Arabesque

Every one loses at their own rate. There is no right or wrong amount of weight to lose each week. Yes, there may be average amounts of loss people who are similar height, weight, age, gender, etc. may have in common. As long as you see the trend of your weight loss going down you’re succeeding. The amount you lose each week will also slow as you progress. It is possible you are experiencing a stall as has been suggested. These are extremely common. We talk about the three week stall but that first one can happen at week 2, 3, 4, 5 …. It’s just your body taking a breath & trying to catch up with the changes (surgery, weight loss, reduced calories, dietary changes,…). You will likely have other stalls as you’re losing. We’ve all been on that gain, lose, gain roller coaster. Personally I know the reason I always regained after losing was because the diets I was on weren’t sustainable or I just went back to the same old way of eating. I’d start regaining a couple of weeks after the diet ended. The difference this time is that I work at sticking to the changes I made to how I eat, what I eat, why I eat every day. I have many years ahead of me but I’m going to work my butt off to try to stay my course cause that desire to go down my old path is always there. I just understand it & manage it better now. Your success starts & ends in your head. It’s not just what you put in your mouth. You have to do the head work. Many do this with the help of a therapist, others do it themselves. There are lots of people here who are happy to share experiences & offer support. Follow your plan, meet your protein goals, get your fluids in, be more active and your weight loss will continue. You’ll get there.

So sorry you are experiencing such severe gerd. It is really important you get your fluids in & not risk dehydration. Try some warm drinks like herbal or uncaffeinated tea or even warm water - the warmth is more soothing than cold. I’d probably avoid the flavoured waters & Gatorade too as there could be something in them which aggravates the gerd. When my reflux was diagnosed almost 30yrs ago, I made but changes to my diet. I cut back on all carbonated drinks (couple of glasses of soda, tonic or sparkling water a month only), cut out all spicy food, reduced my fat intake, avoided rich creamy foods & high acid foods, etc. which helped me a lot - didn’t stir up the excess acid in my tummy. I’m sorry this isn’t working for you. I also slept on a elevated bed like you do. (I used bricks under the legs of the top of the bed so your whole body is on an incline not bent at your upper chest/neck which causes the acid to pool there.) I was experiencing some late night acid burning in my throat & I was advised to avoid hard protein 2 hours before bed - liquid or soft protein is fine. May be helpful so you can a little more comfort at night. Just suggestions. I hope your surgeon can help you.

We’re the same height & about the same weight. I struggled to find my maintenance point too & lost about another 12kgs. I’m only 2yrs out but it took me a year of increasing my calories to find the right balance & stop losing. As I couldn’t really increase my portion size for my meals (I physically couldn’t eat any more) I added snacks - what felt & still seems like lots of snacks. I was eating 5-6 nutritionally beneficial snacks a day. Now I eat 3-5 a day just depending. I’m pretty consistent in what I eat. My lowest weight was 48.2kg but for the last 6 months I usually sit at about 49kg (swing 48.5-49.5). I have dropped a bit lately (been 47.9 a couple of times) because I haven’t been overly hungry or interested in eating. I’m sure this will pass. If not I’ll have to work harder at getting in my 1200 calories which seems to be my golden number. Are you still tracking & weighing your food? Do you have a caloric goal or average number you consume in each day? I do random checks to ensure I haven’t misread caloric or nutritional information or am misjudging portion size - it’s easy to under or over estimate. I suggest going back to your dietician & revising your daily food intake for a few weeks with them. There may be something you’re missing & they should be able to recommend or advise on a plan forward. My medical team were concerned at first especially when I was still losing but they’re ok now cause I’m stable. I’m pretty small boned so I don’t mind being on the lower end of the BMI scale. (For years I was told I was big boned but it was just fat - lol!) Congratulations on losing your regain. Good luck.

Walking 7-9 miles is great. The joint pain could be from your changing weight distribution - your centre of gravity changes as you lose weight. (I found myself slouching as I lost weight.) Could also be additional strain on joints that have already been stressed from carrying your weight over the years. Walking, though less hard on the joints then say running, still causes jarring to joints. It’s like getting sore muscles when you first start exercising or start a new exercise program. Were you very active in the years before your surgery? Were you fitted for your walking shoes? Old shoes, non supportive or badly fitting shoes can cause joint & muscle pain. Of course I don’t know your history so these are just suggestions. Congrats on your surgery. Enjoy your vacation.

