Thank you for being a part of my life!!  I was just thinking how long we have stayed together, none of the other boards have really kept in touch our March 2004's have.  I guess because we all became friends  Love ya, Judy

According to realage

You might seriously slash your risk of catching a cold this season if you adopt this immune-enhancing trio: salmon, sunshine, and a vitamin D supplement.

That's right. Prioritizing all three this winter will dramatically boost your vitamin D levels, and that in turn may curtail your risk for upper respiratory tract infections (like the common cold).

Make Room for D
In a large study, people with low blood levels of vitamin D were 55 percent more likely to develop a cold than people with three times as much D in their blood. Yep, it's time to make more room in your life for vitamin D. But getting enough from foods and sunshine can be tricky. In fact, anywhere from 40 to 85 percent of us may have a deficiency. So consider a supplement. You'd need 1,000 or more international units (IU) per day to achieve the blood levels that provided the most cold protection in the study. But find out how much vitamin D the YOU Docs recommended in their daily column.

D is for Defense
How does D defend against colds? Related research suggests the nutrient may facilitate the activity of an antimicrobial protein that's a key player in the body's immune response. In addition to popping some D, try these other immune-boosting strategies as well:

• Sleep on it. Find out how much sleep you need each night to fight winter colds.
• Adjust your attitude. Discover how positive emotions can keep you from getting sick.
• Work it out. Here's how a walk a day helps keep colds away.

(WOW 55 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO GET A COLD IF WE ARE D DEFICIENT!!! YIKES!!! I was shocked at that... well not shocked but that percentage is high!!)

joanie i agree with you 200 percent about the plastic being included in the surgery! i also wonder how people made out who went and had all that extensive plastic done then gained weight back. does that effect the skin? i know it gts pulled pretty tight and have wondered what happens when its pulled tight then extra weight is regained? could that tear the skin? that might sound silly but i've always wondered.
i didn't have the money to do that extra surgery and while it would have been nice i was lucky in that i didnt' havee a tremondous amount of extra saggy skin. no more than someone who is in their 50's and has had 3 kids anyways.
granted the first couple of years i prayed that i'd be able to have it done and have a tight tummy which i'd nevr have had but then again i'm not in my 20's.

Elizabeth, you hit on something that is probably the most critical aspect of our post-surgery lives. The vitamin and nutrient deficiencies that are a consequence of the surgery are wreaking havoc on our entire body systems. I know I will never be able to consider myself normal because all my innards are abnormal to the natural set-up. So for me, my journey continues - but now it's much more about sustaining physiological health (and hopeful keeping the weight off will be a benefit to that), and much less about looking normal in clothes. That was a wonderful period of time after I lost the weight - shopping! Slipping into size 6 jeans, and staying there for nearly 3 years - no more! Although I haven't given up the hope that I will one day get into those size 6 jeans again (I'm even holding onto the one pair of size 4 that I wore for a time!) - now it's much more about feeling good. And I don't. That's the bottom line. I am way beyond tired all of the time. My skin doesn't look good; my hair doesn't look good. So I'm going to do what I can to help my body get the nutrients it needs and that means I have to look at the consequences of WLS right in the face, own the fact that as happy as I am to no longer weigh nearly 400 lbs., I still have much, much work to do to be healthy. I'm so happy you're posting again! You are such a light! Maureen

I think the only way to determine stoma enlargement is through testing.  I have gotten the 'dry heaves' after eating as well, and I don't think my stoma is enlarged.  I do believe the plastic surgery should be covered.  I did not have a problem with excess skin, but I have a friend who did and it just isn't good.  My surgeon told me at the start to expect an increase in appetite after 6 months to a year when your system begins to 'settle' and get used to its new plumbing.  He also told me that I would experience a weight gain of 10 to 20 pounds after hitting my bottom weight....I gained 12 since my bottom weight.  I am not going to self diagnose whether my surgery is still intact.  I do believe what you are saying about your metabolism.  I think the surgery has an affect on that.