chunkarella

i was concerned w/not pooping.. bc honestly, a good poop sets the tone for my day (no shame.. I accept who I am) but my team told me that after surgery, i'd be going 1/2 as often as i used to. So if I had 1 movement before surgery, i'd have 1 every other or every 2 days. Thankfully, I'm at about 1x a day now, but when i wasn't having a bowel movement, i def made sure to take my vitamins and drinks all my water.. it got things going. 💩 also, if i go more than 3 days, i might "cheat" and have something i know will get things going. i always track, tho.

i bought some sugar free candy to have for those cravings where they won't go away. sometimes a protein shake will help -- or some zero sugar vitamin water.. depending on my craving.

i was cleared after 8 weeks to lift weights. i wasnt allowed to lift anything over 10lbs unti then (but didnt listen bc i def was lifting heavier stuff.. but didnt cause issues) basically i was told that if it hurts, don't do it. i'm starting to incorporate ab workouts and planks, and im just shy of 3 months post op

I occasionally have been getting nauseous after some of my meals. I've had to take my zofran a couple of times because i just couldn't relax. I usually experience it at night, although the mornings are tough on my pouch. I tend to sip something first (usually water or flavored water) to just "wake my insides up" i guess? i can't dive straight into a meal. And if you're worried about acid, maybe drink coffee after a small meal or something. But always check with your team, because I'm sure they've heard this before.

it was 6 weeks until i could do any heavy lifting, but walking was a-okay after surgery.. I didnt follow the rule for heavy lifting closer to the 4 week mark.. but only bc i had forgotten.

In terms of your original question w/protein shakes: Premier protein is a huge one. Also, I like FairLife. I think they're a lot tastier than premier. My only suggestion would be to take it easy w/protein shakes bc you'll likely have to drink them after the surgery.. so don't stock up on a whole bunch. find a few flavors you like and goooood luck!!

I had a quick turnaround w/insurance. It didn't take long to get approval for the hospital stay. In fact, my overall bill was SURPRISINGLY low. I had RNY, and w/corona, they were very flexible. I got a letter in the mail (along with all the stupid EOB.. ugh) for my approval. I never saw anything on the app or online.

I hit this too -- make sure you're hitting your protein marks. My problem was that I wasn't eating bc i wasn't hungry, but it still wasn't good for my body. Hitting those protein goals and increasing your movement can help. It'll pass.. the thought of "I went through all of this to lose 20 lbs!?" really messed w/me.. but you're not abnormal.. it'll work, just give it time.

i'm down 41lbs since surgery -- i have 25 days to hit my goal of 50 lbs down since surgery. ive been slacking this week w/my diet and exercising, but plan to kick my butt (again) to get back on the right tracks. it's interesting seeing how fast my body is feeling better and even getting stronger w/workouts. def haven't experienced this before.

I've been told to stay between 3-600 calories the first 3 months. I would imagine no more than 700-1000 after that. I'm around 5-700 a day, depending on my activity level. The days i go and weightlift, I allow myself a bit more calories to fuel my workouts after work. Idk how to do lower than that and make my protein goals. I try to make the protein goals and worry less about calories (within reason.. ive never gone about 700) but i do track by how much the food weighs.

I'm not trying to be a butthead, but these types of responses are so discouraging. I also posted about a 3 week stall and got a similar response and it sucked to hear that. I don't have a huge support system and this forum is the best that I have for now. Please be mindful of what you're posting to new people/people who just had surgery.

I've "sorta" dumped after some super fatty food. I had some chicken nuggets last night and i paid for it w/a massive stomach ache and 4 bowel movements in 2 hours.. i couldn't lay down and sleep because of it. I can have a bit of sweets.. but i dont go overboard. i go for sugar-free before i do full sugar.

It's so easy to get caught up in the what-ifs when you get it all finalized. I went through this as well. But like @tarotcardreader reader said, remember why you started this journey. in 1 year, your entire life will be different. Hell, even in 6 months it'll be different. I had my surgery 2 months ago and I would do it over again in a heartbeat. You are worth the surgery and the struggles ahead. You might go through some buyer's remorse, but after a few weeks, it'll fade away. It's going to be scary, as any surgery is, but trust your team and know that they're professionals who will do all that they can to help you. After the surgery, the work starts. Stay dedicated and there are a lot of people on this forum w/a lot of experience. You got this.

i sometimes still have issues w/chicken when it's super dry. i do tend to do well with it, but when i do have issues, i just take smaller bites and chew it to mush. give yourself some time and try to mix it with something to give it more moisture (some green beans/spinach or something w/moisture in it)

I had little tastes of different foods. Like when I was on liquids, i had a taste of refried beans.. honestly, it kept me going, mentally, with the stages. esp through the liquid stage. those protein shakes get tiresome after a month. Do what feels best for you.. if you're afraid, then don't do it. I ate some jello before i should have, and it hurt so much.

