Arabesque

The surgery will give you lots of help to lose weight to begin (loss of appetite, smaller tummy, etc.) but in the long term you have to make the decision to make the permanent changes to how, what & why you eat. If you go into this thinking you’ll come out the other side weighing less but still eating the same way & for the same reasons you’ll put the weight on all over again just like you always did. That might sound harsh but it is the truth of it. After surgery, I really looked at what, why & how I ate. I took that time to refocus my food choices & gained a better understand of my eating cues. I did a lot of reading & worked out a new eating plan because I realised I couldn’t go back to how I used to eat if I was to be successful in the long term. You may find you won’t follow a specific restrictive ‘diet’ like keto or Atkins, etc. to maintain your lower weight but you may pick & choose & develop your own eating style that fits into your lifestyle, isn’t too restrictive &, this is the big one, is sustainable. Generally I eat lowish carbs, lowish fat, very little sweet, high protein. Big change was eating more nutritionally dense food & eating more regularly. And I eat about the same number of calories as I used to eat when I was obese. My metabolism actually works now so I can eat about that same 1300 calories & maintain my current weight. Do I miss the foods I avoid now like sweet things? Nope, not really. Uncle’s 80th yesterday. Most had dessert. I had a cup of tea. There was birthday cake later & I had tea again. Did I feel like I was missing out? Nope. Didn’t want it either. Realising you can reach that mindset where you’re not really interested in foods you used to crave & love to eat is a bit of a head spin. Weight loss surgery is an amazing opportunity. You just have to fully embrace all it can offer. And don't be afraid to ask for help from a dietician or therapist along the way. All the best what ever you choose.

Yep, sipping all day long is the only way I could do it too. I used to dilute my protein shake to make it more palatable & for extra fluid. I’d sip on it for 3 or 4 hours. Same with the soup I’d eat. (Popped the soup in the microwave to reheat it as it cooled.) You’ll find it does get easier as you progress. And yes all liquids count to your fluid goal. Congrats on your loss so far.

I don’t mind eating the same things on repeat - I’m a single person so have eaten that way for ages. I like not having to think about what I’m going to prep for lunch or dinner every single day. I’ll eat on repeat for three days & anything left I freeze. My freezer is full of single serve meals. So handy on those days you don’t feel like cooking, are working late, don’t want what you have in the fridge, etc. Only have to prep some vegetables or salad & then reheat the frozen meal. Five minutes & dinner is served. You’ll also discover what you don’t enjoy or struggle to tolerate today may be fine tomorrow or next week.

I remember having a real slump in energy about half way along so around 3 or 4 months. Remember almost falling asleep on my treadmill one day. Sounds crazy but my eyes were literally drooping & I was starting to stumble. Got off that machine straight away. For the first time in decades I was sleeping more than 5 hours a night. Eight - 9 hours became my norm. (Annoyingly my sleep has become poor again recently - grrrr!). Sleep is a great healer & a way for the body to manage stress. Listen to your body. If it says you need to slow down, slow down. Try some electrolyte drinks for a boost of energy - I drank them almost every day for months. My energy did come back.

There are many different plans with different requirements for how frequently you should eat, how much you should eat, etc. I was to eat only three meals but as I progressed & my caloric intake & portion size continued to be low (couldn’t eat much at a meal) I was advised to add a snack or two - I added yoghurt & or fruit. While trying to sort out my maintenance plan I was adding 4-5 snacks. Now I’ve stabilised, & can eat more at a meal, I usually only eat 3 snacks. Eating this often helps me get the calories in I need to maintain (about 1300) & to meet my protein goals. You may be totally different & that is a big thing to understand. What worked/s for me may not work for you. Best place to begin is with your surgeon’s plan then continue to have discussions with your dietician, surgeon & GP to work out your best way forward. Good luck.

It’s mind blowing isn’t it. I still think ‘how did I not know this before?’ & I’m still discovering things at 2 & a half years out. Congratulations on your progress & successes so far. (And for getting your hubby on Thanksgiving duties. 😉) Whoo hoo!!

