NeonRaven8919

I have another one. I live in North London, UK. The North Alps some call it as there is a lot of hills. Some incredibly steep. Well, I cycled up one of these hills today. 6 months ago, I could only go halfway and had to stop. 7% gradient average, about 265ft. And I did it! I know it's an ebike and that might be "cheating" but I still couldn't do this 6 months ago.

This is probably the weirdest one yet. But I'm certain it's because of my weight loss.

In my dreams, I've never been able to run. I always go faster by doing like a wheelbarrow type walk on my hands. But yesterday, I was dreaming and I was full on running. I think it's a mental thing to show I'm finally free of the weight and the expectations.

But in actual physical milestones, I'm on the 5th hole in my watchband instead of the third when I had the surgery, and the 4th about 2 months ago.

14 hours ago, DaisyChainOz said:

Hi, thanks for the reply yeah I know it's too early to be worried.

TMI ahoy...Pretty sure it's the above!! 🥴 This has been a problem for sure! I had a truly awful bathroom visit this morning for an hour trying to birth something equivalent to Rosemary's baby 😬😱 only the second time I've been since surgery.

Still feeling somewhat blocked up, will get something strong to help.

I know I shouldn't weight daily, and shouldn't expect to see a smooth downward projection on. the daily but my (not Dx'd) ADHD compels me lol

I had to laugh react becaue, while I'm sorry to hear you're struggling, this descriptionis made me laugh!

I had the same issue post op. They gave me lactulose liquid and told me to take it every night but it didn't really do much. Until it did! I honestly thought it would never stop! And then suddenly, I was down about 5kg (10lbs). Seriously. This is normal.

On 1/21/2025 at 3:38 AM, ShoppGirl said:

When we make up our minds to change our lives, most of us want to start NOW!!

Exactly! That's how it was for me. I knew today was the day and nothing stopped me!

It's really good that you're keeping up with the walking!

Today, I'm officially under 200lbs! only by half a lb but I'm counting it! I did a little weight conversion and had to remeasure due to disbelief!

After gaining and losing the same kilo for the last three weeks, I'm so happy!

Outside the US, you don't have to sneak anything into the movies, you just walk in with Snacks.

I recommend cycling! Mostly because I'm obsessed and I want to share my obsession, but also it's a method of transportation/form of exercise/easy to get into if you are out of practice. You could also cycle at the gym.

Also, I really love doing pilates and yoga. You can do it in your own home, you just need a mat and a youtube video.

I cancelled my gym membership in the month I had my surgery since I wasn't going to be able to exercise for 6 weeks after the surgery and I would be away for another 4 weeks and Christmas was coming up and didn't want to waste the money (month to month membership). I need to get back into the gym, but I've not been in months so I'm going back to complete novice stage. But I have been cycling so that's at least something. I want to make going to the gym a habit again.

I haven't renewed my membership yet because it will be too crowded with all they "new year, new me" types who use the gym in January for two weeks and then never again.

6 hours ago, Arabesque said:

I’m the same. Acetaminophen do nothing for me either. My surgeon said it would be okay to take NSAIDs with my sleeve (at about 2years) if I took half a dose & didn’t take them regularly. Think it’s likely more important to eat something g before & after taking them though to protect t your tummy a little more than the average person.

Like @SpartanMaker I wonder if it was too high a dose of the codeine too @Bypass2Freedom. Panadeine Forte (Australian) is a combined over the counter med but the dose is 500mg paracetamol and 30mg codeine.

PS: Codeine messes with my head. I get very irrationally emotional and spacy, Drove through a red light (thankfully no one else on the road) and then sobbed uncontrollably curled up on the floor in my kitchen (very Meryl in The Hours). Was my first & only time taking it. Doctor advised to always say I’m allergic to it because of that reaction.

Panadeine Forte (Australian) is a combined over the counter med but the dose is 500mg paracetamol and 30mg codeine. That's what we get over the counter here in the UK to. The same does anyway. I got straight 30mg codeine after my operation. I was just told to take every 4 hours as needed. I didn't need any after day 1. It's so odd how doses are different for everyone.

