mylighthouse

@Berry78 No, they didn't say why. I have appointments with my gastro and my surgeon on the 18th of this month. I think I will ask them why they don't want me taking a fiber supplement. I am getting more fiber in my diet now then I was when I was just eating a small amount of non-starchy veggies, but I am still not getting enough. And I am still constipated.

Hello, Sorry to hear about your constipation woes. I have been having horrible constipation too and have been to the ER a few times as well as hospitalized for a couple of days over 2 weeks ago. I am incorporating some high fiber foods into my diet as well as continuing to take Miralax everyday and now a prescription med for IBS/constipation. Here are the foods that I have added to my diet, though I cannot get a whole 1/2 cup serving in when I eat them. 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal= 11 grams net carbs, 14 grams fiber 1/2 cup cooked black beans (from dry)= 11.57 grams net carbs, 8.3 grams fiber, 8 grams protein 1/2 cup cooked black eyed peas (from dry)= 13 grams net carbs, 4.1 grams fiber, 2.6 grams protein 1/2 cup cooked brussel sprouts (fresh)= 3.5 grams net carbs, 2 grams fiber 1/2 cup cooked broccoli (fresh)= 2 grams net carbs, 1.6 grams fiber I really like the Fiber One cereal. My gastroenterologist and my surgeon both said they do not want me taking a fiber supplement. They want me to get my fiber naturally through food.

Wow! Your NUT told you 100 grams of carbs and mine told me 50. Both are way too high. I didn't lose weight for 3 weeks straight when I listened to my NUT and kept my carbs just under 50. Then when I dropped my carbs to under 35 grams a day, the weight started coming off and it hasn't stopped since. And if you can go even lower with your carbs like others said... even better!

Love this! Thanks for posting it. Since my highest weight last summer which was 334 pounds, I have lost the equivalent of a new born calf. Awesome! Congratulations to everyone on their weight loss, whether it's an ostrich egg or the entire Oxford English dictionary.

Hello, I am just about 5 months out and I've had a few stalls along the way..... they happen. But for the last couple of months I have been steadily losing weight. What is working for me: Keeping my carbs under 35 grams a day. Making sure I get 100 grams of protein a day. Drinking at least 80 ounces of fluids a day. My calories are between 800-900 daily. Doing those things, I generally lose between 3-4 pounds a week. I track everything with myfitnesspal, it helps me a lot. I am also not exercising at all, unfortunately. I have 2 incisional hernias (one quite large) that give me a lot of pain. Also dealing with constant abdominal pain and constipation. I can hardly wait to lose a little more weight and have my hernia surgery, because I can't wait to be able to exercise. Hope that helps.

The best way to measure you food is to weigh it. Pretty much weigh everything if you can.

You can't have sparkling water anymore. No carbonation after surgery. "The main issue to consider is the sensation of bloating caused by the bubbles in the soda. You will burp the gas out, sure, but a number of patients have reported abdominal discomfort given the smaller stomach size."

What the Bariatric center told you is true, there are protein shakes and protein powders out there that claim to have more protein in them than they really do. My doctor and nutritionist confirmed this. My nutritionist said Unjury and Isopure are good ones and there are other good ones out there too. I have tried Unjury and liked it, but am currently using Isopure because I saved a little money on it. Also, your doctor is right, Premier protein shakes are an excellent product. Premier was also recommended by my nutritionist.

Not quite vertigo, but lots of dizzy spells and getting lightheaded. Had to go to the ER a couple of times because of that and other problems. They said the dizziness was because I was dehydrated. It's a very common sign of being dehydrated. They had to give me IV fluids. SO, make sure you are getting at least 64 ounces of fluids a day.. it is so important!

I'm almost 5 months post op. I always use a food scale to weigh out my food. I think it's the most accurate way to do it. Currently, breakfast consists of 8oz of a protein shake and about a dozen almonds. I have never been a big breakfast person. Then for lunch and dinner, I am able to eat 3 oz of protein... no more than that and sometimes less than 3 oz. I also usually weigh out 2 oz of veggies, but I am never able to finish them. I'm getting about 800-850 calories a day, 25 grams of carbs and 100 grams of protein.... it's working out great, been steadily losing weight. Congratulations on your weight loss.... 59 pounds since January is fantastic!

@Clementine Sky Thank you for the yogurt ideas. I will check Siggi's website out. I haven't seen their brand or the Liberte on my grocery shelves, but that doesn't surprise me.

You can do it!

Was that a typo, or did your surgeon really say that with the sleeve you would only lose 5 pounds? Because that just seems very wrong.

Yes, your doctor is right, stay away from the gummies, they don't have what we need in them. I have tried both Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate brands of chewable vitamins. They're good. One was a berry flavor and the other was orange. Can't say I was crazy about the flavor, but I got them down o.k. They have everything we need in them... one is a multi-vitamin with iron and the other is a Calcium with D-3. Now that I am almost 5 months post op, I have switched over from the chewable to the capsules.

Most flavored yogurt probably is too high in sugar and carbs. At least I sure couldn't find any that were acceptable for me. So I went with the plain Greek, and I really had to dig around to find a low carb one of those too.

