Born in Missouri

I've also been having fun with non-dairy milks. It's amazing how many kinds there are: hemp milk, almond milk, quinoa milk, hickory nut milk, pumpkin seed milk, barley milk, pistachio milk, sunflower seed milk, Brazil nut milk, black walnut milk, hazelnut milk, soy milk, pecan milk, brown rice milk, peanut milk, yellow split pea milk, coconut milk, rice milk, cashew milk, oat milk, banana milk, flax milk, chestnut milk, pine nut milk, spelt milk, poppy milk, paradise nut milk, jacknut milk, heartnut milk, sorghum milk, candlenut milk, tigernut milk and macadamia nut milk. The milks in red are the ones I've tried. Does anyone know of a "milk" I missed?

I use "tera's whey"/ unflavored, unsweetened, 22g protein. Whipping your concoction in a blender or bullet will give it a silky creamy texture without any tiny floaty bits.

The lesson learned by those of us who had to follow a pre-op liquid diet continues to serve us. I'm still amazed at what a little ketosis can do. And I'll always remember the sense of pride I felt when I was able to successfully complete those seven days. It doesn't surprise me, then, that this reset worked. A pouch reset. I think I'll add that term to my weight-loss glossary.

I'm 6 weeks post-op. After hearing over and over, that this is a temporary time for us, it's finally sunk in. Our lost appetites, our inabilities to get enough protein or fluid, our rapid weight losses, or ---these "unfun" mysterious stalls. Since three weeks and six weeks are in themselves short periods of time (in the big picture), a few days probably doesn't qualify as a significant time period to be classified as a "stall". Maybe three weeks or six weeks (total) might be a time period worthy of this classification, but not a few days. Heck, I was amazed at the rapid loss right out of the gate... 1/2 to 1 pound per day... so when I didn't lose that magic 1/2 lb once or twice, I decided to stop weighing myself every day. Or every other day. I tried to go beyond two days, but I couldn't resist. I have to admit that standing on my digital scale and seeing the numbers fall... 35 pounds in my case was... well, it was great! Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to spoil all this greatness by somehow convincing myself that I've already done something to mess things up. My body is just taking a little break from losing weight. At least I'm not gaining. How about you?

I haven't found any that taste good. Some are just less horrible.

Do you have any known food allergies? Peanuts? Are you lactose intolerant? There are non-dairy protein sources. When I was able to tolerant my protein replacement shakes (which was only during the post-op period), I preferred goat whey. After surgery, I can't stand my protein powder without some trickery (mixing unflavored protein powder with Greek yogurt. I can't even detect the powder in the yogurt.) What protein powder are you using?

@George OG. After hearing about the betrayal and pain you've been experiencing at home, it's emotionally stirring to see how big your heart is and how mindful you still are to the pain of others. Not only do you have a deep, abiding love for your child, but you also seem to have an endless capacity to love and care about others. Don't allow the people in your life who used to embrace you, harden your heart. It's easy to become bitter. Be strong. You are a good person. You deserve to be loved and cherished. @lilybilly I am six weeks post-op. My body is still trying to figure it all out, too. Our problems are different, but our struggle is the same. I keep repeating to myself what I've heard others say, "It'll get better, every day. Hang in there." The one thing I know for sure: I made the right choice to have this surgery.

@James. First, an apology. My last comment on this thread was unacceptably whiny and surly, and for that I'm sorry. My response was triggered by a misguided impression that my idea for a weight-loss glossary was being sidestepped as unworthy. I was hurt when I saw your abbreviations list posted --and pinned-- while my project idea for a weight-loss glossary seemed to be unacknowledged and ignored by the administrative staff of this forum. I was being the star of my own pity-party reality show! My behavior was childish and silly. I expect better of myself. I will continue working on my glossary so that it's more than just an idea. I still run into acronyms, updated vocabulary and new terms (for me, at least) like orthorexia, trocars, Circle of Discontent (COD), twilight sedation, ARFID (formerly SED), surgiversary, and "disordered eating". In the near future, and when I put together something more substantial, I hope to find a way to share it with this community. P.S. Did you pin your abbreviations list yourself... or was it pinned for you?

Please share more information about the vitamins you currently take. I never had a problem taking my meds whole, even my horse pills, post-surgery. Have you been told that a multivitamin is the only supplement you'd need after your surgery?

