Arabesque

A loss of 30 pounds is great. You’re not going to lose those large amounts of weight like they do on shows like My 600lb Life unless you’re 600+lbs. Even their rate of lose slows as their weight gets lower. There’s a few things to can rely on during this process. The more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose in the beginning. The closer to goal the slower your rate of loss. And most importantly, we lose at our own rate. Has your surgeon, dietician GP said you’re losing too slowly? If not you’re golden. Celebrate every pound you lose. It’s an amazing achievement

Whoo hoo! Think of all the chicken meals you can have now. Yum. Chicken thighs are way better than breast. More tender, more flavoursome, doesn’t dry out when cooked. Don’t understand the popularity of chicken breast at all.

You shouldn’t be experiencing pain this far out from surgery. Most find by day 4 the pain is minimal, more like discomfort & any lingering gas pain, but it is manageable by over the counter pain meds for another day or so. You really need to contact your surgeon or go back to the ER. A scan or similar may be needed to see what’s going on inside. The ER were correct. We’re not supposed to take NSAIDS anymore. So no anti inflammatories, aspirin, etc. Which is frustrating as I find paracetamol useless & I might as well chew a mint. I hear you about the back spasms. I had that too but fortunately only for one day. I’m ok with pain generally but it bought me to tears. Hope they can sort this out for you soon.

There are several factors that influence how much excess skin you will have: age, gender, weight loss history, how long you’ve been overweight, genetics, etc. I was almost 54 when I had my surgery. I had been at my high weight for about 4 yrs. Before that I bounced between 60 & 75 kgs. When I reached my goal of 60kg I had hardly any loose skin. A little on my inner upper thighs, a little on my upper arms & my tummy. Just little pinches really. I was pretty pleased with myself. Then I dropped the extra weight & there was noticeably more loose skin. I’ve chosen not to have surgery because I can cover the loose skin with my clothes including body conscious dresses & I don’t wear ‘suck it in & hold it tight’ underwear. I do pick clothes that don’t reveal or highlight the loose skin - no shoe string straps, no shorty shorts but they don’t appeal to me anyway. Do people notice or comment? Not that I’m aware of & believe my mum would say something. 😉 I’ve even been told I have lovely arms but then I don’t wave them about in the air. 😁 I look at my loose skin as something I’ve worked hard to earn by losing the weight. I’d rather have some loose skin than carry all that weight. But that’s me.

The surgeon may be basing their recommendation for sleeve over bypass because of the severity of your gerd & what damage it has caused. I had occasional reflux, which isn’t as severe as gerd, for decades before my surgery. I managed it with diet (no spicy food, no high fat, rich or creamy foods, only occasional carbonated drinks - champagne & tonic in a G&T - little or no caffeine). I only needed to take a ppi a bare handful of times a year. My surgeon recommended a sleeve too because I was managing my reflux well & it was consequently a pretty minor case. Do I still have reflux? Yes, but it manifests itself differently. Hiccups not as severe, no bad taste in my mouth, though I have burning in the back of my throat 3 or 4 times a week at night. I do take Nexium every morning now which my surgeon warned me I’d have to. But if you’d feel more comfortable with bypass, you have the right to request that surgery.

I wasn’t given a caloric goal either just portion size - 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup. Calories would have varied based upon what I used to purée the protein with say stock vs Mayo. But you are eating so little that it would be pretty impossible to eat to excess. But the questions, doubts, concerns, etc. can seem to run rampant in our head for the first couple of weeks. Give your dietician a call. They’ll either confirm you are on the right path or maybe tweak what you’re doing a little with suggestions for alternatives. You’ll feel more comfortable about what you’re doing whatever they say. Also, purées still tend to go through your digestive system more quickly so you won’t really start to feel full until you’re on solid foods. Then try not to eat until you feel full but until you’ve had enough. By the time the message gets through that you’re full you’ve usually eaten more. It’s why we’re encouraged to eat slowly. I still ask myself do I need the next bite or just want it. It’s become a great habit. All the best.

