Arabesque

As @catwoman7 said it is pretty common. My GP arranged for an ultrasound to make sure there was nothing else going on with my liver but it was fine. (The scan did pick up a gall stone which was handy to know.) My bilirubin levels are still high 4 years out but they probably always were as I found out Gilbert’s is in the family - high bilirubin is a symptom & I have other symptoms too. I’d probably reduce any iron supplements too for a while & see what happens. Out of curiosity is hemochromatosis in your family?

I wondered if it was possibly a structure too. I’d push your surgeon for better answers & further tests to find out what’s really going on. You shouldn’t be experiencing constant vomiting.

Yep check with your team & watch the sugar alcohol sweeteners. Also you may find things become so super sweet & you can’t eat them when your taste buds temporarily change. I loved that phase as I never went back to sweet foods or drinks & broke my desire for it - I loved a sweet treat after dinner & on weekends. I keep my sugar intake low (less than 10g a day) and avoid artificial sweeteners or sugar alternatives wherever possible. They only feed your craving for sweet & research is showing that artificial sweeteners actually lead to weight gain, mess up your immune system & cause inflammation so I choose to avoid them. Now if I want something sweet I have some fruit.

I think everyone at some point worries if they’re doing the right thing, if they’ll work it all out or if it will get easier so you’re not alone. I found drinking during the night helped get me to my fluid goal. I still do it. I drink when I get into bed & when get out & when I wake during the night. The more we drink the more we pee so I drink before & after I pee too. Also I found it easier to drink warm/hot drinks. And yes switch up your variety of fluids & flavours. May be pick up some baby food. Protein content often isn’t high but it’s better than nothing & gives you some choices for a meal. I was allowed instant rolled oats made very thin & on milk. Took me days to eat a portion of course but if you’re allowed it’s a great addition to your food options on purées. Try mashing a runny/soft egg too.

I wonder if it’s an absorption issue. Worth asking your surgeon & prescribing doctor. Many find time release meds don’t work as well after a bypass. Check where the meds are absorbed too - tummy or intestines. There are usually alternative formulations or meds you can take instead. I wasn’t a great sleeper before my surgery. Not insomnia. I usually could fall asleep, but would wake & lie there for 3 or 4 hours or just not go back to sleep. It started in my late 30s. Stress/cortisol levels, then age (menopause), etc. contributed & I think waking & not sleeping became a of a habit too - usually woke at the same time. Now I get in 8 hours most nights. I have odd nights of waking for an hour or so but I will go back to sleep. Some nights I even get in 9 or 10 hours. Thank you surgery. I hope it may help you somewhat as well.

What’s normal? One thing I’ve learnt since my surgery is there is no normal or only one right or wrong way about our recovery, weight loss, food & eating just what is right or wrong for you. There will be similarities & there will be differences too because we’re not the same. And yes it will be different from what was right or wrong or usual for you before surgery because simply what we did before did us no favours. Will it get easier? Yes. Does it take time to meet all your goals? Yes. As long as you’re making an effort & getting closer it’s okay. Will you have good days & bad days? Yes. Will your tummy be sensitive & fussy about certain foods for a while? Yes but that’s the healing process. Will it take time to learn new eating habits? Yes. Will you learn all your signals for real hunger, fullness/satiety or feel your restriction? Yes. Nerves were cut during surgery & they have to heal. Your signals take time to register & they may be different than before surgery. Will you be able to drink more than sips? Yes though how much & when is individual. Will you be able to reduce the amount of time before & after eating to drink? Yes but again when & how long is individual. Will you eat your old favourites again? Yes, once your weight has stabilised. Though it won’t be in exactly the same way. You’ll work out variations, & how much & how often is right for you. I’ve made quite a few changes to what & how I eat. Like I don’t skip meals anymore & there are certain foods I don’t or rarely eat. Some are my choice & others because they don’t sit well in my smaller tummy. I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything I chose not to or can’t eat. It did take time to work out what was right for me - food choices, calories, nutrients, portions, frequency of eating. Once I reached maintenance I slowly added new foods, recipes, adjusted portions, etc. to see how I’d go & made modifications for probably a good year after I reached goal. I did keep losing for about 11 months after goal while working it out but have basically maintained since then. I’m four years out from surgery. I’ll make further adjustments as I need - lifestyle changes, age, health issues, etc. PS There is an exception to the no one right way to eat & that’s in the first weeks when you’re following your staged return to eating. That plan supports & protects your healing tummy (remember all those sutures & staples holding it together). Check your plan on what you’re allowed to eat. Yes, plans can be different but being allowed eggs & peanut paste three days out from surgery sounds highly unusual. All because you managed it doesn’t mean you can do it again or it didn’t impact your recovery in some way. Be careful.

