Arabesque

Nerves are pretty common prior to surgery, so you aren’t alone in that & it is understandable. It’s a pretty major surgery & you are making changes to your body & your lifestyle. Yes malabsorption is something to continuously monitor after bypass. Regular blood tests will keep you informed of any thing you may lack & they will pick up any specific absorption issues you may have. It will be important to monitor your diet to ensure you’re consuming a range of nutrients & take the vitamin supplements you need. Yes, malabsorption isn’t really an issue with sleeve & you may not need to take vitamins in the long term (I don’t). But eating a balanced diet is always the healthier choice. Some people have posted about dental issues post surgery but not many that I can recall. Could be something that began pre surgery because of dietary choices, be a genetic weakness, or they had pre existing gerd/reflux. Excess acid is a common temporary side effect of surgery but keeping on top of it will help reduce your risk of dental damage - take your PPIs. In three years, I haven’t had an issue at all. We’re all different & we can’t predict how our bodies will react to the changes. All because something may happen, doesn’t mean it will. Not worth focussing on some very low risk maybe. Focus on what will happen: a healthier you. But, as you already have reflux, bypass is really your best option. Why did you choose or were you advised bypass over sleeve in the first place? Those reasons will still be true. All the best.

There are a number of different pre surgical diets but you must follow the one you are given. I’ve noticed a few UK members have been on a milk diet. Three pints of milk provides 48g of protein plus a high protein yoghurt can provide 15-20g so about the usually recommended 60g of protein. The broader range of nutrients is a worry but your doctor would be aware of that. The headaches & weakness comes from cutting out carbs, sugar, caffeine - breaking the addictions & removing the stimulants (caffeine & sugar) from your diet. The first 5-7 days are usually the hardest but it gets easier.

What does your surgeon say? You may have a stricture which can be quite easily repaired. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, inability to eat solid foods, difficulty swallowing, food intolerances. Contact your medical team as soon as you can. Even if it isn’t a stricture, they need to work out why you are experiencing these issues so something can be done to help you.

I had to do keto as my pre surgical diet - 2.5 weeks. That was enough. I can’t stand the high fat aspect. Never been good with fatty/oily foods regardless if being good or bad fats. So it would never be an option for me long term. Bedsides I really don’t like bacon. 😉 The reading I did about it & conversations with my dietician all pointed to it being fine for the short term (like a kick start to a diet) but not the long term. Plus it can mess with your sugar levels, cholesterol, etc. There will always be fervent advocates of any diet. But no one diet works for everyone. If there was no one would ever have a weight issue. Use the time during which you are losing to start to work out a plan that works for you. It needs to be sustainable (you can do it long term). It needs to complement your lifestyle. It needs to support you to maintain your weight without you feeling like you are being punished, missing out or making too many sacrifices. Plan a way of eating not a diet. But talk to your dietician & do your own reading (avoid the pro keto ones though). May be have a look at Aitken’s as a lower fat alternative to keto if you are drawn to it. But look into lots of eating plans including what nutrition your body actually needs to function effectively.

Aah head hunger versus real hunger. Working out the difference can be challenging especially early out when you haven’t had enough time yet to learn how to identify the difference. A lot of head hunger is driven by emotions & you seek comfort in food. Surgery is stressful & emotional & everyday after there are lots of new & very strange experiences so you look for the comfort eating used to provide in these situations. Head hunger is also eating out of habit whether the time on the clock, or what you’re doing like watching tv so eat. It’s eating out of boredom, eating because others are, etc. At the moment you are also missing textures, certain flavours & smells of food (cravings) but again that’s head hunger. Head hunger is wanting to eat not needing to eat. Head hunger often passes quickly. Try distracting yourself for 30mins (walk, read, craft, check social media, do a puzzle, ring a friend, etc.). Try drinking something warm like a herbal or green tea. If it alleviates your hunger it was head hunger. Real hunger is different. I get restless. I don’t crave or want a specific food, texture or flavour. There’s a rational reason for it - I missed a meal. It doesn’t pass. Unfortunately, knowing this doesn’t stop it but it can help you manage it.

