Arabesque

Welcome to ketosis. Stronger body odour, bad breath, smelly urine, etc. are renowned side effects of ketosis. It’s like all our natural body secretions suddenly reek. We want to be burning fat but it’s a shame the side effect can be quite offensive. Regularly apply deodorants, pop breath fresheners, shower more regularly. I purchased some body wipe towelettes so I could freshen up a little in the toilet at work. https://hip2keto.com/tips/keto-common-side-effects-smell/

Some go back to work after a week, other two weeks or more. I took 4 weeks. We recover differently so it really is up to how you feel. You could try going back part time or with reduced hours if your work allows you. Though is sounds like you may have picked up a bug as you wondered. If you feel worse contact your medical team. Leaks are rare but if you are vomiting &/or have diarrhoea, cold sweats, a fever seek medical help ASAP. Changes to your taste & sometimes your sense of smell is common. A lot of it is reaction to the anaesthetic but it can also be ketosis. It’s temporary but certainly can make drinking or eating challenging: things just taste bleah! I sometimes find water heavy to drink so I add other fluids to my intake as well. All liquids contribute to your goal. I let sparkling water go flat before drinking & drink green tea. I used to also drink a high protein yoghurt smoothie & diluted my protein shakes (doubled the water added). Hope you feel better soon.

What’s done is done. Ultimately, whether you break your recommended eating plan is up to you. But something to consider is that the staged return to eating a solid diet is there to protect, not stress & aid the healing of your tummy. There are a lot of sutures &/or staples holding your digestive system together. You suffered no ill effects this time but do you want to take the risk it won’t next time?

I lost another 11kgs in the 11 months after I reached my goal. It took me a while to reach the sweet spot of the calories I consumed equaling the calories I burnt. The weight loss got slower & slower. I found it hard to eat more in a meal so I adding calories via additional snacks. I was up to 4 or 5 snacks a day (yoghurt, cheese, fruit, protein bar, whole/multigrain crackers, hummus). I truely felt like I was eating all day & it took effort like @ms.sss also experienced. Been stabilised for about 12 months. My meals are larger (about a recommended portion size) & I only have 3 or the odd fourth snack a day to reach the calories I need to maintain. I didn’t really start to feel hungry again until well into my second year and I still have days I’m not hungry. On those days I try to at least eat protein rich foods. My attitude to food has changed a lot. I usually eat to provide my body with the calories & nutrients it needs to function - I eat because I need to not because I want to. My experience is similar to some but not most. So far, I’m more of an exception. An outlier who throws a spanner in the statistical data & does more (or less) than statistically predicted. I am on the low BMI range end but turns out I actually have a smallish frame. Don’t know what your goal weight is but if you’re getting close you should definitely be slowing. You could start to add a little more to your diet via healthy snacks. Speak to your dietician for advice & suggestions. Just ignore those comments. We all got them. I did when I was 60kgs but don’t get them anymore 11kgs less - get you look great ones now. It doesn’t help that as we near our goal weight we start to look drawn. Once we add some good multi or whole grains back in our diet & our remaining fat resettles we look less gaunt. Those comments are more about how others perceive you not whether you are healthy & happy. It takes time for their vision of you to catch up with the new reality of you. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

The herniated discs will likely be causing your pain & spasms. I have 2 oozy discs in my lower back which are protruding but have not burst through yet to be fully herniated. Not sure if I fully understand your question though & I am making some presumptions. But losing weight certainly helped reduce the pressure on my back & the discs - less weight to carry & my posture improved. I also was given exercises to support my core muscles & gently stretch my lower back which helped too. My back only gets what I call tired if I stand too long now.

Oh God, that is brass monkey weather @kristieshannon. Brrrr. Presume you have double thermals under your scrubs. And yes, I still feel the cold too. I only sweat when I have a hot flush 😆.

Sorry your wife is struggling but she has had pretty major abdominal surgery. Pain, discomfort, spasming, swelling, bruising, etc. is to be expected. If it gets worse or she has any of the symptoms the surgeon’s office identified (vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, etc.) go to the hospital ASAP. She should find it improves a little every day. I found warm liquids much more soothing than cool/cold too. A warm compress will help too. And ensure she is sipping slowly. Hope she feels better soon.

Oh, I go for the full fat dressing - Paul Newman’s balsamic. Tried other brands but it’s the tastiest. Used to use just balsamic, strawberry or raspberry vinegar. I sometimes dilute the dressing with extra vinegar but not often. I cut up my meat too @JDLane - bite size pieces. Easier to check portion size & I can cut out bone, fat, etc.

