[After Weight Loss Surgery] Digest Number 2177

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Myrna Jones
From: Myrna Jones


Message
________________________________________________________________________
1. Myrna Jones
Posted by: "Myrna Jones" latinausps@yahoo.com latina_lovingfun
Date: Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:12 am ((PST))

http://www.akonz.de/wmpy/qn4103lphnw3.0a01   


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






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[After Weight Loss Surgery] Digest Number 2176

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1a. Re: A powerful story about post-WLS recovery
From: MotherOf3

2. Spam goes away...
From: MotherOf3


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1a. Re: A powerful story about post-WLS recovery
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:01 am ((PST))

Excellent story! Thanks so much for sharing that, Dorothy!

-Vic
(and the Fat Lady behind her :P )

--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, Dorothy Durkee <branta@...> wrote:
>
>
> Someone once said, of weight-loss surgery, "They fix your stomach, not your head." That's been true for me -- and, apparently, others. Read what my old friend Marilyn has to say:
>
> http://teepee12.com/2013/02/16/the-fat-lady-who-follows-me/
>
> Dorothy Durkee
> branta@...







Messages in this topic (2)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Spam goes away...
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:10 am ((PST))

...when I catch it. I try to filter out would-be spammers. What I've discovered is that most of the time spam happens when a member's email address has been phished, and what we see is the resultant email containing a malicious link(s).

I will ban a 'spamming' member, no matter the cause of the spam. So if a spam/phishing attack happens to the email you use here, and you're interested in remaining a member, please let me know at afterwls@aol.com

Best,
Vic
group founder






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[After Weight Loss Surgery] Digest Number 2175

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. A powerful story about post-WLS recovery
From: Dorothy Durkee

2. (no subject)
From: Sharon


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1. A powerful story about post-WLS recovery
Posted by: "Dorothy Durkee" branta@cebridge.net branta_canadensis
Date: Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:05 pm ((PST))


Someone once said, of weight-loss surgery, "They fix your stomach, not your head." That's been true for me -- and, apparently, others. Read what my old friend Marilyn has to say:

http://teepee12.com/2013/02/16/the-fat-lady-who-follows-me/

Dorothy Durkee
branta@me.com





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. (no subject)
Posted by: "Sharon" jadedheart64@yahoo.com jadedheart64
Date: Sun Feb 17, 2013 12:19 am ((PST))


http://www.zap-dr-eckert.de/lhvfs/rnruyc9y49uq9wt4c.v4d3vyo8r2

ooag1h5h4x2n8aos00ubgrpfysw0kto0zfhetnwm3j2rjc8aorfnapwnc81zago89s
47gro0bsuudgpzbhycvakeb80kyg6d056bf3svzrhm33q


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






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[After Weight Loss Surgery] Digest Number 2174

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1a. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3
1b. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1a. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:25 am ((PST))

Good job, Sharon! I wish I could avoid starches and artificial sweetners. I have cut back on gum, I am 'addicted' to Mentos Pure Mint gum, and would chew it in large quantities. Since I've stopped chewing it, I've noticed I don't crave it or sweets any longer. I miss it psychologicaly, but I can decide not to have it and feel ok.

Starches are another downfall. I can eat them in small quantities, but probably should forego them altogether. Carbonated beverages are easy for me to avoid because they aren't pleasant to consume.

Congrats on beating the diabetes monster. Too many people (who are overweight and haven't had bypass surgery) suffer needlessly from that scourge. I wish they'd get wise to their food intake.


-Vic


--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, "Sharon Merritt" wrote:
>
> Thanks for the reminders Vic. I have known so many people that have gained
> back. I gained about 20 pounds back a few years after my surgery but have
> remained the same weight for about 10 years now (had mine in 2002).
>
>
>
> A few things I have seen others do I almost never do is pasta, rice and
> carbonated beverages. I have seen so many that go back to diet sodas and
> gain back the weight and one think I go out of my was to do is to avoid
> anything that might stretch my pouch! I never ever do carbonated beverages
> and I never eat more than what is comfortable. And I don't do artificial
> sweeteners. I was on my way to being diabetic when I had my surgery and to
> this day my labs are perfect other than occasionally being low on vitamin B
> and D. I have my blood test done regularly, every 3 - 6 months to stay on
> tract! My dad passed at 59 from diabetes and when I had my RNY I was on my
> way to following in his footsteps and this year I will be the age he was
> when he passed and I am super healthy compared to where he was at the time!
> The surgery was so worth it. Still a size 16 when 10 years ago I was a
> bulging size 28! I can't even imagine being there again.
>
> Sharon Merritt