I would say that if none of the ingredients raise a red flag for you, then go for it. I'd make them maybe silver dollar sized, and chew thoroughly. Because they might expand in your pouch. I've been craving pancakes for a while so I've been curious about these too.

Before my surgery, I had to get an exam done by a bariatric counselor. They talked to me about how I felt about giving things up, or how I plan to succeed. I am a mental health professional so I told them what I knew they wanted to hear bc I wanted the surgery (I know.. I know.) But after surgery, I felt like there was some unresolved issues with food, much like yourself, and so I'm doing the process to go back to the counseling center. Honestly, looking for eating disorder counselors might be a good first step for you.. because overeating is a disorder.. I imagine most people think "eating disorder" and imagine anorexia or bulimia. Which isn't 100% the case. Mood disorders is something completely different. When you talk to a therapist, you get to interview them first. You have to make sure that THEY are a good fit for YOU. Even if it's just to go 1x a month, I bet it'll be helpful. If you don't feel comfortable with them, then ask for a change. You can request a specific gender if you'd like. Look at their credentials and see how long they've been in practice. healthgrades.com is also a good place to get some reviews. Making a call will also help you establish how they'll treat you. Trust your gut with it. I know you've had a bad experience in the past, but that doesn't mean that all experiences will be bad. I had a horrible exp in college with a therapist and swore I'd never go back. Now I've been in therapy for 3 years now and it's changed my life. Good luck!

I agree with what others have said: it's going to be hard to meet your intake the first few days. There will be days where you'll have to remind yourself to have something to drink or eat. Just do what you can and really listen to your body. I know for me, i was sooo thirsty i couldnt drink enough. That subsided after a few days of taking my multivitamins on time and regularly. You'll get there. 2 days out is just the beginning.

Wow. I really lucked out w/my team at my bariatric center. We have a dietitian and a nutritionist. Both are very warm and caring. They both emphasized protein and hitting it consistently. The nutritionist had to clear you for surgery and the dietitian is who you see after surgery. Before surgery, the nutritionist gave us a lot of worksheets and ideas of what to start to do before surgery. The dietitian said that around 6 weeks is when i should be more reliant on real food for protein than the shakes. she didn't say it was a no-no, but it's just so I dont have to depend on them for the rest of my life. Which I'm a-okay with.. over them for the most part. Honestly, my air fryer (honestly amazing), tilapia has been helpful with me getting my protein goals, as well as greek yogurt. the triple 0 from oikos (i think?). they're not horrible for greek yogurt and i sprinkle in some granola from Lakanto and it makes for a decent breakfast. Neither of these things would I have touched before my surgery.

I know this is an old thread.. but something I have found that fits amazingly in my diet is Tilapia. I know fish isn't ideal, and i HATE fish, but tilapia absorbs any flavors you put into it and doesn't taste fishy!! Marinating it in some lemon juice with some garlic and herbs, then throwing it in the air fryer is amazing. For 1 loin, its about 30g of protein. So it's akin to a protein shake. That right there is 1/2 of my daily protein. I got a bag of individually packaged ones at BJ's (like sams club/costco) and they're frozen and ready to go when I am. putting it w/some steamed broccoli or shredding it up onto 1/2 a veggie wrap for fish "tacos" is really nice to do. almost feels normal to eat.

For me, it was the more long-term effects of the bypass. It's been studied longer and there is more data. Obvi, sleeve will never catch up to it since it was developed after, but with the sleeve, a nurse at the bariatric center said she had a cookie (about 3 months out from her sleeve) and it didn't hurt and it triggered something mentally in her. I know myself too well to allow that to happen.. meaning, eating foods i shouldn't bc they dont cause any issues. so i went w/the bypass. It has the back up "dumping" syndrome which is an alarm of eating something you shouldn't. That alone, is enough to scare me from eating what I shouldnt. So far, it's kept me from eating a lot of things i truly do enjoy, but can't have. maybe one day I can have a bit or two of something.. but for now, i dont want to chance it.

This was an issue for me -- im about 7 weeks out and stalled the first month. and it was mainly bc i wasnt hitting my protein goal. i made sure i was hitting my protein and increased my exercise a bit. it started to come off again. be patient with yourself.

There are two major hospitals in my area and I went to both programs orientations and I chose the one I went with because they legit explained and scheduled EVERYTHING except the surgery your first appointment. And I chose my doctor randomly. We finally bonded on the day of my surgery (i made her laugh pretty hard w/my awkwardness and anxiety) and I felt so much more at ease than I did when I saw her at my appointments.

i only told my immediate family, my cousin and a few good friends. otherwise, i kept it a secret. of course, that didnt stop family members from telling other family members. and i was bombarded with texts and calls in the hospital. 🙄 but its your right if you want to tell them or not. like others have said, you're not lying by saying you're eating healthier or exercising. you just have an additional tool to help you.

i initially was concerned about this. but i started to take larger sips, but if i go too large, i can feel it.. i can drink a fairlife one in like 30 mins.. whereas before, it took me almost an hour.