Curious

Hi All,  I am going for a consult on July 25. My one big question for all of you wls grads is anbody out their 4 or more years. Also if so, have any of you regained or had any complications or problems this far out from surgery. I guess that I am a little nervous of any problems down the road that I might encounter. Just trying to do research.  Would love to hear from anybody about their experience that had the surgery a few years ago. Thanks Deb

13 years in October. 3 regains, all 3 sugar, one of which was fruit. Fruit is sugar, still instantly absorbed, don't let anyone tell you different.

The main long term issues are nutritional, if the mechanics are all fine. If your vitamin/protein regimen seems too simple, it is. When ppl ask me if they really HAVE to take all those vites, I run thru which protects what and then ask them which organs they don't mind failing and we'll take those vites out of the program for them. It's harsh, but it's not a game or like the multi vite you take now - optional. Your nutrition program will decide how you age and largely, how your wt loss will be maintained.

Michelle, I liked you reply.  Thanks for the reminder.  All of us need those words of encouragment.  You have probably heard me on my soapbox wondering who is going to make sure I get my vits when I am old.  As I tell a friend, I need to take REAL good care of myself and pay my long term-care insurance.  Ha-Ha  Guess I will run down the hall and take another vitamin.  Patricia RNY 3-11-2005 262/130 5'1" 62 years old 

OH yeah, I worry about this, too. But you know, even if we didn't have WLS, we would not be properly nourished. After taking care of my dad until and after he went into an Alzheimer's facility (he died last year, still knowing who I was, thank God!), the dieticians only worry about getting XXX calories into them. So, theygot 100% carbs for bfast, for 10am snack, for lunch they got maybe a stroganoff, so a dab of meat. Back to 100% carbs for 2pm snack (like ice cream social), nearly all carb dinner and more ice cream after dinner! OMG!

My dad was never a hefty eater, natrually small, 32 waist. Within 3 months, he was up to a 38 waist! ALL CARBS. The worse thing that they could report would be weight loss. He was 5'7" & very fragile by then, so he really didn't need the extra weight they'd added onto him. Made the diff as to whether he could walk or not, so I INSISTED they drop some of it off him and give him more more protein, fewer carbs. Welllllll, they had strict standards they had to follow, the state, you know. GRRRRRRRRRRR. I just brought him his fave protein drinks, put a dab of whipped cream on the top and STILL got him the extra protein and he came back down to a 34 waist, which was ok with me.

So, it was about calories, not nutrition. His most disabling thing was iron. He got iron, got transfusions (not infusions), had the ProCrit shots, and B12 monthly. I pointed out that his B12 was kinda low, anyway, how about we do 2 per month? Oh no, paperwork!

Recently I was in the hospital with this broken arm and ask the doc to write in the orders that I would be taking my own supplements and prescriptions. I mean, I bagged them for this whole 6 week trip, so I could just pull it all apart. So, mostly they had a few wringing hands, and they were able to issue me 3-4 of the rx I take, but not all of them, but forbid me to take my own? I said, "So, you are telling me I cannot take my Dr prescribed vitamins because you're not handing them to me?" LOL The last day, the nurse in charge thought she was all that and said I couldn't take ANYTHING they didn't issue, regardless of the doctor's orders. So, I just slipped them in the drawer and was more careful in taking them. I'm not letting some power crazed ego make me ill, you know? When they saw me drinking protein, I told them it was choco milk. Sheesh.

I also had said no milk & no sugar (think they noticed the irony?). And my food trays only came with real sugar, no sugar subs. And except for mind numbing pain, I was able to communicate and still lucid enough to take care of myself in spite of their efforts to kill me off.

So, if you're worried about being 80, worry about any hospitalization! While a nurse won't go against doc's orders and give you pain meds 15 minutes early, they have no problem with going against their orders regarding pills or diet!

I'm 3 years out.  At 2 years I started having episodes of severe hypoglycemia.  Two weeks ago I had 60% of my pancreas removed.  This is one complication no surgeon talks about but is a directly linked to RNY.   Ask your surgeon about noninuslinoma pancreateous hypoglycemia syndrome (NIPHS) and see if they are aware of it.  Mayo Clinic is doing the research. I would still have WLS even if I had known this was a possibliltiy.  I'm down 110 pounds and my life is much easier.  Just know that this is a possibility and one most docs don't know about or choose to ignore.   Lyn