Still making labneh & having it as my midday snack. Sprinkle it with za’atar for a little zesty zing. Took some for drinks with my cousins recently also with za’atar & also drizzled with some good olive oil.

They make fresh sushi at my supermarket. Made in front of you. Never bought it as it’s always rice based. But friends swore the ones at a neighbouring supermarket were pretty good all things considered.. PS Don’t buy it from a hospital cafeteria either. Did years ago. One bite & I spat it out & in the bin it went. Shudder!

Two eggs & some grits? You’re doing well. A lot if it just comes down to how we heal. Actually two scrambled eggs would take me three days without r eating anything else. I can eat about two now at four years out. But that’s an example of how different we all are.

Glad Tim keeping up his shopping game for you @BayougirlMrsS. I played golf in high school. Well I say played but really my friends & I chose it was because it was an opportunity to get away from school. We would walk to the club, play the first hole & that was it. The second hole was sort of private & we’d sit in the sun & gossip. Perfect way to spend our Friday afternoon sports periods. Lol! Hope your granddaughter’s back surgery goes well. How old is she?

Try spreading your meds out across the day and yes definitely look into other vitamin formulations as others have suggested. Some even come in a spray - one squirt under the tongue -easy. A teaspoon of liquid at a time every couple of minutes is pretty much the way we’re all like. Sip, sip, sip. Keep your drink next to you at all times. I even sipped during the night & still do. I too found warm drinks easier to tolerate - more soothing. I even warmed my shakes. You’ll find it easier to meet your fluid & protein goals over the next couple of weeks when you’re more healed. My surgeon said as long as I was making an effort & getting closer he was happy. Don’t forget your shakes & soups, broths, etc. all count towards your fluid goal. Your skin dryness could be from the anaesthetic. It’s likely not from not meeting your fluid goal unless you’re a long way off your goal. Especially if you’re not experiencing any symptoms of dehydration as well (dry mouth tongue & lips, rarely or not peeing, dark & strong smelling urine, rapid heart rate &/or breathing, extreme thirst, irritable, confused, headaches, dizziness & lethargy - though the last three can be part of your recovery). If you have any of these symptoms seek medical help as soon as possible. You’ll get through this. Just give yourself time to heal & work out how best to manage everything for you.

It’s usually a week +/- & yes walking is best - little & often. The gas rises up & settles under your lungs where it puts pressure on nerves causing the shoulder & surrounds pain. It’s absorbed into your lungs & you breathe it out which is why walking is good - makes you breathe more deeply. Also try marching on the spot or lifting your arms up & down & deep slow breathing. Heat packs can help with the discomfort too.

Plans are different but I wasn’t allowed protein bars until I reached goal. (I eat them pretty regularly now to ensue I get the extra protein I need in.) In a pinch they’re possibly okay - check the sugar & artificial sweeteners & protein content though as many are no more than candy bars. Maybe keep a packet of instant soup in your bag & order a hot tea with the tea bag on the side at a cafe & make up the soup. Or grab a yoghurt from store. Check with your team for options for those never ending busy days.

I agree check with your medical team to be sure. It could be from stress you held during surgery (my back spasmed on day 2 - awful). Could also be from the weight you’ve lost so far affecting your centre of gravity & changing how you hold yourself. You may notice odd aches & pains in your body as you lose weight & your body, muscles, tendons & ligaments relearn how to hold your smaller body.