4 hours ago, NickelChip said:

I'm going to preface this by saying I am not a doctor and definitely in no position to give healthcare advice, but the most recent studies seem to indicate that very occasional ibuprofen use after a bypass does not significantly increase your risk of ulcers. Not all doctors are up on the research and some just don't want to change their advice on the off chance a patient has an issue, but some doctors will outright say that if you take an ibuprofen or two for a really bad headache or that one time you have an unusual pain, it's fine. You just don't want to exceed maybe once in a week or a few times in a month.

The study I read looked at outcomes for thousands of bypass and sleeve patients in Denmark who had been prescribed daily NSAIDs for less than 30 days or more than 30 days, and then looked at how many developed ulcers. Only the bypass patients who took them for more than 30 days had an incidence rate higher than the general population.

This is interesting. NSAIDS (and the occasionally opioid as they prescribed after my op) are the only medications that have worked for getting rid of pain for me. Acetaminophen (aka paracetamol, Tylenol, *insert regional name here) has worked for fever for me, but never pain. I've been dreading ever needing a pain killer (and I've got nerve pain from a broken tooth). I will look into this for the odd one-off pain.

It's my 3 month anniversary since the surgery. Not much weight loss this month, but with Christmas I did a lot better than I though I would. I managed to lose about a pound and been gaining and losing that pound all month. But considering that this time last year I would have gained a lot more, I'm happy so far. In three months though, I've managed to go from a size 24 UK to a size 16 UK. What a difference three months has made.

It's ok to be nervous and anxious. It's major lifestyle change. But the time will fly by and you will be really glad you did this.

I'm three months post-op today and the time has really flown (so have the lbs).

I went with the sleeve because my surgeon recommended this based on my age and general health (35, no comorbidities, no history of GERD) I went on the NHS here in the UK so as it was covered by public funds, I only got the choice of sleeve or bypass. I was also hesitant to choose the bypass because my mother had it, had insufficient weight loss and because her operation went wrong and the had to fix something years ago, they couldn't fix a bowel perforation that she had which she died of. So because of her history with that, I wasn't sure that I wanted to go that route. If my surgeon had recommended bypass, I would have chosen that.

You've done so well! This is my goal at the moment to get down to "overweight".

You are three days post op. Most things will hurt. I could only have 30mls of Water by syringe for the first two days and only once every 15 minutes. Then the swelling stopped and I have about double that and start drinking broth.

As everyone else says, take little walks and try to move as much as comfortable to get the gas out.

I'm almost 3 months post op and gone from a UK24 to size UK16. I haven't been that weight in years. This time last year, I never would have even thought it was possible. This time 6 months ago when I was approved for surgery, I never even thought any of this would be possible! My knees hurt less when walking, although my butt hurts because I have less padding, so sometimes I actually prefer to stand. Never thought I would do that.

I do sometimes still grieve food but not for the reasons I thought. I grieve the way I used to be in some ways because my best friend and I would get together and eat and we don't really have that anymore. We are still trying to find other things we can do together. But also, sometimes I grieved I can't order a pizza or other takeaway anymore because I live alone and don't have anyone to share it with so to avoid wastage, I actually need to cook even if I'm too tired.

This year, I'm going to get my health on track and finally move out of London. I can't afford to live here anymore and I want a new start. Now that I know goals that seemed impossible are now achievable, I want to start new goals.

Size UK16/US12! So proud! Also, these are actual jeans not pull on stretch pants!

I don't usually make goals for the new year because I never stick to them. But, this time last year, I was thinking my goal of losing weight was going to fail again, and I've already lost almost 70lbs! So I think I will start making more goals. Mine is to build up my savings account. I'm going to start small with goals since I know now that I am capable of sticking to things that I want badly enough, but I don't want to get overwhelmed.

On 12/22/2024 at 2:40 PM, joya09.24 said:

Hi Meg!

I had a lapband for 14 years and successfully kept off 100 pounds. I was never hungry with it. Sadly, it died in 2023 and had to be removed.

