NeonRaven8919

I set a my goal for what the BMI chart considers "normal", but really, I just want to get down to a UK 12 dress size. That was a size I just skipped over. I went straight from teenage sizes to size 16. I've been overweight all my life.

When I feel like I'm stalling, I tend to panic and think I've failed and I'm trying to stop that so I take my measurements and remind myself how far I've come even if the numbers don't match what I wish they did.

33 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I wasn’t going to discuss this on these boards since I don’t want to turn the discussion away from weight loss. I figured I would talk cancer at the cancer support group and weight related stuff here, but I am quickly realizing that it’s very much intertwined.

I had my revision surgery to SADI on 8/7/2024 and I felt something on my breast in the shower in September. I went to gyno, got sent to get a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound and then biopsies and it came back as cancer 11/6/2024 (about 4 months post op). A few days later I was with the breast surgeon and was told it was triple negative and it’s very aggressive so the process is a little different for me in that it’s all very fast moving but it’s pretty much the same collection of treatments for most cancer I believe.

I am currently two rounds into chemotherapy and just started immunotherapy and also doing appointments for all kinds of scans and imaging as well as meeting the rest of my doctors and setting up my future treatments which will be double mastectomy, then radiation and then maybe oral chemo. Basically I have not sat down since I learned the diagnosis and I have had to learn a tremendous amount very fast to make some pretty heavy decisions very quickly to keep the ball rolling. It’s been a whirlwind

From a bariatric standpoint things have been incredibly challenging. For one my appointments are all over Florida. I have a medical oncologist, a breast surgeon, a cosmetic breast surgeon, a radiation oncologist, and a second opinion oncologist and now a gynocologist in the mix but that’s pretty specific to me. So far and I have had to have imaging done at 3 different places as well since it’s all been so rushed it’s just about who can get me in the soonest and then since these places aren’t connected I have to wait around for records and discs and carry them all to each of my appointment to make sure everyone has everything

I have been traveling non stop with little time to prepare things so prioritizing my nutrition and exercise has been a huge challenge just in terms of time. There are just not enough hours in the day!! Then there is the chemo, the shot that builds up your white blood cells, and the immunotherapy infusion which also take time (2-3 different appointments depending on how it works out that week) but also all of this effects my cravings and energy.

First there is the fact that I have to be on steroids which we all know are the enemy of weight loss but also the fact that eating is different. I consider myself very fortunate that food doesn’t taste bad to me and nausea is not an issue like it is for so many but it’s still not the same. I crave something very specific. I taste it and it’s good but I eat three bites and don’t want it anymore. My refrigerator is a leftover graveyard lol.

In terms of energy I am on the strongest treatment regimen the oncologist says so fatigue sorta goes with the territory. I have been walking everyday still except for the biopsy day and my chemo port surgery day and I have done my yoga when my schedule permits but I have not done my cardio class because I think I sweat too much considering how dehydrating the chemo already is. Also I can’t touch community stuff for 24 hours after chemo without possibly exposing others to the chemo drug and we use balls, bars, discs, etc. Also more recently there is the fact that I have lost about 85% of my hair and I get too hot to wear a hat. I think once I’m bald it will actually look better and I am going to try really hard to just get over that but right now I don’t look like I have cancer. It just looks like a botched hair cut to me so I’m living in hats. The good news is it’s going very fast. It started falling out last week and it’s almost gone already so by next week I think I will just be bald.

Well, yesterday I did totally forget to exercise with all that I had going on and I’m feeling guilty today now that I remembered but I know that’s silly. I am just hoping that as treatment goes on I am able to keep up my exercise. All the doctors say it’s good to keep pushing myself just not too hard. Exercise and good nutrition are going to make this alot easier on me.

Back to food again. Not sure if it’s just the stress of the whole situation or the fact that chemo puts you into early menopause but Thursday was a particularly bad day. My moods were erratic to say the least and I had a bunch of blood drawn after having nothing but a Protein Shake all day so at 7pm I was pretty much famished by the time we stopped to eat. Olive Garden was the most convenient option and I planned Soup and salad but when I got in there that went out the window. I went totally off plan. Again I feel guilty but these darn steroids and all the crazy emotions are making it so much harder to make the better choices when it’s staring at me tempting me I did still get my Protein for the day though if there is any good in that

