learn2cook

I lean into almonds, walnuts, and tender beef Jerky but I used PN2 powder and hard boiled eggs too. I like the less heavy shakes in the morning with my coffee still. Just keep trying. Self care is health care!

Woop, woop good job on you all around!

I agree with the above posters. I even drove home from the hospital the next day. The hospital staff told me that I could drive because I walked a lot and took no pain meds. I did order online for products and food more than normal. The surprise was it was much harder to get up from sitting or lying down, after a few days I got a rolling method. I bought a cheap toilet seat extender that added height. I was organized and stocked up ahead of time. It would depend upon how your personal health is. I’m also kind of stubborn and want to control my own healthcare based upon data, like peak flow and oxygen levels. I grew up with nurses and doctors in my family and they deal with strokes, heart attacks, and cancer. They don’t notice silent asthma until you’re blue. I did have my 14 yr old son as a helper. (He stayed with his dad during my surgery.) He could run out for TP at the corner store if needed. (To prevent the house burning down I still had to cook for him). I have dear neighbors who could help as a backup. Each person and situation is different, but it can be done.

“Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!” That’s what my mom used to say. I’m wishing you a doable solution and a triangular foam pillow to keep your head elevated. Let that barium stuff fly out so the doctor can see how bad it really is! Keep us posted and best wishes xoxo!

I know that job and state insurance choices come up yearly. Maybe you could switch to a higher/better coverage plan temporarily to get this done? Just thinking…

I agree with SpartanMake above. Be prepared to fight with insurance. It is a medical need and eventually causes cancer. Your bariatric doctor should be able to help after you initially get declined. Fortunately, in my case the hiatal hernia was caught before bariatric surgery, but my doctor still had to fight for me. It turned out the insurance doctor was a retired pediatric physician so was not not well informed. Best of luck to you because the fight is a long hard slog. I personally feel that taking extra Vitamins is easy compared to cancer. Do what you need to do whatever your decision.

Wow, those pictures are amazing! You’re being consistent and really living life to the fullest. You are truly inspiring!

I talked with my doctor about the stomach noises. He said it was normal. When I hear them, it’s my normal stop point if I haven’t finished yet anyway. Carrots took me a long time to get to. Cooked veggies were better the whole first year for me. I tend to like cooked veggies in the winter and raw vegetables in the summer and fall. Spring is a mix. Keep drinking your Water. It helps with lovely skin, but also digestion and understanding true hunger signals.

Yeah!

On 01/07/2025 at 08:01, NickelChip said:

I'm going to preface this by saying I am not a doctor and definitely in no position to give healthcare advice, but the most recent studies seem to indicate that very occasional ibuprofen use after a bypass does not significantly increase your risk of ulcers. Not all doctors are up on the research and some just don't want to change their advice on the off chance a patient has an issue, but some doctors will outright say that if you take an ibuprofen or two for a really bad headache or that one time you have an unusual pain, it's fine. You just don't want to exceed maybe once in a week or a few times in a month.

The study I read looked at outcomes for thousands of bypass and sleeve patients in Denmark who had been prescribed daily NSAIDs for less than 30 days or more than 30 days, and then looked at how many developed ulcers. Only the bypass patients who took them for more than 30 days had an incidence rate higher than the general population.

I had flu recently and liquid children’s Motrin got me through the worst of it. I stopped ASAP because I do have a history of nsaid damage but my doc said low doses of children’s meds in liquid form would be enough. I had the dosage for a 60lb kid at night only. I used powder Tylenol for kids during the day. Not sure if that would be strong enough for IUD placement. I had RNY 3 years ago.

Maybe I should make this a thread, but I recently got the flu. I had been under the impression that I would never be able to take any pain meds. The inflammation was so bad my doc suggested children ‘s medication. It worked. I took what a 60 lb kid would take in liquid form. I felt better and could sleep. I stopped ASAP. It was liquid Motrin and powdered Tylenol. I just kept switching back and forth like you do for sick kids. I was surprised there was anything I could take.

Also, I was surprised that regular osteoarthritis symptoms and mild asthma can be controlled through a high protein/low carb lifestyle. I stopped taking all shots and meds 3 years ago. (Not for asthma, that’s a different beast, but my baseline is back to where I was at 20. I’m 57 now.)

You really do a have a great attitude towards weight loss and maintenance! That’s half the battle for me. The surgery still makes the body shrink back to manageable size when our tracking and weighing attention comes back. I gain weight every Christmas because the foods only happen at that time and OMG pie… But by New Years my WLS still works great. I find I have to ease back into tracking and Water etc. I usually start with drinking water. I had a roommate in college that had ED and would punish herself with being severe suddenly with food restrictions and over exercising. I hope you continue to be kind to yourself. Your honesty has been an absolute inspiration to me!

I feel down right now too. I took stock and realized it is mid winter. I do this every winter. I have a nice hair appointment set up, a vacation planned, and a new angle for advancement at work. My back up plan is to work a second job that’s completely unrelated to my current one, and see where that goes.

I work out first thing in the mornings. The trigger is to put headphones on and I feel weird if I DON’T exercise. I hope this helps, cause it’s all over the place.

You are not your job, but I remembered reading a post from you about nursing being your bucket list dream. So, nursing can go so many different directions. Keep your mind open to possibilities you haven’t expected?

That took strength of persistence and consistency! I am so impressed.

You are amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing.

On 01/09/2025 at 11:10, PeachyPaige said:

I start in-person classes again on Monday. I feel so scared and so not ready. I'm down 30lbs 1 month post op but I still feel disgusting in my clothes and I'm terrified of people seeing me when I can't stand to look at myself. I'm trying really hard to become the person I want to be with college and lifestyle, getting healthy and losing weight but I'm still so scared of other people seeing me as I am now. I feel fat and ugly, and I just want to stay in my house and never leave until I'm "skinny".

