I read about and researched gastric bypass surgery and the lap band procedure for about five years before I finally had my surgery. I thought I had learned everything there was to know about gastric bypass, but in the eight months since having my surgery, I have found that there are many things — and probably many more things yet undiscovered — to know about gastric bypass surgery.
- Drinking water — or any other kind of liquid — too quickly will result in the liquid your stomach pouch, then sloshing back up, causing you to have to vomit vigorously.
- You know that icky drop sensation you get in your stomach when you ride a roller coaster? It’s pretty much non-existent. I rode several roller coasters last week, including one with a 220 ft. drop, and they were almost disappointing since that sickening and thrilling sensation wasn’t there.
- Hair loss is common after weight loss surgery, but it will continue if you don’t keep your protein intake up.
- Speaking of protein, you will get sick of worrying about it. You will also get sick of how the protein shakes taste.
- Your sex drive will remain the same. It may even improve, since you’ll feel better and have more self-confidence. Your ability to orgasm, on the other hand, will decrease, due to hormonal imbalances, fluctuations and deficiencies.
- You will probably experience body dysmorphia. Despite weighing 200 lbs., you’ll see yourself and act as if you still weigh 300 lbs. You’ll find yourself shopping for a plus size swimsuit, when in reality you just need a regular one in a size XL (true story — this happened to me this summer!!!).
- The things you were self-conscious about before won’t bother you now; things that shouldn’t bother you now/never bothered you before will suddenly be a Very Big Deal.
An unexpected side effect of gastric bypass surgery is not being as tolerant of the cold as I was before. I say “the cold” like I live in the artic, when the truth is I live on the east coast of the United States, and our summer temps are usually in the high 80s and low 90s — and on those especially scalding days, upper 90s, with the occasional 100°+ day.
Right now I’m sitting in our living room wearing a tank top, a t-shirt, and a hoodie. Our ceiling fan is on, the air conditioner is off, and it’s at least 85° outside.
This past winter was brutal to get through. For purely frugal purposes we keep our indoor thermostat set to about 65°, which wasn’t bad at all the last several years. But this past winter? It SUCKED. I was always cold. 
I swear, I’m investing in an electric blanket before fall gets here!
I get asked questions about my gastric bypass surgery all of the time, but what has to be the most common question is, “Do you regret it?” My answer is always swift, absolute, and straight to the point: never. And it’s true. I don’t regret it. Not once I have I ever wished that I continued trying (and failing) to lose weight “the old-fashioned way”. Not once did I wish I tried everything but stopped short of surgery. Even days out of surgery, when I was sore and achy and out of is and going through withdrawal from sugar and carbs, not when I had massive stomach pains that made me think my gallbladder was twisting itself inside out, not when I spent several months vomiting randomly and spontaneously (that has slowed down a lot, thank god). Never ever ever.
I do, however, get pangs of, longing, I guess you would call it. It isn’t regret. It isn’t remorse. It’s just longing. I long to be able to eat an entire hamburger, or an entire hot dog. Not for the quantity, but because it’s frustratingly difficult to get the full “flavor” and “feel” of a delicious piece of barbecued goodness from just a few bites. Last night my husband and the couple we were having dinner with happily wolfed down a hamburger or two, a hot dog or two, and a full earn of corn each. Me? I had about 1/4 of a hamburger patty, no bun, with a sliver of lettuce, tomato and cheese on it. I had two bites of a hot dog — again, no bun — and about half of a small ear of corn. Big contrast there, huh?
The other longing I get for is for MILKSHAKES and SMOOTHIES. But the sugar content prevents me from being able to enjoy them. Heh, a few months ago I was at Panera Bread and mistakenly sucked down just HALF of a mango smoothie in about fifteen minutes. That half of a smoothie had over 60 grams of sugar, which is OVER THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR I can tolerate in a sitting. I was so sick, I thought I was going to pass out. Or die. Or both. “Little” things can get me into dumping trouble too, like a few licks of the mixing spoon used to whip up brownies for the kids (licked after the mix was poured into the baking pan, obviously). That happened two weeks ago, and mannnnn did I feel shitty afterward.
