Arabesque

Scar tissue takes time to develop.You’re only a week post surgery. It’s likely internal stitches, swelling & bruising. Remember they cut down through a lot of tissue to reach your stomach. Give it time to heal then use products like bio oil, vitamin E oil or similar to reduce scaring. Gently massage the oil into the wound area to reduce the likelihood of scaring. I just have small, very faint lines left barely a centimetre long that I have to look for to see now & I usually keloid scar. Watch for redness. If the incision sites become sore to touch (more than tender), ooze or bleed seek medical help.

All the information I read pre surgery said no NSAIDS but when I asked my surgeon he said it was ok to take them for random use or for short periods due to injury. Long term daily use was a whole different story & should be avoided. I agree with @ms.sss advice to speak with your doctor about his recommendation but I’d be talking to your doctor ASAP about the swollen lymph gland & the pain you’re suffering first.

I was a water gulper too & used to drink a lot but struggled to drink much water at all after surgery. Still do 13 mths later. I used to dilute my protein shakes - at least an extra 50% more water to the mix. Made them easier to swallow as well. Also diluted my hydralite - instead of adding 250mls to a sachet I added 500mls. (Made it less sweet & generally more palatable.)

I’ve just passed my 1yr anniversary & it’s a wonderful new world. However, my biggest fear is regaining the weight I lost. I mean it’s what I’ve done all my life: gain, lose, gain again. Rinse & repeat. The fear is keeping me motivated. I generally do eyeball but in saying that I check the weight of meats & will cut it into pieces to keep my intake to 80-100g raw. If I have a pre-packed food or multi serve packs (meats, seafood, rolled oats, etc.) I ensure I eat only one serve or less than the recommended serve. For example the bulk pack chicken tenderloins I buy recommends 1 1/2 pieces per serve - I eat one. I know about 1/2 cup fits in the curve of the palm of my hand which helps eyeballing when I go out (remember when we used go out regularly) or prepping fruit & vegetables. And I always try to eat slowly & to listen to my body - do I really need that next bite.

I was told no carbs except for those that occurred naturally in the food like in fruit & vegetables but could eat rolled oats. Also had to find the lowest carb options in shakes etc. And a most definite no to rice, pasta & bread. Once I got to maintenance I was allowed to add a small amount of multigrains to my diet. For me this is multigrain crackers as I can use them to carry other foods like hummus, avocado, eggs, etc. This small addition helped a lot with that weight loss haggard look & also with keeping me regular - lol.

My mum had the surgery too but only the once & the problem was fixed. We had a few scares with her choking before that. Agree with watching the clock while eating, pacing your bites & putting your cutlery down between bites. I aim to take 20-30 mins to eat a meal. Gives your brain time to realise you’re satisfied or full. Also use smaller cutlery & dishes so your serves don’t look as small & each bite is less than on full sized cutlery. I also often ask myself if I really need that next bite.

At three days out I was barely having a sip of clear broth twice a day. Was not hungry & not interested in eating. By the end of the first week I was drinking more. I’d make up a protein shake & then sip it for hours. I didn’t consider time until I was onto solid food after 6weeks. Now I just make sure I eat slowly over 20-30 mins so I get the message I’m full or satisfied. Goid luck.

How frightening for you (& your seamstress). I’ve never fainted but have had cold sweats, nausea, general weakness & had to sit down because of my low BP. The last time was about 3months ago. Was just standing chatting at a shop I frequent when I suddenly became very weak. They got me some water & I sat down for about 20mins in the shop before I felt strong enough to drive the 5mins home. I do have vision loss multiple times a day when I stand up & my BP drops. Not fun. I used to take a bottle of diluted hydralite (full strength was too sweet) with me to sip wherever I went which I found helpful. Interested to see what your GP says & if the BP meds were the cause.

Happy birthday @Dtrain84. You always bring it. Super sharp! Do you find that sometimes putting on a dress or skirt just makes you feel prettier @GreenTealael? So lovely.

How amazing are those balloons. Never seen any as wonderful before. What a talented gentleman.

Had the same issue with my cholesterol levels rising more at every blood test. Doctors all very concerned but my dietician said relax it’s just the weight loss & it will settle when you get to your goal weight. She was right. My last blood test showed my cholesterol was back to my usual levels with no change to my diet. She explained that as you lose weight all the hormones etc. stored in your fat are released into your blood stream.

There’s nowhere to hide when you wear Lycra, Jake, but you look great.