Messages in this topic (13)
________________________________________________________________________
1b. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:34 am ((PST))

Gena,

I know from experience, reading and my recent visit with a bariatric nutritionist that artificial sweetners can cause one to crave sweets and stimulate the appetite. I've seen an immediate positive impact since severely limiting them in my diet. I've stopped using Splenda in iced tea. The only time I have it is if I have a 'light' yogurt. I've finished the last 4-pack of yogurt I had, and have switched to unsweetened lowfat Greek yogurt. I have it as a veggie dip, adding some seasoned salt/herbs.

I have to say that since I've become aware of this, I am much, much less prone to craving food or sweets. So, it works for me that way.

-Vic

--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, Gena wrote:
>
> Sharon,
>
> Congrats to you on maintaining success for so long!!!!! Question for you and for all really....you mentioned 'artificial sweeteners' and staying away from they. Now I don't do carbonated beverages of any sort, but I do have unsweetened tea w/Splenda or coffee w/Splenda. Didn't realize that artificial sweeteners could be a 'bad thing'! Can you tell me more?
>
> Gena







Messages in this topic (13)





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------------------------------------------------------------------------

[After Weight Loss Surgery] Digest Number 2173

There are 11 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1a. Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3
1b. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Jennifer
1c. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Pat Clark
1d. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Dorothy Durkee
1e. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3
1f. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3
1g. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: MotherOf3
1h. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Sharon Merritt
1i. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Gena
1j. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Dorothy Durkee
1k. Re: Back in the saddle again
From: Pat Clark


Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1a. Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 7:39 am ((PST))

My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.

Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December

In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.

So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.

But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.

What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.

That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.

I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.

I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:

1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.

2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.

3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.

4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.

5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.

6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.

7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.

8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.

9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.

10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.

I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.

-Vic
group founder






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1b. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Jennifer" jennjaen@yahoo.com jennjaen
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 7:45 am ((PST))

Thank you. I am 12 years post-op and have been experiencing the same problem!

Jennifer Jaen
928-303-8238


On Feb 9, 2013, at 8:39 AM, "MotherOf3" <afterwls@aol.com> wrote:

> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
>
> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>
> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.
>
> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>
> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.
>
> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>
> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>
> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.
>
> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:
>
> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>
> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.
>
> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>
> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.
>
> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.
>
> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>
> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.
>
> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>
> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.
>
> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.
>
> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>
> -Vic
> group founder
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1c. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Pat Clark" steelctygirl@yahoo.com steelctygirl
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 7:47 am ((PST))

Hey thank u for the refresher!

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 9, 2013, at 9:39, "MotherOf3" <afterwls@aol.com> wrote:

> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
>
> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>
> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.
>
> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>
> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.
>
> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>
> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>
> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.
>
> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:
>
> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>
> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.
>
> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>
> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.
>
> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.
>
> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>
> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.
>
> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>
> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.
>
> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.
>
> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>
> -Vic
> group founder
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1d. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Dorothy Durkee" branta@cebridge.net branta_canadensis
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 8:08 am ((PST))


Thank you, Vic, for starting and maintaining this group since what feels like the dawn of time.

I would like to add to your note about supplementation and annual testing, especially of Vitamin D, B12, and iron.

Not long after my bypass, I was feeling so good I stopped taking supplements. And when I found I could tolerate carbohydrates, my diet slowly shifted away from healthy foods and into one of virtually all carbs.

Simultaneously, I developed an unexplained, and ever-increasing, aversion to meat.

So there I was, eating bagels for breakfast and snacking on sugar-free cookies pretty much all day. More bagels for lunch, pasta for dinner.

I gained back all but 80 pounds of my pre-surgical weight of nearly 300. Bought all new plus-size clothing, back in my old, familiar size of 22-24.

