Rashi

Yeah, very common... I gained like 4 lbs. I was so offended. LOL Then I proceeded to gain and lose the same 2-4 lbs for 6 bloody weeks!! I've just now started to lose a little again. *sighs* Weight loss is not linear and Fluid changes and stalls can really play with your mind. Put away the scale for a bit!!

I definitely didn't settle down until anesthesia kicked in... 😆. But it helped tremendously having caring staff, my husband to distract me with unrelated convo and before I knew it I woke up in my room. It's been a pretty pleasant journey since. You Got This!

Glad I’m not the one struggling with severe anxiety. 23 days out from and every day closet my anxiety gets worse.

Officially 8 weeks and 2 days Post-op and honestly I'm pretty comfortable with my progress though a little disappointed with my hydration. The weight loss is steady, Protein intake was a little tricky but I think I got it, and keeping up with physical activity has been smooth. Last month's first follow up with the nutritionist did get under my skin, I questioned returning to my previous Vitamins vs these nasty Flinstones...and she went on and on about my Calcium, Iron and protein levels wouldn't be sufficient due to me not eating meat. I explained I had no problem taking additional calcium or iron IF necessary, and finding new ways to add my protein BUT I wanted to see how my bloodwork came back. She finally conceded in saying "well, you're an adult, if you want to take more vitamins that's your choice". I mean OBVIOUSLY it is my choice and her condescending tone is one of the many reasons I've never cared for nutritionist. Nevertheless, guess who's blood work is PERFECT?! In other news, I will say this ketosis stage, while extremely beneficial... it is giving me the "ick" with side effects, smells, body odor etc... I've introduced some carbs hoping things will balance out but it seems to be a slow process. Uranalysis confirmed I'm still burning ketones sooooo there's that. 🤷🏽‍♀️but when will these side effects end ? Speaking of introducing carbs... I had a small bowl (4 oz) of mac and cheese (chickpea pasta)... this is a true trigger food for me, but I ate it, I enjoyed it and I moved on... it wasn't until the next day, I was thinking wow, I really didn't "Want" another bowl... "I'm good". In the head scratching category... I overheard my co-workers having a convo about individuals on the show "My 600lb life"... DISCLAIMER: I say overheard loosely, there's 3 of us in a small room, they were speaking freely as we usually do but I had my earbuds on and wasn't a part of the beginning of the convo. While I can't say I've ever watched a full episode, I am familiar with the premise of the title as well as what "reality shows" really entail when it comes to production and I'm sure I've caught a snippet of an episode on a meme, commercial etc. They also do not know I've had a procedure.
I digress, at some point in the convo, they were both giving their opinions on "how could someone let it get so bad"..." when your pants stop fitting..." "when you're out of breath walking from house to mailbox..." etc. and while I have no doubt that they did not have malicious intentions nor have I personally fit into any of these examples... I suddenly became very offended. I even thought to myself have I lost that much weight that this is how "skinny" people speak freely among you ? (The answer is no, regarding me... I've lost a good amount, but they've known me for several years...at my heaviest). I thought, are they thinking I'm really deep into my work and not paying attention ? (The answer is no, we always engage with each other based off of body language to get the others attention and they were engaging). The answer boiled down to, they were just ignorant to the reasons this could happen to someone and the fact that reality tv has a way of making people look and behave at their worse. So I chimed in with "As a fellow big girl..." and explained to them that food addiction is real, and it's real easy to forget that unlike, drugs and alcohol, people have to eat for survival/nutrition and if you are addicted to such it's easy to forget how someone can "let it get so bad", there are also health issues and medication side effects. They were both receptive and admitted that didn't even consider that thought. We went on to talk about the state of "healthy" food choices, labels, vending machines in schools and all. But I definitely walked away from that convo scratching my head because they are both thin and love to eat and not always the "healthy" stuff... so I'm thinking it didn't occur to you others JUST CAN'T do that. Anyways, it was an experience and I'm glad I had it.

