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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
Beljer72 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My surgery was Feb 27th. I began at 217 and now am 177. Your posts describes my roller coaster ride from the beginning. I am working on real food and what causes issues and what doesn’t. I know anything greasy is a no (I now rinse any grease off, if used). I go back to shakes for a day if I have problems to settle things down. As long as I keep the portions very small at a meal, I can eat most things. I bought a Bariatric cookbook. It has some very tasty recipes. I cook them for my husband and even guests. No complaints! -
I found preop motivation in making some basic dietary changes. Trying new recipes and getting into good habits was a good motivator, and I did that with a friend so we could talk about what was working for us. I also took on some projects to help me prepare, such as cleaning out my pantry, freezer, and fridge. I threw away junk food and stopped buying replacements for that, and tried to cook through the food options on hand that were "okay for now" but not what I would be eating after surgery. I bought some bariatric cookbooks, and I also started implementing the changes recommended in the Pound of Cure book from Dr. Matthew Weiner. And I watched all of his and Dr. John Pilcher's videos on YouTube, plus started watching several gastric bypass vlogs. Plus reading all the posts here to see what other people experienced. It really helped make the time go by, especially as I ended up with a 2-month delay from my original date that was so frustrating.
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
BlueParis replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
So, I'm a bad example, I'm really proud of not drinking - It'll be 11 weeks without a drop of alcohol for me next Tuesday and I was quite a heavy drinker so I never thought I'd make it so far. The non drinking I'm proud of. However - I'm still smoking and I know how bad it is, but I just can't stop, I've tried nicotine gum, vaping, patches, therapy etc etc ... and also true to Parisienne form ... I still have 5/6 coffees a day .... and I drink the carbonated diet beverages. But I'm trying to be as kind and non jugemental to myself as I try to be to others and take it one step at the time... I never thought I'd be able to not have alcohol for so so long and so once the novelty of being sober drops off I'll try and reduce the cigarettes ... getting rid of caffeine will be last though, it's cultural here really and I work long hours and swap time zones often so I do use coffee as a crutch ... maybe one day I'll get that sorted but it's not an issue for now for me. My partner is a doctor, not a bariatric doctor for sure, but he's still good a good grip on biology etc ... I had the operation with out telling him and told him afterwards ... but he has said, as has the cardiologist friend he sent me to chat with that it is still better to be a non overweight coffee drinking smoker than an obese, coffee drinking, big social alcohol drinker smoker ... So I'm going with that and trying to tackle one issue at a time .... -
First, there is no one right way to eat to lose or maintain your weight. There’s just the right way for you. I agree to the suggestion to get in contact with your old dietician or find a new one. I’d also teach for a couple of weeks just to check your calorie & nutrient intake. I’d also get in contact with your surgeon as well to see what other options you have - revision surgery or maybe GLP - 1 meds. You’ve likely reset your body’s set point. The surgery lowered it but returning to larger portions, poor food choices & bad old habits have raised your set point again. So you’re actually fighting your body now. You’re trying to lose weight & your body is doing all it can to hold on to it. Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Loss metabolic reset diet (not that I’m an advocate for any ‘diets’.) It may give you some ideas you could try to see if works for you. He’s a great source of information around all things weight loss, bariatric surgery, etc. (He has a website & a you tube channel.) If you like being active, I’d add in some weights. Building muscle will help burn more calories & help counteract any muscle loss you experience while losing. Walking will help with general fitness. Remember though, activity only contributes to about 10% of any weight loss. Oh & don’t listen to your family & friends when they offer advice about your eating, nutrition or weight loss. They mean well but unless they’re qualified nutritionalist, dieticians, bariatric surgeons or medical doctors or had bariatric surgery they really don’t know what they’re talking about. And they’re not you. You know yourself best. You know your psychologically, physiologically & emotionally self best & know how you want to live your life. All the best.
