Arabesque

While the surgery will help with some things, it’s real success depends upon choices you make. Regardless of which surgery you have you will lose your appetite/hunger for a period of time (there are a few people who don’t & it’s with either surgery). You will also temporarily lose your taste for certain foods. It’s often sugar, as foods can become super sweet but it can be any food that smells &/or tastes awful. Neither surgery will do anything about your desire for sweet & your emotional eating. These are things you have to work through yourself. As we often say the surgery only removes some of your tummy/changes your digestive system. It doesn’t remove the part of your brain that drives your head hunger. It’s why many chose to seek therapy to learn the reasons behind their head hunger & develop strategies to help them better manage their emotional eating, cravings, etc. Both surgeries will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. What your set point becomes can’t be predicted. Can you lose more than your set point? Yes, but it is harder to do & maintain. Can you weigh more than your set point? Yes because lifestyle demands or choice, medical conditions & medications, etc. can mean we carry more weight. Remember the average weight loss statistic at the three year mark for both surgeries is about 65% of the weight to be lost to put the person in a healthy weight range. Some will lose more & others less. I have a sleeve. I felt it would suit my life better & was less drastic than bypass. I made a number of choices to benefit my success that I knew I could sustainably follow for the long term & not feel like I was missing out. I took advantage of the too sweet phase & decided not to introduce sweet back into my diet - or avoid as much as I could - & so rarely eat real or artificially sweet foods or drinks. I chose to rarely eat take away or fast foods. I prep & cook most of what I eat from scratch & rarely eat medium or high processed foods or ingredients. I also chose not to include a lot of exercise in my life - I simply don’t enjoy it. But these are my choices. You’ll make choices that best complement you & your lifestyle. I also lost all my weight & more & have maintained. All the best with whichever surgery you chose to have.

Fully agree with @catwoman7 & @The Greater Fool. Your body will tell you what you need & when you’ve had enough. Don’t force yourself to eat more. Eat what you can or need, & pop the leftovers in the fridge. You might have some more of it later in the day (more like mini meals like @summerseeker does) or have it tomorrow which I do. For ages I was able to eat a recommended portion of rolled oats for breakfast 1/2cup dry oats). Then about three months ago, I couldn’t. Everyday I was putting leftover porridge in my fridge to finish the next day until I started reducing what I made. I eat - it’s 1/4 - 1/3 cup now. It’s just my breakfast though. Sometimes my restriction can kick in earlier than expected or I realise I don’t need another bite. Same with I have weeks when I’m not really hungry. Haven’t noticed any reason behind these times. Think it’s just our idiosyncratic tummies. Of course it could be something you’re eating. Like have you changed any of your food? Like are you eating more nutritionally dense foods or foods that are drier or more coarse? Have you added something extra to your diet? It may be a signal your tummy isn’t enjoying something new or not enjoying something you’ve been eating for a while. Our tummy can be fussy & temperamental.

I wondered if it was just the to be expected slowing or a prolonged stall too. Though I am leaning towards stall because your calorie intake is still low. Certainly too low to be maintaining for your activity level. (Though a little taller than you, I eat about 1400+/- calories to maintain at my weight & I really don’t exercise.) I slowed right down & the last kilo to my goal was a b*tch to lose. I was only eating a bare 900 calories like you but I did keep slowly losing for another 11 odd months (another 11kg) until my caloric intake equalised what my body needed to maintain. Have a chat with your surgeon & dietician. They know you & your needs best.

We all are able to eat more as we progress. It’s how we get reach the calories & nutrients we need to maintain our weight & for our body to function effectively. Though all because you can eat more doesn’t mean you should. How much you should/need to eat is an question best answered by your dietician. Some need more defined guidelines about eating & food choices. Check with your dietician as to what portion size, caloric goals, etc. are best for you & your needs (age, gender, losing or maintaining weight, activity level, etc.) & to ensure you are on the right track. Do you track your food. If not, it may be an idea to do so for a couple of weeks so you can review it with your dietician. PS Congrats on your weight loss.