My dad used to swear by a shot of port followed by one of brandy. Also used to soak prunes in 100 proof rum. Said he always felt better. 😂😂😂

Your tummy is still healing & the sensitivity, intolerance to certain foods on certain days will continue for a while. Treat it gently. Eating a little less one day won’t harm. I still have days I can’t eat everything on my plate at a meal or something I eat regularly doesn’t seem to sit as well & I’m almost three years out. This morning I ate left over rolled oats from my breakfast yesterday (added some fresh to get to about my usual portion). It all balances out across the week. If I’m a bit low on my protein today, I’ll have a little more tomorrow. Same with fluids. Listen to your body. It’s a good habit to start now about your eating. You’ll discover your real hunger signals, your I’ve had enough signals, what you need versus what you want, etc. All the best.

Have to admit I’ve never had a stomach flu but I’ve had food poisoning, vertigo virus, & lactose sensitivity over the years & have Meniere’s now so I know nausea, vomiting & diarrhoea. Last thing I ever wanted to do was eat but ginger tea, electrolyte drinks, anti nausea meds & Imodium were my go to. Like @catwoman7 said vomiting is different post surgery. I describe it more like regurgitation because there’s no real muscle spasming & heaving & it almost just bubbles up. It also hits more quickly & passes almost immediately.

Jake! This is so wonderful. Congratulations to you both. 💕💕💕 Very happy for you.

How do the nutrients fit in with your dietary plan? Not just calories but sugar, fat, carb content too. What are the serving portions like? Many smoothies are high in sugar & carbs from the fruit content alone with many containing more fruit than you’d eat in a single serve but without the fibre & nutrients left in the pulp they toss out. There’s nothing wrong with splitting a meal over a lunch & dinner. I’ve done it. Did it two weeks ago with a middle eastern halloumi salad bowl I had at lunch. Took the left overs home & had them for dinner. Just added chicken as I’d eaten most of the protein component at lunch. Do your homework & then make an informed decision. Whether you indulge or not ultimately is your decision.

So important to be well informed about the surgery, life post surgery, nutrition etc. Best thing I ever did was research. I’m sure others will list other resources they found helpful & informative. My surgeon actually gives all his patients a book before surgery: Your Complete Guide to Nutrition for Weightless Surgery by Sally Johnston. It became my big hard covered bible for a while. I also found the videos on you tube by Dr Matthew Weiner great too. He has several books as well.

Yes, plans are different but there are similarities too. The plan for a staged return to eating solid food is given to you for a reason: to protect your poor healing tummy (remember all those internal sutures & staples holding your tummy together) & support your recovery. You don’t want to stress & strain your tummy & digestive system. It’s always best to follow your surgeon’s plan. They gave it to you for a reason: the surgery, any additional work that was done (hernia repair, etc.), your personal health history, their experiences, etc. I didn’t enjoy shakes either (grainy & gross) but I literally just sucked it up for the two weeks. I added more water to dilute them & warmed the chocolate flavoured one (tried to convince myself it was hot chocolate). I also found the bone broths unpleasant but cream soups were fine. Try the broths in pho or wonton soup - just strain them well to ensure you’re only getting the liquids. Or you can buy unflavoured protein powder & make your own like @MiniGastricBypassDude suggested. You can also add it to any soups you are able to tolerate. All the best.

Welcome back @rking. Go back to the basics. 60g protein, 64oz fluids. Watch portion size. Reduce your carbs, sugar & fat intake. Measure, weigh, track. You can start of slowly & make one change (swap a food to a more nutritious or lower calorie choice , drop a food choice, increase a food type like protein or vegetables, etc.) each week & see how you go. You can always get back in contact with your dietician & get them to review your current diet & make suggestions too. All the best.