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
RonHall908 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
The bariatric hospital I go to has an online support group. I've attended a few of them. One thing that always comes up Is chicken breast, everyone has problems with it. I've had issues with it lately. I'm not going to mess with it anymore, I can't eat as much of it as I can ground meat. Which allows me to get the protein in that I need. -
struggeling
BlondePatriotInCDA replied to Ms. Neidler's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'd make an appointment with your bariatric team then. I'm a slow weight loser..but 4 lbs in two months seems off. -
struggeling
BlondePatriotInCDA replied to Ms. Neidler's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Did the bariatric team give you the variable calories? The "800 - 1200" A day? Normally, its a set amount... I'd contact your bariatric team/dietician..IF you're not cheating you should be losing more than 4 lbs in two months. -
I had to lose weight before they gave me the okay to get into the bariatric program and I actually did Weight Watchers (WW) it helped me lose the weight I needed to get approved. Just a thought
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I thought the same and my doctor told me that for the first few months he would be happier for me to take the pills to be sure until I was through the food phases etc. that I was getting enough vitamins. At times he sounds like a sales rep for the bariatric branded vitamins, which I don't get through him so makes no difference to him, but of course they are about three times the price here of non-bariatric ones. My blood tests so far have all show high vitamin levels (other than K) so now I am just down to one multi vit a day plus calcium & D2, then I add in a cod liver one as I can't eat fish. It's exhausting remembering to take them all on top of a daily reflux pill plus HRT!
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Well, tomorrow I go in for an impromptu hiatal hernia repair after ending up in the ER over the weekend because I couldn't get food down and water was moving at a trickle... I've been having these symptoms on and off for a few weeks but Sunday was the worst by far and came with chest pain and trouble breathing. The ER PA thinks it is just esophagitis and that the surgeon and radiologist are wrong. But the bariatric surgeon swears it is a hernia, possibly a sliding one based on my symptoms. So he fit me into his schedule this week to repair it! I hope he's right and this sorts it out. He's going to do a scope afterwards to be sure there is nothing wrong with the esophagus. Here's hoping it all goes well!!
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I could not imagine pureed meat, and I'm not a fan of pureed vegetables. I made it through this stage with refried beans, egg salad and tuna salad, which I mashed up enough to not have chunks of egg or tuna. I added flavor to those with a little tiny bit of dijon mustard or pickle juice. I ate mashed sweet potato with cinnamon and some sugar free (ok, fake) maple pancake syrup. I ate applesauce. I also tried some pureed baby food fruits. I didn't find it difficult at all to have enough things to eat. Most bariatric cookbooks include recipes for this stage, too.
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What they don't tell you...
BlondePatriotInCDA replied to BlondePatriotInCDA's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
"I was never told that" and I bet they disagree and say you were? I think that's why my bariatric team now hands out their own booklets, it answers a lot of questions. They also email a PDF version jic! There are still tons of things they don't tell you like the things I posted, but I assume its covered somewhere in the support group meetings (I went to have one - one was all that was required - I'm NOT a support group type person!) Do you still crush your pills? I thought after six months you no longer needed too, should I be doing that!? Now I wonder if I'm getting the full dosage I should be.. 🤔 -
May 2024 Surgery Buddies 😁
SandyT replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi, I'm Sandra and I am having a gastric sleeve on May 6th! I have been lurking here reading as much as i can of other's posts and have learned a lot. My situation is a little different as this is my second bariatric surgery. I had lap band surgery in 2009 and now am having it converted because my band stopped working for me. I did lose weight but then gained a lot back and recently have lost some again but need to lose more. My reason for surgery is to be healthier and hopefully improve my arthritis pain and mobility. My emotions are currently all over the place, anxious, worried, happy and excited. I will start my liver prep diet in 1 week. Not looking forward to 2 weeks of shakes only. I really am not too concerned about the surgery itself, as I have had several surgeries, and the pain has not been bad afterwards. As for my overnight hospital stay, I plan to pack as little as possible. I will plan on wearing home the clothes I arrive in. I think moisturizer and lip balm are good ideas. I may take a light robe. Someone mentioned a heating pad, but I don't think most hospitals allow you to bring them (coming from a retired RN here). They can be a burn hazard if they malfunction. If I am only staying overnight, I may not need reading materials. I will likely watch TV and nap. Slippers to walk in will be needed. I wish you all the best of luck for an easy surgery and pain free post-op course! -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
RonHall908 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I do tend to weigh myself twice a week. I'm sure that doesn't help. But, it would if the scale would move. I just expected a faster response from the surgery. From October up to the two weeks before my surgery, I had lost nearly 70 lbs. Just from changing my diet and exercise. I'm still doing the same thing, but I'm eating less. May 8th I see the Doctor at the bariatric hospital I go to. That will be my 3 month post op appointment. I'll have another blood work-up then to see if there's any issues with nutrition and vitamin deficiency. I've lost over 100 lbs. since October, so that's definitely a big plus. -
How many « new » foods to try per stage ?
