ShoppGirl

Congratulations on your upcoming revision. What exactly is the TORE procedure? That’s another one I haven’t heard of (there are a lot more options than I realized in WLS). I am looking to get a sleeve revised to SADI and I’m wondering if they will do anything to my sleeve since it’s probably not the same and I never felt like it was as small as others described to begin with. . Also, do you have a surgery date? have an appt on the 30th with the surgeon to tell him if I want SADI or bypass and to ask my questions and I’m getting a bit nervous about him setting a date. As much as I want to get this behind me and start my journey I am nervous about making this decision and it being so real if I have a date. It’s weird because I wasn’t nervous at all about the sleeve. But I guess it was much safer than a revision procedure. I am just nervous and there doesn’t seem to be many people to chat with about it. How long has it been since you had your first surgery? Sounds like it was a bypass? Were you happy with it?

I am so thankful for this tip. Not just because of how it will fit in fridge but how it will fit in my cooler. My friends and I like to do lunch while we are out shopping and them big styrofoam containers don’t fit in my everyday cooler. I have the containers by “easy lunch boxes” I ordered On Amazon. I have the square ones with four compartments and the rectangle ones with three. I just tried the rectangle and it fits perfectly in my cooler. I just put one in a bag in my trunk and when I looked it up to post the name here I just found that now they have rectangle ones with five compartments which I think will be even better since I am one of those weird people that don’t like their food to touch. lol. Anyways, Awesome tip!! Thanks again.

Them tests and being off PPi’s for a week do not sound like fun. Hopefully all that is a means to an end, though and you get scheduled for your revision very soon.

Chips are slider foods. Most people can technically eat more of them than other foods and anyone can eat a pretty good bit when they are “grazing” Which is eating little bits multiple times throughout the day. Try really hard to avoid grazing because that will can definitely get you into trouble. Not sure if you’ve seen me on here but I had sleeve three years ago and I lost a quite a big chunk of weight but I did regain my weight just as fast. I was able to eat more than I expected at every stage but even still if I had been eating healthy options three times a day that would not have allowed me to gain the amount of weight I gained. I gained my weight by sneaking in the not so healthy foods from near the beginning since I was eating so little i thought it was okay because I was still losing. When my hunger came back my portions got a little bigger and eventually I was eating bigger portions of less that ideal food more often than prescribed. Since I never really took advantage of that honeymoon phase to actually change my eating habits to healthy foods this is when things went off the rails. The surgery will not do all the work. My recommendation is to take this time where your tool is really working for you to try out some new healthy options and recipes and find a variety of things that you like so when the actual hunger comes back you will have changed your habits.

I would put a call into your surgeon and see what he/she thinks. Better safe than sorry.

Make sure when you take your vitamins that you are not taking them WITH food but rather AFTER food. I used to take them with the sip of my protein shake in the morning. If I took it before I got all the shake in my stomach it would come right back up. I also used the procare health one a day. They are reasonable and you can set up auto shop so you don’t really have to think much about it. I got mine one bottle ahead so when I opened a new bottle I just made sure I had received the next one already and I always had.

I found some keto muffin mix at the store and they are super good so I’m scared to leave them lying around. lol. Has anyone ever put muffins in the freezer. If so, do you just thaw them on counter or in microwave?

Of course. I hope you like them too. They also have single options you can pop into the microwave. They are kinda expensive for one serving so I’ve not tried them yet but they had quite a few options available.

Are you able to fit into a smaller size, maybe. Shopping for. Smaller size and knowing that it’s just a matter of time before you get to shop for more really soon may help (even if it’s a thrift store since they won’t fit for long). Also There is a post about non scale victories that will give you a lot to look forward to. But biggest thing if you haven’t thought agout it already is to think about why you are doing the surgery to start with. A non scale goal of sorts.

It’s Dunkin Hines keto friendly. Made with almond and coconut flour. I don’t have the package for the muffins but I have the brownies here to try. They are two grams of net carbs, 0 added sugars and 3 grams protein. It’s kinda high in fat like most keto at 10 grams but has suggestions for ingredient swaps which would reduce that some (I made it the normal way).

if you mean PODS for the clothes washer, I still have yet to figure out that childproof bag, I just cut it open and dump them into a plastic container the moment I get home from the store. I want to know who has found a trick to opening the cartons of protein shakes though. The premiere protein at least, If you buy the 12 pack it comes in thick cardboard with the flaps glued down with some super ultra magic glue that takes tremendous hand and finger strength to pull apart. I aways think to myself that in a few more years I will truly not be able to do this for myself. Maybe a butter knife would get it started now that I sit here and think about it but of course I’m too frustrated in the moment to think of that.

I’m thinking I would go to the er too. I know it’s not fun but better safe than sorry. Hopefully they run some test and tell you your fine but they will probably also give you some fluids (if you need them) and help with your constipation which will get you feeling better sooner anyways. Plus, peace of mind is valuable.