Try adding an electrolyte drink to your fluid rota. The boost of energy will help with the shakiness. it’s likely caused by the restricted diet & low calories. I had it a lot & still have episodes of it. For me it’s hypoglycaemia. I pop blue berries now if I feel an episode coming on. Plus I had low blood pressure (always has a tendency to it) so I was shaky, light headed, losing vision & generally woopsy wooing every day. It got better once I was eating more & a wider variety of foods. Also try Biotene mouth moisturising spray for your dry mouth. Sorry your surgeon isn’t being helpful. May be approach your GP & ask if hypoglycaemia could be a cause or what other things could be behind it & what could you do to alleviate it.

No dumb questions here. It’s all new & strange to us all in the beginning. I get my roots done every 4 weeks & was no different before or after surgery. Had it done a couple of days before surgery & again 4 weeks later. Can’t do anything to stop that hair loss if it happens to you. It’s just your normal hair loss cycle accelerated. Your new hair is still growing just at it’s usual rate. The supplements, shampoos, etc. don’t seem to change a thing. Doesn’t matter whether you take them or not the hair loss tends to last about three months. Can’t do anything about the loose skin either. Too many factors beyond our control dictate how much you’ll have: age, genetics, how much weight you lose, how long you carried your weight, etc. There’s always surgery to remove it if you choose. Whether you’ll need a walking stick or aid is personal. I didn’t. Didn’t use a binder either. Slept on my side in bed from my surgery too. Didn’t have trouble getting up or down - was careful & went slowly just in case. But we’re all different. Speak with you surgery in regards to what activities you can start/resume & when. It may be 4 weeks until you can start cycling, yoga, etc.as they may pull at your internal stitches while you are still healing. There are lots of seated exercises you can do in the beginning but walking is best. Check with your surgeon & your prescribing doctors about your meds too. Some surgeons prefer you not to swallow meds for a few weeks so you may have to look for alternatives or other means if taking them if that’s what you’re told. I was swallowing meds in hospital. Wasn’t easy at first as I had a bit of swelling but it was fine by day 3 or 4. I spread when I took mine through out the day (but I didn’t have many to tape). All the best.

There are alternatives. Biotene spray to moisturise your mouth (take some to the hospital) & warm drinks can be more soothing to a sore throat & tummy than cool or cold. Oh & the sugar alcohol reaction can be much worse than just gas: diarrhoea, cramping, etc. It’s not uncommon to be more sensitive to them after surgery. All the best with your surgery & recovery.

I whole heartedly agree. Plus those pop a gummie & lose 20bs in a week without diet or exercise ads too. It was all my fault. The call of late night social media scrolling & believing supposedly honest online reviews from real people.

That seems a little odd. I mean they intabate babies. Can’t get smaller than that. Have a chat with your surgeon. It’s the only way to really know. Plus, then they can have some smaller tubes on hand if needed. My mum had a narrow airway (stenosis) & had a couple of scary choking experiences. She had it stretched & never had another problem.

We all lose at our own rate & no rate is right or wrong. But your loss so far is not a slow weight loss. It’s around what many of us lose that first month. Not sure what weight you started at, but unless you weighed in excess of 600lbs (like on the tv show) you are not going to lose large amounts of weight to begin (& even their rate of loss slows as they get smaller). And stalls are very common & almost everyone experiences them. Does your surgeon say you are losing slowly? Are they concerned? Maybe speak with your dietician to review your food choices & calories. But remember you are early out & your body is still healing. Your restricted diet is to support your healing & yes it can limit aspects of your lifestyle to begin. You will be eating more & a wider variety of food in a few weeks. I didn’t feel like I was missing out while I was losing. I went to a 60 birthday 2 weeks after surgery (took my own shake & sipped that), a 40th 6 weeks after surgery, reunions, social gatherings, dinners at restaurants, children’s birthdays, sporting events, travelled, etc. I just made careful food choices. I lost all my weight & more & have maintained +/- a kilo or two (am almost 4 years post surgery). I’ve never been able to do that. My lifestyle still isn’t compromised by how I chose to eat now. Exercise only contributes to about 10% of any weight you want to lose. Want to lose 50lbs, exercising will contribute to 5lbs of that. Of course there are many other benefits to exercising. Personally I didn’t exercise. Got on my treadmill a couple of times but was so tired I almost fell, off it so never got back on. Even now all I do is some stretches, a few resistance band exercises & some sit ups. I wouldn’t burn 30 calories.

