WLS grads 5, 10, 15, 20+ years out

What an inspiration...I think your mom may be my new hero!!

Tell your mom that she is an inspiration to me!
She ROCKS!
God bless.
Cath

OMG! What an awesome chick! I am so glad to hear this. i have the highest aspirations to live to be 100, but have always wondered if that is possible with the RnY. Did she have the RnY? WOW, thank you!!

Yup, she had RNY.

I had Open RNY six years ago this last August.  I inititally weighed 325 and got down to 155.  My current weight is 163.  My quality of life is different from day to day.  Some days are good, and some days are not.  I have reactive hypoglycemia, which means if I eat too much sugar or fat, within 2 hours later, my blood sugar level drops very low and I become disoriented, weak and can barely think or stand.  I MUST have something with protein and low sugar immediately in order to not faint.

This reactive hypoglycemia is what USED to be the 'dumping syndrome'.  The dumping changes to reactive hypoglycemia years after surgery.  I must always carry glucose tablets in my purse at all times, in case I can't get to food.  The only way I can NOT have this problem is to totally stay away from fats and sugars.  I can't even describe how horrible it feels when this happens, so this problem is what keeps me from regaining a lot of weight back.  The food isn't worth feeling like that on a daily basis. 

I have normal blood work every year so far so that's good.  I take a TON of supplements and am faithful to take them daily.  I still try and get in at least one protein drink a day because we need our extra protein for the rest of our lives - not just a year out from surgery.

I don't know if I would have this surgery again if I had to do it over.  I've only exchanged one set of problems for another set of problems.  The only beneift is that I feel normal and can function like a normal person now - at least most of the time anyway.

I can eat normal amounts of food pretty much, depending upon what it is.  Some things fill me up more than others do.  I eat 3 regular meals a day.  I never reached my goal of 140 and I don't know if I ever will.  However, I'm pretty satisfied with where I am right now.  My face is very thin and so I can fool more people into thinking I'm much smaller than I really am.  My body is larger than my face, and sometimes that's good but it sure makes me look a lot older!  I'll be 50 next year and I might as well face the fact that I'm 'old' now!  LOL!

Good luck on your journey!

Thank you so much for this. I think I have the hypoglycemia, since before the surgery. i have not had any dmping yet. But then i am still in pureeed foods. LOL

Don't say your 'OLD' I will be 50 on the 24th. I was hoping to stay in bed all day and just let the day go by and stay 49.  I am 3 years out got below my goal of 150. I went 144 to thin now I stay at 153-155. I do have constant headaches no one is sure why. I had a lot of dumping and I mean a lot. It was bad but was a good learning tool. I know not to take that last bite.  Would I did it again I wish I had done when I was in my 20's what a difference it would have made on my life. I never thought I would ever where a size 8. Well I think I did in my teens for about a week. Going to be 50 and looking good thats what it is all about

I'm 4 years out from the DS. Quality of life is fantastic! I eat 2,500-3,00 calories a day including 90-120 grams of protein and all the fat I want. The only thing I have to watch is carbs. I eat low-carb 4-5 days a week and carb up on weekends. No complications. I'm right where I want to be--a size 10 and I am still pre-plastics (LBL scheduled 12/4).

Wow, that is awesome! Is it hard to watch your carbs?

Not most of the time. If I really want to indulge, I do so, then make up for it later.