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I did the Hello Fresh and it saved a trip to the grocery and they add a little variety to your menu but there is still a lot of prep In my opinion. They send you like one carrot and one small onion, etc. Whatever is needed but you still have to cut it and do all that. I would Rather just do grocery pickup and get exactly what I want if I have to cook. Pre surgery I wanted to see what the post op diet would eventually be like post SADI and I did the factor 75 low carb meals for a while. They are not cheap but they were really good and of course super convenient, cheaper than ordering in and actually healthy. They are fully prepared and refrigerated not frozen so they retain the flavor. For a family they will actually be a little more economical because the bigger the box the cheaper they are. Plus it’s a way for everyone to get something they actually like. Some people don’t like splurging on food but we all have our priorities. I like to think of food as just as important as medicine because eating right now Is preventative medicine. If having those meals will help keep you on track and budget permits then by all means go for it!! I ended up doing a bigger box plan to start and then reduced my plan because you get like 50% off or something like that for the first order. Of course they are perishable so no more than you can eat. I just had them for all three meals a day for the week so I could try several and then cancel if I didn’t like it. Keep in mind that some of them say they are good less than a week so when you get them eat those first. I just set reminders in my calendar for when to order or skip and when to cancel if I wanted to. Because they will send it automatically and you get stuck paying for options you don’t even get to choose.

Today marks 6 months since my gastric bypass surgery! It's also almost exactly one year since I attended the orientation class at the weight loss center that was the first step in beginning the surgical program. I came home after the class and took a "before" photo. I had just weighed in at my highest weight ever. I was on blood pressure meds and my A1c put me in the prediabetic danger zone. My joints ached every morning. My 50th birthday was looming and I felt so old. The day after that photo, I started making changes to my diet. I lost 13 lbs from August until early February. I lost an additional 13 lbs on my 2-week liquid diet. I had my surgery on February 21 and since then, I've lost another 45lbs, for a total of 71 lbs down! My blood pressure is normal, and so is my A1c. The aches and pains are gone, and I'm hitting my 10k step goal several days each week. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm improving steadily. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was this weight. It had to have been when I was around 22 years old. Like pretty much everyone says, my only regret is not doing this sooner.

I’m approaching 6 weeks post op and the restriction is tough. Could barely drink 2oz of anything. Have to wait 3-4 minutes between sips or bites. Weak tired all the time and hungry but no room for food!!

Hi there! I have had surgery mid September last year and from a prop weight of 213lbs I have become 138lbs (as of this morning). I don't have any restrictions either and my weight loss has plateaued now. I get quite hungry often too and have had multiple stalls. Please trust the process and wait it out. You'll be fine

Thank you Hidden Roses! Today marks my one week post op day. I was able to get a mile and a half walk in this morning although it took about 45 minutes but I am okay with that and plan to keep moving forward. So far I haven't had any major cravings other than wanting grapes and plums which I can't have at this stage. I have been trying different smoothies and I recently purchased from Clean Simple Eats. You do need to read the labels on some of their products but I am satisified with their smoothie packets. Fairmilk has been a great substitue when I am wanting something new. Looking forward to my post surgery appointment next week and being able to start my soft/pureed foods. My starting date in March 2022 was 281lbs. I completed the move program through the Department of Veterans Affairs and lost 43.3lbs. My gastric sleeve surgery weight on August 14, 2024, was 245.7lbs and my current weight as of this morning is 235lbs. Wishing all a great day and awesome journey.

Jeez, your Dr sounds a delight 😡 The Dr should be lifting you up on your successes to date, not making you panic over where you are. And spouting arbitrary nonsense over 2 frigging pounds when you still have 7 weeks to go to lose what, 8lbs altogether so you lose was it 21lbs overall pre-surgery?? I’m so sorry that you’ve had this today. Things like this just piss me off no end, especially as weight loss and gain is generally reliant on a lot of emotional issues and external pressures 🤬 Big hugs, we’re all cheering you on 🤗🥰🤗