Thanks @over65. I’ve had concerns about artificial sweeteners for years but my biggest issue is that they continue to feed our desire for sugar & sweet foods & drinks. Reduce it from your diet & you’ll realise how excessively & unnecessarily sweet a lot of foods & drinks actually are.

And this is only the beginning. So many more achievements, benefits & blessings ahead for you too. Congratulations.

I did two weeks on keto. Had one friend on shakes & another on a combination for three weeks. Seems it depends on your surgeon & your starting weight. Post surgery I was fluids for two weeks, purées for two weeks followed by soft foods for another two before beginning solid foods. Take it slowly. Your tummy will tell you what you can or can’t tolerate but I wouldn’t push it through the stages quickly. Took me a good three weeks to feel up to working but I always take a long time to get over things (healing, viruses, etc. - I have Gilbert’s & my BP was low). No lifting for two weeks & then less than 5kg for another two. Then no more than 10kg for the next two. Remember you’re healing from major stomach surgery. Always had a large glass of wine every night & enjoyed a good scotch or G&T. Now hardly ever drink. Lost the taste for it & don’t miss it. Certainly don’t need it to socialise with friends. Plus it was taking an hour to drink a glass. Would avoid mixing with juices - high calories & sugar. Also beware of addiction swapping. It’s a concern for post weight loss surgery patients to turn their addiction for food to something else. Carbonated drinks are very filling. Better to be getting in your protein & good nutrients than filling your small tummy with soft drinks. (Plus I personally have an issue with artificial sweeteners - they still feed your sugar craving.) If the tool is to help you & you intend to be successful long term you will have to change your relationship with food: how you eat, what you eat, when you eat. It takes work and your life will change but for the better.

Could be your gallbladder but most definitely go to your doctor as soon as possible.

So inspiring @Sharon1214. Congratulations on what you have achieved.

The skirt is by Mara Hoffman an American label @Lynda486. Bought just before lockdown & it was it’s first wearing. We’ve been slowly opening back up here in Aust @Cheeseburgh so when I have a specific reason to go out I take the opportunity to dress up & get out of the baggy track pants. 😁 May have to reconsider this wrap open sided coat I bought. I think I look like Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan ... just in black. This is not the coat you want. 😂

Mine fell out for a good 6 months. It slowed for a couple of weeks at about 4 months & I was celebrating but then it was as bad as before. I had a heap of hair but lost 50%. Growing back now.

Hit the shops to find a 50th birthday gift for my youngest brother. So hard. Can’t find a navy belt or boots for love or money at the moment so grey will suffice with very old black boots. Plus a little pop of berry lipstick to brighten my day.

Why do you think you’re underweight? A bmi of between 18 & 25 is considered healthy. My dietician told me she would be concerned with my bmi if I had deep hollows under my collar bones and around my shoulders because these were signs of being undernourished & underweight. In saying that, we all have different builds and weights at which we feel comfortable and you have to feel comfortable at your weight. I hope you get somewhere with your medical team soon. They should be there to calm your fears & answer your questions not increase your concerns & frustrations.

Looking good @Dtrain84. I love Aquazzura shoes @Sophie7713. I have a nice little collection of them. My shoe boutique only got in the black suede. Your neutral leather ones would work well in my wardrobe too. Found this pxt of me wearing mine back when our weather was warmer.

The headache could also be from the change of diet. You’re going through a withdrawal from the foods your body used to crave or you regularly ate & your body had became used to. Could be from stopping sugar, carbs, alcohol or caffeine.

@catwoman7 is correct. We all lose at different rates, the rate is dependent on many factors, and the more you have to lose the more you’ll lose each week. But the closer you are to your goal weight, the rate per week will slow. At 6 months from my surgery date I had lost 25.8kg (about 57lbs) and had lost about 6kgs in the weeks prior to surgery. That put me at my goal so I had slowed considerably during about the last 2months even though my diet hadn’t changed. Then lost another 10kgs during the following 5 months. Best advice is don’t compare your rate with anyone else, keep to your program, be prepared for stalls that can last weeks and you’ll do fine. Good luck.

They fill your abdomen with gas during surgery to inflate the area so they can see what they are doing. The gas has to then find its own way out of your body & causes side effects like the shoulder pain. The cream soups could be too rich for you. I was told to stick to clear liquids to begin like broths & stock-based soups with the protein shakes for the first couple of weeks. Remember you just had surgery on your stomach it needs to be treated gently for a while. The creamy soups could also be stirring up a lactose sensitivity. You’ll soon be experiencing the opposite effect of having wls - constipation.