"Eat less, move more" is the simple way to stay slim, but some scientists now suspect body weight is much more complex. One area of research is "obesogens" which are chemicals absorbed from the environment and food that are thought to disrupt the way hormones operate, potentially leading to weight gain. Research by Harvard University found that women (men less so) struggled to maintain weight loss after higher levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were found in their blood. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/pfass-chemicals-environment-body-weight/ http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002502 https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/07/26/11/10/obesogenics-chemicals-weight-gain

I found some information that might address some of your concerns. "High B12 levels in the blood are not necessarily a reason to panic, as they can stem from a number of different causes." Two reasons for increased levels of vitamin B12 include: 1. Your B12 test was carried out too soon after taking B12 supplements. 2. The body is failing to use the B12 correctly. High levels can be followed up by a test called the MMA Urine Test and works by measuring the methylmalonic acid in urine, which determines how much B12 the cells actually receive. The test can be carried out comfortably and quickly ay home. (I don't know where to get this test.) Another testing method is a blood sample test. It is known as the HoloTC test, which measures the B12 bound to its specific transport molecule, transcobalamin. http://www.b12-vitamin.com/blood-levels/ There are some cases where high levels of B12 are of concern but don't get ahead of yourself. You seem to be under a lot of stress and that makes you worry even more. Ask your doctor, for your peace of mind, to order more testing. It's interesting that you stopped taking B12 (and your other vitamins) for three months prior to your 1-year check-up. Maybe your body isn't able to use B12: "Usage issues occur when the body isn’t capable of properly utilizing vitamin B12, leaving it to accumulate in the blood. It is possible that a B12 deficiency can occur despite high B12 blood levels... if vitamin B12 isn’t correctly binding to transport molecules and thus is not able to be used by the body..."

@James Marusek. I mistakenly thought your list was in response to my request. I just now noticed, though, that your list has been pinned. How were you able to have your comment pinned? Do you have administrative powers the rest of us don't? I made the initial request to compile an exhaustive list of terms (that included more than just abbreviations) but, apparently, my request for administrative assistance went unacknowledged. Talk about feeling dismissed. Oh well.

Your words convinced me. SOLD! Wait. I've never had a lap band or a sleeve or any other weight-loss surgery that might benefit from a conversion to bypass. It's just that your succinct comment convinced me that if I HAD to take action of some sort, I'd definitely listen to you. I had my bypass on June 13, 2018. Apparently, I got it right the first time. Lucky me. Lucky for others like me. I'm happy for you. I'm proud of you for fighting the good fight with your insurance company (talk about a soulless corporation with the horse sense of used toilet paper). It sounds like you've tried to make good decisions since the beginning... but your journey abruptly headed South. But... finally, FINALLY!!! ... you're on a superhighway that will get you where you've wanted to go all along... again, I'm so very happy for you. Keep us posted. Your journey is one I'd like to follow.

@SueperGaland @MIZ60 Thank you for the comparison photos. Just what I hoped to see. I'm glad you mentioned that the Thai food was 1 cup (your order) because I was only able to see a difference. A description of what was in the omelet was helpful also. I'm only guessing about the yogurt. The shot is a close-up so I don't really know how much that is. (I usually make my own yogurt, so I'm not familiar with most of the commercial sizes.)

I love how you wore the same necklace and a sleek (yet also black) outfit. Beautifully defined legs and a nice waspy waist. The new slender you looks taller, too. Your face is beautiful, before and after, but in the after photo, it's wonderfully taut. Do I see dimples in the after photo? I'm only 43 days post-op. One year seems like forever away.

This beats a postponement any day. Sounds like a serendipitous sign of good things to come. Watch out, world, here comees Elizabeeth!!

I never thought about this way. Intriguing.

In case there's some ambiguity as to what I mean by "successful": I didn't intend to suggest that losing weight prior to surgery equals success. For me, being able to stick to a challenging all-liquid regime for an entire week (without drinking my daily Diet Dr. Pepper) and knowing that this is what would be required of me after surgery -- that's the success I wanted to experience. That would be my pre-op positive boost.

Brilliant, T. We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea. I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

If this isn't a suggestion you're eager to support, I doubt if it's worth the time and effort required to even get started. For the glossary to be meaningful and easy to use, it needs to appear as one cohesive assemblage on a dedicated page in ABC order -- and not in little, repetitious batches in different formats, presented by different posters, some of whom don't proofread for errors or typos.

