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Part of this Process is Mental- a Change in Mindset
Deep6 posted a topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but despite the preparation, the consultations, dietitian advice as well as discussion with various doctors including the primary surgeon, I realized how much of this is on me and changing my thinking in relation to food. I never thought of myself as food fixated, or dependent. I certainly understand addiction and dependency from other things but food was always not only fuel, but a joy. I have fond memories of meals past; some of the great restaurants of the world, and the funky dives where I got a good meal. I'm in a new place. I can only eat a few bite before I feel almost full. Cross that line and it gets disgusting fast. So, food, for now, is something I have to be very careful of consuming. Some things are readily digestible, other things, not so much. (I'm 8 weeks out from surgery, a baby but I gotta be responsible). I realized that part of this is my mental attitude toward what I put into my body. It's like I have a much finer, more delicate filter. I certainly haven't gone to extremes but realize how sensitive my system is and it is my responsibility to follow through from the surgery to small steps in eating and exercise. Given the hiatal hernia repair, I'm still a time slot away from weight lifting. That's what draws me to the gym- treadmill stuff is a joke- there's a thing called a speed board that is not motorized, and requires your leg power to make it move. It require balance as well. Very expensive to own one, and none of the gyms where I am seem to have one. So I walk in mega stores. But I'm planning ahead-- I'll plug in with a couple different MD types over the next couple weeks- checking bloods- I feel undernourished, but I can't handle the volume of food I would ordinarily consume without thought. So I have to be mindful- and that is my main point-- you have a duty to yourself to be cautious about what you intake- both in terms of texture and in terms of volume. It seems like a couple of bites of 'regular food" gets me close to full; soft stuff, like soup, is easier. I'm taking all the supplements but am interested to see what the blood work shows. In the meantime, I'll say that this is a huge upward learning curve that I have taken on, despite the preparation and I think I had good medical and related advice to prepare me. It's just the transition from intellectual to real world. I'm learning..... -
Sugar Alcohols and Dumping Syndrome
Arabesque replied to CarmenG's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
The sugar alcohols used in many artificial sweeteners cause problems for many people: diarrhoea, bloating, discomfort, … Personally I try to avoid or reduce as many artificial sweeteners, sugar alternatives & sugar as I can. It’s hard because it’s in almost everything you buy. I did it to kill my sugar craving - it has. (Artificial sweeteners & sugar alternatives still feed your desire for sweet.). Also there is a lot of research being done into how artificial sweeteners still lead to weight gain, affect your immune system, etc. But this has been a personal choice for me. Generally if I want something sweet I’ll eat some fruit. But again it’s been my choice to do this. I have made chia seed pudding & used vanilla extract as flavour. There is natural & added sugar in it but it’s very little. Also added milk powder which gave some sweetness (& extra protein) & a natural sugar. What about a fruit crumble? Cook up apple, berries, rhubarb or other fruit & sprinkle the top with a mix of rolled oats, coconut, nuts, a little plain flour, cinnamon a little butter & bake until golden. Use a little monk fruit for a touch of sweetness if the fruit is a little tart & in the crumble topping. Congratulations on your daughter’s weight loss. So wonderful she’s been inspired by you to make changes in her life too. -
Thought I’d share a fun pic from my 3-year surgiversary (ok, I’m one day late, but close enough). I don’t really have a good before and after set of pictures because I used to hate being in pictures and I would avoid the camera at all costs. However, I still have a pair of size 28 pants that I wore at my highest weight of 341 pounds, and yes, I can now fit my whole 135-pound body into one leg.
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From the album: Janelle
I was sleeved in 2016, and due to circumstances, I could not control, death in my family of three people, I started gaining weight. I lost my husband in 2021 to a heart attack. I have decided to go with gastric bypass to take care of my GERD.© Michael Miller
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From the album: Janelle
I was sleeved in 2016, and due to circumstances, I could not control, death in my family of three people, I started gaining weight. I lost my husband in 2021 to a heart attack. I have decided to go with gastric bypass to take care of my GERD.© Michael Miller
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Trying to start the process again
MasonMoonGirl replied to carrielee's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I have sleep apnea, arthiritis, fatty liver and high cholesterol and am scared as well but I'm also scared of all of these conditions I have and developing more later in life if I don't take control of my obesity. So I have made the decision to go through with the surgery for reals this time and not cancel like twice before. All I can do now is do everything I can to help this surgery go smoothly. I'm three weeks out and am following a semi liquid diet (even though my doctors office told me it wasn't necessary because I know shrinking my liver and more weight loss before surgery is safer and better) I take all my supplements and more (with Dr approval) I make sure to get my protein in to promote faster healing and I've begun therapy/support groups. I'm going to try to take as little pain medication as possible after surgery because too many opiods and surgery dont mix. It seems like all these "celebrity deaths" (Kanye west mother, Lisa marie presleu) after surgery had opiods as a factor. I currently had been taken tylenol codeine #3 (a mild opiod) three times a day for arthiritis and that stopped today. I'm not taking any chances even with this mild one. When I have pain I will use creams or tens therapy or hell even book a massage but I am doing everything In my power to prevent complications. I've read books and gained a lot of knowledge about the surgery and have asked patients here how they've done it. That's all we can do and then leave the rest up to God/the powers that be. -
Will relationship go from bad to worse?
