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Ah I see I have only had 2 and never had the chance to get them tested to see what they were made of. I know that is a key in stones so you can figure out what excess minerals are there. We're your stones Calcium? Is that what you mean by the levels going down? So were you on medication to help prevent kidney stones? I am glad to hear you haven't had issues. Stones are the worst! I seemed to get mine around the time that I was following a keto diet. So that could have been the cause.

Did you have any sort of classes with your NUT? Or get some sort of eating plan? In general, if you can eat real food, protein shakes should supplement your protein intake, not be the main source. So 1 protein shake a day if it'll make the difference between the food you eat that day and your protein goal. More if you need more protein. As a general guideline, these protein numbers are about the norm from what I've seen: absolute minimum of 40g or protein a day for women and 50g for men. As you move further out, I've seen 60g all the way up to 120g a day be the protein goal. I aim for a minimum of about 70g a day, usually surpassing it. You'll want to stay under 60g of carbs while early out. If you really really want to low carb it, people who are hardcore into keto (a diet that is high fat, moderate protein, low carb) only consume 20g of carbs in a day or less. Fat is up to you, there are so many conflicting studies out there and you'll just have to figure out what works best for your body to lose weight. If you're physically active, I found this elsewhere on the forum and thought it'd be helpful in terms of calorie progression: Months 1 through 3 = about 800 kcals/day Months 4 through 6 = about 1000 to 1200 kcals/day Months 7 through 9 = about 1200 to 1500 kcals/day By 12 months out = about 1700 kcals/day By 18 months out = 1800 to 2200 kcals/day In order to know how much you're consuming, you NEED to track your food. There are many apps for it out there including SHealth which is pre-installed on samsung phones. I personally use myfitnesspal, you can find me under the name tia_527. All you do with these apps is put in what foods you had at each meal and what amounts. You can also log exercise if you want. These apps will tell you how many calories you eat and what your macros were (how many grams of carbs vs protein vs fat you've had).

So of course every surgeon is different. For me they did not want us to go into that keto flu. So we were told to avoid those protein shakes with no carbs. instead they recommended a certain one which i forget how many carbs they have in it but had a decent amount (not 50 of course) also to not avoid caffine as that would make the diet even harder. But yea it sucks. Gotta get use to it. After surgery your carbs will need to be a bear minimum. Currently at 4 months post op according to my guidelines max i can have is 30 and its no longer an issue.

Keto flu is temporary, it can last anywhere from 3 days to a week.

I have MS and had to have my neurologist sign off on the surgery, which he happily did. My PCP was very supportive because she knew I tried different things, including keto. She knew my health issues and was fantastic and proactive. If your doctor is really dragging things out for you and causing all kinds of problems, I would look for another doctor. Is your neuro ok with the surgery? How long will it take for your insurance to approve your MRI? Will your neuro insist on a MRI in order to send over a note approving you for the surgery? Your PCP can't insist your neuro do testing you may not need.

I tried keto and kept carbs under 20 but with only 1000 or less cals a day, I stalled weight loss. After a few weeks I moved carbs back to about 60 a day and started losing again. I may have been eating too low cals, since I workout 6 days a week for 1 hr+ at a time. I liked eating keto, any feedback? Sent from my SM-T310 using the BariatricPal App

Stlll doing keto and IF? Did the dietician go over your daily food intake? Did they make any suggestions? Anything else that may be masking scale weight loss? Fluid retention? Been excercising a lot lately? Do you know if you are losing inches/centimetres? If you aren't already may be useful to use body measurements they can be motivating when the scales aren't going down.

Not sure... I'm not doing Keto, just kind of intuitive eating, trying to eat clean. I was doing pretty well, but have veered a bit. I'm very happy that I did NOT gain back the weight I lost on the pre-op liquid diet, so for me that's a win - I've lost 2 pounds since. Not a lot, and I hope I can keep it off during the holidays and make wise choices. After this week I am going to call and see what my options are and then make a decision from there.

