Amelie2016

I think that's wonderful! I recently joined some more groups to learn more about nutrition. And honestly, I haven't been keeping a detailed journal of what I put in my mouth. I haven't been calculating things, nor exercising like I should be. Apparently, I need to be eating way more protein, only 20 carbs per day (healthy, not sugar) and a bit more fat in my protein. I can not have an occasional treat, like a beer, because those carbs just "POOF" me like a balloon for days. I am so sensitive to them its insane. Now especially since I am used to eating so much less. >.> It's a pickle. I'll be doing this forever.

I just think we all have to make a "Restart Date" and do it, and check in!!

I am right there where you are too! I know people say they can't drink beer, but I can. Sometimes with all my stress, at night I simply want to get that sensation of "exhaling" for just a bit, ya know? I mix my brand of beer with raw milk, it cuts the sting and well, I like it that way. Had it that way in London long long ago. So it basically ends up tasting like a milkshake to me. But before you know it, you've ingested 100 carbs! =( I am SO carb sensitive. I used to be able to lose and have a beer or two at night, but recently that is not the case. So I have begun skipping it altogether. I am going out of my mind. I dislike wine, I can not drink the hard stuff, and I don't like the sweet drinks either. I just like my beer. I feel like I've given up SO much, lost my gallbladder, and really ... I have no vices. I'm going a little batty. I don't find exercising "relaxing" yet. But how I wish I could evolve to that point like so many others have!

I need to join you!! <3 I am almost a year and a half post op. I really can't believe so much time has passed. But, about 9 months after my VSG I had to have my gallbladder removed. One week before my husband had his VSG. Then, I lost my dog Bernadette. I was recovering, he was recovering, and I sunk into a huge depression, worry, anxiety. I forgot about myself. I did not eat like I did before surgery, but I started using things like maple syrup (raw organic) in my coffee ... or occassionally having a bite of carbs here or there. I drank my calories for sure and so I stopped losing. I haven't lost a thing since gallbladder has been out and, now with a recent stressor I have put ON 20 pounds. I could cry. I don't know what to do, but thinking about it also makes me panic. SO Let's regroup? I notice this post is a little older, so my post my be premature I still have to keep reading this thread, but how are you doing? Do you want to start something together?

I was just honest with her. I told her that I've tried everything, lose a little and it comes right back and then some. I think they realize that once we get this heavy and have played the yo yo game for so long, that surgery is really a good solution to stop all that. Don't be worried. It was a good experience. Treat her or him like you would a friend, and express your struggles. I however do not know any ways to "one up" the interview to get approval guaranteed. I was worried that I would say something wrong or stupid and get denied.

I didn't think I that had lost weight "too quickly" to develop gallstones, or "sludge". I was losing so slowly in fact, that I went on phentermine for a little while to get through some stalls. My first blood screen three months ago came back fantastic, having met all nutritional requirements and normal cholesterol levels. I've been eating (some of you will not approve, but oh well) food from small organic farms. Instead of Protein shakes, I make my own raw milk Kefir (it consumes all the lactose as it ferments, so no- to- low sugar of any kind) which is a super power probiotic. I've had wild fish, organic cold brewed coffee, seaweed, bone broths, raw cream in my coffee (my god that stuff is so thick it will hold a spoon in it) taking Vitamins, injecting B Complex. So, I have a more varied diet than that, but this is mainly what I eat. Grass Fed meats, raw egg yolks, Almond bread maybe only once a week, a slice (low carb) made by the farmer, almonds raw from Sicily. Roasted leeks, some salads. See, I'm trying to tell you that I felt like I was doing everything right as far as getting in as much nutrition in my tiny meals. BUT. What I have NOT been proactive about, is taking that god forsaken "Ursodiol" regularly, and it is given to us to help us avoid developing sludge and stones. It is a HUGE pill and it had really bothered my stomach. I hated taking it. It's in a giant capsule and it burned, at least me. So I would take it with food and ride it out. But then, I forgot about it altogether. I don't want to lose my gallbladder. I can't find good info out there. Most "articles" are VPNs trying to sell a product. So if any of you have suffered through this, please please let me know. My surgery is scheduled for Oct. 10th. I don't want to have it removed, I want it to heal. But I don't know if that's possible now that I have stones. My mother just lives with hers. However we developed them in different ways. She didn't lose weight, she was never obese. Me ... I guess I've lost over 80 pounds. I don't know what to do. My attitude is wrong. I am beating myself thinking I could have avoided this. I'm taking the Ursodiol daily NOW until surgery time. What if I can reverse this if I just stay on top of the medication? However ... I still have 100 pounds to lose ideally. That may or may not happen in reality. Ok. Thank you for reading, and I hope to hear from you all! Lisa PS I'd say I've lost 89 pounds of fat (muscle scan still looks good-I'm getting new labs next week, but my husband is also getting the gastric sleeve on Monday, huge stress right now too) since I started this journey. Other than this new development ... I have come to truly enjoy being free of my former food obsession and exiting the SAD way of eating and living.

