catwoman7
Gastric Bypass Patients-
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Everything posted by catwoman7
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Two days post op
catwoman7 replied to erikamurphy1214@gmail.com's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
the VSG was once part 1 of the DS. The DS was often done in two surgeries in the past - they'd make a sleeved stomach first, then would go in a few months or a year later and bypass the small intestine. But enough people lost enough weight after surgery #1 that they started offering it as a standalone surgery - and the VSG was born. Long way of saying - doing something like this in two parts should still work fine. I know you're wanting a SADI instead of a traditional DS, but the same should apply. -
Stress test 1 year post op
catwoman7 replied to OkieDokieNawan's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I just had to do one before surgery - I've never been told that I needed one afterward. Were there issues with your first one? -
Post Gastric Bypass - Does My Unused Stomach Still Send Me Hungar Signals?
catwoman7 replied to boofie3's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
most of us lose our sense of hunger for a few months, but not everyone. I'm taking a graduate-level nutrition class right now, and we discussed this earlier in the semester, so I'm a little foggy, but I do remember reading a study where they tested ghrelin levels on RNY patients a year out of surgery, and their ghrelin levels were very low. -
I think I am failing and I am so scared!! Any advice please!!
catwoman7 replied to KDeeB's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
if you're sticking to your clinic's food plan, then it's a stall. Most of us do experience our first one sometime within the first month or so after surgery, so no, it's not too early. HOWEVER, if you are eating too much, then you need to get back on track. It'll never be easier to lose weight than it will these next few months. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to lose a huge amount of weight, so you don't want to blow it. -
Low bp/ orthostatic hypotension
catwoman7 replied to Krasavitza's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
no medicine. Not debilitating. No way in hell - I am thankful every day for this surgery!!! -
Low bp/ orthostatic hypotension
catwoman7 replied to Krasavitza's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
it's fairly common the first few weeks or months after surgery - then it tends to resolve. You just have to get up slowly when you've been lying down. -
just wait it out. It'll break on its own. Stalls are a very normal part of weight loss - this will likely be the first among several. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days. They typically last 1-3 weeks. Once it breaks, you'll be on your way again.
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this is a lot to unpack, but one thing I wanted to mention is that most people lose their sense of hunger for up to a year, so that is not unusual. Mine came back at five months out, and honestly, even though it was weird to get used to, I wish I'd been one of the small minority whose hunger never comes back. It was so much easier to stick to my plan and lose weight when I was never hungry and didn't give a flying flip about food. I actually found it pretty liberating after awhile. you won't start feeling restriction until you're on solid food. Purees and fluids go through your stomach pretty fast. As far as hunger and fullness signals, again, if you're like most of us, you're going to lose your sense of hunger for a few months - up to a year. And when those signals return, they might be different than before. I don't feel "full" the way I did pre-surgery. It's hard to describe, but when I start feeling pressure in my chest, I know it's time to stop eating or I'm going to be sorry. Some people have even weirder signals, like sneezing or a runny nose.
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Pancreatitis :(
catwoman7 replied to SymphonyOfDreams's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I agree it's probably not common. I've been on this site for eight years and I think this is the first time I've seen a post about it. -
Am I recovering TOO fast?
catwoman7 replied to JustJovi's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
^^^^ what she said. I agree with everything she said. -
Hey ya'll...been a minute!!!
catwoman7 replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
after what you've been through, a stricture is nothing! (I had two of them - very easy fix). Malabsorption usually isn't a problem as long as you keep on top of your supplements. -
I started at 373 lbs and lost 16 lbs the first month, and then about 10 lbs (give or take a couple of lbs) per month for about six months after that. Then it gradually dropped. After the first year, there were months when I only lost about 2 lbs. I ultimately lost over 200 lbs, 100% of my excess weight. people lose at different rates for all different reasons, many of which you have little or no control over - such as age, gender, starting BMI, your percentage of muscle, your metabolic rate, various genetic factors. The two factors you DO have control over are your activity level and how closely you follow your clinic's food plan. If you do well with those, you'll lose the weight, whether fast or slow. In the end, your success depends on how compliant you are with the program, not how fast or slow you lose the weight.