Officially 8 weeks and 2 days Post-op and honestly I'm pretty comfortable with my progress though a little disappointed with my hydration. The weight loss is steady, Protein intake was a little tricky but I think I got it, and keeping up with physical activity has been smooth. Last month's first follow up with the nutritionist did get under my skin, I questioned returning to my previous Vitamins vs these nasty Flinstones...and she went on and on about my Calcium, Iron and protein levels wouldn't be sufficient due to me not eating meat. I explained I had no problem taking additional calcium or iron IF necessary, and finding new ways to add my protein BUT I wanted to see how my bloodwork came back. She finally conceded in saying "well, you're an adult, if you want to take more vitamins that's your choice". I mean OBVIOUSLY it is my choice and her condescending tone is one of the many reasons I've never cared for nutritionist. Nevertheless, guess who's blood work is PERFECT?! In other news, I will say this ketosis stage, while extremely beneficial... it is giving me the "ick" with side effects, smells, body odor etc... I've introduced some carbs hoping things will balance out but it seems to be a slow process. Uranalysis confirmed I'm still burning ketones sooooo there's that. 🤷🏽‍♀️but when will these side effects end ? Speaking of introducing carbs... I had a small bowl (4 oz) of mac and cheese (chickpea pasta)... this is a true trigger food for me, but I ate it, I enjoyed it and I moved on... it wasn't until the next day, I was thinking wow, I really didn't "Want" another bowl... "I'm good". In the head scratching category... I overheard my co-workers having a convo about individuals on the show "My 600lb life"... DISCLAIMER: I say overheard loosely, there's 3 of us in a small room, they were speaking freely as we usually do but I had my earbuds on and wasn't a part of the beginning of the convo. While I can't say I've ever watched a full episode, I am familiar with the premise of the title as well as what "reality shows" really entail when it comes to production and I'm sure I've caught a snippet of an episode on a meme, commercial etc. They also do not know I've had a procedure.
I digress, at some point in the convo, they were both giving their opinions on "how could someone let it get so bad"..." when your pants stop fitting..." "when you're out of breath walking from house to mailbox..." etc. and while I have no doubt that they did not have malicious intentions nor have I personally fit into any of these examples... I suddenly became very offended. I even thought to myself have I lost that much weight that this is how "skinny" people speak freely among you ? (The answer is no, regarding me... I've lost a good amount, but they've known me for several years...at my heaviest). I thought, are they thinking I'm really deep into my work and not paying attention ? (The answer is no, we always engage with each other based off of body language to get the others attention and they were engaging). The answer boiled down to, they were just ignorant to the reasons this could happen to someone and the fact that reality tv has a way of making people look and behave at their worse. So I chimed in with "As a fellow big girl..." and explained to them that food addiction is real, and it's real easy to forget that unlike, drugs and alcohol, people have to eat for survival/nutrition and if you are addicted to such it's easy to forget how someone can "let it get so bad", there are also health issues and medication side effects. They were both receptive and admitted that didn't even consider that thought. We went on to talk about the state of "healthy" food choices, labels, vending machines in schools and all. But I definitely walked away from that convo scratching my head because they are both thin and love to eat and not always the "healthy" stuff... so I'm thinking it didn't occur to you others JUST CAN'T do that. Anyways, it was an experience and I'm glad I had it.

