LindsayT

Best of luck through everything. So happy this is finally happening for you.

I had lost roughly 60lbs doing Weight Watchers several years ago. As soon as I made it to goal, I stopped. In 3 years I gain back 100lbs because I couldn't control my eating. I'm only 2 months out from surgery, so I can't compare. I just know I couldn't do it again without help...thus surgery. I've tried so many diets these last 3 years and failed every time. I knew I needed to do something different this time around.

Not to change the subject, but they have a vaginal estrogen. Would that work for you in place of your patch short term? Just a thought.

Pinterest is a great place for recipes as well. When eating tuna/chicken/or egg salad, I don't normally eat it with anything. I want to keep the room in my stomach for the protein. To get fiber (and a little extra protein) with it, I like to add thawed frozen peas to my chicken or tuna salad. Maybe talk with your family about keeping snacks and other foods more hidden so they're not so tempting to get into. Another option is to make up your own snack boxes, so you can just pull them out. Maybe some reduced fat cheese and veggies, hummus and veggies, or whatever else you like. Meal planning (even out to eat planning) is so important for us. I have noticed that foods are way more unhealthy than we think. For example, our regular brand of pasta sauce has 16g of added sugar per serving (not to mention the added surger in a lot of food in the US), a small burger patty from a fast food place (no bun or condiments) is 280 calories, and carbs and salt are lerking everywhere in prepackaged and restaurant foods. For example, I got a cup of soup at Penara the other day and just looked at the calories when I ordered, once I tracked it in my app, it had over 2,000mg of sodium. Yikes! (Remember, track first) And I'm not scared of carbs, they just need to be the right carbs; however, they all add up. I try and stay under 60 carbs per day. So, I've learned to track before I put anything in my mouth, unless I know it meets the criteria that my dietitian has put me on. Sometimes, life happens and it's not always possible and none of us are perfect; it's really the effort we put in. Gosh, it's hard though. None of this is easy, I totally get that. And whoever said this was easy....well, I have a few words for them. I look at the surgery as a tool to help us fight back to get healthy and get our lives back, but it's still up to us to use it properly. (Not saying your not, it's more of a reminder for all of us). Again, I wish you all the best.

Pinterest will be your best friend for all things recipes. Here is one example: https://natashaskitchen.com/chickpea-salad-recipe/

I was told forever and to have it put on my allergy list. It increases the risk of ulcers.

The mental part of all this is very real, and surgery won't fix it. You may not feel physically hungry, but the head hunger, for me anyway, was a beast I needed to tame. Therapy is an important step in doing just that. I would also say getting your dietitian involved helps as well. Until we address the reasons behind why we emotionally eat, it's hard to get past those urges after surgery, even if we can only consume a little bit at a time . I really believe that therapy should be mandatory before and after surgery to address why we emotionally eat and food addiction. This has been my biggest struggle since surgery- more so than the actual surgery and recovery- and my therapist had been amazing addressing the issue.

It's definitely a big decision.

You're welcome!

Also, I would look into a dietitian in your new area as well.

I would start calling bariatric doctors in your new location and ask the questions. Different doctors have different requirements. For me, my doctor saw me at 3 wk, 6wk, and will again at 6 months and at a year, as well as and every year after. I am also required 6 month labs, year labs, and labs every year after.

