theantichick

I also have emotional eating issues. I highly recommend finding a therapist to help with that. The physical changes have helped me a lot, but the surgery can't fix the thinking in your head. When I think about the things I miss eating, I realize that it's all about stuffing down my emotions, not that I really loved the foods. Now that the food isn't an option, I'm having to work a lot more on self care and figuring out why I feel the drive to eat, and what to do about it instead.

I have used GENEPRO. I don't find it completely tasteless, but more importantly it changes the texture of things I put it in and makes it unpalatable for me. The best I did with it was to mix it up with a small amount of Water and add it to chicken broth. That went down quite well. However, my daughter has started drinking fruit smoothies in the mornings, and throws the genepro in and she says she can't tell it's there. I'm trying different things to put it in hoping to find something that goes down easily. I got samples of a bunch of different Protein shakes, and even though I liked one really well pre-op, I didn't tolerate it post-op and had to switch to Premier Protein for my morning "get the protein started" Breakfast.

I've just started getting cold some of the time, and I'm thrilled about it. I've been the overheated, sweating fat lady for so long, it's a nice change to be able to wear a sweater. The thing that has made me the happiest I sought out before the surgery because with the onset of my auto-immune arthritis, my feet are always just blocks of ice, and make it hard for me to sleep. I found something like this at Bed Bath and Beyond, and it's my favorite thing EVER. https://www.amazon.com/Serta-Triple-Electric-Heated-Warmer/dp/B00G1X4A06 Keeps my feet toasty while I sleep, and hubby even scoots over to share the warmth. Throw blankets on the couch are awesome, and though I haven't turned it on yet this winter, my family bought me this: https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-TSM8US-R608-25B00-Microplush-Heated-Throw/dp/B008BF2SVA/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1477336650&sr=1-4&keywords=heated+throw Staying warm is easier for me than cooling off.

Also, remember that they're quoting an average. Averages are nice, but they don't tell the whole story. Some people will lose 100% of their EBW, some 10%. I believe you get out of it what you put into it. An average shouldn't be seen as a guarantee or a limitation. Ask what makes the difference between the 60%'rs and the 90%'rs. Emulating them is how we exceed "average".

This. I have IBS and the constipation has made it worse. My weight will stay the same for days and days and then I'll take meds for the constipation and have great success. Then 2 days later I'll be down 2 or 3 lbs. sent from mobile device

I have to have music when I'm working out, or there's little chance I'll finish or come back. I looked at a waterproof iPod Shuffle, but my music is all streaming, and the Shuffle doesn't allow that. So I did a BUNCH of research, and decided to use a waterproof case like this one with waterproof earbuds. https://smile.amazon.com/Wildtek-Universal-Waterproof-Cell-Phone/dp/B00N7VIK10/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1477060451&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=waterproof+phone+case&psc=1 It's working out great. However, I didn't want to risk my way-too-expensive phone even though I tested the pouch for Water tightness. So I got a refurb iPod Touch from the Apple refurb store. So I can have fresh music for my water laps and my workouts.

I was just thinking the other day that I miss being able to pig out on junk food. But junk food doesn't have the same appeal for me it used to. I'm only 2 months out, so some people will probably jump on me for this, but I am trying to not pathologize food at any level, so if I'm craving something now that I'm released to a full diet, I eat it. Usually just a bite, because I realize it doesn't taste nearly as good as I thought it would. Hubby and kiddo were eating double stuffed oreos last night. I used to LOVE them. I asked for one, and ate it. It totally wasn't worth it. I wanted a chocolate shake the other day when they were heading out to get food, so I had them bring me a small one. 2 or 3 sips in and my sleeve started balking at the richness, sugar, something. I handed it off to the kiddo and won't be doing that again anytime soon. Bottom line, nothing that I used to binge on tastes good enough to mess with. So part of my brain still misses those things, but my body is obviously done with it. I'm going to miss some of my favorite shirts. I've already had to give away several. I have a couple that are high enough quality I'll have them altered. The rest, I'll just go find new favorite shirts. LOL. I'm actually looking forward to being cold all the time. I've been the one that sweats constantly for so many years, I'm looking forward to being able to wear nice sweaters and jackets. I will probably miss my boobs, since there's little chance they'll stay the same size as I lose weight. But there's a ton of lingerie options that can compensate for that. No, I think I'm good with the weight loss, I'm not going to miss being obese.

I wasn't going to start a strength training program until after I'd built my cardio up. But the trainer made a good point to me that if you don't do some strength training, you can actually lose muscle only doing cardio. You don't have to go for bulky muscles to do strength training. Most people don't, actually. But muscle mass is part of what helps you lose weight by increasing your metabolism even when you're not working out. So it's important. He convinced me to start both strength training and cardio together. Oh, and one more thing... even if you don't hire a trainer, the gym people will show you how to use equipment you're not familiar with, you just have to ask. Most gyms have people there who are super nice and want to help you succeed. Don't be afraid of them!

