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I agree with Mikeyy. Everyone's tastes differ, so you're going to get a lot of different answers. My preference has always been Unjury. I've tried others, spent lots of money and thrown a lot away. I always go back to Unjury.

I think JessLess is on to something here. I think you need to work on your feelings of self-rejection. So, you fell off the wagon. Sounds like you had some significant life issues that may have contributed. Examine what you did to get there, reorganize, and move on. Get back to basics and consider seeking counseling. As for a "maintenance" diet. I have always maintained the basic rules of my bariatric diet for long term. And to quote a regular BariatricPal contributor (sorry, fluffy. I stole this from you):

I'm thinking maybe my kitchen has too many gadgets. Here's a run down of different gadgets: Food processor: It really blends and chops well. I've used it to puree vegetables and meat for recipes and it would do very well with puree stage, but unless you are blending/chopping in bulk or get a small capacity food processor, this is probably not the best choice. Besides, it's big and bulky and I hate cleaning all the different parts in the lid. Magic Bullet: It does well with protein shakes and anything with liquid. I think I have even used it to grind spices to a fine powder. It blends to puree consistency well and mine had 2 sizes of cups (4oz and 8 oz) that are easily portable. It's compact and easy to clean. I had some trouble with the silicone gasket coming off during blending. It would wind around the blade and/or get chopped up a bit. I eventually solved this, but not before I lost several to the blade and had to order spares. It's easy to clean, but all those darn cups were a pain to store. I suppose that if someone didn't have other options (like the others mentioned) and was making a new purchase for their bariatric diet transitions, I would recommend purchasing The Magic Bullet or something similar like the Nutribullet or Ninja bullet. Stick blender: It does well with protein shakes and puddings, etc (even if you put ice cubes in it). It CAN puree, but it takes a little longer than some of the others. I primarily used this during my transitions after having the sleeve because of the convenience. It's easy to store, use, and clean. Vitamix: to me, this is the KING of blenders. I bought it when I was on a smoothie kick and boy does it do well with frozen fruits and vegetables. It turned everything I threw in there into a smooth, delicious concoction. They say that if you leave it run long enough it will warm your food into soup, although I never tried it. Cons: it is heavy and bulky. It's not HARD to clean per se, but those blades are sharp and I have to be careful when wiping it out to avoid the blade. The blending container is also big, probably not best for someone making small portions. Besides, it's rather expensive. There are other, similar blenders that would do just as well at a lower cost.

I'm going to have to agree with ANewStart4Me on this. While your family seems much more extreme than mine, that is one of the primary reasons I didn't tell my family about my surgery. To this day, none of them know. When I realized that my outlook on life and their approach were different, I started keeping them at arm's length. The only person you can change is you, so you need to adapt to them in the best way that works for YOU. I also recommend that you consider formal counseling. We're here to vent and give our "Dear Abby" versions of advice, but formal counseling might help you to work through this and develop some good coping mechanisms.

I use the 4 oz containers of whatever I had on hand: Gladware, Rubbermaid, Tupperware. I think I also had some 2 oz ones that I used pretty regularly. I considered a Bento-type box for kids, but honestly I thought it was a waste of money. They're kind of expensive and I already had these great 2 and 4 oz containers on hand. I put them in an insulated lunchbox with a frozen water bottle. The frozen water bottle kept it cold until lunch then was ready to drink on my way home from work. Win-win in my book.

I agree with Orchids&Dragons. One missed step isn't going to completely derail you unless you let it. Pick yourself up, dust off your coat and keep going on your journey.

I also vote to contact your doctor asap. It could be something as simple as GERD and needing some PPIs or it could be something significant like a stricture. But, you won't know unless you contact your doctor and give him a chance to properly diagnose it.

My first thoughts are that this is hormonal. Probably not directly related to WLS, but remember that fat makes estrogen and as we lose fat there's a shift which can cause all sorts of irregularities. So, indirectly WLS may have contributed. You mentioned your labs. Did you have hormonal testing? I think I'd probably go to my gyno and get my hormones checked. At the very least, it would give you peace of mind and at worst, maybe you need some hormone adjustment.

