GinaCampbell

Agreed Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Word of advice. Don't eat plates. Bad for the teeth.Lol. But seriously, that size of chicken would be dinner for days (maybe even a week!) even not fried! No, to be honest, me and chicken have agreed to disagree for now unless in tiny amounts in soup. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have fibro and have lost my excess weight. (Post op complications caused rapid weightloss) I am still on all the same pain meds and I still have "bone aches and pains" in my major joints, hips especially now when trying to sleep. Too much bone contact with the mattress. I obviously find it easier to move around now but the weightloss has not changed that fibro type pain in my legs, hips and in the supporting muscles. Maybe I hurt more because I am moving more. Not sure. Fibro is a mystery to me. Weightloss can only help the joints and bones though, surely. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I think the honey advice (keep in mind we are talking 1 tsp a day at 21 calories) may differ dependant upon which medical advisor is delivering it. My GP believed that the mineral content, namely Calcium, Iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, not to mention the B Vitamins, would be helpful in comparison to the 21 calories it contained. She said that "I would use that many calories opening the jar". It even has a trace amount of Protein in it which I didn't know! But this was just part of my caregiver's recovery strategy for me. All plans are different. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Word of advice. Don't eat plates. Bad for the teeth. lol no tacos, beer, bananas. Now I can't eat plates? I am nearly five months out don'tcha know? Next you will be telling me that I can't have swedish fish! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Are you hitting your Fluid targets? Not being hungry is normal so set timers and try. An ounce here and there adds up! Fatigue is normal following a major surgery and on such low calorie intake. Your body is concentrating on healing. Have you shown your husband the actual surgery/diagrams etc on Youtube? Does he fully understand what you are recovering from? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Agreeing. I am nearly five months out and I can't (nor would I) eat fried chicken, that portion of chicken or that whole plate. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App This! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App ??? Agreeing with you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes, I accidentally joined a thread in the fella's room Very embarrassing. Slowly slinked out backwards hoping no one noticed! Super careful now. I also noticed pre op and recently post op folk posting to a recent thread clearly labelled vets one year plus only. I didn't dare even like anything in there at four months three weeks out! No beer, no tacos but I am eating a small banana for my lunch! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Beef bone broth, homemade, really helped me. I couldn't tolerate any Protein shakes at all. I had to go lactose free for months post op too. Once you are cleared for full liquids, blending chicken or beef broth with the meat to a fine consistency, that helps too. Egg drop soup was my first protein. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was really ill post op and could only get 300 ish calories in a day for over 10 weeks. I concentrated on Fluid first, mainly Water then broth, then broth with Protein in. I slowly started adding more and more protein (egg dropped in broth, beef that would shred in a slow cooker) to the broth. I used small amounts of honey in tea, hot chocolate, cold Protein drinks, decaf coffee made with full milk instead of water. All to just help me get calories in while I was struggling. Once I healed more, I made my Soups into stews, made my broths thicker with lentils. I couldn't, and still can't eat mash potato or many of the recommended purees but once I progressed to the "crispy, crunchy" phase, I did much better with textured foods. It took me months to get up to 600 calories a day in the conventional way. I would even just nibble on a plain cracker with Peanut Butter, thinly sliced apple and honey on it. It would take me a whole day to eat it but I set a timer for every 30 minutes on my phone. At every alarm I would eat or drink something. All day and evening. I didn't worry about dieting during that time. If I had tea, I put small amounts (1/2 tsp) of honey in it. I tried tiny amounts of milk, protein shakes, soups etc to get my calories up. Just to say though, the fatigue might last awhile longer. You just had major surgery, you are on low calorific intake. Hang in there, you will heal. Take it slowly. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I bought the chilli con carne one. I put one mini corn tortilla, half the chilli, bit of cheddar, together. Makes me a lovely meal (okay two big bites is all I eat of it but feels like food!). Also for quickness as I am often not well enough to prepare and cook, then clean up making a batch of homemade chilli. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I popped into my local M&S foodhall and found that they now do mini meals for one. Really small portions. About half the size of a ready meal for one. I was lucky and found loads of reduced ones half price. Freezer is now full of food that I know that I can eat and won't waste so much. The ones with rice, Pasta, potatoes, I just cut that side off and give it to my family as I can't eat starchy carbs. I only eat the Protein. Very happy about this. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am in touch via email with an excellent consultant in a city an hour away from me. He is happy to treat me but I need the referral to get to him. I am frustrated but realise that there is little that I can do for now. I am seeing my bariatric nurse in November. I am hoping to push her to ask my surgeon for the referral. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I fell hard two weeks ago while out with my granddaughter in the garden. Hard impact between my now very boney ass and the ground. Ouch! And today, I was walking and realised that my sweats were literally falling down. Couldn't believe it. Well done for getting some new jeans! I just keep wearing too big clothes then realising that I really am that small. Mind blowing! Congratulations!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

What a horrible disease. Have you undergone a fecal microbiota transplant? My daughter is a gastroenterologist and she told me they have an over 90% cure rate with it. No. It's not easy for me to get treatment for it. I need a referral to a consultant specialising in infectious diseases but currently haven't been able to persuade my GP to do this. I am using kefir and other Probiotics to try and kill off the infection while I wait for further treatment. I have come to terms with living with C diff. I am in tremendous pain with it but can't really do much about this. So for now, I am learning patience and praying for treatment. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've only been here for about 6 months, and I'm only 3 months post-op, but you're really on the wrong track here. When September is 6 months in your rearview mirror and you've actively participated, do me a favor and revisit this topic. I can promise you your attitude will change. There is a small handful of dedicated, seasoned and well-informed veterans on this site who tirelessly answer the SAME 20 QUESTIONS over and over and over and over and over again. They VOLUNTEER to do this. Willingly give up their own time to try to help the rest of us. So when one of them starts a thread about what she will/won't answer questions about, it's long overdue and they don't need a 2 or 3 week member, still pre-op, telling them what they should or shouldn't do. I was not a huge fan of some of the vets when I first arrived, but that's completely changed as I observe the rank stupidity they're willing to deal with day after day, solely to ensure that anyone reading doesn't take any of the rank stupidity to heart. Try dealing with the vets as carefully as you'd deal with the newbs...they deserve that and more, from all of us. Understandable .... but alot of newbies aren't dealt with carefully. It's that age old debate. Should you be more patient, more considerate, more kind, because you have been there done that? The hardest part here is that every single person has a different experience. We are all under different bariatric plans, we are from all over the globe. And what can happen is that someone google's a WLS question, this direct forum post comes up, they excitedly join and ask a question. If they use the phone app, the search might not work, they might genuinely be exploring WLS by asking newbie questions. I get that patience wears out, so why not just move on? Snarky comments are just a waste of energy. Alot of people might not "get" the "in jokes" between long standing groups. I think a "vets" room is a great idea. Then they don't have to repeat themselves. But then I think sarcasm should be discouraged too. I don't care if people are mean, cliquey, sarcastic. I also don't care if people ask stupid questions. English might not be their first language, this might be their first google hit, they might be lonely, had their surgery in a foreign country and genuinely not fully understand their program, etc. Previous poster is right though, this is the internet. What do we expect? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I did have a therapist throughout but not through my bariatric team and not in connection with being overweight. I don't have a food "addiction". I gained weight during a long term illness that left me bed bound and taking medication that causes weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I'm very sorry for your illness and what you have gone through. We all have our own stories of how we became obese. But bottom line, we all got that way because we ate more calories than our bodies needed. Yes, medications, certain illnesses and restricted activity can contribute, but we consciously made the choices of the kind of food and amount of food we ate. We couldn't help ourselves despite the fact our behavior lead to unwanted results. This is the definition of addiction. I hope you are getting better and I truly hope you find peace with your decision to have WLS. My becoming disabled suddenly is certainly not common. Being bed bound, alone and unable to cook meant that I was making the only choices that I could. That's not to say that I don't own any responsibility in any part that I may have played in becoming obese. That is why I approached my GP, spent years in the bariatric system, then had surgery based on the advice I received from that team. I was told that "I could not exercise and would only get heavier" if I did not have this done. And of course, who doesn't want to lose the excess weight? I