Here's the worst part: one day, not long ago, I woke up feeling ten years older than I was. I was weak, sleeping poorly, but needing to sleep nearly all the time. I couldn't stay awake for more than about four to six hours without napping.

Worse, my short-term memory was shot. Had I brushed my teeth that morning? No clue. Fed the dogs? Dunno.

My concentration was pretty much in shambles. One afternoon, I stopped at a *green* light.

Turns out I have a serious Vitamin D deficiency (if I were a kid, I'd have rickets), and two kinds of anemia: iron-deficiency and "pernicious." I'm receiving competent treatment, but not progressing as quickly as I'd wished. A bone density test is scheduled for next week.

PLEASE, everyone, educate yourself on the necessity of supplementing and DO WHAT YOUR BARIATRIC SURGEON'S NUTRITIONIST TELLS YOU TO DO. When they say, "Supplement," do it. Feeling well in the moment doesn't mean everything's right inside.

Your physical -- and MENTAL -- health depend on it. My guess is that the nursing homes are full of folk who've never been tested for B12 deficiency ... don't let yourself be one of them.


Dorothy
Hunt, TX


On Feb 9, 2013, at 9:39 AM, MotherOf3 wrote:

> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
>
> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>
> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.
>
> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>
> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.
>
> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>
> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>
> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.
>
> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:
>
> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>
> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.
>
> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>
> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.
>
> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.
>
> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>
> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.
>
> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>
> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.
>
> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.
>
> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>
> -Vic
> group founder
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1e. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 11:35 am ((PST))

Dorothy:

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm so very sorry to hear about your vitamin deficiency and anemia. How scary for you. Very glad to hear you've caught it and are being treated. Hang in there and please keep me posted on your progress.

I'd been feeling tired, too, sometimes so tired I just wanted to sleep thru the day and didn't care about anything. I haven't had a blood test in a year. I'll go soon but meanwhile am taking those vitamins.

Thank you for your kind word about this group. I think it needs a shot in the arm and I'm hoping to get more member input from the note I sent out.

Best,
Vic



--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, Dorothy Durkee wrote:
>
>
> Thank you, Vic, for starting and maintaining this group since what feels like the dawn of time.
>
> I would like to add to your note about supplementation and annual testing, especially of Vitamin D, B12, and iron.
>
> Not long after my bypass, I was feeling so good I stopped taking supplements. And when I found I could tolerate carbohydrates, my diet slowly shifted away from healthy foods and into one of virtually all carbs.
>
> Simultaneously, I developed an unexplained, and ever-increasing, aversion to meat.
>
> So there I was, eating bagels for breakfast and snacking on sugar-free cookies pretty much all day. More bagels for lunch, pasta for dinner.
>
> I gained back all but 80 pounds of my pre-surgical weight of nearly 300. Bought all new plus-size clothing, back in my old, familiar size of 22-24.
>
> Here's the worst part: one day, not long ago, I woke up feeling ten years older than I was. I was weak, sleeping poorly, but needing to sleep nearly all the time. I couldn't stay awake for more than about four to six hours without napping.
>
> Worse, my short-term memory was shot. Had I brushed my teeth that morning? No clue. Fed the dogs? Dunno.
>
> My concentration was pretty much in shambles. One afternoon, I stopped at a *green* light.
>
> Turns out I have a serious Vitamin D deficiency (if I were a kid, I'd have rickets), and two kinds of anemia: iron-deficiency and "pernicious." I'm receiving competent treatment, but not progressing as quickly as I'd wished. A bone density test is scheduled for next week.
>
> PLEASE, everyone, educate yourself on the necessity of supplementing and DO WHAT YOUR BARIATRIC SURGEON'S NUTRITIONIST TELLS YOU TO DO. When they say, "Supplement," do it. Feeling well in the moment doesn't mean everything's right inside.
>
> Your physical -- and MENTAL -- health depend on it. My guess is that the nursing homes are full of folk who've never been tested for B12 deficiency ... don't let yourself be one of them.
>
>
> Dorothy
> Hunt, TX
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2013, at 9:39 AM, MotherOf3 wrote:
>
> > My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
> >
> > Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
> >
> > In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.
> >
> > So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
> >
> > But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.
> >
> > What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
> >
> > That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
> >
> > I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.
> >
> > I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:
> >
> > 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
> >
> > 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.
> >
> > 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
> >
> > 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.
> >
> > 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.
> >
> > 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
> >
> > 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.
> >
> > 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
> >
> > 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.
> >
> > 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.
> >
> > I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
> >
> > -Vic
> > group founder
> >
> >
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>







Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1f. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 3:10 pm ((PST))

You're welcome Pat, I hope to be of helpful encouragement.

