ellie123

My surgeon is completely anti tracking. He wants me to eat healthy and be happy without obsessing about the numbers. Not even calories, he refuses to give a number

My Dear Bari Brothers and Sisters, You may have noticed that I too have been missing from the Scene for a while. Not for lack of love for you all. Following my honeymoon of no work, I had to go back and as you may know a grueling international travel schedule followed. An as exciting and glamorous as going to places like France and England may sound, it does take it’s toll, and has been so tough for me to resist the endless temptations along the way, not to mention the drag on my noon existent time. And since I work with computers, when I fly home, I usually go dark and stay away from electronics, as my 6 and 8 year old miss me and I want to spend every spare moment with them. To add to that, we have all been severely debilitated by a series of illnesses. My daughter had Coxsackie Virus, My son had stomach Flu, I tested postive for Strep and then the bugs started to cross pollinate so we all suffered greatly with a bouquet of bugs Then of course the Holidays were upon us and...yeah, we had to get our act together and travel to family etc, so I have been go to GO, and all those things I put on hold while I had and recovered from Surgery, well they all caught up with me. From a weight perspective I really don’t know how I’m doing :\. And here is why: Pre- Surgery Weight 271, Surgery Day August 22nd 2018 257, current weight 226 So Weight loss since Surgery (approx 3 months ago is 31lb and total loss is 45. Not monumental like some, but then again, this is my 2nd revision, I had band to Sleeve to this so like when I had the Sleeve, at the 3 month mark I had lost on 15 more lb than I have now :(. I’ve lost enough to be able to feel better and have several non scale victories...not ashamed to take pics with kids, easier fit in airplane seats, more energy, feel better about myself, my cloths are fitting great, more optimistic about the future, did not feel such dread going to see family on Thanksgiving, etc On my trips, where I have had hotels with kitchenettes, I’ve avoided eating out all together, doing fabulously grocery shopping, walking min 10K steps a a day and loosing weight. When I travel and there is no fridge or kitchen in the hotel, its much harder. An unlimited food budget coupled with crazy irresistible deliciousness makes it tough tough TOUGH to resist. In my last trip to France, various cheeses, and even Breads found their way into my world. Nothing near the copious previous quantities but enough to make me uncomfortable emotionally. The crazy part is my pouch did not resist at all. Very scary, as one with multiple surgeries I am crippled with the fear that this shall fail too. Which brings me to my next point. Following my stricture release a month ago, I no longer throw up, a good thing you might say BUT, I also seem to have lost my restriction!!!!! I mean, I don’t know where and HOW I am able to put away what I do :(((((((. Beyond sad and bewildered. Another problem is that my bloodwork revealed that my Anemia was worse...so on the 16th of Nov, I went in for an Iron Infusion. Now I had that last year with my Sleeve and I had a series of Iron infusions...7 in total 3 weeks apart and I left each infusion RAVENOUS and stayed that way. Gaining tons of weight before each next one. Well this time seems no different in that I am RAVANOUS ALL THE TIME, since I got it over a week ago. That coupled with the seeming loss of restriction is desasterous. I’m snacking on crackers and nuts and I know that stuff adds up. Last night I did a test to see when I will get full. Tried eating what would normally be considered healthy ways to fill yourself. Removed my Vegan restrictions and had at least 5 strips of deli roast beef...not full, a cup of leftover Green Bean casserole...than a big cup of chicken tortilla soup...nada...a big bowl of Green Beans, Brussel Sprouts and curried chickpeas followed....and 30mins later I was in a grazing mood again, grabbing Oat Crackers covered with no sugar chocolate and chia seeds...and guys...yeah, not a peak from my pouch and somehow I never got to a full or satiated feeling. Too depressed to even call doc about it. What can they do? I’m just 3 m out, this has GOT to work for me, and I’m like if at 3 months I’m able to devour all that...what hope is there at a year or two. Been down this road too many times. Trying hard not to be depressed...I gave up my Wellbutrin on Surgery day and have been doing great, but this...food preoccupation and seeming return of hunger plus lack of restriction has got me seriously in a funk. So for those suffering from too much restriction, I repeat, relish it..it does NOT last! This coming from me who was throwing up at a sip of water and now just 3 short months latter, I’m like praying for restriction. Frustrating does not begin to cover it...I just don’t know what to do. It’s also the week before my period when I’m usually most carb needy, so that is probably playing in too....idk, any thoughts? So yeah...here is where i find myself. About to go walking, it’s cold but I’ll brave it, if for nothing else, than to increase my Serotonin naturally (and catch up on my work calls as I do). And that’s what’s up with ellie123. Hope you all had an awesome thanksgiving, miss you all and hope everyone is doing great.

