LindsayT

Exercise, keeping busy, talking with someone, and my faith all help me through. I did a lot of work with my therapist years before surgery, but we still meet once a month to check in. Therapy is so important in this process. I'm glad you're getting it set up.

How soon after surgery did the weight loss start slowing down? I'm 4 months post-op, and things are slowing quite a bit. For the last 3 weeks, I'm at roughly 2 lbs lost per week. I just feel at 4 months it's too soon. I still have about 30lbs left to goal and I'm getting antsy to get there. Though, I'm down 71 lbs since the start of the preop diet and am very happy with the way things are going. I'm just curious if the slow down at this point in normal.

Ok, is painful intercourse a part of the changing hormones from losing weight, or should I talk to my doctor about it being another issue? It's not really dryness, though there is some. It is mostly pain during, not after.. I thought increased estrogen would help. It's only been in the last few weeks that this has been going on.

I did stall often in the beginning though. About every other week. A good loss one week and stall the next.

I can only imagine how frustrating this could be. What does your surgeon say? Is your dietitian well versed in post WLS eating? I would maybe seek a second opinion. My mind went straight to hormones, but if all is well... I can't remember your post, have you had your thyroid checked? All I know is to stick to the basics: meet your protein and fluid requirements, get in your veggie fiber, and exercise. What kind of carbs did you introduce? Maybe potatoes, fruit, and/or whole grain would be best, if you're not already.

I was is SO MUCH PAIN every day. It hurt to walk, climb stairs, carry groceries in, sit. I was always out of breath and had zero stamina. I was uncomfortable in my skin and the negativity that was running through my mind. I absolutely hated for my husband to see me naked, and pictures were very cringy to look at. I also dealt with mental health, and the medication I was on contributed to my weight gain (I gained 60 lbs in less than a year). I was just tired of being fat, unwell, and unhappy. I struggled to lose weight and needed help. I also had sleep apnea and high cholesterol. In the long term, I wanted to be well for my family and, eventually, my grandkids. I wanted to enjoy the second half of my life (I just turned 41). I didn't see that future at 262 lbs and the physical and mental condition I was in. Now, 71 lbs lighter, I have minimal pain (arthritis is still an issue), I'm growing stronger every day, and my stamina is higher. I strut around naked in front of my hubby and am confident in my own skin. I'm off all mental health medication, and my cholesterol is normal. I'm still having some sleep apnea issues, but I'm hopeful those will resolve by the time I get to my goal weight (30 lbs to go). And I feel hopeful for my future. I'm so incredibly thankful for the opportunity to have this surgery.

Ever since last night after dinner, every time I eat solid food, my stomach gurgles for about 30-60 minutes, and I get a bit nauseous. Then, this morning (sorry TMI), I had a massive BM and severe painful cramping during. Thankfully, that went away after I finished in the restroom. The only thing that has changed is that I started an antibiotic Thursday and stopped the omeprazole on Wednesday. I have had very minimal issues since surgery or had any major food intolerance. Any insights? Could it be the antibiotic or not taking the PPI? Thanks!

It's not normal for my stomach to be noisy. It's something new. I was reading about the antibiotic, and it said not to take it if you've had WLS. I stopped taking it and emailed my doctor. It's a holiday here in the US on Monday, so I'm not expecting a response until Tuesday.

I had surgery 4 months ago. I'm in a good routine and recovered very well.

What does your plan say? As long as your food is high protein, low fat, low carb, low sugar AND you can tolerate it, you're good. Always eat protein first, then veggies, then complex carbs (potatoes, whole grain, beans ect). I suggest maybe speaking with a dietitian.

It can be a lot to process. Always protein first and get what veggies in you can. As you get farther out, you'll be able to eat a bit more, so a half cup of veggies may be possible at some point. Make sure your snacks have protein and add a protein supplement if needed. You'll get it.

Great job, that's quite the accomplishment. As far as the protein snacks, just be careful of the calories, fat and carbs. Chips for me are a slider food; meaning I can just keep eating and don't really fill up on them and end up consuming too much. For example, we went out for Mexican food last night for my birthday and I ate about a third of the chips and salsa and still had my portion of dinner. Not great in the calorie arena. With that said, if you pre portion your chips it should be fine, same with the cookies. My thoughts are to limit the foods that got us to where we are and only consume them once and awhile as a special treat; even if they appear to be good. It's easy to fall back into old habits.

Milk of Magnesia should get you going within a few hours. Then, I do a half cap of miralax, a stool softener, and fiber every day to keep things moving. I have found that if I don't, I will go back to being constipated. It's such a delicate balance for me. Fiber and hydration are definitely your friends if you want to keep things natural. But, for some, that's just not enough.

Good to hear you're doing well. Protein is your friend. Unflavored protein to broth and strained soups is helpful to get full. It's not always the best tasting. In my program I was allowed to add seasoning to my food as tolerated. That may help with the flavor (just nothing with chunks yet).

I love egg salad. I don't make it though. I always end up murdering the eggs when I shell them and all I'm left with are the egg yokes.

That's great!

If it gas pains, walk. If not, walk anyway. You can start with laps in your house, around your yard, or down the sidewalk a bit and back. Try cutting back some on your sipping until it becomes more comfortable or try drink warmer liquids. Remember, your liquid protein counts towards your fluid goals. Congratulations on surgery.

All the above, and you can add unflavored protein powder to your meals for extra protein. I enjoyed foods that were already a pureed texture. You may still want to supplement your protein until you're on regular foods and eating a bit more.

Not quite sure the spices, but it's best described as a pumpkin pie flavor: Pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Complete with whipped cream.

Oh, for sure. It was nothing for me to make a batch of brownies and eat half of it in one day.

The store bought pumpkin flavors don't taste right to me. This will be my first fall since surgery, so we'll see how desperate I get...lol

The scale can be a nightmare sometimes. Something to focus on are the nonscale victories. Also, take measurements and pictures of your progress (i do this monthly). It really helps to see the difference when the scale doesn't seem to move as much as you would like. Sometimes, we are losing inches vs. what the number on the scale is showing.

Cereal, in general, doesn't sound appealing to me anymore. TBH, a lot of foods don't. It crazy the cereals they have out now. Sure, let's start our day with 30g of sugar in a bowl...lol. Or when I was young, we had plain cereal; like plain cheerios, and we'd add heaps of sugar to it. [emoji1785] Now, as adults, we just run through the coffee shop and get the 300+ calorie latte with 50g of sugar. With Fall coming up, the pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks is launching soon. Here's the nutritional facts. It really makes me think about what I was doing to myself. I'd have one of these 3 or 4 times a week. No wonder obesity is an issue...

Constipation is a big issue. I take miralax almost every day to prevent being constipated. You can adjust the dosage so it's not explosive. Maybe a half cap vs. a whole cap, every couple days vs. every day... whatever works for you. Just make sure you're keeping up with your liquids, though. Laxatives pull liquids from your body to get things moving. As far as enjoying food again. Once you're back on solids, it gets better. Just be careful not to enjoy them too much, if you get what I'm saying.

It's also helpful to drink things that taste good that fall within the plan (zero calories, non-carbonated, ect). Crystal Light, decaffeinated tea, infused Water with fruit, lemon, or cucumbers, or the cirkul water bottle system are all good options. I find if I like it, I'll drink more. The 30 minute before and after a meal is hard, but it becomes second nature. You literally have to drink all day to meet your goals. Once you get farther out, you can drink more at a time.