Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss: Meet others & Share

Hello, I had
I had RouxenY bariatric surgery eight days ago. This is my first day of taking vitamins. I set up a schedule and used a weekly pill holder.
I am still on a liquid diet, but it doesn’t need to be clear liquids anymore. So my three medicine cups of food consisted of:
I medicine cup of applesauce(no sugar added)
2 medicine cups of zero fat Greek yogurt
dash of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of premier protein caramel flavor.
Approximately a total of 7 g protein
I ate at my kitchen table using a small bowl.
I savored eating it slowly about 45 minutes(1st semi real food in 3 weeks)
deliziosa
Credit goes to all the specialist that provide me with all the support and tools I learned in my classes to help me on my journey.
Thank you all

@klch
Congratulation, great job. Hard to give any suggestions because sounds like your doing everything right. I used baby spoons at that stage, it helped slow down eating process.

Keep up good work!

Thanks I will try the baby spoon

I just had my yearly recheck post Roux-en-Y in 2012. Yes I still do yearly check-in. I had my surgery at Mayo Rochester and they offer it to their post surgery patients who are over one year post surgery. It use to me in person, but now via Zoon. I do it to have my blood and urine tested, participate in group education session from nutritionist, short one-on-one with the nutritionist and a one-on-one with a provider to review test results, ask question, etc...

Your primary provider may be able to order and review the same tests, but I prefer to have it done within endocrinology department because they are more familiar with what tests to run and possible problems barbaric surgery patients face. I am on Medicare and my insurance covers it.

If your clinic / surgical center offers post surgery rechecks, I encourage you to take advantage of.

I had my surgery done in 2005. The first year I had checkups. I reached out to my surgeon about 3 years ago and they kindly updated me on the type/amount of vitamins and supplements were needed. I keep on top of all my annual checkups and blood test, twice a year. The only thing that has happened to me is that I was diagnosed with BAM. With the right medication I’m doing fine. Kept off over 100 pounds since. 👍🏻

Thank you so much for sharing. You wrote that have kept off over 100 pounds for 20 years. That is so inspiring. Do you have to suggestions on how you maintained the weight loss?

What is BAM?

Hi, @cheryl4mgk - good question about the acronym BAM. Medicine is so full of acronyms. I believe they are referring to bile acid malabsorption, correct, @dlc1953?

Yes, that is correct. After having bypass surgery it affects the bile acid in our bodies. I also had my gallbladder out, which is double whammy for me. I had suffered with diarrhea for years. Saw a Gastro Dr. for a year, who kept insisting it was the foods that I was eaten. She had her own agenda. I got an appointment with a Gastro Dr. at Jefferson University in Phila. Within 45 minutes, he diagnosed me, drew me a diagram of what was happening and put me on a cholesterol tablet 2xday (Im down to 1) and it was a complete game changer. I was advised to get a second opinion after my first Gastro Dr. sent me to a surgeon! He was flabbergasted that she did so. Recommend me to get a 2nd opinion, but, not with any of the other doctors in that practice, because they share info. So I hope that this helps!

Well, upon trial and error, we learn what foods don’t agree with us. We are responsible for the things that go into our mouthes. After experiencing dumping syndrome a couple of times, it finally clicked in my brain, to either continue the way that I was eating foods, that I really shouldn’t, or be smart and don’t eat trigger foods. It makes me laugh that some people complain that they are sick most of the time after Bariatric surgery, which is usually because of bad food choices. I’m not perfect! When I do eat something that I know is going to affect me, it is my own fault. Backing up, before my surgery, my Dr. had me meet with a Nutritionist and a psychiatrist before and after my surgery. That is really important. Even now if I don’t pay attention, I can dump after 20 years! I can’t overeat or I’ll dump. If I eat too fast, I’ll dump. I have a friend who had the surgery also. He eats nothing but junk. He hasn’t gained any weight back, but, he’s nutritiously starved. He is still dumping about 5 times a week, (if not more) it got so bad that he ruptured something that had to do with his surgery. He’s killing himself slowly. Just be smart. We all think that we can push the envelope, my self included, and do what we want to do, then complain about the consequences. ie. the surgery didn’t work. I’m always sick. I’m always throwing up, etc. good luck. Remember it’s a tool, not a miracle or an easy way out.