BabySpoons

5 hours ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

Body Armour Lyte

I second the BODYARMOR Lyte. I left home without my bottle of Water recently, so I stopped in a gas station. Told the clerk when he asked if I needed help, that I can't have sugar or carbonation and he pointed me to the peach mango and said it was amazzing. It was and it's my go to for hydration when I need a drink on a road trip. I ordered some from Walmart as well when I put in my grocery order. Just check the label for Lyte or sugar free because there is a full sugar version.

6 hours ago, summerseeker said:

Enjoy the dress while you can.

Agree with Summer. I went thru sizes so fast there were some items of clothing I barely had a chance to wear before having to bag it up and take to Goodwill. This is probably one of the funnest parts of my weight loss journey for me. Buying smaller sizes, then being able to fit into them in a few short weeks.

Also, not having to hang dry clothes so they wouldn't shrink up on me to intentionally putting them in the dryer so they would shrink up for me. So I could wear them longer. LOL

At my heaviest, (320#) I had to have a ring that I never took off, cut from my finger by a jeweler. How embarrassing. Now that I'm nearing my goal weight, I'm still waiting to have it resized because whatever my body settles at in the end ( figuring in the 10-20 rebound pounds) could be a whole lot different than any number on the scale "I had planned."

I just don't want to do it twice. I have plenty of other rings to wear in the meantime in all different sizes on all different fingers

You know what's funny @ripburn? I was never a morning person. Always woke up tired no matter how many hours of sleep I got. After WLS; I wake up 6/7 in the morning, ready for the day. No problem.

So I'm smiling right along with you

Sharon Osbourne is a good case in point. She even admits regret.

I had someone ask me shortly after Gastric Bypass, why I opted for WLS when GLP 1 drugs are now available.

For a couple different reasons. Ongoing expense was one. You have to take it foreverrrrr otherwise you regain all your lost weight back. Plus I didn't want to be one of those persons using it for weight loss when diabetics needed it way more. And some had trouble filling their prescription for months due to shortages. Maybe it is getting cheaper today as they are more available to everyone, not just diabetics. IDK.

These new drugs haven't been around for long and research on long term use unknown. Health risks such as stomach paralysis/ blockages etc. seemed way more frightening to me than WLS. And heaven forbid I would have ended up with Ozempic face. 😬

WLS patients can easily increase daily calories by drinking them. That may be an option for you instead of trying to consume additional solid food. liquids just go down easier and pass thru the stomach quicker without making you too full.

For example.... a Protein Shake of milk, Protein Powder, fruit and no sugar added yogurt could get you there.

GL

I am 22 pounds from goal weight and the only exercise I have done for the past year is walking 2-3 miles a day. Casually. To be honest, I joined Planet Fitness since everyone kept telling me I needed to lift weights to avoid too much muscle loss from the rapid weight loss. I went a few times then stopped during flu season and never went back.

I had a few different stalls and of course the weight loss slows the closer we get to our goal weight. But on the average, I lost 1-2 pounds per week since RNY WLS in April 2023. I plan to amp up my workouts after I get below my goal weight with resistance training. I used to body build in my 20's so I'm counting on muscle memory to kick in for me. LOL

I also knew that weightlifting would increase my appetite and eating more when our bodies can't build muscle during our honeymoon phase didn't seem logical. According to bariatric surgeon, Dr V, we are in a catabolic state for 1 -2 years after surgery. Meaning we cannot build muscle while our body is breaking it down. (losing weight) Makes perfect sense to me.

I'm curious if you have gotten a bodyfat test that shows increased muscle mass 9 months after surgery coupled with weightlifting?

On 4/29/2024 at 3:30 PM, Jalapeño said:

It's not the nicotine addiction I have, it's more the habit I'm trying to wean myself off from.

I told myself the same thing. Oral fixation. I vaped nicotine- free right up till surgery. I waited a month or so as well for my tummy to heal afterward. Without the nicotine I find I rarely pick it up anymore. I was more addicted to the nic than I thought.

It's normal to be fearful but I would be more afraid to do nothing.

All the pre-op testing is done for good reason. When approved, you can be confident that the doctors are confident you will be OK, or they wouldn't schedule the WLS.

Trust the process. You will come out the other side and wonder why you waited so long. GL {{hugs}}

I had an abnormal heart ultrasound preop and feared the same for myself. My bariatric surgeon told me they wouldn't cancel my surgery, just postpone it if I needed heart surgery. Fortunately, I didn't need it, so my WLS went forward.

I'm not sure at what point a doctor would refuse to do WLS due to medical risk but have heard one say he had to with a few of his patients.

I'm hoping the best for you!!!

It is a bit unnerving to have days where you can only get a small amount of food in, then the next, so much easier or visa versa. I agree with the others here that it all seems to balance out. Unless on those easier days, you are consuming slider foods and not the Protein and veggies as prescribed.

My appetite ups and downs haven't seemed to hinder my weight loss at all. In fact, it's probably good to vary your daily caloric amount (within limits) so the body doesn't adapt. Kind of the same as with exercise.

I recently met a woman who had Gastric Bypass quite a few years ago when WLS was young, and she had gained all her weight back. It served as a reminder that I never want to go back there ever again. If we don't make the changes we need to early on, regain is inevitable. The surgery can only take us so far...

GL

Don't put off WLS any longer out of fear. Nowadays the procedure is at the same risk level as gallbladder surgery. Very low. The last thing you want is to wait to the point of not being medically cleared to have it at all.

Good luck. You can do this!

I was cleared to drink alcohol 3 months after RNY surgery which coincided with the 4th of July holiday here in the USA last year. My nutritionist suggested vodka and SF cranberry juice. I nursed that one drink all night long sitting around the campfire at the lake that night.