Of course you should talk to your doctor/therapist (when you find one), but I wonder if it's the carbs that are derailing you. They certainly do for me. I was pretty good in the beginning about tracking my food and macros, but since I mostly eat the same thing all the time, it got pretty boring so I stopped. However, I've been losing weight steadily in the 8 months since surgery. That said, over the summer I started eating more carbs that usual - lots of fruit, an occasional wrap here and there, a chai latte, etc. And I noticed a few things. One, I started getting hungrier. Two, my weight completely stalled (and in fact, went up a few pounds). And three, I noticed that unlike protein-dense foods like chicken, most carbs went through my sleeve with no problem - I could eat them all day if I wanted to. So I've gone back to (mostly) what I had been doing before (low carbs - not quite keto but pretty close) and guess what - my weight is starting to go down again on a slow but steady basis, my cravings have stopped, and I'm more mindful about what I eat. We are all different, what works for one may not work for another, but perhaps you really do need to think about the carbs you are putting into your body and if that makes a difference. The sleeve has forced me to eat less per sitting and has reset my body to help me lose weight, but I've quickly learned that I cannot go back, even a little, to eating what I used to eat before. It's too slippery a slope. Which sucks because there are a lot of (high carb) foods out there that I love but that I know I probably won't eat again for a very long time (if ever). I know you're an aspiring gourmand, but you may have to channel that energy into foods that are good for you and your sleeve. Also, I don't know how old your kids are, but you may want to talk to them about having only good foods in the house for a while (so no pringles or ice cream) to help you stay on track. Temptation is a hard thing to get over, and it takes a long time to truly get over the things we love (if ever). In any event, good luck.

Some of us eat a ton of grains and carbs for maintenance. LOL. I do. I eat a lot of plant protein. I don't eat refined carbs much anymore...no sugar or white flour in my normal diet. But I do eat oats, potatoes, beans, chickpeas on a daily basis. Some people do really well with a keto approach to weight loss, some are more like me. You'll find lots of both in the weight loss surgery crowd:) Like most things in life....one size fits all....is pretty much a falsehood. Whichever road you take, wishing you terrific success and great health:)

Ok, so yes, I've had 1 episode of RH. Sorry you are dealing with this. But it's common. I would personally NOT add carbs. By keeping enough protein and fats in your diet to be truly keto, you will level and flatten out your blood sugar/insulin response. When you add carbs, you increase the amplitude of the blood sugar rollercoaster and the severity of the RH. The big thing to know is if you are truly hypo or if for some odd reason, you're turning into a T1 diabetic (not producing insulin) and that sometimes happens suddenly to adults. It's called LADA. But, if it were me (and it is), I'd buy a test meter and carry it with you at the first sign of symptoms. I'd buy packages of peanut butter you can squeeze into your mouth. And also carry glucose tablets in your purse. 5g of glucose tablets will raise blood glucose usually about 10points. So in an emergency you eat 2 of them and bam, emergency gone. Then you follow with a packet of peanut butter. Or nuts. Then you have to be on the lookout for the rollercoaster that "might" happen for the next day or two. I followed about two hours later wtih a very low carb, higher protein/fat mini meal. And had no other issues.

I feel like I've been extraordinarily lucky with the support and responses that I've received. I did have some people tell me that I had lost a bunch of weight before (with KETO) and so why couldn't I just go back to that? A few people who looked at me like I wasn't heavy enough to warrant the surgery, but all in all - people have been really supportive of this decision. I am not sure what they say behind my back, or what the comments will be once I starting losing noticeable weight. But I've come to realize that my life isn't about other people, it's about me. Morbid obesity IS a health issue (trust me, I'm all for a body positive world - but my "size" was not healthy.) I want to feel better about myself. I don't want my weight to hold me back.

Oh wow - I've never heard of Keto Rash before so I looked it up - here is a quick YouTube to watch...totally makes sense! Thanks!

Oh wow - I've never heard of Keto Rash before so I looked it up - here is a quick YouTube to watch...totally makes sense! Thanks!

Hi Cass. I think of this thread as my weekly therapy lol 😂 Good to jot down what I've been doing and feeling in the last week. thanks for the keto idea. I've read a lot of people seem to be following this kind of eating plan on here. High protein and fat, low or no carb. Reminds me of Atkins. I'm mostly happy to follow something like this but I'm a carb kinda guy as well. Probably what sent me down this journey in the first place. Don't think pasta will do you any harm. Done most of its swelling in the pan. Glad you're doing well. Sounds like a fun time. Cheesecake! I need to get on some of that!! 😂

I only told two people (in case of emergency) Everyone else appeared too judgemental to me so I decided not telling them was best Other than that when people ask I tell them I eat a lot less and low carb/keto

