Hi everyone who is having surgery in October 2014. We can start a new topic for those of us who have had surgery already.

This is the spot were we will all end up, were we'll share our stories and recovery. It will be a new dawn for so many of us. Let's stay close as united we will conquer anything that comes our way!

BEST WISHES GLADIATORS

Yep, B12 deficiency (others too, I think it's B1 but I can't remember for sure) is very serious stuff. The sad part is people don't realize it until it is too late and irreversible damage to the brain has happened. Early symptoms are not that alarming or obvious. RNY patients are at high risk and that's why we have to monitor our blood for the rest of our lives. I was told at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. Then every 6 months after that. However, once the supplement/vitamin regimen provided a stable blood situation and I was confident that I wouldn't forget to take my pills. I could go to once a year. If things are up and down getting to the once a year may take a while. Obviously, the goal is to take vitamins/supplements and whatever is needed to maintain a blood sample in the normal stable range. Unfortunately, people forget to take their supplements and assume because they eat fruits and vegetables all is well. Our food absorption is reduced due to the small stomach that can't digest as well and the shorter intestine that can't absorb as much. A good diet does help but we cannot afford to think that's enough. At least not until we have several years of maintenance under our belts. I was specifically asked, are you willing to take supplements and have your blood tested for the rest of your life? If you are not this surgery is not for you.

I totally agree, the benefits of this surgery definitely outweigh the thorn in our sides having to keep an eye on our vitamin levels for the rest of our lives!

Monday meal plan

B- premier Protein shake chocolate 11oz

S- yoplait greek yogurt key lime pie 5oz

L- hormel chili Beans with mexi cheese 1/2 cup

S- 1/2 bar Quest Cookies cream

D- leftover green chili stew Rudys bbq 1/4 cup

Week of 16 wks after RNY GBS

OMG I made blender flourless sugar free banana chocolate chip peanut butter mini muffins!!!! I ate 1 and completely satisfied!!!

189, that's awesome!!!

My hematologist told me that of you are b12 deficient and don't monitor it properly, you could end up in the ER. It affects the red blood cells, but it also really affects the nervous system. It can paralyze you, your muscles stop working, you pass out, can't walk, talk, eat. He said he's had gastric bypass patients before that were in that situation, they ended up in the hospial, because they didn't know enough to have their levels checked every 6 months. Crazy!

Symptoms

Symptoms tend to develop slowly and may not be recognized immediately. As the condition worsens, common symptoms include:

Weakness and fatigue

Light-headedness and dizziness

Palpitations and rapid heartbeat

Shortness of breath

A sore tongue that has a red, beefy appearance

Nausea or poor appetite

Weight loss

Diarrhea

Yellowish tinge to the skin and eyes

If low levels of B12 remain for a long time, the condition also can lead to irreversible damage to nerve cells, which can cause the following symptoms:

Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet

Difficulty walking

Muscle weakness

Irritability

Memory loss

Dementia

Depression

Psychosis

human

Holy crap!! I'll be asking about that for sure tomorrow.

OMG I made blender flourless sugar free banana chocolate chip Peanut Butter mini muffins!!!! I ate 1 and completely satisfied!!!

Please share the recipe on that one.

My hair is sooooo thin, and still comin out strong. I am so tempted to shave it off, and let it all just grow back in together. But if I am doing that, I want to go ahead and do it now so it will have grown back in before the summer. I would prolly do hats and do rags, maybe try a wig, I just hate this and for some reason it is extra oily so feel like i need to wash it daily if not twice a day depending on what my plans are. I guess less hair to absorb my oily scalp makes it seem so much oilier.

Lastly, just made a new treat for me tonight. 1/2 premier protien chocolate drink, half a frozen banana and a no sugar added fudgesicle, blended into the best smoothy I have had. The BOMBBBB!!!

Please share the recipe on that one.

My hair is sooooo thin, and still comin out strong. I am so tempted to shave it off, and let it all just grow back in together. But if I am doing that, I want to go ahead and do it now so it will have grown back in before the summer. I would prolly do hats and do rags, maybe try a wig, I just hate this and for some reason it is extra oily so feel like i need to wash it daily if not twice a day depending on what my plans are. I guess less hair to absorb my oily scalp makes it seem so much oilier.