What’s really hard about this is that even with the Pasta and bread I am actually still losing weight so for my previously obese brain it’s tempting to not just enjoy that while it lasts. But I know that the processed crap is not good for my body, especially right now. I don’t feel as good since I have not been exercising as much and I’ve been eating off plan. I don’t sleep as well at night and I seem to crave more and more junk as well as have less energy throughout the day.

thankfully my program has provided to me free of charge an oncology dietician, but I am her first patient who is actively still in weight loss phase undergoing chemo. She had agreed to check in with me once a week since this is new for both of us and she seems amazing so far. She suggested that I do not lose more than two to three pounds a week which was my average before the chemo. Because the chemo has apparently sped up my metabolism she says that I need to increase calories but to add healthy ones which is extremely difficult because adding calories goes against all we just learned and over 2000 calories of healthy food is a very large volume of food that my body is just not wanting right now (I was eating around 900-1000 before this and already felt like I was eating all day. And remember that most of these meals are on the road these days so I have to eat what I can fit in a cooler or stop somewhere on the side of the highway most times. Not easy to find clean healthy food on the road.

Enough stating the obvious that it’s tough, here’s what I actually have to offer so far in terms of advice. First thing when I wake up in the morning I have a Protein shake which is a really good head start to the day and if I am lucky enough to still be around a couple of hours later I have a second Breakfast instead of waiting until there’s time to eat on whatever adventure the day brings. That helps with the protein if I don’t have time to stop at all. Although recently the shakes haven’t gone down so well so I just wake up and have scrambled eggs with 2% cheese and whatever leftover veggies are on hand..

If I know I won’t have time for that I also have some boiled eggs In the fridge that I can eat real fast or slice up with some cheese and take on the go. I carry in my cooler a high protein yogurt drink, Chomps pepperoni flavored turkey Jerky and baby bell light or mozzarella sticks. It helps to put the ice pack in a ziplock with these items if you live where it gets hot. I also carry a bag with high protein Snacks Quest protein chips, kind minis, cliff minis, pistachio nuts, nut butter packets, Quest cheddar cheese crackers, granola to add to yogurt, etc

Freezer meals!! Omg. I was doing these before my diagnosis and they were super convenient then and have been a lifesaver now. I have tex med chili, chicken chili, turkey meatballs, turkey taco meat, grilled chicken, meatloaf, etc in the freezer and it’s all measured and weighed out so that I can pop in the fridge the night before or even jet defrost in microwave if need be. When I have time to cook I do double batches so I can keep my freezer stock replenished. I have a note in my phone notes that it titled In freezer and I just keep adding to it what I freeze and how many portions are in there so if I’m not home I can check my freezer stock.

I also do a version of meal prep with chick fila as well I like their market and southwest salads (I get the market one without the blue cheese) I buy one of each with two extra chicken fillets and take them home and I make four salads out of that. I take off all the toppings with a bit of lettuce and put into a smaller container to make a market salad and do the same with the southwest. Then I put the leftover lettuce with the chicken into another container and I have fresh shredded Parmesan in snack ziplocks and ceaser dressing also in ziplocks (sorta less pleasant looking but I figure less risk if bacteria than them tiny containers which are hard to get really clean since I am immunocompromised and infection is so dangerous right now) i cut off a corner and squeeze it out like an icing bag. I just use half of the packets of dressing with the market and southwest salads and then toss the rest. I have the ziplock containers that have the twist top lids and these are easy to toss into the cooler when they do not open at all

I still log my macros in Baritastic this has really been helpful for me to be honest about what I’m eating with my oncology dietician so she can keep me on track . It also lets you log your activity, weight, inches lost and set notifications for Vitamins and stuff. I added a reminder to put on my fitness watch and to take my regular meds too

I also carry my Water with me and I set alarms again to drink. You have to wear a mask and for me that seems to make me drink like a quarter as much as I do without one so I have to have reminders again. Vitamins need alarms too. Chemo brain is a real thing and when your days is never the same it’s hard to have a routine anyways so I actually have alarms for just about everything in life right now. I made different tones for Water, vitamins and appointments and I have a checklist to go over before I leave the house to make sure I did and packed everything. My friend and family also have reminders for me in their phones for the real important stuff and they call or text to make sure I haven’t forgotten.

