New challenge

Hi Kitty, I haven’t kept track of calories, and saw my dietitian and she advised 3 cups of food a day in total and 1kg a week for weight loss. No snacks with the 3 cups, however if you have half cup breakfast you can have a snack. The main thing is no sugar and only low fat products. Weight loss is meant to be slow. You have done so well so far. Breakfast I have either weetbix with 150ml low fat milk, or small can baked beans on one piece of toast or one poached egg on toast. Toast is either light rye or suggested white. Snack, diet jelly with small two fruits and custard, or shake of 150 ml low fat milk, small pieces puréed, one tablespoon yoghurt, or low fat mousse, or piece of low fat cheese. Lunch, rye cruskit with light philly cheese, slice ham, salad, or, baked beans on toast, or egg on toast, or half wrap with small tuna and salad. Dinner, spaghetti bolognese, or soup, or 100g chicken with vegetables, or fish and salad or 100g fillet steak with vegetables or beef stroganoff. Sorry I can only relate to food and weight based on what happens in Australia. Don’t get hung up on how little or how much you are losing. We will get there. i just saw my surgeon and he is happy with my loss. I just wished his scales were in line with mine. I mean come on 2kg heavier. Although I did have clothes and shoes on, lol

I too stalled. On track until I saw dietitian, a month ago and at that stage I was loosing too much too quick, then I have just spent the last month loosing very little and four days at a time on same weight. Disappointed. Had my appointment with diabetic specialist this time last week and he gave me a script for refilled pen to take one day, once a week. He said my body hadn’t caught up. One injection and I have started to move again in the right direction. Also I now have to get thyroid checked out. I had heard about stalls but I think we have done the right thing and it just takes time for mind and body to adjust and change our ways. A slow process but well worth it in the long run.

Hi, welcome! You are doing well with the weight loss. For me I eat low fat foods and can pretty much eat anything within reason. I am finding chicken is giving me some problems, sometimes I just don’t seem to be able to tolerate it, even eating small pieces. I assume you are now able to eat raw carrots, etc. I was told if I had 1 cup worth of food for the three main meals that I shouldn’t be having snacks. I choose to have less at breakfast so I get a snack in between lunch and dinner. I avoid sugar where I can. Still struggling to get the water in. I have eaten out and still adjusting to what to order.

Surgery was 19 June. I have lost 20kg in just over a year. I now weigh 93.9 kgs. Weight loss has stalled over the past month. Good thing, I haven’t put on. Although I have been off diabetic meds since preparation for surgery, my body needs a kick start as it hasn’t quite caught up with the change. I am now on one injection once a week and my weight has started to move again. My thyroid has now come to show an alert from recent blood testing. Just had a ct scan and won’t find out results until I next see specialist in Sept unless he contacts me. Prior to op they found I had gall stones and when they become uncomfortable will need surgery as there are many and they are big. i work on a School crossing and with the strong winds today I was blown about and found it to be quite the workout, lol.

Hi all from down under. Pleased to be in the loop of everyone’s updates. I too have experienced the stalls. It really plays with the mind. Still not getting enough fluids in. The dietitian told me that losing 1kg a week is the desired amount. Prior to stall I was losing at least half kg a day. I too also still weigh myself daily, but don’t get hung up on it. Same thing with the scars, under breast gone, belly button itchy, and left side a nuisance, but pain has gone. Body has adapted well and now all areas functioning well, especially since soft foods. I am back at work crossing children and have noticed being winter here that I feel colder. My uniform is hanging lose too. I may feel colder due to the weight lose, but then again the weather we are experiencing may also be colder. I will know for sure when we get to summer, as I hate the heat. Had to take my rings off as they have become too lose and I am afraid of losing them and will have to get them resized. Watching is spinning around my wrist, lol. Keep up the great work and for those still experiencing some set backs, please check them out. I now weigh 96.6 kgs

Hi all from down under. Doing well here. Left side is still niggling at me, but has eased considerably. Still not getting all my fluids in. Handling the food. Moving onto soft foods today. Losing weight, at least .5kg a day, but told that it should only be 1kg a week. So hope I am not losing muscle as well. It is meant to be a slow progress. Stalled for 3 days on 100kg, when I so wanted to get below. Now below at 97.6kgs. My only problem is I haven’t done number two for a few days, so now adding benefibre to cereal and taking softener. Not sure if this is why I have a little pain in back. Haven’t needed any diabetic meds since op. Glad to hear others are progressing reasonably well.

I was also told that there is a dissolving stitch there and being in muscle it takes longer to dissolve. Day 10 post op, tomorrow, will see the nurse and apparently she may clear me for return to work and drive. However, Australia starts school holidays tomorrow for two weeks and being a lollipop lady I don’t go back to work until after the holidays. I didn’t have any burning pain.