I like roasted edamame and chickpeas for a crunchy snack once and a while. They are a bit calorie dense but healthier than chips. They also give you a boost of protein (especially the edamame) and fiber. Low fat/ fat-free high protein yogurt is a great choice. Low fat cheese (I like the babybel). Raw veggies with dip. The dip you'll make is fat-free plain Greek yogurt and dry ranch dressing powder to taste. Great snake and another source of protein. For a treat, bryers ice cream makes a carb smart version that's pretty tasty, i get the fudge bars, which are around 60 calories, but limit that. Sugar-free pudding, jello, and popsicles are better. Another tasty treat is sugar-free redi whip with strawberries. Eggs are great for breakfast and so versatile: add a bit of reduced fat cheese or turjey sausage or low fat ham, make a crustless quiche, or boil; the ideas are endless. Tuna/chicken/egg salads are great for lunch or a quick dinner; just mix with low-fat mayo and whatever else you like. When I make them, I do enough for a few days and have lunch already made for the next day or two. If you do decide to eat pasta or rice, opt for whole wheat or protein pasta and brown rice on occasion. We had Italian the other night, and I literally only had 1/4 a cup of whole wheat rigatoni with my protein and sauce, and that was way more than enough. I ended up only eating half of my dinner (about a third to a half cup and finishing it a couple hours later for a snack). Leftovers are a great option for lunches and sometimes breakfast. I find that I plan those better/healthier than my other meals. I agree with some of the other suggestions, such as talking to your dietitian. They can offer you specific guidance and support. Another idea to try is therapy to understand why you are making the choices you are. It may only be 1200 calories, but the choices are poor with poor nutrients. Us RNY folks need to be on top of our nutritional game between food choices and vitamins and supplements. The habits you are building now will stick with you and may lead to an undesirable outcome in the future. I wish you all the best moving forward.

I feel the same way. At my heaviest, my health was declining so quickly. So happy to be getting my life back. Yes, the beginning sucks, but it is temporary.

I'm more worried about calories, protein, and liquid. I obsess over making my goals each day. It's getting to be a bit much. The thought of dumping also gives me a ton of anxiety.

Honestly, I'd get a second opinion. Especially since you have GERD. I'm not sure if an HH repair will help the GERD or not, but you shouldn't have to live with it either. And, long-term PPI medications are not ideal. Good luck!

My choice on the bypass was solely made because I have GERD and I didn't want to possibly make it worse by getting the sleeve. I cannot imagine going through a revision surgery. A lot of people do, but that was definitely something I didn't want to experience, especially since the first 6 weeks after were very unfun. That said, it's your choice and either surgery will give you great weight loss results; just look at the possible cons of each surgery as well. As far as dumping with the bypass, it keeps me in check when choosing what to eat. I hope that works for my advantage later down the road.

Just a thought about the hunger. Could it be head hunger vs. being hungry. I know around 3 weeks my head cravings were a beast. Every time I smelled food my brain would light up. As soon as I removed myself it would stop, usually. Maybe when those hungry thoughts come, go for a walk, if you can; drink something with some flavor, or do something else distracting. It can be a lot in the beginning.

How long were you on supplemental protein after surgery? I'm tired of it. It's expensive. And I'm at a loss on how to get extra protein in. Currently, I'm having two protein shots a day, each of which are 25 g. Fifty grams of protein is a lot to make up in food, plus make your fluid goals. How do you do it?

I had issues with dairy for a few weeks after surgery. It's a lot better now in smaller doses. I've had ricotta, cheese, and yogurt just fine. I'm not a fan of milk right now. I'm not sure why, it just doesn't appeal to me. So maybe try dairy again in a few weeks to a month and see how you do.

The protein shots are much better than the shakes. I tried a couple bars and didn't like them. As long as I supplements, I make my goals. I need to figure out breakfast and a morning snack. I think that would help me get off one of the protein drinks. The problem becomes, I can't eat a whole pot of yogurt yet, so it seems silly to waste.the room when I can do the drink so much.easier and then go straight into my fluids in the morning.

My surgery was May 1 and I've stalled twice. It happens. Just keep doing what you're doing and it'll eventually break. With that said, I've lost 45lbs since the start of my pre-op diet on April 17th. That, to me, is pretty good considering two of those weeks I didn't lose anything. Trust the process.

We use coconut oil as well. It works better than anything on the market.

It's hard because I want to get my fiber/fruits and veggies in too. I think those are also important. Being only 2 months out, it seems impossible to get in all the nutrients. I'm thinking I'll give it a couple more months and start phasing out 1 of the protein supplements.

Also, try different temperatures of fluids. That may help with tummy upset while drinking. Warmer fluids feel better on my stomach than cold.

I definitely don't make it with regular food. Yesterday, I even ate 2 snacks and I would have never made my protein goal without supplementing it.