It’s the protein you’re consuming. If you were like me, I never ate close to 60g of protein a day before surgery. Now I often eat more than 60g. Plus, you’re generally eating a more nutrient dense diet than you did before. The protein supplies your body with amino acids which are used to produce keratin which is part of the structure of nails & hair. I used to have itchy skin on my legs & little bumps on my arms. No more lumps & no more itch thanks to the protein too. The broader the variety of protein sources you eat the better the benefits. It’s wonderful. 🙂 Oh, and I don’t take any vitamins or supplements. PS - you could always try laser hair removal if frequent shaving gets too annoying. https://thebeautychef.com/blogs/blog/the-importance-of-protein-for-glowing-skin-hair-nails

I wonder if the cravings, especially sugar, occur in response to the emotional roller coaster of undergoing surgery, the restrictive diet & low calorie intake, etc.? You’re experiencing so many changes that you seek something that likely soothed & comforted you in the past. In times of stress we look to things that are familiar & offer comfort. This is just a thought. We all have different experiences. @Sleeve me alone! & @lizonaplane have offered some good suggestions that are worth a try. I have found if I feel hungry (head hunger) I make myself wait for 30 minutes & this breaks that craving. I do something to distract myself during that time - read, do a puzzle, fold the laundry, watch something on tv (streamed is best - no ads to further tempt us 😉), etc. Don’t be too concerned by your rate of weight loss. We all lose at our own rate - some fast, some slow. Many factors influence your rate (age, gender, starting weight, how long you’ve been overweight, genetics, etc.). Every pound you lose is a win. Good luck.

By 6 weeks @Cindy51, you should be moving on from soft foods & starting to add more dense foods. Think slow cooked meats, minced meats, thick meat soups, flaky fish, eggs, rolled oats, cheese, yoghurt, etc. Start adding more vegetables (well cooked mushy not coarse nor fibrous) now too. I didn’t have a single shake after the first two weeks & I started on purées. My surgeon was happy if I was close to reaching my protein goal those first few weeks. It can be a struggle if you’re not eating much like me at that time: barely 3 meals a day & only about 300 calories in weeks 3 & 4. I’d have a high protein yoghurt drink every second day mid afternoon - it counted as protein & fluids - double win! You may find the calories (carbs & sugar) in the canned fruit too high at this stage @Cindy51. Of course how much you eat will influence what percentage of your daily diet the canned fruit contributes. I wasn’t allowed any fruit for a couple of months then fresh only. Fruit is still the only non protein meal/snack I have. I was adding vegetables by then (non fibrous not coarse). A little steamed cabbage, a small cauliflower floret, a green bean or two. I would add carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, capsicum to any soups or stews/casseroles I made - nice & mushy. Two things you can rely on while you’re losing: stalls happen & we all lose at our own rate. Celebrate every one of those pounds you’ve lost so far.

What do your blood tests show you’re lacking in? This is the best place to start. You may not absorb certain nutrients as well anymore. I agree, there’s no point buying an expensive vitamin supplement if you don’t need it. Do you still have contact with your nutritionalist/dietician? They could review your diet with you in case you have inadvertently been omitting some essential nutrients or not eating enough of some. There’s no real one size fits all in regard to supplements & nutritional needs regardless of your surgery. It comes down to what you need & how your body functions. I’d contact my surgeon or GP to review your blood tests with them & ask for their recommendations on what you need. Good luck.

Many post op plans are pretty similar regardless of surgery. With my sleeve I had to follow 2 weeks liquids, 2 weeks purées (think sloppy no real chewing), 2 weeks soft (still pretty moist only a few chews needed) then slowly introduce more dense food as able. Certain foods were not allowed for a period of time & others not while I was losing. You may find you have to keep food pretty moist (think sauces, gravies, etc.) for a while. Your tummy can be pretty sensitive to begin too & foods you previously ate you can’t yet. Plus it’s not unusual for your sense of taste & smell to change temporarily. Some have trouble with things like eggs & chicken. It’s trial & error but don’t give up a food, just try it again later and if you need to stay at a stage longer that’s fine - we heal & recover differently. The best place to start is with the the list of allowed foods provided by your surgical team. They’ve been chosen so they don’t stress your healing & sensitive tummy & altered digestive system. You may still have issues with some or you may not. Raw fruit & vegetables, fruit skin, etc. are too coarse for your digestive system at first. The reason for no rice, bread, pasta is two fold. One to cut out processed empty calorie, low nutrition, starchy carbs from your diet while losing (many add these back in moderation in maintenance). And secondly because they swell & fill your much smaller tummy before you can get your protein in. Protein is key. Always protein first. Most eating plans while you’re losing are low fat, low carb, high protein. This is the time you also start exploring how you want to eat in the future. You try new ingredients, cooking styles, try alternative protein & nutritional sources. You’ll find you become very focussed on the nutritional value of what you eat. If you’re not sure about what you can eat & when have a conversation with your dietician. I saw my dietician every fortnight until about 4 months into maintenance then COVID hit but I could call her at any time I needed. We would discuss foods I had added to my diet, how I managed them & what I wanted to try next. She would sometimes suggest alternatives or suggest I wait or go slowly with some things. Good luck.

