ChunkCat

I think they are amazing medications for weight loss and certainly worth a good try! I just find it frustrating as a diabetic that there are shortages that affect my dosing schedule. I had a similar issue with Plaquenil, the arthritis med that everyone suddenly wanted when they thought it might be useful for Covid. I don't begrudge anyone else a go at the meds, I just think pharmacies should put aside a portion of their stock for their regular diabetic patients since it impacts us so much when we can't get our monthly supply...

I'm assuming you had a catheter in for surgery? UTIs after catheter use aren't unusual and sometimes you can have one without symptoms so you may want to have them check for that at some point. Congrats on your surgery!!

I've tried weight loss shots. I haven't had surgery yet. I had luck with Saxenda but the insurance did not think I was losing weight fast enough so they refused to cover more. Losers. LOL I had some nausea with it at first but no real issues otherwise. When I stopped the meds I gained the weight back plus extra, of course. I'm on Ozempic now but it is to treat diabetes. I have way more side effects with it as the dose goes up, but it usually evens out after a few weeks at the new dose. I don't love it though. The Saxenda was way easier on my body... I've lost 10 lbs on the Ozempic, then gained it back as I've had a hard time consistently getting the med since everyone is on it for weight loss, it is super frustrating. I have heard of it being used in conjunction with weight loss surgery and some people have a lot of luck with it! The ones I've followed have been using Mounjaro though. CarolinRNY on Youtube talks a bit about this in her more recent videos if you'd like a first hand account of it being used to boost weight loss that has slowed post surgery. My guess is if you pair it with behavior modification and taper off it slowly after you hit goal weight you might be able to maintain the results. If not you are stuck with a weekly shot until something new comes out. The shots themselves are easy to do and aren't usually painful, though they can sting a little. ETA: I think The Sleeved Dietitian is also using Mounjaro to lose weight with and has been successful with it. You can find her on Instagram.

It is sad how some women feel the need to tear other women down in order to feel better about themselves. Clearly she's got some **** going on somewhere. People like that used to hurt me until I really understood it is more about them than it was about me. I've been overweight most of my life. I've had people telling me how to fix that for most of my life too. As time has gone by and age has taught some wisdom I've come to understand that the only person's opinion that truly matters is mine. Everyone else can choke on it. Hahahahaha! But OMG does the advice mill get annoying!! I store up good one liners for this purpose, with a generous dose of sarcasm. I would have looked at her wide eyed and said "Wow, that's a really interesting perspective. I had no idea you think about me so much! I'm flattered!" 🤣I usually just deflect what people are saying and they get the hint, but for the stubborn ones I won't hesitate to make them as uncomfortable as they've just made me. <3

Woot!!! What a great accomplishment! And you look fabulous by the way and so happy! Good job!!

This is similar to what I wear to the pool. I'm pre-surgery and very self-conscious about how I look in a bathing suit. But I do aquatic therapy and it has been way more effective than land exercises! I wear a swim tank with an actual bra built into it and the capri pants along with water shoes. I can't wear the layered tops because they float up during therapy but the snug tank works well! The pool I go to has water aerobics where people of all ages are wearing similar outfits. I've seen people of all shapes, sizes and weights and it has helped me be much less self conscious about my own body in the pool. And the water feels so good!!

My gut says you have dodged a bullet. This is awful treatment and I would not feel safe letting those people have my care in their hands. You should have had your concerns validated and calmly discussed by a patient coordinator over the phone, not suddenly have your procedure cancelled simply because you voiced concerns. My worry here is if you were to go through with things with them, what happens if you have a complication, heaven forbid?? Will they treat you as a malingering patient instead of taking you seriously? That could go very badly, very quickly. I know this delay is devastating. I am so sorry you are experiencing this. My heart hurts for you! I would seek out another practice. You already meet all the pre-reqs. The process shouldn't take as long the second time and you deserve to be in good hands that will respect your time and your trust in them as a patient. This behavior from them is inexcusable. ETA: As an out of area patient they should have been taking that into consideration the whole time and should have been working hard to keep your schedule steady. This is NOT a big ask of an office doing this sort of care and is something the patient coordinator should have been advocating for you. Surgery practices are accustomed to needing to do this. Some will even schedule multiple appointments for you in a day and work with each other to ensure you get all your boxes ticked with minimal travel. I really want you to know that your expectations are not out of the norm, their behavior however IS.

Wow, that's incredible! What an awesome achievement! You really do look like a different person and I'm sure you feel like it too!

Oh, definitely a non-scale victory there!! Congrats! As for healthy fats olive oil and MCT oil in moderate amounts. Maybe some coconut if you like it. I like adding avocado to smoothies for the nutrient and fat boost. Nuts are good, walnuts especially are great for heart health. Plus remember fish like salmon and sardines if you tolerate them, very healthy fats there!

What a great appointment! He must feel your healing is going well. And way to go on the 17 lb loss!

Yay!!!! That is a great win! I want to get rid of my diabetes with the surgery and reduce my overall meds for things too. It is encouraging to see you having results so soon! I know that has to feel good...

I'm glad they straightened that out! Is your blood sugar being more stable now that the last dose has worn off? How are you feeling now? OMG I will be so glad to get off the Ozempic. 😂

I love this picture! The green of your shirt really highlights the lovely shade of your eyes. I'd buy more things in that green! LOL

I wonder if Allegra crosses over? That's what I take when I need it. Though to be honest the big winner for me is Nasonex nasal spray. I have the itchy, burning, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing symptoms primarily and had two allergists tell me nasal sprays are by far the best for controlling those symptoms--especially the eye symptoms. I use it twice a day, when I wake up and at bedtime and if I miss a day man do I feel it. Much more effective than just a pill and no systemic side effects!

