Yes!! I have lost plenty. Now have 2 bridges! I have been very much taking my calcium every day. Maybe this would have happened anyway but guess I'll never know. No milk for me but I do eat cheese, yogurt and other good for me things.

26 years since WLS and I have no molars left in my mouth and I too am Lactose Intolerant. 

Hi, I am 43 years old, and 11.5 years post-op from an open RNY Gastric Bypass. I've had no complications in my time, although my body is still changing in regards to what foods work, and what doesn't. 

I initially lost around 125 pounds, and maintained that weight loss (with a 10 pound fluctuation) for about 6 years. I actually lost more weight in early 2009, because of loss of appetite due to painkillers following a complicated knee surgery in 2008. I subsequently had another ortho surgery, in May 2009, and while on crutches and able to do little, I gained weight. Several months later, I cared for my sister after she had gastric bypass (she had some complications). I didn't realize until recently that I had a good 40 pound fluctuation in weight in 2009. I continued to slowly gain weight, then dieted and lost a little. My all time high weight AFTER surgery was 221, in 2012 (I was 297 pre-op, nearly a decade earlier). I went up and down from there, doing half assed attempts at low carb diets (I was making it up as I go along).

Finally, this past March, at 213 lbs, I decided to try the newest version of the Atkins diet (both my boyfriend and I are following Atkins). While it's not been speedy by any means, I have lost 21 pounds in 3.5 months. Admittedly, I used to think that Atkins was an awful diet, but I feel good on this diet. I find that without carbs, I very rarely have that 'one bite too many' feeling, and with limited carbs in my diet, I find that sometimes it's actually quite difficult to hit 1200 calories. I'm actually aiming for a range of 1350-1700 calories. When my calories are lower, I lose slower. WITH Carbs, it's a struggle for me to stay on a low calorie diet, and keeping my calories under 1800 felt impossible. I know this works for my body because carbs most definitely make me hungrier -- I know I am a carb addict.

While it's all very counterintuitive to all I know of dieting and nutrition, I find Atkins works. Without carbs, your body utilizes fat first, and you don't store it. My doctor is okay with this diet, and my bloodwork has been normal . It's been the right method for me, and I feel in control. Atkins was difficult in the early stages, on Induction, where I was trying to stay at 20-25 net carbs. Now I am more in a 50 net carb calorie range.

The Atkins web site is awful for recipes, but there are a lot of good low carb blogs out there, and one can rework their own recipes, as well. The 'New Atkins for You' (or something like that) seems to have more of a focus on veggies than previous versions, and I like that. 

It works for me, and I know everyone's body is different, but for this surgically rearranged chick, I must add that while I miss carbs, I don't miss the gas and bloating that carbs brought. I'm now 192 pounds, and trying to get back down to at least 165. Then I'll take it from there ... 

Edited to add that My Fitness Pal app has been great, and the Atkins Carb Tracker app is a good outline of the phases of the Atkins diet.

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are they used for? Esp the abdominal binder. Do they help with the extra skin issue?