Isn’t it bloody frustrating @NickelChipwhen you cannot get a consensus on what you actually weigh due to the scales being all over the place??? My own scales at home is trying my patience this week as the weight keeps bouncing around for no reason 🙄I’ve changed the battery but it’s still faffing about. I guess I will have to look for some new ones at some point but will wait to see if any appear in the sales. Any holiday clothes shopping will honestly be a last minute thing. One thing - smaller clothes mean lighter cases 😉 @SleeveToBypass2023i wish I could be as honest with my hubby re my weight. I still don’t know how he can be in any way attracted to me. I hate seeing myself naked and it’s my body. It really does affect the ‘intimacy’ side of our relationship, especially when you’ve lost your self-confidence too. I will tell him when I hit target etc, just not yet. @NeonRaven8919Yes, NHS too! I hope mine is just as quick. Apparently my trust has a fair few cancellations when it comes to WLS so 🤞🤞🤞Is there ever a good time of the year for WLS? The dietitian said that the colder months seem to lend themselves to more choices come the puréed stage post-op and I do tend to agree…you can’t purée a salad can you??

Hello everyone - checking in and feeling kind of lousy post morning routine - as I seem to sometimes feel for about an hour after every 'meal'. I'm sure this will get easier with time; I hate this puree stage though and I hate not being able to drink 30 mins before and after meals! Everything wants to stick on its way down. Ugh. So - #1 - Protein powder! My nutritionist suggested an unflavored protein powder called Genepro. It's even lactose, GMO, and gluten free. I ordered it on Amazon this morning. The description states it can even be used in place of flour and that it should be mixed with room temperature fluids before being added to other items. So - I'm going to give it a try. It's only 11g of protein per serving but if coupled with protein rich foods like ricotta, low fat cottage cheese, or zero sugar yogurt I think it just might do the trick to help me meet my protein goals. Here's hoping! @draikaina8503 - Oh my gosh, my heart goes out to you and your sweet, confused furbaby! That sounds absolutely AWFUL. I'm so terribly sorry you ended up in that pain as a result of an overly eager, loving pup. I hope you managed to bring it back down to a tolerable level and that no long term damage was done! I know that I slept terribly last night between two doses of Milk of Magnesia working their way through my system, having heartburn, and the tugging/sharp pain that would shoot up from my left side in a brief flare when I moved wrong. I did some research and I'm pretty sure what I'm experiencing is from the stitch they used to keep my stomach 'in place' and that it will loosen some over time. I'm trying to work on posture and wanted to let you know I got to thinking of what other people have mentioned on here and thought of that pillow you talked about being given! I hugged my own round support pillow against my abdomen at one point finally and *poof* relief. So, thank you, again!! So today is surgery day, I believe, for @Averdra and @caseyash30 - Bidding you both the best of experiences and hopefully minimally painful recoveries! Remember, walk walk walk, ask for ice, and sip SO slowly. Be cautious about laying at any kind of incline until after you've had a good burp or two, or at least 'feel' the fluid trickle down! The posture you're in when you sip can make a HUGE difference - try to put your shoulders back and keep your spine as straight as you can manage - it helps! I strongly suggest staying ahead of your pain, and also staying ahead of constipation! If you get to day TWO with no bowel movement, take a dose of Milk of Magnesia - especially if you're also taking narcotics! (Obviously with doctor's ok! ) Also, your date must be coming up, @Ladygrey, I'm guessing? Sorry if I missed you posting the date! How are you doing, @Justarwaxx ? You're about a week out now, I believe? @Farhad - Also sending you the best and wonder if you're at purees yet? (I may have missed a post!) I also wanted to toss a message out there to @Mandalynne ! Maybe I've missed your posts, but you had your surgery on the 14th, right?? How you doing over there? I hope the Finch is still helping you out! I have my water goals on there and also assigned myself the task 3x day to do my Baritastic app entries, as well as take my vitamins (separate from also taking my Calcium since I can't take the Iron & Calcium together) I would absolutely be at a loss without that app and am SO grateful it's free. Let me know if you want to add me on there - it doesn't share personal information but lets your added 'Friends' send and receive cute little good vibes from your Birb. Only mentioning in case you didn't know, a friend had to tell me and once I started interacting with friends my dopamine boosts went up tremendously because I wanted to be able to dress up my Birb to go visit others. I'm so sorry if I missed responding to you in the chaos - I'm curious how your pain management is going and if you found an alternative to narcotics for your recovery? I'm in a limbo state myself with pain management right now - I have chronic pain conditions that were previously treated with an opioid by my primary care doctor but even though I stretched what was given to me by my surgeon I'm having trouble managing my chronic pain plus recovery. I thought of you and your question as I'm trying to mainly handle things with Tylenol myself right now, and lots of ice packs. It's rough and I agree - this is probably one of the hardest things I've EVER done. Welcome, @RRenaeL23, and congratulations on your surgery! How are you doing now? Are you still on liquids? How goes the pain / protein / fluid goals? Good job on denying yourself the fruit - you might pick up some sugar free popsicles to help when those cravings hit in case you don't always feel up for a walk! Also - I haven't taken the time to update my tag in quite a while, either, and I really need to. Oh well, limited chair time still for me! I'll get to it! That's all from me for now - thinking of you all, whether I tagged you here or not! I tried to do another recap of the thread from top to bottom and apologize for not having taken the time in this post to respond to everyone I've missed along the way. I'm working on it!