I just found out that two of the programs I belong too offer virtual yoga sessions. I haven’t tried it yet because they are at set times as well but I added them to my calendar as recurring appts just like the live one so I can attend whichever one I have time for. Someone else suggested you tube for videos but I haven’t tried that either. Yoga by the way is my only sense of calm throughout all of this so I HIGHLY recommend it. That and meditation I know that both of these sound a little fruity before you give them a good fair try and meditation takes a lot of practice before it really Did anything for me but I swear my mind runs non stop with anxiety and worry and for that one hour I’m in yoga or the few minutes I’m meditating it is at peace. It’s amazing!!

So I am a little over a month into this and I’ve got a good year and a half to go if all goes well so I’m sure I will have more to add to this but I just wanted to pop In and share what my experience has been juggling a new cancer diagnosis while pretty early out from bariatric surgery. I hope this helps someone. Even if it’s less advice and more to let you know that you are not alone in the struggle.

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through all of this. But you got this! We're all here to support you.

13 minutes ago, NickelChip said:

Oh, yes. I'm just a bit ahead of you surgery-wise at nearly 10 months post-op, and I've noticed a few things as time has gone on. First, the number of pounds I'm losing in a month has slowed. Early on, I was losing 10+ lbs in a month. Two months ago, I lost 6lbs in a month. Now, I'm losing more like 2lbs in a month. Second, there's more noticeable daily fluctuation now. (I like to weigh myself every morning right when I get up, just to have a record.) In the past, I would bounce up or down a few ounces over a few days and then continue my downward progress. Now, I see half a pound or more difference, and I might bounce around for a week or two before reaching a new low weight.

I'm currently about 12 lbs away from a "normal" BMI, so that has a big impact on how quickly weight changes. My smart scale also tells me I have higher than average muscle and bone (taken with a grain of salt since I know they're not completely accurate). One thing I notice now is that some of what I see on my body as "areas for improvement" are no longer simply "would look better if less fat." Now it's more like "would look better if more toned."

As for staying on plan with nutrition, I'm not going to lie. This time of year is a challenge. There are sweets everywhere, and sadly, I can eat them with far too few side effects. I'm not going crazy like I would have pre-surgery, but I would say it's pretty easy to not be in much of a calorie deficit, either. Plus more eating out at restaurants, more holiday parties, etc. Nutrition is something I will tackle again in January.

Thanks for this! I'm only 2 months post op and I'm struggling with holiday Snacks and sweets. It's helpful to know I'm not alone in this struggle and it's sometimes not easier even a few more months out. I think i've been a slow loser after the first two weeks, but knowing it will keep going even if it's slowly is easier to deal with. I'm currently at 209 lbs (94.8kg) and I just wanted to get under 200lbs by the new year, but I don't think that's going to happen yet. But by the end of January, I hope so.

18 hours ago, Mark1107 said:

I was 330 lbs in 10/2019 had the sleevectomy. Since day one massive pain in my stomach. Never healed. Kaiser Dr. Edward Zane Southbay medical center. Was in hospital 2 days went home with a bottle of hydromorphone. I’m 56 years old, 6’1 and weigh 195. In 2021 I was as high as 220 but taking daily opioids and now I’m weaning myself off of them switching to cannabis gummies. Even on cannabis with the munchies I can’t eat anything.

I never healed and I’ve struggled for 5 years. I was prescribed hydromorphone since 2019 and I need it at every meal or drink. If I drink Water I cramp and bowl over in pain. I eat anything cold or hot I bend over in pain. I had ultrasounds endoscopies etc. I have serious GERD and been on proton pump inhibitors for 2 years. I can’t eat Protein of any type without massive pain and opioids from a hamburger white fish pork steak chicken turkey it all hurts all of the time. Carbs and minor fat also hurt but not as much as Protein.

I switched to BCBS the new bariatric Dr says I either have a stricture or I need the bypass surgery now.

current weight is 195and I’ve been losing weight this past year and really hate all food. It doesn’t matter if it’s carbs fat or protein it hurts my stomach. I also get nauseous and throw up if I eat too much regardless and have massive cramping 5years later. Also have burning sensation with bowel movements but was tested negative for crohns/ulcerative colitis.

after 5 years addicted to opioids I went to BCBS and they said Cedars Sinai surgeons can look at stricture correction surgery or just go for the bypass. They want me to eat nuclear egg salad and barium drink during an mri to see what is wrong. Last endoscopy was 10/24 and my esophageal ulcer was 90% healed. I had an untreated ulcer since 2019 that also contributed. Current medication metoprolol 100 mg x a day lisinopril20 mg 2 x a day, Amlodipine 5mg 2 x a day, omeprazole 2x a day, gummies and Vicodin daily with every meal. I can stop opioids once the pain stops.

after 5 years of losing weight and my quality of life has deteriorated I’m leaning towards bypass surgery.

please help group. I also have massive starvation and nutrition issues and take Vitamins but still can’t get even 2k of calories in my body and have low energy all of the time.

sincerely,

Mark

What a nightmare! I would be really annoyed with the surgical team for not doing anything to help for this long! 5 years in pain is just not ok!

