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At the beginning of this week I started using a circulation booster to help me as my mobility is shot to pieces, pain is a constant and I’m worried about lack of circulation in my lower limbs etc. I also have to do what I can to strengthen the muscles around my knees for when I have them replaced, as the MSK nurse physio said that this will make a huge difference come recovery. I bought a machine that also helps with knee pains etc (separate TENS pads and programme for this) I’ve done the circulation programme for 4 days now and I’m just doing the knee programme for the second time. OH MY GOD!! The difference in pain is indescribable!!! I’ve not taken any big girl pain relief this week (Tramadol - was weaning myself off as I don’t like any kind of opioids) just a couple of paracetamol and an ibuprofen at bed time. Hopefully this will all be done away completely and my pains will be easily controlled by the booster. Honestly, if anyone breathed too hard near my knees previously I would be on the ceiling but now I can poke and prod them with no ill effects (or lots of bad language!) 🥳🥳🥳 The pain isn’t waking me up in the night and I just generally feel so much better. I still can’t walk much on them but I can deal with that for now. I know that I still need both knees replacing but it will certainly make life a lot more bearable in the meantime. The bumf with the machine reckons it can be up to 8 weeks to get the full effect but I’m so happy with how it’s working out so far. Just thought I would share 😊

Thanks. He came early and I just got back from the walk. Getting out of and back in bed was the worst part but it wasn’t intolerable. I was going to put my pajama pants on but thought about the leg circulating things and decided that then second gown worn backwards would Be better.

2 years exactly since my sleeve and my hair is the worst ever ,my hairdresser gently told me she'd have to cut it short as the ends were like fluff ! bald patches, shedding , hair all over the house and pillow .My sister why my hair was receding at the front ? like her bald husbands ! I take Biotin gummies and use Biotin shampoo .Nothing is stopping this hair loss .I despair :(

Hi Possum220! I feel like you are very honest and courageous to ask for help because it’s the true first step. Yes, I have been seriously depressed before and yes I am mortified by regain. My last serious depression was way before WLS but I know that the longer it goes without help, the longer it stays. I’m going to suggest you start your healing journey there because it’s life threatening. Please continue to advocate for yourself and your health in that regard! As regards regain, I have had some success with “Glucose Goddess.” Look her up, she’s on all social media platforms. She is a scientist and mathematician who got into a serious accident and needed to heal herself. She cites all the medical papers that she has researched, peer reviewed, and published. You can by her book, but I’m just watching YouTube to get the basics right now. Eating veg, then protein, then carb has seriously slowed my hunger AND stopped the near daily dumping I was experiencing. I was never diabetic but I think the severe dumping syndrome of WLS was making me the equivalent. I swear getting my blood sugar under control has been a game changer. Many studies report lessening depression and less anxiety. It has helped me with asthma because it reduces inflammation. I have lost four pounds this week, and all I did was change the order of foods I eat. So, depression is like asthma, you need to treat it first. But the Glucose Goddess has practical applications that help with those problems and helps with weight loss too. (By the way, it has helped even though I’m on a new medication that has even more steroids too.) I’m wishing you the best! Keep up with therapy and finding a med that works:) You are not alone. Let us know how you’re doing and what you found that helps.

It can definitely feel intimidating. As someone who would categorize myself as a "gym girly" now I will tell you that not one person in that gym started where they are now. They all were beginners at one point, they all fumbled to figure out the equipment, they all made mistakes. Heck I still drop weights, forget how to move stuff, etc. Also, most of us are so focused on what we are doing that we aren't paying attention to those around us. I will also say that most gym people love helping people. We love talking about fitness and sharing knowledge and I am sure many people at your gym would be happy to help you out. A lot of gyms also now have the QR codes on the machines that show you how to use them and some gyms like crunch and planet fitness have preset workouts on the app that you can walk through. My next BIG thing though is going to be about safety. Your diet pre-op sounds VERY calories restrictive and chances are you're not going to have a lot of excess energy for activity at that low of a calorie intake. So many sure you feel up to it. If you feel tried, lethargic, dizzy, have a headache, etc. I wouldn't do a workout. Your body is trying to just function at that stage and might not be up to the excess activity just yet. I am really into post bariatric fitness and just got my certificate in nutrition health and wellness. Reach out anytime on IG @ anastacia_bari_life

Awake. Still In a bit of pain though. A lot more than with the sleeve. They ended Up giving me morphine and I got some sleep. Dr woke me up and I asked him my main. questions. He is so nice. Nurse seems to be good too so far. Haven’t tried to walk yet. Not sure how that’s gonna go since I can’t move my torso. I woke up with a binder on which helps alot cause they undid it a couple of times to check and I was thankful when they put it back. I am still on oxygen and supposed to be sipping my little cups every 15 minutes and using the spirometer. It’s sucking not blowing to raise the llittle ball and the other thing which is hard to explain. We will go for a walk around 5 he said before my next pain meds. Ooh and they have leg things on me that inflate like a blood pressure cup but looser every minute or so. So just sipping my water and eating my ice chips in between.

Seriously, unless you spent an absolute fortune on the brown rice protein powder, just bin it and put it down to experience. Life can be difficult enough with restricted food choices without forcing yourself to eat something you really dislike. Glad the pea protein was a win though! 👍

@Hiddenroses and @BigDane I hope you Both had your surgeries and are recovering well. i guess I am next. I have been being lazy all day but I gotta get off my butt soon and get my last minute stuff done.

Thank you for replying -pawsalmighty . Hugs to you. I certainly do want to stop the rot before it takes me back to where I was. I cannot afford to go back. Life is so much harder to live when you feel trapped inside your own body. Even the basics like taking a shower or walking around to do the grocery shop was confronting every single day. Even now, here it is winter. I have never experienced such cold. I need to wear gloves over my hands but I would rather this than sweating on a mild day plas all the other garbage that comes with it. I have stopped focusing of protein and switched to chocolate but I need to do better. I like the fact that I have more strength where before I could only walk part three houses and I was done. My weight has been a life long issue. Richard Simmons passed away recently. I remember working out to his album in the 80's. I played the songs and my body remembered the exercises. I am not new to this game but the struggle continues. I suppose that is a little aside. What do you mean about genetic testing? How does this help to find the right anti depressant? Sounds so much better that the p'doc trying the hit and miss method with medications. Have many people found it to be helpful? I really do need to find a new way to set small goals. Not sure what they are yet. But I am going to see my doctor tomorrow. Hmmmm, Wish me luck.

A lot of early post-ops are on a virtual starvation diet which does wonders to every system in your body. This is rather expected, and something to get through for all of us. And as we all should know, when the body isn't getting adequate calories it eats fat. Yeah! And muscle. And eventually organs. Plus, your metabolism slows down. Everything that isn't critical is curtailed if not outright shut down. Things that were easily dealt with before might not be easy during starvation. Over a month, even two or three most healthy persons can cope. And typically, by three months most post-ops are upping their calories adequately. The longer we remain at starvation levels the more harm that can be caused. However, above all else, no matter what you do, carp happens. Good luck, Tek