Had my dietitian appointment this morning and it went really well 🥳 I’m a healthy fat person, which was good to hear. All my tests have come back good, no issues with diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease etc. We had a really good talk, told her about this forum and the ongoing support everyone receives, showed her my two food diaries - one pre-watching what I eat and one for now. She was very happy to read both, laughed at some of my comments regarding how I was feeling when I was eating, and congratulated me on the changes I have already made. She asked if I had a surgery in mind and why. I explained that I felt that a bypass would be more beneficial for me due to not feeling full, snacking etc, and she agreed. Thankfully she has no issues with me, and was happy to refer me to the surgeon, which was such a relief to hear. Honestly, I felt quite apprehensive and anxious this morning (thanks menopause 🤨) and was definitely snappy with hubby. I went in on my own as I didn’t want him to know what my weight was/is - does anyone else keep their weight secret from their other half? I know it’s just shame that makes me not want to tell him 😕 The dietitian thinks a reasonable target post-surgery for me is around 14stones (196lbs) but reckons I will sail past that as I am fully onboard with it all. I’m glad that she hasn’t given me an unrealistic expectation and I do feel it’s fully achievable. We discussed lowest adult weight plus weights my body had ‘stuck’ at previously. She also went through the post-surgery diet - will be 6 weeks on the purée diet due to having a bypass, and gave me the info for that. She also explained about the bounce back once the body has reached its lowest weight and that it did not signal a failure. Next steps: appointment with the surgeon, which should be September (eek, next month!!) After I’ve seen the surgeon it’s then the MDT weekly meeting for everyone to agree that I’m OK to go ahead. As long as they agree, I will get my surgery date which is looking to be either Jan or Feb next year. She’s put that I would like to see the surgeon ASAP and will take a cancellation for both his appointment and also for surgery as long as I have one day to get ready for the 3 week liver reduction diet. She warned me that I could be on the LRD over Christmas but I’ve said that it’s fine, I’m truly not bothered in the slightest. I asked about going away next September and she said everything will be done and settled down by then but not to buy holiday clothes until the last minute! Just to wait for the next stage now. I’m certainly glad I lost some weight pre-appointment though as the weight the Dr gave and the weight I was actually was a 5kg difference, and not in my favour 😮 I’m still 7kgs lower than the wrong weight given and it’s the initial referral weight they go off so I could coast now if I wanted to (but I won’t ) A relief all round!

I suppose anything is possible, but dumping after that little amount (6 g in the whole serving, and of that, you only had three tiny bites of it) seems really unlikely. I'm not sure what was going on there. Maybe some new sensitivity to something in the combo - maybe even one of the vegetables? I know niacin (a B vitamin) can make some people flush (at least the supplements can - not sure if it's in food). I'll do some research on this - you've got my curiosity up. I'm starting to research this - some food additives can cause some people to flush - there are almost certainly food additives in the teriyaki sauce (although again, you ate very little - but then again, if you're hypersensitive to some additive, then maybe?). (I'll keep looking) This article lists several possibilities (when I click on it, it jumps to just one section of the article - but check out the whole thing - there's more in here specific to flushing after eating): https://dermnetnz.org/topics/flushing#:~:text=Flushing associated with eating is,parotid gland injury or surgery.