am better and I am at peace. I have lost all of the excess weight now and am on maintenance but still losing weight. I still have clostridium difficile also. Just trying to reassure the OP that they will recover from surgery eventually and that they will find a new "normal", even if this surgery doesn't feel like it was the right thing to do. The OP asked if anyone else felt the way they do. It can feel very isolating when everyone else is thrilled with their sleeve and you hate yours. When I was at my most ill, hospitalised and suffering from all manner of problems (malnutrition, infections etc), most everyone always said the same thing. I know you are deathly ill right now but look how much weight you've lost. People love to talk about it. They want to be excited with you. But sometimes you just feel rotten because you can't simply grab a cup of tea, or a sandwich on the go anymore. No matter what got you here though, there is little point in dwelling on what you can't change. Having acceptance is crucial here. I really feel for everyone who feels low because they think they made a mistake in having WLS. Just hang in there! You can get better, feel better. I have been through purgatory since May and am still quite ill but my body is healing gradually. I had my first B12 injection recently. I am getting back to being myself a bit more everyday. It won't always be so bad. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I did have a therapist throughout but not through my bariatric team and not in connection with being overweight. I don't have a food "addiction". I gained weight during a long term illness that left me bed bound and taking medication that causes weight gain. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You are not alone. I posted exactly the same. I am nearly five months out now. I have not altered in my opinion. I won't patronise you by saying all the usual things people say in response to being unhappy this early on. But I will say this. You will become more healthy i.e. you will heal, learn a way to eat, recover from surgery. I know that it seems grim right now, trust me, I know. You are right, it's done now. And you are right, you have to think about food more, plan how you eat more etc. You will think about junk food and old food habits. Believe me when I say, the thought of those foods are better than how they will taste now. You will probably not have the energy you need for awhile. Recovering from surgery takes time. It is okay to feel unhappy. People here will tell you about "buyer's remorse" and the hormones that are raging through your system as the weight drops off initially. This is all normal. Praying is good. Mourning the loss of what was normal is understandable. I literally decided to concentrate on healing. I put out of my head that I made the wrong decision, that I had to live this way etc. and just spent everyday trying to get well. Water, rest, Protein and walking. That was my priority. Praying for peace, staying calm and talking to your team will help. Hang in there! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This. Fantastic response! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This is a marathon, not a sprint. You just had major surgery. Getting well is your priority. Healing is more about your stomach, which has just been cut and stapled, than the external wounds. Rest, drink Water, follow your plan, heal. Walk. Slowly if necessary. I kept my water in another room so I had to go get it every 30 minutes at first, even when I was really ill post op. You don't have to do anything fancy to help your body get well. Rest lots, walk some, drink constantly, get Protein in. Follow your eating plan, don't deviate until your sleeve is healed. Put the scales away. Getting healthy and well is what matters first. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Just don't mention bananas ... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had rapid weight loss following my sleeve surgery due to post op complications and other issues. I couldn't eat or drink anything for weeks. I concentrated on drinking Water. Staying hydrated is so important. So I did that first. Then I tried drinking recommended liquids. Whatever your plan advises. You must set timers on your phone to tell you to drink. That's your job right now. Drink water, get Protein, sleep and rest. Don't weigh yourself. That's not important right now. Yes, I had similar experiences and I got through it. Lot of other people here have too. You will be fine. Just follow your plan. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's quite interesting trying to convince your brain that one egg is too much or a tin of Soup is four portions. I wasted loads of food in the beginning. Now I know how to portion out. When I go to my daughter's house, my plate has less on it than my five year old granddaughter. She laughs at me and asks why I am eating so slowly. I used to eat fast and still eat faster than I should. I am learning to slow down. My weight loss is right where I want it. I lost far too much too fast due to illness in the beginning. I am on maintenance now and still lose several lbs a week if I am really active. I have fibro and have been in a flare for a week or so now. The fatigue is shocking. But I still try and walk around as much as possible. I don't weigh myself much because my clothes tell me that I am losing. I do have a weight tracker so I weigh myself occasionally to put the numbers in. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App