Officially 8 weeks and 2 days Post-op and honestly I'm pretty comfortable with my progress though a little disappointed with my hydration. The weight loss is steady, Protein intake was a little tricky but I think I got it, and keeping up with physical activity has been smooth. Last month's first follow up with the nutritionist did get under my skin, I questioned returning to my previous Vitamins vs these nasty Flinstones...and she went on and on about my Calcium, Iron and protein levels wouldn't be sufficient due to me not eating meat. I explained I had no problem taking additional calcium or iron IF necessary, and finding new ways to add my protein BUT I wanted to see how my bloodwork came back. She finally conceded in saying "well, you're an adult, if you want to take more vitamins that's your choice". I mean OBVIOUSLY it is my choice and her condescending tone is one of the many reasons I've never cared for nutritionist. Nevertheless, guess who's blood work is PERFECT?! In other news, I will say this ketosis stage, while extremely beneficial... it is giving me the "ick" with side effects, smells, body odor etc... I've introduced some carbs hoping things will balance out but it seems to be a slow process. Uranalysis confirmed I'm still burning ketones sooooo there's that. 🤷🏽‍♀️but when will these side effects end ? Speaking of introducing carbs... I had a small bowl (4 oz) of mac and cheese (chickpea pasta)... this is a true trigger food for me, but I ate it, I enjoyed it and I moved on... it wasn't until the next day, I was thinking wow, I really didn't "Want" another bowl... "I'm good". In the head scratching category... I overheard my co-workers having a convo about individuals on the show "My 600lb life"... DISCLAIMER: I say overheard loosely, there's 3 of us in a small room, they were speaking freely as we usually do but I had my earbuds on and wasn't a part of the beginning of the convo. While I can't say I've ever watched a full episode, I am familiar with the premise of the title as well as what "reality shows" really entail when it comes to production and I'm sure I've caught a snippet of an episode on a meme, commercial etc. They also do not know I've had a procedure.
I digress, at some point in the convo, they were both giving their opinions on "how could someone let it get so bad"..." when your pants stop fitting..." "when you're out of breath walking from house to mailbox..." etc. and while I have no doubt that they did not have malicious intentions nor have I personally fit into any of these examples... I suddenly became very offended. I even thought to myself have I lost that much weight that this is how "skinny" people speak freely among you ? (The answer is no, regarding me... I've lost a good amount, but they've known me for several years...at my heaviest). I thought, are they thinking I'm really deep into my work and not paying attention ? (The answer is no, we always engage with each other based off of body language to get the others attention and they were engaging). The answer boiled down to, they were just ignorant to the reasons this could happen to someone and the fact that reality tv has a way of making people look and behave at their worse. So I chimed in with "As a fellow big girl..." and explained to them that food addiction is real, and it's real easy to forget that unlike, drugs and alcohol, people have to eat for survival/nutrition and if you are addicted to such it's easy to forget how someone can "let it get so bad", there are also health issues and medication side effects. They were both receptive and admitted that didn't even consider that thought. We went on to talk about the state of "healthy" food choices, labels, vending machines in schools and all. But I definitely walked away from that convo scratching my head because they are both thin and love to eat and not always the "healthy" stuff... so I'm thinking it didn't occur to you others JUST CAN'T do that. Anyways, it was an experience and I'm glad I had it.

There was this older lady in my craft group, and I told them that I had surgery because I figured it was more people to make me feel accountable. This is a revision surgery for me and the last time I didn’t tell people like that and it didn’t work out so well so I’m trying a different approach. Anyways, she is about 80 years old and she said to me she just wanted to tell me how happy she is for me because since my surgery, I have really blossomed. She said that I i have a healthy glow about me and I’ve really come out of my shell in terms of confidence and it shows. I think that was probably the nicest compliment I’ve ever had in terms of my weight loss. I just appreciated that it wasn’t about superficial things. Maybe there’s hope for all these superficial people that when they get a little older, they will view things in terms of stuff that actually matters.

love this spot on answer.
not totally proud of this, but i often treated my NUT like a child that needed to be placated. i let her say her peace and nod and say ok and then just left. she often had so much (unuseful) things to say that sometimes i just wanted to pat her on the head and say "good girl" for her (unuseful) efforts.
you totally figured out a winning strategy already (with zero help from NUT even), no need the fix what ain't broke. just pat her on the head next time.

I have to be honest about my experience so far with dietitians, and with post-bariatric advice and counseling in general. If you ask 100 dietitians what we are supposed to be doing, you will get 101 different responses. And if you ask them a second time, you will probably get even more. Too much Protein, not enough protein, carbs are the devil, carbs are fine, low fat, don't worry about fat, count calories, only count macros, work out more, don't exercise too much...
You've lost over 100 pounds. You are 12.8 pounds from your goal at only 5 months post-op, work out 6 days a week, and look and feel great. You seem really happy. I fail to see why you should change anything if you are happy with your results, unless you think the advice will benefit you. You know your body and what works for you, and unless your dietitian is a bariatric patient, she's never been through what you are doing first hand.
Take what she says with a grain of salt, except salt is bad, unless it isn't because electrolytes are good...who knows?

