magpie26

I wish I could help. I don't think my doctor ever told me any expectations. I started at 292 my surgery day I was 283, my surgery date was 4/17/18 and I'm currently 244. I thought my nutritionist said something about 180 (I'm 5' 5) so I guess they didn't have high expectations. They say the average is half of your excess body weight. I think a lot of people lose more. Most people I know hit their goal plus more. I bet the veteran people are more helpful, my goal is the same as yours, I will work hard to hit it!

I added cheese to eggs, not TONS extra but extra and it was different. I did ricotta bake too, (baritastic recipe section, and get that app if you don't have it, it's great for tracking) I added protein powder, it was my saving grace. Try one that doesn't clump in hot stuff. Protein20 water. I could have any meat I wanted as long as it was pureed, I made "gravy" with cornstarch and homemade bone broth (10 grams protein per cup) it passes quick, even though it feels like forever

Mine was 2 weeks. It's hard the first few days, but then it gets WAY easier, I promise! I thought it as "Bariatric Boot Camp" . Some surgeons (nutritionist, really) can give you super specific instructions, some basically a list and how many calories, protein, carbs, etc (that was mine). It's super important to shrink your liver and also you'll get used to post op "eating". But everyone is completely different but I've seen 2 weeks kind of as the average.

@GotProlactinoma I have never heard of this before. I mean I've heard of beneficial bugs in the gut. Wouldn't yougurt do the trick or is it because of the starches? I take an adult probiotics because i had horrible nausea and I was willing to try anything, although I'm not religious with taking it. I'm also curious with the gut biome care for bipolar, as I am bipolar myself (totally not ashamed) and I look for any kind of treatments that are NOT more pharmaceutical.

I think I'll do that. I see a family doctor now instead of a gyno, I moved and had kids a long time ago so I just didn't see the point, but now I'm not liking my PCP, but I had the full workup awhile ago, I guess it's maybe time to do it again. It was totally fine until the surgery and now this nonsense! I swear my teenager is throwing me off! But I think your suggestions are good and that's what I'll try

Food is fuel, simple as that, and sometimes it can taste amazing! Navigation in the beginning is tough. A few bites of something you used to eat (that may not be so good for you, I personally don't go there yet) tastes JUST as good as the six cups you previously ate, or half the -insert food here- you used to eat. sometimes I will admit that once in awhile i get sad that I can't eat that whole bowl of fabulous pasta at my favorite restaurant, but seriously? I did this to change my life for the better, clean, healthy eating, nothing processed, feeding my family healthy meals, not mad and cheese and chicken nuggets anymore. to each their own, and it's HARD, damn hard when you start out! Everyday is a learning experience, everyday is a chance for a new you. Therapy is a good thing, I go not just about food, because unlike many bariatric patients i didn't have underlying food issues except carbs and depression. But talking about the surgery is important. Good luck. Please take care of not only yourself but your new stomach.

GENEPRO, I have seen tons of people love it but lately I have seen LOTS of people warn against it or say no to it? Your thoughts? I use it, I like that I can use it in pretty much anything with no added taste and at any temperature. It worries me that so many people advise against it.

I do have to say that most of the time I do feel better about me and how I'm progressing and looking but sometimes I see her looking back and I hate it! It doesn't help that I'm currently broke and can't afford an "in between" wardrobe. So I'm stuck with a good amount that's too big, my pants are ok but catching up but my tops are getting BIG! I've hunted goodwill/ thrift stores but not having much luck I could buy new stuff for what they charge half the time. I hear this a lot and I know we're not alone.

Maybe I know the answer already and maybe this goes into another section but, I've lost approximately 48 (OMG!) pounds since my last pre-op appointment (liquid diet-now roughly 11.5 weeks) but the last 4-5 days my body fat has gone up! Does this mean I need to start amping up strength training? Those days also were extremely hectic and I was under my protein goal but maybe by 10 grams one day more I think but I have been way more mindful and have kept a premier with me in a cooler if I'm out for a long time and try hard to get more fluids. Seems early to have this happen. Generally I get 70-90 protein a day. I have an aria type scale.

All awesome points/ideas! Thankfully (as of now since I'm only a few months post op) the loose skin isn't an issue. They just opened a boxing club/studio near me, I'm pumped, I've always wanted to do some boxing! My next on my bucket list is joining the roller derby! I've even found skates for my extra wide feet (seriously, I am not just a fatty, I also have dinosaur bones! ) Exercise CANNOT be boring for me or I won't commit.

I figured, but I was like, WTH?! When I first saw them.

I had chest pains too. Do you have a drain? My chest pain was from my drain moving around and kind of poking my diaphragm, freaked me out. I did call my surgeon to be sure. Some people still have minor sore throats from the tube from surgery, but 3 days out seems long. And lol I hope your burping goes away, I'm 9.5 weeks out and I still burp all the time! Luckily it's not quite as bad as the first 5-6 weeks but it's there when I drink especially. Good luck

I understand how you feel. Maybe it was the "fat girl confidence" the extra humor etc. I'm not even 3 months out, but at 25 pounds lost I felt dead sexy, now I'm approaching 50 and now I am seeing a fat girl (sometimes) in the mirror. This wasn't the case before! I like that people think I look great, but newly out of the gate social situations are really awkward. I still can get painfully full, I can't drink with all my friends (not that I'm a big drinker), I went gluten free so my food choices are limited. I'm happy I did this, but I'm unhappy that I all of the sudden see myself as fat and unattractive. Sorry for stealing your post, but I know what you're going through.