Nah girl, this is no place for someone trying to be in Onderland! U like England, France is NO place to diet! Everything is full fat, full cream, full sugar and so so good and bad for you! I’m struggling to eat right. Tried grocery shopping but I Can’t understand the food labels and since hotel room has no microwave just a little cooler, I’m left to eat out. Had this Butternut Squash soup for example. But it was so creamy and good, I bet it was 1000 calories. Here I am thinking I’m being good and probably porking out! I also have been having the cheeses here ... yeah, I’m struggling folks... In good news I got hotel to keep some frozen fruit for me and got some farm fresh spinich, so did manage to make my Green Smoothie, and it was heavenly with the fruit here. I also refrained from going crazy on the extensive breakfast buffet (think La Madeline’s in steriods, take what you want), anc had made to order eggs, some salmon and veggies. Did not eat it all and saved the apple, yoghurt and apple sauce for latter. But I did get a good assortment of cheeses and crackers I’ve been snacking on.

Omg!!!!! You are in Winderland, so happy for you!!!!! Congratulations!!!

Hello All my lovely Bari Brothers and Sisters! My apologies too for my silence. I've been in one word...BUSY! As I'm sure you all have too. But I wanted to give you a quick update. Made it back from London last Friday, and drumroll...I lost 2lb in my week there! For the first time in never! Like I always GAIN 5-7 lb a trip! So that was amazing for me! I did not eat out even once and did very well. Keeping my travel scales with me kept me honest as well. In the few days I've been home, I went back to Vegan and had lots of good fruits and veggies and I even had white rice AND I lost another 2.5 lb and am down to 229.2!!! So very thrilled about this! I had 5 short days at home with hubby and kids and I am flying out to France this afternoon. Ergo, the business! As I tried to cram as much hug time and trick or treat time and fall festival time with them as I could. On this trip the hotel options were not so good. No kitchenette, or even microwave. Just a tiny cooler in my hotel room. How will I manage...I've taken a lot of protein stuff with me, but I'll just have to...figure it out there 😕 I'm trying so so SO hard to do this right, but French pastries galore await me (this is my downfall), so yeah, say a prayer for me to have the power of will and presence of mind to resist. Wishing you all an amazing Fall time frame. Really would like to hear how everyone is doing. Love and Hugs, Ellie123

Well that’s the thing, until my Stricture was repaired I could not eat like this either! I was vomiting all the time too! It’s not normal! Since the Dilation (knock on wood), no throwing up!

@frustr8 how are you feeling?? I’m still in England. OMG temptation on everyhand, my will power is being stretched beyond that if Elastigirls! I needed this surgery. Fear of dumping keeps me at bay from the sweets! But without the surgery Sleeve to Bypass, I suddenly realize that with my sleeve not giving me dumping symptoms I would have been eating everything here!!! While here my traveling scales show a 2lb loss... I wonder if I can trust them...I have been eating more and am off the vegan an while here :/. I have discovered these wonderful things called old crackers which are low in sugar but they still have carb ofcourse, however they are whole grains so i use them for comfort with cheese while I’m here as I cannot participate in any of the delicacies that I love so much. Here are some of my meals I’ve fixed at hotel. I do t eat all on the plates...

Prayers your way dear Frust8, you've waited so long for this and I just hate you are having such a hard time! The good news is your scoped showed it's the ulcers acting up. So there is a plan that if you follow, should get you fixed. Would have been more frust8ing if they could not find a reason you are having these symptoms. Hang in there and prayers for you!

All, wanted to update you but it wounded up being the begining of a Stricture from HELL! Was vomiting every 10minutes the next day after I posted and was admitted via ER for 5 days I was so dehydrated! I was finally scoped and fixed. Fingers crossed I stay okay, but yes, as you all suspected, it was NORMAL and I did have a Stricture that got bad fast. If your body tells you something is wrong...believe it! And go get checked out before you are dialing 911 cuz your fingers and toes are going numb and you feel like an elephant is sitting on your chest from all the vomiting!