Kitty, I had that pain in your back explained to me yesterday, as I too have it. They have gone through muscle and will take some time to heal. It makes it difficult when sleeping. Once you get home the liquids will be so much better and so much easier, expect the blunt knife in your back/side. Have you got that metallic taste. I too looked at the food and could not tolerate, stuck to water one day. If you can get by without any codeine base medication do, as the codeine is what causes some people to feel worst and vomit. I was given one tablet containing coedine one morning and it was the worst, surgeon advised no more. I have been clumsy and my husband has had to pick up after me as we are not to bend or lift anything. Take care

Congratulations! The gas happens with most surgeries. Wait for the farts. Don’t take chances as liquid goes in, liquid comes out. It does settle.

Congratulations! I never had to wear paper pants, lol. Sounds like you are doing pretty well. They had me in icu for 24 hours, what about you, are you already on ward or in icu? Remember to mention everything about how you feel to your surgeon. My surgeon and physician visited daily. We all have different experiences.

All the best to all that are yet to have their surgeries this month.

All the best for today!

All the best for tomorrow!

Yes, I am from Melbourne, Victoria

I'm in Victoria, had to order from Qld. I had the Optifast to shrink liver and make it more pliable to move out of the way to work on stomach. Which hospital are you going to? More than happy to share my experiences, if it helps someone else.

I had to order from Queensland. I am not big on milk, so smoothies aren't for me. I am also lactose intolerant. I had trouble with the juices and milk in hospital, stuck with the broth for lunch and dinner. Are you on the OptiFAST diet, because you can continue on the shakes. I had to buy many chinese containers for freezing the stock and soup. Have you got your Borocca? It takes two hours to make the stock. Yes, nerves hit me too. All will be good.

Hi other Aussie, Good to have someone close by on here. They give you plenty of meds in hospital. Just have panadol on hand for when you get home as you will be given that in tablet form in hospital. Protein waters were hard to get but Costprice has some. Expensive but it comes in powder form, so easy to take with you. I am fussy so got the lemonade one, not bad. I assume you got a guideline book, this has recipes in it. Prepare your soup stock now and freeze into one cup worth. I have also made the pumpkin soup using the stock and froze that prior too. I will defrost for dinner and add the evaporative milk. Again I measured out one cup worth. I have 15 cups of stock and 7 cups of soup ready to go. Had to do the stock in two large saucepans. My pain was between a 2-5 at first and then subsided. I got sinus due to the air conditioner and that probably assisted me to feel sick. Just take what they offer.

Home today. Yay! Got on scales, didn’t lose anything since surgery. Disappointing for the lack of food I ate in hospital. I was in from Tuesday - Sunday. It will happen.

In Australia it seems they do everything different. We stay in hospital 4-5 days. Day 3 was my worst, the acid, nausea hit me and the constant indigestion which is going to continue to last. My cousin went through a month of tiredness, apparently it is one of the syndrome associated. She assures me it gets better. I too took in too much to quick thinking by body would let me know. For us all it is sipping now, let that go down wait then take another sip. I was doing sudoku or word search to break it up. Unfortunately the broth would go cold, but that is what we have to get used to now. Take it easy your body has gone through so much and patience is the game here. Don’t let yourself get down focus on the positive. The outcome should be worth it, it will be worth it. We are given 3-4 weeks off work here. Can someone give you a massage of your legs. Even use heat packs. Heat gel

Update from oz: Lol. Haven’t heard that about Kangaroo pouch. I too hate the fluids. The after taste is not good. I am now taking nausea meds. Suggestion, I was going too fast too soon, so now one sip, one number of sudoku puzzle, next sip. Magnesium is the best for legs cramps. You can get that in the powder form and mix with water. I have developed sinus issues probably from heating on in the hospital and get to go home tomorrow. As for sleeping on your side, last night was the first time for me, my pain was is left side. My op was and it is now Saturday.

Hi all, hope everyone is going fine after their surgeries. I had mine here in Australia and pain relief has been given prior, plus fluctuate meds. All good here. I am recovering very well, except for sleeping so long after the surgery. Sounds like no one has slept as long as I did. Pain has been okay. I am moving around quite well too. Been on top of the nausea. Doing the breathing exercises and wriggling the toes. I was told I would be in hospital 4-5 days. All the best to those yet to have their op.

Learning how to respond, not used to forums. I had to start early because my liver was 24cm and not the preferred 16cm. Surgeon recommended to extend diet. I am having Optifast x 3 meals, plus diet jelly for snack and certain vegetables 2-3 cups a day.

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am from Australia. I am having Gastric Bypass next week on the 19th June. I have been on Pre op diet since the 31st May. Going well at the moment. Feeling nervous and excited.