Whooo Hooo!! It's really nice when you realize you no longer have to put a 2 or 3 in front of that weight number! I still think I am in the 300s and so weird to say I'm now 2-something! lol I still can't imagine being in the 1s, but if it happens I will be here posting huge smiley faces! Congratulations!! =D

Hi there! That is all really great news, except the hair loss, but oh well at least it grows back. I dyed my hair a deep red, and found this incredible claw/clip ponytail from Onedor and when I straighten my natural hair and pull it back in a bun, this long, curly/wavy (Japanese) Clip on ponytail looks like it's all mine! It's exactly the same color and people LOVE it. I am now getting looks and even the occasional man smiling at me or saying something cute or funny. EVEN THOUGH I am still a really big girl. So, look out when that get's even better, right? I stalled for about one month, and lost very slowly for the next month. And I still haven't put a piece of Pasta or bread or ice cream in my mouth. I exercise occasionally, but not three time a week and it is irregular. I'm oping to make a break-through this month. I got on the scale and it was 289. Which is something I haven't been in many years. I was stuck at 298 for two months popping up and down. But I'm hoping this morning was no fluke and it keeps going down again like it used to. Emotionally, it's a bad time for me. Loss in my family, dog health issues and you know, "real life". It's been a change for me, not to have food to focus on. I think for my anxiety I used to plan, shop and cook these lavish meals for me and my husband, but not anymore. We made a switch to eating mostly from a farm, since I eat less we can afford a better quality of food. So I'm still teaching myself about nutrition. Although someways, I just want to drink some broth with vitamins and pop a shake and be done with it. I hope more people chime in. PS I did try beer finally. Since I can't drink but one, maybe two I get organic Samuel Adams and pretend it's New Year's Eve. That's only occasionally. Ok better run, my dog is insisting that we play, many hugs!

Hello all I'm about 10 or 5 pounds behind schedule. I had a long stall that lasted about a month while trying to introduce new foods that did not upset my stomach. Plus I had horrible dental work done and ended up with a bad crown that was just very recently replaced for free, and I am finally able to eat Protein again. I ate organic potatoes for about a week. I exercised, drank Protein shakes, but that was hard. Sorry I can not live on those powdery Soups. I've still not put a single piece of bread or Pasta in this mouth. I am going back today to the Nutritionist to "talk" about my eating plan. Although, when I gave 14 vials of blood for my complete nutritional panel, I exceeded expectations and I am in the green in every way, except my Iron was a tad low. It just so happened that they morning I gave my fasting blood vials, I was also on a heavy period. In general I'm angry. So I guess I am still angry, it's period time again plus the whole releasing fat and estrogen thing must be true. I have begun losing weight again though, and during my last visit the Dr said that my loss was FAT and mot muscle. I do move around my house when I can, lot's of work taking care of rescue dogs!!(Fibromyalgia Chronic Pain Chronic Fatigue) My husband and I go to the gym 2-3 days per week. It is a first for me in a decade probably. I am still taking my omneprozole because I am worried about going off of them. A few months after my surgery I reintroduced coffee but only with "cold-brew" only. Having a reduction in acid that is released during a "hot" and quick brew. The method works great in a French Press and now I am used to it. As low as my energy is, I do not know if I would ever have a life w/o my Fibro Management team and my cold-brew coffee. Each morning I drink one giant bottle of Water before I do anything else. I keep that going all day long as usual. I am just tired. I always seem to have some crisis happening in my life. They probably are not "crisis" to healthy people, because healthy people are ready for action when one arises. But thankfully other than the usual pain I have anyway, I am "healthy". Everyone in my family is hoping that if I can lose more fat, perhaps all that fat will be less stress on my bones and joints and give me some relief. Even though I tell them, this is a nerve condition. And my nerves never take a day off. It's sad that we are still so misunderstood this day and age. Anyway. Weight wise, I seem fine. Nutritionally I am above average and meeting all my goals. Speed of fat loss, not as fast as it "should" be for the "text-book" patient. Anyone else feeling pressured to *lose faster*?? There was a mention that perhaps I could try phentermine on my next monthly visit if my speed of fat loss is too slow. *sigh* I've tried it before, I had no side effects. I wish I was normal.