Thank you, repair the Stricture REALLY opened me up... knock on wood. I think it’s been slowly closing up over time as I would eat and feel beltchy and gassy and quite awful, but I thought it’s just the way things are post surgery. Well... apparently not...

Have a safe flight. I made it to London with out a Sticture!!!! Got a hotel with a kitchen, grocery shopped for good stuff and my USB blender did a fantastic job of making me Green Smoothie this morning! Today I packed some healthy snacks to take, went walking in Hyde Park where I had me a picnic, then focused on touring Palaces and such (saw Lady Diana’s gowns on display at Kensington Palace (men she was 5’10” and skinny!!! How in the world did she do it!?), and ate the world with my eyes not stomach. Then came back to hotel to my simple meal of British Sut pea soup, various beans, hummus, Babaghanouch salad , yesterday I had chicken veggie soup and huge Blueberries There is a LOT of temptation here, even the breakfast buffet croissants gave me a hard time passing them by... gosh I wanted one so bad! But I did not give in! Taking it one day at a time... oh oh and I brought my Travel scales with me to keep me honest!

I know huh! Apparently I was stable ... so technically not an emergency enough to move a tuck! Grr trying not to get upset here, about to take off, will post more when God willing on other side of big pond...

Oh cool! On my way to London. Then back to the US next Friday, then I ship out to France early November. Are you per chance in London??

My Dear Bari Sisters and Brothers. I’m alive! Hallelujah! But I’ve been through the ringer. The ER visit last Thursday did not help. I was throwing up every 10-15minutes on Friday. It got...bad....Started having numbing of fingers and toes and felt like an Elephant had taken a seat on my chest. Hubby failed 911. Long story short, I wounded up in bad shape at my surgeons hospital and was admitted right away. I was displaying classic acute Stricture symptoms. And I was severely dehydrated. I thought they would just scope and dilate me, and that would be that. But nope! Surgeon was gone for the day and I had to begin a LONG and exhausting wait for Monday to come, and I had not eaten since Wednesday night! Ofcourse they did their favorite thing and put me on Nothing by mouth... It was torture. Thirsty, naucious, the minutes oozed like molasses, waiting, suffering. They tried to make me comfortable but...the wait was excruciating. My highlights were the kids and hubby visiting in the evenings. I hated kids to see me this way. Monday morning finally came and I was SO excited. Relief was surely on the way. So you can imagine how I literally BLEW A FUSE when my surgeon waltzed in at 1:30PM and instead of prioritizing me and putting me out of my misery, asap, he proceeded to to into Surgery to do a Tummy TUCK! Lets just say I got the hospital director involved. Problem is...he owns the whole center, he’s the ultimate CEO, what’s she gonna do...call the boss? GRRRRR.....I was livid! The added stress is that I knew I had a flight to Europe on Thursday (ie. Today!). I was not scoped till 5:30PM Monday, and was in limbo for a while from anesthesia. They kept me Tuesday through evening to make sure I could tolerate liquids, the softs and fed me well before they cut me loose. It tasted like heaven. heck, my shoe would have tasted like heaven at that point. Got home at mid-night Tuesday and had one short Wednesday (in my compromised state of energy), to get the house as in order as I could, work, pack, think through what I need to take to be successful on my first Airplane ride and long haul trip since surgery). Stress was the word, but i prayed my way through it. I even got a USB chargeable blender on Amazon. The kids were so happy to have mama home. My 8 year old son and 6 year old daughter. And then came this morning...and as I was dropping them in school, I had to let them know mama has to go out of town till next Friday. :( I bearly made my flight. I have a whole suitcase of Bariatric stuff. If I had more time I would have documented what all I prepared. But alas, I was RUSHING! I just landed in New Orleans and the first leg of my journey went well. I ate a bit of airport bought humus on the flight. Waited 2mins between bites for good measure! Had two mini pretzels and drank water in between. I am about to board the big Transatlantic flight. Nervous about how I will do. I will always live with the trepidation that a Stricture might return. Cabin pressure and all...but God has not given me the spirit of fear, so I press on. Hope you are all doing great. I have had zero chance to catch up. Please, do say a little prayer for me! Love and hugs, PS: Attached area pics of the lovely flowers kids and hubby brought, my heavenly first meals, and the card my son made for me.

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate it!