Very common for you to experience temporary changes to your sense of taste and sometimes smell after surgery. Everything became super salty or super sweet and certain textures (like the grainy texture of the shakes) became off putting for me. And yes, sometimes foods you didn’t enjoy before become enjoyable though that can change back. For me it was smoked salmon which I strangely began eating regularly once on real food but a few weeks later it was back to nope it’s too strong & rich. I actually embraced the aversion to sweet and lost my desire for a lot of it.

I've always had to be int he mood for Avocado and even when I was, I had to have it with something, like toast or cracker, maybe in a salad... now guacamole was a different story😋. Though it's not something that's really crossed my mind. Thanks for mentioning the potato (we call it Baked Potatoe in the states), I'm pretty sure I can have that and so now I know what to make or dinner!

I am definitely a salty-crunchy craver. So far that still seems legit, I think about my deluxe nuts and stove popped popcorn, but that thought/craving may pass since it'll be sometime before I can test it out. As someone who hasn't eaten meat for years, and still find the thought unappealing, I'm interested if I'll wake up one day like... "Oh, I could go for a steak 🤣" As for the Vanilla shakes, yes, I've been mixing them in my coffee as well as with my Protein Powder and I've been enjoying PB2 for years... still tastes Amazing... though I miss putting a little granola in it (maybe that'll pass too (shrug), But hey it's the Protein Boost and I'm happy for it.

Detested eggs pre surgery and now eat them every day. Loved cooked salmon but can not eat it, just the thought of it makes me want to vomit. Avocado is also off. It took me almost two years to want chicken again
There are other things that are just impossible for me to eat because of the surgery. Cheap white bread, Pasta, Curries sob... Anything with skins, tomatoes, peppers, grapes
I craved a jacket potato with cheese and baked Beans and had it last night. I separated it into two portions and ate both eventually. Yum. Zero side effects. Another tick on the chart for me.

i don't like sweets as much as i used to. mind you i still have sweet stuff, just not as often and as much as i used to.
where before i'd have 2 slices of cake, now i'll have like 2 bites.

Hi family, im 163. Just documenting!

Anesthesia can mess with our bodies for a while after surgery, and it has been clinically shown that major surgery can trigger depressive episodes in people. What you are experiencing is completely normal even though it sucks. Add to that hormonal changes, and body changes, and changes in the nutrients you get, and recovering from a major surgery and yeah, you could feel pretty down!
I'm 3 1/2 weeks post op. Some days are good and some days aren't so good. I've heard the first 3 months are really challenging and the first year takes a lot of resilience and adjustment. Next time your husband starts with the "this is what you wanted" I'd kindly remind him that those words are not supportive and guilt trips are not necessary. That you are cognizant of the fact that you wanted bariatric surgery to lose weight and improve your health, but NONE of us can even begin to understand the fullness of an experience before we actually have it...and living this experience is feeling challenging right now. Even the BEST things for us often come with distinct downsides. You are allowed to be upset! You are allowed to say this is a struggle! What would be more supportive of him would be for him to validate your feelings and assure you that things won't always feel like this, but while they do, he's there for you. I'm sure he's doing what he can, but everyone deserves feedback when their words are making it harder for you to deal with what you are dealing with.
I too feel a little off kilter from the world right now. Any surgery brings grief with it when it alters your body. Let yourself grieve. You are in a liminal space right now, transforming from one version of yourself to another. Much like the caterpillar who winds itself into a cocoon, you have had to bury yourself into this new experience, and you will never be the same. Some parts of you have to die so that other parts of you can blossom forth and live. When you finally come out of this cocoon, flying will be so thrilling!! But in the meantime, the transformation sucks! LOL I don't think caterpillars think the process is fun either...

Most appreciated. I am having zero problems sticking to the plan and I don't know that I agree wanting coffee is head hunger or "hunger" at all. I suppose it's a routine/want no different than having tea in the evening (for me) Nevertheless, remembering that the signals are currently obscure is a very helpful. Thanks 😊

Wow! This reminder is so helpful. I'm only 4 days PostOp and I am already overwhelmed with the thought of...getting up at 5AM, to get to gym and workout, be showered and ready to for work by 8AM at minimum 4 days a week... like OMG! But you are so right, having something you enjoy doing makes it less of a "chore". I really love yoga; I mean truly love it. I remember going to classes and having the ability to do poses that were "potentially questionable" for my size and thinking how much more amazing it would feel and benefit me to do the poses at a smaller size. This goal was and remains on my list of experiences I am looking forward to. I will say, remember @Bypass2Freedom it's about healthy movement so to me... any and everything counts.