Hello everybody, I am 5 years out of my Gastric By Pass.  I am suffering form HYPOGLYCEMIA and have to check my blood 6 times a day. Your stories finally proved I am not crazy. I have gone to 4 endro docs and that many more nutritionist. I was told to make sure I have 30 carbs per meal.  I was also told I could eat  Kashi cereal with milk. Fine if I want to see the world from the floor. Any food seems to just send me reeling. I have been carted off to the hospital 5 times uncontious. It has been so scary, I've begun to feel afraid to be alone.  The doctor put me on Precose. It doesn't seem to help that much, but I'm doing it. Have any of you heard of EXTEND BARS? My pharmacyst turned me onto them. I eat them 3 times a day between meals and especially before I go to bed. I was not sleeping as I would wake up with my heart racing and sweating, shaking and sometimes unable to help myself. So the process is 1/4 cup Welches Grape juice, wait a few minutes for my blood sugar to come up. then eat at least 1 peice of EZEKIEL Bread tosted with peanut butter, then I take a ZOFRAN for the nausea and take an EXTEND BAR to keep my blood sugar up.  I go know where without these items EVER. I keep peanut butter, the Grape juice in small bottles, and Thin Triscuits.  It has saved me in a traffic jam many times. I don't sleep well, and I get more sick of eating so much everyday.n The worst part, is I have to be very careful about exersice now. The thing that got me moving after my bypass is now leathel to me. I am exhausted almost all the time. I don't want to do things anymore. Going to the movies tires me out. I take my gastric bypass vitamins 3 times a day, and it doesn't help. I feel better  WHEN I DON'T EAT. i AM SICK OVER THIS, AND FEEL HELPLESS. I hope I hear from some of you. This is the first I have heard of this type of HYPOGLYCEMIA.     [email protected]      I am glad I found this site, I am depressed, but at the same time feel maybe there is hope. I was never told about this condition..Has anybody else felt like they were going to die from feeling this way? I felt so good for over 3 years......Now NO ENERGY. I think more about food now than I did when I was fat...........Good luck everyone. Saundra

Deb, I am over 4 years out.  My surgery date was 3/6/2003.  I lost around 130 lbs from my highest weight and have, so far, been able to maintain within a few pounds of my lowest weight (depending on the day).   I do periodically have some vitamin deficiencies, which is why I have blood tests done on a regular basis.  I work with my PCP and my bariatric surgeon's office to make adjustments.  So far, I have been able to keep everything from spiraling out of hand by regularly monitoring and adjusting my vitamin regimen.  My vitamin D and calcium are finally staying within the normal range.  I try to keep to the rule of protein first, even this far out.  I had a LBL last year and lost a lot of blood.  I did not receive transfusions and it is taking a while to return my hematocrit to normal levels.  However, my levels bounced back to within a small percentage of normal range within a short period of time and I am so close that I don't qualify for transfusions.  I have had to work at it, though, with iron rich protein sources and additional iron supplements.  I have been told by my docs that this is where you see a difference - a normal person probably would have completely returned to normal levels by now.  I have to work at it.  I mention all of this because it can be manageable.  In my opinion, we each have to be very responsible and proactive to stay healthy, especially with weight loss surgery.   Can I eat anything I want and not gain weight? No.  Do I have to exercise?  Yes.  Is it easy to maintain my weight?  No, but it is a 1000 times easier than it ever was pre-op.    I think the key is in trying to develop healthy habits while the window of opportunity post wls  presents itself.  I have tried to get rid of some of my old, nasty eating habits, although they still are there sometime.  I just hope I have developed enough new, healthy habits to continue to keep them in check. Best wishes, Sharon

Hi Deb!

I am five years out. I went from 340 to 138 in about 18 months, that included my panniculectomy.  I did NOT like 138, and bounced around in the 140's for a couple of years. Due to my own lack of diligence, I gained up to 174 over the past Christmas/New Year holiday. I have been just under 160 for the third Monday in a row, and my personal goal is to drop and stay between 150 and 155. Would you like to know how I gained? I quit following up with my dr and support groups. I quit drinking my water. I never started exercising. I began drinking with meals. Even worse, I returned to drinking unsweetened iced tea with all my meals! I started grazing. Seeing what and how much I could eat, instead of making sensible choices MOST of the time. My iron plummeted. My B12 plummeted. I went back to the dr. I started my iron and B12 again. I started drinking water again. In April, I even began WALKING. Amazing. Who would have thunk it? I have remained healthy, and I think that is why it was so easy to be comfortable and let that scale slide up. However, I am committed to being healthy and staying healthy long-term. I cannot control all the obstacles that I could face where my health is concerned, bu****er, exercise and good choices (MOST of the time) are things I can control - and try to! Good luck with your research and decision! Mendi