Hello everyone!

I am a recent RNY patient and am currently on my full liquid diet. My surgery was on 2/13/07. I like to call it my rebirth - of sorts. I am a mom to two little girls ages 15 months and 3.5 yrs and a disabled/retired postal worker. No, I have not had the priviledge of going postal. ;-) My start weight was 346lbs and after a week I am now 318lbs. I can hardly believe it. I am curious to know how all of you long termers feel after so many years after your RNY? Are you eating "normally"? What did you find the hardest to eat was? How many of you had a G-Tube? I have one for a month. To be removed 3/19/07. Is it true about the hair loss? Thank you for answering any of the questions.

Hi there, My hair started thinning about the 3rd month and stopped in the 7th month. It does not leave you bald or anything, it just thins out. I took Biotin and Super Collagen Powder to help me and the hair loss stopped and now I have to get it cut often because it ihas grown so much. I am only a year out so as far as eating normally is concerned, I can pretty much eat anything, just in small quantities. I still limit my carb, fat and sugar intake and am dilligent about getting all my water, protein and vitamins in. I am sure that you will be just fine. The most important thing is to do EVERYTHING your surgeon tells you. Welcome to the Losers Bench Toni

Congratulations on your rebirthday!!!! Are you enjoying sugar free popsicles? Those were my favorite thing in the beginning. Everything else got old pretty fast but I had to follow orders and I did, and I'm glad because I feel like I've been a success. I'm 16 months out, very happy, feel wonderful and basically at goal. I'm hoping to start plastic surgery this summer, and then I think I'll feel "done". Sometimes I don't remember being so big, and it wasn't that long ago, and sometimes I forget that I'm smaller. It's definitely an amazing journey and you'll experience things you didn't expect. I had a big problem with my teenage daughters while my weight was coming off. They really resented me and I didn't dare mention my weight, what size I was wearing or anything relating to ME. They are better now, we survived it and I was just glad I didn't have a man to deal with - probably would have lost him for sure LOL! I thank God every day that I was finally able to have the RNY, it changed and probably ultimately saved my life. I'm 45 and feel 30, I've never been so happy. The hardest thing I found to eat was solid proteins like chicken, but I kept trying and cooking it different ways and now I eat it just fine, probably eat chicken 6 times a week at least! I now feel like I eat almost like everyone else, just much less of course. I haven't tried steak, but I eat ground beef/sirloin whatever, just fine. I love shrimp and fi****ried roast beef for the first time last weekend, it was delicious, but I got a horrible stomach ache afterwards that lasted for hours. It may have been the gravy though, can't be sure. I can eat half of a South Beach pizza, I can eat bread more now and even rice. Pasta and I are still not friends, but that's ok. My best advice, which I love to give, LOL - is the water consumption. Drinking the water is crucial - it truly is. Even now, I drink 70-80 oz a day easily and feel lost without a water bottle in my purse or hand or very near by. We get dehydrated very easily and that's nothing to play with. Plus our bodies LOVE pure water! I used to live on Diet Pepsi - no more, don't even like a sip of it - YUK tastes like pure chemicals! I don't even drink crystal light anymore, jus****er, protein shakes and milk. The hair loss - yes, I went through it and ended up getting my hair cut pretty short, which helped. It just thinned, not real noticeable to anyone but me. It's growing back in now, I have these little spurts coming in! I didn't have a G tube. Just follow your doctor's orders, drink your water, walk, exercise - you'll do fine!!! It's a great journey, take lots of pictures! We're here when you need us, to ask something, yell, rant or tell us about a "wow" moment!!! Take care!!! Jeanne

Thank you Toni and Jeanne. I am still struggling with the water/crystal light drinking. I am not even getting 32 ozs in. I guess I am so afraid of drinking too fast? I love my sugar free popsicles though!!!! Lifesavers they are. You are both definite inspirations to me. All of the "losers" here are. Afterall ya have to be a loser to be a winner right? I am following the doctor's orders and have not strayed yet. I almost tried mashed potatoes last night but after a short chat with my dad he advised against it just yet. My dad is also a RNY grad. His surgery was 11/6/06. To date he has lost almost 70lbs. I certainly will take lots of pics too! Renee

Congrats Renee and welcome to the boards!! You are in great hands with Dr. J!! The G "Beast" as we like to refer to it, lol, is a pain in the butt but just hang in there with it and use lots of neosporin around that area. When it starts to heal around it and dry out it can get quite itchy, it helps alot!! The water thing takes some time, as time goes on you'll be able to get more and more in. Just keep sipping and sipping you'll be just fine!! Sounds like you're doing great so far, keep up the good work!! Are you coming to Dr. J's Orlando support meeting Monday night?? Kevin holds great meetings and it's lots of fun!! Hope to see you there and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!! Jo Ann

Joann, what time is Kevin's meeting and where? I will see if Hubby can take a lil time off and watch the girls. I would love to go. Thanks for the info and vote of confidence. I am definitely using lots of neosporin around the tube. What I hate more is that burning feeling you get every so often. Can't wait til the 19th of March!!!!!!! How far out are you from surgery? Renee

The meeting is this Monday at 6:00 till 8:00 its at the Comfort Inn Suites located at 5617 Major Blvd. It's over in the Universal area off of Kirkman. If you need directions let me know!! I hope you can make it!! I originally had the lapband in 7/2005, I had some medical complications and the band was removed and I revised over to the RNY on May 31,2006. So I'm about 8-9 months out now. Let me know if you can make it to the meeting!!! Jo Ann

Hi Renee, WOW, your doing great! And Welcome to the message boards!

Hi and welcome I am 9 mth out and did lose allot of hair, but no one noticed but me...LOL it's finally coming back. Another web site bariatriceating.com is very helpful with food, vitamins and recipes.. They also have allot of helpful people. You will find that what you can eat or not will totally depend on your body. Everyone is different. Staying away from carbs is the best thing to do. Sip, sip, sip, sip to help with fluids.