Question:
32 years old--5'10

I am seeing my surgeon for first time on 9/4, and would like to know if anyone near my size has had any sucess/problems with surgery...thanks!    — Phillip C. (posted on August 30, 2003)

August 30, 2003
Phillip, I am 29 years old and have lost 102lbs in 5 months since RNY surgery 3/20. I have lost very quickly and I think I can attribute it to my age...although, I am also a female and males tend to lose more quickly than woman; but everyone is so different. Good luck in your journey!
   — denisel

August 30, 2003
Phillip, Based on the BMI on your profile and the height of 5'10 that you give it would appear that your weight if 556. I started at 442 lbs at 5'9. I will be 7 months PO on 9/3 and so far have lost 159 lbs. Like the first poster said men tend to lose even faster so get ready for the ride of your life. I am amazed on what I have lost so far. I have followed my surgeon's eating plan very closely and for the first 4-1/2 months went even stricter on the carbs than he required to keep my body in max ketosis. It worked well as it really burned the fat and the lbs came along with it also. My exercise was slower getting going because of my size and the fibromyalgia I have but each month it improved some. I only 2 two days a week of structured exercise - 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes walking, but it's a good workout and I give it my all. More than the 2 days would be difficult for my body to take. However, I am on my feet and on the go way more than I used to be so in general my life is quite mobile and I get some good walking in shopping for new clothes these days. LOL <p>Just make sure you go in with very realistic expectations and with a committment to this new life. I have not found it a difficult life to live at all. I had some post-op problems but so minor in the scheme of things. My post-op plan puts you on food at 7 days PO and uses no protein drinks. It uses max ketosis for the first 6 weeks by having zero carbs in the plan. Therefore we do not have to get in nearly as much protein in as the ketosis keeps our bodies from going after the protein/muscle in our bodies. I did wonderful for 6 weeks, never got sick. Then I started having problems of throwing up about 1 meals a day. This went on for about 2 months, although getting less often towards the end. At one point they did scope me and decided to dilate a little bit even though it wasn't closed at all. In hindsight I think I was trying to eat too fast. I have transitioned to thicker, heavier, denser proteins about the time I stated having problems so I just went back to the soft, chopped, shredding things that did not make me throw up, but did not help me figure out it was the different food. Eventually I learned to slow down more and listen to my body better. I have only thrown up 2 times in the past 3-1.2 months now. Once because of my own stupidity and once because the food just did not sit well. <p>I also had some incision healing issues but again very minor in the big picture. I initially had 3 small holes that I had to pack so they could heal from the inside out. The bottom two healed up as one would expect. The top hole would not budge in depth. The top kept closing up but then the fluid was still there as nothing had healed. I had to have it cut open 3 different times in the surgeon's office. Finally about week 11 they did an outpatient surgery to find out what was going on. I had 2-3 stitches in the fascia that would not dissolve and they kept irritating the area. Once they were out it healed up quickly. It is not uncommon for SMO people to have some incision healing issues because of all the fat on our abdomens. But normally it heals up in about 1-2 months and not like mine. I'm glad it's healed now, but it really wasn't a huge deal to work through. Positive attitude does wonders!
   — zoedogcbr

August 30, 2003
Hi I was 32 when I had the surgery (11/01/02) and 5'10 I was 391 pounds when I started. it is now 10 months since surgery and I am at 219 pounds after losing 172 pounds, my life is great now. I was wearing size 63 jeans and can now fit into size 38 jeans and after the tummy tuck soon, I hope to be into 34 jeans. the only problem I had with surgery was cellulitis in my feet, but within a month that was gone, and so was the weight. hey feel free to email me if you want, I would be more than happy to answer any questions I can. (lap rny 11/01/2002 starting weight 391, weight today 219, -172 pounds gone forever)
   — Christopher W.

August 31, 2003
thank you for your answers...they didn't print my entire question...I put in my question that I am 556 lb with BMI of 79.8 Maybe I should look carefully after I get question posted next time!!! lol
   — Phillip C.