catwoman7

a lot of people don't have side effects from the surgery and for those who do, most are minor. The biggest side effect of my staying morbidly obese would be not living to see my 60th birthday.

weight fluctuates all the time - even when we're losing. If you don't like seeing the fluctuations, just weigh yourself once a week - then you'll only see the trend (which will be down as long as you stick to your plan)

nope - I didn't have to either. But since I had to do a liquid diet for two weeks prior to surgery (and this was ALL liquid - no solid food allowed), I doubt I had anything in there.

I do that sometimes!

I still drink a protein shake every day as a mid-morning snack, but that's so I'm sure to get in my 100+ grams. It'd be a challenge to get all that in just from food. But most people don't really need protein shakes once they're a few months out - they can easily get in the required 60+ grams from food at that point. It's just that my protein needs are higher than most people's because of my malabsorption issue. As far as bar vs. shakes, bar is definitely going to be denser than a shake.

I eat Greek yogurt every morning for breakfast and often as a snack, too - but then, I'm not as hungry at those times as I am at lunch and dinner. I try to eat something denser for lunch and dinner. Although I know people who eat deli meat for breakfast, so that works, too!

I don't think people normally have problems with the twilight sleep. It's not like getting general anesthesia. I had sleep apnea (a mild case, though) when I was morbidly obese and did fine on twilight sleep during my colonoscopy. I didn't have a CPAP (I didn't know at the time I had sleep apnea). I would just call the clinic that's doing it beforehand and ask them if you should bring your CPAP machine.

Greek yogurt does have a lot of protein, and I eat it every day, but it does go right through you. Something like meat sits in your stomach a lot longer, thus keeping you fuller. That's not to say that you shouldn't eat Greek yogurt, but try to get some meat in for some of your meals, too. I've read that there is a limit to how much protein the body can absorb at one time - I can't remember off-hand, but I think it was 30 or 40 grams, but I also recall that there wasn't really a consensus on this. I have to eat 100+ grams a day because I malabsorb protein (my prealbumin level tanks if I don't get that much), but I spread it out throughout the day.

just go back to eating the way you were the first year (not the protein shakes and purees - but the way you ate when you were a few months out). Protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and then, if you still have room, a piece of fruit or a small amount of whole grain carbs. dense protein is very filling (e.g., meat) - so try to choose that as your protein whenever you can.

it's probably just a stall. Stick to your plan and your weight loss will eventually start up again.

almost everyone has their first stall during the first month post-op. It's usually the third week, but not always. Do a search on "the three week stall" - you should find hundreds of posts on it. Just stick to your plan and your weight loss will start up again. I stalled during weeks 2 and 3. My weight loss started up again during week 4, and I dropped like eight pounds almost overnight.

your medical procedures are none of their business, and you're under no obligation to tell them. I didn't tell them about my colonoscopy, so.....

I had at least a couple in my hip as well.

I didn't have that with my bariatric surgery, but I just had it happen with my plastic surgery (we weren't sure if it was the glue or the surgical tape that covered it). Now that they've removed the glue, it should clear up pretty fast. If not, maybe try Benedryl lotion (??) (my plastic surgeon recommended that)

I had a desk job. I took three weeks off, but I could have gone back after two.

I also used that six-month period to do a lot of research and really prep myself for the surgery and post-op life. It also allowed me time to gradually adapt to my new way of eating - I think it would have been much harder if the change had been immediate and drastic. Those six months flew by. If I had to do it again, I would have done it the same way.

you'll be able to tell a huge difference once you start eating solid food. The stuff you're eating right now slides right through, so you're not feeling the restriction yet. Plus your nerves were cut during surgery, too..

most people temporarily gain weight after surgery. It's fluid - those IV fluids, especially, since those bags contain sodium, which makes a lot of people retain water. I had phase 2 of plastic surgery last week and gained 10 lbs while in the hospital from the IV fluids. It took a week for it all to leave my system.

people lose at all different rates for all different reasons (age, gender, starting BMI, metabolic rate, whether or not you lost a lot of weight before surgery). I'm sure menopause can be a factor. I was post-menopausal when I had surgery, but I don't know how much of a role that played. I also lost 57 lbs before surgery, and that likely played a part, too. Yes - I was a slow loser, but I was very committed to my program, esp that first year, and I lost all my excess weight.

some people become lactose intolerant after surgery. Maybe you're one of them? Try a protein that that's not milk-based - there are some out there. (UPDATE: never mind - looks like you've already done that!!)

most people have their first stall within the first four weeks or so (the third week is the most common). After that, it varies. You'll probably have several stalls on your journey. Most people lose the most weight during the first month - although a lot of that is probably water.

I could swallow most of my pills whole as soon as I got out of the hospital. The only ones I couldn't were ursodiol and those giant calcium tablets. I'm not sure what size the Centrum Women's are, but if they're kind of small, you may just be able to swallow them. Centrum makes chewables as well, but not all places carry them.

this looks a lot better. I'm not sure about the amounts or else I'd figure out the calories, but maybe you were a bit light (for you, that is)? Just trying to figure out the hunger part of it.

pickle meal may have been sodium - a lot of people are sodium sensitive, and it makes them retain water like crazy As far as gaining weight from vegetables, the only possible explanation is that it takes a lot of water to metabolize carbohydrates. So your gain was almost certainly from the excess water.

that's about where I was at two months out, too. I thought there was no way I'd lose all my excess weight at that pace, but I did. People lose at all different rates for all different reasons. The key is sticking to your plan. If you're super committed, the weight will come off, whether fast or slow.