Possible dehydration, low caloric intake, low blood pressure, recovery all contribute to a lack of energy after surgery. I experienced low energy levels for ages & my tendency to low blood pressure (random drops) became full blown orthostatic hypotension after surgery. Every time I got up the world would go black & my head would sometimes get a bit doughy. It’s not quite as bad now - only happens a few times a day & not all day long. If the dizziness is from from drops in your blood pressure there are things you can do to help avoid injury from falling. Get up slowly. Once standing don’t move for a minute. When you do start walking making sure there’s a wall, chair, table near you that you can grab to ground you if you get dizzy & stop moving (I’ve even grabbed people 😁). It passes in about 10 seconds for me. Have a chat with your medical team & get your BP checked. Up your fluid intake & add some extra salt to your diet. If you’re on meds for high blood pressure they may need to be adjusted. Take things slowly.

Some foods are just too dry or too coarse & can cause problems. It’s almost like they get caught or they make your restriction kick in (that tightness across your chest). Chicken or steak can be troublesome for some. I can’t do char grilled meats or vegetables. Is it specific foods that cause the discomfort or all food? If it’s only certain foods, drop them from your diet for a while or try other ways of cooking them. Are you eating slowly? I know we all say we do but …. I still take ages to eat (40+ mins to eat about 3oz steak & a cup of vegetables last night). Take a small bite & put your cutlery down. Doesn’t matter if it’s 5 minutes or more before you take the next bite. Have you spoken to your medical team? It does get easier but don’t push yourself to do more than you can at any time.

I agree it s a lot of weight to drop in 3 weeks. Though your scales may not have been accurate for a while as the batteries were failing. Maybe time for some new scales???

Recumbent bikes are great. My mother got one after her double knee replacement & loves it. She’s 81 & rides it every day (while watching Judge Judy 🤷🏻‍♀️ 😂). She finds it very easy on her knees & body. Give one a go at sports store & see how you go with your arthritis.

Most GERD suffers are encouraged to go down the bypass route as the risk of GERD developing or worsening is greater with the sleeve. I had reflux before my sleeve but it was mild. I made a lot of dietary changes when it was diagnosed which reduced the number of attacks. Post surgery I experience it more frequently but it manifests differently. One of the symptoms I previously experienced were terrible hiccups (prolonged, deep body wracking, strained muscle ones). Now if I get the hiccups they’re much shallower & pass quickly. I take prescription Nexium every day now (only took it as needed previously) which generally controls it. Main exception is if I eat dense protein close to when I go to bed then I’ll have some burning in my throat later but if the protein is soft or liquid like yoghurt I don’t have a problem. As @catwoman7 said you may be a lucky one or you may not be. You have to weigh the risks.

Magnesium & calcium can help the leg cramps. Speak to your doctor about Lyrica - it’s great for nerve pain. But it does increase your appetite. Start at a low dose because if the dose is too high it can make you dopey.

Always looking stylish @Dtrain84. You’ve been runway ready for as long as we’ve known you. Hope you had a happy birthday. 100 degrees & wearing compression garments??? 😱 unimaginable @WishMeSmaller. Be careful not to overheat & good luck going back to work.

Sometimes it’s just your tummy healing & the twinges, spasms, discomfort, etc. are the signs. (It does takes a while for your insides to heal after the surgery.) Some surgeons use an internal anchoring stitch & that can pull at times too. Eating too quickly, swallowing air as you eat or sip can cause discomfort too. Your purées may be a little too thick for your healing tummy to handle yet. Some people just need longer to move through the stages & have to treat their tummies a little more gently. But if the pain persists or gets worse contact your surgeon. You can also call them now - just to make sure.