I will admit that I'm a bit of a control freak too, so I was careful not to drink enough to do anything stupid. And TBH I enjoyed the feeling it gave and although it tasted good, I still missed my usual go to frozen strawberry Margarita or red beer.

But on the average, I only drink a few times a year and can't see that changing because of WLS.

It gets better. I dealt with most everything you mentioned during my first year after WLS. Some more than others. Still deal with occasional nausea and unstable appetite. Persistent pain should be checked out though.

Before WLS, I ran across DR V. He doesn't sugarcoat anything and drops the F bomb a lot which made me chuckle. But... he made perfect sense to me, and his truth directed me towards having the surgery despite his warnings and statistics. Watching it again he mentions using baby spoons so I'm pretty sure that's where I picked up my name here. LOL

Pitfall #2 is my favorite. Not embracing the honeymoon phase which coincides with Pitfall #5- Believing I will never be hungry again. #6- "It's not gone forever...it's gone for now." (hunger/weight)

I'll just leave this here... GL and hope you start feeling better soon. {{hugs}}

On 3/21/2024 at 6:57 PM, Spinoza said:

Differences in size never cease to amaze me. I am almost exactly the same weight as you but 3 inches taller and I am a US size 8-10. No idea how that happens.

Bodyfat to muscle ratio? My concern as the weight comes off is losing too much muscle weight as opposed to fat %. A low number on a scale doesn't reflect that. But it will show in clothing sizes. Or could it be excess skin????

This discussion does pose a question for me. Everyone here who has hit goal weight and lost a ton of weight to get there. I see these people who have skin removal surgery, and they weigh it and turns out to be 30+ pounds. How does that figure in to goal weight if never removed??? Say if goal is 150 and you are left with excess skin weight, would 180 be more realistic or if you reach 150 would you be underweight if you are carrying around 30 pounds of excess skin???? Such a conundrum. 🤔

17 hours ago, NickelChip said:

I will be eating this Soup until the sun explodes.

Hahahaa! Just buy yourself a box of small Ziplock freezer bags. I am not a big spend hours in the kitchen cooking kind of person so making extra ensures many hours saved. My dinner tonight is from something I froze at Christmas. Quick and easy peasy.

5 hours ago, BlondePatriotInCDA said:

Adding oils - they float so don't penetrate as you soak.

I bought Polysorbate 80 which is an emulsifier and causes oil to mix with Water. But I ended up not using it because I decided I didn't want to clog my water pipes up with a bunch of oil. I used Teal's Hemp Epsom salts soak a few times but that was more for sore muscles and bones.

My Pilaris Keratosis is completely gone now along with my dry skin. I attribute it to the WLS since I've had it since a small child. I still moisturize Using castor oil now. It has many benefits.

Kids say the darndest things....

28 minutes ago, PorkChopExpress said:

I don't believe that Vaping will somehow influence your health before and after surgeon.

I read that Gastric Bypass patients can no longer use nicotine because of possible risk of stomach ulcers but that Sleeve patients didn't run the same risks. I never really understood this. But I stopped because I didn't want to risk my surgery getting canceled.

Can you expound on this???

To be honest, early on I had lots of problems with nausea and vomiting eating normal solid foods when it was allowed for me. I stayed on liquids and soft foods maybe longer than most. But it was easier for me. I figured my tummy just needed more time to heal and really had no reason to force it just because I could have it.

So, I prioritized getting my Protein and liquids in first in the form of shakes, milk, yogurt, Soups etc. I've said it here before, that you are better off staying hydrated if eating solid foods is keeping you from that, timewise. (30-minute rule) I simply preferred that to feeling nauseous and figured I had the rest of my life to eat solid foods.

Becoming dehydrated can cause stalls and Constipation. I also have trouble drinking plain Water but found if I add Crystal Light I tend to drink more in a day., I also take a stool softener twice a day since WLS, recommended by my surgeon. Of course, like everyone else here said, periodic stalls are normal. Long term you have to question what you are doing.

Now at almost a year post op, I can pretty much eat and drink as needed. I just came off a stall and since I'm nearing goal weight, those last few pounds are coming off slower. I don't weigh myself as often so as not to get discouraged. But I'm pretty damn happy with where I am.

Try to get those liquids in... it's important. GL

I started having back pain after losing 50+ pounds and it lasted a couple months. In my case I started going to a chiropractor for adjustments. I was told as I lost weight, everything shifts and needs to be realigned. My body was used to carrying around over 300 pounds so it stands to reason that my back, hips etc would be out of whack.

I also had shooting pains down both legs when I did my daily 2-3 mile walks. It scared me. My chiro worked on those as well. Pinched nerves from being overweight and sedentary sitting. I was waking them up with exercise. I pushed through it all and after about 3 months of adjustments and additional weight loss, my pain is gone. All of it.

You mentioned having physical therapy. Not sure if that included any chiropractic help but it might be worth a try. It sure helped me and hoping the same for you.

I was told by my bariatric team nurse that it's normally a two week wait, and they would call me at that point to set up my surgery date. BCBS approved me within a week. So, I was surprised when the hospital nurse called me with check in day instructions and found my surgeon had already scheduled my surgery in 10 days.

So what normally would have been a 2 week wait for approval, then a 2 week pre-op diet turned into a Fastrack to surgery. My liver shrinking diet was shortened because of it which was OK with me and obviously OK by my doctor.

Good luck!

On 2/17/2024 at 9:21 PM, ChunkCat said:

But the wedding set actually looks kind of cool on my index finger!

It does! I would wear it like that.

It's a beautiful ring. Aquamarine is my birthstone and guessing it is yours too?