Arabesque

It can be difficult to swallow in the first couple of days after your surgery (swelling) but also some surgeons will want you not to swallow meds for a period of time advising patches, chews or to crush meds (not all can be crushed). And of course there’s also what you’re able to do & tolerate in those first few weeks while healing. I had swelling to begin but the hospital gave me pain killers & other meds as tablets in hospital after the first day - it wasn’t easy & hurt. I didn’t have to begin any vitamins until I was home (day 4) but by then the swelling was gone. I was also able to take my vitamins as tablets. Mine were capsules but I could only swallow one at a time with a little break between. Also took half the tablets in the morning & the other half at night.

Could be your body adjusting to the lower calorie intake or withdrawal from sugar, carbs, caffeine. Check with your medical team to be sure. You’ll likely experience this again after surgery for a while as well as lethargy & low energy while you’re healing & consuming less.

It’s okay. Everyone slips at some point. As long as you don’t keep doing it you’ll be okay. Look at it as a learning opportunity. We all have to work out why, how much, often often or when we’ll eat certain foods. Why did you keep eating the pizza? Craving, emotions (happy, sad, angry, frustrated.), boredom, habit, diet fatigue, testing your limits, etc.? What can you do the next time you’re in this situation or mental place? Portion out a slice & put the rest in the fridge, only have it when you can share with a friend so they eat most of it, mange when you choose to have it so as not to compromise your weight loss, make a more nutritionally beneficial low cal version (cauliflower base, etc.)

I went to a friend & her husbands combined 60th about two weeks after my surgery & had to stand up (no chairs in their backyard - actually there was one but the s-i-l of their daughter’s boyfriend wouldn’t give it up as she’d had a caesarean, without complications, three months earlier!!). I made it to almost 3 hours. Went to a cousin’s 40th at about two months. I was there for the whole party (there were plenty of seats at this one - lol!). You should be okay (as long as you’re not standing for hours 😉). Take an electrolyte drink with you for an extra boost of energy. Congrats on your surgery & enjoy the wedding. I’m sure it will be beautiful.

Stretching your tummy is pretty difficult to do unless you’re eating copious amounts of food throughout the day for a long period of time. But I wonder if your tummy not emptying fully contributed - the remaining food continuing to ferment, possibly causing more stomach acid to be produced; the tummy never contracting back after eating, etc. It will be interesting to hear what they think is the cause. Hope they come up with a treatment or a way to remedy it soon.

Prices are expensive here though my brother said the prices they’re getting for produce are basically the same as what they got 10 years ago. Yet wages are much higher, as is the price of fuel, electricity, water, fertiliser, equipment, seedlings, transportation, taxes, etc. They are literally losing money every day. Some body (read the supermarkets) is getting the money but it’s not the farmers here. I still pay about $10 for blueberries. They’ve been huge lately like marbles. The cheaper supermarket ones are always overripe & squishy so I throw most out. Cigarettes attract a much higher tax here (think it’s more than 70% now) for many reasons including an attempt to reduce smoking (doesn’t seem to really work though cause they switch to vaping) & contribute to the funding of our medical system. They’re also jumping down on vaping here too.

I would have an electrolyte drink too. I used Hydralyte. (It was pretty sweet for me so I doubled the water I added to make it up.) Would take a bottle with me to work or on busy days to give m a boost. I still have some on hand just in case.

Ha! And I I made an omelette last Thursday (& ate it for three days). Egg prices are supposed to increase here to $15 a dozen soon (about $10US). They’re about half that at the moment. It’s just a crazy proposed increase. My omelette lunches may become a very rare occurrence soon.

The pre op diet is also known as a liver shrinking diet. It’s in place to reduce the size of your liver to make it easier fir your surgeon to see where they’re operating. This is it’s real purpose. Of course losing some weight pre surgery also benefits your health & recovery, can help with breaking some habits & getting you in the right mind set for what’s to come. I’ve never heard of any one on this forum having been denied surgery because of pre surgical weight loss but that’s not to say it hasn’t happened. Check with your insurance company to be sure. All the best.

