Worried about getting a bypass :(

I don't remember the exact statistics, but most people do not experience hair loss. (I think it's something like a third of patients who do get hair loss.)

The amount of loose skin you end up with depends your age, on how long you were obese, how much extra weight you carried, and genetics. Your youth is very much in your favour. You will probably end up with some loose skin, and it may (or may not) bother you enough to get surgery to remove it. I had surgery last year at age 58, and I am surprised at how little loose skin I have. I don't think I'll bother to have any of it removed, although if I were younger it would probably bother me enough to have some plastic surgery. I was a little worried that my double chin would turn into loose floppy jowls as I lost weight, but in fact my face and neck look fantastic (if I do say so myself).

I've been monitoring this board, WLS channels on YouTube, etc. for a few years, and I have yet to hear of a single person who is so unhappy with the extra skin that they wish they hadn't lost the weight.

Yes, you may have loose skin, and you will have temporary hair loss. But on the other hand, your risks of heart attack/stroke/cancer/etc. will be GREATLY reduced. You have the possibility to live much longer and have a higher quality of life. To those who have been successful with the surgery, these factors FAR outweigh the inconveniences of thinning hair or loose skin.

Water and protein in the first month are difficult, but not impossible. You'll need to keep a water bottle with you all the time and sip constantly. You'll probably drink a lot of protein shakes in that first month; after that point, when you can eat lean protein (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.) then it's not terribly difficult to hit your protein goals.

While losing weight, most folks follow guidelines of 600 - 800 calories, 60 - 80g protein (or more) and under 25g carbs per day. For maintenance, the most successful folks tend to stick to 1000 -1200 calories, high protein, low carb.

Also how hard will it be to maintain my water and protein intake in the first month post-op?

As we say to people who've just had surgery, "getting enough fluids is your #1 job now". And it feels like a job! You have to develop a habit of constantly sipping on water or some other low-cal beverage. Eventually it does become a habit, though.

You probably won't be able to eat the recommended amount of protein until you are about 3 months out. That's OK; you won't get malnourished in such a short period of time.

Thank you so much for your answer! I also wanted to ask about drinking water as you walk/exercise after surgery. I mean will I be able to drink enough water to compensate for the sweating? Will I feel thirsty but unable to drink?

By the time you're cleared to exercise, you will be able to drink more than enough water to compensate for sweating. For the first couple of weeks, some people do find it physically difficult to drink the recommended amount of water, but as the stomach starts to heal a bit it should be no problem. Lots of people, like myself, had no difficulty drinking water right after surgery. I talk about it being a chore to drink enough water in the first month or so, but that's simply because it seemed like that was all I was doing all day. But eventually it becomes a habit.

Alright then thank you again!

This is really a process you will eventually learn to work with. It's been my goal to be an endurance runner and I'm running 7-8 miles on my long runs now and can consume 30oz or so during that time frame. It's not always easy to drink during exercise but you figure it out.

I'm 2.5 years out and have no issues consuming water when not actively exercising.

This question intrigued me so this morning I kept track of how long it took me to get in my pre work beverages -- my first thing in the morning 20 oz of water was less than 2 minutes (I always wake up thirsty) then I had 30 oz of coffee over 90 minutes before leaving the house, so essentially 50 oz in 92 minutes. I don't think you'll have any issues staying hydrated ones your past the recovery period. (16 months post surgery and I try to be over 100 oz of fluid each day).

You've gotten good replies, so I'm not going to repeat those. The only thing I would add is that you MUST be compliant with vitamin supplementation. It is NOT an option. It is mandatory. Your health depends on it.

You will need to have a full set of lab work done every three months for the first year, and then once a year after that....for the rest of your life. It is much easier to watch your vitamin levels and supplement when you see a downward trend than it is to play catch up after your numbers tan****ep a spread sheet of my lab numbers to watch for trends. Don't count on your doctor to do this. Most of them don't. They look at numbers on the day of testing and nothing else. By the time your doctor notices a low number, it's too late. Most WLS peeps try to keep their numbers on the high end of normal. You won't ever become deficient if you keep on top of your lab work.

The benefits for being at a healthy weight far outweigh the work it takes to stay that way. My RNY saved my life.

Hi

How is it your complet list of labs?

Thanks!

Obrigada!