AZhiker

Isn't is wonderful to get on the scale and see that it hasn't moved UP! I basically ate everything, but instead of 2 or 3 full plate loads, I had a salad plate with a little of everything....... but I couldn't finish it. Amazing, when I remember the volume I used to put away. I just LOVE my new life, my new body, and my new little pouch. I feel so NORMAL and that is such a strange feeling, but great!!!

Yes and yes.

Way to go!!!!!!

You are right in that bypass won't cure the addiction. It never promised that. It is a tool that limits intake and creates a bit of malabsorption, but does not cure the head part. That is the work you have to do and it will probably take a good amount of therapy. You are clearly getting the endorphin/serotonin/dopamine release from the sugar. Sugar stimulates the same pleasure centers in the brain as cocaine, which is why it is so addictive in its own right. The good news is that if you can avoid all sugar for 3 solid days, the cravings will actually decrease. But you can't let it creep back in, or the cravings come back as strong as ever. The bad news is that you are going to have to work on figuring out another way to relieve stress, boredom, anxiety, or whatever else might be triggering the need for this sugar hit, and to find better coping mechanisms for dealing with the triggers. You are not alone. Many people deal with this and are able to overcome it. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far. The tool is working for you, but it can only do so much. Best of luck and I really do encourage you to get some therapy to gain some insight and tools to help you be successful for the long term.

I did not add grain based carbs until I was very close to goal weight. I keep at or below goal by adjusting my daily grain and nut intake.

I stay away from processed foods, period. The nutritional value is not great, and after a while, you really don't even want that stuff. The longer you eat healthier foods, the more your body craves healthy food, and the processed stuff just doesn't have the same appeal. Realize that processed foods are engineered to keep you coming back. They often appeal to our genetically programed survival taste preferences for sweet, salty, and fat. Food manufacturers know how to manipulate these to get your brain to release dopamine as a pleasure sensation. The release of dopamine and serotonin is the key to addiction to anything, and processed food plays to this. WLS is such a gift. We owe it to ourselves to make every bite as nutritionally dense as possible and to train our brains away from unhealthy choices. You can actually get a release of pleasure chemicals by making a choice for a healthy snack instead of a junkier one - once you train your brain to be happy with a delectable piece of fruit rather than a processed quick fix. I admit that I am always a little worried for folks who ask about going back to unhealthy choices for fear of feeling deprived. This seems like a bit of compromising justification, and is what got us in trouble in the first place. An alcoholic is destined for relapse if they think they can go back to drinking in moderation. Sobriety cannot be compromised. A food addict is playing with fire if they think they can eat addictive foods in moderation. Why even mess around with that? Why not retrain your brain to love the good stuff instead? WLS gives us the tool, but we have to relearn how to eat and how to be happy about healthy food. Personally, I made the decision that I AM NEVER GOING BACK. I am NOT going to regain after all this hard work, and I am NOT going back to the unhealthy eating habits that made me obese. For me, that means I am NOT going back to processed foods in any way, shape, or form. It's just not worth it. A beautiful honey crisp apple is so much better than a bag or bar.

Once I started on soft foods, I could tolerate cottage cheese, yogurt and refried beans that were thinned with broth, but my tummy did not tolerate eggs for several more months. It's different for everyone, so just experiment until you find what works for you. And your list of tolerated foods will change each week.

Eat a lot more veggies. Try to eat a big salad (watch out for the dressing) or a bowl of vegetable soup before meals. This greatly reduces overall caloric intake. Studies also show that eating an apple before a meal reduces overall calories. I lost 15 pounds on the 2 week pre-op diet. It is not out of reason to think that you can lose 9 more pounds in 3 weeks. Juicing will absolutely make you more hungry because you are getting all the calories and sugar from the food, but none of the fiber. One rule of thumb is to never "drink your calories." It's just too easy to get way too much, and the juice is not very satisfying since it lacks fiber. Fiber fills you up, slows down your eating, and slows down the digestion of the food instead of just dumping it all in at once. Eat the WHOLE food - the whole apple and carrot, not just the juice. Think about the volume of juice you get from an apple, a carrot, a cucumber, and 1 cup of spinach. You could swallow that right down with no problem, I'm guessing. But how would you feel about eating the whole apple, whole carrot, whole cucumber, and the cup of raw spinach? Pretty full, right? That's the difference fiber makes. Do you know that fiber is what your gut biome thrives on, and that very very few people even get close to the 30 gms of daily fiber that is recommended? In short, CHEW your calories, don't drink them.

I agree. During my first post op holidays, I still did the cooking, but had other family members do the taste testing. You really only have to get through one holiday season - by this time next year, you will be able to enjoy all the healthy foods, but in much smaller quantities. You will learn to cook in healthier ways, eliminating the sugars and a lot of the fat. You will use more vegetables, cooked healthier, and fruits will play a more important role in desserts. Just hang in there for the next month and you will be fine. The best part is that this is one holiday season that you will LOSE weight instead of gaining!!!!!