I love your honesty. I went back for my undergrad at 30, and my masters at 50. No one cared how old or how fat I was. The young people were so so so supportive and kind. Most were a little self absorbed (which is age appropriate) so they honestly didn’t even notice me. Two things helped, college the second time (and third) around was better because I went to a smaller university (5k vs 20k). Second I had therapy to help me get out of my head. You are fabulous just the way you are! If you don’t figure that out now, you will find out that you don’t trust anyone who befriends you when you get to goal. Been there-Meg

On 12/16/2024 at 02:55, Bypass2Freedom said:

Yeah it is definitely normal for it to slow - and a good thing to remind us of the priorities when it comes to eating etc! Definitely good prep for the future

I can see how that is a thing - I definitely weigh myself far far less than I used to in the earlier day of surgery, but I still find myself on that scale maybe 3-4 times per week! I need to perhaps take a step back and get the tape measure out instead and just weigh in once a month as you say!

I kept loosing until the 2yr 4 months mark. Stuff will get very stressful at work and extra pounds just peel off. Extra holiday foods come in and pounds go on (a bit). You will loose weight as long as you’re in a deficit. You are doing great. Also, there’s a reason doctors no longer tell terminal patients that they have x amount to live, because it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Your new intestinal system will work for you even in maintenance. It honestly keeps working. You got this!

Many insurers in the US don’t cover this method even though it has slightly better outcomes than the sleeve or RNY. You might get more responders in the DS threads, since the surgery is more like that.

I buy the premade shakes because they aren’t chalky or lumpy. Also, there aren’t many lactose free kinds with less than 5gm sugar. So I get OWYN or Fairlife. They’re cheaper from a box store. They taste great warm in coffee or over ice.

I got my hunger back just after the third month so maybe it’s that? I like to think like a scientist so I would do experiments with using the medication vs not. I would also ask my doctor if they could substitute a prescription. I would also look into the possibility of special holiday foods being a little too persuasive. Winter holidays and parties trip me up every year. I now go onward with a plan that this year seems to work. I survey the food, pick one or two bites so I won’t feel deprived. I also eat my normal healthy choices before going. Good luck finding what works for you. (I put peppermint lip gloss under my nose for a pie sale. It worked!)

You have made a fantastic start. Write down all your thoughts in a journal. I found it has really helped me reset later when I mentally went off track. I’m really happy for your recovering overall health!

Yes, @Trish662 , I had the exact same situation only I’m 5’4”. I was 53 yrs old when I had surgery in August, and had a long stall in December and bloodwork came back Iron anemia. It took a month of faithful iron supplements with Vitamin C during my lunchtime (coffee, milk products, PPT, magnesium supplements all make taking iron at other times cancel out absorption). You will have to find a 4 hr window (nothing 2 hrs before and nothing 2 hrs after) that works for your absorption. I ate meatloaf, meatballs and ground grass fed beef with a small amount of marinara or mild salsa for lunch meals as well. At the time I could only eat 3 oz of Protein due to restriction (dietitian still pushing for 4oz per meal even now). I get my 60-80 grams of protein per day in easily now! After that grueling iron work I did start loosing weight much more regularly 3-4 lbs a month and kept loosing weight until 2 years and 4 months. I had RNY so I need to stay on top of the iron absorption issue regularly. If I forget to take the iron with C for a week, I feel sluggish and 4-5 lbs shows up quickly. It takes about another week to get the weight and iron back on track (says the bloodwork and doc). You’ll feel better soon and your stall will end quickly.

I take Centrum Women’s 50+ tablets in the morning with Calcuim and D3, then additional Nature Made Iron 65mg with Trader Joe Vitamin C complex at lunchtime. I found my magnesium low too so I take that at night with a probiotic, Trader Joe’s is the cheapest that doesn’t hurt my stomach or pocketbook but you will probably find something you like better. I don’t count carbs, but I find if I eat any simpler carbs like an apple or oatmeal I dump. I also throw off all my electrolytes and get wicked muscle spasms. Gatorade Zero or similar products help me stay balanced, and I stayed away from most carbs except veggies during the loosing phase. I can eat the same or more calories in fat and loose, but if it’s carbs, stall, stall, stall. You will find your sweet spot, pun intended.

Congratulations on your new you! My RNY surgery was August 12, 2021.

My biggest fear before WLS was maintenance. I kept loosing until 2yrs, 3mo. There were a number of stalls, a couple of gains, but maintenance isn’t that bad. The stats are in the file on here, but I lost 75lbs before surgery, and 75lbs after. My tops are the same size as when I was 5’7” and 140lbs at age 20 so I think I’m there (I’ve aged and shrunk, and acquired a load of skin since then. It all hangs around my belly apron and above my knees.) I’m 56yrs old and love being active and staying active is my passion. The trick is to find activities you love, then let yourself obsess over them!

The secret to my maintenance is smell. I have wicked allergies and noticed I loose weight easily when I can’t smell anything. So, I “forget” to take my nasal spray, or wear a mask with peppermint scent in it. Viola, 5-10 lbs falls off in a week. Thankfully, I also dump on sugar so I don’t need to do the smell trick often :)

I stalled about that same time too. I was still loosing, just slower. I added Probiotics and personally worked on getting better sleep (meditation, CBD, journaling stress out, etc). The weight kept going down in spurts. It was just random spurts until the 2&1/2 year mark. Then I had to be super mindful and pay attention to my vitamins/minerals. It helped me to join some groups like Dr. Wiener , and a hiking club, just to be with like minded people who were trying to be healthy. I hope you find your tweaks and habits that help you :) Yes, there’s more gas in your tank to burn. It is possible.

Yeah Onederland!