You are right to have concerns & to ask questions about possible long term side effects as you should after any surgery or medication regime, etc. You should be fully informed before making any decision. The unfortunate thing today is that our chances for cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are Increasing regardless of having weight loss surgery or not. A combination of many factors including poor diet, genetics, lifestyle, environment all increase our chances for developing serious health issues as we age. Being obese increases our likelihood even more. Most of these we have no control over. You may have the surgery & develop an issue but you may have developed it without the surgery & vice versa. There are some things we can’t control or predict. As @Sunnyway said if you ensure you eat a balanced, nutritionally dense diet & follow the vitamin regime you are prescribed you will actively be working to avoid any possible side effects. I’d also suggest you continue to have regular blood tests to ensure you’re never lacking in anything & have bone density tests to check for early signs of osteoporosis. Make them a regular event to keep ahead of things just like having a regular Pap smear & your teeth checked. All the best.

So sorry your surgeon was an ass. I hope you have more support from the other hospital’s team. Some vitamins can cause nausea (vitamin C, E & iron are the main culprits) & it can be challenging to find one with right quantities to suit you. Make sure you take it after you eat & if you have to take more than one, spread out taking them across the day. Bone broths do contain protein. Not as much as the protein shakes of course but for those who can’t tolerate the shakes they are a welcome alternative plus they are a change from shakes three times a day. The broth contains lots of essential nutrients as well.

I don’t take any vitamins any more. Haven’t since about month 8 (hit goal at 6 months) with my surgeon’s approval. While I was losing I took a multi vitamin. Also took a vitamin D to begin but was told to drop it because I had more than enough in my body. I stopped taking multivitamins because I’m not lacking in any nutrients - my three monthly blood work always comes back really good - except protein ☹️. (My poor ability to absorb protein is a result of my gall surgery but I don’t have to take the Creon I was prescribed anymore because they didn’t help - just have to continue to be vigilant with my protein intake.) What do your blood tests show? Are you lacking in any specific vitamin or mineral? Once you stabilise your weight, it’s not as necessary for sleevers to continue to take vitamins unless you are specific lacking in something unlike bypass patients who need to continue to take them due to malabsorption challenges.

Wouldn’t be an issue to start early. You could always start out slowly - swap out one meal for a couple of days, then a second meal, then the third meal. Might even make transition to just the shakes easier & the withdrawal (from sugar, caffeine, etc.) side effects less harsh to cope with. Good luck with your surgery.

Aah, the swelling carbs that keep filling your tummy even after you stop eating & then what your tummy can manage just regurgitates up. My first experience wasn’t an excess of food, eating too quickly or eating something that was too dry or coarse which are the things that trigger the foamies or the regurgitation for me. It was a piece of well cooked mushy carrot in a stew at about 2 months. Ate it the day before no problem but the second day my tummy said no. We all get to learn our triggers but it can be unpleasant along the way. 😁

Your tummy continues to produce stomach acid, not as much post surgery but still more than you need to digest the small amount of food you’re currently consuming (well drinking 😉) plus fluids need less acid to digest. Talk to your surgery, you may need a higher dose of your esomeprazole to get you over the hump until you’re eating solid food again. Congrats on your surgery.

Stalls are extremely common. The first usually starts in week 3 but can be earlier or later. They usually last 1-3 weeks. And yes I said the first stall. Many experience more as they progress. I liked to look at a stall as my body needing to take a breath. It’s been going through a lot: surgery, change of diet, restricted calories, etc. & it’s stressed. So just like when you’re experiencing emotional stress & you want to shut the door & pull the covers over your head your body shuts down too & you don’t lose weight. Best advice is to stick to your plan. You’ll slowly be eating more & more dense food anyway as you progress through the stages. If you are concerned have a chat with your dietician about your calorie intake especially if you’re very active again already. If not losing upsets you, avoid weighing yourself everyday. The stall will break when your body is ready. Good luck.