-V

--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, Pat Clark wrote:
>
> Hey thank u for the refresher!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Feb 9, 2013, at 9:39, "MotherOf3" wrote:
>
> > My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
> >







Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1g. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "MotherOf3" afterwls@aol.com vicstevens
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 3:14 pm ((PST))

You're welcome, Jennifer. Sorry to hear you're having a problem. I hope you can get back in the swing of things. As the nutritionist said to me, "You've got the tool, you just need to use it". You can do it, it didn't go away, we just forgot what to do.

I have to say that protein-centered meal/snack awareness coupled with not drinking before/during/after eating has done me a lot of good so far. I am no longer ravenous all day. The combination of a lack of protein and drinking liquids at the wrong time just emptied out my pouch. I've felt a lot more full with a lot less food since I went back to that combination.

Best of luck!

--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, Jennifer wrote:
>
> Thank you. I am 12 years post-op and have been experiencing the same problem!
>
> Jennifer Jaen
> 928-303-8238
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2013, at 8:39 AM, "MotherOf3" wrote:
>
> > My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.
> >







Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1h. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Sharon Merritt" theskinnycoffee@cox.net faithjcm
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 5:34 pm ((PST))

Thanks for the reminders Vic. I have known so many people that have gained
back. I gained about 20 pounds back a few years after my surgery but have
remained the same weight for about 10 years now (had mine in 2002).



A few things I have seen others do I almost never do is pasta, rice and
carbonated beverages. I have seen so many that go back to diet sodas and
gain back the weight and one think I go out of my was to do is to avoid
anything that might stretch my pouch! I never ever do carbonated beverages
and I never eat more than what is comfortable. And I don't do artificial
sweeteners. I was on my way to being diabetic when I had my surgery and to
this day my labs are perfect other than occasionally being low on vitamin B
and D. I have my blood test done regularly, every 3 - 6 months to stay on
tract! My dad passed at 59 from diabetes and when I had my RNY I was on my
way to following in his footsteps and this year I will be the age he was
when he passed and I am super healthy compared to where he was at the time!
The surgery was so worth it. Still a size 16 when 10 years ago I was a
bulging size 28! I can't even imagine being there again.



Sharon Merritt

Graphic Designer

<http://www.designwithmerritt.com/> www.designwithmerritt.com

949-348-7680



From: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of MotherOf3
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 7:40 AM
To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Back in the saddle again





My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit
lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30
pounds.

Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I
stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was
a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December

In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost
5 pounds. Hmm.

So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed
bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my
pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had
to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.

But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be
possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a
nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an
appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my
husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much,
but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the
surgeon, so I went.

What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op,
sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize
I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.

That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had
RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But
people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.

I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was
defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal
openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold.
The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' -
meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to
be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a
doughnut.

I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to
'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share
with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned
14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she
told me:

1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.

2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered,
no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested,
as was a daily protein shake.

3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log.
Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.

4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself
and just do it.

5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything
else is a bonus.

6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones
chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and
B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.

7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're
within range. Also check for anemia.

8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly
meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.

9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has
shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid
them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best
choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on
coconut oil.

10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you
'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and
relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and
lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga,
socializing, walking and spirituality.

I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know
can evade us. Best of luck to you all.

-Vic
group founder





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1i. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Gena" gena_g2000@yahoo.com gena_g2000
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 5:46 pm ((PST))

Sharon,

Congrats to you on maintaining success for so long!!!!! Question for you and for all really....you mentioned 'artificial sweeteners' and staying away from they. Now I don't do carbonated beverages of any sort, but I do have unsweetened tea w/Splenda or coffee w/Splenda. Didn't realize that artificial sweeteners could be a 'bad thing'! Can you tell me more?

