AZhiker

I keep some 80% cacoa chocolate covered almonds around, just in case it feels like a rogue craving is going to monster up. Or just to have as a treat. They seem pretty satisfying and do not seem to trigger cravings. HOWEVER, there is a candy bowl at work with little mini Herseys and I have succumbed more times that I want to admit. No ill effects like dumping, but they are empty calories. The main reason I gave up sugar was to reduce inflammation, and so I need to remind myself of that, not the fear of dumping. So two strategies for me: 1) Remind myself of the long term benefit of less inflammation, 2) Delay gratification by remembering that I can have some healthy chocolate covered almonds at home if I really feel the need. I think this will get me through.

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That's right. We are all different, and I have a hard time with a bariatric specialist not realizing that each of us is different. One person cannot handle what another can. We have to listen to our own bodies in this journey and if our body can only handle 500 calories, that's what it is. I just feel bad that pressure is put on patients to eat more than they can handle at any given time,

I was eating about 500 cal/day at 6 weeks. Felt fine. I didn't even get close to 1000/day until around 6 months. Listen to your body. If you are getting your fluid, protein, and vitamins in, you are doing well. Maybe try to up it a bit more, though.

I think what happens is that the body learns to adjust. The ghrelin hormone that gets short circuited with stomach removal (bypass and sleeve) seems to find a way to rewire to some degree. With bypass, the remaining small intestine learns how to absorb nutrients, The overall metabolism resets, and restriction is not as prohibitive. So unless new habits have been hardwired during the first year, it is way too easy to fall back into bad patterns.

I hear you. You are being very honest about where you are right now and what effort you are willing to expend at this time in your journey. I would like to gently prod, however, with a kindly intentioned reminder that you are still in the window of time where you can lose the most and lose it the easiest. After the first 12 -18 months, it is going to get harder. Your appetite will return and any restriction you may have now may well be gone. From everything I have read and heard, it is pretty crucial to make the very most of the first year, and then plan for some regain. Maybe you could get one more burst of enthusiasm during the next month or two and just get the rest off. Not telling you what to do, just offering some encouragement to persevere through the first year.

All my sleep apnea followups are done through a sleep specialty doctor, not a pulmonologist. Ask your insurance for the names of sleep doctors on your plan, call them and see how far out they are booking, pick one, get the referral from your PCP if needed (they can just FAX it over), and then get your appt set up. I know it is a real PITA, but you just gotta jump through the hoops. BTW - all my insurance needed was the actual diagnosis of sleep apnea. They did not need to see that I had started on treatment or had even purchased a machine yet.

I totally agree that WLS is an incredible tool to reset the metabolism and reverse co-morbidities. I do not regret having surgery for even a second. My life is so much better now. Now to throw a spanner (monkey wrench) into the works. It may be well worth your time to research Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) eating. This is an incredibly powerful way of healthy eating that can quickly reverse co-morbidities. Like WLS, it requires a dietary overhaul, and the same degree of planning and lifestyle modification. But there is abundant research and evidence to show that it is very effective and healthy for life. It would certainly work best if the spouse could also be on board. Anyway, there are a lot of resources out there about what it is, and how to do it. I think for someone with a lower BMI who would not qualify for surgery under their insurance plan, WFPB would be a very viable option. (You also have to realize that having surgery with a lower BMI means you will not lose as fast.) WFPB is very filling and satisfying. You can eat a LOT of food and feel full all the time. (That is not to say you should not also be working on "head hunger" issues, and overeating issues as well. There is a reason you are overweight, right? And you have to work on that forever.) Combined with some exercise, it is a very good alternative to consider, if done well. PS: Read "The Obesity Code" by Dr. Jason Fung. A great book that explains how weight gain/loss actually works. Its a lot more complex that simply "Eat less, move more" mantra that makes intuitive sense, but is wrong.

You gotta get the fluids in - sip, sip, sip. No compromise here - you gotta get them in, even if you get nothing else in. At least 64 oz a day. MO people can literally go weeks or months without any calories, but you have to have the water. That is you #1 goal. Incisional pain is going to last a while. What you see on the outside is nothing compared to what is on the inside. It is going to take a couple of months to be fully healed. Until then, you will have twinges of pain when you move a certain way, try to get out of bed, or get off the couch. Use a small, very firm pillow (or stuffed animal) to brace against your tummy when you change position or stand up. I even had to use it for walking the first week. You can also use it to brace against your tummy when you are lying down to take tension off the incisions. The pain will gradually get better, but be prepared to be sore for a while. That is normal. In the meantime, your job is simple - drink fluids, and start walking.

Search the site for Intermittent Fasting. There are a LOT of people (including myself) who have been in exactly your place - the last 15 pounds won't budge. IF is a powerful tool that can change up your fat burning/fat storage mechanism, without even changing the number of daily calories. There have been many posts describing the variations of IF that can be used. IF can get those pounds off and give you a powerful tool to use any time you need it.

I know what you mean. I was at the store this evening around dinner time. As I walked past the fast food kiosk in the store, the line waiting to be served was entirely MO folks. It's such mixed feelings, isn't it? I never want to be judgmental or condescending, because I have walked in those shoes. But you can't say anything and do anything, but oh, sometimes I just want to hug a MO person and tell them there is an answer. What is getting interesting now, is that sometimes I will offer information to MO patients that come to my department. This is only when they initiate the topic, like "I'm really trying to lose weight," or "I've lost 30 pounds," or "I just don't know what I can change." When I empathize or offer some suggestions, I've actually had people look at me and say things like, "You wouldn't understand," implying that a thin person could not relate to their situation. THAT is when I tell them that I've lost over 100 pounds and do indeed understand the struggle and the work it takes. I usually have a rapt audience at that point. But so strange to be on the "other" side with MO people making assumptions about me based on MY weight (which is now normal.)