You’ve lost 215lbs? That’s amazing. Congratulations. Though I’m sorry you had problems after your DS surgery. I agree with @Creekimp13’s suggestion to see a therapist. They’ll support you work through any emotional issues you may have & provide strategies to help you do the head work needed to be successful in this process. I wasn’t an avid calorie counter but did random checks. It’s easy to overestimate portion size, calorie content & the nutritional content of what you’re eating. It is a pain but very worthwhile. I’d also suggest contacting your nutritionalist (or finding one who specialises in bariatric patients) to review your diet & make suggestions. Of course, if you are doing all the right things, it could be a stall. Most last 1-3 weeks but that’s the average, some do last longer. They are the worst but sometimes your body just needs time to catch up with all the changes, like your weight loss, reduced calories, dietary changes, increased activity, etc. You’ve got a great cheer squad in your husband (ignore your family) & your children are a great motivation. There’s always support & advice here too. All the best.

I was never given a caloric goal either just portion size - 1/4 cup to begin slowly increasing until about a cup near goal. Of course on the liquid stage there was no quantity given. On liquids I only had a shake in the morning & soup in the evening: less than 300 calories. On purée it was about 300 calories & three meals a day. I wasn’t hitting my 60g protein goal but my surgeon & dietician were ok with that & said it would get easier - it did. I wasn’t an avid calorie counter just random checks especially if I added something new to my diet. I progressed to about 600 - 800 calories as I neared goal. Now I eat about 1200 to maintain (took me a while to get there) but I’m not very tall, have a smaller frame & aren’t very active. But we’re all different & have different requirements. I wasn’t hungry or interested in food & couldn't eat more than I was. If you’re concerned, don’t think the recommended quantities or goals are right for you (too much or not enough) or you’d prefer more direction have a chat with your dietician or surgeon. Slowly adding in fruits, vegetables & small amounts of good carbs as you’re ready will help you get in all your nutrients. I aim to have a pretty balanced diet & get all my nutrients only from the food I eat. I haven’t had a shake since the liquid stage, stopped my vitamins at 2 months post goal & my blood work always comes back great (but that could just be me). Good luck. PS - Your insides, where the surgery occurred, take a lot longer to heal then your outside incisions. The outside is pretty superficial in comparison.

So super organised. Congratulations. The freezer & the microwave were my best friends when losing (actually still are 😆). Having meals ready prepped in the freezer (defrost, reheat, prep some vegetables & eat) simplified everything & I didn’t have to think too much about what I was going to eat. A boon on those I’m not really hungry or interested in eating but I know I have to have something days. Plus when you cook it yourself, you have control of the ingredients & how it’s been cooked. Because my taste buds were pretty crazy the first couple of months a lot of things I thought I’d enjoy eating tasted disgusting. But it was nice to have some texture. I do remember I preferred foods that were a little more salty & the foods I puréed with stock or gravy were more palatable. Good luck.

How disappointing for you. No wonder you’re frustrated & deflated by the experience. It’s unfortunate your surgeon was unsupportive & not forthcoming about what happened. I agree with @Jaelzion’s suggestion to try to speak with him again to find out what really happened & what it means for you. Sometimes, regardless of the scans & tests they do or don’t do before surgery, what they find when they operate & can actually see is not what they expect. Better they stop the surgery then risk complications, a less successful surgery or prolonged recovery. On a positive, he’ll likely use the same incisions as he made with your aborted surgery when you do finally have your surgery. When I had my gall bladder removed my surgeon used three of the incisions he made when he did my sleeve & only had to make one new one to better access my gall. Good luck.

That was 10 days post surgery??? OMG you look great @WishMeSmaller. How long will you have the drain? I get the post surgical fatigue. I did a few chores around the house last week about a week after my gall removal & I spent the rest of the day on the couch 😁. I can only imagine how it’s affected you after your bigger surgery. Pretty flash Halloween costume @Ellie64. Looks great on you.

Everyone slips at some stage. If you haven’t had any side effects you’re probably ok. But this isn’t a get out of jail free card or permission to do it again. The staged return to eating solid foods is in place to aid healing, not put strain or damage on your poor sensitive tummy. Remember you had a large chunk of it cut away & you have lots of staples & stitches inside. You will be digesting food slightly differently then you did before too. Congrats on your surgery. You’ll be fine. Just follow your program.

