Biddy zz 🏳️🌈

4 weeks tomorrow. After the rapid weight loss in the first 12 days, it has slowed down - a stall for a week from day 14 or 15, and down 5.5 lbs since - but hell, nothing to be sneezed at. My eating plan from the surgeon - progress gently as you are able, both content and size. Try for three meals a day, minimal snacks. I certainly seem to be more able to eat than most of my surgery date buddies! I am on full solids - but not steak, or anything heavy. Chicken cut finely and spiced is a favourite. Laksa with fish flaked through. Good protein fills me up - I am learning how, when I take it slow, I feel the ‘full’ feeling bear the base of my throat. Never had a regurgitation, and can manage about 50g chicken or fish. Yoghurt (protein enriched) - feels like I could eat a huge quantity, no restriction. A pottle is 160g - can easily eat one, but restrict myself to half. Cottage cheese, cheese sticks, nuts we’ll chewed. Boiled egg fine, scrambled sits at the base of my throat, takes an hour to pass. Beans, lentils, chickpeas (chickpea ‘crackers’ and hummus a great lunch treat - good protein, low carb, chew well). So - really, all going well. Back to work Monday - wearing a bra is a challenge because of the open surgery, scar from navel to between breasts. ‘Lift and separate’ is good for boobs, but not for scars!

This is a very exciting time. A few tips - Take a good lip gloss Take a power chord and extension chord for your iPad/phone. You won’t want to do much bar sleep, play a game, txt mates. The night before, you might get serious jitters, second guess your decision making, think about pulling out. Seems many of us do - that bit seems to be the hardest. You have made a great decision, for you and your health - go for it.

Firstly - dang! 120lbs is STUNNING so you are no failure. You are a walking bloody miracle! One idea to kick start - go right back to your op days. Mimic your post op diet month. No cheating, just sheer hard work... without the pain, and being able to exercise Just an idea! My surgeon calls it a pouch trainer, or a sleeve trainer. Gets good results...

I am four weeks post surgery tomorrow. I started my stall at two weeks, right when I got home from the Southern city where I had the surgery. For 10 days I was within 1/2 pound of the weight when I got home - it was a bit depressing. But it is moving again - some days up 200g (on what I eat! I don’t even think my food WEIGHS 200g!) and last night I lost a pound in my sleep. I can eat a reasonable amount already I think (I haven’t tested, but am not getting any ‘full’ feedback signals) so I am concentrating on the protein. And admiring myself back in my Levi’s from three years ago, and a lovely top I haven’t worn for a similar time, back when my gastric band was still helping...

You look fantastic - I am at the start of my journey, and posts/photos like yours give me great hope, inspiration!

I am 56 and had a bypass 3 weeks ago. I had open surgery. I was up walking gently the next day and off my pain meds that night, and was first of my cohort to leave the hospital. Your fitness will benefit you greatly. And us wise ones, our life experience gives us an edge too!

Hi Laggy Can you tell us where this information comes from? I have tried to find any scientific explanation for how a machine could alter carbohydrate molecules this way (I think you are saying it breaks the fibre up, splitting sugar molecules off?) I wonder if it is an urban myth? The Bullet is such a great tool for making healthy purée/soft food, I’d hate people to be put off using it without good reason. Thanks 😁

I am only three weeks in, down a bit over 20 pounds. My fingers - I have my wedding ring back on. My bum/stomach/legs - I am back in Levi’s I last wore maybe 3 years ago. My stomach above the navel (top tummy) - this is my quickest indicator of losing vs gaining in all my yoyo diet years. My boobs are down a wee bit - but I remember from when I had the band (and the opposite when it broke and I made the weigh regain) that “Mrs Matron-tits” disappears/reappears pretty much exactly as I cross the BMI overweight/obese border...

How are you doing now, 6 weeks later, my friend?

I am 3.5 weeks out - I can have a small bit of cucumber, tomato, spinach and feta salad. After my small falafel patty (protein first). Chew chew well.

Me three! Gulping without thinking. I can’t have liquid at my food table. Also, my old crap diet still beckons. I had a sweet treat - chewed it well but what a reaction. “Dumping” - racing heart, flushing, nausea. That might be enough to stop the back-of-my-mind yearning for sweets, crisps.

No, not me. My partner has taken to answering me with “good thinking, missus shrinking and a huge grin. Life is short. Bad relationships... use it up! Maybe try couples counselling so he can express his fears? And together you can find a way around it?