I've been told by my doctor that I'm behind the weight I should be losing. I should be done to 116kg (255 lbs) by now. I really was starting to worry as the weight on the scale kept going up, but then I suddenly went down to 117kg. I had to stand on the scale twice because I couldn't believe the number. It was so easy the first couple of weeks of the pre-op diet and now it doesn't seem to be working as quickly. I'm still doing what I need to, but it's not been easy. I've also been told by my doctor that after surgery, I won't be able to ride my bike for 6 weeks! This is more difficult than not being able to eat solid foods for weeks. My beautiful noble steed (her name is Angelique Iolanthe) will have to be in storage for 6 weeks. 7 more weeks until the surgery. I've been reading more articles and doing more research on the sleeve. I'm not sure if that easing the anxiety or adding to it. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories! It's one thing to do research and read medial information, but it's so much more reassuring to hear from people who have actually lived it. Even hearing the not so glamourous parts of life post-op.

This weeks Win is Movement. I haven't stopped moving since surgery in April. Houston Texas Skyline. Yes I am the crazy lady working out at 4am. 🏋️‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽. Stay Motivated!

Tomorrow, I will be one week out. So far I have been doing well. Today I really wanted to eat grapes and some plums but I am still on the full liquid meal plan, so I went for a walk instead. 😀 My first post-op follow up is next week, then hopefully I will advance to the puréed meal plan. Hopefully, your recovery will become less challenging. Trying to figure out how to add my information and pre-op pictures.

So I have an appt with my cardiologist because of this very problem next week and when I talked to my gastric surgeon he said, that isn't a cardiologist problem, that is a dumping problem. I was like oh. But that was the only symptom I got besides dizziness when I stood up while it was happening. It doesn't happen all the time and there is no rhyme or reason because I have eaten the same thing for lunch all week and it only happened once. It has happened after breakfast and after dinner but again no rhyme or reason as to when it happens. Maybe it is the amount I ate. No clue. But I am going to check with the cardiologist anyway.

New week new things that I grieve ... pre-menstruation hunger and menstruation hunger needs to be further talked about in the bariatric community.