The first weeks without it were glorious-- I was able to eat things I missed--- salads, brocolli, Bagels. I told myself I would stil eat smaller meals but it was impossible without my tool. I started eating Bagels weekly, would have a second slice of pizza, etc. I tired to keep my calories to 1500 but even then I was still eating more. than the 800 cal a day with the band. The weight packed on quickly. I gained 30 pounds in 4 months. And all 100 pounds within 10 months. I totallty failed. With the added. weight, came all of the medical problems again. My blood pressure went up, I had the rashes and skin rub, my plantar facuitis made it impossible to walk far.I hated myself again.

I was finaly approved for a revision and converted to RNYGB a week ago. I am taking my life back and only wish I had pushed for a revision at the get go.

You didn't fail, most people seem to have less success with the band than other procedures. It just means it wasn't the right tool for you.

18 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

I think the best reply to that is just that your doctor is pleased with your weight and your fitness. And if they keep pressing that you’re going to defer to the one with the medical degree. I honesty believe that some people are just a tad jealous.

Definitely this! People only care about how you look when they can feel superior to you. When you change your health, they have to start focusing on fixing themselves and God forbid they should do that.

2 and a half months post op. I survived Thanksgiving, but there wasn't a lot of Snacks like there is with Christmas. I did however have a small mince pie and was able to stop at just one so I'm definitely getting better at self-control. Since I'm going to see friends Christmas Eve and Christmas day (only one last day at work until then) I'm bringing a dish that I can eat and I've asked if I can bring a container so I can take home any of my left over portion of turkey etc. I just had a stall that finally broke so I'm feeling confident again.

I've kind of had a breakthrough this morning. I took the meds on an empty stomach because I'm supposed to take them at least a half hour before food. About 10 minutes later, I felt like I was starving, but because I was on my bike and cycling to work, I knew I would have to wait to until I got to work in 20 minutes to eat anything. But the "starving feeling" just stopped after about 5 minutes. I think I've spent so much of life thinking "any sensation in my stomach means I need to eat". And then I had a yogurt about half an hour later and I feel completely full. So I think if I get any sensations in my stomach, I need to wait and actually see what it means and wait about 20 minutes.

4 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Yes, it could be your hunger returning. PPIs reduce your stomach acid and consequently the crampy ‘hunger pangs/pain’ excess acid can cause which makes you think you’re hungry. Never known them to make you hungry. (i’ve been on daily Nexium since my surgery and prior took it randomly yet never experienced hunger.) Might be worth asking your doctor or surgeon. You never know.

PS. I’m so over these pharmaceutical shortages. Back to not being able to get my HRT patch - was 5 months without them last time. I mean what the F! I ask my pharmacist to double dispense all my scripts and I still run out.

That makes sense that the ac8d just makes me think I'm hungry. I don't really remember what huger felt like pre-op.

3 minutes ago, learn2cook said:

I got my hunger back just after the third month so maybe it’s that? I like to think like a scientist so I would do experiments with using the medication vs not. I would also ask my doctor if they could substitute a prescription. I would also look into the possibility of special holiday foods being a little too persuasive. Winter holidays and parties trip me up every year. I now go onward with a plan that this year seems to work. I survey the food, pick one or two bites so I won’t feel deprived. I also eat my normal healthy choices before going. Good luck finding what works for you. (I put peppermint lip gloss under my nose for a pie sale. It worked!)

It's definitely the holiday foods too, but I managed to survive Thanksgiving without feeling as hungry. So it could be hunger returning, holiday food and stomach acid going haywire. My stomach is constantly doing something. I just feel like a burp waiting to happen lately. Even with an empty stomach.

I ran out of my lansoprazole (PPI) medication and while there was a shortage at my local pharmacy, I couldn't take it. All in, I was off it for about 8-9 days. Now that I'm back on it, I feel hungry all the time. To the point where I've just eaten my recommended portion size and still feel hungry and so I eat more. My weight has started to creep back up (about .5kg//1lb) and the only thing I've been doing differently is taking this medication again.

Is this a common side effect when one resumes taking this or is there something else going on? I'm also 2 and a half months post op so I just wonder if this is also the return of my appetite?