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What are the privacy issues with these tests? The companies offering these tests largely make their money not from doing the tests, but from selling the genetic information to other companies interested in having access to large genetic databases. Almost 50 percent of the firms that sell you your ancestry information turn around and sell your genetic information to some other company. Often these are pharmaceutical companies trying to understand how variations in certain sections of the human genome may be useful in drug development. (Certain drugs may not function as well in a person carrying certain mutations, so the companies want to find the frequency of these mutations in the population.) Only about 10 percent of the companies that offer ancestry tests destroy your original sample; the vast majority hold onto your sample or sell it. So it’s not just the data, but your actual your saliva, that’s being shopped around. The companies offering testing services often go up for sale, and their privacy policies typically indicate that they bear no responsibility for your privacy once the company is sold—anything you signed is not reliable anymore. Many of the companies have privacy policies that state they can be changed at any time without notifying previous signers. In effect, you need to keep in contact with the company and keep yourself up-to-date on its policy. How many people are going to do that? There’s also a lot of concern that even though your name is not listed on the database, when the data is sold to somebody, the records can be de-anonymized. It has happened before—people have been able to take genetic information with no name on it and, through other databases, find the name associated with that genetic material. https://now.tufts.edu/articles/pulling-back-curtain-dna-ancestry-tests The kicker for me is how accurate is it really though?

I know there are hundreds of posts about stalls... However, mine is now really bothering me. I have been stalled, bouncing between the same 3 lbs for a month now. I’m only 4 1/2 months post op. I have been getting my 60+ grams of protein, I’ve been getting my 70 oz of water, if I eat a carb it because I have a little room left and it’s a healthy carb. I’m exercising 2-3 times a week cardio and doing weights every day at home. I take my vitamins. I am beyond frustrated and want to cry. I was on a great steady pace the first 3 months, averaging 10 lbs a month. Everyone keeps saying take advantage of this first 6-12 months...it’s hard to stay positive when you feel like you’ve lost one of those months. Any help would be so appreciated.

And much Good Wishes being sent your way! May 2019 be the year where dreams come true😝🍀😝

My surgery is set for the beginning of the year 2019 has got to be a better year than this last year. Everything so far is going So smooth.. I have everything in check and in line. My date is 01/15/19 at 1pm that is the time of my surgery. I will have my two oldest daughters with me to cheer me on and support me while my husband preps every thing at the house with the school age kids..lol ..lots of love in my family .. I have a great support from my best friend and my family its wonderful.. But ill see what it's like after the fact..dduntdundun Sent from my LG-H918 using BariatricPal mobile app

Well it’s too much going on I don’t have proper nutritionist nor my surgeron noone it’s now all left to state hospital so i was in hospital due to bleeding they didn’t find reason everything everywhere healing great as they say, but now my haemoglobin 85, potassium 3,2 but i am on a lot of it as meds i take omeprosol vit d3, kreon, and potassium now still in a limbo with my bp meds, oh and thyroid medicine, I don’t know if i am eating right as dieticians didn’t explain me properly anything so i am just eating food, every time i have to lay down after food as i feel heartbeat all over my body, then stomach rumble and 8/10 will be diarrhoea with partly digested food. So in hospital dieticians allowed me to eat soft food but chew it very well, that’s what i do but still maybe it is too fast I don’t know anyway dad says my digestive system needs to adapt and then it will go... but this is just guessing. I lost 35 kilos already, mostly muscle.. so i am so weak that I hardly can get up stairs but they won’t allow me to do much physical activity as they afraid of my bleeding. Endocrinologist in hospital told me that after removal that tumour everything should change as this is amount of cortisol makes me so weak... I don’t know what to think and what’s going to be but here we go, i think my body is in too big stress or even shock at the moment

Since surgery on 11/26 (23 days) I've lost 11 lbs. I went through a 2 week stall though, so I try not to think of it post surgery. I started trying to lose weight on 10/17 and since then I've lost 32 lbs - that's 16 lbs a month, which I'm ecstatic about! Biggest change I've noticed is that hygiene is easier (I have an autoimmune condition that gives me a lot of back inflammation, but changing my diet has helped that tremendously) - I can twist easier. Majorly life changing. Also, even drained from surgery, I notice more energy when I'm running errands AND - I have more energy to clean my house! It actually feels fun/rewarding now instead of feeling painful and like a chore 😊

How much has everyone lost? I’ve lost 19 lbs in 22 days and am feeling great. No more huffing and puffing around. I have tons of energy and am starting to feel attractive again. What are some positives everyone else is noticing?

I myself am 10 days out and my drinking liquids has gotten faster as well. But I have to force myself. I get full fast!! And stay that way. Good luck on the journey.

