biginjapan
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Everything posted by biginjapan
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Feb 2017 sleevers - how's everyone doing post-op?
biginjapan replied to biginjapan's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It's been a month and a day since surgery. I lost 23 pounds pre-op, but only 15 pounds post-up. I've been stalled for 2 weeks, although my weight has been fluctuating up and down by the same 1 or 2 pounds. I've cut back on dairy, which has helped with a lot of issues, and I'm trying to get my calories in (my NUT wants a minimum of 800 daily), which I can do, but I feel like I'm either full or eating all day. I would have liked to have lost more by this point (I was hoping for 20 pounds post-op) but I put on a pair of jeans today that I haven't been able to wear in over 2 years, so that's a nice NSV. I've also noticed that my fat seems more loose and jiggly (I was always kind of solid before), and that I've got some weird bulges in my thighs that I never had before. The inches are coming off, I just want that d@mn scale to move! -
Interesting! I sent away for my DNA to be tested by 23andme back in February, but I'm still waiting on the results to come in.
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I had IBS when I was younger and it developed into full-fledged ulcerative colitis by the time I was 30. I've been on meds for it off and on since then. I had my surgery 3.5 weeks ago and I have to say I haven't had any symptoms. I think. It's hard to know what's normal after sleeve since I've never had a sleeve before. Unlike many other people, I do not suffer from constipation post-op, and usually have a bowel movement 3 times a day - it's always loose and soft, similar to what I had pre-sleeve. However, I do know that when I went on the pre-op diet, which allowed lean protein and non-starchy vegetables, and was no dairy or alcohol or caffeine, all of my symptoms cleared up immediately and I had no issues. The big difference between then and now is that I am eating cheese and greek yogurt to help meet my protein goals, but I wonder if that is affecting my BMs. However, I'm not going to change anything until I back to full foods and can cut back on the dairy. I'm not taking any meds for the colitis at the moment as I don't know how well they'll work with my new sleeve. I'm going to go talk to my gastroenterologist next week about it. That said, I've done some research about it and it seems that the sleeve really helps alleviate symptoms. I know colitis and IBS in general are not exactly the same, but as I have suffered from one or the other for over 30 years, to me there is little difference between them.
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I love them - they've been my go-to protein powder since I started with my pre-op diet. They mix really well (no clumping) and have natural flavours. That said, since surgery, there are a couple of flavours that don't taste quite the same for me (but not all of them).
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Actually, it's hard for me right now, because this is usually a time I do a lot of shopping online in order to have some new clothes for the start of the school year here in Japan (which is April 1st). But I'm reluctant to buy anything because of the anticipated weight loss. The only thing I really need are leggings (capri ones of course) so I can wear them under skirts and not have wear nylons (of which I have a ton, but will probably never wear now). I'm off to Europe next week so maybe I can find a few things while I'm there.
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I've got sizes from 24/26 down to 18/20 here with me in Japan. I know that I can shop from my own closet, but I have a feeling that I've got a real mixed bag of stuff - maybe lots of shirts, but not so many pants (most die pretty early due to the dreaded "chub rub" of my thighs+heat+humidity), etc. - it may not be enough to cover me for work. Luckily I can go pretty casual if I need to, and hopefully I'll be able to stick mostly to those items until summer hits and I can do some shopping at home IRL, as opposed to online.
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I love capris! They're a still a little short, but I don't mind since it rains so much here - those extra inches off the ground make a big difference to keeping dry. I've only ever bought mine from Nordstrom (when they have them in stock), since they make a pair that isn't horrible on my pear-shaped body, and they ship to Japan. What I really want though, are some wide-leg pants (also cropped)- I've been wearing some for the past year, and they've been great for work. However, I can't seem to find any that are cheap enough and that aren't linen or cotton (would never last more than a month for me in the humid heat we have here). Anyway, I feel your pain. At 5'3" the Petite sizes are sometimes too long for me and/or they don't fit me as nicely as the regular sizes do. I will shorten pants myself, but of course it's never as good as buying something made for your height. Over the past 6 years I've mostly been wearing mid- to longish skirts for work, since they're easier and hide my extreme curves a bit better.