@draikaina8503 - It sounds like the struggle has been super real for you, and I hate to hear that you've had such a tough time. I didn't have a drainage tube because of the type of surgery I had (as far as I know, unless it was only used DURING the surgery itself). The staples are a pain; and bending or stretching too much causing pain is 100% something I empathize with you in regards to. I was really nervous about showering with them in as well, but honestly the warm water from the shower set to a gentle pressure did feel really nice. I also used the special soap they gave me when I washed my staple area lightly with a washcloth. I was afraid of using a loofah thinking it might snag or something. I also feel where you (and others) are coming from on the fluids and dry mouth - I still find myself super relieved when I can finally have a drink 30 mins after a 'meal'. I will say that as long as I keep my intake moist (super soupy purees or broths) that it isn't TOO bad - and I definitely have to watch how many ounces I intake for my meals. I eat slowly, but when the food tastes good and I'm eyeballing my protein goal it's HARD not to want to try to 'finish' my serving. I learned my lesson with my oatmeal this morning, though. It sat more heavily on/in my stomach after I ate than I expected and I struggled to have a few burps that relieved the weight and pressure I felt in my chest. Your mention of letting ice chips dissolve in your mouth helped me today - the cold really did slow my intake and provide relief. I hope you're starting to feel better now! I created a sort of 'routine' for my mornings that I think is working pretty well, though. I try to only have a sip of water when I first wake up and them immediately prepare my breakfast. With purees that are thick to the consistency of yogurt there's a trick where you basically just swallow your meds a couple at a time (if they are small) with a spoonful of yogurt/cottage cheese/medium thick puree. That's what I do to get down my morning meds, and as long as I don't overeat I go to have a brief warm shower afterward. The movements of me showering and standing help get my body to produce a burp or two, and putting my arms over my head when I wash my hair (yes, still some pulling especially on the left side so I have to go easy with THAT arm) does expand my torso and help my food settle. This also take sup some of the time gap I have to leave after eating before I can drink. Usually by the time I'm done with my shower, done drying, and have caught my breath it's almost time for me to be able to sip fluids again. @Pepper_No_Salt I'm still shocked that they sent you home from the hospital on the same day. Whew. I'm glad to see you're been feeling better each day, Moving on to strained soups was a biggie for me and I certainly can appreciate that having been one of your first planned stops! I did the same thing after I got my staples out. Today I am going to try to return to some broth for lunch and wish I had gotten more cans of chicken noodle when I went to the store. Maybe I'll try to season some of the 'cream of' soups I've got sitting around. My first try with them wasn't good, but then again they were room temperature then. Hopefully they taste better next time around! @ShoppGirl @Onemealplan @Greekmom4 @AndreaJD- Thank you all for the recipes and information! I tried my oatmeal yesterday with the whey protein powder a friend had given me and honestly - it was gritty, and I was disappointed. This morning I used part of a vanilla ensure and I used a potato peeler to slice off the exterior of three strawberries I mixed in with it and it was 100x better. I actually ate about 5oz of it super slowly and regretted that as it either expanded or wouldn't quite settle. I wasn't sick, but I was very uncomfortable for a while and had to shower and move around, then stand and take a couple of sips of cold water to initiate a couple of burps that provided some relief. Once I started to feel better I realized that the icy cold beverage helped me, and so I went ahead and had a sugar free popsicle. I took my time with it and found that the cold spreading across the inside of my chest felt very good and now I'm feeling much better. Has anyone had good luck finding an unflavored protein powder that doesn't feel gritty when mixed? Just curious - and if someone already answered this I'm sorry; trying to get caught up but not sit for too long! @CrazyDog&CatLady - Good luck to you on your revision and thank you for sending us all positive vibes for preparation and healing! Also, welcome to the thread! @ShoppGirl - I second what you said a thousand percent about using ALL the coping strategies you can to get through this. I'm having to completely re-learn my body, and in fact learning things about myself I never realized or understood before. The feeling of 'full' does echo my feelings of 'anxiety' and I've found that I'm extra sensitive due to that in the hour after I have a meal. I've also found that just like with the walking to get the gas worked out I also need to walk around a little bit after my meal to get my food to sit properly. Additionally, I'm learning the importance of remaining UPRIGHT until my stomach has settled past a meal. It's not even 'going to sleep too soon after eating, it's being at too little of an incline. I've woken up two nights in a row with heartburn in the wee hours that I can only attribute to drinking something maybe too fast before going to bed, or sipping at an incline rather than sitting up completely to deal with my dry mouth during the night. I do space my calcium out to later in the day and have been taking my multi w/Iron and ADEK about an hour after my breakfast. That seems to so far be working to stave off any nausea I would get from taking them on an empty stomach. Thank you for explaining about the B12 injections and congratulations on overcoming your anxiety giving them to yourself! Sorry if I missed anyone - I've hit my cap for sitting for the moment. Best wishes to all and encouragement to those who have surgery in the coming days! If I recall we have two having surgery tomorrow, yes? Another set of 8/21 surgery buddies? I'll try to recap and review later!

@SleeveToBypass2023you do make me laugh! I’m so glad that you’re able to understand your ‘godmother’ now, I feel I have rendered a valuable service 😉 Of course, there are always the joys of accents and drawls to throw in to this mix as well, which can add even more confusion. I’m a Yorkshire girl so we do have our own way of saying things, just like you will with your Southern sayings! And I’m so glad I’m not the only bitter wife out there…yes, I love him dearly but oh, there are times when I want to smother him with a pillow when he’s asleep 😈 I remember when we’d come back from our 2 week holiday in September last year and he was bitching that he’d put a couple of pounds on, whereas I had put on over a stone (14lbs) and I honestly wanted to stab him. He is supportive though, plus he has taken time off work to take me to all my hospital appointments etc as I still can’t bend my knees enough to climb in the van to drive myself but I will get there. Hopefully I will feel more able in a few more weeks 🤞 I rescued a pair of Billabong shorts from the charity shop bag yesterday as something for me to aim for on my WLS journey. I’d last worn them when I’d lost a load of weight previously and had worn them on holiday. Even now I cannot believe that I fit in to them. I tried them this morning and I cannot even get them halfway up my thighs, never mind anywhere else! I think I need to lose an additional 100lbs or so to have any chance of getting them on but stranger things have happened I guess 🤷‍♀️ I do generally use clothing as my inspiration to aim for, so I guess these are the ultimate goal!!