I hear ya ,I Feel the same way I'm 10 days out myself and i feel as if i drink way to much way to fast ,i never feel full and I have cheated on my stage alot Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

*Bursts In* Am I Late? No? Good because this is my type of party 🎉🌈👏🎉👍 Welcome to the club, we get Jackets in spring of 2019, membership dues are 10 packets of WholeEarth sweetener, we meet by the Food Before and After Photos thread around lunch.

So long as you can drink without pain, you're fine. At 10 days out, a lot of people can drink normally. Don't gulp, but drinking faster than sipping is fine.

Omg this is me!!! I had a tubal and ablation in 2011. Pcos for 25+ yrs. Life was great. Bypass in August 2 days after surgery period heavy like I was a teenager for 7-8 days straight. Sept same thing. Oct same thing but then......10 days after October's stopped I started spotting and that continued until November's started for another 8 days. 2 days after it stopped spotting again until December's started. Went to gyn last week. Make it stop!!!!! Did blood work. Did ultrasound waiting for official results but Cysts still on ovaries. On 10 days of Provera then on birth control again. Dr days not enough studies to show results for repeat ablation. Talked about uterine artery embolization. I researched later that had even more mixed results. Most of the things my pcos caused eg high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc have gone back to normal but cycles are just like they were in the beginning. I am having flashbacks to the early days of either no period or spotting constantly. I'm just happy right now on the Provera so things will stop being sore!!!!

And I had an endoscopy scheduled for December 28th with my Doctor Noria. OSU called and canceled it today. Apparently they want a good 6 weeks of TPN before they do another Look-See, so idiot have to return to Columbus until January 15th when I see Dr Needleman again. See I will be having 14 hours on, 10 hours off daily, must be doing me good?

I don’t get it. I had my 10 day checkup today and asked about scrambled eggs. The dietician said that’s not a possibility until week 4 after surgery. WHAT!!!!

I understand. But I’ll just say this - I had surgery 10/10/18 and my ONLY regret is I didn’t do it years ago. And I think you will find that most people feel the same way. Good luck!!

Feburary 2019. Omg! Now I'm getting nervous. But extremely excited. [emoji2] Sent from my LG-LS777 using BariatricPal mobile app

Ah I'm sure you won't, I still feel that way, I'm 14 weeks out today , actually been on this diet with a few modifications since I started my liver shrink August 1st, but then I am so special I shine, you wo t have the sorrows I have encountered. Few if any RnY do, still my 2 surgeons Dr Needleman and Dr Noria believe they can "fix" me, I believe in them, know they have my ultimate wellfare at 💓, we are in this the 3 of us until a victorious finish. No matter how long it takes I am staying the course! Currently have a PICC LINE in, being fed 14 hours a night, to ensure the ulcers that popped up post my surgery heal up, and I will retain this line until the proper time., even if it is well into 2019. Hey if you feel like talking more, or just need a friend, I'm here. Think of me as a Village Elder, if you like. But with all my personal pitfalls, I shall never regret my RnY, I believe it was a lifesaver for ME!😝🍀🙏

28lbs? I've lost 118 lbs. From a size 24 to a size 10!

Hi, New to this site, lap band to gastric sleeve scheduled for 02/18/2019.

I went from a sz 24 to a sz 10 in 7 months and now have bulimia. Im not sure if it's all worth it.

That’s a great idea though I’m not sure I could do it. I weigh myself every day (I know I’m crazy and obsessed - no need to tell me - LOL!) I’m only 10 weeks post-sleeve but I’m so nervous about gaining back any of the weight I’ve lost. I don’t freak if I stay the same (I had a 3 week stall) but I do NOT want to gain!! Maybe I could start slow and do every other day?!!! :)