This situation is a catch 22 because no one knows exactly what the insurance requirements are and no one will tell us. The dieticians job is to help you lose weight, period. Whether that’s in your best interest or not is where it gets tricky. On one hand If you are in a supervised weight loss program (the six month requirement by a lot of insurances) they are trying to see if you can lose the weight on your own before they approve it. So in theory if you lose too much they could deem you not a good candidate for surgery. On the other hand, every pound you lose the heathy way should make you that much more fit for the operation (not if you malnourished though). Plus, if you really can lose it without surgery obviously not putting your body through surgery would be ideal. if the dieticians way is something you have never tried before and when you try it you feel like you can do it, losing weight without surgery is obviously preferred. BUT, just because the insurance company sees progress and decides that you should be able to lose it based on the trend doesn’t mean they are right (they are not doctors and should not be making these decisions IMO). I know myself I have probably lost 1000 pounds in my life but that’s because I have always lost a few and gained them back but never got near a healthy weight. Whether you have tried everything, including the dieticians way, only you know. I had sleeve three years ago and my high weight was 235 and I’m taller than you. So I was lower BMI as well. On surgery day I was 220ish and I was fine but I did not start losing until my pre op diet began. During my 6 month supervised diet I did follow the diet they set out for me to the best of my ability BUT the cheat days basically offset my progress so I didn’t really lose anything. Now I am considering revision and there is not any weight requirements as far as I know but I started at like 245 this time anyways so I’m not as afraid to lose a little. I asked him what I should do and he said to keep my Carbs below 40 for now (I am most likely having the SADI so carbs are gonna be most important post surgery). Well I am losing but less than a pound a week so no one is raising any eyebrows at my loss. Anyways If I was in your position I would reduce my calories by like 100 at a time and see how I felt after a week adjusting to that. (Mayne you can get to 1200 with the dieticians help and maybe you decide that you want to try it once the dieticians way before you decide). On days like you four hour swim I would ask the doctor their opinion because 1200 calories does not seem enough for that level of activity. I think if it was me, I would stick to eating healthy choices for now. Try out new, healthy recipes and get used to the food you will need to eat post surgery. I would try to get to the 1200 because they are the dietician but portion wise I would cut my calories slowly to get there and see how my body reacted at each stage. (Just be honest with yourself about whether you really need or just want the calories) if I was really losing more than ever before and it seemed like something I could sustain, I would then re-evaluate whether I should be jumping into major surgery just yet. But if I decided that i couldn’t do it on my own and for sure wanted surgery i would talk to my doctor about how much they would like to see me lose to be fit for surgery.

For DS. which if I’m understanding correctly you can just have a little more fat than SAD, what carbs can you have. Like can you have fruits and veggies. Obviously not potatoes but what about zucchini or strawberries. Stuff like that. I’m thinking if I have to limit fhaf idk it sounds really hard.

I got it from a bariatric cookbook on kindle so I’m not sure how to link it but it’s basically just a scrambled egg with cheese and veggies and or meat mixed in that you put into a muffin tin and bake. It tastes different that scrambled egg though. If you have kindle it’s called the bite sized bariatric cookbook. If not, mix 4 eggs with 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk. Then mix in 2 cups chopped boccoli and 1 cup shredded cheese bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in greased mini muffin tins. Having done it once already I think I would pour the egg in first then add the veggies and cheese to the muffin tin so that they would be more even.

Interesting to hear the different experiences. I am supposed to speak with the dietician this evening to get hers as well. Idk if I can deal with the gas and bloating but I think trying to avoid those things should keep me on track to eat better.

Has anyone asked about the cirkul drink cartridges whether they are okay post surgery. I am wondering if it would be too similar to drinking through a straw or not? I am looking for flavored waters and figiures that brand has a ton of flavors but I don’t want to waste the money on the special cup if my dr is gonna say it’s not allowed.

Ooh yea. I am doing fine now. Thank you for asking. I haven’t needed any more NSAIDs. I gained my weight back and I’m facing revision to a surgery where even occasional NSAIDS are not okay though so this is on my list of questions to ask about.