Aaah. The fun & games of how we all differently react to surgery & heal. My back went into spasm too so I know what you’re feeling - every position caused pain. Mine was because I had pain from swelling on swallowing so I was holding tension in my body causing the spasms. A heating pad should help & a pressure point massage from a physiotherapist if you can get one. The pain meds should be managing the surgical pain. If not, speak to your nurse. The back pain was gone in a day, surgical pain was almost nothing by day 4. I didn’t have any gas pain. I did have the sudden & completely unexpected bout of diarrhoea on day 3. Just once but that was enough. Yikes! I still gurgle - my own personal poltergeist in my tummy. It’s doing it now 😂. It does get better but it is scary at first because you don’t if what you’re experiencing is right or wrong.

I lost 31kg to goal then an additional 11.5 bringing the total to 42.5kg (93.6lbs). I weighed 48.5kgs then & 49kgs now so I have been keeping pretty stable so far but I’ve years ahead of me. Many surgeons will tell you the weight loss you should expect to lose is the average loss. That is what the average loss is at about 5 years out. This figure is about 65% of the weight you were to lose to be in the healthy BMI range. So if you were to lose 100lbs to put you in the healthy BMI range the average loss at the 5 yrs mark would be about 65lbs. Of course this does not mean this is where you’ll be. Some exceed this some don’t. Years 2 & 3 post surgery are quite notorious for a 10lb+/- regain. Some because of complacency, some personal choice to better complement their lifestyle. The surgery will help you get so far. The rest is up to you. As long as what you chose to do re eating habits & activity levels are sustainable & not restrictive, you’re happy & healthy, the actual number on the scale doesn’t matter that much.

Didn’t have salad for lunch yesterday. 😱 The shock! Bought some fresh salmon & decided to slice it up & have sashimi for lunch instead. Generally struggle with oily fish like salmon but dip it raw in soy sauce & it’s delicious. Was about 70g of salmon. Had to revert to using a fork though - the numb spots on my thumb made using chop sticks too challenging. Then for a retro treat: apricot chicken . Hello 70s/80s. My fabulous butcher had apricot lovely legs & I just had to have them. Not as sticky & sweet as I remembered fortunately (remember cooking them in a tin of apricot nectar?) & I heated some diced apricots as a quick salsa like sauce. Will add some fresh ginger to the apricots I think tonight for a bit of zing. Wish I had some fresh coriander but … Oh well next time. Hey @Sophie7713, everything looks delicious but what’s the top white bean dish?

Always a good idea to get feedback from others. I was put on keto for the 2.5 weeks before surgery but that was all I did. Some will likely swear by it but personally I wouldn’t go back to it. Good to kick start a diet but not long term. Your surgery is the best kickstart you’ll ever find. The high fat intake on keto is the real issue for me. I’ve never enjoyed high fat foods & now I don’t have a gall bladder to help process all that fat. You may find your cholesterol temporarily increases while you are losing (it’s released from your fat). I believe it’s one of the reasons most surgeons & dieticians recommend low fat while you’re losing so you’re not adding to the risk. Losing large amounts of weight & high cholesterol levels also put you had a higher risk of developing gall stones. It’s why many of us end up having issues & have our galls removed post weight loss surgery. I’ve read keto can also screw with your blood sugar levels so if you have issues with diabetes it may not be your best option. Usually best to stick to your surgeon’s plan & dietician’s recommendations while you are losing. Slowing adding in new foods as you go. You’ll lose doing that & you will go into ketosis as well - bad breath & a smelly body awaits you 😉. You may find you end up developing your own eating plan which works for you & which incorporates aspects of many eating styles once you’re close to or in maintenance: keto, vegan, vegetarian, Atkins, intermittent fasting, etc. Whatever way you go it has to be sustainable & complement how to want to live your life. Good luck whatever you choose to do.

I use both. My weight at my GP when I asked for my referral to the surgeon (91kg) cause it was my weight when I officially started the process. I sometimes refer to my weight on the day of surgery (85.8kg 6 weeks later) because that was what I was right before I started benefitting from the surgery.

They are almost impossible to pass usually because of their size. Certain medications can help dissolve very small gravel but the side effects aren’t the nicest & until they are gone you will continue to experience pain. Have you had an abdominal ultrasound to see how many you have & how large they are? Best treatment is to have your gall bladder removed otherwise you will continue to experience pain. My surgeon said once you have one stone you will likely develop more. Gall stones can develop because of high cholesterol, prolonged weight loss, menopause or high bilirubin levels.