Breakfast in the beginning will probably be protein shakes. Then as you go on to pureed foods you can do scrambled eggs and I found a really great plain greek yogurt that is very low carb made by HEB. I would just add a little bit of stevia to it to sweeten it. Cottage cheese is also a good low carb breakfast idea. I am almost 5 months post op, so I am on regular foods. I like to keep my carbs low and my protein around 100 grams a day, it really helps me lose weight. So, if I want to incorporate a bit of carbs into my diet, I go with veggies like fresh cooked beets, fresh cooked carrots or brussel sprouts. I stay away from all bread, pasta, rice, potatoes (even sweet potatoes). And of course when you get to regular foods, you can eat some of the no carb veggies. Remember, that you always want to fill up on protein first when eating, so you really aren't going to have much room for other foods. Proteins will keep you full longer. Carbs will lead you to be hungrier for more food and too many of them will keep you from losing weight.

Yes, we need more info on what you are eating. Are you eating low carb? High protein? I would go for close to 100 grams a day. And you said you have cut back on portions, which may be good, but as far along post op as you are, you need to make sure you are getting enough calories, or you could keep yourself from being able to lost weight. I don't think another weight loss surgery is necessary. You already have the tool (your sleeve) and you just need to make the appropriate adjustments to get yourself back on track. Also, you might want to do a reset and start back at the full liquid phase again for a week or two, followed by pureed, and so forth, just like in the beginning stages of when you first got your sleeve. And also, from everything I've read, you cannot stretch your sleeve. I think this is just an issue of re-evaluating your habits and getting back on track with the program. If you aren't already using a wonderful tool like myfitnesspal to track carbs, protein, fats and calories, then it's time to start doing that. Good luck. It's never easy, but you can do it if you want it.

@lorenpuig Yes, I don't think just a weekend will give you enough time to feel better before you have to head back to school. I am in Bryan/College Station and had my surgery in Bryan back in November. Different doctors will tell you different things. I did a 2 week pre-op diet where I was allowed to have small, low carb and non-starchy veggies along with chicken or fish for protein and protein shakes. Then the day before surgery, I was on an all clear liquid diet and couldn't have anything to eat or drink after midnight, the night before surgery. My surgery was at 11:00 the next morning. You will read that some people have to do a 2 week all liquid pre-op diet. Every doctor is different.

@lorenpuig You should wait until after you finish school to have the surgery. It is a major surgery. You might be in quite a bit of pain for several days after the surgery (I was and had to take pain meds). Some people don't have much pain, but I think most people take off work a week or two or three if possible. I just can't see returning to class even a week after surgery. That's my opinion.

Yes, hypothyroidism could easily explain your weight gain. They discovered I had a goiter at age 6 and then hypothyroid in my 20's on. I have been on medication for it for many years. However, around my mid-twenties, with 2 small kids, being a stay-at-home mom and my current husband at the time, we did not have much money and no insurance. I quit going to my thyroid doctor and quit taking thyroid medicine. It wasn't long after that when I started gaining quite a bit of weight as well as having other symptoms of thyroid problems. Then I got back on my thyroid med and lost weight. Fast forward 15 years and I got off my thyroid med again and gained a bunch of weight. Now I am on thyroid med again (for 2 years now). But this time I couldn't lose the weight on my own. Had the sleeve surgery back in November '16 and I am still on thyroid meds. Since October, I have lost over 80 pounds. I think that if you are sticking to the plan with your sleeve (make sure low carbs, over 60 grams protein), that once your thyroid gets under control with medication, you should lose weight. Don't get discouraged, if you just started your thyroid med, it can take 6 weeks or so to notice a difference. Also, you will need to go back in for more bloodwork and see if you need to go up on your thyroid med dosage. It has to be a gradual increase. Getting your thyroid back to where it needs to be might take awhile.

Congratulations on your weight loss! Keep up the good work. You look great!

Good for you! You are already on the road to success. It is great that you are now aware of stopping before you get that feeling. Sounds like you are ready for surgery, which will change your life! My highest weight was 334. Now at over 4 months post op, I am down to 242 pounds. I can do things that I couldn't do before, such as clip my own toenails, get my socks and shoes on easily and many other things. It feels great! My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner! I wish you the best. p.s. I am 46 and was 45 when I had my surgery.

You can have decaf coffee. My nutritionist allowed me to start drinking regular coffee in moderation at 8 weeks post op. Until then, I drank decaf. Just to be safe though, check with your nutritionist and/or doctor. They might have different guidelines.

The turkey/chicken might not be soft enough for the soft food stage. I know I was told that really fall-apart tender, moist chicken/fish would be okay. Also, just a heads-up on the Smart Ones.... they may claim to be healthy, but Smart Ones, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers, etc frozen meals are usually very high in carbs. Remember you want to get your protein first and I imagine that gravy with the chicken/turkey is loaded with carbs and so are the potatoes.

I don't think that it's a vitamin deficiency, but you should mention it to your doctor. You might need to have your thyroid checked if you haven't already. I am hypothyroid, which is fairly common, and one of the symptoms is feeling cold often.