You can add a lot of protein with legumes. Refried beans were one of my favorites during the soft food stage. I have transitioned to Whole Food Plant Based eating during the past year, and even without any animal products in my diet, I still get at least 60 gm of protein a day from legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and plant based milks and yogurt. It really isn't that hard to do.

Were you put on medication like omeprazole?

Keep working on healthy eating habits and give up any addictions like caffeine, soda, sugar. It's so much better to do it before surgery than to go through withdrawal and post op at the same time. Working with the psychologist and nutritionist sounds like a wonderful idea. The more good work you do now is going to help you down the road.

Not to monkey wrench into the works, but are you aware that processed meats have been classified as a Group I (highest risk) carcinogen?

My surgeon's office gave me the list of requirements, but I had to get them done. Where are you located in AZ and what surgeon are you using?

Woo hoo! Best wishes on your new journey!

It's called the "slimies" and happens when your stomach wants to get rid of that extra bite or something that did not go down well. It can happen a lot in the early months after surgery, as you learn not to take that extra bite, and to slow down your eating so you can start feeling satisfied before eating too much. It is horribly uncomfortable, for sure. It still happens to me once in a while, usually because I ate too much too fast. I don't vomit easily, so I spit and spit and spit until it passes, which can take up to an hour for me. Yuk! Anyway, lots of people experience this. Just try to be mindful when you eat. Chew every bite really well and put the fork down between bites. Enjoy the taste of every bite, and don't think you have to "finish every bean and pea on your plate."

I didn't lose a shoe size, but it is definitely easier to get into my riding boots now. The one thing I lost, which surprised me a lot was BONE DENSITY! Although I have exercised a lot during the whole weight loss phase, and afterwards, with lots of walking, my bone density went from normal to slight osteopenia. From what I've read, this is not uncommon. The bones simply do not need to be as heavy and thick once the weight comes off. I had a bad fall from my horse a few weeks ago and although I did not damage a hip or shoulder, I busted 5 ribs. But I think I would have broken them, even without osteopenia. Anyway, I would encourage you all to get your bone density tests done whenever they are scheduled. I am also surprised that this was never mentioned by my medical team as a potential side effect of surgery.

Why not go ahead and have the sleeve and see how you do? A lot of people get to goal with the sleeve. Most insurances will cover a revision if the first surgery fails. So you could have the DS done later if it turns out you don;t lose enough with the sleeve.

I was always very active ........ until my joints gave out. I have arthritis in both hips, my back, and one knee, since I've already had a knee replacement. Don't wait until your joints are ruined. You never get them back, and although a replacement is great, it is never like your own joint. I was overweight/obese for 50 years. I only wish I had not waited so long to have surgery. I have my active life back now, and have resolved all my co-morbidities, however I can't reverse the cartilage loss and damage to my joints. Obesity will catch you, sooner or later. I went a long time before I started having the creeping BP, lipids, and borderline glucose. That's called Metabolic Syndrome and sooner or later it will find you. That then develops into diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and a bunch of prescription medications. Sleep apnea is another big one. I didn't even know I had it until I had a sleep study and found that my apnea was actually very severe. I was on a cpap machine for a year (wonderful thing, that machine - really!) until I lost the weight and now I don't need it at all. Get the weight off now! If you are ready to make the dietary and lifestyle changes, do it while you are still young and healthy. You will also have less loose skin if you have it done sooner than later.

I expressed the idea of "trying it just one more time" at one of my required PCP visits. She wisely responded, "If you COULD have done it, you WOULD have done it by now." She was so right.

Just pick yourself up and get going again. But think about it and try to learn from the experience. If you can learn what triggered the problem, you can figure out how to avoid another call. As long as you keep learning from failure, you set yourself up for success. For example, I remember twice after riding my bike that I absolutely craved french fries. I gave in both times and got sick both times. Then I realized it was the salt I was actually craving. Once I added some electrolytes to my water bottle during rides, I never experienced that again. So try to think it through - was it boredom, stress, or something else? What can you do during those times rather than eat? One of my big temptations is munching while watching TV. Now I have some sewing hand work to finish up before Christmas and I do that instead of eating. So much more productive! You can do this. You are not alone.

This is a new territory for you and it's normal to feel a bit anxious about how you are doing. Many people don't feel restriction until the solid food stage, but even then, don't chase the restriction. Eat what your plan says to eat, unless you feel too full or feel sick, but don't ever just eat until you feel a restriction. This is how people can get into trouble down the road with increased volume becomes easier. You also have to listen to your body. Even if you plan says you should be eating 800-1000 calories, and you can only eat half that much, that's OK for the time being. A "plan" is for the average patient, which means half will be able to eat more and half will not be able to eat that much. Just focus on your fluids and protein and gradually add the rest. You are NOT going to gain weight where you are now. And 2 days without weight loss is not a stall. Stalls of several weeks without weight loss are very common at certain places, like the 3-4 month time frame. And that will pass, as your body adjusts and you stick with the plan. You are doing fine and you don't have to worry about eating too much if you are following your plan. Once you reach maintenance, that will be more of a concern as you learn to regulate your weight with your eating and activity. Don't sweat it now. Relax and enjoy the food you are eating and look forward to the new foods that will soon come.