Gena

Sent from my iPhone 5!!!

On Feb 9, 2013, at 8:34 PM, "Sharon Merritt" <theskinnycoffee@cox.net> wrote:

> Thanks for the reminders Vic. I have known so many people that have gained
> back. I gained about 20 pounds back a few years after my surgery but have
> remained the same weight for about 10 years now (had mine in 2002).
>
> A few things I have seen others do I almost never do is pasta, rice and
> carbonated beverages. I have seen so many that go back to diet sodas and
> gain back the weight and one think I go out of my was to do is to avoid
> anything that might stretch my pouch! I never ever do carbonated beverages
> and I never eat more than what is comfortable. And I don't do artificial
> sweeteners. I was on my way to being diabetic when I had my surgery and to
> this day my labs are perfect other than occasionally being low on vitamin B
> and D. I have my blood test done regularly, every 3 - 6 months to stay on
> tract! My dad passed at 59 from diabetes and when I had my RNY I was on my
> way to following in his footsteps and this year I will be the age he was
> when he passed and I am super healthy compared to where he was at the time!
> The surgery was so worth it. Still a size 16 when 10 years ago I was a
> bulging size 28! I can't even imagine being there again.
>
> Sharon Merritt
>
> Graphic Designer
>
> http://www.designwithmerritt.com/> www.designwithmerritt.com
>
> 949-348-7680
>
> From: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of MotherOf3
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 7:40 AM
> To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Back in the saddle again
>
> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit
> lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30
> pounds.
>
> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I
> stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was
> a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>
> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost
> 5 pounds. Hmm.
>
> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed
> bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my
> pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had
> to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>
> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be
> possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a
> nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an
> appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my
> husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much,
> but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the
> surgeon, so I went.
>
> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op,
> sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize
> I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>
> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had
> RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But
> people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>
> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was
> defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal
> openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold.
> The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' -
> meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to
> be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a
> doughnut.
>
> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to
> 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share
> with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned
> 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she
> told me:
>
> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>
> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered,
> no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested,
> as was a daily protein shake.
>
> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log.
> Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>
> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself
> and just do it.
>
> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything
> else is a bonus.
>
> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones
> chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and
> B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>
> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're
> within range. Also check for anemia.
>
> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly
> meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>
> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has
> shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid
> them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best
> choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on
> coconut oil.
>
> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you
> 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and
> relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and
> lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga,
> socializing, walking and spirituality.
>
> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know
> can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>
> -Vic
> group founder
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1j. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Dorothy Durkee" branta@cebridge.net branta_canadensis
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 7:06 pm ((PST))


Sharon, how what do you do when you find you're low on Vitamins B and D? How do you know your levels are low -- from the blood test results, or from how you're feeling?

Thanks,

Dorothy


On Feb 9, 2013, at 7:34 PM, Sharon Merritt wrote:

> Thanks for the reminders Vic. I have known so many people that have gained
> back. I gained about 20 pounds back a few years after my surgery but have
> remained the same weight for about 10 years now (had mine in 2002).
>
> A few things I have seen others do I almost never do is pasta, rice and
> carbonated beverages. I have seen so many that go back to diet sodas and
> gain back the weight and one think I go out of my was to do is to avoid
> anything that might stretch my pouch! I never ever do carbonated beverages
> and I never eat more than what is comfortable. And I don't do artificial
> sweeteners. I was on my way to being diabetic when I had my surgery and to
> this day my labs are perfect other than occasionally being low on vitamin B
> and D. I have my blood test done regularly, every 3 - 6 months to stay on
> tract! My dad passed at 59 from diabetes and when I had my RNY I was on my
> way to following in his footsteps and this year I will be the age he was
> when he passed and I am super healthy compared to where he was at the time!
> The surgery was so worth it. Still a size 16 when 10 years ago I was a
> bulging size 28! I can't even imagine being there again.
>
> Sharon Merritt
>
> Graphic Designer
>
> http://www.designwithmerritt.com/> www.designwithmerritt.com
>
> 949-348-7680
>
> From: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of MotherOf3
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 7:40 AM
> To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Back in the saddle again
>
> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit
> lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30
> pounds.
>
> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I
> stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was
> a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>
> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost
> 5 pounds. Hmm.
>
> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed
> bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my
> pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had
> to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>
> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be
> possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a
> nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an
> appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my
> husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much,
> but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the
> surgeon, so I went.
>
> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op,
> sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize
> I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>
> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had
> RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But
> people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>
> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was
> defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal
> openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold.
> The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' -
> meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to
> be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a
> doughnut.
>
> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to
> 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share
> with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned
> 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she
> told me:
>
> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>
> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered,
> no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested,
> as was a daily protein shake.
>
> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log.
> Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>
> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself
> and just do it.
>
> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything
> else is a bonus.
>
> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones
> chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and
> B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>
> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're
> within range. Also check for anemia.
>
> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly
> meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>
> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has
> shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid
> them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best
> choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on
> coconut oil.
>
> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you
> 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and
> relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and
> lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga,
> socializing, walking and spirituality.
>
> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know
> can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>
> -Vic
> group founder
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






Messages in this topic (11)
________________________________________________________________________
1k. Re: Back in the saddle again
Posted by: "Pat Clark" steelctygirl@yahoo.com steelctygirl
Date: Sat Feb 9, 2013 7:19 pm ((PST))

From blood test results

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 9, 2013, at 21:05, Dorothy Durkee <branta@cebridge.net> wrote:

>
> Sharon, how what do you do when you find you're low on Vitamins B and D? How do you know your levels are low -- from the blood test results, or from how you're feeling?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dorothy
>
>
> On Feb 9, 2013, at 7:34 PM, Sharon Merritt wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the reminders Vic. I have known so many people that have gained
>> back. I gained about 20 pounds back a few years after my surgery but have
>> remained the same weight for about 10 years now (had mine in 2002).
>>
>> A few things I have seen others do I almost never do is pasta, rice and
>> carbonated beverages. I have seen so many that go back to diet sodas and
>> gain back the weight and one think I go out of my was to do is to avoid
>> anything that might stretch my pouch! I never ever do carbonated beverages
>> and I never eat more than what is comfortable. And I don't do artificial
>> sweeteners. I was on my way to being diabetic when I had my surgery and to
>> this day my labs are perfect other than occasionally being low on vitamin B
>> and D. I have my blood test done regularly, every 3 - 6 months to stay on
>> tract! My dad passed at 59 from diabetes and when I had my RNY I was on my
>> way to following in his footsteps and this year I will be the age he was
>> when he passed and I am super healthy compared to where he was at the time!
>> The surgery was so worth it. Still a size 16 when 10 years ago I was a
>> bulging size 28! I can't even imagine being there again.
>>
>> Sharon Merritt
>>
>> Graphic Designer
>>
>> http://www.designwithmerritt.com/> www.designwithmerritt.com
>>
>> 949-348-7680
>>
>> From: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
>> [mailto:afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of MotherOf3
>> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 7:40 AM
>> To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Back in the saddle again
>>
>> My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit
>> lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30
>> pounds.
>>
>> Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I
>> stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was
>> a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December
>>
>> In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost
>> 5 pounds. Hmm.
>>
>> So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed
>> bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my
>> pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had
>> to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.
>>
>> But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be
>> possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a
>> nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an
>> appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my
>> husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much,
>> but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the
>> surgeon, so I went.
>>
>> What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op,
>> sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize
>> I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.
>>
>> That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had
>> RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But
>> people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.
>>
>> I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was
>> defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal
>> openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold.
>> The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' -
>> meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to
>> be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a
>> doughnut.
>>
>> I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to
>> 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share
>> with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned
>> 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she
>> told me:
>>
>> 1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.
>>
>> 2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered,
>> no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested,
>> as was a daily protein shake.
>>
>> 3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log.
>> Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.
>>
>> 4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself
>> and just do it.
>>
>> 5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything
>> else is a bonus.
>>
>> 6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones
>> chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and
>> B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.
>>
>> 7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're
>> within range. Also check for anemia.
>>
>> 8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly
>> meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.
>>
>> 9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has
>> shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid
>> them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best
>> choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on
>> coconut oil.
>>
>> 10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you
>> 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and
>> relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and
>> lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga,
>> socializing, walking and spirituality.
>>
>> I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know
>> can evade us. Best of luck to you all.
>>
>> -Vic
>> group founder
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>