No, but I will look into that and Isopure which was also recommended. That one said you could bake with it. I don't usually do pancakes but my kids and husband like them, so with my husband and me I do 2 eggs, 1/2 cup flaxseed meal, 2 scoops genepro, and one mashed banana for taste and I think 1/2 a tsp for rising. (I made it up) I don't do gluten and one pancake or less and I'm done, it makes six. But if I counted the 30 grams per scoop each pancake had 14 grams of protein. So I guess I am looking for one I can use to put in things to bake or cook with

@TexasMommy80 I agree, it's tough for some to find something that we can tolerate. After reading about the lawsuits,etc I haven't thrown out my bag, will I possibly look for another powder? Maybe. But genepro works well for me too for what I use it or when I use it. I just like it because of how it dissolves and how it is in hot items. But im open to hearing any other people's types of powders.

Why don't you like GENEPRO? I hear people love it and now I'm hearing people hating it. I use it, I like it but I use it now because I spent a A LOT of money on it. I like it better than any other ones. If anyone can suggest a powder that's unflavored that you can use in hot stuff I'm listening. I use Cabot Whey powder, I trust the company, (the plant is seriously 2 miles from me) and the product is good. It gets weird (as most do) if the food is hot but it's "unflavored" they all have some taste. I think it's ok in shakes, yogurts, pudding, milky stuff.

And lol if you REALLY want to toe the line, Amazon also sells nicotine test kits. Look like a pregnancy test, I bought them because I was so paranoid I was going to be tested and did a million "cleanses". In reality I was just dumb

My doctor told me they didn't test for nicotine so that's why I kept smoking. Actually I'd buy a pack, then stop for a few days then buy a pack then smoke a few that day then say I was done and repeat the process over and over. Something in my brain post op got re-wired and I have no cravings at all, the thought of smoking makes me sick. I think if someone (actually people did do that to me) telling me that the gum or patch or chantix was still smoking I would smack them. People don't get it unless they have actually smoked, daily, for a long time. Cinnamon toothpicks sometimes work too, I chewed them here and there they were hard to find at first but I got some on Amazon and found some at a natural food place. My grandmother died of lung cancer, I even have her signature tattooed on my wrist to make me quit smoking, this surgery has really changed my life in every way

That's the thing, I do love beans, green, baked can suck it. Legumes have no place in keto or Paleo nor does dairy, plus my nutritionist says it's actually not as easy as people think to achieve ketosis. I don't do gluten, it aggravates my inflammation in my arthritis which I have in my jaw, so I don't bother with any kind of bread, cracker, or pasta product. Then I figured, why eat rice or white potatoes? I do eat sweet and very occasionally white potatoes. I just cut out a huge majority of carbs and almost all sugar and I don't feel cravings or deprived. It's still early so I can't fit many fruits or veggies, I do crave those. I suppose I could have those in between? My calories are pretty low, never above 800.

You're telling me! But my family has a wicked sense of humor so it was super funny for days. I even got my surgeon to laugh. (Hey, all the best comedians come from Massachusetts!)

Yours is 3 months? Mine is six and the three other people I know are a year. Varies so much! When I try again I was advised by a bypass friend to try it at home to see how you "get". I wanted a sip of wine at a wedding a few weeks ago but I'm too newly sleeved. I toasted the bride and groom with a micro sip of champagne and that was a BAD idea, those bubbles hurt!

All I ever do is burp since surgery! I miss farting to annoy my husband and kids lol!

Greek yogurt kinda helped me with some protein powder. The cinnamon roll shake (super expensive but worth it to me) on bariatricpal was a lifesaver when all the other shakes repulse me with fairlife milk its like 40 grams. I made my own soups, my own bone broth which has 10 grams per cup for my base of soups, Amazon sells powdered chicken bone broth which I've seen people mix into potatoes, etc. I struggled with protein until a few weeks ago and I still use a shake or powder or BOTH. My nutritionist said fluids come first then protein, so that's what I do.

A lot of people can drink a lot of liquids soon after surgery and then a lot of people can't, I guess it just depends on the person. I personally struggle with my liquids and struggle at over 8 weeks to get 48 ounces, but then I know people who could drink that at a week out. You're fine, just wait to "eat" when you move up in stages, some tofu is considered hard and some soft. You're doing great, just talk to your surgeon if you are concerned.

I'm 9 weeks out and I've felt hunger from day one, it got better as time progressed and good got more solid but I do feel hunger. If I go too far between meals it is bad. I talked to my surgeon yesterday and discussed this with him he said 90% of people don't really feel much hunger while the rest can and will. He also said that I'm only eating 600-800 calories and that's probably not enough so to eat more (not the case for people just post op) so I'll try that, we also upped my acid reducer. It is definitely not like it was but i was looking forward to not feeling hungry all the time, but at least it only takes a tiny amount of food to help and I don't give in to it so just be mindful.