Ditto this. I joined a local gym because I need a pool, and ended up deciding to go ahead and get a personal trainer package as well. Luckily the trainer I'm actually working with ongoing is cool with the WLS but the VP of the trainers was rude and condescending to me about the surgery. He also is trying to push nutrition stuff on me that a) he's not trained to give, and conflicts with my medical conditions and my surgeon's instructions. If you have the financial ability, I highly recommend working with a trainer. They can help you get used to the gym equipment and make sure you're using it correctly, and help you balance your exercises. But remember if you don't click with your trainer, you can ask for another (at least that's how it works here). If you don't have access to a trainer, there are tons of workout sites and probably YouTube videos to show you what equipment to use to put together a good general strength and cardio workout.

My surgeon said that a lot of her patients can't tolerate eggs until after they are on solid food for a while. Even though they're "soft" some people just don't tolerate them well during the soft/puree phase. She suggested if I had issues (which I did) to try again later (which I have, and everything's fine now).

Awww. ::

My trainer wants me up around 120g of Protein - I'm 5'9" and currently at 256 lbs. Seems a little high, my daughter is in a sports nutrition class, and her formula says somewhere in the 90 - 100 g range.

1st off, I'm so sorry you're having to deal with all of this, and without your surgeon's team for support! You really have an uphill battle!! Prednisone will work against you - it will cause cravings and weight gain all on its own. My rheumatologist (I have RA/PsA) won't give me prednisone unless I'm in a huge flare. If your rheumy hasn't started working you towards other anti-inflammatories, find a new rheumy. Methotrexate didn't work for me (and then I had an allergic reaction) but sulfasalazine is helping quite a bit, and we're considering plaquenil. We'll move to biologics before we'll do prednisone again unless I get a horrendous flare. I know how awesome prednisone is, I just got through telling my PCP that I wish it was safe to take long-term because I feel completely human on 10-20mg a day. But the side effects long term are awful, and it will absolutely work against you with weight loss. I can't do ultra-low carb like many of the people here, but I work to keep my carbs moderately low (I usually get 70-80g a day) and make sure I'm eating complex carbs like whole grains and Beans and not eating simple sugars. I focus mainly on getting my Protein and Water in, though some days it's very hard and I fall short but I keep working to do better the next day. If I get all my protein and fluids in, I often don't have room for a lot of carbs. I am so out of shape, have a reconstructed knee (not artificial, but they had to repair/replace cartilage and re-structure the joint), and the best thing I have found for exercise is to get in the pool. I found a close gym with an indoor pool. I can't even kick laps yet, but just get in and walk. The cooler water keeps the inflammation down, and the buoyancy keeps from overloading my joints. When I had my knee reconstructed in 2008, I couldn't afford a gym, but found that my city had an indoor pool at the senior citizen's center, and was able to go water walk there. So I highly recommend finding a pool you can use to get some exercise in and get those joints moving. I don't know what your options are for finding a doc since you don't have your original one. If you can't find a bariatric surgeon who will work with you, try and find a good PCP who is educated about WLS or maybe a gastroenterologist. If you can't find one to follow up with, there are a lot of resources online. Which isn't the best option, but it's better than having no support. I have been very impressed with the videos by Dr. Weiner https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4qN8k1ix0DoCLM6VhDvz8w for example. Several bariatric centers publish their post-surgical programs. I highly recommend that you get on one and work really hard to follow it. Even though I can't follow the ultra low-carb programs that most here are using, I'm working really hard to change my eating patterns and my relationship with food permanently so that my tool will work. Best of luck to you!

I just saw my doc for meds refills (and got off my BP meds, yay!!) I mentioned the ongoing issue with constipation, which has been getting worse the last couple of weeks. She gave me a "prescription" for "Fiber applesauce" which she says works like magic for most of her patients. She doesn't like me having to take stool softeners and laxatives as often as I'm having to do it right now. I'm not watching carbs, those who are may find this too high to use, but I thought I'd share. And you're only taking 2T of it, so the carbs may not be bad, dunno. 1 C. applesauce 1 C. unprocessed bran 1/2 C. prune juice Mix and refrigerate, take 2 Tbsp daily WITH 8 oz of Water. I can see where it would work. I stopped and got the ingredients on the way home, will report back on how it tastes and how it works.