Thank you for the reply! I have always had good success at getting my Water in. My last appt. with my surgeon, we were supposed to have gone over the blood results of my complete nutrition panel (I gave 14 vials of blood, whoa!) but of course, they did not make it to the office in time. So next week I should know if I am lacking something. I'm probably NOT getting in enough protein, but then again I always make that my first bite. I even just finished my three egg yolk and raw milk shake, flavored like eggnog. I get the fresh eggs from a local, beautiful pastured farm here near my house. It's a food club. Or I'll eat three or four large scallops. Lots of seaweed salads. Sometimes raw cheese and of course the Greek yogurts. But, it is possible I am low on protein, thanks for mentioning it. I've had a bad molar cap, and could not chew meat for the three months I've been recovering. When I did, I would pay the price by having inflamed gums. I got that fixed just 2 weeks ago. =) I think you just helped. Will a lack in protein cause this> I am going to the gym again tonight and make sure I work up a sweat in case the yogurt did it to me.

I'm experiencing a month long stall! I am going up and down to the tune of 3-7 pounds!! I was sleeved on Feb 1st. 2016. Being honest with myself now, earlier in recovery I ate organic raw yogurt, and some of it was sweetened "naturally" and others like the Maple Pecan, of course had maple syrup. Well, even though I ate these things I still lost weight rapidly. NOW. I am still eating the same things, and I am SOOOOOO stalled and fluctuating and I am exercising! I am going nuts! And as fate would have it, I checked in my monthly visit with my surgeon while I was on my period. I'm a big girl who weighs 305 pounds. When I am IN my period, I will gain up to ten pounds, I do not like telling men this. He decided to schedule me for a two week follow up to see if I had gone back on track, I will follow up with a PA. Three days ago I had lost what I thought was "officially" six pounds in one week. Today I jump pn the scale and I am back up three pounds! Freaking out! What if I go in, in one week and I am right back at 310?!?! OK. So, it seems I have to cut ALL carbs no matter what form. But I truly do not want to give up my limited amount of Raw Milk that I add to my cold brewed coffee each morning. I lost so much weight before when drinking raw milk. I can cut out the flavored yogurts. I really can't describe here just how delicious they were. Look up Mother Culture out of San Antonio Texas. She makes yogurt that is more delicious than I ever thought even existed in reality. BUT I will give it up and stick with plain. Artificial sweeteners give me a headache. You know I'll never take an NSAID again, and that's the only thing that helps my headaches. My Muscle Milk has artificial sweetner in it. Sigh. So reality is hitting me hard now. As before this surgery, in order to lose the weight, I have to give up more carbs than I initially thought. PS I did make a raw shake right before bed last night, that's something I never do. And I am experiencing real hunger sensations. They go away with Water, but they are exactly like they were before surgery. That HANGRY that you see in commercials. I'm a bit lost. This is me, reaching out! =( Is the only way to END a stall, is to cut carbs and amounts back to early post surgical menus?