Was it dumping, the foamies or just your restriction? Dumping makes you feel physically sick & you may vomit or have diarrhoea, cold sweats, heart palpitations, etc. takes time (often hours) to recover. The foamies feels like something is stuck, you produce excess salvia & you may regurgitate a thick foamy saliva & often whatever you ate that was ‘stuck’. I also sometime have a barking cough as if trying to shift the obstruction. It passes quickly. Your restriction is a heaviness or tightness across your upper chest. I find myself thumping my chest as if to relieve & open it up again. It can take longer to pass than the foamies but not hours like dumping. The first time I had the foamies was with a mushy carrot but potato sits heavily in my tummy - like groan heavy, eaten way too much heavy & after only a bite or two. Still does & I’m three years out. (Bread & pasta is the same for me.) It’s all part of how we are different. At the beginning your tummy can be sensitive & fussy. Eat something today no issue. Eat it tomorrow & your tummy is no way. But two days later all is fine again. I called mine a petulant, tantrum throwing 2 yr old.

Three years out & I take 30-60minutes to eat - probably average 40minutes for a meal. If I eat too quickly my restriction kicks in & then I’m done. I also do it because I don’t focus as much on the act of eating as I did before surgery. Still ask myself do I need the next bite or do I just want it & I often put food on my fork but then put it down again too. I still take small bites too. A lot of it is just habit now. Remember it takes time for the full message to get through & when it does you likely have eaten more than you need & are more than full. My full message can be very slow, (30mins or so after I’ve finished) which also directs my slow eating but that is me. I’m not someone who has been able to go back to skulling a lot of liquid. Two large mouthfuls at a time. A couple of minutes later I can have another mouthful. I can have a couple of sips up to 5 minutes before I eat & about the same after. But not mouthfuls as they can be too filling & wash the food out of my tummy more quickly. So I guess it really comes down to what you’re able to do & what works for you. But certainly while you are losing keep waiting to drink before & after you eat & keep eating slowly.

Not sure how far along you so it’s helpful to complete your stats in your profile as @SleeveDiva2022 suggested. There are certain things you can depend upon though. The closer you are to goal the slower your rate of loss. The heady days of larger rates of loss don’t last. Your real hunger returns. Everybody’s weight fluctuates & it doesn’t mean you’ve gained. My last kilos were a b*tch to lose. Felt like forever. I just stayed my course & they went (plus more). My hunger started to return in my second year but hunger returning from around 6 months is not common. I have a natural weight fluctuation of about a kg - 2.2lbs. Could be water, constipation, life in general.

I agree see your medical team. General discomfort & muscular pain is too be expected but stabbing, acute pain is not.

Could be a myriad of reasons but definitely see your medical team. Generally if you feel pain, or if something is or feels different to you seek medical advice. Always better to be safe & sure after a surgery.

Yeah, some dieticians are pretty crappy. Your’s just doesn’t seem to get this is something totally new to you & you want to get the best out of this opportunity. They are supposed yo be supporting you through this. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a greater framework & more specific guidelines to feel comfortable & confident about what you’re doing. A blanket try whatever you want is not good advice. Eating whatever you wanted got you where you were before surgery. The only thing I agree with is that there is a bit of trial & error about what foods your tummy will tolerate in these first weeks when it can be more sensitive & fussy. I was given portion size no calories, and a list of suggested foods to eat & avoid from the surgeon & the dietician. As a help I was advised 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food from puree three times a day. I could have a snack if I was able (I ate yoghurt to boost my protein most afternoons). Low fat, very low carbs, no starchy vegetables, protein, protein, protein. I didn’t care how long I took to eat. I wasn’t hungry & wasn’t interested in eating but I knew I had to. But this was my plan. Remember you won’t get the same feelings of fullness, etc. (& they likely will be different to what you used to experience) until you’re fully healed & eating solid food. Hence the importance of portion control. Congrats on yiur weight loss so far.