This has been addressed in a lot of threads. If you do a search, you will find more info than you ever wanted to know. After losing more than a hundred pounds at age 62, yes I had (and still have loose skin.) however, by 6 months post op and even more by a year post op, a lot of it sort of tightened up. My arms are not as floppy. Neither are my thighs, neck, for belly. My boobs never came back - still rocks in socks. I went from a 44DD to 34 A, and they hang down to my elbows. Many people really get obsessed with it and it is all they can see. I was in that camp, too, but other people didn't seem to notice as much as I did, and sooooo many people said I looked great and actually looked younger. I do not begrudge any one for getting plastic surgery after WLS, but I do recommend that you wait a year, for a couple of reasons. First, your skin will tighten up a bit on its own. Second, you are going to feel differently about it. Plastics was all I could think about for a while, and then my brain caught up with my body and I started feeling better about my NEW body and all it could do, sags and all. It doesn't matter at all to me now. A good bra and well fitted clothing do wonders. I will never wear a bikini and at my age, I am not trying to attract attention from anyone, and I have truly learned to be comfortable with what I have. You are going to have sags and loose skin. There is no getting around that. But it is not something to be terrified of! Be terrified of dying from the complications of morbid obesity! Having a new body that can do literally anything you want, with a few sags is way better than smooth skin and being obese. It's all a matter of perspective, but give yourself time to figure that out.

I can actually get down on the floor now and GET UP BY MYSELF! This is still quite amazing to me. There is a ton of information about WFPB eating online. Go to You Tube and watch "The Game Changers" and "Forks over Knives." That will give you a good idea. Basically it is WHOLE, unprocessed food. That means food as close to its natural state as possible. Whole grains, not refined grains, for example. No processed sugars, no animal products (that includes dairy and eggs), no processed oils (you use avocados, nuts and seeds and nut butters instead.) LOTS and LOTS of veggies and fruit, plenty of starchy veggies, lots of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, no alcohol, no soda or artificial colors/flavors/chemicals, decreased salt. Many WFPB folks also avoid gluten (wheat, rye, barley) and I am highly sensitive to it, so have already avoided that for years. I get more than enough protein, tons of fibers and phytonutrients, eat all I want, am never hungry, have tons of energy, and am NEVER sore after workouts. Amazingly, my cholesterol always hovered around 225-235, even after losing over 100 pounds. Once I went WFPB, my cholesterol dropped like a rock to 152 (80 points!!!). My triglycerides and LDL also plummeted. Even with the low total cholesterol, my HDL went up to 80. For me, it is a lifestyle that I will maintain for life. It is change, for sure, but not actually hard to do. Most of my family is making the switch as well. You don't have to go 100%, either. When you look at the areas of the world (the blue zones) where people live to be over 100 and have virtually no cardiac disease, osteoporosis, dementia, cancer, or diabetes, these are all plant based societies. Does this mean they won't eat some fish or cassowary eggs if they find them? No. But animal protein is the exception or reserved for celebrations. They don't eat meat 3 times a day like most of the western world does. I will occasionally eat an egg (my own backyard chickens) or a little wild game meat. (The more I learn about commercially raised cattle, hogs, chickens, turkeys and dairy cows, the more I cannot bring myself to eat these products.) So there you go - probably more info than you wanted. I started this about 6 months after my surgery as I learned about it and once I was able to eat the volume that is required. I had to rely a bit more on the grains and nuts to keep my calories up so I wouldn't keep losing weight. I used pea protein powder as needed to keep my protein up. I don't need that now, with the increased legumes, tofu, tempeh, and soy/oat milk and yogurt. Now I eat a lot more of the veggies and legumes, and control my weight very easily with decreasing/increasing the grains and nuts. I did gain 8 pounds of COVID weight, but have lost all of it and some extra, just by cutting back a bit on the nuts and grains. It really couldn't be easier!

I stayed one night, but COVID definitely changes how hospitals operate. They need to keep as many beds open as possible for COVID patients, especially since the disease surging right now. The other thing that can happen is that all elective surgeries are cancelled indefinitely. If you can get surgery now - get it! As far as COVID, you are not likely to get it at the hospital. The COVID patients are housed in a different unit than the surgery unit. All the surgery patients are tested and the nurses are screened. There are more precautions being taken in the hospital than just about anywhere. Once you get home, just stay put and don't congregate with a lot of other people, which is what you should be doing now anyway. Usually only people with history of blood clots or several risk factors are put on blood thinners. I was not. That being said, even though I was walking as soon as I woke up and doing 10,000 steps by the end of week one, I developed several clots in my legs! I was feeling soreness along some of my varicose veins, and the ultra sound showed some deeper clots. My doc told me even soreness and swelling at the IV site can be an indication that a clotting disorder is happening. Anyway, I went on Xarelto for 3 months and that was that. Done. However, if I ever need surgery again, I will be put of blood thinners as a precaution. Complications are rare, but they can be dealt with. Staying obese has a lot more lifetime risks than surgery. This may be a window of opportunity for your surgery that could close, so take advantage of it and take each day as it comes.