Sorry for your pains and developments! May I ask, if anyone has received an answer as yo why this happened to them after getting sleeved?? Is it something you can help other people avoid? Or is there no known cause? Thank you!

I envy this. I know you say you can eat "anything" but surely you feel like you can't eat the same amount, right? I STILL have things that bother my stomach. The lining or something. But yes I too can usually drink normally now, depending on what position my body is in. I try not eat more than the half cup or cu of food though because I am terrified of something going wrong. It sounds to me like your stomach is a HAPPY stomach. I envy this. I know you say you can eat "anything" but surely you feel like you can't eat the same amount, right? I STILL have things that bother my stomach. The lining or something. But yes I too can usually drink normally now, depending on what position my body is in. I try not eat more than the half cup or cu of food though because I am terrified of something going wrong. It sounds to me like your stomach is a HAPPY stomach.

Y'all I've heard some other people say it, and my Surgeon said it ... as I lose this fat, the estrogen and other toxins in my fat cells will release and I will become moody. Well. I am MOODY AS H*LL! I am weepy, lethargic some days, and some days I don't know if I am finished healing. I want to see inside my stomach and make sure everything is OK because I'm a worry wart? The messes around my house are driving me insane and I finally ordered a maid service for tomorrow or else I am going to KILL my careless husband. He wouldn't care if the dog pooped on him, he'd brush it off and head on out the door. So now this is causing rifts in my marriage. I've started working out at a nice gym w/ my husband and it is kicking my butt, especially since I have Fibro. So I end up being "sick" for two days afterwards, so the housework falls behind. I'm just in an AWFUL place emotionally right now, and my husband is trying his best to remind me that I have a ton to be grateful for and he is correct. I have so much to be grateful for, so why am I going insane?!?!

Don't get "buyers remorse" . This is not your fault. This is faulty 'pain management' after a MAJOR surgery. And most likely it's the fault of the latest absurd CDC Guidelines. OR hopefully I am wrong and you requested as little pain control as possible. All Tramadol does IS make you a tad sleepy, like the morphine in the hospital. Even nurses will admit morphine is not an effective pain control medication, but its safe after most anesthesia. I give Tramadol to my rescue dogs if they have surgery because it's safe and effective for them. I am so sorry. You did nothing wrong. But please clarify, just so that I am not frightfully angry about your pain or at your Surgeon, can you please tell me why you don't have a different type of pain control this soon out of a major surgery? TY! PS I'm pretty sure you haven't heard of extreme pain before because most people do get adequate pain control for a time period, then taper off.

Pima that is incredible! Good to hear!!

I tried beer Did any of you feel a throat dryness after waking up? This was two beers drank very slowly, and I stirred as much carbonation out of it before I enjoyed them. It was not right before bed, and I sleep on a wedge pillow. Just curious now if the alcohol in those beers caused the silent reflux? Or if it's something else. But did you experience any negative effects the next day? I felt not so great, even after two beers. I won't ever drink more than that again.

Hi Bunnie! Mind if I ask what kind of carbs you include in your day? When my husband and I went to the gym two nights ago, I am happy to report that the scale moved! I said I wan't going to get obsessed about checking the scale, but I fail at times! We didn't even do that much because well, we're EX couch potatoes! lol "EX". We will do this! I had an organic ancient grain pumpkin Loaf, and even though it was sweetened with honey and maple, it made me feel ill. So, I won't do that again. It just made me feel yucky, like when you eat 75 pancakes and only want to take a nap, yucky.