hills&valleys replied to tiffanyb12211's topic in The Gals' Room
Abusers (emotional, physical or both) lacking control of their own lives, target people with low self-esteem to feed their need to feel power over another. As you lose weight and gain more self-confidence, he will feel he is losing control over you and the mental abuse will escalate. He will sabotage your journey at every turn fearing you may realize you have better options! What exactly is he bringing to "the table"? It appears you are completely supporting this man and providing a roof over his head for the meager price of cleaning and dinner on the table. A lazy man is bad enough but a lazy, abusive man is nothing more than a parasitic piece of trash. You deserve so much better. -
Hey there. The Birmingham area. My surgeon was Dr. William Wood with Alabama Weight Loss Surgery.
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Not going to lie. . this scares me a bit
myfanwymoi replied to BabySpoons's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
This gave me a few unhappy hours too! My father died of a small bowel obstruction related to bowel cancer surgery. Unfortunately he wasn’t strong enough for an op at 92 so it’s different but related. I had Peterson’s hernias two years after surgery which nearly did for me (nhs docs refused to do cti scan which may have diagnosed it, partly due to prejudice over my having wls privately. I was out of warranty on that though! anyway, this history makes me more worried about adhesions than I might otherwise be and I had some serious operation remorse yesterday. But, as has been pointed out, Lisa Marie took opiates which may have helped create a blockage and had ignored some symptoms. I am sure the wls surgery has improved my quality of life in the 6.5 years since I had it and I can only hope that I haven’t robbed myself of some old age years I might have had - had I dealt with my weight issues in another way. That’s the rub isn’t it - if I’d stayed obese I’d have had worse quality of life and who knows how much less… so - all in all - I’m very sad for Lisa Marie and her family, but I think I’m ok! -
I was walking in the hospital. By the 4 day I didn’t need to take any pain meds. Sure had the odd twinge but walking in lying up & down stairs, wasn’t an issue except from an energy & lethargy perspective. But we all recover differently. If you’re still experiencing pain that is restricting you from performing basic activities, after a week & your pain meds aren’t managing it, contact your team. You’re sleep may be off because you’re not very active & may be napping during the day. (I miss those nana day naps). Also the hormonal flush associated with weight loss could be upsetting your sleep patterns. Yes, check with your team before taking any meds, over the counter or prescribed, just to be sure as @summerseeker suggested.
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I stopped losing weight after VSG
LindsayT replied to aussiedoodlelover94's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I can understand that to be frustrating. Just brainstorming thoughts... What types of foods are you eating? For example, sticking to low fat/sugar/carb and high protein. What about drinks? Low to no calorie. Physical activity? Cardio and strength training. What about medications? Too much sodium? Water weight? Are you still tracking your food and fluids? Has your team done blood work lately? What does the nutritionist say? Another way to measure progress is by measuring different areas of your body versus just the scale. Maybe you're losing inches instead of pounds. How about the way you feel or activities you can now do. Hopefully, you and your team can figure out what is going on. -
I stopped losing weight after VSG
aussiedoodlelover94 posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Highest weight: 346 Weight the day of surgery: 316.4 Current weight: 266 It’s been 9 months since I had the sleeve and I’ve only lost 50 lbs. I‘ve expressed my concern with my surgeon, and she seemed somewhat concerned. She put me on Phentermine which helped me lose 10 lbs but that’s about it. I can’t eat as much as I used to, but I can still eat quite a bit before feeling full which scares me. I portion my food out to try to avoid overeating. I’m not sure what more to do. I don’t have any health issues other than being obese. I’ve been feeling really defeated about this. Does anyone have any advice on maybe kickstarting the weight loss again or maybe taking a different route for another surgery? -
Food Aversions After Surgery
CarmenG replied to MasonMoonGirl's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
You're crazy, lol. But seriously, though. Too much protein will put a strain on you liver, gall bladder, and kidneys. According to what I've read, the amount of protein a person needs before surgery depends on your gender, age, and weight. After surgery, it will depend on if you're absorbing everything you eat, or if you have a malabsorptive surgery. Protein intake for bariatric patients, pre or post op is meant to replace the protein we lose with weight loss. -
High LIver Enzymes and Ferritin 8-7 months post op, help?
Laura M replied to Laura M's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Hi Jenny-bug- Thanks for your reply on this. My biopsy showed I have Nash but since starting a different diet to help stabilize weight and exercise more, my enzymes have started to come down, now in the 50"s and ferritin is now around 500. If you don't mind sharing, how high did your ferritin get before it came down to normal and how high did your enzymes get and now? Thanks so much, this last month has been extremely stressful, Laura -
I know this sounds weird, but enjoy it while it lasts - because it doesn't last for the vast majority of us. Sometime during the first year after surgery your hunger will come back, and it makes things a lot harder. I wish I was one of the lucky few whose hunger never came back. It was so easy to lose weight when I was never hungry and didn't give a flip about food!
