Yvonne, I had my surgery back in June 2004. I am about 6 mos out from you. I have tried soy and its okay. I don't do much milk....makes me quesy sometimes. Not all the time. I do alot of yogurt and cottage cheese. I think I live off that stuff....Even at two years out can you believe that. Salads I don't do....I don't find them appealing anymore. I am not sure why....I don't like lettuce now...it hurts the pouch. I can eat almost anything else. Its funny how our digestive systems are all so different. I enjoy reading about other people's experiences with this surgery. Sometimes their journey helps me with mine! You take what you can from the experience. Thanks for sharing! Debbie

What a nice journey you have had....Question why do you have to be careful with dairy products (sugar or fat levels?)?

Hi, my name is Yvonne and I had RNY surgery on 12/28/04. My beginning weight was 344 lbs and I had ALOT of health probs. I'm soooo grateful to my parents for draggin me to Dr. Spivak's conference. I made my appointment afterwards and 1 month later I had surgery. I look back at my older pics and think "How did I survive with all that weight on me for so long?" If I hadn't had surgery I was told I MIGHT have 5 yrs left. So "THANK YOU DR. SPIVAK!!!!!!!!!" I am soooooooooo grateful for what you did for me. Its taken a yr and a half to get down to the weight I wanted to be (which is 157 lbs). I know by the scales for my weight I'm suppose to be around 120 but for me I think that is to skinny cause I already have bones in places poking out and I don't want to look sick. So if anyone has any questions please feel free to email me anytime. I'm grateful to not really having any probs after surgery...well just maybe once or twice I've gotten sick from eating something that didn't agree with me and let me tell you I never ate that food again. I have to be very careful with diary products. Well take care everyone...I hope ya'll have a great day! Yvonne M.

My Goals for the next year are: Lose 40 pounds, exercise at least 2 times a week using one of my exercise videos, and track my food intake at fitday.com. My food goals are not to go over 1200 cal/day and increase my consumption of vegetables instead of some of the naughtysnacks I have been indulging in What are your goals for year #3 of your journey?