OMG what a terrible experience. I had a series of 3 or so bee stings over a short period of time when I was young. It was like I had a bees please sting me sign on my back. Each time the reaction got worse. My mum took me to the doctor with the last one - arm red, painful & badly swollen. He said each sting was creating a worsening allergy & if I got stung again the reaction could be life threatening. Scary! Possibly could have grown out of it but I’m not going to test it out by being stung. 😱 Yep I think you may win the title of the shortest among us @Lynnlovesthebeach. 🏆 I’m actually 5’3” and a quarter & that quarter was damn important to me for ages. 😂

Mmmm not sure @Kris77. That 3/4 of an inch is a lot. 😆😆😆

It’s likely just a stall. We almost all experience at least one, some experience a lot more. They usually last 1-3 weeks but can be longer. It’s just your body coming to terms with the changes: weight loss, reduced calories, etc. Your physical body gets stressed too & just sometimes needs to take a breath like we sometimes do emotionally & mentally. Keep doing what you’re doing & you will start to lose again. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

It differs person to person. Some say a couple of days some say a week. I didn’t drink much for the first 3 or so days because of pain on swallowing from swelling so the IV fluids likely compensated for me not drinking. I wasn’t peeing any more than I usually did. I weighed myself day 4 post surgery & I was 1.5kgs less. I didn’t notice much abdominal swelling either & had no gas pain at all. This was totally different after my gall removal surgery - gas pain for days, bloated & took 4 days of peeing like a racehorse to lose the 2kgs I’d gained. But as I said we’re all different. We retain fluids differently. Our body reacts to trauma differently. Our surgeons operate differently (mine uses little gas in bariatric surgeries but uses more for gall). We heal differently. As long as you realise any weight gain is likely from the surgery you’ll be fine. It certainly won’t be from eating copious amounts of food 😉. Hope all goes well with your surgery.

Oh, the unsolicited advice & sometimes hurtful comments. People do get over it & as @ms.sss sud it becomes old news. Now I just get comments about how good I look 😉. When you first loose the weight it is a bit of a shock to others & yourself. They (& you) have a picture of you in their heads & it dues to align anymore. Like they can’t recognise you anymore. It takes time to get used to how you look being so much slimmer & for that fat image to be replaced. Also you will find that once your weight stabilises your remaining fat seems to resettle around your body. At first it seemed I had lost my hour glass shape & I had no butt at all. Now, my waist is definitely there again & I have a little booty but my weight has not changed. If you are working on toning you’ll likely notice the resettling more. And don’t forget either that muscle weighs more than fat. As @ms.sss also said your weight will be lower if you have skin removal. So it is something to take into consideration. I think you may even find that the abdominal fat you see is really just loose skin. I didn’t go down the skin removal path as I don’t have much loose skin. (It doesn’t impede me in any way & isn’t noticeable even in fitted body con clothes.) There are a lot of factors that influence how much loose skin you end up with: highest weight, how long you were overweight, age, gender, genetics, weight gain & loss history, etc. So you can never really compare what you look like with others. Though we’re human & we can’t always stop ourselves doing that. 😉 I always say you have to find a weight you are happy with, are healthy at & can maintain without having to make too restrictive sacrifices that limit how you enjoy your life. Only you know what weight that is. Congrats on your weight loss. You’re looking amazing.

It’s been 4 days by which time the nurse told me i should see results but I’ve also read it can take 7-10 days. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can see some difference but will probably need the little top up next week to get the missed spots. Also thinking about getting some PDO threads around the mouth area to take in the chin & nasal labia folds. These are the collagen threads not the barbed lifting threads. Apparently the neutraliser produces the same reaction in the body as bee & wasp stings not that it includes the actual venom. The concern is because our bodies overreact we may go to into anaphylaxis. So not worth the risk she said. I hope your family is more aware of your allergy than mine. We were all in our mum’s garden a few years back & I did this big dash away saying bees. My brothers laughed & teased me as only brothers can for being afraid of bees. I’m allergic I tell them & they look at me with disbelief & as if I was joking until Mum confirmed it. How did you find out about yours? Not by having an anaphylactic reaction I hope. Oh & congrats on your 3 year anniversary too @ms.sss. Whoo hoo! I so love that colour on you, @Sophie7713. You look fabulous. And I think that’s such a clever idea to tuck the legs in your shoes - like matching socks. I still think we should be eligible for a rebate on all the excess fabric we have to cut off to make clothes the right length. I think those velvet pants look amazing on you @WishMeSmaller. Legs for days, girl. Saw this yesterday. Finally payback!! 😆😆😆