I'm only two months post sleeve, so I don't really have anything useful to add, just wanted to say sorry to hear about your difficulties and I wish all the best with your new surgical team!

3 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

You know what. I was doing so well and feeling so good with my nutrition and exercise. Then Thanksgiving and some medical stuff happened and I have been allowing some bad foods to slip in and i Am starting to notice I’m waking up more at night and waking up feeling fatigued. It’s honestly not worth it. The food that nourishes your body is such a good way to think of it because bad food is like cheap gas it just doesn’t make our bodies run very well and can cause engine failure. Ha. I think I just thought of that. Or I heard it somewhere and just think I did. Anyways, good for you with your nutrition. It is pretty amazing to realize the difference between a lifelong diet and a lifestyle change

This is a good analogy about cheap gas. We had my work Christmas Celebration which included a sit down, three course meal. I had to leave one course untouched because it was not worth the space in my stomach. While I'm sure it would have been delicious, it's just not good for me. The waiter looked a bit upset that I just didn't touch it, but I'm learning to choose the things that are better for me, not just what my taste buds feel are better. Side Note: At another time though, I will remember to look for a black cherry sorbet recipe and hopefully find a sugar free version.

I still over did it a little bit as I should have stuck to just the turkey and veg and not has as much of the stuffing, but even making one good choice is better than making all bad choices.

1 minute ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

Back in June when I was approved for Surgery, I was a size 22-24UK. Today, Two months post surgery, I'm wearing a size 18UK top!

Back in June when I was approved for Surgery, I was a size 22-24UK. Today, Two months post surgery, I'm wearing a size 18UK top!

Not sure if this is a win, or if it's just in my mind, but here it is.

I was in the US for Thanksgiving so I haven't been riding my bike to work for the last two weeks. Today, I got on the bike for the the first time in two weeks and I just felt lighter and faster than I usually do. I think my bike is breathing a sigh of relief that she has less weight to carry. I can feel like I'm really flying now, even on the eco power mode (ebike) and not the full power mode.

Tomorrow is my 2 month surgiversary and I'm already halfway to my (numerical) weight loss goal!

7 hours ago, ms.sss said:

i HEART your stepmother and sister!!!

Yes I got a lot more support than I expected. I knew they would be helpful, but this was really great.

45 minutes ago, FifiLux said:

That is great, good for you. Maybe you should have bought a size small hoodie as well, you'll no doubt need it soon.

If you haven't already done so at home maybe buy smaller bowls and plates. That is what I did, some at home and a set at the office and I use for my meals, what was called an appetiser set - plate 15*15cm and bowl 10*10cm. I use a regular sized side plate sometimes but rarely and using the smaller ones makes Portion Control easy.

It was a Black Friday sale and they only had the medium, but I will start buying new clothes soon. Most of my work outfits are too big.

I do have some small plates, but I've only just started eating solids when I was in America so I've only used small bowls. Now that I can eat more, I'm going to start meal prepping again instead of just heating up cans of Soup.

4 minutes ago, FifiLux said:

No, Luxembourg. Here it is covered but you have to meet certain conditions like significant weight loss, loss has stablised and then the doctor submits a report to the health service. I figure I will go and see what he says, the cost of the consultation is 90% refundable so nothing really to lose.

Oh that's really good. I'm going to have to start saving up. It's mostly my arms that are really starting to get baggy.

Christmas should be easier because I will be two months post op and I've been getting better at adjusting to my new eating requirements. Also, I'm not really a drinker so I will be able to say no to all the drinks which will happen

16 hours ago, FifiLux said:

Well not sure I am getting anything yet but in my email to the clinic I asked for the appointment to discuss "cosmetic surgery following significant weight loss, in particular breast surgery" so will see what the dr says.