I made a few stews/casseroles & chunky soups. Anything slow cooked so the meat is fall off the bone tender. I also cooked a lot of minced meat dishes: bolognese with zucchini noodles, rissoles/meatballs, savoury mince, etc. Still kept things moist with gravies. Everything was easy to freeze in single servings & reheat at work.

Congratulations are your weight loss. Whoo hoo! Unfortunately, you can’t do anything to get rid of that loose skin except surgery. It’s been stretched out & won’t go back to what it was. I describe it as being like a well used hair band or a elastic in well worn old knickers. Once the snap is gone it’s gone. Working out won’t help as it’s loose skin not loose muscle. You’ll build & refine the muscles behind the skin but not the skin itself. And those creams that supposedly tighten skin don’t work either or at the very least don’t help with the excess skin we usually have after weight loss. (They’ll make your skin feel nice & soft though.) There is shape wear available that has been designed for men which will help control your muffin top & abdomen.. You could give that a try see how it goes. Apart from the upper arms, inner thighs & my butt (which has oozed down my thighs) I have a little tummy pooch but find full briefs are usually enough to keep it under control even under close fitting clothing. I do find good posture does help. Slouching when sitting or standing makes that pooch more obvious, I weakened & bought some you beaut fancy & certainly not cheap cream that was supposed to tighten skin & lighten stretch marks. See results in a month. Well it’s been two months. No change to my stretch marks or my skin. At the very least I’d hoped for maybe a little improvement in the creepiness but no. Should have saved my money.

Yes, ketosis (fat burning) is likely causing the bad taste. Bad body odour is another side effect. It will pass when you are eating more & a more balanced diet. I wonder if the excess saliva is the foamies??? It usually occurs if you eat too fast, too large a bite, too much or food that is too dry, coarse or fibrous. Your body produces the slimy, mucus like saliva as a protection: to ease the food into your tummy or to help bring it up (regurgitate) if it is stuck or too much. Use lots of sauces, gravies & stock if you’re on soft foods. Chicken breast can be too dry & cause problems for many. I ate a lot of minced beef dishes to begin as they were much easier to swallow & digest. Make sure you’re not drinking too close to before or after you eat (stick to that 30 mins) as that can contribute too. Give your surgeon a call too just the be sure.

Congrats on your surgery & doing well with your recovery so far. A lot of nerves were cut during your surgery so many messages wont don’t get through until your healed. It’s why portion size is important is more important from the purée stage to so yiu dint accidental eat too much. I was told 1/4 - 1/3 cup but check with your team. When your healing is further along & you’re eating more solid food, you’ll start to feel signals again. For many those signals are different though & you have to learn what they are for you. Like many find there sneeze, yawn or their nose runs when they’ve had enough to eat. Also it takes time for those signals to get through (it’s why we’re told to eat slowly). By the time you feel full you’ve likely eaten too much & more than you need. Try not to keep eating until you are full or you feel your restriction. I ask myself if I need the next bite or just want it.

Therapy & ‘doing the head work’ is a very important part of not just the weight loss but maintaining. You need to ne mentally & emotionally ready for this surgery. Many of the benefits of the surgery are temporary or become weaker. If you haven’t done the head work, it is extremely easy to return to your old habits & regain your weight. The desire to eat can become so strong again it is possible to eat around your surgery. Remember the surgery changes your body not your head. The surgery affords us the time to change our relationship with food. Well it did for me. For years I skipped meals to control my intake & all it did was screw up my metabolism & I was still fat. I’ve stuck to diets & lost weight many, many times but I always regained the weight. While I was losing I looked at how, why, when & what I ate & realised what I did didn’t work for me. I needed a new way. I worked out a way of eating, not a diet, that worked for me. I haven’t been this size since I was about 12years old & have never maintained a weight loss like this ever. I have a different attitude about food & eating. It’s been sustainable, It doesn’t rely on my will power to control my eating. It doesn’t limit me or hinder me in enjoying my life as I want. Sure there are certain foods I avoid or eat very rarely because I’m careful about what I eat & it’s been my choice to do so. I feel better for it & I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I still love food, enjoy what I eat & regular dine out. You’ll work out a way of eating to complement your lifestyle & meet your needs too in time. Join that art class now. Don’t wait until you move again to look for a class. Great way to meet people with similar interests.

Lol! The same thing happened to me. I was on holiday too & packed the strapless bra which I had fit fine a few weeks previously. But unfortunately it didn’t anymore. I thought it was going to fall straight to the ground & I’d have to step out of it & leave it on the footpath 😆😆.