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Finally! My stall has broken after 11 days with no movement on the scale.
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...and breathe...
That's how it feels for me every time. Even though I know better, I almost always say, "Well, I guess that's all surgery has got for me." Great Job and Good Luck!
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biginjapan reacted to this
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Thanks MowryRocks! I wasn't too worried, as I've been reading these boards for quite a while, but still, it's so much more motivating to see that number go down!
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MowryRocks reacted to this
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Yeah. I like to change it. Hoping for a good pic somewhere down the road to put on too.
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I'd also like to get back into hiking. My weight, my knees, and my feet have all prevented me from going places that I either used to hike, or would like to. As I get more fit and active I'd like to work towards a really big goal, like doing the Camino de Santiago or climbing Kilimanjaro.
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You look great! What an inspiration - I hope I am as successful as you a year from now!
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I struggled with the no drinking 30 min before and after eating during pre-op, mostly because I'm such a creature of habit. Now, even if I pour myself a drink (water), I'll let it sit in the kitchen and will only go back for it once my 30 minutes has passed. I do chew until there is nothing left to chew, but I'm still eating and drinking faster than I probably should be. That said, I feel full for a good long while afterwards. I'm on vacation now, but I know once I start back to work I really will have limited time to eat, so 20-30 minutes to finish whatever is not going to cut it, especially for snacks. But I'll worry about that when the time comes.
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Feeling slightly discouraged!
biginjapan replied to crivera's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Are you drinking any Protein shakes? What stage are you at? I'm at the end of 3 weeks, 4 weeks begins tomorrow which means I can introduce regular foods (slowly), although I started 2 days ago with chicken breast. I usually hit 80-90g of protein a day. I always have one Protein shake, which I make with soy or almond milk, plus Protein Powder (20g). That can get me between 25-35g of protein, depending on what I put in the shake (sometimes I also blend greek yogurt or a small block of tofu into the shake which also ups the protein even more.) I also try to have one or two eggs a day, and I usually have some string cheese as a snack as well (sometimes 2). When I started purees I ate canned tuna (with a little cheese) or the ricotta bake for one of meals. I also added unflavoured powder to blended Soups. This is all really protein heavy, but it gets me to my goals. Now that I'm starting with regular foods, I will be adding more veggies, when I can, and will try to cut back on the cheese, so that my diet is more balanced. -
(NSV) Gasp! I bought WHITE pants!!!
biginjapan replied to Crafty-in-Carolina's topic in Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
What a great NSV! I can't wait to be able to wear white pants! And tuck in a shirt! -
I'm worried about this as well, but I seem to be handling cheese and yogurt okay. I don't use milk (and haven't for years) - I make my shakes with almond or soy milk, although I've noticed that I have issues with soy now that I'm post-op. Unfortunately it's hard to find almond milk here in Japan - my local supermarket does have it, but in the tiny 200ml juice box size.
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I'm 3 weeks post-op and I basically have liquid poo coming out at least 3 times a day (occasionally it's more 'formed'). Based on everything I've read here I was expecting constipation, so I guess I should be relieved about that. That said, I do sometimes have to be careful when I cough or sneeze.
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Weight loss chart how much does your loss compare to tangible items?
biginjapan replied to Crafty Li'l Devil's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I've lost a housecat since surgery, a cinderblock including pre-op diet, but my total goal is to lose the average adult woman. -
Am I doing something wrong?
biginjapan replied to strbryt78's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm going through something similar. I had my sleeve done on Feb. 9th, lost 11 pounds in the first 10 days, and haven't lost any in the past 10 days. I hit my water intake, protein, and calorie goal every day. Like others have said, stalls are normal, and I know that, but as you and others have mentioned, it's frustrating not to see the scale move. That said, mine appeared to be wavering this morning, so maybe I'll see some progress soon. -
3 week post op loss ?