Caramelised onion, feta & thyme tart I made to take to my cousin’s for drinks night. Bought my pastry too @GreenTealael. Too much effort to make my own. Ha! So easy to make & delicious. Got 16 nice sized squares out if it & it was gone in seconds. I was lucky to get a piece to try. I used Danish feta. It’s my favourite. Creamy, crumbly, salty goodness.

Yep, stomach acid & thirst can be causes of what you think is hunger. A rumbling tummy is also in most cases not a sign you are hungry either (not like we were always told). The surgery, restricted diet, etc. are all very stressful & your hormones are likely out of whack too. In the past when you were stressed or hormonal or emotional you likely turned to food to comfort or distract you. You can’t do that at the moment but you still want to eat to soothe yourself. However this is just head hunger not real hunger. Try distracting yourself. Go fir a short walk, read, craft, chat with a friend, watch a movie, check social media, etc. Sometimes a warm drink can help: herbal or green tea if you’re allowed, warm water, warm your shake, etc. The shakes were awful for me too. I forced myself to have one in the morning then had strained cream soups, broths or consommés. Yoghurt drinks are also an option (blend a high protein yoghurt with milk until it’s thin enough to drink easily).

Oh straws. It’s one of those things that some surgeons say no & others don’t care. Mine said nothing & I used straws. Not all the time but a few times a week depending on what I was doing or drinking. Never had an issue. Actually found it easier to sip through a straw at first - can’t gulp or take large mouthfuls with a straw. You’re a couple of months out now so I guess you could give it a go & see. Do you have to use the straw or can you remove the straw & sip through the home?

Life just sometimes throws crap at you & it sounds like you went through the worst of it. So sorry. Sounds like you are the right thing (& yes avoid fruit at the moment). Ten pounds is far from a bad loss & you’re certainly not failing. I’d lost about 11lbs at 18 days & my surgeon was happy with my rate of loss. Remember too that many don’t lose as quickly or as much after a revision.

While it is upsetting you avoid it. The caffeine can be far too harsh on your healing tummy (all those cut open internal wounds) which is why most are to,d to avoid it. Check with your team as to when you can resume drinking it & then only if you are able. I was told I could have herbal or green tea straight away (I drank green tea always anyway so I was very happy) if you’re looking for a warm drink but check with your team about this being an option too.

The constipation can be the worst. Metamucil & Benefibre both swell but I was told by my surgeon Benefibre was the better choice so that was what I took. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It may just come down to which works better for you. I mixed mine up in a good cup of yoghurt drink mid afternoon so it didn’t interfere with my ability to eat.

Just depends on how you heal & how you scar. You do need to use the cream regularly to get any benefit. You could try a silicon scar tape too. I’m very pale but do tend to scar. Mine aren’t all that noticeable unless you really look just a short white line & they were opened a second time for my gall removal surgery. I tried to take a pxt but because they’re along my waist all you could see was the pressure marks of my leggings waistband. 😆😆

The last pounds can take ages. In the end I was losing grams (ounces). Have a chat with your surgeon & dietician & review everything. This may be your new set point so losing less than this and maintaining a lower weight will be very difficult. It could also be an extended stall. You’ve been doing so well I can understand you being concerned.

That was me too. I bounced between 60-75kg (healthy weight to overweight range) most of my life but peri menopause then menopause & suddenly I was obese. Could lose a couple of kilos but would take several weeks & that as on those extremely low calories diets of 500 calories a day too. I’d gain the weight back like in days. The surgery boosted my metabolism & I keep it burning by eating regularly now - no more meal skipping for me which was how I used to try to maintain my weight. The fatigue will improve as you begin to eat more each day. Try an electrolyte drink to give you a boost on days you need a little more energy. You may be able to start some fruit soon. I think I could from my third month. Check with your dietician. The sad news the weights won’t help with your loose skin. It will only help with the muscular structure under your skin which has been stretched out. My arms are quite nicely toned from using resistance bands. I even get compliments which I think is hilarious as my loose skin is still there but then I don’t wave my arms about too much 😉. Only way to get it rid of it is surgery. All the best with your progress.