As others have mentioned, you need FOOD! Try some refried beans, thinned with bone broth. Also try some egg drop soup. Heat some broth to simmering and gently stir in a scrambled egg. Both of these dishes are usually well tolerated and contain protein.

That's great! I lost 15 pounds during the two week preop, and 38 pounds during the 8 weeks post op. You are doing fantastic!

I had NEVER "competed" in athletic events as an adult until after WLS. Yes, I was walking a lot and hiking, but I had not actually swum laps or ridden a bike in decades. Then a friend talked me into a sprint triathlon (swim 400 m, bike 14,2 miles, run/walk 5K). I thought, "I can do that now, " so I registered. I got a bike that suited me and started swimming. Oh my goodness, it was hard. I discovered my old shoulder injuries prevented me from a freestyle stroke, so I did my best with breast stroke. My ortho forbids me to run on my knee replacement, so I walk fast. It was a lot of work, but the fact that I had committed to someone and had registered, made me stick with it. When I finished, and got my participation medal, I was in tears - it was such a milestone moment. I have committed to another one in March - same distances, but now I have a lot more baseline training under my belt and I am working to perfect my breast stroke, learn to speed walk, and am working on my biking efficiency. I only want to better my own time - not beat anyone else, like that is even possible! I also am registered for the 50 mile bike race/ride in 10 days. Again, I might have given up if I had not already paid and made the commitment - and... I want another participation medal! So I think those paying registrations (especially if they go to a worthy cause) help to keep me on track with regular training. It would me so easy to skip a riding day, but I can't do that with a 50 mile event coming up. I also want to hike the 830 mile AZ trail, and have several friends who also want to do that . So we are marking our calendars for which segments we will do first. Next October we have committed to 2 northern segments that include the Grand Canyon - down and up in one day. (No medal, but I will definitely buy an "I did it" T-shirt! So I will need to get in a lot of hiking miles before that really BIG event! No room for failure - failure means a very expensive evacuation! Again, it is about built in accountability - making a commitment and having fun with people you know,

My doc said that eventually the rest of the small intestine gets used to the idea of a new job - absorbing nutrients.

I am sooo jealous. I LOVE Austria. It is so beautiful and the people are so nice. I could totally live there.

Thanks, but not when it made me sick. I learned that I was craving salt, not food, and I made an impulsive, painful choice. So lesson learned - I'll take some salted sunflower seeds with me to have afterward and will use some electrolyte replacement during a long ride.

It helps me to set some goals that require consistent exercise. Like paying money and registering for an athletic event, even it is walking a 5K.

Well, I am pretty new into the endurance events - finished a sprint tri last month and doing a 50 mile bike event in 2 weeks. I am totally experimenting with nutrition at this point - but finding a LOT of energy and good recovery with WFPB (whole food plant based.) It is pretty amazing who many world class athletes use this eating lifestyle to enhance their performance and reduce recovery time. So far, the RX bars which have 24 carbs, but also 12 gm of protein are working for me during training. (I do not eat sugar - it makes my joints swell and I hurt all over. ) I know I need to add some electrolytes to my water, so this week I am looking at some protein/electrolyte additions to see how that goes. It's good to know there are other bariatric surgery athletes out there! You know, only 10% of the US population will ever compete in an endurance event, and very few bariatric patients. That kind of puts us in a very small minority of people who have overcome literally huge obstacles (our own bodies) to achieve athletic goals. Congrats to all!!!

I am liking it so far. I am still using up some animal based protein powders, and a few items in the freezer (like frozen salmon), but i am liking it so far. The only problem is that it really increases the VOLUME of food eaten, which is a bit hard for me at this point. I don't want to "stretch" my pouch, so I just eat real slowly, chew very well, and take my time. I use soups and sauteed veggies with tofu at work, because I can eat them within the 20-30 minute lunch break, and I eat my big raw salad at home, because it takes more than an hour to eat. I spread out the grains and legumes so they aren't all packed into huge meals that I can't finish. I have had NO problem with weight gain by eating the extra carbs. I feel good, and have lots of energy. My goal is to go 80-90% plant based, and I am pretty much there now. Next week (1 week before my bike race) I will go 100% plant based, as there is pretty impressive evidence that athletic performance improves, even in a short time, with WFPB. Inflammation in the blood vessels and muscles is reduced, allowing for increased blood flow. Guys, even bedroom performance is enhanced with increased blood flow by eliminating all animal based foods for even just 24 hours before an "event." Food for thought.......

A holder of a amateur radio licence, issued and regulated by the FCC in the U.S. and other corresponding agencies across the world. Ham radio is used as a hobby, in contests, and as an essential emergency communication tool when other bands are not available,

I totally get where you are coming from. 149 was my unbelievable goal weight and 145-149 was an ideal great range. Now my "ideal" range has dropped to 140-149. I hover around 142 and get a little nervous at 144. I also start cutting some carbs and doing a couple days of IF to get back down a bit. Now I am wondering what 135-140 would be like. However, I really don't want to buy new clothes. If I did need to get smaller sizes, I guess I would save my present clothes as possible "bounce back" clothes. Like FluffyChix, I like food too much to ever become anorexic, but it is an interesting place to be, psychologically.

KG7WVW here.

Use a firm, small pillow to hold against your belly when you get out of bed. helps a lot.

Wow. It's great to hear from someone so far out. Tell us more. What are the deficiencies? What does a daily menu look like for you? How much did you lose and have you been able to keep it off? Tell us about your journey!