Lastly, just made a new treat for me tonight. 1/2 premier protien chocolate drink, half a frozen banana and a no sugar added fudgesicle, blended into the best smoothy I have had. The BOMBBBB!!!

Omg the hair loss is crazy here too! I was just saying to my bf, please don't let me cook for anyone for a while, I'm so afraid my hair will get in it! I'm finding strands everywhere!!! I take Biotin every day as well, but it's not helping much. And my hair is also extra oily for whatever reason too! So weird!

Omg the hair loss is crazy here too! I was just saying to my bf, please don't let me cook for anyone for a while, I'm so afraid my hair will get in it! I'm finding strands everywhere!!! I take biotin every day as well, but it's not helping much. And my hair is also extra oily for whatever reason too! So weird!

its crazy I'm thinning at the temples and I am stressing about the way my forehead looks.

Best Protein shake mix out there.

https://shop.bariatriceating.com/Bariatric-ProteinPowder_c_7.html

Yield: about 17 mini muffins chocolate Chip Banana Peanut Butter sugar free mini muffins flourless
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 8 to 9 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium ripe banana, peeled
1 large egg
heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I recommend using classic storebought peanut butter, and not natural or homemade)
3 tablespoons honey (agave or maple syrup may be substituted) i used sugar free maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
heaping 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips i used sugar free hersheys mini chocolate chips

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare mini muffin pans by spraying very well with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pans; set aside. If keeping gluten-free for health reasons, simply use cooking spray or grease the pan.
2.To the canister of a blender, add first 7 ingredients, through optional salt, and blend on high speed until smoothy and creamy, about 1 minute.
3.Add chocolate chips and stir in by hand; don't use the blender because it will pulverize them.
4.Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop that's been sprayed with cooking spray (helps batter slide off spoon or scoop easily), form rounded 1 tablespoon mounds and place mounds into prepared pans. Each cavity should be filled to a solid 3/4 full.
5.Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the tops are set, domed, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Due to their small size and oven variance, make sure to watch your muffins closely, and bake until done. Allow muffins to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, or until they've firmed up and are cool enough to handle. Muffins are best fresh, but will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Enjoy!!!!

Omg the hair loss is crazy here too! I was just saying to my bf, please don't let me cook for anyone for a while, I'm so afraid my hair will get in it! I'm finding strands everywhere!!! I take biotin every day as well, but it's not helping much. And my hair is also extra oily for whatever reason too! So weird!

My hair is coming out in insane amounts as well. Just remember - I find myself reminding others often that biotin only helps REGROWTH. It does not prevent hair from falling out. Once hair is in the shedding phase nothing will stop it. So keep taking it knowing your hair skin and nails will be in the best shape possible in the long term ❤️

_{I'm using a shampoo that promotes hair thickening, regrowth along with Biotin. I'm losing a lot too. I'll look at the name of it tonight. It's not over the counter. It's from a hair salon. My BF was using it first and I could see a difference in his hair within just a couple weeks, so when I started losing a lot I started using it as well. We'll see!}

All of these Protein powders/ recipes look so good, but I have tried and tried to drink Protein shakes, but honestly, they fill me up TOO MUCH! I am uncomfortable the rest of the day if I drink one??! What is up with that?? I just made a little 4oz one even, and I was still over full.

I seem to do better with food I guess. I had a "taco salad" for Breakfast this morning with left over taco fixings that we had last night.

I did this a few weeks ago with left over taco stuff. I ate it for breakfast for about 4 or 5 days. :-)

Thank you!

Question to All Gladiators!

For several weeks now.. I have been nausea and vomiting free! Today,I ate ky normal egg beater for breakfast,and I became mauseated. Then I ate one chicken wing without the skin and im sick to mu stomach!

Any ideas? I really thought inwas over the nausea hump! This sucks!

For what it's worth, most folks who have RNY eventually have to "power through" the nausea from fatty or too sweet or too dry foods. They eat even smaller portions, and rely on protein shakes, etc. One other reason we progress through stages after surgery is so we can go back to one or more of those and know we'll still get some nourishment. Stay with it. Keep doing the program. Stay in touch with your surgeons group and us, and you'll succeed!