Tomo

Tofu Shirataki tonkotsu noodle soup (150 cal), 2 Chinese sausages (45 cal each, air fried first) and napa cabbage and Korean pepper to make it spicy. Soup helps me with hydration, and it's delicious and low calorie & filling. Here the kit, it comes with two servings. I always add things to it like an eggs, proteins, veggies... Etc. https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.960528886.html

First I asked about getting the MGB before I got my revision to RNY for gerd, I was told that there are recent studies that MGB is linked to bile reflux. Because I was in the minority groups of VSG that got severe reflux (I think it's 15-20% of VSG), there is no way I was going to risk getting bile reflux. Also, my surgeon cautioned me against the MGB and told me to go RNY to help with my gerd. So, I was apprehensive like everyone else. I just suffered so bad and so long from gerd, I was actually looking forward to sleeping and no fake gnawing feelings of hunger that gerd gave me, or burning throat all day long... Etc. So 15 months since my revision, and no severe gerd. I also do not have any side effects like dumping, fluctuance, and am getting great post-op blood tests. I am feeling so normal (pre WLS op normal) but the only difference is I eat very little comparatively speaking. It has been an incredibly smooth ride.

If you can't stay on plan now, even if it is for your own safety, you should talk to your team so they can help you.

The way I look at, other than sharing what you went through, there isn't much you can or should do. My sister and her husband have the opposite problem. My sister who has also never had a weight problem, have children who don't eat at all. They are skin and bones. Literally. One is always sickly. I mentioned it once and she said "They are fine if they aren't hungry, no reason to force it on them." I love her and her kids so much but it simply is not my place. Maybe your niece will slim down naturally since your sister has never been overweight. Maybe my nephews will gain weight. If they do see doctors, then I am sure they mention the weight if it is abnormal. If they don't listen to doctors, there is no way they will listen to us. Criticizing others only puts distance between those we criticize, so it is better to concentrate on ourselves, who we can change. That's my two cents.

You are doing everything right, Kim, in your pre-op. I wish I did half the things you did during that time. What a wonderful post.

You are definitely not alone. That's why I caution others not to do what I did. I just put away in a box, a zillion different protein powders, unflavored and flavored, Bariatric soup and chili packets ... Etc. I think after the first 2 weeks, I found more delicious, natural and appetizing ways to get my protein in. But here is the weird part, I still buy them from time to time if someone mentions one that I think I will like. After one serving or two servings, back in the box.

I don't really go to the movies but when I go out to watch plays or performance arts, I bring string cheese. It's fun to eat and can eat it really slow, making the thinnest strings. I like popcorn but I have a difficult time measuring how much I eat when I go out so I will eat it at home (100 cal bag) sometimes.

Went to Vegas for a few days, feeling lazy to get back into cooking and meal prep so eating "quick" things for the past 2 days. I hope I can snap out of it and keep learning to cook lol. For breakfast, I just had 36g of Catalina Crunch Cereal in Chocolate Banana flavor (110 cal, 6g fat, 14g carbs, 11g protein) with 1 cup of cashew milk (25 cal). It is one of my favorite quick ways to get some protein in. I ate it all. Wish I had bananas to put in it.

There are plenty of other choices for protein other than protein shakes that won't rip your sutures or injure your staple line. Lots of pureed foods and soft foods like cottage cheese, beans, ricotta cheese, greek yogurt, hummus and more that are high protein. Steak after 10 days post-op is simply dangerous. A piece of steak won't make up for 10 days of having no protein at all. It is about safety. Give your stomach 6 to 8 weeks to heal. I hope your doctor explained all this to you.

I had my vsg done as outpatient. I had to be there at 6am, I had surgery a couple hours later. I was out the same day, maybe 3ish? I can't remember. I didn't have much pain at all. A little nausea but they gave me something for it, went away immediately. I had a 45 to 1hr drive home, I just slept the entire time. I lived on the second floor and climbed up them with no problem. That was one of my pre-surgery worries. I took my medicine and fell asleep. I really had no issues but a abdominal cramp here and there. Nothing alarming. No problem with drinking liquids or walking to the restroom... Etc. Like others, pretty uneventfuln and painless. My revision seemed even easier. Gotta love medical technology.

My instructions were eat until you get all your protein in, then stop. No calorie goal given. After 3 months when asked how many calories. They said to eat more, "at least 900 to 1000 cal" . But I didn't reach that till 12 months.

I eat relatively fast. One exception: If it is dense meat, like steak, and especially if I am in a social atmosphere, I slow down and chew really, really, really well. Nothing is worse than not feeling good in a public event.

Usually much faster if you pay out of pocket vs insurance. So many hoops to jump through. My first surgery was cash. It was very fast. Everything, tests, surgery... Etc. The latter two were insurance and there were unnecessary delays.

When I was heavy, I was considered "cute" so people smiled and approached me all the time. It was annoying. People I didn't know would even try to offer me food (ugh). Well, I don't have the cute, round, approachable look anymore so now, not so much. They are still nice, and I get compliments but I don't get the "pat on the head" type of endearments anymore. I don't miss them though lol.

No change in either. But, I do have a keeper. He loves me huge, medium or tiny. Doesn't say much either way. He knows I'm not the type that needs to hear positive reinforcement, and I know he's not the type to say negative debilitating things. It's a quiet and peaceful life, business as usual. I am lucky. I know it.

No carb restriction from beginning to end. Lots of fruits, vegetables and legumes, whole grains... Etc.

Airfried plantains with spritz of olive oil with a little sweetener (your choice) sprinkled on it after is good. It is something my mom always made for us (common Asian dish). Of course, she would fry them but it is just as good in the airfryer. I have made them a couple of times.

If I don't chew well or if I take one bite too many or eat too fast. It can be hiccup city for me. Otherwise, I don't get them. Early on I got them quite a bit as my body was adjusting and healing. Extremely common early on but not later on.

Phenomenal, Kim. Jaw dropping success!

I had read that that if one still has gerd after rny, it is due to a too short roux limb and get get it lengthen. When I had my revision, my surgeon discussed how important it was to have a longer roux limb in the cases.

Unfortunately, they can not tell what the source is nor do they care. It is a straightforward positive or negative test for THC. Many of the cbd products have a small percentage of THC ( eg. 0.3%). Can contact your gummy manufacturer and ask them the percentage. Unfortunately, these supplements like all the others are not monitored by FDA so who knows what the real percentage is. Perhaps talk to your doctor and let him know that you are taking these gummies as a sleep aid, and he may waive it.

I didn't have much pain in either the vsg or revision. I didn't even bother taking the pain meds after the first day in both cases. I just took otc Tylenol. Only because I can't handle the groggy feeling. The gas pains back then (vsg) was a bit painful but just walk, walk, walk it off if you can and take gas relieving otc meds. My surgeon suggested gasx strips but I like mylanta mini fruit chews.

Common for me in the first few months. Even now, I have to make sure I chew really well and never overeat. Hiccups, runny noses, foamies... It was a rather steep learning curve to master my body signals.

I think it is normal. One, you haven't really eaten. You are going to feel hungry. Liquid phase is also difficult because liquids pass right though you so there is very little satiety during that phase. Once you heal and you move on to more solid foods, you may feel hungry but a very small amount of protein will satisfy you. Give it time. Congrats on your step in the right direction and good luck on your journey.

My revision was virtually painless. I had no pain, no problems, no side effects and the restriction is everything I have always wanted. My surgeon was excellent though. I wasn't even in the hospital 24 hrs.