Arabesque

I was thinking the same thing about rice as well. I enjoyed rice a lot too but don’t miss it at all. Same with bread & pasta. A waste of calories, nutritionally poor & very filling. Because they make you feel full more quickly you can’t eat the nutritionally dense food you need to be eating. The large, rich, creamy Starbucks drinks are likely filling you too much too quickly too limiting what you can eat later. A protein shake would be a better choice for nutrition & calories. I agree with @ms.sss & @SleeverSk. Eat your protein first, then your vegetables, then any highly processed carbs like rice. Instead of a sandwich, eat a salad or try a low carb high protein bread or wrap. Salads are great. You can throw in just about anything any protein (meat, seafood, legumes, cheese, etc.) fruit, cheese, nuts, seeds, etc. as well as vegetables & fruit. Have a look at the Food before & after thread for ideas on meals & ingredients too. Taking an hour to eat a chicken thigh & a cup of rice is pretty much how long I would take to eat a chicken thigh & a cup of vegetables. Are you tracking your food & nutrients? How many calories are you consuming each day? Have you had any blood tests recently? What advice is your surgeon & dietician giving you? If they’re not, start demanding help. Out of curiosity, you had surgery at a low BMI (about 29), what was your motivation for pursuing surgery? History of weight issues, co morbidities, …?

Ketosis can change a lot of your body odours: breath, sweat, pee, vaginal secretions, etc. Not all of it is pleasant though so be prepared for some very funky smells.

We all have different experiences. I still take anywhere from 30 to an hour to eat about a recommended serving size Sometimes it depends on what I’m eating, if I’m eating alone or with others, etc. If I’m with others I never finish my meal. I think it’s because I sub consciously eat more quickly & then my restriction kicks in. It took me a while to slow my weight loss (about 18 months) because I couldn’t eat enough & was 48.2kg at my lowest. I had to keep adding snacks to increase my calories (still looked for nutrient dense foods & ate about 5 snacks a day). Yes, I did feel like I ate all day. I did this with my surgeon & dietician’s support & advice. But as time passed I could eat more & I dropped snacks. Have a chat with your dietician. Add some more nutrient & calorie dense foods & snacks to your day. Little things can help like enriching your milk by adding powdered milk - more calories, protein, calcium, etc. Add in a few multi or whole grains. Add some good fats. Have some fruit. Don’t be afraid to eat slowly. It doesn’t matter if you’re still eating & your family has finished. When staying with my mum I’m often still sitting eating & she’s finished & cleared away. Also an opportunity for families to sit together talking longer at the dinner table.

I’ve been menopausal for a few years now but I still have the odd PMT symptoms like I used to have. Carb craving, fluid retention, etc. Our bodies & our hormones are just weird sometimes & like to remind us they can still affect us in some way.

Besides the discomfort in your lower intestines, you had no real symptoms for 24 hours which tends to rule out all dumping. Not food poisoning as that occurs more quickly too & usually includes vomiting as well as diarrhoea. I think you picked up a bug too. Cream soup probably wasn’t the best choice (a broth would have been better) as it likely added to your upset digestive system because of its richness. Out of curiosity, why specifically green tea for what you thought was a kidney stone? Was it just to increase your fluids to try to flush the stone? The lightheadedness should abate as you start to eat more. Glad you’re feeling better.

I play games too. Usually word games but sometimes sudoku, solitaire, or those mindless moving object games. I have Wordle but didn’t enjoy it. Maybe I need to persevere to get to higher stages or something.

Actually being seeing a couple of surgeons reporting only 10% incidence of GERD after sleeve lately. I always thought it was around that 30/35% mark too. Maybe something has changed in the surgical techniques they use??? Or they are more vigilant of recommending bypass to those who are more likely to develop GERD with a sleeve???

I did my chin because I was getting some of that old lady dimpling with certain expressions. It’s helped with that, skin is smoother, & reduced the length & depth of my marionette lines. Can still smile, frown, grimace, etc. Can’t do fillers because of my bee allergy. (The neutraliser causes the body to produce the same reaction as for a bee or wasp sting so because my body overreacts to the sting it will likely overreact if they need to use the neutraliser.) Yeah, my face is pretty animated. Have to consciously work at hiding what I’m thinking or feeling. The forehead Botox was freaky to begin.