So I'm 8 months out and gone from a size 18 down to a size 6. I'm 5-3 and 135# right now. I've been consuming roughly 1400 calories per day. Pre-op testing showed that I had a very high metabolism (blessing and a curse). I don't want to trash it. I have no trouble getting in my fluids and proten. I do a combo of either walking/running, yoga, and interval training 3-5 days per week. I have struggled with hunger from very early on post-op.... real hunger. Anyway, I'm still losing about a pound per week, but am thinking I want 130 to be my new goal. So I'm thinking ahead to "maintenance" nutrition. What would a healthy, balanced macro profile look like for me? I'm thinking I should do another follow-up with the nutritionist, but wanted to solicit input here too. I am not doing keto, nor do I desire to. I run and feel that I need some carbs for energy, though I stick to whole food/whole grain carbs and way less quantity than pre-op, think black beans, whole fruits and veggies. I do oatmeal and yogurt on occasion too. Anyway, I'm wanting to tweak my macros on myfitnesspal toward maintenance. Any suggestions? I was thinking 35/35/40 carbs/protein/fat??? Does that sound reasonable? Gotta figure out what maintenance calorie count looks like at this activity level. I get 12k - 15k steps per day. My lean body mass is supposedly around 96 pounds. Oh and here are a couple pics just because. No regrets!

You really should have a long talk with a bariatric surgeon and nutritionist. But let me see if I can help. I will use gastric sleeve for explanations, since that is the surgery I have. This can also be applied to gastric bypass, but please know there is a lot more involved with a bypass than sleeve. I personally don't recommend lap band. Before you get weight loss surgery, you need to consult a physician and a nutritionist. You usually have a requirement of 6 months of nutrition counseling. During this time, the nutritionist prepares you for your post op diet. They start off giving you education on what you need to eat NOW. What you need to eat in your pre-surgery phase. And what to eat post op. A good program will have you continue nutrition counseling for AT LEAST a year post op, in which they will coach you through the stages of your post-op diet through until you reach maintenance stage where you are just maintaining your weight. During the pre-op period, you are also seeing specialists and getting testing for any problems that they may need to know about before your surgery. This includes a psych evaluation usually. And if you do have psych related issues driving you to eat too much, you should take this opportunity to deal with them. Many bariatric patients need counseling. Some need medications like anti-depressants or other psych medications. And some like me gained weight for other reasons (physical barriers). You will likely at least get an EKG if not a complete cardiac workup. You may need a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea like so many obese people do. If so, you will get treated for it. They will look for how you swallow, do you have a hernia in the stomach, and other issues affecting your surgery. Once you have jumped through the hoops and are treated for anything you need to be treated for... then you will be cleared for surgery (and no... ongoing counseling does not mean surgery will be delayed). With gastric sleeve, they remove 80% of your stomach, therefore for it immediately restricts how much food you eat. It also resets your metabolism and your hunger/full hormones. In the short term, yes your calories will be VERY restricted. But because you are seeing a nutritionist, they will help you know what to eat during each stage for optimal health. Water and protein first. Then healthy veggies. And you will learn to either not eat unhealthy carbs or eat very limited unhealthy carbs. It will be up to you to follow the recommended diet and stick with it. If you do follow directions, you will learn to eat frequent small but healthy meals every day. And over time, once you are closer to maintenance, you will start to eat larger portions, but sticking to healthy meals. Your nutritionist will guide you to ensure you do not go into starvation mode and that you eat a healthy amount of calories to maintain your weight. Most people do lose a little more than they need to early on... but then gain 20 pounds back and then maintain your weight there. The key is to stick to the recommended diet so that you don't KEEP gaining. You will also get blood work done every 3 months or so and have follow up appointments with your surgeon's office for at least a year. So, with the surgeon and nutritionist, you will be closely monitored. They will make sure you don't end up with vitamin deficiencies or other problems related to rapid weight loss. You will take daily vitamins and calcium as recommended. Your diet will be high in protein and low in carbs and fats. (So not really Keto... but many do keto post op). The carbs and fats you eat will be healthy carbs and fats if you stick to your diet. But this isn't a "diet" per-say... it is a lifestyle change. You are re-learning how to eat healthy. You are re-learning how to eat small to normal portions. And if you stick with it under nutritionist supervision, you will NOT go into starvation mode and you will not gain the weight back. Problem with all the fad diets is that there is no long term (psych) counseling, nutritional counseling, medical follow up. Most people eventually go back to their old ways. And gain everything back. If you are following the program with the bariatric team, they will help you prevent going back to your old ways. But seriously... only you can decide how successful you will be, based on your willingness to follow through. Again... if you need to, get counseling. See your surgeon and nutritionist regularly and follow their guidance. If you need CPAP for sleep apnea, wear it. If you need other medications, take them. Etc. I am 2 days shy of 6 months. I am at a NORMAL body weight. I am 6 pounds from my personal ideal body weight. I am following the recommendations of my team. And I can now eat double what I could 3 months post op and still maintain my weight and I am still losing a pound here and there. Again...talk to your bariatric team for better information, but bariatric surgery is a TOOL for weight loss. It is only successful if you follow your program. But it is also the best tool out there to reach your goals if you have dieted and failed in the past. But if you follow your program, they will give you additional tools to make you successful (nutrition and psych counseling are two of your best weapons... use them!)