Most of your symptoms sound like dehydration to me. 10 oz of fluid/day is not enough. Once you get into this level of dehydration, you feel like you're terribly sick and have no desire to eat or drink (which seems counterintuitive considering you're dehydrated). Unless you want another visit to the ER for fluids, you're going to have to force yourself to drink more fluids.

I so needed this post. My husband is currently out of work. I work from home. The stress of his work situation and the sheer fact he's home is wreaking havoc on my eating plan. I've focused today on drinking. I love hot tea. I mostly drink herbals and green tea (always unsweetened), so I just keep refilling my cup. It helps keep me from eating when I shouldn't. BTW: love the "Hungry Hungry Hippo" reference. I think I'll adopt the saying for days like this!

I never used those cups. If they're cumbersome, or a hindrance, I'd say ditch them for whatever works for you. Yes, bad taste (and bad breath) can be a sign of ketosis.

Unfortunately, this is a situation where "individual tastes may vary" and it's going to be a bit of trial/error for you. My favorite is the Unjury line. I like just about all the flavors and don't mind the RTD variety (others seem too thick, too sweet, almost slimy to me). Best advice I could give: try lots of brands/types/flavors. Don't be afraid to experiment with mixing flavors (my favorite is vanilla with a little peanut butter and/or banana). Don't buy lots of whatever type you try until you know it's your fave. Good luck!

#1-hiatal hernias are not uncommon in obese patients. Obesity increases pressure on the organs and they sometimes slip their bonds to cause a hiatal hernia. So, to answer your 1st question, I would think this is a fairly common occurrence. #2-just like Paul said above, as you lose weight you may find that GERD resolves or gets better. Has to do with the same pressure discussed in #1. I had a hiatal hernia before the sleeve. My GI doc said it was "sliding", meaning that depending on my situation and position, it disappeared. I discussed this with my surgeon. He said that if he found one during sleeve surgery, he would repair it. I guess it decided to hide during my sleeve surgery because the surgeon said there wasn't one. Went back to my GI doc earlier this year. It's back, but it's very small (1cm or less). I have a little bit of nighttime reflux, but other than that it doesn't give me too much trouble. No immediate plans to do anything about it at this point and hopefully, it will resolve itself as I continue to lose weight.

My doctor never advised me against gummies. In my early months, I had a lot of trouble finding a vitamin that didn't make me sick. After trying what felt like everyting under the sun, I bought a pack of Vitafusion gummies out of desperation and found that they were the only things I could take that didn't make me sick. I took them for about the 1st year, mainly because I had bought mega-size bottles at Costco and couldn't see wasting them. Once they were gone (or near gone), I tried and found that I could once again tolerate the regular horse-pill size multi-vitamins. I still take the horse-pill type today. However...I do take daily calcium gummies. Not "chews", gummies. #1 they also have D3 to aide absorption and #2, I like them. I haven't had any problems in terms of "gumming" up the works and my labs are fine. 1 word of caution: gummies usually have sugar in them. So, be aware that they can contribute to the slippery slope back to sugar and sweet consumption. And, as always...when in doubt, consult your doctor

I had this problem at the beginning. Every MVI I took, no matter which brand or method made me nauseated and dizzy. I started with the patches, but I developed a sensitivity to the adhesive. I tried different brands of chewables, both the chalky and the ones like a starburst. I tried taking them different times of the day, with/without food. It was misery and made me afraid to take them. I finally settled on Vitafusion gummies, with my evening meal. They have some sugar in them, but I would have done about anything to keep from getting sick every time I took them, so I decided it was a fair trade-off since they were the only ones that didn't make me sick. I took those for maybe 6 months until I worked up the nerve to try just a regular Women's One-a-Day. I suspect the biggest issue was the time of day and whether I took it with food because I always got sickest if I took them in the morning (regardless of with or without food). Definitely contact your team, but I'd say that it's going to be a bit of trial and error for you. It certainly was for me.