I guess I have always done everything I have wanted because I was never overweight until 5 years ago. But the things I have noticed NOW (never noticed before WLS): - I don't need to sit as often, I can stand for long periods and don't get the urge to find a seat. - My feet don't hurt walking so much. I was traveling the past two weeks and we walked A LOT! Every time we traveled the past few years my feet would kill me, this time was a breeze. Things I started: - I took up Pilates. I have a bad foot (sports) injury that caused my weight gain so always had a fear of doing Pilates although I consistently worked out my whole life but was nervous to take up Pilates for some reason. Now my two Pilates classes are literally the highlight of my week. - I look forward to weddings and gatherings where I avoided them like the plague and they used to cause me social anxiety and made me feel so down about my body. - Changing my wardrobe LOL, I am shopping like nobody's business. I am buying stuff I never would've bought the past few years. Lingerie, crop tops, shorts, short dresses, workout gear. You name it! - Weighing myself regularly. Was never a weigher even at my fittest and slimmest, and that's probably was what caused all the weight gain because I refused to face reality. Things I see myself doing in the future: - Probably getting some lip filler LOL. - Having my third child (maybe? I put it off because I was overweight and I couldn't fathom gaining more weight) - Getting my foot surgery (although it feels much better so I will need to reassess).

That milk of magnesia is a miracle worker. I started with the lower dose even and it wasn’t two maybe three hours later and I’m good to go. I’ve not really ever dealt with constipation if you can’t tell. 😆

Okay that milk of magnesia works miracles. I thought it was still going to be a strain but it wasn’t bad at all and it worked so fast. Like two hours or three maybe and I started with the lower dose. I am so relieved because my anxiety had me half believing that I had an obstruction. Thank goodness that is over for now. My NP said if I want to cut back from 2 stool Softeners a day I should do 2 then 1 Back and forth for little while before I go to Just one. But she expects based on what I have explained I probably need two until I am able to eat some fiber and more fluids.

I love to hear everyone's Wins as each week or day passes there is a New Win.

I found two WLS centers, then asked them what insurance they knew would cover them. I went with the center I could get the insurance for. I tried the other way around and there was so much stuff, procedures that I didn’t understand and hoops to jump through. The center I picked did 99% of the nasty insurance stuff for me! Three years later I still have follow up care and weight loss support groups through the center.

omg the week before my period I want to eat EVERYTHINGGGGG!!! I have given in and felt REALLLLYYY guilty! my periods are super short now like 2 days when it used to be 5 lol I just really need to hone in the cravings and giving into them

HI! Thank you so much!!! I started with walking around 2-3 postop, 20-30min and just built up to working out from home with light 5lbs weights. I follow Sydney Cummings or Juice and Toya work out videos. I would alternate 1 day upper body, 1 day lower body, ect...Then I would walk for 1 hour one day a week. Then I joined the gym when I was comfortable with the weights and that's when I really saw results. That was around 8-9 week post op. I cut down to 20min cardio and 30min strength training still alternating and still having 1hour walking days. Now that I am at my weight that I want to be at and not wanting to bulk up anymore just shred and tighten up my loose skin that I can possibly tighten up, I do 4 weight days 2 upper body, 2 lower body body with 30 min of cardio (usually treadmill at 12-13.5 incline and 3.3-3.7 speed) then 2 days I focus only on Cardio HIIT workouts. Now I do all my own workouts just from researching online and building my own workouts. I think they work? LOL I feel good afterwards, and my body composition is changing so I am rolling with it LOL I focus on high protein like over 100g, carbs I kept around 60g and fat around 20g. I have been fortunate where the weight came off pretty quickly, right now I am eating around 1400 cal 150g of protein 80-90g carbs and 25-30g fat. I am not actively trying to lose anymore, I want to more so maintain but I am still losing, so I am waiting till that figures itself out. LOL