You have been busy @ms.sss. Never heard of this process at all but it’s great you’re so pleased with the result so far: you can really see a difference. Is it a permanent result like tattooing or do you have to have annual or similar touch ups like micro blading? It’s good to hear about treatments that actually work. So many end up being an expensive waste of money. Micro blading my thin & patchy brows 2 yrs ago was the best thing I ever did @XtinaDoesIt. It’s a bit grit your teeth painful too even with the numbing cream but unsure how it would compare to full tattooing. I also did brow laminating to tame my brows but that was a waste of money. It worked but my brows grow quickly & within a fortnight everything was crazy again & I’d trimmed off a lot of the laminated brows. Dying my brows is the same. By week three I’m using brow mascara to cover the grey hairs. I botoxed my chin before Christmas & was happy. Last month I decided to do my forehead as well. But it hasn’t lasted. It kicked in really quickly, like 3 days, & it was great. Between my brows is going strong but my forehead is much like it was. ☹️ Maybe I need the industrial strength stuff 😂. I’m way more conscious of how I look: general ageing & the loose skin on my face since my surgery. But not game enough to do facial plastic surgery yet either. Though last week when the young girl asked if the children’s pjs I was buying were for my grandchildren may be I should. Boy did she get an earful from me. Everything from gender stereotypes (not every woman has children), ageism, making generalisations, being presumptuous, etc. Also pointed out that I’m not that old that the children couldn’t be mine.

Foamies usually occur because you eat too much, too fast or eat food that is too dry or coarse. The excess or food that is stuck sort of bubbles up with lots of saliva. Which doesn’t really apply to you at your stage. Sounds more like you’re just plain vomiting. It’s painful because all your muscles are already strained from the surgery & your internal stitches & sutures. You could also have lots of gunk in your tummy from the surgery & maybe some excess acid which is making you nauseous &/or you’re vomiting it up. Some vomit it up while some have foul smelling diarrhoea because they get rid of it that way. Definitely contact your surgeon though to be sure. Did they prescribe anti nausea meds? Feel better soon.

That’s the frustrating thing for me: I’m not eating crap. Still keeping to my same food options. No sweet snacks, no fast food, no takeaway, no carbonated drinks, etc. sneaking into my diet. Don’t have it in my house. Don’t buy it when I’m out. Upped my fluid intake (was getting in a good 1.5L now almost 2 L). Upped my activity a bit (not as much as you have @GradyCat). Cut back on a few small things - less salad dressing & bought diet, alternating low fat milk with full cream, etc. The increased protein has meant increased portion sizes & calories but the cuts & changes to my diet aren’t equaling the increases yet. I just hope the Creons I’ve been prescribed again work better this time & help me absorb more from what I eat so I can reduce my intake a bit. Grrr! Gotta try to work out my new balance of consuming & using.

I know how you feel @ShoppGirl. I’ve put on a little weight too this year (about 2 kgs) which I can’t lose. I hadn’t updated my weight here either but your post motivated me to do it. I’ve been struggling with the head aspects of the gain & you may think oh it’s only 2kgs but to me it’s 2kg in a giant loud hailer voice in my head & that it may be just the beginning. Logically I know there’s nothing wrong with what I weigh but I’d rather I was 49 again which I’d been stable at for over a year (48.5-49.5 fluctuation). I tell myself it’s just a number but …. Today I bought a new outfit for winter & all the while I’m agonising over the worry that if I continue to gain it may not fit when I want to wear it. Experienced that a lot in the past. Plus I’ve been avoiding the scale. Another old habit to avoid the reality of what I weigh. I know some of the cause has been because I’ve been trying to up my protein a little (I don’t absorb it well) & though I’ve reduced some things it’s obviously not been enough. I’m not very active either (I agree - gyms ugh!) but I have thrown in a couple of extra things to my usual daily running about routines & gentle stretching like standing push ups. May not help with my weight but might tone my arms a little. Gotta find a positive. My surgeon’s colleague was fine with the gain when I saw her 6 weeks ago for my 3 monthly check up. It’s just that I’m not. Sigh!

I have chicken tenders regularly with salad for lunch. Cook them in the airfryer & freeze in individual bags for when I want them. I spent two weeks eating out of my freezer recently. Decided I needed to eat some of leftovers I freeze because my freezer was full & there ‘s still heaps of meals left in there. It’s like the Magic Pudding of freezers (classic Aust children’s literature reference). Also been cleaning out my pantry again - a shelf every week. So much stuff to toss again with expired use by dates. A result of the buying in bulk habits from the last couple of years. Did keep the soya bean pasta I bought last year even though it didn’t work. I’ll give it another try one day (before it expires 😉).