But besides the longing for more flavor (it’s hard to really “taste” certain foods without eating more than a spoonful or two) and the wistful feelings about milkshakes and smoothies (especially now that it’s summer!), I have no negative feelings/thoughts/consequences to deal with since having gastric bypass surgery. I’m very happy. 
Psst… for those interested, I set up a profile with Formspring. Questions are completely anonymous, so feel free to ask away!
This is a post that is intended for Technorati. H33QQDSENQP6
ONEderland has been oh-so-close yet oh-so-far-away for nearly a month now. I dance close to 206 and most recently 205, and then jump back up to 207, 208 and even 209. I haven’t gone over 209, which is nice, but dammit, I was really hoping to see 199 or below by now. Weight loss stalls really effing suck!
I hope I’m not overeating. That sounds ridiculous, but lately I have noticed that I’m filling up on food faster. I’m not eating larger quantities or more often, so I don’t know what gives. Maybe it’s because I’m drinking so much water in between. I’d cut back on the water consumption, except that it’s, you know, summer, and staying hydrated when it’s hot is always a good thing.
But believe me, I’m not having a total bitchfest here. I’ve lost 126 lbs. in a year and two months, and 75 of those pounds came off since surgery, so I’m not complaining. I’m counting my blessings, and each and every day I find something new related to my weight loss to marvel at. Most recently being the fact that I am now in a SIZE FOURTEEN HELLO. Fourteen is HUGE (no pun intended), because it means that once I hit a 12, I will no longer be shopping in Fashion Bug’s plus size section. Then I can look REALLY good for any event I’m invited to — a birthday party, Christmas party, baby shower, whatever! AHHH!
I turned 26 on June 13th, 2010. 26, ugh. That puts me on the other side of 25, which means that I am officially closer to 30 than 20. Ick, ick, ick. But this last year has been a huge one for me, no pun intended.
On my 25th birthday, I weighed 309 lbs.
On my 26th birthday, I weighed 206.8 lbs.
I’m still struggling to get to ONEderland. There is nothing quite so frustrating as being SO CLOSE to having a weight that starts with a 1 instead of a 2. I have been less than ten pounds away from that accomplishment for nearly a month now. I’m telling you, I am the queen of stalls. Water retention, hormonal fluctuations and general weight loss stalls seem to keep me bouncing around in a 3-5 pound range for a few weeks, and then BAM, I’ll drop 5-10 lbs in a matter of days. It’s weird, and nice when the BAM part happens. Speaking of which, I’m due for another BAM soon, so maybe I’ll get to ONEderland before August? I can only hope! In the meantime I’ll keep busy with work — I have my full-time job, plus many freelancing opportunities for baby shower themes articles to keep me busy!
A few weeks ago I registered gastricbypasschick.com. I plan on switching over to it once I hit 185 lbs. According to this BMI chart, I’ll be out of the obese category, and simply labeled as overweight instead. That right there will be an amazing accomplishment, one even more amazing than going from 331 to under 200 to 199 or less. I’ve been classified as obese for at least twelve years, so to break out of that category will be abso-fucking-lutely amazing.
Last year I had a black halter top style swimsuit that I picked up at Fashion Bug. It was a size 26.
This year I’m wearing another black halter top style swimsuit that is very similar in style to the one from last year, except that it is a size 16. Going down five sizes in a year’s time is pretty damn awesome. 
I’m probably just 20 or so pounds away from a 14, which means that next year I might be in a 10, or even an 8 or even — oh my freaking god — a 6!
I really don’t mind the fact that I still need plus size swimsuits. Going from nearly the max size in plus size swimwear to nearly the smallest size in plus size swimwear has been a hell of an accomplishment.