Have a chat with your team. The no alcohol advice tends to be for two reasons: one the calories & poor nutritional value (& no it doesn’t count as a fluid 😉). Two, the more important consideration for many is the addictive nature of alcohol. If you are someone who has a food addiction, post surgery you can’t satisfy that addiction so you turn to something else & alcohol is usually the first place people go. At about 6 weeks out I nursed a gin & tonic for hours. It was my cousin’s 40. I think I had another g&t at about 4 months, then 6 (girls weekend & at goal) then 7 months (Christmas - though was champagne). Same story sipped for hours. The tonic would be super flat & I could tolerate the bitterness. I still usually only have a glass of something about once a month or so, occasionally more often depending on what’s happening (special events) but am happy with just one glass. I used to drink one or two glasses of wine, gin or whisky every night. Don’t miss it. I go for quality now not quantity.

Oh, yeah the ads can be terrible. It’s why I record or stream almost every tv program I watch these days. Funny though I’ve been able to watch quality cooking/baking shows without a problem from the beginning (Great British Menu, Great British Bake-off, Top Chef, MasterChef, etc.) but ads for fast food & high fat, high sugar, etc. foods actually turn my tummy now. Social media can be terrible too.

Like @Sunnyway I have a lot of respect for Dr Matt Weiner’s advice. If you don’t want to get the books he also has great videos on You Tube: https://m.youtube.com/user/DrMatthewWeiner/videos I really like his recommendation to make one change at a time in your eating. Make a change then a couple of weeks later make another. Small changes are easier to manage & accept. And you get small wins to help you refocus & get back on the best path for you. Maybe start by tracking your intake again so you have a better picture of what & how much you’re eating. Then drop something from your diet. A couple of weeks later swap out something for a healthier choice. It will take time but it may help to make the changes permanent cause that’s how to be successful long term - permanent & sustainable changes to how, what & why we eat. Were you referred to a bariatric therapist during your approval process? If so, may be reach out to them again or contact your surgeon & ask for a referral to a reputable & experienced therapist. Many, many people have had success with therapy. It will help you better understand & manage what drives you to eat & help you find the motivation to take control of your eating habits. All the best.

Actually, I was just talking to my surgeon’s colleague this morning about the noisy poltergeist I have in my tummy. She laughed & said it’s a very common side effect but some are noisier than others. It’s caused by our body digesting & absorbing nutrients so it’s a good sign your body is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. She also said you can often see the ripples going across your abdomen as the digested food is passing through our digestive system. Guess what I’m going to do when it happens again 😆. As @Sunnyway said it is not a sign you are hungry & should eat.

Try to keep your food moist & tender. Don’t be afraid to use gravies, sauces, etc. to help make swallowing easier & you won’t miss drinking while eating as much. In time you’ll be able to reduce the amount of time between eating & drinking & many can even drink to varying degrees while eating. If your mouth feels super dry, try some biotene mouth spray. The straw thing is one of those things that some surgeons say no & others don’t have position. Still can’t understand why some are told not to use a straw but can use sippy cups & water bottles with those sucky tube nozzles. But … 🤷🏻‍♀️ I used them initially until I realised I could drink more easily from a glass or mug.

There is no right or wrong rate of loss. There is just what is right for you because we lose at our own rate. Many factors influence your rate of loss: age, gender, starting weight, genetics, etc. You’ll find in all your weight loss experiences there are averages but with all averages some do better & others not as well & that’s ok. There’ll also be things you’ll have in common with some people & things you won’t. Remember, how fast or slow you lose doesn’t affect whether you reach your goal or not. There are some things you can depend upon. The more you have to lose the faster you lose to begin. The closer you are to your goal the slower your loss will be. And you likely will experience at least one stall (usually lasting 1-3 weeks). Good luck.