If I do get anything I would only be doing what is covered by the national health coverage, not paying out of my own pocket. I would love a legs and arms as they are what I am most self conscious of but I know that they are painful and after all the post sleeve complications I had I am hesitant (verging on scared) to do anything.

Are you in the UK? I am and I was told that the NHS doesn't do any cosmetic surgery after weight loss unless it's causing a health problem. I really hope that they can do something for you if you want.

I went home to America for Thanksgiving for the first time in 20 years! I was really nervous about going back, but I actually had a really good time!

Thanksgiving went really well! My stepmother had the sleeve two years ago and I told her I had the sleeve recently so she just dished me up a plate that was about the portion size she eats now so I didn't have to do any guess work with new foods! She even made a sugar free desert for the two of us! I had about a bite of everything and that was enough!

I even managed to lose 2.5kg (5.5lbs) during the 8 days I was there. I think what helped the most is I was staying with my sister who has two girls who are 6 and 3 so she just dished me up the same amount that she did for her kids so I was never tempted to over eat. Child size plates have been really helpful!

I went to my favourite stores for the nostalgia. I bought a hoodie which is a size MEDIUM and it fits! Eventually it will be as baggy as my current ones, but it feels really good to wear a medium!

I was really worried about what this food centred holiday was going to do to me, but it went really well.

I'm seriously considering moving back to Montana permanently, but that's a topic for another day.

This year, I'm going home for Thanksgiving. It's the first time I've been back in 20 years. I have some family members who don't know/approve of surgery so it's going to be a bit tough, but I will try and treat like a normal, get Protein in first, then veg, then carbs. and no Snacks in between.

Check out my butt in this plane seat! There's some chair left over! About an inch. I'm counting it as a win

On 11/21/2024 at 11:31 PM, BlondePatriotInCDA said:

Ohh, I've been contemplating getting a helix piercing... Glad you mentioned this!

I'm glad I got, but it was tener for a few weeks. After that, I just got used to sleeping on my back. It became a habit.

Just now, NeonRaven8919 said:

The top pick last week, the bottome pick July 2024 a week after I started the pre op diet.

21 hours ago, summerseeker said:

I went with my weight the day I went to the see the surgeon for my initial consultation. This was the highest I was ever going to be.

Same. But it was also to my knowledge the highest I ever weighed.

1 minute ago, NickelChip said:

I had to add the laughing emoji on your last comment because that bullshit button is awesome. If only we all had one on our foreheads that other people could press as needed... (although we would probably not appreciate it so much in the moment, I'm thinking).

Good luck on your trip and remember to give yourself grace as you navigate a totally new life experience of being a bariatric patient in a different environment, with family, during the holidays. It's not going to go perfectly, and that's fine.

Thanks! It's not just family, it's family I haven't seen 20 years at Thanksgiving. Fortunately, my stepmom is 2years post sleeve so she should have some guidance on negotiating the feast.

On 11/14/2024 at 11:22 AM, Mspretty86 said:

Do not know how to explain this I am a side sleeper fetal position like. My knees can now touch each other feels thin and bony they are rubbing together and it annoys be. When larger I did not feel this 😂

I was a side sleeper for years until I got a piercing high up on my ear so I switched to being a back sleeper. Suddenly since surgery, my body wants to sleep on the side and my knees are getting bonier. My body must secretly love pain

19 hours ago, Leighanne12 said:

Has anyone ever had weight loss "stalling"? The scale has not moved for almost a month (it has not gone up either). I doing everything I can think of: exercising, eating correctly, measuring food portions, food journaling, more Water, daily Vitamins. EVERYTHING. Is the end of the road for me? (I am 10 months post-op. ) Anyone else go thru these times?

I had a stall during my pre-op diet which took about a week to end. Then at 3 weeks post op I had stall. But in week 4 suddenly 10lbs was gone. I get more stressed about it if I weigh myself every day, so I try not to, but it's really difficult not to.

Thanks everyone. I think me panic was more stress induced than anything else. So I've just gone through my house again, and threw out everything that I shouldn't eat again. I definitely think I have a food addiction so I think I will check out overeaters anonymous. Honestly, I never something like that existed! My weight is back on a downward trend (.5kg or 1lb) since Monday so I'm starting to see the light at the end again. I'm flying on Sunday so I've been feeling stressed about that which doesn't help.

Thank you for all your support. Sometimes I just need someone to press the "bullshit" button and snap me out of the funk.

Back to onwards and downwards.