Hello I'm a few days over two months post op like many of you. All my check-ups seem to be normal, text-book healing. I have not exercised yet, and finally went to a gym aka physical therapy center for obese people, last night with my husband. I can't express enough just how out of shape I am! But obviously, this is something I will commit to because I do realize the stalls will hit unless I work out and get fit. I need to get fit, not just for fat loss but for myself. I need to help my body to be strong and happy. Emotional. Something emotional is happening to me right now, and might have nothing to do with the surgery. I have been on this anxiety roller coaster about this surgery for nearly a year, and now it has come and gone. I have all this time open now, where I don't obsess and worry. It's odd, right? I always feel like I need to worry about something. I should get my butt to adoration and prayer, meditate for the secular folks. Refocus my energy and open back up to love and trust. I need a new journey, I was so eagle-eye focused on everything that has already happened. Now, it's time to do more. I still have good days and sleepy days. I'm less concerned now about complications. I'm still worried every time I take a bite, if it's good for my stomach. Anyway. I have been losing, I need to make an update. But I can feel now that I am not, because I have replaced liquids with solids and sometimes I have "carbs" in the form of raw milk in my shakes, or dried Beans I've cooked myself. I have not had any fingernail weakness, in fact they're long and strong. I don't think I've had hair loss, but at two months out I don't know if it starts yet or not? But I clean the house more. Do more. And now I want to do even more, lol.

My advice as a two-month post-oper, is to see everyone of your Dr.s and discuss this surgery you want with them. I have Fibromyalgia. I stopped taking NSAIDS. If an emergency came up, you can have one, but with care paid to your stomach lining. I'm no longer on OTCs for pain control or popping OTCs willy nilly like in the past. You have to read about every medication out there prescription and non prescription because they all can affect your stomach in different ways. High blood pressure medicine, anti-anxieties, etc can relax your LES for example, causing GERDS to worsen if you have it. Many things need to be learned. However! We should be learning these things with or without these surgeries. It took having this surgery, to get me to educate myself more than I was. I just took a "commercials" word for some things. WRONG. =) I have since joined a "food Club" (buying now directly from an organic Farm that I can visit) and am weeding out any processed foods from my diet, reducing some of my inflammation issues naturally. I can't stay as food-centric as I was before, meaning I used to plan "fun" dinners to bond over. Now I am eating food as medicine, so to speak. I am struggling in that I still buy way too much food. It's like I am buying for an army, and it's just the two of us. Well, now it feels like one and a half, lol. If you have a question, ask all your Dr.s. A frustrating thing I've learned is that there are so many conflicting "opinions" and sometimes data. So you're going to have to account for that in your personal (discernment) care. Careful of Youtube and even forums, they can scare the wits right out of you and give you anxiety attacks for days! PS if you're already used to supplements, just talk it over with your Dr.s too and look for better brands perhaps. liquid when possible. It's hard to swallow some shortly after a procedure.

Are you exercising? That is a wonderful amount of weight loss there! I'm only weighing whenever I go to a Dr.s office otherwise I'd probably beat myself up everyday. So, I go to the Surgeons again next Wednesday, we'll see. MY visit was rescheduled this week due to him needing to be in an operation.

WooHoo!!! That is a dream for me one day! You are living inspiration! =D

Thank you so much for this, it's true. And I will pray for you and your family and husband as well!

Congratulations on your commitment! It's totally different, this whole 'dieting' thing when you know you're going in for a huge change that requires your strict adherence, and look, you did it! How are you feeling? You have 'fresh' blood coming out of your drain? Other Vets here on the board will surely chime in. I didn't have a drain so I have no clue if this is normal. I do hope you get some answers and I'd like to know afterwards when you see your Dr. please. I kept a thermometer and blood pressure cuff at home, I was ridiculous ... still am.

Excellent news then, you're progressing well! A few days ago, I had to lay flat onto a table to have a body scan. Before that day I had been obsessing about GERDS and getting worked up like I do when I let my anxieties take over. So I thought for sure I'd lie down and all this Fluid would come gushing up my throat because I had been drinking Water in the lobby. NOTHING happened. =) My LES was closed tightly. The scan took about 13 minutes so if it was going to happen I was thinking it should have. I could even feel blood rushing to my face, that is how flat I was. I had a hernia repair as well, so I think we have both come out of it nicely! Perhaps what I was feeling was my repair, not only did I require a repair, but scar tissue from a previous banding had to be cut off and that has been healing. Silly me. Praise GOD!