Wow, hunger signals could be a whole forum by itself! I suspect most of us understand being full, or even over full (I know I do!), but I think most of us as obese or formerly obese people just don't have a good grip on what true hunger feels like. I also think it's not the same for everyone.
I'm almost 2 years post-op and I still struggle with this some. What I am learning is that hunger is not always the grumbling tummy sensation we tend to think of. Sometimes it's feeling weak or rundown, sometimes it may be a bit of a headache, other times shakiness or even an inability to concentrate. We all have to learn this for ourselves and it does take time.

Wow! This reminder is so helpful. I'm only 4 days PostOp and I am already overwhelmed with the thought of...getting up at 5AM, to get to gym and workout, be showered and ready to for work by 8AM at minimum 4 days a week... like OMG! But you are so right, having something you enjoy doing makes it less of a "chore". I really love yoga; I mean truly love it. I remember going to classes and having the ability to do poses that were "potentially questionable" for my size and thinking how much more amazing it would feel and benefit me to do the poses at a smaller size. This goal was and remains on my list of experiences I am looking forward to. I will say, remember @Bypass2Freedom it's about healthy movement so to me... any and everything counts.

Sumo squats and leg lifts are great for the thighs and best beginner friendly for core that I believe in, is planks, increasing your hold time will tighten your core.

I’m so sorry to hear about the lasagna. If that’s your favorite I bet you will really enjoy the ricotta bake when you get to purée. It’s basically lasagna without the noodles Just be sure the marinate doesn’t have chunks or that you purée it if it does. I’m so glad to hear that you finally feel ready. Good luck tomorrow.

Oh no such a shame about missing out on that lasagna but at least it is for a great reason, you on starting a new journey.
I hope your daughter is ok and best of luck tomorrow, you can do this 💪

Tomorrow is the day... but today's clear liquid diet had me with a constant headache. Of course it didn't help that my mother decided to schedule a cookout at the last minute not realizing (or accepting) that I cannot have a thing. *side story I've been vegetarian for over 12 years so if there's a cookout she goes out of her way to have things I like to eat...months ago I asked for a lasagna for my birthday for this month (not knowing I'd be back on this weight loss path or that my procedure would be expedited or that I'd be scheduled for Sept) sooo guess what she decides to have on this menu for this surprise cookout? 🤦🏽‍♀️ She meant well of course but there I was sipping broth and watching my family enjoy my gift 😆. Anyway, then I had to take my daughter to urgent care for what I knew was strep and I'm in there praying no one coughs, sneezes or happens to touch me... including her... not sure how this exposure will pan out tomorrow. I notice my husband seems on edge and I finally accept that his worry and stress has got the best of him. Nevertheless all is quiet now, early day tomorrow... I do believe I'm ready to finally get to the other side of this journey... THE REAL WORK.

Tomorrow is the day... but today's clear liquid diet had me with a constant headache. Of course it didn't help that my mother decided to schedule a cookout at the last minute not realizing (or accepting) that I cannot have a thing. *side story I've been vegetarian for over 12 years so if there's a cookout she goes out of her way to have things I like to eat...months ago I asked for a lasagna for my birthday for this month (not knowing I'd be back on this weight loss path or that my procedure would be expedited or that I'd be scheduled for Sept) sooo guess what she decides to have on this menu for this surprise cookout? 🤦🏽‍♀️ She meant well of course but there I was sipping broth and watching my family enjoy my gift 😆. Anyway, then I had to take my daughter to urgent care for what I knew was strep and I'm in there praying no one coughs, sneezes or happens to touch me... including her... not sure how this exposure will pan out tomorrow. I notice my husband seems on edge and I finally accept that his worry and stress has got the best of him. Nevertheless all is quiet now, early day tomorrow... I do believe I'm ready to finally get to the other side of this journey... THE REAL WORK.