Sunnyway

I've been a vegetarian (mostly) for 34 years and the only meat I can stand eating is chicken. Do you think at this phase (8 days post-op) I can eat finely shredded rotisserie chicken? I guess I don't really understand the degree to how soft things must be and why.

I agree with everything the has been said. Get a second opinion! Tell you it’s all in your head points to the doctor being unprofessional & crazy!

Have you tried a GOOD electrolyte Water?
I have been felling punie & my naturopath told me to get liquid IV or Drip Drops. Both are powders & both have Vitamins. I use a 1/2 stick per day & have been feeling so much better. They may seem expensive, but you are worth it!
I know it’s not the answer to everything that you are going through but it might help you feel better I’m the mean time.

I'd be concerned that it is a stricture. Did the surgeon do any tests or did they just jump straight to psychological? If no serious testing, then definitely go consult with another doctor. That isn't normal or healthy.
I hope you get this sorted.

Kiddo, get a second opinion. ALL DOCS MAKE MISTAKES. Find another that does this and go for that second opinion.

I know that there are a million topics about this already but to be honest I was still having a hard time mixing my Protein Powder (isopure zero carb) into hot Soups for the full liquid phase.

If I mixed it first, getting out all the lumps, then microwaved it, it would curdle. If I mixed with Water and added it after heating, it would thin out the Soup too much and cool it down even faster. I tried blender bottles, a vitamix, and milk frothers and nothing was working.

I am having much better luck mixing the powder with a tiny bit of broth (just water was diluting the soup flavor). Mix it up into a thick paste and there are still dry spots and lumps. Then just leave it for a few minutes and it finishes mixing all on its own. The consistency starts off as thick oatmeal and after sitting is like heavy cream without any lumps.

I then add that to the heated soup and don’t get any lumps, thin out the soup or dilute the flavor!

I’m just super happy to have finally figured out something that doesn’t totally suck after 2 weeks of liquids. 😅

I guess it also helps that I am adding salt to the soups. It’s just 3oz of soup, and more sat is the only thing making this doable.

Don't worry too much about it.
I just had a trip to visit a friend who is a real gourmand. He loves good food, and has excellent taste in restaurants. So we went as a group and ordered "family style" and I just ate little bites. The food was very rich, but I was still able to enjoy it, just not as much.
I had surgery about three months ago. I have had sushi since then. It can be a lot of rice so I will order a little sashimi and then just one or two pieces of nigiri sushi.
You can do this. And you won't have the same problem we in the US do, because portions are not ridiculously huge in Finland like they are here.
Onnea ja jatka eteenpäin sisulla 💪

I used Baritastic religiously for 18 months. It's - as the name says it - fantastic! Completely free, great customer service whenever there was a glitch, easy to use. Stick with it.

I've been using the Baritastic app for 8 months. it is free and very comprehensive.
Among other things, it can figure out the calorie/nutrition data per serving if you input a recipe You can track your mood, feelings of hunger, number of bowel movements, journalling, timers for a variety of things, all in addition to daily food and Vitamin intake. If you plan meals ahead, you can input them into future dates. You can also copy items from one day and insert them into the current or future date.
I almost always have it open on my phone and use more often than any other app. I intend to keep using it

It may help you to read a book about WLS. Both of these are good.

Yes! Such good advice! I try and really be present with my family when we eat meals together, and to really enjoy the food when I'm eating alone. I put my utensil down, chew well, appreciate the sights & sounds around me. Its not easy and it takes constant intention, but its slowly becoming a habit.

The best thing I’ve done is pretend I’m out to lunch with an old friend and stop to “listen” to conversation. It’s help a lot to slow me down.

it's pretty standard for surgeons to prescribe PPI's for awhile after surgery. I had them for a year - but three-six months seems more common now (probably because of the bad rap long-term PPI use has gotten the last few years).
so you just now got a lapband? Or did you have one before and this was a revision surgery? I was just a little surprised because that very few surgeons place lapbands any more - it's been largely replaced by the sleeve (as the non-RNY option)

Thanks so much for all the advice. Good to know there are work arounds and successes avoiding it . It is a trigger food for me and I know I’m a food/sugar addict and need to abstain.

Its definitely difficult, especially in those very early days. I try really hard to limit artificial sweeteners for a multitude of reasons, so I totally get it. I do use a SF Syrup in my coffee, but have slowly lowered the amount over time to keep it minimal, and I have a Protein shake/water most days, but that's about it. I am trying to slowly up my intake of whole food based protein so I can cut out the shakes, but I'm not quite 3 months post-op so its still a struggle. Instead of flavoring in my Water I use lemon or lime juice when I want something other than plain water, I opt against "low carb" anything and just go without (breads, Pasta, Cookies, ice cream, etc.),. no SF Jello or pudding or any of that junk. As others have said, its not impossible, its just depends on what degree of abstinence you're comfortable with. I am ok giving up the "treats" I am NOT ok giving up yummy coffee!
Experiment with alternatives and figure out what works for you. It may be helpful to go completely without for a period of time, and then reintroduce only those things that are most satisfying/desirable to you. There is no right or wrong, its a lot of trial and error.