They one thing I have loved for protien is cottage cheese and dont forget a glass of milk. I have found a really great protien powder that I love that is called keto protien, it tastes really good and has no sugar in it. I think it is like 25 grams per scoop.

I have followed a keto diet since six months before my surgery. My cholesterol finally fell into the normal range at my 1 year post-op appointment. It takes some time occasionally...

Here is all the topics on KETO that people have posted on this site. I have not seen a Bypass or bariatric specific keto forum. https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=keto Im not sure if you use a food log. Myfitnesspal has many keto specific forums and support.

Not sure which diet you're on, but super low carb can result in "Keto flu". I don't have a fat restriction on my pre-op diet and found that good fats + grey Celtic sea salt really helped me. Like, coconut oil and a pinch of salt in my shake. Or just a grass-fed burger with no bun. My headaches got better when I flipped into full ketosis around day 4. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Sustainability is certainly a key factor in long term success in this game - and I wouldn't be so sure that keto would be any faster, and they often are slower if they do it literally as they tend to run at higher calorie levels (they just lose a bit more water weight at the outset, which they give back at the end when they figure out what they are going to do for the rest of their life,) Likewise, I never did any of those diets but rather maintained a more classical balance of fruits, veg, whole grains, etc. along with the requisite protein, consistent with my caloric budget for weight loss - the same diet that I was on before surgery and now, years post-op, calorically adjusted for maintenance. If I need to drop a bit, dropping the calories around 20% does the trick without any panicky "back to basics" or "reset" diets. Funny thing (not really) is that most of the other post ops in our support group, most of whom are 10-20 years out and maintaining a normal weight range, likewise never got into these extreme low carb diets and seem to be a lot more tolerant of the occasional indulgence or unavoidable junk ingestion than those who did these extreme diets and are always worried about slippery slopes and carb monkeys. A couple of years ago we even had an accidental pizza fest when the restaurant we usually meet at closed without warning and we had to go around the corner to a pizza joint. The doc bought a couple of pizzas, some shared while others ordered sandwiches (heaven forbid!), salads or something else. I ordered a lasagna as that is something that just isn't worth making at home anymore. Yet no one suffered irreperable harm.

I understand that low ebb feeling. I have lost all motivation to restart a new diet program because I know in the end it's the same things I was doing before and it just didn't work. I also tried really strict keto and exercised a ton, like ran 4K every day, biked to work, lifted super heavy weights for a woman. I also did fasting and actually enjoyed it but it just didn't stick when life got mixed up with my routine. I just can't go through it again with that fear of failure. I need something much more permanent and long-term. A tool I could fall back on when life gets too stressful. Maybe the sleeve will be like a hard stop to overeating and provide a real-time reminder that overeating does not feel good. I hope your appointment with the surgeon goes well! I also have a consultation on October 19th. I'm not sure yet if it will be me trying to convince her or her trying to convince me lol I have a lot of concerns about reflux and want to avoid any revision surgeries. Do you have a set of questions to ask the surgeon?

A list of low carb keto friendly fruits... Berries are your friend! I don't eat fruit except strawberries. I am not a huge fruit person, never have been. I'd rather eat veggies, you can eat large amounts for very few calories. i am not the sweet tooth type, but I like a strawberry now and then.