WhoKnows

I totally concur! As someone who mostly stays away from animal protein, I always thought I got off pretty lucky in that department, but since surgery there has been a major change! I'm still vegetarian (almost fully vegan), but things are... different.

I agree about all of this, but especially the prayer stuff! It's not that people don't have a right to their beliefs or to pray for whomever or whatever they wish, but there's an insinuation in the language that many people use ("We're all praying for you!") that this is the status quo, when it obviously is not.

I hope you've mentioned it to the nurses. I had very sudden major swelling at the site of the IV in my arm, and it was cause one if my veins had just given up and said "Enough!" I guess the liquid was just filling up the surrounding tissue? It wasn't a problem, but I also all told the nurses right away when I noticed it and they immediately removed that IV (I had another on in the other arm).

Sorry for yet another hair loss topic but... I'm wondering if it makes any difference when hair loss starts? I'm nearly twelve weeks post-op and hair loss started about two weeks ago. It's nothing major yet, but since I have thin hair already from PCOS, I'm concerned. I knew this was a strong possibility and I'll deal, but still, the more info I have, the better. I had heard hair loss typically starts at 4 months out, but I started at about two and half. Does that mean I can expect it to end a month an a half sooner? Does this mean it will be better or worse? Or just the same, but earlier? Anyone else have experience with hair loss starting early?

I'm good on protein (80-100g per day) and according to Cronometer, I'm good on all my micronutrients as well (though without the blood test until month 6, I can't really know for sure with things like iron that can have absorption complications...). I've also been taking Rogain for over a year for my hormonal hair loss. I'm fully prepared to take it for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, it hasn't helped with this, but hopefully, like biotin, it will help the eventual regrowth happen quickly and robustly...

Has hair loss started for anyone else? It's not major so far, but I've noticed an increasing amount of stray hairs and hair in the drain over the past two weeks or so...

I've noticed a few changes (I think it stinks when I floss, and honestly, my, ahem, private area has a different, though not unpleasant, odor), but nothing so major that anyone seems to have noticed anyway. My partner has been away on business since I was two weeks post-op though, and frankly he's the one who would be most likely to say anything if the changes are less subtle than I think.

The directions my surgeon gave me were a bit vague, and sort of encouraged me to be intuitive. I was eating purees a few days after surgery, and soft/moist solids after about a week and half or two weeks. I was eating pretty much everything* other than crunchy stuff and raw veggies/fruit by week 3, then after 6 weeks I started adding raw produce in. I've never had any problems with anything I ate, except for some almond butter about a week and a half out, which made my stomach clench. I added healthy nut butters back in at about two months and haven't had an issue. *I'm a vegetarian, so I can't speak to meat.

I dunno about safety, but you hear from a lot of women on here who gain back some weight during pregnancy and have a hard time losing it again afterwards, because obviously things change, and getting back into pre-pregnancy habits is harder. So, I'd think one would probably not want to rush into anything and just wait until one is as sure as possible that the new habits are stuck. If it's just a race to pregnancy, I could easily imagine difficulties after.

I actually haven't been sick once since getting sleeved (knock on wood). I think cutting out all the processed food (especially sugar and starches) has really helped. Even when I wasn't sick, my sinuses would often be kind of swollen, and that's gone too, along with a whole mess of skin problems. Clean, whole foods can really do wonders.

Oh, cool! Yeah, I'm in the same boat at the moment. Lacto-ovo vegetarian (no gelatin), but I'd love to go vegan again when I hit goal. Good luck!

I wish I had been in a position to do this when I was your age. I know I'm privileged to be able to get this done in my 20s, but still, I think about the rest of my youth that I missed out on and I feel sad. I have to say though, I've learned a lot about how to read people by being fat. I can spot a douche bag from a mile away. Figure that sh*t out now while you still can, cause once you're skinny, they won't let their true colors show!

@@veganjello by the way, I love your name! Are staying vegan all through the process?

Yeah, as I lose, I've noticed a distinct uptick in unwanted male attention in public. I'm planning to get a really short haircut soon, and I'm starting wear more pants now and dress more masculinely, also hold myself with more confidence, and I'm hoping this will help. Street harassment (even if someone thinks it's a compliment!) blows, and I'm not afraid to talk back either.

@@Niquee looking good! My weight loss is mostly butt-related as well. Also, you seem blonder!

I think for purees is make sense to eat foods that are pureed (or very soft) anyway. So rather than pureeing bacon, stick to things like pureed soups (you can always add Protein powder with an immersion blender once the Soup has cooled a bit if you want more protein), eggs, soft cheeses, refried Beans, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.

Women's sizes are such a mess. Despite what charts say, they vary greatly from store to store, and even from item to item. Hell, at Gap, I always wear jeans a size smaller than other pants - not because I like tight jeans, but just because their jeans just run bigger than their other pants. I think getting it right is really just a matter of trial and error. Good luck!

I'm almost 10 weeks out and I've been going to the gym 4-5 days a week since week 5. 3 days a week I do serious lifting and 1-2 days a week I do cardio. I get 85-90g of Protein a day. On the days I don't go to the gym, I eat around 600-700 calories. But on the days I do go, I try to get more like 900-1000. I have plenty of energy and I feel great and fitter than I've ever been (I can do chin-ups! Granted, my trainer helps me, but still, I'm a girl, and I'm doing chin-up!s). I think if you're working out really hard, and most importantly, lifting weights, it's ok to up the calories a bit to make sure your body builds muscle. Yes, you're taking in extra calories, but you're making sure you gain muscle, which in turn will boost your metabolism. Also, how are you on fluids? Keep super well hydrated is also important for energy.

Again, I think the dog is the issue here. If I had had to be alone, I could have managed. But, like I said, if I'd had a little being depending on me for food, Water, attention, access to a toilet and exercise, there would have been problems.

I agree with the above posters. I had a very easy and smooth recovery, but even I needed help from time to time and was glad to have my partner around. I can't imagine what I would have done if I'd been alone, especially with a dog. You might be up for short walks, but I know I was feeling way to weak to have been able to give a dog what she needs in the first two weeks or so.

It's pretty warm out, so I don't eat a lot of hot food right now, but I measure the amount I'm putting on my plate to eat, whether it's something I'm eating raw or cooked.

Even if the chicken were pureed in a blender, from what I've read on here, most people who choose to eat meat, don't do so for a few weeks at least. Protein shakes will go down easier and allow you to get more grams per day. There's nothing wrong with those being your main source of protein for the time being.

If you've followed the pre-op diet and already had the endoscopy, then my guess is, you'd know already at this point if there were going to be a problem. I'm sure everything will go off without a hitch, and all you need to be worrying about is preparing yourself for what comes next. Good luck!

@@LosingIt74 If you already know how people talk in your office, then if I were you, I'd keep it quiet, at least until losing and keeping the weight off for a while.

My doc said yes, in small amounts. But he tends to be more lenient than others' on here. Despite his go-ahead, I've chosen not to drink since surgery though. It just doesn't seem worth the calories. Maybe when I get to goal.