I’ve never been a big exerciser. I’ve tried it all but I have never experienced that endorphin rush people talk about. Sweat, muscles strain, exhaustion, boredom yes but no sense of accomplishment or joy so little motivation. After surgery I walked on my treadmill. I did this for a couple of months. Then my energy levels plummeted & I was exhausted so I stopped. I then bought some resistance bands & did that for a while. If I was someone who found satisfaction in being able to run 10km, swim 100 laps or lift 50kgs, maybe I would be motivated to be more active but I don’t. I don’t want to spend hours at a gym or on my treadmill. At 2 yrs out, I try to be active in my everyday. Deliberately make multiple trips up & down my stairs. Park further away from where I need to go. Use stairs where possible. Walk at pace. Walk to the local convenience store, etc. My calories intake is lower because I’m not overly active but I’m fine with that. How much you exercise & what you do is up to you. As I say all the time, you have to find what works for you & allows you to live & enjoy your life. @SummerTimeGirl - you may appear healed on the outside but you don’t know about your insides where the surgery actually occurred. If you think you’re ready to do more than just walk, have a conversation with your surgeon.

You said it yourself: it was one of the hardest thing you’ve ever done. You need to keep reminding yourself of this because the hard work doesn’t end. The battle continues. You never get rid of the cravings or the emotional drives to eat or the old habits & the temptations to eat are always around us. We just learn to recognise them better & develop strategies to manage them. People who say the surgery is cheating or the easy way are coming from a place of ignorance. They don’t know & don’t understand which is understandable if they have no point of reference. Then there are those who have weight issues but simply are not in the mindset to be proactive about their weight loss & they are critical (or envious) of those who are. People never say to someone who joins a gym or uses a personal trainer that they took the easy way out. They congratulate them. Yet the PT & the gym memberships are just tools too. If you don’t use them & take advantage of the benefits they can offer nothing will change. Enjoy your success. PS - I have loose skin but I’d rather have that then be obese. Clothes cover it. The only person who really sees mine is me. The other person who sees yours says you’re beautiful!

I fasted for a lot of my life eating only one or two meals a day. All it did for me was slow my metabolism to the point I’d basically maintain on a 900 calorie diet regardless of my weight & how much activity I did. WLS boosted my metabolism & I eat more now then I ever have in my memory without gaining. There’s research coming out now that supports that keto should only be followed for a short period of time & it can cause erratic insulin levels especially in diabetics. My dietician had me follow it only for the 2+ weeks before my surgery. Surprisingly, I did lose about 5kgs but that high fat killed me - awful. But as with everything, what works for me may not work for you. You may have to try different eating plans or devise your own to find what’s right for you. There’s only one thing you can count on: if you eat more than you need you’ll gain.

Be honest. Being in the right mindset, being able to do the head work we all need to do on the way, being able to cope with the emotional ups & downs & lifestyle changes will contribute greatly to your success. If you do the assessment & they decide you need some tools & strategies to work through any emotional issues, assist your focus or for whatever reason grab it with both hands. Good luck.

Doesn’t matter what diet you follow, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, etc., if you eat more than your body needs to function you will put on weight. It’s a sad but simple truth. It doesn’t matter where your calories come from a calorie is a calorie (of course some calories come with better nutrients). You could eat a 2000 calorie burger, fries & soda meal & nothing else for the whole day or eat 2000 calories of lean protein & vegetables but if your body only needs 1500 calories to function the extra 500 calories will be converted & stored as fat & you will put on weight.

Congrats on your weight loss. Some people can guzzle down liquids others can’t. I can’t. I only experience that pain if I drink too fast or try to swallow too big a mouthful - usually when I’m not thinking about what I’m doing. I can take 2 sips at a time at most & then I have to put my glass down & wait before I have another.

You can always make your own tomato sauce/Passata & totally control the ingredients. It’s pretty easy. Just blanch your tomatoes & peel off their skin. Quarter them & cut out the seeds. You can cook them on the stove or roast them in the oven. You can cook up onion with the tomato too. Add herb & spices, salt & pepper as you want. Even a splash of balsamic vinegar - brings out the tomatoes natural sweetness. No need for sugar. When cooked blend & sieve. Freezes well too so you can make in bulk.