summerseeker

Fish is wickedly expensive here too and as we dont live on the coast its never totally fresh. Beef steak can be cheaper than cod.

Yes the sugar tax is a thing, Anything with more than recommended levels are taxed. Things like Sugary sweets, cakes, biscuits, cereals and fizzy drinks. If you buy the diet version its cheaper. Its a choice you make at the check out. Many suppliers have reduced the sugar in their products which can only be a good thing in the long run.

In the UK we call these Melba toast and I was allowed these. They are slider foods though. To us French toast is Good bread dipped in beaten egg and fried and topped with sugar. Vive la difference.

Congratulations on your surgery and doing so well. In Europe we seem to be given a little less rules and strict regulations than our forum friends based in the USA. Your team do seem to have the most laid back approach that I have come across. I had 4 -6 weeks of baby type foods until my stomach was healed and went on to normal foods. 1. Ask your team because everyone has a surgeon with a different idea of what a pre op or post op diet should be. 2. I had a wicked restriction so only managed 300 calories for the early months. 1200 - 1500cals a day is where I am now. It doesn't really help you because your team may want you on much more. 3. Many foods are slider foods. Cake, biscuits, crackers, chocolate etc. You will not feel any restriction eating these. They just slide on through. 4. At about 6 to 12 weeks, your real restriction will kick in. It happens when your stomach has healed and your nerves begin to knit together again. Hydration is a different matter all together, if you can eat so many calories ? why can you not drink enough?? It just does not make any sense. We are told to drink up to an hour before meals and wait one hour after to drink again. In the early stages drinking is a 24 hour occupation, it is tough. Take little sips at every opportunity, day and night. Try hot, cold and frozen drinks. I was allowed coffee, so had lattes. Great protein.

Gravadlax

My surgeon did not agree with protein shakes and had me on skimmed milk. Pre and post surgery. I put unsweetened peanut butter in my blender with half a banana and milk as a milk shake. BTW, UK milkshakes come with out ice cream and whipped cream. Loads of protein, inexpensive and delicious.

My restriction has been fierce and only in the last 3 months am I able to get in some veg/ salad/ fruit with every meal. This last month has also seen me able to add in some carbs. I still can not drink with my food for up to an hour after. My meal tonight was 2 small homemade lean ribs in a barbecue sauce, a salad the size of my hand with seeds and nuts and a new seasons potato about the size of a golf ball. My point is, if you are like me, once your restriction kicks in then your worries about carb intake will not matter straight away. You wont be eating them.

I never had GERD before surgery but have it now and its a pain. If I eat too late then I suffer all night. It keeps me honest. Fat without GERD made me miserable, Thinner with GERD, very happy

I imagine your Dollar tree shops are the same as the Pound shops we have in the UK. If this is the case then you can never find the same thing twice. If you are pre surgery just buy a few things, as another person says - you may find the taste disgusting after surgery.

Your team are your go to here because we all have very different surgeons with totally different ideas on what we should be eating at any given part of this surgery. No two plans are the same Once you are on real foods as to soft foods and your restriction kicks in, then you will have a better idea what your intake will be. Protein will fill you { BTW you are doing great with the amount of protein you can manage ] If your team has given you no guide lines then do not worry. I was told to do what I could. Protein first, Veg second and carb last if there is room. Your carb intake looks fine to me, its a tiny amount. Do not use any other persons plan to the minutest detail. They may have to restrict their carb intake but you may be free to taste them.

Everyone has wild hormones after this surgery, even me at my age. I felt like I was pregnant again. I was so weepy, bloated and hot. I found out on here that our hormones are locked in the fat cells that we are loosing very quickly, so we are super hormonal. Quite a few people have become pregnant in the first months. You seem to be having an added nuisance to handle. I don't know if you are having problems because of this and I would advice you to see your Gynaecology team to be sure

Hi there, Congrats on your surgery. Give yourself an easy time for a few weeks, sleep, drink, eat and rest some more. You will soon be through the worst. Everyone on here will help you in any way we can.

The sooner you can meet your goals, the better you will feel. I struggled for months to drink enough, I was so very nauseous, warm sat the best with me. I survived but felt lousy until I did the drink quota. Soon you will be able to do bigger sips and then its so much easier

Ok the system is brutal, be sneaky. At your initial consultation, wear heavy clothes, sew weights into your clothes. Wear boots. Carry coins in your pockets. Wear heavy jewellery. Drink loads of liquids and try not to pee, have a full bowel...... You get the idea. It should be possible to weigh at least 15 - 20 pounds more than you actually do.

Thankfully you had the good sense to go to the docs for antibiotics. If you feel any worse go to the hospital. Don't worry about your incision site, it will not hurt to be reopened, you will be a sleep or had local anaesthetic. Everyone having this surgery has their hormones all over the place, so feeling discouraged and depressed are quite normal. Lots of us have the ' OMG what have I done ' moment. Roll on a few months and you will be ok and super happy that you did this. Hang in there and take things as slow as you can. Hugs

I had a Bloody Mary at 2 months out while on holiday. I drank it slow and it was delicious. The buzz didn't last long but it was ok. Its a holiday, I would

I can't imagine that you will be able to get any insurance to cover elective surgery. I isn't a typical holiday, so holiday insurance will not cover it. Ask your team

I love the symmetry of your weight lost to current weight. Such an amazing achievement in a short time

I told my Husband and son. When I visited with my immediate family later that year I told them then. I did not want any scare stories or negativity.

Very interesting. I will follow this thread

Drink Full skimmed milk, its super high in protein and low in calories and available everywhere. Inexpensive too

Mine was a few things I was put on ' house arrest ' by the UK government during Covid. My husband had to stay inside with me as our house was not big enough to have separate areas. I thought it was because I have breathing issues, 2 years later, I realised it was because I was obese. Two years of not seeing my family, I was distraught. This indoors two years, I put on another 40 -50 pounds and made breathing really hard and exercise a distant dream. It would take me years to gain my fitness back. I lost all my confidence and began to like hiding indoors I was now Diabetic.

I am so cold in the winter. I wear so many layers. My husband wears very little indoors because he can not stand the heat.

My exercise pre surgery was down to zero. All covid we were confined to the house, two years of house arrest later and I could only vacuum a room and I had to sit down. I was really worried that the Anaesthetist would say I wasn't fit enough for surgery but they passed me. I started walking very carefully after surgery and slowly gained confidence and stamina. Now with almost 150lbs off me, I gallop about. Pre covid, I used to do Aqua fit classes 3 times a week at 1 hour a time. It is so much fun and so easy on joints. I wish they had the classes in my area now

I just could not do puree, The texture was very no no to my jumbled up taste buds. I strained soup and ate soft cheese, protein yogurts and made set egg custards