summerset

I can't imagine bingeing on them. No way. Even the Clif Builders are not bingeable for me. There was only one sort I could've binged on: the OhYeah! Bars, but whey. The OhYeah! Bars are protein bar I would label as candy, the No Cow bars not. They don't taste good enough and lack the right consistency. They still have calories though. One could argue about erythrit and stevia vs. sucralose etc. - but I don't know how valid the arguments are really are when it comes to artificial sweeteners. I think the calories/carbs is what makes so many people shy away from them. Can't be the artificial ingredients because that's something people don't seem to care much about when it comes to other foods.

Fennel, "chicken" and red bell pepper with a lemony sate sauce. Rice.

I think all protein bars are kind of junk food when looking at the ingredients. The No Cow bars are one of the less evil ones, lol. When looking at the prices of the bars I think I'm going to finally try my own though. I will never be able to copy a Clif Builder bar but something simulating the consistency and taste of the No Cow bars should be possible. It's just a lunchbox I put into the fridge at work because it contains perishable items. The bars don't need to be cooled though. It's 100% whole meal rye bread. Luckily these kinds of breads are available at about any grocery store that sells bread. Might be a different brand but you can always get a decent bread at German grocery stores/supermarkets. From what I read on the boards it's way different in many other countries though. The cheese is Wilmersburger Vegan cheese. It's one of the better tasting ones but it's just plain unhealthy IMO and expensive and I don't buy it that often. I usually only get these cheeses when I crave a cheeseburger real bad or a cheese sandwich.

Thank you. Though by far not all meat alternatives are tasting good. Some are just 🤢. However, during the last years there are some yummy alternatives on the market. Cheeses are still lacking behind. Most are unhealthy and just plain gross.

Food for today. Still have my muesli with soy skyr at work because French fries with bell pepper sauce were calling yesterday, lol. Sandwich with vegan cheese. Junk food but the Wilmersburger tastes. Some almonds based spread to make it less dry.

Lunchbox for today:

Acid taste or more metallic taste?

Veg kebab with red onion and I made tzatziki again. Spiced it up with Rad el Hanout spice mix for kebab. Unfortunately I didn't have any flat bread in the freezer left.

Having several surgeries in a row just stinks. Fortunately there doesn't seem to be any burning sensation from bile or acid this time. The burping is normal. It really is though I can understand that you're really suspicious about it. Usually moving around helps the gas best. Also best to prevent thrombosis.

Veg gyros with self-made tsatsiki and flatbread.

Restriction can be different form procedure to procedure. The lapland has a very different kind of restriction. Luckily I prefer the restriction of a bypass. It feels more... "natural". For the first days I could feel the pressure just below the xiphoid (with both MGB and RNY), then it changed to the feeling of a "full stomach", spreading over the whole epigastric area. I thought of this as very fascinating both times. An interesting adaption of the body to the new situation. Phantom stomach instead of phantom limb. One can regain with every procedure. Even quite a few DS patients complain about regain.

Interesting thought. Maybe that is a reason why revision weight loss is often quite disappointing? Have you progressed to really solid "solids"? You need to be patient. I feel like I have about the same restriction I had with the MGB, maybe a bit more 3.5 months out and I guess it will be about the same as before later on. If progressing to eating really solid "solids" doesn't solve your problem it might be time to incorporate more of less calorie dense foods into your diet. That way you can embrace the feeling of less restriction without gaining weight. It might be helpful to read about the "pound of cure" or watch some of Dr. Weiner's videos about the diet he prescribes his WLS patients.

Mixed salad with olive, corn, tofu "feta", kidney beans and crema balsamico.

I think the most important thing was to ditch the black and white mentality so I could starting making changes that I could keep up with even during hard or stressful times. Nothing unrealistic like "going to the gym for 3 hours 6 day a week" or "never eating food x again". Getting rid of as much diet mentality as possible. Books about "normal eating" or "intuitive eating" helped tremendously with that, also when it comes to the issue of emotional eating and self-compassion.

Absolutely. Same with dietary advice. I had to look up Kashi's cereal. Never heard of it before. Their waffles look interesting. Maybe cooked cereal like old fashioned oats are the better choice to start with? You can always try cold cereal later again.

I meant it in a different way, e. g. I was like all other patients cleared to eat dairy. However, what happens when I eat dairy is stomach cramps and/or nausea. So technically you might be "allowed" to eat cereal but you might not be ready for it yet. You didn't specify what kind of cereal you ate and how long you waited after you mixed it with milk or water before you ate it. Cereal can soak up a lot of liquid. If it does that in the stomach instead of during e. g. cooking, it can cause discomfort.

"Cleared to go" doesn't necessarily mean "ready to go". Take care.

Preference of the dietician. Not every dietician recommends this. A lot of this calorie and/or carb counting might have to do with fear and lack of trust. Counting and tracking something provides a sense of being in control.

Contact your bariatric team. It might also be useful to make contact with a neurologist and/or psychiatrist to get evaluation of these symptoms. While deficiencies definitely can mimic/cause mental health issues, there is the chance that it doesn't have anything to do with WLS. Any therapist/counsellor worth their degree would require ruling out physiological problems, especially when it comes to a rather aggressive procedure like the DS.

How many days ago was your surgery? I'm asking because I was on liquids/puree for 3 weeks and while I was glad I didn't have to do the whole 4 weeks this time I also think I wouldn't have been able to manage progressing to something like oatmeal or cereal, beans or eggs any earlier than these three weeks. I understand that there might be cravings for "normal food" but take it easy.

You could take a look at bodybuilding or fitness websites. There are usually lots of high protein recipes on their websites or boards. I got the idea of high protein oats, protein mug cakes, protein pancakes and waffles and protein balls from there.

Ok, no talk about artificial food coloring, please. I noticed the unnatural color of the sauce after I bought it. 😂 Leftover rice with peanut tofu and spinach with a sweet & sour sauce for tomorrow's work day.

So it's like 2-3 days ago? Honestly, I think some patients seem to expect too much too soon in terms of recovery. You recently had abdominal surgery. Not once. Twice. There is most likely still a lot of swelling in the lower esophagus and the stomach/pouch from the manipulation, hence trouble drinking. Also some patients are sensitive to the general anesthesia, hence the vomiting. Of course this is not a diagnosis. This is an educated guess. And it brings me to something that I most likely won't never get: how soon after abdominal surgery some patients are discharged. Are patients pressing for discharge? What I read on here sometimes, coming from patients like three days post-op, would usually occur within a hospital setting if day of discharge wouldn't be that soon. Nausea, vomiting, feeling weak, dehydrated or bloated, not being able to empty bowels, trouble drinking fluids... So instead of being able to ask the nurse or doctor "Is this normal?!" they need to ask Google and users on an internet board "Is this normal?! Should I call my surgeon" - and the answer can only be: yes, if in doubt, you should! Was that recommended?

I have an IUD myself because I consider it very convenient (no worrying for 5 years in a row plus the luxury of having no menstrual pain, lol) but I would never have accepted it as a requirement before surgery. Same with a mammogram. Yes, one should get PAP regularly but again: as a requirement for WLS it's ridiculous and kind of...intrusive?

I'm surprised he didn't require a PET-scan.