I agree with mousecat88. If you tell your new employer that you have a pre-scheduled vacation or something, most employers will be understanding about that. If they aren't or you'd just like to avoid the discussion, most companies will give you an employee handbook at orientation and you can see their policy about taking time off. Some companies have limitations about time off in the probationary period (usually 90d, but up to 6 months).

The only complication that I would count is a little bit of nighttime reflux. Comparatively speaking, this reflux is nothing compared with the reflux I experienced with the lap band. It has been easily managed with PPIs and lifestyle changes.

In my pre-op testing, I also had to have cardiac clearance. My doctor made a referral and I went in for a stress test. It was one appointment and they did the stress test on the spot. It was no big deal other than the fact that I felt like a lumbering cow on the treadmill. Side note: When I had my lap band surgery in 2005, I didn't need cardiac clearance. When I was sleeved in 2018, I was in my mid-40s. I assumed the age was the factor. Maybe it's become standard?

Same as FluffyChix here. I only told a few people about my surgery. My husband and a select few friends. Not even my family or my children. When co-workers started asking, I told them that I'm eating better and exercising. Most of the time they could see that and asked no more questions. Besides, it's the truth. I've kind of relaxed on that privacy thing. I told my adult children and others as the circumstances warrant. Mostly because they see me eat such small portions and it's a significant change from my usual, they think I'm sick. I still haven't told my immediate family and don't plan to (judgmental).

My doctor never told me to avoid black pepper. I think I'd ask my doctor to explain why he made this recommendation. A patient is much more apt to follow instructions if they understand why. I suppose it could be the spiciness would irritate your stomach. Might be a stretch, but the ground pepper doesn't dissolve. Maybe he's concerned that a flake will get stuck somehow and irritate things? Weird

My advice would be to get some suggestions and try them. Everyone's tastes are different and it is common for your tastes to change after surgery, so be prepared to have to change after surgery. Before surgery, I was pretty faithful to the Unjury protein powder line. But, they just weren't convenient. So, I tried the Premier Protein ready-to-drink line that so many on this and other boards liked. I liked them and they were easily available in most flavors. My favorite: choc, vanilla, caramel. After surgery, I hated the Premier RTD. They were too sweet. They were too thick and slimy. I just could not choke them down. I tried some Bariatric Advantage samples from my doc and they were OK. But, I ultimately went back to Unjury. They also make ready-to-drink. I got a free sample with my last order and it was actually pretty good. *I also second the Fair Life milk. That was a staple in my refrigerator for the first 6 months.

@robynt201 I agree with FluffyChix above. Weighing yourself daily and monitoring what you've eaten to avoid regain are good things. BUT, if you're as obsessed as you imply and have crossed the line into purging, you've traded one eating disorder for another. Make an appointment with a doctor, consider counseling.

I eat most fruits. I just don't do it often. Not because I don't like them or can't eat them. I'm not trying to avoid them. I usually reserve them as dessert and I just don't have room for them at that point. I have occasionally had them as a snack: apple slices with peanut butter, half a banana with peanut butter, grapes, fresh pineapple chunks, or a nice melon when in season. Yesterday, hubby took me to a place called Chicken Salad Chicks. I had a scoop of something called Fruity Fran: chicken salad with apples, grapes, and pineapple. I think the pineapple was crushed because I barely noticed it. No problem, but I got pretty full pretty fast. Note to self: next time take a small container to take your extras to go!

@Ryguy507 I also had surgery in April 2018. My weight loss has stalled now for the past 3 months with minor fluctuations up and down. I was getting very disappointed in myself and trying to assess what I could do to start losing and move towards my goal. I second what allwet advised above and stress that you need to log your food. I had gotten lazy about it and started logging again last week. The first couple of days, I realized I was eating entirely too many calories and carbs. No wonder I'd been struggling! Good luck!🍀

I also had my surgery in April 2018. My tummy gurgled a bit early on, but not enough to even be distracting. Even now I don't get it so much now, but I have to say that it woke me up this morning. Was sitting up in bed reading and I heard a loud noise I thought came from my dogs. Nope, it was me. Honestly, I think that was the loudest one yet.