Hi all, I had gastric bypass Jan 2018. Before my pre-surgery liquid diet I weighed 334lbs. Right now I am floating between 260-265lbs. I've been gaining and losing the same 5lbs since about May of 2018. I lift weights and am very aware of how to eat healthy, but lately I make bad choices about half the time. I believe this surgery has uncovered and made me aware of a food addiction, because I can't stop thinking about eating! I always knew i loved food, but never viewed it as an addiction until the ability to eat tons of it was taken away from me. While I'm eating, I'm thinking about what I'm going to eat next. I'm hungry all the time and despite having a tiny gastric bypass stomach I feel like a bottomless pit. I'll eat, and yes I get full quickly, but then 20 minutes later I feel hungry again. It scares me! 99% of the time I don't even have a drink in front of me when I eat so I know I'm not washing food through. I experienced "dumping" for the first few months but that mostly has gone away. I also had an internal hernia complication 3-4 months ago and had to have another surgery to correct it. I don't recommend it to anyone. It was quite painful! I'm not necessarily looking for advice on food addiction, it's something I am working on now. I've come here to ask for thoughts/opinions on a few other things that have been literally keeping me up at night. I'll probably ramble a bit so I'll put the main question of each thought in bold. 1) Have a I stretched my pouch? I've googled this a million times and can't find clear information on this. I've read that yes it's easy to stretch it. I've read that it's impossible to stretch it. My own surgeon and other doctors at his hospital have said conflicting things to me about it. If you're overeating all the time, does it take five weeks to stretch it out? Five months? Five years? I ask because I'd like to know if it's something I should even be thinking about at this stage. I don't know about the stoma stretching thing, because I do get full when I eat (albeit for not that long). I've read alot about the "pouch reset". Some swear by it. I've read doctor articles saying it's BS, and that you cannot shrink a stomach once it's stretched. I could see it helping mentally to re-acquaint you with the surgery, but I don't see how drinking liquid for a week or two can undo stretching. I digress. I just worry that 10-11 months out I have stretched my stomach irreparably and that's why I'm hungry all the time. 2) I've read that after a year, or 18-months if you're lucky, you are done losing weight. At least, the gastric bypass portion is done doing what it's going to do and anything beyond that is just eating right and exercise like everyone else. Biologically, does gastric bypass stop helping you after a year/18-months or can I still use it? I would hate to know that I pretty much wasted my time getting a life-altering surgery, and now I have to go back to trying to lose weight the regular way since it took me a surgery and year to finally realize I'm a food addict! 3) I recently read that if you get this surgery, you have to spend the rest of your life eating 900-1000 calories a day or you will gain your weight back, even if you exercise. I'm just curious what people's thoughts are, because I've read conflicting stuff about maintenance. And 900-1000 calories a day sounds extremely strict, beyond anything I was educated about before I got my surgery. In fact it's kind of depressing! I would hope that If I eat the same diet as my disciplined friend (who has a six-pack) and do the same workout he does that I'd be ok. I can't eat as much as he does in one sitting. If I beat my food addiction and just eat less than my friend, shouldn't I be ok? Please let me know your thoughts, it could help me in my quest to get my head straight! I'm afraid to go to my surgeon with this, because I feel like a huge failure and am embarrassed to go to my one-year followup and have them see I'm probably 3-5lbs heavier than six months ago. I've read through a few pages of posts (at least the subjects) to make sure i'm not just asking the same stuff 90 other people ask a day but don't see all that much that fit my exact situation. Thanks!

I was sweating bullets because I knew I had gained a few pounds over the Thanksgiving Holidays after my approval. Between the holiday and a couple of "Last Meals" I had put back on about 5 pounds but I had lost 20 in my 3 month weight loss period. He came in and started off by pointing out the weight gain and asked what was up. I told him and he was cool with it and said I would lose those 5 and several more after my 2 week clear liquids pre-op phase so it wasn't a huge deal to him. Btw, I not only lost those 5 but an additional 10!

Hey guys, a few months back I posted a message talking about how rude my gastric sleeve surgeon was to me. He told me I was a failure, there was nothing else he could do for me, maybe I could get on Medifast, he didn't have to see me again, among other things. I tried to explain to him, I never had the restriction I should have had with my sleeve. He preceded to tell me, people, who don't do what they are supposed to do always find excuses. Well, well, well, guess what! He's the one who didn't do what he was supposed to do. I was able to get in with one of the best bariatric surgeons in the state and he immediately set me up for an endoscopy and barium test. Both tests came back and showed what I knew all along, he left too much stomach in. I was a little nervous because I found out that my new doctor recently got in with the group of doctors with my old surgeon. I expressed my concerns with him. I asked him could he be fair and truthful, being that this other doctor was his partner now, in a sense. He preceded to tell me his patients come first and the test doesn't lie. My other concern was how would I handle this. I knew my insurance plan didn't pay for revision surgery and I knew I couldn't pay out of pocket, but why should I when the proof was right there in black and white, that he didn't do what he was supposed to do. After I calmed down and allowed a cooler head to prevail, I spoke with my doctor about what could be done. He told me to let his office handle the insurance company, once he shows them my test results and he let them know why I need revision surgery, he believes that would get me approved for the revision surgery. The first letter came back and it was denied, but a few days later I got my approval letter! My revision surgery is January 21, 2019. I'm now in talks with the hospital, I told them I shouldn't have to pay again for something their doctor didn't do correctly. To me, this is an open and shut case of malpractice, but all I want is my surgery done correctly and to let his group know what he did. I put in a formal complaint with BC/BS and with the hospital on him. What would you guys do? Would you be happy with getting your surgery over or would you pursue a malpractice case?

You've lost almost 90 pounds in three months! That's amazing! I'm *almost* two months and have only lost 32. (The other 10 lbs it shows was pre-op) I wish I were you! You'll get through this stall and keep on keeping on!