on straight about this. I would not have chosen the bypass route for myself. I started at 235 pounds and am 5'5". Didn't want or need lifelong malabsorption, anemia, potential reactive hypoglycemia, or more potential complications. Go for the sleeve. Only one little caveat -- is everyone but you in your neighborhood getting a bypass because the local surgeon has a lot more bypass surgery experience and not so much sleeve experience? If that's the case, I'd be a little nervous. What you want is a surgeon who has beaucoups experience and success doing the surgery YOU will have. Just a thought.

Yeah I see a lot of people say they only had to do a few days before and my doc nutritionists is scary the daylights out if us saying if we have anything at all then there will be stomach residue which makes me think then how do other people only do a few days. Doesn't make sense to me. I Have lost 5 pounds in 4 days. But I have reactive hypoglycemia and the nausea and headaches are killing me.

not my doctor! I have hypo thyroid and pcos....was banded 5/20....goodluck!

So I am one of the unlucky ones who gets reactive hypoglycemia. It is not fun and I am still trying to figure out the combination of foods that cause if for me. I have had it happen about 12 times since surgery 20 months ago. When it comes on, you don't even realize it is happening until it is almost too late. I suddenly don't feel right, I start shaking and I crash very fast. It takes a lot to get my sugars back to normal. I was a very controlled diabetic before surgery. I will usually have a Protein shake for break fast but occasionally I like a small bowl of cream of wheat. On the days I have that cream of wheat I have to be very careful eating some protein within an hour of the cream of wheat. If I don't do that I am almost guaranteed a episode. Once you have an episode it is very difficult to get control of it without eating more carbs all day long so the trick is never getting there in the first place. I had an episode last week and looking back at why, I know my carbs were higher than normal and my body simply does not like that. It is a very scary condition and if it gets too severe and you don't figure out what causes it, the only cure is having your bypass reversed which is absolutely not a solution for me. So, I have to be diligent about eating right and checking your sugar the minute you feel weird. Last week when I felt it I tested my sugar and I was at 43. Scary! I hope you figure out what might be causing your situation. Make sure you get to the bottom of it so you don't break your face!

That is so wonderful that you have such great control of your diabetes. Are you a Type 1? I'm just curious because most diabetics (T2's) go into remission. That isn't to say that they still wouldn't have a reactive hypoglycemia happen if they ate just a carb with no protein follow up. I am T2 and still wearing my pump, however my numbers are behaving much better than they were prior to surgery. Actually, aside from the weight I gained from insulin use and not being able to drop it, and the horrible insulin resistance I have is why I had this surgery done. Keeping my fingers crossed that at some point the insulin will not be needed. I'm only 3 weeks out, and I've been diabetic for over 21 years, so it may take the weight loss to lower the insulin resistance. I'll be patient; I have no choice. But, much happier that I'm not pumping in tons of insulin with my numbers staying high anymore.

Gold and silver are softer and therefore more porous on a microscopic level, and can "pit", meaning bacteria or other irritants can cling to them. They can also flake off into the open wound, and are more reactive with body fluids. They're generally fine for a healed piercing (which can take a few weeks to several months depending on what kind of piercing it is), but because they're not as hard and non-reactive as something like surgical steel or titanium. I worked, unfortunately, at a Claire's in a mall for several years when I was in college, and I know that stores like that push gold as being "safer" when really it is "more profitable". I had nothing but problems with piercings done in gold with a piercing gun. I have since gotten SEVERAL more piercings done with a single-use hollow needle at a piercing parlor, and have had none of the same issues. The right establishment should almost feel like a medical office.