I’m almost 4 years out & while my bites aren’t as small I certainly don’t take mouthfuls. I don’t use teaspoons anymore but still use a buffet spork or a dessert forks to keep bites smaller. I also serve my meals on side plates & in small bowls. it’s still about mindful eating. There is also a physical concern for me too. If I take too large a bite or swallow too much I can end up with the foamies so another reason to be mindful. Oh, & I still cut up my meat into small pieces when I’m at home. 😁

We’re all told small bites regardless of surgery. I was a tip of a teaspoon person during purées & worked to half a level teaspoon during soft. I ate from a teaspoon or a buffet spork for months & months & never heaped them. There are reasons for this especially in the first few weeks. The main is protect your healing tummy & not to strain it with too much food entering the tummy with each bite. Our throats can be irritated after surgery too. It also contributes to us being more mindful about our eating - not mindlessly filling our mouths with food. It also slows our eating down & allows the time needed for the message to get through we’ve had enough to eat (not full - feel full & you’ve likely eaten too much or more than you need). Same with sipping. Think how you sip a very hot drink.

It happens to most people. It’s your body reacting to the stress of the surgery, reduced caloric intake, etc. Your body has just temporarily taking a time out. Your weight loss will start again when your body is ready - usually 1-3 weeks. Stick to your plan & breathe. Don’t stress yourself more. Take some body measurements. Some people notice a change on a tape measure even if the scale doesn’t move.

We all heal & recovery differently & in our own time. Two friends & I had our surgeries within 2 years of each other. One took a week & was define. One took three weeks. Me I needed every one of my four weeks but I always recover slowly. And yes we all had office jobs. Best advice is to speak to your boss & negotiate some flexibility just in case you need it: another week off, reduced hours, etc. Lethargy & poor concentration are very common after surgery & may impact your work. All the best with your surgery & recovery.

Stalls are very common & yes, the first one usually occurs at week 3 though it can be earlier or later than that. They usually last 1-3 weeks too. They’re your body shutting down & taking a time out in reaction to the stress it’s been under (surgery, reduced calorie intake, etc.). Stick to your plan & it will break when your body is ready & the weight loss will start again. Go back to your team & ask for more information. You’re paying them to support you & you have the right to ask for what ever information you need to feel comfortable & confident about this process & what you have to or can do . We all have different needs (what I was told may not be completely right for you) & they should be there for you. Can’t complain about an almost 7kg weight loss in 4 weeks especially with a stall. I’d lost about the same in my first month (& I never really stalled during that time). My surgeon & dietician were very happy. Not sure of your starting weight, but remember those people who lose those large amounts of weight seen in programs like My 600lb Life started at very high weights. And they only lose at that rate in the beginning.

It often starts around month 3 & will persist about 3 months. As with all things it may start sooner or later than that and last more or less than 3 months.

Yes, I’ve heard it. Not really from my family but I used the big boned excuse myself. A lot! Many years ago I went to a large chain weight loss centre where they measured my wrist & told me I was large boned. I clung to that from that day on. Logically I should have known I wasn’t. I mean I’m short & it was obvious I didn’t have a large skeletal frame when I wasn’t carrying weight in the past. Truth is I actually have a smaller frame. The ‘large bones’ they measured was just fat around my wrist.

Go back to your surgeon & demand, if you have to, help. There must be a reason for your pain. Ask for an ultra sound, X-ray, &/or a scope. Some pain is to be expected after surgery but not four weeks out. The odd twinge, yes, but not pain like you’re describing. Gas pain is usually gone or almost fully gone after a week. Surgical gas rises so it can escape through the lungs. It settles behind the lungs & puts pressure on the phrenic nerve causing shoulder pain. Some people talk about an occasional shooting abdominal pain which is often caused by internal sutures or muscles pulls & strains. I’m wondering blockage, gall stone, …. Excess stomach acid can cause sharp cutting pain - are you on a prescription PPI? Hope you get an answer soon. Don’t worry too much if you’re not exactly meeting goals to begin. As long as you’re close you’ll be okay. It can be a struggle at first but your pain will be hindering your ability to reach goal as well.

Sending you lots of good vibes. Hope the surgery & your recovery are smooth & easy.