I don't think you would be normal if you didn’t worry at least a little about having major surgery. I worried ALOT. I wish I could tell you that you won’t have any pain or much pain but that’s not a promise anyone can make. It’s surgery. What I can assure you is that the doctors and nurses do everything they can to keep you from being in pain. In fact, mine gave me pain meds before i even woke up I guess to try and get ahead of it. When I was sleeved three years ago I was one of the lucky ones that did not have much pain. I felt like I had done about 1000 crunches but i told them I didn’t need the prescription pain meds when they went to give them to me and I asked for Tylenol instead. Then she said well you’ve already had some so why don’t we wean you off just in case you do have pain without it. She did and I was fine but my point in sharing is just to tell you that they do everything they can to keep you from being in pain. They also did a nerve block in my stomach which is basically like an epidural. I was sorta surprised to learn this when I couldn’t sit up but the recovery nurse told me so don’t be surprised about that if your dr does them. Also, not sure if you’ve ever had surgery before but in recovery there are nurses that pretty much just sit there and watch you as you are waking up. If you were to wake up in a great deal of pain they should know immediately so they can get you some relief. i always wake up a few times to them putting my oxygen mask back on me because for some reason l like to take it off when I am waking up. Long story short. I don’t think anyone can promise that you won’t be in pain when you wake up but, you can rest assured that the hospital is the absolute best place to be if you do experience any.

The one thing I have encountered that I didn’t expect was how difficult it is to get pain relief. I have had two female procedures done that they typically have you take like 4 otc NSAIDs before and after but Since I wasn’t allowed to have them I was told it really wasn’t necessary anyways and just to tough it out. I contacted my surgeons office who said I was far enough out I could take the NSAIDs post sleeve on these rare occasion with food and my Omeprazole. I survived without pain relief afterwards but I was just led to believe that drs would be more accommodating than I experienced. Also I had sciatic pain and panicked a little when it recurred two more times right in a row and my dr did not want to give me any pain meds The third time when it was pretty bad I asked for something and He acted like I was an addict or something and actually told me he couldn’t treat me anymore. This kinda worked out because I like the NP I see now much better but I’ve not had any issues where I need pain meds with her so I guess we shall see what happens if I ever need them again. I understand that doctors have to be careful but I had been his patient for over 5 years and never asked for anything like that before my sleeve. Honestly it was all kinda weird. It did made me worry if I ever had a chronic issue like arthritis or something that you usually treat with NSAIDS what I would do. I guess a pain management clinic would help. Or maybe there are different meds. I honestly don’t know.

I just tried caramel protein shake in iced coffee and it is so delicious!!. When I switched to milk instead of creamer I had to add so much Splenda to offset the bitterness that it didn’t really taste like coffee anymore. This way is so much better.

Okay. If left to my own devices I basically eat like a child. In terms of health food I really only like chicken breast and mahi fish and i don’t love either of those. I also tend to like mostly higher carb veggies and higher sugar fruits. Lucky me, right?. Anyways, the only common veggies I seem to hate are Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and I like most of the typical fruits but I still need to manage to stay low-ish with the carbs. Three years ago post sleeve I ate grilled chicken or grilled fish with a veggie every single night. Just those two proteins on the grill with a couple basic spices and veggies and it got SOOOO boring that of course I didn’t stick to it. What I need is some recipe ideas that add variety to my low carb diet so I have better luck sticking with it this time around. I am going to get a cook book once I speak with my dietician (who I just left a second message with) if there is one that’s appropriate for SADI but I just hoped others would share their favorite recipes to get me started. last night my husband made me a fajita wrap with grilled chicken, sited peppers and onion and just a bit of reduced fat cheese and a low carb wrap and I thought to myself if I had more options like that I think I can do this. I am thinking I probably need to branch out to cuisines other than my typical American, Mexican, and Italian but I may need a little nudge. I am currently looking for a Mexican recipe with caluliflower rice. And I’m wondering if cauliflower pizza is a good option for once in a while and if so is the frozen one okay. I think my store has one by California kitchen. It’s 29g of carbs so I would have to be an angel the rest of the day but is there a better option? Also, I don’t hate the zucchini noodles or the spaghetti squash but I feel like that needs a really good sauce or something to make up for what’s missing. Any suggestions for sauces?

I am three years out and I chewed gum and i forgot and swallowed it. I called the surgeons office and they were like did you swallow it on purpose. I said of course not. She just told me what to watch for and when to go to er. It passed thank god bit I’ve never been so scared in my life. It’s not worth it to me. I haven’t swallowed gum since I was a kid but sure enough I did??

I found it interesting that a friend of a friend who has surgery with my same dr got the same packet as me since I had sleeve and she had bypass. If I had to guess they keep it simple by going by the stricter guidelines for everyone?? The. Again maybe it truly is same for both surgeries. I agree it’s interesting that different doctors do it differnt though.

I second the slip on shoes. I actually just wore my Nike slides to the hosptial with socks to save having to pack a second pair of shoes. I wasn’t making any fashion statements but the hospital is five minutes away and they change you into a gown first thing when you get called back which I knew from prior surgeries. You can slip them on if you need shoes to walk the halls and then wear them home as well. I don’t wear slippers or anything at home so I forgot a few times but I worried about what I may have stepped in and didn’t want to get into my bed (even through the floors looked immaculate) without changing my slipper socks. Some people pack slippers and I thought about buying some but I would make sure they have traction and fit you well since you may be a little dizzy or unsteady. They get you up walking pretty soon