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How to know when full after liquid diet?
catwoman7 replied to jthebutterfly's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
you're not going to feel full on a liquid because it goes right through you. You likely won't feel restriction until you get the solid food stage. Untll then, just drink (or once you move on to purees, eat) whatever is recommended in your clinic's plan. And no, you don't have to wait every 15 minutes before sipping broth. -
Bariatric Friendly Starbucks Coffees
catwoman7 replied to Erin18's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm several years out at this point, but my usual drink at coffee shops (other than just regular brewed coffee, which is my standard order if I'm there in the morning) is a small iced latte with 2% (or lower) milk and sugar free syrup. But I wasn't allowed to have caffeine for the first six months post-op, so I would have stuck with a brewed decaf with a little milk or half & half (oddly, I don't like coffee sweet if it's hot - only when it's (the coffee's) cold). -
BMR and my future self ???
catwoman7 replied to LandofHopeandDreams's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
current BMR won't figure into your post-surgery intake as it's based partially on your current weight. They'll start you off pretty low for the first few months and then you'll likely gradually increase as the months go by. Final calorie range (once you hit maintenance) will depend on whatever your weight, activity level, etc are once you get there. -
Chewable flavors & Calcium Citrate
catwoman7 replied to greekgoddess2468's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
it might be the artificial sweetener they use in that chew (?). Anyway, there are lots of options for calcium citrate. Most drug stores sell one or two brands of calcium citrate tablets (vs. several brands of calcium carbonate, which we're not supposed to take since it's not well-absorbed by us). I look for the "petite" version of calcium citrate tabs (I've gotten them at Walgreens - but other stores may have them as well) since I like them better than those big horse pills. there is also a powdered form of calcium citrate, but I don't know how easy it is to find in stores. You can order it online, though. NOW makes it - and so does Upcal D. I used to buy the latter. You can mix it into food or beverages, but Upcal D, at least, doesn't really dissolve - it just suspends in liquid, so you have to shake your beverage before every swig. I ended up just mixing it in with yogurt. -
Hair Shedding & Hair Loss
catwoman7 replied to greekgoddess2468's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
most of us have been through that. It lasts for about three months, and then the hair will grown back It's due to the trauma of the surgery (actually, hair loss can be a side effect of any major surgery - as well as other stressful physical events like childbirth), plus the very low calorie intake we have for the first few months post-surgery (which is why I think we see it more after bariatric surgery than other major surgeries - because it's paired with the very low calorie intake. A double whammy). There's nothing that will stop it - that process began back when you had your surgery. It'll stop and the hair will grow back, though. -
some people also "gain" weight from the IV fluids they give you in the hospital, since it's essentially salt water. I've read about people "gaining" as much as ten pounds from that! It can take a few days to work its way out of your system - although since you're ten days out, you're probably right - at this point it's probably inflammation or constipation.
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yep - it's the infamous three week stall! This question comes up almost every day. If you're interested in reading more about it, here are the 17,501 posts on it (and nope - I'm not kidding...): https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall
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Thinking I might losing weight to fast
catwoman7 replied to Catina B's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
that's pretty fast - although did you lose weight before surgery and/or did you have to do one of those two-week liquid-only diets before surgery? If not, a chunk of that weight you lost right after surgery could have been water. -
Individual powdered shake recommendations?
catwoman7 replied to Sigh's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
yes - individual packets are perfect for traveling. I used to get a box or two of individual packets from Syntrax, but last time I got this at Costco. They're fine - although any fruit-flavored protein powders (including the Syntrax ones) I mix with an individual packet of Crystal Light lemonade, too. I think they taste better that way (but that may just be my personal preference) https://www.amazon.com/Protein2o-Protein-Isolate-Orange-Mango/dp/B09RY2Y261/ref=asc_df_B09RY2Y261/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=632238326555&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5540704642575492079&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1028057&hvtargid=pla-1893285882852&psc=1 -
don't take much because if you're like most of us, you'll be sleeping most of the time you're there. The only things I used were my cell phone (and take your charger!) and the clothes that I both arrived and left in (make sure they're comfy and easy to put on/take off). I took toiletries but didn't need them since the hospital provided me with a bag of them - soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. I don't know if all hospitals give you those, though. I did take Biotin spray but didn't need it - but a lot of people do. Same with chapstick (or other lip balm). I didn't use it, but a lot of people do. they'll have gowns and non-slip socks there, so I didn't take anything like that. Really, for me, it was just the clothes and the cell phone. I slept most of the time I was there.
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it grows back. Hair loss usually lasts about three or four months, so yours should be about over...
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yea I love their turkey chili. That's my go-to order when I'm at Panera's when they have it (usually winter months). It's way better than Wendy's chili, IMHO
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I'm getting so frustrated, 7 months out and almost 2 months stalled
catwoman7 replied to SuziDavis's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
two months is long for a stall - you may have thrown yourself in maintenance. Have you tried cutting back on overall calories? EDITED TO ADD: If you were under 200 lbs - (you're 5'10", so pretty tall), I'd guess that it was probably because you're close to your new set point. But if your current weight on your profile is correct, you could still potentially drop quite a few lbs. I'd cut back on calories and see if that does anything.