No, you're not the only one. There's a pretty good explanation, too. I did a little research: Researchers at the University Hospitals of Leicester looked at the relationship between taste, smell, and appetite among 103 patients who’d undergone gastric bypass surgery between 2000 and 2011. Nearly half of the patients polled reported their sense of smell changed following weight loss surgery and 73 percent noticed changes in the way food tasted. Topping the list for patients experiencing taste changes is increased sensitivity to sweet foods and sour foods. Reduced tolerance and cravings for sweets and fast foods are common changes are reported by many patients. Some patients may become so sensitized that even Protein Shakes and powders taste overly sweet and are difficult to tolerate. (Some tips that may help include thoroughly chilling the Protein shakes to improve taste.) Food aversions usually develop immediately following surgery and may lessen or disappear over time. In studies, animal Proteins top this list with patients steering clear of chicken, steak, ground beef, lamb and cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. eggs, dairy products including ice cream, cheese and milk and starches such as rice, Pasta or bread also ranked high on the list of disliked foods. Interestingly, very few patients reported aversions to fruits or vegetables. Some patients even report loving veggies like broccoli or cauliflower even more. Patients may feel turned off to foods for a variety of reasons including smell, appearance, texture or consistency. Sometimes a change in preparation method can help improve tolerance. Simple adjustments like stewing meat instead of baking or grilling and poaching eggs instead of frying may prevent the often-reported feeling of food “sticking” on the way down. While the exact cause is unknown, many experts believe sensory changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormones in the gut and their effects on the central nervous system. This gut-brain axis as it’s known and its relationship to bariatric surgery is a subject of much research and speculation. In a nutshell, the nervous system relays countless transmissions about your hunger, satiety, and cravings each day between your GI tract and your brain. Because the carriers of these messages are affected by changes in weight and the removal of a portion of the stomach, it is highly likely they have an impact on taste, smell, gratification and other sensory perceptions. Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that are known to have a prominent role in the relationship between hunger and satiety. Ghrelin also plays a role in determining how much of what we eat is burned for fuel versus stored as fat. Weight loss alone results in an increase in ghrelin, which explains why we tend to feel hungry as soon as we restrict calories and begin to shed pounds. Surgically induced weight loss, however, in which a portion of the stomach is removed or bypassed, reduces the production of ghrelin while restricting the volume of food consumed. This unique combination explains, at least in part, why bariatric patients are able to eat less but not feel hungrier as a result. Leptin also plays an important role in telling your body when you are full and how calories are stored. It is believed that weight loss improves the body’s sensitivity to the messages leptin delivers to the gut and brain. This, in turn, may result in greater food satisfaction with smaller quantities and less flavor intensity.

Thank you, James. Wow. That was a quick response-- and only one hour after I posted my request for help with weight-loss words, acronyms, abbreviations, etc. Woo-hoo.

I’ve been exposed to dozens of new words and acronyms since my weight-loss journey began. Unfortunately, all of this new-found knowledge is pasted here or there or rattling around in my head. I’ve found a few bariatric vocabulary lists online but none seem to be complete. With the help of others here (yes, you @nibble and @Little Kansas Kitty), I’d like to start compiling a glossary of terms to help new forum members (like myself) learn this new and dynamic (ever-changing) language. At some point, perhaps Alex Brecher will provide us with an area on this site for our glossary to live and grow. I welcome any ideas to help get this going. First, as I see it, we need to identify the words/abbreviations/acronyms, etc. for our little dictionary: foamies, dumping, transfer addiction, etc. The definitions, for the most part, should be original. We can’t just copy/paste or infringe on the definitions created by others. Any English teachers out there? Editors? @Alex Brecher @Ken S. Is this something that you’d consider helping us put together? Is there a place, a sort of sandbox, where we can start adding words/definitions and then continue to edit this list?

Thanks, James. A definition for some of these terms would be greatly appreciated -- not for general medical abbreviations, but for words (and corresponding abbreviations) used primarily in the world of bariatric and metabolic surgery.

Bariatric surgery was named in 1953, after the Greek word “βάρΟς” for weight, when Varco first attempted to treat severe obesity with a bypass of the small intestine. Since then, the field has expanded to control diseases that include type 2 diabetes mellitus. In 1995, Dr. Walter Pories and his research team published an article titled “Who would have thought it? An operation proves to be the most effective therapy for adult-onset diabetes mellitus”. Since then, evidence has accumulated showing that weight-loss surgery can cure/improve several metabolic diseases, especially adult onset or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Obesity is tough to combat using behavioral interventions, with studies showing only moderate weight loss and frequent weight regain. Many diabetes patients struggle to control blood sugar and other metabolic disorders, despite a wide range of available pharmacologic options. Metabolic surgery is designed to benefit patients with type 2 diabetes, in whom obesity is often a major underlying factor. The term "metabolic surgery" indicates a surgical approach whose primary intent is the control of metabolic alterations/hyperglycemia in contrast to "bariatric surgery," conceived as a mere weight-reduction therapy. Metabolic patients tend to be older, male, have a lower BMI, and have diabetes. Bariatric patients tend to be younger, female, have BMIs double the ideal weight for height, and have an average of three to four obesity-associated co-morbid conditions such as pre-diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, arthritis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Metabolic surgery is defined as a set of gastrointestinal operations (such as sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-n-Y gastric bypass) performed with the intent to treat diabetes and other metabolic dysfunctions, which include obesity. In 2009 the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) changed its name to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) to promote information on the beneficial effects of surgeries for weight loss in treating metabolic diseases, especially Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23314274 https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/metabolic-surgery/type-2-diabetes/metabolic-surgery-a-powerful-solution-or-a-last-resort-/12343792 https://weightlosssurgery.ca/surgery-type-2-diabetes/what-is-metabolic-surgery/ So, if you're having weight-loss surgery primarily to treat diabetes or pre-diabetes, or even if you aren't having surgery for that specific reason, you still might want to inform your co-workers or any judgmental extended family members that, "I'm having metabolic surgery next week, so I'll be taking a few days off to recoup." metabolicpal.com?