Arabesque

Water will fill your tiny tummy & you won’t be able to fit in any food. The waiting 20/30 min period between eating & drinking allows the tummy to empty so you can fit in food or drink again. Once you’re on more solid food you’ll understand why more easily. Though the uncomfortable full feeling does occur during the Fluid stage.

You don’t want to traumatise your new tiny tummy which is still healing nor will you want to stretch it at any time.

My doctor & dietician said not to worry if I didn’t get all my full 2litres of water in while on fluids as the shakes & broth are liquids too. But that was my medical support team. It would take 2+hrs to drink my broths & shakes so slowly so there was little time left to drink water as well - just too full, not hungry & peeing constantly. 😜

I understand the waiting will be a new reality forever though the waiting time may reduce & some can eventually drink a little when they eat.

Good luck & be patient as you navigate this your new reality.

Lol re aussies drink a lot. Understatement there @DaisyChainOz. It can be odd to be still nursing my first G&T while my girlfriends are on their 3rd bottle of bubbles.

I was put on Keto by my dietician for three weeks pre my surgery & was successful too. (Yes, it’s easy to do & fits in well with family & lifestyle.) Now, I can tolerate very little fat in my diet. (Cheese is ok & marbled steak but had a thin sliver of lardo on king prawns the other night. Tried one piece & threw it up an hour later - all slimy yuckiness).

Strangely, my cholesterol levels immediately pre surgery were in the middle of healthy range as it always has been. But it has been going up over the last 4 months when I eat far, far less fat than I’ve ever done.

I believe there is talk around now that you should only follow a keto diet for short periods of time - a couple of months at a time only. A modified version may be different. Talk to your doctor about this.

I know you haven’t got a surgeon yet because of your move & the delay to when you can do the surgery but maybe you could start the process. The surgeon I went to refers patients to either a dietician or the Wesley weight loss clinic (all shakes). Ask for the dietician. I believe the Wesley program can get very expensive.

Sharpei. Hilarious. @FluffyChix. I say I have a Hank Hill butt - need those sand filled butt pockets. (King of the Hill ref) but I will use sharpei for my arms, legs & tummy.

Experiencing some frustration on my Melbourne shopping extravaganza. Needed smaller sizes but they didn’t have many clothes in size 0 (Aussie 6) in one store but then size small are too small in other stores. Am getting a pair of pants & a top tailored - easy when it’s only one size & simple construction.

This was for dinner last night. Yes, I do wear a lot of black!

You look fabulous. A wonderful achievement. Congratulations. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve lost a lot of hair. A good 50%. Started 2 months post surgery and it’s still falling out 5 months later. Waaah! Every day I have hair on my floor, on my clothes & handfuls when I wash my hair. Thank goodness I had very thick hair originally but it’s very thin now. I’ve been taking silica, collagen, all my Multi Vitamins & have increased my Protein consumption but no joy yet. My hairdresser has a magnifying camera & told me my scalp was healthy & the hair I have is very strong but I don’t have many follicles. It’s caused by a combination of stress to your body, diet change & reduced nutrient intake & initially the anaesthetic. As my doctor said: your body has better things to do with the nutrients you’re consuming than to grow hair. He said it will grow back. Just don’t know when. 😩

I was told a definitive and very big NO to rice. Try cauliflower/broccoli rice which is nutritious & won’t swell in your stomach. Remember we can only fit a small amount of food in our stomach so why waste the space on foods that offer no or little nutritional value.

100% support the contact your doctor suggestions.

I hear you on the Protein Shakes - also couldn’t stand that grainy coating it left on my teeth. Shudder! Gave them up by week 4.

Are you eating any real food yet? Mince, stews, thick Soups, oatmeal, well cooked vegetables ... will help solidify your loose bms, up your calorie intake & give you more energy.

Goood luck.

Congrats on being able to wear high boots ‘off the shelf’ @AngieBear. Think of all the fabulous boots you can add to your wardrobe now. Whoo hoo! Will look amazing with a lot of your skirts. Cute hat too.

Welcome to 2020. No NYE for me last night though. We had an early start to the airport for flight to Melbourne this morning. Went comfortable - wide leg pants with draw string waist & t- shirt with puffy sleeve (actually a puffy flap over the sleeve).

NSV on plane - put on the seat belt and pulled and pulled and pulled to get it tight. Could have wrapped the loose bit around me twice. Plus so much room in the on board toilet. 😁

I hear your pain re the wardrobe crisis @FluffyChix. Like the black jacket - lovely neat fit. I did like the soft pink colour on you though it did look a bit too floaty.

Thanks for the suggestions. I had clothes tailored the last time I lost weight & they never sat right so I’m a bit reluctant to try it again especially with what is a high end designer outfit. There’s a matching shirt that’s too big too. May be a case of selling it to someone who will love it as much as I do. Better to get some money back on it than end up with something that’s not right & I can’t resell.

Cool biker jacket @AngieBear. Love me a leather jacket.

Contact your doctor and go back to fluids only. Your new stomach may not be ready for thicker heavier foods yet. We all heal differently & have to go at our own pace.

chicken is dry and unless you purée it with lots of gravy or broth it is going to be heavy going. It is not uncommon to not be able to tolerate the foods you used to love in the first few months.

I ate a lot of blitzed Soups & stews at this stage. Lots of long, slow cooking.