It’s likely swelling from the surgery. They put tubes down your throat & the of course where they operated. I had it too. It does pass in a couple of days. Warm or hot drinks were more soothing for me too. Take small sip & then wait a few minutes before your next sip

Yes, the surgery does remove a lot of the area that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin. While the stomach is the primary producer it’s not the only place a hunger hormone is produced (small intestine, pancreas & brain too). For many, the surgery dues reduce appetite & hunger but it is temporary. It’s almost like the other areas compensate & start to produce more of the hormone to compensate because feeling hunger is important because our bodies do need food to function. The temporary loss of hunger does help our weight loss but equally as important is that it helps us to discern the difference between head hunger (cravings &/or emotionally driven hunger) and real hunger. Real hunger feels different. You’ll learn your cues for real hunger & how it feels for you. I feel restless & like something is wrong and when I realise I’m hungry I don’t crave a specific food or food type like sweet, carby or salty. Food is still a consideration every day & I do tend to eat to routine to ensure I get my protein in & the other nutrients in I need & that is the difference. I eat not as a comfort, to stop boredom, to satisfy a craving, etc. I eat to consume what my body needs to function. I still enjoy food & want to eat yummy tasty things but the yummy tasty foods are healthier & more nutritionally dense.

My pre op diet was real food too, no shakes, but keto. I had no pain or discomfort at all. I also had always been a big protein & vegetable eater so not a huge change to my diet except for the extra fat. Eating a more high fibre (from cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, collard greens, etc.) can give you wind & maybe colic. Would be worth a call to your medical team to rule out anything not related to the change of diet.

Walking is best. Keep them short, a lap or two depending on the size of the ward, three or four times a day. I’d walk to the sitting room at the end of the ward, sit for a couple of minutes & walk back (Well I did until I stumbled upon the man in his badly tied surgical gown standing in front of the window so the sun shone threw the gown highlighting all his ‘attributes’.)Though you may find you spend a lot of that first 24-48 hours sleeping. Gas X helps too. Listen to your body if it says rest, rest. Congrats on your surgery & all the best for the rest of your recovery.

Congrats on your approval. Your medical team (surgeon & dietician) should provide you with a plan to follow pre & post surgery. It should detail what foods you can eat & when (what stage) & usually includes recommendations for portion sizes, your carb, sugar &/or fat intake, protein & fluid goals & calorie goals or combinations of these requirements. (Mine was only portion size & protein& fluid goals.) If they don’t ask for one & ask for the additional guidelines if you’d feel more confident with more guidance. Plans can be different surgeon to surgeon & it is always best to follow the plan you are given. Generally, in weeks 3 & 4 you are in the purée stage. You can purée most things with sufficient liquids (gravy, stock, milk, water, Mayo, etc.) to get them to a thick gloopy texture. Still more swallow then chew. In weeks 5 & 6 you are in the soft food stage. Think tender, fall off the bone slow cooked meats, minced meat dishes with gravies or sauces, thick meat & vegetable soups. More chew & enough liquid to lubricate & allow you to swallow easily. Your plan may be different. There may be foods in your plan you can’t tolerate as your tummy can be fussy at first & your taste buds &/or sense of smell can become temporarily sensitive. I’m not a regular exerciser - never really enjoyed it, never reached the euphoric stare people talk about. I walked in the beginning. Then did some resistance bands. Still do some general stretching every day. Doing standing push ups at the moment too. I do a lot of incidental activity: do multiple trips up & down my stairs (why do it in one load when you can do 2 or 3), park further away from where I’m going, walk up escalators & travelators, jog up stairs, etc. Plus my low blood pressure (70s over 60s) means I get tired & weak more quickly when doing anything more strenuous. Also can cause a hypoglycaemic episode. Not a lot of fun so I’m careful.

Google is your friend. Stacks of exercises to tone your glutes available with a simple search. It can also be helpful to get a short program at a gym or with a person trainer to find out the best workout for you & to ensure you’re doing them correctly & not risking potential injury. Then you can do them at home. Can be a little pricy but sometimes they offer deals. You can pick up weights, resistance bands etc. pretty cheaply. I got my bands for $10 at Kmart in Australia. Remember you won’t be able to do a lot for a few weeks while your healing & recovering from the surgery. Walking will be your friend for that first month or so.