Messages in this topic (11)





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[After Weight Loss Surgery] Back in the saddle again

My RNY was in January 1999. In the intervening 14 years, I've gotten a bit lax about my 'pouch rules' and early last year I realized I'd gained 30 pounds.

Early last October I joined a gym and started going every other day and I stopped drinking wine. I figured that would do it, no problem. But there was a problem. I hadn't lost an ounce by the end of December

In January 2013, I started a low carb, low fat diet. After a month, I'd lost 5 pounds. Hmm.

So I decided to see a bariatric (I love how autocorrect just changed bariatric to 'barbaric'!) physician. Surely something was wrong with my pouch and I needed a revision. I'd moved from Illinois to Florida, so I had to find a new surgeon, and I started making calls.

But at 14 years post-op, no physician would see me. How could that be possible? On my 4th call to a surgeon, the phone was answered by a nutritionist who worked for the doctor. She encouraged me to make an appointment with her. The $93 fee wasn't covered by my insurance, but my husband encouraged me to go anyway. I also didn't think it would help much, but I reasoned to myself that seeing her might help me get in to see the surgeon, so I went.

What a revelation. I've moderated this group since I was 6 months post-op, sharing my experiences. But I didn't have enough self-reflection to realize I'd completely fallen from 'the path'.

That path is the training I learned for living with my gastric bypass. I had RNY surgery and not a lapband, so your mileage may vary on your 'path'. But people are still getting surgery, so I'm hoping the following is relevant.

I had stopped the good practices that 'respect' my surgery, and thus was defeating it. Part of that is my pouch and esophageal and intestinal openings have stretched, and my dumping reactions had a higher threshold. The other part is that I've got the concept that I want to be 'normal' - meaning I don't want to have to watch everything I eat and drink. I want to be like 'regular people' who don't gain weight from the very thought of a doughnut.

I was naive about both those 'parts', and the nutritionist has set me to 'rights'. She offered the following 'refresher course', which I'll share with you. It is not medical advice to you, this is the information I learned 14 years ago, but which I have 'conveniently' forgotten. This is what she told me:

1. No drinking 30 minutes before, during or 30 minutes after eating.

2. Three meals plus three snacks a day, all of which are protein-centered, no matter what else you eat. Plain Greek yogurt and quinoa were suggested, as was a daily protein shake.

3. Track your weight, daily if possible. Weigh yourself and keep a log. Doing so keeps you cognizant of changes so you can correct them.

4. Journal your eating. Very important, very easy to not do. Nike yourself and just do it.

5. Exercise daily. 30 minutes of uninterrupted walking at minimum. Anything else is a bonus.

6. Take vitamins (I'd totally stopped them). She recommended 2 Flintstones chewables with iron (morning and evening), a B-Complex (B-6, Riboflavin and B-12) sublingual liquid), and calcium citrate daily.

7. Have a full vitamin blood panel done at least annually to ensure you're within range. Also check for anemia.

8. Participate in a support group. Her bariatric center has monthly meetings. Of course they're on my Game Night, but I'll have to miss it.

9. Be moderate with obviously bad food choices and alcohol. Research has shown that artificial sweetners do promote over-eating, so limit or avoid them in drinks, food and candy/gum. Unprocessed vegetable oils are your best choice for fats, limit butter, avoid margarine and the jury is still out on coconut oil.

10. Analyze your eating habits. Are you eating because of stress? Are you 'emotionally eating'? Are you missing something in your life and relationships? Take a step back and observe yourself. Look for stress and lack (!) and attempt to manage it with alternatives like meditation, yoga, socializing, walking and spirituality.

I hope what I've 're-learned' may be of help to you. Sometimes what we know can evade us. Best of luck to you all.

-Vic
group founder



------------------------------------

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