Take it slowly and at your pace. Listen to your tummy.

It’s my mother & my annual pilgrimage. We have it down to a fine art. Shopping to early afternoon, champagne lunch & then hit the restaurants at night. A couple of boutiques we frequent will post us what we buy. So when we get home we have exciting parcels to open. Whoo hoo!, 🎉🎉👏👏

Yeah, pretty devastated about the skirt & top. Almost two sizes too big now I think.

My surgeon gave me a photo he took of my stomach during the surgery - all marked up prior to its removal. I laughed when he gave it to me but not a souvenir to hang on the wall.

I love it @AngieBear. You do look like you should be starring in a sci fi movie or series - costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier. And how amazing to be making your own dress form. Wow.

Packing for shopping trip to Melbourne but looks like I won’t be taking this skirt. Sad face. I bought it & matching top about 8 yrs ago. Just loved it & was so happy to be able to wear it again. Now two months later & the waist band barely clings low down on my hips. Sigh!

(Looks like I need to tighten the straps on my new bra - my boobies look a little low slung 🤣.)

What swelling @sillykitty? Looking fab!

Yep that’s it. Just sold under Bio Oil. In Aust you can buy it from supermarkets & pharmacies. It’s quite reasonably priced & lasts for ages. Just wait until the wounds are healed. Even will improve older scars. Good luck.

Bio oil is the great. Never heard about any foods restricting healing (except maybe processed sugar). Knew a nurse who worked with burns victims & she would make up milkshakes & add baby formula for her patients so they’d get extra Protein & nutrients for the healing benefits. Seems strange to not eat protein rich foods like seafood & beef. Just my opinion though.

Congratulations. Look how far you’ve come. Pxts are so motivating. Gold stars all round. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m like @FluffyChix. Definitely not a teetotaller either & support the drinking as little as possible. I had a G&T at 6wks out at my cousin’s 40th. Took 4 hrs to drink it. If I’m going to a party I take my own - gin mixed in a small 300ml tonic or soda water bottle - cause I control the amount of gin I add. Drink slowly over hours & let the tonic/soda go flat. Had a small glass of champagne for Christmas & after 3hrs I poured half of it down the sink. (I know.😩 Such a terrible waste of Moet!)

Sorry @Fatboyslim1 Great suggestion but I just can’t do the diluting of wine. 😱

Alcohol will mess with your weight loss & addiction transference is real. Be careful. Go slowly. Weigh the risks (pun intended) before indulging.

I loved vegetables before my surgery but after it took ages for my tastebuds to tolerate them. They tasted just awful. Had no issue with eating them though. Started trying them at about 6 weeks, Found broccolini (baby broccoli) better than broccoli - not as strong a flavour. Cauliflower & shredded cabbage were the best for me. All fresh, microwaved with a little Water & butter, salt & pepper. Mind you a small floret and a couple of strands of cabbage with my Protein & I was full.
Only salad vegetable I could do was cucumber. Spread a bit of cream cheese on some smoked salmon & wrapped it around a wedge of cucumber.

Holy hell @ms.sss. That swelling is mind boggling. I would have been freaking out. So happy they’re deflating. Is your swelling like this too @rs?

While I’m enjoying poop watch 2019, I know it’s hellish for you. Fingers crossed for some movement soon. I love how supportive your husband is. Volunteering to insert your suppository is way big love.
PS - Happy to share the ‘windy’ quote. 😜🤣

Stalls will happen intermittently throughout your weight loss journey. My longest stall was when I sat at the same weight for three weeks (just short of my goal) & then dropped 1/2kg overnight & almost the same the next day. Weight loss will slow the more weight you lose & the closer you get to your goal. Don’t give up. Keep up the work & the weight will keep coming off. It will happen.

How old are your shoes? I had issues (shin splints & sore knees) & bought new running shoes & haven’t had pain since. General wear & tear & the age of the shoe will result in the inner support breaking down.

Glad to see the Aussies posting more. 🇦🇺

@ms.sss & @DaisyChainOz I lived in New Farm for about 14 yrs then bought a few hundred metres down the road in Teneriffe 5 yrs ago. Brisbane is such a fantastic city to live. Still small enough that people know each other & doesn’t take hours to get from one side of the city to the other but it’s big enough to have great dining, theatre, shopping, sports, ...

Blair Bowden at the Wesley did my surgery @DaisyChainOz He did my friend’s surgery & she recommended him. My GP said she’d heard nothing but good things about him. He was great. After the surgery he gave me a picture of my stomach all marked up before it was removed as a souvenir 🤣. It may be easier for all the post surgery visits to use a Bris Dr.

@Sophie7713 you look so bright & cheery in your Christmas party dress and look how great you are looking.

Thanks @DaisyChainOz. I’m in Brisvegas too. Whoo hoo!

I like your animal print skirt too @AngieBear. See how it looks with your fitted top untucked & then pop on a narrow belt to show off your shrinking waist.

Excited to follow this thread & see your progress.

I agree, your arms look great already @ms.sss. Wish mine looked this good.

I’ve been anti surgery for me because I scar badly (keloid) and felt the loose skin was better than any hideous scars I might end up with. So I’m interested to read about your experiences.

Love you have a Dr who gets excited about removing loose skin @rs.

Good luck with your surgery & recovery.