Fridge for my butter. Doesn’t it go off sitting out on a counter? I’ll sit it out for a short time if I want it to soften for cooking but that’s it. I have a spare tub in my freezer but it takes months to get through a tub. I love mango but I find it sets off my restriction very quickly.😩 Don’t know why? Too rich?? I found a freeze dried version I can eat if I have a craving. Not the same but better than none.

Funny how we have our quirks. My meat & cheese always goes up higher where it’s colder. My vegetable drawers aren’t as cold (so no half frozen vegetables) & have a moisture control so the vegetables don’t dry out. Plus they’re clear so you can see everything. I keep my protein bars in the egg shelf in the fridge door (removed the plastic thing the eggs slot into) & my HRT in the butter section.

Thank you but unfortunately they’re an American company not Australian. ☹️ My optometrists are getting in a new French boutique brand soon which specialises in frames for smaller & more narrow faces so fingers crossed for when I need new frames. Sunglasses will be an ongoing challenge I think.

Best thing I ever did. As @The Greater Fool said yes there are horror stories but there are horror stories & stories of complications with every surgery. Bariatric surgery has some of lowest stats of post surgical complications. I’ve read they’re lower than an appendectomy. And the risk of serious health complications & the risk of earlier death are much higher with obesity. I didn’t have any comorbidities before my surgery. No high blood pressure, cholesterol ok, no heart or breathing issues, no sleep apnea. But it was only a matter of time before I did. Now I’ve lost weight they likely will never happen. Regardless of what we all say (& we will be pro surgery here even those who may have had issues), this has to be a decision only you can truely make not anyone else. You have to be ready to commit to this 100% as much of the successful weight loss & maintenance is mental. The surgery provides you a tool & a limited time of bonuses effects to help get you started but the majority of the work is what you will have to do yourself. It is not an easy out to weight loss. Meet with a surgeon & a therapist who specialises in supporting bariatric & disordered eating patients & ask your husband to accompany you to some appointments. He can ask questions then too which may alleviate some of his concerns. All the best whatever you choose to do.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Yes, lots of women have become pregnant early on because of the hormonal flush of oestrogen post surgery from your weight loss. It can make you extra fertile. The pregnancy will slow your weight loss but it doesn’t mean it’s all over or you will gain lots of weight again. Check with your dietician about your nutritional needs during the pregnancy & keep regular appointments. You actually don’t need to consume that many additional calories - you’re not eating for two adults. The aches in your hips & back can be from your weight loss. It’s quite common. Some even talk about their balance being off & walking into walls, etc. Your centre of gravity is changing & your posture is improving. Your muscles, tensions & ligaments are relearning how to carry & hold your much smaller body. I used to kick my toes against my kitchen cabinets because my tummy was much smaller & didn’t reach the bench top before my feet anymore. So silly but was about being aware of my smaller body. A friend & I also found we’d initially slouched more because we didn’t have a tummy to prop us up anymore. We had to consciously adjust our posture & build up our core muscles. Try some gentle stretching & use some resistance bands. I do mine lying on the floor so not strenuous at all & some can be done sitting down. All the best.

I wonder why no iceberg? Maybe because it’s lower in nutrients??

Oh don’t you hate that. When you reach into the vegetable drawer for the cucumber & squish. Ugh! Please tell me you had loads of salt & pepper on your avocado. Can’t eat it plain. It’s just flavourless mush. Extra brown cheesy topping on your lasagne is always tasty & a little crunchy. The sashimi plate is so pretty.