Some people do experience hunger. Though I think some of the hunger people feel post surgery is head hunger. The surgery alone is stressful but add in not understanding if what you’re doing or feeling is right, the dramatic changes to what & how much you can eat, etc. makes you more anxious & emotional. For many of us, when we were stressed or emotionally upset we turned to food & now we can’t. Suddenly the thing we depended upon to soothe & comfort us is gone & then we feel even more anxious & upset & want to eat even more. Stomach acid can make you think you’re hungry when you’re not too. Hunger pangs don't necessarily mean you’re hungry. They often just mean you have acid in your tummy & it’s empty. An empty tummy is not a bad thing. Ensuring you take your esomeprazole & keeping your fluids up will help ease hunger pangs. I’m not downplaying those who feel hungry after surgery but just suggesting what could be contributing & making the situation harder to deal with & manage. Real hunger feels different to head hunger. For me I get restless, toss, turn & know something isn’t right. With real hunger I don’t want a specific food or taste. I just want something to eat & I want it to be nutritious. I had to learn what my body’s reactions really meant & to recognise the real cues & signals: those from need versus want. All the best.

It’s all about moderation. Give a little here. Take a little there. When it comes to Christmas (no thanksgiving in Australia but Christmas is BIG here & celebrations can last a couple of days) I eat much the same way as I do any other day: meat & vegetables in the same portion sizes I usually have. We don’t tend to use lots of cheese, cream, heavy dressings, etc. anyway which makes things easier. I avoid sweet foods like desserts, cakes, etc. 99% of the time but Christmas Day is one of the rare times I will have something sweet: a little Christmas cake, a sliver of pudding, a little jelly & custard (no pavlova or cheesecake). I’m the one who always makes the desserts for Christmas & I make them using real sugar because I eat it so rarely & have such a small amount of the desserts it’s okay. This will be my third Christmas post surgery & it hasn’t caused a hiccup to my weight yet - fingers crossed it continues. I should also add we have at least an hour break between our main meal & dessert during which time we go for a walk around the neighbourhood to look at Christmas lights, etc., play cricket, swim (not me - lol) or play some other games in the yard with the little ones.

Yes, it is trial & error as to what will sit well in your still healing & often fussy tummy. Try puréeing some turkey thigh (breast is too dry & coarse) with gravy or stock. Won’t look pretty but you’ll be eating turkey.

At two months I’d lost about 12kg (26lbs) from my surgery weight & by the end of the 3rd month I’d lost about another 5kg (11lbs) so it was slowing by then. But as @The Greater Fool said, we all lose at our own rate. There are many factors that influence your rate of loss: age, gender, starting weight, metabolic rate, genetics, etc. I’d encourage you to have a conversation with your dietician & surgeon about your progress especially if you’re concerned & as you’re still predominately getting your nutrition from protein shakes. What does your plan recommend you should be eating at this point? Personally I gave shakes up from week 3 purée stage - was always my intention. At two & three months I was eating 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food 3 times a day plus a high protein yoghurt or yoghurt drink. Also had started adding vegetables & a little fresh fruit. But we are different in what & how much we can eat eat as we progress. I hear you about the dizziness & lack of energy. Dizziness caused by drops in blood pressure is not uncommon to begin (unless you’re like me & always had a tendency to low blood pressure & then you live with it forever). Try adding an electrolyte drink to your fluids each day to give you a good boost. I carried a bottle of diluted hydralyte with me everywhere for months.

I actually only lost 2.1kgs in the two weeks before surgery. So relax you’ll likely be ok especially as you were only required to do 2 weeks. I did lose a total of 5.2kgs in the 6 weeks between getting the referral from my GP & my surgery. I started to make changes straight away to start preparing for the pre surgical shake diet I’d heard about & then I only had to follow keto for the two weeks. Not complaining though 😆.

We all react differently but for most it does tend to start around month 3. Just a thought but did you have a long pre surgical diet (months not weeks)? If you did maybe your protein levels have been low for a while already unless you were vigilant about your intake. If you also lost a considerable amount of weight during the pre surgical diet your body might have gone into shock earlier too & the surgery was the last straw so to speak. These things are what stimulate & accelerate our natural hair loss cycle & suddenly we’re losing handfuls of hair. Give your surgeon a call & see what they suggest why it’s happening earlier.