You got one of your children to cook? Well done. Mothers everywhere are envious. Obviously not your vegan child though or are they off the wagon again? That’s the thing I sometimes dream of - a burger. Well specifically an Australia steak burger on a crunchy crust roll, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, beetroot, onions optional & BBQ sauce. Mmmm. Drooling.

Before surgery I could only eat a small amount of smoked salmon - too rich & strong a flavour - so rarely ate it. After I was eating it pretty regularly until one day it was nope can’t do it & it was suddenly like before surgery. It was palatable only for the time my tastebuds were changed. So weird sometimes.

More likely ketosis then. Yep the ketosis symptoms do decrease & eventually vanish. Can’t recall how long it took for me but just remember realising they were gone. It wasn’t months. The bad breath & bad taste in my mouth was worst. Blerk! Carried mints with me everywhere. If you’re back at work take a toiletry bag with you with mouth wash, tooth brush & paste, deodorant, body wipes, etc. to help with the unpleasant acetone like odours throughout the day. Glad the Tylenol works.

Once on solid food there’s nothing really stopping you from having sashimi … except maybe if your tummy is ready. Watch the soy sauce though - the water retention can affect the scale. I often had smoked salmon wrapped around wedges of cucumber - often with cream cheese (not Japanese I know) but you could do a little low fat mayo & wrap it in some seaweed.

So frustrating when your dietician & surgeon’s recommendations don’t align. Probably best to go with your surgeon while you are still healing & going through the stages. Once your on solid food, introduce new foods slowly to test how your tummy reacts and rely more on your dietician’s advice. Be warned, sometimes your tummy doesn’t like something one day & then the next week or so it’s fine. Or you ate it a few times without a problem but then your tummy decides nope, not today. For me, soft food were things like mince dishes, slow cooked stews, casseroles, braises, chunky soups, omelettes. Anything that gives you fall apart tender & still moist meat. Plans are different though. For example I could have scrambled eggs & milky instant porridge in purées but no potatoes while losing. Oh, and you will lose weight. You’ll lose it in your time & the amount that is best for you & your body.

I thought the same thing - estrogen flush from the weight loss. Check with your gyno to be sure. The increase of estrogen into your system can cause your fertility rate to increase too which is why many surgeons recommend doubling up on your contraceptives.

Yep, could be withdrawal symptoms from carbs. Could be because of ketosis too. Lots of strange side effects when that starts occurring including unpleasant body odours, keto flu, etc. If the headaches persist or you can’t manage them with over the counter meds, speak with your medical team

The skirt is lovely @ms.sss especially for your recent sojourn to Portugal & for summer. Hey @BayougirlMrsS. Lovely to see you here again. Are you still getting lots of surprise clothing gifts from your other half? What drew you to try golf? Welcome back @shanza & @bethow.

Oh I forgot to say the funky mouth/breath is likely a sign ketosis has begun. It can be awful. Ketosis can cause lots of unpleasant body odours. And I found the shakes left me with a grainy coating on my teeth & tongue. Would brush seemingly fit ages trying to get rid of it.

Yep, I think reflux too. Check with your team & ask for a script for PPI as @catwoman7 suggested. I’m surprised you aren’t already on them. If you are may need a stronger dose. It takes time for your body to realise you don’t need the same amount of stomach acid as you did before in your smaller tummy & eating smaller meals. (The acid also can make you think you’re hungry when you really aren’t.)

I also was another slept on my side from day 2 person. Couldn’t on the first night because I had the pulsing compression machine on my legs. It’s another one of those many, many individual thing. I didn’t really have any issue getting in & out of bed either. Just went a little slowly & carefully - no bounding out filled with joy for a brand new day 😉. Dry mouth. It is an age thing too but waking up with a mouth drier than the Sahara because you don’t have a fatty neck any more to keep your mouth closed during the night. 100% take things slowly. Listen to your body too. There are no prizes for getting through things more quickly. There is no right or wrong around the timeline for healing, how you recover, your energy levels, what you can or can’t eat, …. (Or for losing your weight either.)