Love the belt you added to your dress @GreenTealael - perfect finishing touch. Gorgeous. I vaguely remember local governments & shopping centres here in Australia adding purple lights to public toilets in certain places years ago because the purple made it difficult for users to inject intravenous drugs. I hope it was just for atmosphere where you went for your date night. Love that black top @Sophie7713. I just may have to swipe that one from your wardrobe. And you know I like a puffed sleeve too. Glad you’re busy with lots of people wanting your stylish interior designs. Have you found your new home yet or did I miss a post that up you did?

Liquids go through you more quickly so you tend not to experience your restriction. If you do feel the restriction or any pain you’ve either eaten too much, too quickly or eaten something that is too dry or too coarse. The goal is not to feel the restriction. At three weeks out you are still healing, hence the staged return to eating to not stress your tummy. A lot of nerve endings were cut & damaged & until they are healed you won’t get the same messages like for full. There is a big difference between eating until you’re full & eating until you’ve had enough that is what your body needs. Do you need that next bite or just want it. In time you’ll likely find your signals for full are different. Some sneeze or their nose runs - you just have to work out what they are for you. Hunger pangs & abdominal growling, rumbling, in most times are just your digestive system doing what it should - digesting food. Any abdominal pain you may feel is likely an excess of stomach acid which will settle in time (your body is still producing enough acid for the amount of food you used to eat plus a reaction to the surgery) . Were you prescribed a PPI to reduce the acid production? 13lbs in three weeks is a good rate of loss - averaging 4lbs a week. Can’t complain about that. As you started at a relatively lower weight (like me) you won’t lose huge amounts like on say My 600lb Life. They weigh 3 times what you do & so lose at about 3times the rate. I’d lost about the same amount as you at three weeks & my surgeon was very happy with my progress. Keep measuring, keep sipping. It gets better & easier.

Imodium helps to firm the stools & slow their evacuation. The body is then able to better absorb the fluids & nutrients again from the the stools as they form in the intestines. It’s not stopping you poop, just slowing the process down to what it should be.

Try some Imodium too if the diarrhoea becomes excessive which will also help with the fluid loss. Add some electrolyte drinks to your routine too. Hope you all recover quickly. At least you know it wasn’t something you ate 😉.

First, congratulations on your pregnancy. I agree with the advice of speaking to your dietician about adjustments to your diet (though you may be surprised at how few changes you need to make - you’re not eating for two adults but you & a tiny baby) I’m surprised your OB removed your IUD & obviously didn’t recommend alternative means of contraception saying you won’t fall pregnant for several months. Women experience a hormonal flush from the excess oestrogen which is stored in their fat being released as they lose weight. It’s why women experience erratic, heavier, lighter, more or less frequent menstrual cycles & mid cycle spotting during this time. It likely wasn’t your IUD causing the weird bleeding but your weight loss. The flush tends to make you more fertile too & is why many surgeons recommend doubling down on your contraception until your weight stabilises. Pregnancies, while losing are quite common. Make sure your surgeon knows the advice given to you by your OB who you thought would know more about your reproductive cycle.

First, it takes a hell of a lot of hard work, eating excessive quantities of food over a prolonged period of time to stretch out your tummy again.You certainly won’t stretch it out in 6 weeks. Many surgeons say it’s nigh on impossible to do. So you can breath about that. You’re ok. As to quantity of food, yes your portion sizes are more than I did then & some are more than I do now. (e.g. 3-4oz protein, 1.5 eggs, 1/2 a thin pork sausage). BUT, there are lots of different plans out there with different portion size & calorie goals/ recommendations. And some can eat more. If you are following your plan you are doing fine. AND, you can only eat what you are physically able to eat without causing discomfort. Though it is odd you haven’t felt your restriction yet given you are eating solid foods. I’d check your calories though as 130g of salmon fillet alone is 222, 2 eggs are 156 & 4ozs pork sausages can be 345 calories. Of course it can depend on the size of the eggs, ingredients in the sausages, cut of chicken, etc. Though you can eat more doesn’t mean you should. Have a chat with your dietician about protein goals, portion sizes, caloric goals, etc. For example 4ozs is generally considered the recommended portion of protein an adult should eat at a meal. I wonder if you are exceeding your protein goal as a result?? Having a little more is ok but again check with your dietician. I remember my dietician questioning the size of people’s tummy post surgery. There’s a difference in removing 80% of a tummy that could hold say 3 cups of food versus 80% removed of a tummy that could hold 5 cups. The larger tummy is still going to be able to hold more. Simple maths. Congrats on the weight you have lost so far.