No bread, pasta rice & still don’t - they doesn’t sit well. Started cooked vegetables from soft foods so week 5. Raw salad vegetables from about the 2 month mark (I rolled cucumber wedges in smoked salmon & a smear of cream cheese.) I could have fruit from around month 2 too - strawberries & watermelons were my go to. I wasn’t told no alcohol just to reduce &/or avoid for a while. I had a gin & tonic at about two months. Took me hours to drink it & didn’t really enjoy it that much thanks to changing tastebuds. I probably had a couple of drinks over the 6 months until goal. I still don’t drink much or often. Maybe once a month or less & often just a glass & take a while to drink it. It doesn’t interest me like it did before surgery. If I drink now I go for quality over quantity. I was told the no bread, pasta etc. was because they are empty calories & they swell & fill your tummy restricting your ability to eat the protein & other nutrients you need. Raw vegetables & fruit skins can be too hard & dry & cause discomfort upon eating to begin. The no alcohol was empty calories & the whole addiction issue (can’t turn to food so turn to alcohol). I saw a video recently where the surgeon said alcoholism or issues with alcohol affect 10% of bariatric patients. 😱.

No meat?? I was eating lots of meat & fish from week 3 but plans are different & it is best to follow yours. It is ultimately your choice but I do agree with @Sleeve me alone!’s advice to reflect upon what is driving this craving. Chicken is the meat that many seem to struggle with & find they can’t tolerate to begin so if you decide to go ahead be careful.

There’s information about that says the body can only process & use about 25g of protein at a time. Apparently the remainder is stored as fat or excreted. Besides putting strain on your kidneys, it can increase your cholesterol which leads to other health concerns too. Protein is still calories. Your diet should be balanced out with other nutrients sources which support the body’s ability to absorb what is needed from what you eat. Drop a shake. Get your protein from a wide variety of foods - animal proteins (meat, eggs, dairy) & plants (beans, legumes, etc.). Up your vegetables intake & add a little fruit. (I didn’t have a shake after liquids stage.) Congrats on doing well so far. Whoo hoo!!

Can’t recall being told I was fat outright but I do remember a boy at high school (I remember you Bill T) saying I was an ok swimmer because fat floats. And I wasn’t big or even really overweight then just puberty puffy. Got told often I was voluptuous, very curvy, a larger frame, & other pseudo politically correct euphemisms for fat. My mum was a bit passive aggressive: be careful or you’ll end up like your aunt Lilah. But she said nothing when I was at my highest because she was about the same size. My very close girlfriends & I would talk a bit derogatorily about being fat but we all were & we knew it. Will my fat ass fit beside you type comments. We’re honest & open about most things though.

Woke up one morning & decided enough & rang my GP for an appointment & referral. Had my surgery about 6 weeks later. Had been bouncing between 60 & 75kg all my adult like. Then menopause & I was 91 almost overnight. Tried to lose it for 3 years but couldn’t lose a pound. A friend had the surgery about 12 months earlier & was very happy so … I didn’t have any health issues except from aching feet from the rapid gain & then just some burning feet after (no more heels for me) but I knew it was in my future. You will have to make permanent changes to your eating habits if you want to have permanent success. But that is the same whatever means you use to lose weight - diet, medication, exercise. They are just tools like the surgery. The horror stories aren’t that common really. People write about them because they are seeking support & advice because they are uncommon. But all surgery has risks as do medications. Consider other weight loss drugs that were approved & then taken off the market because of adverse side effects that were discovered over time. If you’re worried, have a long honest chat with your surgeon about risks & the stats behind them. If you are relatively healthy now you are in a better place to have the surgery now than later when you may be experiencing some health issues. All the best whichever path you choose.