You can’t prevent loose skin. Your skin has been stretched by the weight you’re carrying. Think of your skin like an old, overused, stretched out hair band. Can’t make that elastic. band tight again. But in saying that there are factors that can influence how much lose skin you end up with. Age (younger skin has better elasticity & will bounce back to a degree), how much weight you have to lose (I had hardly any loose skin at goal but with the additional 12kgs I got more than a pinch more), how long you carried your excess weight & genetics. Some loose skin isn’t very noticeable under clothes. Mine’s not & I can wear body con dresses with regular underwear. Others resort to surgery. I don’t mind the lose skin I have. It’s a reminder & I feel I earned it through the effort I put in to lose the weight. Also I’d rather have some lose skin than all those kilograms. But that’s me.

All fluids count towards your goal - shakes, broths, soups, tea, milk, etc. I used to dilute my protein shakes & sip on them longer. If you use milk & yoghurt in your smoothie you’ll get in some protein which is the most important. Fruit can be dangerous. Though a naturally occurring sugar it adds up quickly especially in things like a smoothie where you can easily add in more than a single serve of fruit. Some plans restrict when you can begin to include fruit & which fruits you can eat. So be careful. Check your plan & check portion sizes. If you’re early out & only eating say a 1/3 cup of food a small apple, or a couple of strawberries exceeds the portion you can eat as a food. I found a good high protein yoghurt drink which was low in sugar (not added but predominately from the yoghurt itself) & low calorie. You can thin them with a little milk. It was a fluid & food.

I was eating regular food from soft food. Just introduced new meats, vegetables, etc. slowly as I was able. Same with herbs, spices, etc. So basically what everyone else was eating just smaller portions. Some foods didn’t taste good to begin because of the temporary changes to my taste buds. And sometimes my tummy was just fussy & didn’t like some foods at times. Really it was just a matter of choosing more tender cuts & how they were cooked & prepared to keep what I was eating relatively moist & tender. I was eating bolognese with zucchini noodles, meatballs with gravy, slow cooked chicken chasseur (though the wine I added was disgusting), omelettes, steamed/poached fish, meat & vegetable soups, etc, in soft food. Was eating steak, chicken thighs, lamb, pork tenderloin with some vegetables pretty quickly in solid foods. Gave up shakes from purées & was eating ‘real’ food - just puréed then of course 😉. Guess it comes down to what you consider ‘regular’ food. As long as it complies with your food plan, & you’re meeting protein goals & not exceeding sugar, fat & carb recommendations you were given, you’ll be fine. You can always discuss options with your dietician to be sure.

Not heard of this before. Have you contacted your medical team? Could be an infection or some surgical oesophageal swelling pressing against the larynx??? If they used a breathing tube during your surgery it could be swelling or bruising from that. But do contact your surgeon.

The closer you are to goal the slower the rate of loss. It can be really frustrating when that goal weight is so close & it feels like you will never get there. Your weight loss slows as you’re consuming more so your intake is almost at what your body needs to function & so you lose little or nothing (maintenance). You have a couple of options. You can continue as you are, be patient & see how your loss progresses. You likely will eventually lose that 15lbs or close to it. Or you can do more activity or reduce your food intake but both of these options will have to be continued if you want to maintain the lower weight if they are the only ways to lose the weight. Always worth a chat with your dietician. It can be easy to overlook something or they may suggest something to shake up your eating plan. Not everyone gets to their goal but that’s ok. Sometimes your body settles at a slightly higher weight than you expected. Or you make eating & activity choices based upon how you want to live & enjoy your life (which are a major considerations for long term success). A way of eating or exercise regime that is too restrictive isn’t sustainable in the long term. All the best.