Yiur tummy is a muscular organ so it could just be a muscular spasm. A lot was done to it during surgery & you have selling & inflammation. If it persists, give your medical team a call to be sure. As @sleevediva suggested try warming your drinks or at least room temperature. The cold/cool liquids could be contributing to the spasms. I found warm drinks way more soothing.

Are you close to the hospital? Will you have someone to care for you? My surgeon does an overnight stay but advised he would keep me for two days as I lived alone - he wanted to make sure I was stable, had pain under control, able to swallow, sipping, moving easily, etc. ended up staying three days as my back went into spasm on day 2. Are they willing to let you stay overnight if you want to? Will your insurance cover it? Would you feel more comfortable with an overnight stay?

Yep, it’s the English spelling. It’s you Americans who are spelling (& pronouncing) English words incorrectly. 😁 Australia & Canada, while both independent nations, are members of the British commonwealth because of our colonial history. Our language, constitutions, justice systems, etc. are based upon the British systems. You gave up your colonial ties during your War of Independence. Here endth the history lesson for today. LOL!

If it’s been 7 weeks, I’d probably have a chat with your medical team. You should be fully healed by now. But in saying that, I still have days where I don’t feel as comfortable with a fitted waist & I’m 3 yrs out. Also chat with your dietician. Certain artificial sweeteners & the lactose in dairy can make you bloated (& windy if you are experiencing that too).

Yes, it’s total weight. So I weighed 200lbs when I began & I should have expected, based upon the 20% stat, to lose about 40lbs. Which is a much better potential result than if it was excess weight I had to lose. Congratulations but remember it’s not where you ‘should’ be. It’s a suggestion of what you might achieve. No guarantee. You could lose more or less. As I said above, there are too many factors you can’t control that influence how much you lose.

It’s actually not wrong information. Those statistics are based on averages as it says. About what the majority of people lose. It’s a place for people to start to give them a bit of an idea of what they could possibly achieve. There are always outliers. Those who lose more & those who lose less. They are the minority. A lot depends on your starting weight & therefore how much you have to lose. The more you have to lose the higher the potential percentage of weight you could lose best case scenario. If I lost 70% I’d weigh 59lbs - yikes. Then there’s where your new set point stabilises at, genetics, gender, age, the boost your metabolism gets - all things you can’t change. You can only influence the changes you make to your diet, the activity you choose to undertake & then how sustainable those changes are for you. You initially exceeded the average but are now settling close to it which is a great achievement.

You may still have swelling & strained muscles. They pump you full of fluids & gas & prod & poke you internally during the surgery. And of course the inflammation swelling from the actual surgery on your tummy like any wound. I had a sort of general tenderness & found anything tight on my waist uncomfortable for a couple of weeks. I used to roll down the waist of my pants so they sat on my hips & often gently rested my hand on my tummy under my pants. It was sort of comforting like I was protecting it. It will pass. Just give yourself time to heal & recover.

Tins of beans, tomatoes, chick peas, lentils, vegetables & fish, dried barley, etc. Keep powdered stock on hand too. You’ll get protein from the beans, chick peas, barley & lentils. I always have frozen vegetables on hand too just in case & keep rotating out & using frozen mince, chicken thighs, diced beef, etc. & freezing fresh packs. I can shop from my pantry & freezer for a couple of weeks.