biginjapan replied to snapy17's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It's probably the dreaded 3-week stall, although I have never heard of any plan allowing rice or bread, especially this early. I'm also 3 weeks post op and haven't lost for over 10 days now - all I have lost post op is 11 pounds. The only carbs I get are from almond/soy milk, and tofu occasionally when I add it to a shake. -
I was/am the same way! I had no pain or nausea in the hospital. When I was finally allowed to drink Water I could drink as much as I wanted (though I tried not to). I've been on purees this week, which includes soft foods like canned tuna or eggs. Anything liquid (like a Protein shake) goes down with no problem, but I do admit that I am getting full with the foods. I started real foods a little early (yesterday) with some chicken breast and spinach, and while I didn't feel any restriction, I kept the portions right (3 oz. of chicken, 1 oz. of veggies). And that satisfied me completely. So far I've no problems with nausea, food aversions, painful restrictions, getting my liquids in, or constipation. If I didn't have the scars on my stomach I would seriously question whether or not I had the surgery at all! In fact, when I was day 3 post-op I had a total meltdown in the hospital when talking to one of the doctors. I felt that my surgeon hadn't cut enough of my stomach away! Seriously - everyone on my floor had some problem(s) and I had none. I felt great, I was moving around a lot...it just didn't seem right. So she showed me a picture of my excised stomach (it's pretty long) and told me not to worry about it, that I should be happy that I am one of the few that feels great after surgery. So I'm trying to remember that regardless of how I feel, I should follow the plan and the portions to help me stay on target.
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Liquid diet - weight loss.
biginjapan replied to evagria_the_faithful's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
The pre-op diet is not for weight loss (although that usually happens) - it's to shrink your liver. That said, while I was not on a liquid diet - I was allowed 2 meals a day with lean Protein and veggies - and I lost 22 pounds over 3 weeks, so just over a pound a day. And now I'm almost 3 weeks out from surgery and I've only lost 10 pounds since then. -
The 3-week stall is real...no weight loss over the past 10 days!
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Actually, Japan is like that too. I just read an article that says Japanese are the worst for taking any kind of paid vacation - less than 50% of what they are owed (which is about 2 weeks). Even school teachers don't get much holiday time, since they are often involved with sports and other club activities throughout the summer, plus PD. Luckily, I work at a private university, so I don't have to worry about things like that.
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Really? So Japan isn't all great in that area either huh? Well, you enjoy your private institution then! If my work ends up becoming too stressful for me in any way, I will be leaving. So far, it's not. I'm a one man show these days with the bosses showing up occasionally. So it's good. But my husband carries all the weight anyway, I work to stay busy.
Do you plan to stay in Japan indefinitely?
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I'm not sure - probably (even though my Japanese is terrible). There's not much in terms of full-time work back home for teachers like me (all short-term (4 month) contracts). As long as I can keep getting long-term contracts with lots of vacation time, then I'll probably stay.
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What's Your Goal Weight Gift to Yourself?
biginjapan replied to Newme17's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
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What's Your Goal Weight Gift to Yourself?
biginjapan replied to Newme17's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
In my experience, young people have no problem with tattoos (I teach university students). But they admit that their parents and grandparents do - I've sometimes been asked to check the English on a "No Tattoo" policy that a student's family is putting up. Puts me in a difficult place as I want to help them, but not for something like this that is discriminatory. At the moment, if you have a small tattoo, you may be given a smallish bandage to put over it while you are in the onsen. Of course, the only reason you would have that bandage is because you have a tattoo... One option if you really want to experience an onsen is to book a private one. In any event, I'm not a huge fan of onsen -- the water is never as hot as my own bath, I don't find it relaxing to bath with other people, I don't like people looking at me because I'm a foreigner/fat, etc. (not that they do, but I feel like they do). I've done it because my friends like to go, but none of my current friends are into it, which is a relief. -
I changed into loose fitting sweats and a singlet with a long-sleeved t-shirt over top for most of my stay. Everyone on my floor changed into their own preferred clothes, only 1 person remained in the hospital gown the entire time (but she was pretty sick). You can unhook the IV bag and put in through your sleeve. But...I guess a lot depends on what your hospital prefers.