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Calories for Phase 5 or 8 weeks PO
Fred in Pa replied to cocoduan's topic in Post-op Diets and Questions
At 8 weeks I was at about 800 calories per day. I went mostly on my restriction and making sure to make good food choices. That equated to about 5 to 7 ounces per meal depending on the texture. Most of my calories came from protein. My team didn’t give a calorie goal but instead advised what I outlined above. I am now at four months, and have added in more exercise, and therefore more calories. I have slowly added in carbs while watching my blood sugar levels as well to balance my diet. Looking towards maintenance, I was told to balance calories and activity to maintain weight…all while making good food choices. -
Hey Eva, wondering how are you now with the weight loss? Im struggling myself... im in week 8 and from 2 to 7 didnt loose anything.
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Hi, I had a gastric sleeve done in 2013. I lost 110 lbs and was at goal. Then my mom passed unexpectedly in 2014. I gained 75 lbs back. I have struggled trying to lose it. I have tried Noom and Keto and low carb...failed all. I'm contemplating a revision or a lap band. Any insights out there?
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Maybe finally doing this
linda willer replied to carrielee's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It will be alright. Some of your issues probably will get better for you. I am 74 and I am going through this process now. I wish I had the option in my 30’s. I am proud of you for confronting your weight issue. -
Depressed before surgery
Midwest Grateful replied to MasonMoonGirl's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
@MasonMoonGirl... Congratulations on saying no and resisting the temptation to give in to food invitations! I respectfully disagree with the suggestion to go to Com Con. Not at this stage. I am on my pre-op liquid diet (day 5 of 14). It's doable. Day 3 was my hardest, especially emotionally. I have been seeing a therapist to help prepare me for a drastic lifestyle change (I'm also a counselor, so that was an easy choice). Good for you for making that choice as well. The liquid diet isn't half as challenging as the mindset re food choices, etc. Hang tough. You're wise to begin this serious lifestyle change now. From all I've read - and I've researched this for eons, as well as know several people who have had WLS - the ones who get therapy or at least find a way to change their lifestyle and their mindset surrounding food are the ones who stay consistent and are less likely to return to old destructive thinking and gain weight later. Keep those boundaries clear for you and others to see. Anyone who doesn't respect your boundaries and journey, put much space between you and them. This is too important. All the best! 💟 -
From the album: Before and after
Roughly 253lbs at this point. A couple months before my surgery© Me only
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does kaiser pay for a tummy tuck?
bluemather replied to carlacv's topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
I just met with my surgeon yesterday for my 6 mo post op visit. I brought up this same question as my sagging skin is becoming more apparent as I continue to lose (at 90 lbs lost). He said that most insurance will pay for this procedure as a cause of Bariatric surgery and done by a plastic surgeon. He mentioned that you need to first lose all the weight, then maintain that weight for at least 6 months, before they would approve the surgery. He stated arm or leg skin surgery would not be covered but tummy tuck was. I was hopeful to hear this although I have not gone through the process yet to vet the accuracy. I’m sure it depends on your specific insurance plan benefits and worth a call. -
4 months post op update
catwoman7 replied to mcipanda's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
you're also what we call a "light weight". You started out at only 209 lbs. Many of us started out at 250+. Starting BMI is one of the factors that determines how fast or slow the weight comes off. Given your starting weight, I'm not surprised at all at your loss so far. But as long as the overall trend is down, you're good! -
Honestly and genuinely, and without disagreeing with anyone here (because only they can know what has worked for them and all of our experiences will differ) stalls and plateaus are a completely normal part of losing weight after WLS. If you stick rigidly to the plan you have been given then in the vast majority of cases stalls will break, plus eventually (sooner or later - and people get there at different rates) you will get to your new set weight. That weight might not be your ideal weight but that's what the surgery does. All of the side stuff you do along the way makes little to no difference IMO. It's window dressing. And we kill ourselves angsting about it. Sure, if we've been on a long stall and we then decide to increase/decrease protein/carbs/exercise/type of exercise/duration of exercise/CALORIES/whatever, and we resume losing weight, it is human nature to attribute the renewed loss to whatever we did. But we're working with an experimental group of 1 (me) with no control group. Basically if all the time we're sticking to our programme then that's what kick starts the new loss, not the other stuff. If I could go back in time 20 months I would just say to my post-op me "stick to the plan, use your tool, and see how far you can get. You will lose rapidly and lose slowly with no rhyme or reason. Stop comparing yourself to others - they're different to you. Surgery works, stick to the plan!!!!" I really hope this helps someone else.
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How Long Do Stalls Last?
CarmenG replied to CarmenG's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
Thanks, ladies, for responding. I can try that, but I'm so paranoid of taking in more calories and then actually gaining! Ugh! I'd just sit on the floor and cry. Maybe I can add a protein shake at night, as a "midnight snack"?