For reference, I have a complicated medical history including several co-morbidities, an autoimmune disease that has affected my gut, eyes, and spine, with a history of small bowel ulcerations, and a history of iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency that only respond to high dose pills (Vitamin D) and regular iron infusions. A while back I saw my first bariatric surgeon and had an awful experience. The guy was dismissive of my concerns, brushed off my questions, and was in the room less than 5 minutes and told me the DS was my only option and anything else would fail. His nurse was rude and took my blood pressure with the wrong cuff and when it came out at 175/112 told me I was just too nervous. (I know what "white coat hypertension looks like and mine does not look like that!). They rushed me through, didn't answer my questions, and I felt like a number. I saw my second surgeon today and the difference in visit was like night and day! He was much more engaged, has the same concerns about my surgery that I do, and said that it may be possible to only do a sleeve but if that ends up being the case we will make the best of it! He even volunteered to call my Gastroenterologist and chat with her to get her opinion and risk assessment if we go for a more invasive surgery. She has treated me for almost a decade so I really trust her opinion but I couldn't get an appointment to see her. He thanked me for giving him an interesting challenge to work on! And I got to meet my case manager who was super sweet. So all in all I am feeling much better at this place, super thankful for the long chat the doctor took the time to have, and incredibly relieved that the concerns are not all in my head like the last surgeon made me feel! To anyone with lots of questions and a doctor who won't answer them, it was definitely worth the effort to get a second opinion. As one of my doctors said "You need to be REALLY confident and comfortable with the surgeon that's going to cut into your gut and rearrange your insides!" LOL Oh, and my blood pressure was 104/67. 🤣

Great job!! I know its been hard going for you. But you are persistent and that will pay off in the end! BTW you are beautiful and those frames suit you to a T!

Wow, you look amazing!! That's some impressive loss! Have you been making offerings to the weight loss gods?? LOL So happy for you!

Woot!! That is fantastic!! I've read about your experiences and am so happy to see things working for you now! I'd totally be bawling like a baby. 😂

This is so encouraging, thank you for posting! I have been researching my options as I'd prefer to go with the sleeve but have over 100 lbs to lose and I have been told that's not possible to do and maintain long term with the sleeve. It really helps to see those who have done it and maintained! Great job putting in all that hard work, you look fantastic! And thank you for your service. ❤️

You look awesome and so happy! Great job!

What an awful experience to be having! It sucks when you get the rarer reactions to things, its no fun being a medical challenge! Have they tried any other nausea medication? They like to go with Zofran because its what they give chemo patients and for some it works REALLY well. Sadly I always get breakthrough nausea with it. Plus it causes awful stomach pain and constipation for some. I find promethazine works better for me alternating with the Zofran and the scopolamine patches are nice too. So if they haven't tried other meds, definitely ask about it, there are lots out there! I also wear those seasick wrist bands. For me it isn't one thing that works so much as a combo of things together. My nausea isn't from surgery but from iron infusions, they make me violently ill for weeks! But needs must. The brain fog is probably from dehydration, lack of actual balanced food and nutrients, and sugar fog from the Sprite. Have they checked your electrolytes? Sometimes when those get unbalanced it can make nausea and brain fog worse. Have you tried those vitamin B lollipops pregnant women use? It might help and will at least get some vitamins in you if you tolerate them. If you are really miserable and have spare cash, I'd find a local acupuncturist to see. Acupuncture has been proven to be effective for chemo nausea so I expect it might work for this too! Good luck with finding something that works! In the meantime keep trying. I know that sounds awful but the more things you try the better the odds are you'll find a few things that will stay down. ❤️

Aww, great job! Look at that protein count! Celebrating the daily wins is wise, it helps reinforce what is going right!

My partner is Chinese and from New Zealand so we have these "I call it this, you call it that!" discussions all the time. LOL It is very informative! OP, have you tried different temperatures of fluids to see if they all cause the pain and bubbles? Sometimes warm fluids go down easier, or really icy ones, depending on who you are. Also, some can't stomach water but do well with broths, teas, and sugar free drinks which all count toward that fluid requirement. Even skimmed milk would be better than getting dehydrated and it may feel smoother going down... Or a thinned out, pureed soup? @Big MattyI had not considered mixing a meat puree into a soup! Good call. I'm remembering this for my surgery... LOL

@PennyinAL I highly suggest you hire a nutritionist that specializes in bariatric care. You can find someone who will do telehealth appointments and you can see if you can find someone who takes your insurance! At least a few sessions to get a much better diet plan structured. 500 calories seems too low once you are out of the liquid phase. The surgery (in my understanding) resets your metabolism so you don't want to crash it with going too low on your calories. What used to apply for you for weight loss pre surgery may not apply post surgery because of the change in hormones. You really want professional guidance on this, everyone here varies in their macros because there is no standardization in the field at the moment.

Ohhh, the soda thing is good to know. I don't have a habit of drinking them, but this is incentive not to develop one before surgery! Also, to the OP, have you checked out the little bento box containers you can get on Amazon? There are a variety of them. I have two different ones and love them because they make it so easy to prep meals and snacks! I have the Kinsho small bentos and the Easy Lunchboxes bento snack boxes. The sugar free drink mixes can be overly sweet but you can cut them with unsweetened tea! Or carbonated water if you are craving carbonation and don't want to quit. Or just use a portion of the pack/dilute it more and add fruit/lemon slices. I find I crave the taste of sour fruit things, so adding lemonade powder and lemons or limes to things usually cuts the cloying sweetness some of those other fruit flavors have. I often use the unsweetened Just Lemon or Just Lime powder in things. I think you can even get a grapefruit one. Just avoid the sugar alcohols, they are brutal on the gut!