Artificial sweeteners continue to feed your desire for sweet. They’ve many other negative issues too. And you’re right, they seem to be in everything these days. Monk fruit is being pushed as a better alternative but it doesn’t stop the sugar cravings either. Neither do natural sugar alternatives (honey, coconut sugar, molasses, etc.) which are still basically sugar with slightly different glucose & fructose content.
The weight loss stage made it easier to cut out or greatly reduce added sugar & sweeteners. I was only eating Protein, vegetables, dairy & fruit after surgery so little opportunity for added sugar & sweeteners. (I stopped shakes from day 1 purées.)
I prep most of what I eat from scratch myself. It’s the only way to control the ingredients. I carefully check the ingredient list & nutrition panel on any products I do buy. I avoid sweeteners but know there’s some in the yoghurt & Protein Bar I eat but that’s all. I’d rather choose products with low quantities of real sugar than artificial.
I don’t drink carbonated drinks like colas, etc. or juices. I only have cakes, sweet biscuits or Desserts, etc. a couple of times a year. I have a glass of alcohol about once a month.
Our bodies do need some glucose. I get most from naturally occurring sources: dairy & fruit. My daily intake of added sugar is harder to define as total sugars on nutrition panels include naturally occurring & added as one total. I don’t add any myself. I know there’s 2-3g in my Salad Dressing & 1g in my crackers & about 6g if I use a condiment like mint or teriyaki sauce (couple of times a month). My desire for sweet has changed greatly & sweet foods are crazy sweet now.
This is just what I do. Others may have better suggestions, alternatives, experiences or made more changes. It just depends upon how much you’re willing to omit or reduce from your eating plan & if it’s sustainable for you.

I agree with this completely. I asked my nutritionist and her only suggestion was to use unflavored Protein Powder . That was not very helpful lol

Me! I never had an eating disorder, never had an emotional attachment to food nor did I use food to cope when things got stressful or something went wrong. I turned to cigarettes for stress and emotional stuff - THAT was a long loooooong journey to quit, which I finally did. And stress always killed my hunger.
I got obese because I liked to eat and food tasted good. I was a sugar addict, a junk food addict, and got to the size I got purely from gluttony and boredom. Sugar was the worst, I could cut down and quit and do well for a while, but if I had too much I'd be addicted all over again.
So nope, the path to morbid obesity isn't always down to emotion/stress/trauma/issues. Some like me just... liked food too much. Taste... texture... and rubbish will-power.

My surgery is jut 13 days away and all of the hospitals within 150+ miles are full of COVID patients and turning away transfer patients. 88% of of those hospitalized with COVID were not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. (I am vaccinated and have received the booster.)
My surgeon is reevaluating the schedule week by week.. As of today, my surgery is still on, but I recognize that it could get postponed.

My surgery is jut 13 days away and all of the hospitals within 150+ miles are full of COVID patients and turning away transfer patients. 88% of of those hospitalized with COVID were not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. (I am vaccinated and have received the booster.)
My surgeon is reevaluating the schedule week by week.. As of today, my surgery is still on, but I recognize that it could get postponed.

Thanks for the pointer to the journal!

I think I’m going to keep logging it as strength training because it’s easier to see in my summary and figure out how my caboose is doing.

About 6 months ago, I started randomly tripping/falling. I've had knee surgery several times (including total knee replacement) so I really assumed it was related to previous injuries. The falls were being caused by a condition called "foot drop" and I was referred for a nerve conduction study (interesting experience!) to see if the nerve was damaged beyond repair. If you aren't familiar with drop foot, it's basically where your ankle/toes are always pointed down and sometimes drag.
The first question the doctor asked me was "Have you recently lost a lot of weight" - First thoughts... RUDE... I figured it was because of my loose skin (which even I don't think is too horrible). When I responded with "YEP, 100lbs" - His next question "Have you been crossing your legs a lot?" - Me: YUP, it's awesome... haven't been able to do that comfortably since I was a little one!" - Doc: "Well, here's your problem: peroneal nerve dysfunction." He then proceeded to let me know that he sees quite a few WLS patients with this issue and wishes that this was something more widely known. Apparently there is a "fat pocket" that protects this nerve. When we lose weight quickly (vs gradually), in some it goes away completely and leaves that nerve more "exposed" to damage.
Looks like I'm going to be a lucky one and it's not too far gone to resolve with some physical therapy and some electrical stimulation. So, if you notice that you start to feel some numbness in the top of your foot and have a difficult time raising your ankle and toes after sitting for a bit with your legs crossed, just be aware that it *could* lead to something more serious.

I was right where you are pre surgery.... Rest your mind....you are making the best decision possible for yourself. Pre Op and 3 weeks Post Op will be a challenge but you will be just fine. I am 16 weeks Post Op and down 57 lbs and my life has settled back into a predictable routine and I feel like a million bucks....you will not regret any of this and your Health will be improved 100%.

Sleever here - I can eat bacon with no issues (but I limit to 1-2 pieces when I do)

I was sleeved July 2020. I can eat 2 pieces bacon with no problem but, Lisa, make sure your nutritionist is ok with you having it at this point. I am always surprised with the differences in plans.

Yes, yes, yes! This is exactly my issue. I'm not an emotional eater or a binge eater, but if something I know is delicious is right in front of me I WANT it. It's extremely difficult for me to turn away from the temptation. As a sugar addict, I am abstaining from all forms of sugar and flour, so I KNOW BETTER, but I'm still inclined to reach out ant take the yummy item, even though I am again past the withdrawal stage.