I use my small kitchen scale a lot for measuring (and for MyFitnessPal food recording). I also use the stick blender to make purée from chunkier food.

Hiya I was squirting like a firehose for the first couple of weeks! “Fart with follow-through” - NEVER trust a RNY fart! Now, I get a bit of warning, and the first half of a movement has substance, with a liquid finish - so clear progress!

I had a breast reduction many years ago. And I had a hysterectomy 10 years ago. I just had a bypass not a sleeve, but it was WAY easier than either of those two! By a mile!!

Hi all Day 19 post op. I had open surgery to remove a band and do a bypass. The “two week” stall seems to have broken, down almost 2 lbs in 2 days. I am walking Daily now - a mile yesterday. Fatigue is passing - no longer needing a mid afternoon sleep. I am getting in about 600-700calories a day, about 50g protein, and can happliy eat soft, well chewed solid food. Am slowly starting to learn my new tummy’s delicate feedback mechanisms. My glitchy time is after breakfast. I rise, maybe 6.15am (morning person). Sip some water while feeding the dogs. Have a decaf coffee. Shower, then 100g high-protein yoghurt. 10mins later, very tired and need a lie down for 20mins. I can eat that yoghurt problem-free other times. I am prepping return to work - I have a demanding management role. I used to work 7-6. I didn’t eat breakfast back in my old life. I am tempted to not do breakfast again - I can’t be needing a lie-down in my office!! Thoughts?

My surgeon - no amount of chewing equals purée. So I agree - put it through a blender, and you are good to go!

Thanks all Had a scrambled egg for breakfast today - no fatigue. So you are right Fluffychix - sugar spike. Intersting. Pre surgery I could eat a family size Cadbury block and have no such spike - or not that I noticed. Maybe this will make me more in tune with my body. I have long regarded my body as simply a (pretty ugly) method to carry my brain around...

Hi my expert family! here in New Zealand the range of supplements on offer (like the range or proteins etc) is less. I have been looking for a chewable multi-vitamin for post surgery in 2.5 weeks - my surgeon gives a smallish pill to swallow but said it is just the basics, and when the tummy can handle it to move to Centrum. I found yesterday a centrum for kids, chewable. Orange, tastes ok. Any thoughts on whether two of these would suffice until I can swallow adult centrum?

Yep - me with my bypass. Almost 20lbs down in first 9-10 days, then nothing. Nearly a week - it just started moving again. Lots Of posts here on the 3 week stall. Seems like Our is a little under 2 weeks. Have faith - it will come right if you are following the plan!

Oh no - now I am confused. You are right - over 15 minutes I am having 3.5oz (100g) low fat yoghurt. My pouch is a fobi pouch (long and narrow, with a silastic ring at the base) rather than the traditional short round pouch - they don’t change shape over time, so what I am eating now is not far off my permanent eating capacity. The pouch never stretches. So, Fluffychix - the idea that this is too much sugar for my intestine as it passes through - I hadn’t thought of that. Good advice, I will replace that with a scrambled egg tomorrow morning, see if that cuts out the fatigue. Thanks! Biddy

It is one of my three meals a day - 95 calories and 8g protein. The “serving size” says 160g but I can’t manage that much. It is 3 tablespoons, as per plan - can you confirm this is too many calories and too much protein in one meal? And if so, for now (3 weeks post op) or forever? My surgeon has un on a strict three meals a day by 4 weeks post op - so each one has to average 20g protein, two calories. Not trying to be argumentative, just checking my understanding! Ta

You are an inspiration. To those of is in a bit of a stall, stories like yours keep us going. Thank you so much for sharing.

I had open surgery almost three weeks ago. It isn’t so bad - in fact, I think watching my surgery buddies, not having the gas pain is a real benefit. I was off all pain relief in 3 days - it is surprisingly ok. I had a hysterectomy years ago - that was WAY harder! I have posted here looking for open surgery buddies - seems there are few. Feel free to message me if you want but I really am honest in saying it seems not much rougher than the laparoscopic.

I have read so many posts like yours - in fact I may well have made one myself! You are sensible to be worried. This is major surgery. You shouldn’t do it on a whim. But - we come through the op, we adjust to the eating and sipping, and we lose weight. Stay around here - most of the people who write have great experience, warmth, wit and wisdom to help you through. They did it for me!