Orchids&Dragons

The snowcones are taking a protein drink (pour it into ice cube trays) freeze, then blend it to snow cone consistency.

Wow!

Absolute sliders. The only numbers I track are calories and protein. I'm in the 1200 calorie range, 60-75g protein.

I guess it feels like I've been doing this so long that I forget I really started over on Halloween

That's my problem, I guess. I doubt I ever manage more than 2 oz. of solid protein at a time and if I do, I'm done. There's no room for veggies or anything else. I do have a protein bar for breakfast most days which knocks off the first 20 g or so of protein but it usually takes me close to an hour to eat it. Today, I'm still working on one I opened nearly 2 hours ago. Dr. wants me getting at least 75g protein because of my loss of muscle. And probably because since I mostly eat sliders, they may not stay long enough to be properly absorbed.

((Hugs)) We feel for you! I totally get what you meant about your concern not being about the pain itself, but rather that if it's an indication that there is some other problem. I dealt with that, too. You've got to trust your doc on this one. (Hard, I know) but they've seen most of this before. But, that said, keep calling them if it doesn't improve. You should be feeling better day by day. Have you tried sugar-free popsicles? Sometimes it's easier to get liquids that way, plus the cold helps with the swelling. Fat cells hold estrogen. As you lose weight, they release the estrogen which heightens the highs and lows on your emotional rollercoaster. This just makes everything worse. As far as the busybodies, I tend to be a very non-confrontational, passive-aggressive sort of person. I agreed with everybody, then went ahead and did what I wanted anyway 😉 If you're more of a straight-shooter, how about "I'm not sure how you have your foot in your mouth, head up your @ss, and nose in my business, yet here we are you effing wizard!" (Paraphrased from a Facebook post 😁 ) which I posted yesterday on a WLS-hater thread. Good luck and know that we're here for you.

I zipped up a pair of (not wide-calf) boots yesterday! Even when I weighed 150 pounds before, I always needed wide-calf boots! This is a first in my adult life! Woo-hoo! Also, I have a job interview on Tuesday. The last time I wore my suit (which I had just purchased) was late November. I had to have the pants taken in almost 2 inches! Yippee!

I took omeprazole 40mg twice daily plus Tums as needed. But after 8 months, I was still hoarse most days by 10 am. Plus, they've started warnings about taking omeprazole longer than 6 months. I was showing no improvement. So, we decided on a revision.

I love this one:

Totally normal! It does suck, however. Your body is taking a time out to adjust to all the changes and maybe to let you know its a little ticked off at all the abuse. Just dig deep and stick with your plan and in a few more days the scale will start moving again. If you took your measurements pre-op, now's a good time to check them. They often change when you're in a stall. If you haven't taken measurements before, now is a good time to start. Losing inches helps keep your spirits up when you're in a stall. Good luck!

Even with complications, I have absolutely no regrets. If I hadn't had surgery, I'd still be a year older now. But instead of where I am now, I'd still be obese, with aching knees and hips. At some point, I assume that diabetes and high blood pressure would kick in. Every year you get older, the harder it is to recover from all this crap, so I'm glad I did it when I did. I won't sugar-coat it, the last year has been tough. But, oh so worth it. Perspective-wise, if you're 28 and 258 lbs., what do you think you'll weigh in 5 years without surgery?

You might like to check out this thread: And good luck!

Focus on the future! You're gonna love it! Best wishes!

Welcome! You can tough it out, girl! It sucks, but just think about how you'll feel 6 months from now! Best wishes!

No, actually there are a lot of very defensive obese people who attack you in this manner, too. For the rest of it, how about "I'm not sure how you have your foot in your mouth, head up your @ss, and nose in my business, yet here we are you effing wizard!" (Paraphrased from a Facebook post 😁 )

It's pretty common in the beginning. We're so used to drinking with meals that we sometimes don't chew enough. (Even if you chewed for 20 seconds or whatever. If your mouth is dry you will still have issues.) If something gets stuck, it's ok to have a LITTLE sip of water to help wash it down. I sometimes had to take the sip while I was still chewing, because I just couldn't soften the food. (I take diuretics.)

Those look fabulous, but I know I can't be trusted with them. 12 servings --> never gonna happen!

But this is the crazy part! I've seen 2 nutritionists - one employed by the hospital and the other affiliated with my surgeon. The one who works with my surgeon is comfortable with where I am and my long term goals, which do NOT include getting to my absolute skinniest weight and maybe wreaking havoc with my metabolism in the meantime. I'm almost 5'7" and my goal weight is 150. I included in that calculation the fact that I carry extra fluids from edema in my legs and probably 10 pounds of excess skin that I likely won't have removed. So, taking that into account my "adjusted" weight is around 135, as I see it. I think I'm quite thin right now and don't want to lose more. The NUT at the hospital, however, thinks wls patients should follow the strict, low-cal diet until they naturally "bottom-out" and then adjust from there. I don't want my body establishing 900 calories/day as my new normal. It seems like that would make every day from that point on a constant battle. I know this isn't the reality for everyone, and honestly, I probably (with this attitude) wouldn't be the weight I am now except for all my side-trips into complication-land. But, without the side-trips, if I had stalled out/hit maintenance at 160-170 lbs., I would have been perfectly happy. Just my 2 cents worth.

I don't think I have much/any reaction to sweeteners, either. Hallelujah!

Veggie question: We're all reasonably far out from our surgery, and our capacity has increased a bit. So, for those of you who only eat 2-3 meals/day, how do you get your veggies in? If I'm trying to get my protein in 3 meals, there is absolutely no room for veggies/fruit, NONE. So, I eat maybe 6-7 times a day. Some are protein + fruits/veg. Some are just fruits/veg. On the mixed meals, I hardly ever eat the protein first. (This is one reason that most of my meals are still sliders.) I love the fruits/veggies. Any advice is much appreciated.

Right now, it's too early to know. Your stomach is still very swollen and that allows acid to reflux into the esophagus. This can take several months to resolve before they can determine if you have a real reflux problem.