Eleven years post revision, 19 years since my original WLS, over ten years at a normal weight. I have been fortunate that I have had no significan regain. I weigh myself daily and if I see my weight creep up a pound or two I cut back but that really hasn't happened. My weight is freakishly stable. My weight is always the same, + or - a pound or two from day to day but always lands in the same place.

I still can't eat much, especially dense foods. I eat fats freely so I assume I still malabsorb fats. I don't count calories because I cannot figure out how much I am actually eating versus what I serve myself.

A lot has to do with how my eating has changed over the years. I intuitively reach for protein when I am hungry, meat, cheese, eggs, yogurt. It is what I crave and I eat as much as I want, ie very little.

I avoid all sugar since I dump and I don't try and test it. I have a very senstive system and I get very uncomfortable with certain foods or amounts of food and I have learned to avoid those things that cause me problems. Or I don't avoid them and pay the price. Most of the time it's not worth the pain and discomfort so I stick with things I know won't give me problems.

Since I easy upset my stomach I have pretty much lost the desire to eat for comfort. Ironically the things I would want to eat for comfort are the things that cause the most discomfort so I stick with the things I know won't.

Since I have already failed at one WLS I don't have any illusions that WLS is the be all, end all. More it's been a matter of learning what to eat, when and how much to avoid problems, including weight gain, although that is by far not my main motivation.

The worst that can happen is irreversible dementia symptoms from lack of vitamin B12. My mother and I both had gastric bypass in 2007. I am a rule follower but she tends to just do whatever she wants and figure it'll be ok. I was adamant about her taking vitamins and even filled her vitamin container for her in 2009 we got a call she was confused, laughing when no one was talking, unable to remember life events or people. They ran many tests, thinking stroke or something. They came up with vitamin B12 deficiency, though they doubted it. I explained that she'd had gastric bypass and if she wasn't taking her pills that was possible. As soon as they started her on it she snapped out of it. She doesn't remember those 2 days and still occasionally has episodes. Fast forward to 2017 when she had open heart surgery. Even after stressing that she needed her vitamin B12 2 days after surgery she was confused. She thought I was her sister who passed away in 1998. She didn't know anything. The Dr again thought stroke or beginning of dementia. I kept saying that they needed to go e her her vitamins. The nurse and Dr thought I was nuts but gave her b shots and immediately she snapped back. They had never heard of it but looked it up after and confirmed it is a real thing. People who have gastric bypass and alcoholics have to be careful of this. Your body gets depleted because of the surgery and/or alcoholism and when it happens it seems like dementia. Left untreated it isn't reversible. I tell everyone who has sudden dementia symptoms to check into this. I always wondered how many people are left to battle dementia when it could have be treated at beginning IF it was a vitamin deficiency ( not trying to say all dementia is vitamin related). Please look into this because it is real and we are told to take out vitamins for a reason. Even when I don't feel like taking them I take my B12, multivitamin and calcium.

And the irony of it all is they laugh at you for being gullible.... they say we're alcoholics OF Course we lie about EVERYTHING lol . They think you're the idiot for believing them

The importance of vitamins after weight loss surgery and what can happen if you don't take them was very much discussed with me while I was preparing for surgery and taking educational classes that my surgeon required. I guess I was lucky and I think all centers/surgeons should inform their patients.

Oy,I get 2 b the divergent opinion again grrr !

One of my favorite songs as a kindergartener was the Beastie Boys ? - I gotta FIGHT 4 my RIGHT 2 PAARHTY .... how in the world can you not love that song or it?s attitude?

Our world ... and our kids world and their kids? world is AWASH in drugs both legal and illegal ... and of course alcohol- our society?s favorite poison ( or life extender and savior depending on your perspective) has been used daily or more by most of our ancestors for thousands of years .

We can stick our heads in the sand like ostriches and ignore the obvious.... or we can grow up wrestle with the beast and eventually win.

I know plenty of people including myself who have enough munny to party every day for the rest of their lives on high quality great stuff ... yet most eventually get and stay straight ... mainly cuz we enjoy our minds the way they are ( and are extremely competitive with our cohorts ) .

I prefer making a million to getting high - that?s a high in itself . ((())) hugs

that said I " confess " to relaxing w a big glass of red wine just about every nite and patting myself on the back if I don't put a shot of 99 bananas in my morning coffee . So shoot me - I enjoy every single day of my life .... I haven't come this far to be miserable now .