.... ANYTHING but exercise. Idiot. Ok, so the head trainer at my gym was great yesterday. I enjoyed the workout (gosh I'm in bad shape) and decided that using a trainer a few times a month wouldn't be a bad idea. I did exercises I wouldn't have thought to do, and the encouragement helps. He made a good argument for starting strength training immediately even though I believe I have a long way to go on cardio first. So while we're setting up my contract, I get introduced to the VP over operations, and he asked what my motivation for being there was. I told him I had a bunch of health conditions that piled on last year, and ended up deciding to have the sleeve 6 weeks ago, and I don't want to blow it. I want to make the lifestyle changes needed to make this stick. Cue the standard crap from him: * His mother had the lap band and then bypass. She gained all the weight back from the lap band and is only being successful with the bypass because she's finally following his directions. * He's has "lots" of experience dealing with post-WLS patients. * If I'd come to him earlier, he could have prevented me from needing the surgery. After all, the people who get the surgery say they've "tried everything" but they really haven't. * All the surgery does is enforce portion control, and that can be done without surgery. * But since it's already done, we'll work with what we have. * My surgeon doesn't know what nutrition is needed. *HE* (the VP) will tell me what I should eat. (I will give him this - I am not eating enough Protein, I'll have to really ramp that up.) Sorry, dude. When you tell me that I can't count Beans or Peanut Butter as Proteins because they're not "complete" without discussing my knowledge of nutrition, you fail. I was raised vegetarian and know perfectly well how to combine foods to get a complete protein. Bite me. So I finally got rid of him, and got back to the head trainer who wanted to go through food lists (at the prompting of the VP). I had to explain to him (because I wasn't bothering with the VP) that I get *incredibly* ill in ketosis, so his "carbs are the enemy" lecture doesn't wash with me. I am willing to control my carbs so long as I'm above ketosis levels, and concentrate on complex carbs and healthy choices, but I will *not* do a ketogenic diet. Then I get a mini lecture on how tilapia is not a good choice (already knew that, but it's better than some other choices) and how swai fish is a GREAT choice. Looked that up when I got home, and it's a catfish from the far east. Sorry, dude. I don't eat bottom feeders or filter fish. I get that most people they deal with are not well educated on nutrition. I get that trainers know more than the average bear about the subject. However, both of these guys are competitive body builders. Their nutritional approach is not going to work for everyone, and they need to learn to be flexible about it. I'm just glad we didn't even discuss veggies, because they'd be horrified to find that I just don't eat them (though I'm working on expanding my palate). And telling me to "just eat them" doesn't work, since I basically have PTSD around veggies and can't physically make myself eat something or I'll throw it up. I wish they'd stick to the exercise piece.

It wouldn't "cause" it per se. Stool consistency is a function of how your system is (or is not) removing Water from the matter that is passing through the intestines. If you have a virus or eat something your system wants to get rid of, more Fluid is left in the matter and the intestines are stimulated to move the matter through faster (to "dump" the system) and results in loose stools or diarrhea. If you have IBS tending to diarrhea then your system moves things through faster than normal and doesn't take much water out of it in general, and it gets worse with some triggers. The main thing ejaculate does is places an amount of liquid in the sigmoid/rectal area which will come out like a suppository or enema solution would. It's possible having that fluid there (but probably more the stimulation from the act) that would encourage the system to move faster and thus result in some looser stools after the fact, but it won't be from the ejaculate itself. And unless you're already having issues with very watery stools and/or incontinence, I wouldn't think that it would cause an immediate problem during the activity.

I had to get over that when I was training to be certified as a comprehensive sex educator with an amazing program developed by my church (Unitarian Universalist) and the UCC. You have to learn to use any and all slang terms for body parts and answer open questions from the kids without blushing and stammering. And you'd be amazed what 4th grade boys will ask. LOL.

Trolls appear on all internet message boards. However, I haven't had this much fun watching a group trash the troll in years... since the AOL days, honestly. (Children today just don't know the struggle of the modem tones and the AOL Running Man... SMDH).

(RN and comprehensive sex educator hats on) There is nothing structurally different at any point in the intestines for a sleeved patient. For the lower intestines including the rectum, sigmoid, and descending colon (the parts that could potentially be involved), there is no structural difference for a RNY patient either. I don't know much about duodenal switch, but I wouldn't imagine that they've rearranged anything that far down the intestines. So structurally, there's nothing changed that would affect the act. However, there are bowel habit changes that may need to be considered. Many people have constipation which of course can result in retained stool that you might want to address beforehand due to hygiene or comfort issues. Constipation also has the complication of creating or aggravating hemorrhoids which can cause pain and bleeding with anal intercourse. Other people have varying degrees of diarrhea post surgery, and sometimes with some stool incontinence (hence the warning "never trust a fart"). So this could create a hygiene issue which again you might want to address beforehand. While I know the topic may be shocking to many, I believe it's important for adults to be able to discuss sexual matters and their bodies without embarrassment. Our societal discomfort with the subject of sex is a holdover from our puritan roots, and I believe it should be reversed.

We're not doing any serious weight training at this stage. Just starting some light weights/machines to encourage keeping muscle. I wasn't going to start doing any strength training right off the bat because I'm in such bad shape and really need to work on cardio, but the head trainer made a good argument for not JUST doing cardio because we need to keep muscle mass. So they're having me do modified planks, some upper body machines (lat pull downs) and very light free weights (I think the rows were with 3lb weights). In addition to cardio workouts where I'm starting off very easy and working up slow. My auto-immune complicates the whole show because I have to push a little or I won't make progress, but if I push to far I get a flare that keeps me from exercising for days. My regular trainer hasn't worked with anyone with auto-immune before, but he's curious and open minded about it, and since I'm a nurse, I love educating people. He and I are going to work together to find that fine line we have to hit for me to make slow but steady progress.

Sorry, that was sarcasm. You can absolutely count PB. Trainers get stuffy about it because it's high in fat.