Some people do some don’t. Some do low carb high protein alternatives. Some are careful with portion sizes & frequency. Many avoid them until maintenance. Some are allowed small portions while losing. My friend was allowed 1/2 slice of bread from about month 3 (but not allowed rolled oats which I never understood). I still don’t do bread, rice or pasta at almost 3 years. Really don’t do starchy vegetables either (except carrots in stews, soups, etc.) They sit heavily in my tummy & fill me quickly. I’ve tried small tastes a couple of times over the last 2+years & have accepted they are not my best option. Don’t miss them much even though I was a big consumer before my surgery. They would have been danger temptation foods for me if I could still eat them easily. I do eat complex carbs (2 serves a day) of rolled oats & multigrain crackers. I had the rolled oats from purée & added the crackers in maintenance. If I want pasta I use fresh zucchini pasta & sometimes steam finely sliced cabbage instead of noodles in asian meals. I’ve ordered wrap free wraps at cafes & eaten just the fillings of sandwiches. Check with your dietician. Consider alternatives (low carb or no carb vegetable options) for now or from maintenance. You know yourself best too. Whether you want to be able to include some carbs in your future. Whether you can tolerate them easily. Etc.

Sometimes life just throws crap at you. Family, health, work, world issues, etc. can turn everything upside down & we look to old habits which offered comfort in the past. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this now after you had made such great progress. Don’t let the crap win. It probably all seems a huge mountain you have to start to climb again but you’ve actually already started. You know what the crap is & how it’s affected you. You know the old habits you’ve fallen back on & the new ones you’ve let slide. Make one change today to reincorporate one of those new habits. Then reincorporate another one next week . Go for a walk, get your protein in, get your fluids in, drop a snack or swap out a meal choice or whatever you’re ready to do each week. You’ll get there & you’ve great motivators in your children. All the best.

I had a similar conversation with my surgeon (but about my continued weight loss) & my response was the same: I can only eat what I can physically eat. I added snacks up to 5 a day & yes I felt like I was eating all day long. I still made pretty careful choices & added complex carbs & some more fat. Choosing from: cheese, humus or liverwurst & multigrain crackers, protein bar, yoghurt, fruit, roasted fava or chick peas, chia pudding, nuts, etc. I also use non diet salad dressings, full fat milk, add seeds & beans to meals. I don’t do sweet or breads, pasta, etc. & cook most of what I eat myself. I don’t drink shakes or need multi vitamins. Sometimes small change or swap in food choices can make big differences. I can only eat 1.5 eggs (approx 10g protein & 235 calories) but I can usually eat a full serve of rolled oats cause I keep it liquidy (make on milk, add seeds). approx 15g protein, 380 calories. No empty calories, lots of nutrients. My weight loss stopped when I was consuming about 1300 calories (about 18 months after surgery) but I’m not tall, have a smaller frame, am in my mid 50s & not very active. But you're not me & you may need more calories. You have to work out how much food your body needs to function effectively at a weight your happy at while living & enjoying your life how you want. It just takes time & some need more than others. Took me a good 2 years to get my portion sizes to about recommended sizes for most things. I still snack but about 3 times a day. Not sure how many calories I eat now as I’ve increased my protein intake a little due to an absorption issue (from gall surgery not sleeve surgery). Just start making small changes, try different things & see how you go & what works for you. It’s the only way.

Would depend upon what the results revealed & whether it had any direct impact upon your surgery & recovery. It’s always helpful if your surgeon is aware of all your health issues. It may not delay or halt your surgery but may help your surgeon better prepare for your surgery & support your recovery. My doctor can see my blood work results requested by any of my doctors or specialists. Would think it would be the same in the US too. Got a printout of my last 6 lots of lab results from my surgeon’s colleague last month & it included two tests requested by my GP. I do go to the same pathology company for all my tests so not sure if that is a factor in what they can see.

I haven’t heard of anyone needing anti nausea meds long term. Though I experienced minor nausea I didn’t need to take meds at all. It maybe just your digestive system still being a little sensitive at first. A lot of vitamins can cause people to experience nausea & iron is one of the culprits. My nausea came from the multi vitamin I took so I split the dose - one in the morning & one at night. Sometimes changing brands can help. Also check to see if you’re doubling up on them by taking a multi vitamin & additional calcium or iron, etc.

I remember watching a documentary on obesity (can’t remember its name) & a doctor pointing out that obese people have been weight training 7 days a week for years as they carried around their weight. I was rather surprised but it makes sense when you think about it. The difference is when you do weights at a gym you use different muscle. Plus as you lose weight, your posture improves as your centre of balance changes so you may have to retrain muscles, tendons, etc, too. But in answer to your question: protein. Your body uses protein for recovery & healing, and muscle & bone health & growth. There’s some information about now saying that your body can’t absorb more than 25g of protein at a time & excess is stored as fat. Something to take into consideration. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Gorgeous shoes, @kristieshannon. It’s so lovely not to have aching feet & burning soles anymore.