Welcome, Ruth!! 1. Enjoy the ride!! It is so much fun and so exciting to see what's happening in our bodies. 2. This is a LIFEstyle change, not just a diet change. Diet change is a huge part of it, but it's not all of it. 3. Make healthy choices now and stick to them, learn to love them, and your body will love you. 4. Enjoy the ride!! (Okay, I've already said that, but it's important, LOL!) Michelle Open RNY 5/3/05 -200 pounds and holding strong!

And what a wild ride it's been. Hard to believe it's been 2 years. 2 long years, mind you. LOL. Pleasant surprises since WLS: 1. I weigh less then I ever expected (weight same as when I was perhaps in 7th grade maybe - certainly never as an adult) 2. I wear a size that has a single digit (in pants, at least). Never expected that. 3. I have lots of bones that I never knew were there. 4. I'm not as big boned as I thought. I have long hands and feet but I'm truly not big framed like I always believed. 5. That I now look so very much like my mother did when she was young. 6. Losing more shoe size then I had gained with the last weight gains. 7. I dump. Things I didn't expect: 1. The strange pains that would plague me. Still don't know what they are. Still scares me a bit. 2. The delicate balance of the timing of eating and food choices that may or may not trigger dumping. 3. Realizing that people that meet me now would never know I was ever heavy. 4. Finding pants that fit. If they fit my waist (due to some extra skin) they tend to be wide in the hips. 5. That I'd truly realize that white carbs cause strange reactions in my body - cravings, lethargy, instant and dramatic weight gain. 6. That not only would I lose hair on my head but a bunch of months post-op I realized that the majority of arm hair was gone as was the hair on knuckes and toes. The hair on arms is back but lighter than before. Hair on my toes is back but I don't see it on knucles. Hair on toes is good (per my endocrinologist when I had diabetes - means good blood flow). 7. Skin/hair as dry as the Sahara. Difficulties/issues after WLS: 1. The strange pains that would plague me. Still don't know what they are. Still scares me a bit. 2. The delicate balance of the timing of eating and food choices that may or may not trigger dumping. 3. Finding pants that fit. If they fit my waist (due to some extra skin) they tend to be wide in the hips. 4. Shaving my armpits is near impossible. They are hollow caverns. 5. Extra skin. Mine isn't as dramatic as many and I'm definitely appreciative of that but I hate the extra folds and stuff especially on my face - the rest get covered by clothing. I weigh less than I did at 20 but my waist is 3 inches bigger due to skin. 6. I dump. Important lessons learned: 1. The importance of protein. (I do supplement. If I cut down on my supplementation - I see it in my labs.) 2. The importance of vitamins.... multis, vitamin D, calcium, iron, B12, B complex plus others as needed. Learning about vitamins. 3. The importance of eating on a regular schedule. I eat or supplement every 3 hours or so. Avoids sugar rises or dives. Keeps me feeling energetic and balanced all day long. 4. I can definitely eat enough to gain weight. Calories eaten and burned are important. It takes work to maintain my weight loss. 5. The importance of exercise. 6. The importance of regular lab work and medical follow-ups including lots of labs and bone density scans. Be your own advocate for your labs. Get a copy of EVERYTHING. Track them in a list/spreadsheet. Learn about them (www.labtestsonline.org). Find out what they measure and what lows/highs mean. Act before you are deficient in things. 7. WLS fixes stomach and quantity you can eat but doesn't fix your mind. You have to work on issues, behaviors, coping skills, stressors and food choices each and every day. Life improvements since WLS: 1. Diabetes is resovled/under control. Was on insulin 5 years. 2. High blood pressure is resolved. Was on meds 5 years. 3. Sleep apnea is resolved. Was on CPAP 6-9 months. 4. Feel better physically and mentally. Am much more active. Kathy

Just wanted to pop in and say Happy Surgiversary to everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all again for your support, advise and comments during the past 2 years. You've all helped and supported me more than you know. Things are still amazing for me, I am a true size 8 (from a 24/26), a medium, and I am loving it. Sometimes I still feel like the old me, but a trip to the scale and a look in the mirror confirms I am maintaining my 160lbs (from 300lbs). I am not getting any PS done, I simply can't afford it. I am mostly ok with my flappy skin. My upper arms bother me a bit, but I don't let it stop me. I would never trade my flappy skin for all that fat again. Has anyone done something special for themselves to celebrate 2 years out? Does everyone still do protein shakes daily? Still making sure to take the vitamins/supplements? Getting blood work done every 3 months? Happy 2 Years!

I'm sorry you're going through so much. I had adhesions that my RNY surgeon took care of March 7, along with hernia repair and pannilectomy. I'm still tired and healing, but doing fine. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hi there, Shame only immobilizes us, please don't do this to yourself. I believe that many of us fear what you are now going through. The longest journey begins with the first step, and by writing to us about your journey, you have taken the first step. We have all suffered too much shame in our past. Please try to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go on from today...You sound as if you are in pain about going off the track, well pain shared is pain lessened. I am here if you need to vent, as I'm sure others will be. Try to take "One Day At A Time." You can do it, I have faith in you. Big Hugs, ~Fran (In NJ)