NickelChip replied to lily06's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I did not get a very detailed plan, and my program advances quickly so that in theory you can have no restrictions at 4 weeks. For me, that has been way too fast. I have found the Bariatric Diet Guide and Cookbook by Dr. Matthew Weiner very helpful. Now that my own program says I can have anything, I'm appreciating his stages (which vary from the typical phases you see in most programs). -
I got it from a bariatric cookbook on kindle so I’m not sure how to link it but it’s basically just a scrambled egg with cheese and veggies and or meat mixed in that you put into a muffin tin and bake. It tastes different that scrambled egg though. If you have kindle it’s called the bite sized bariatric cookbook. If not, mix 4 eggs with 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk. Then mix in 2 cups chopped boccoli and 1 cup shredded cheese bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in greased mini muffin tins. Having done it once already I think I would pour the egg in first then add the veggies and cheese to the muffin tin so that they would be more even.
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
RonHall908 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I feel your pain with an injury. Tore my meniscus ligament in my knee. They wouldn't let me have surgery on it until I am 40 bmi. I'm there now, but I'm buying some time to be certain I have no issues since my gastric bypass. The surgeon suggested I wait at least three months post bariatric surgery. Trying to walk more is a problem, I can get a mile.or so in walking before the pain is too much. I'm looking forward to get it taken care of. I was wondering how well the vitamin patches work. I'm not having issues with taking vitamins orally. But there's so much berry flavored vitamins you can have before the tastes is meh. -
OK this is a biggie. You might want to treat alcoholic drinks like a big glass of sugar. Empty calories and not helping you to your goal - hindering actually. However I am Irish and therefore have to acknowledge the fun/relaxation/social stuff associated with imbibing those totally worthless calories. Lots of people who have previously had a completely healthy relationship with alcohol (even if on the slightly heavier side of healthy alcohol intake) can develop a very UNhealthy relationship with alcohol after bariatric surgery. You get a bigger hit, you get it quicker, and you get all the neurotransmitter rush associated with that that makes you want to repeat the experience. For lots of us it has been a big trigger for regaining weight. Just do a search for alcohol and read some of the posts here describing it as THE factor on people's regain. Lots of others have been able to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol too. If you do your research AND are aware of all that AND vigilant AND able to take immediate action if your relationship with alcohol changes then it might be OK to drink it earlier than your programme allows. Otherwise it might be best to just concentrate on the lovely honeymoon period when you lose weight with not too much effort. I was sleeved 7 weeks before Christmas 2021 and negotiated a glass or two of bubbles over that first holiday season with my dietician. I have been able to continue to drink alcohol at my previous rate and not regain. UNTIL I stopped losing - that was about 2 years post op, 5 months ago. Since then I have been regaining (albeit very slowly). I do wonder whether if I had just ditched alcohol (my only sugar now) early on whether I wouldn't have put on 5lbs in 5 months. I know that third year regain is a thing, but I will never be able to say what effect alcohol may have had. It does seem to have stabilised for me and I know my regain is tiny (not angsting, LOL) just wanted to share my thoughts and my experience. Sorry that turned into a bit of an essay. I hope it helps. Long story short, my programme said no alcohol for 6 months, my (Irish) dietician said go right ahead.
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
RonHall908 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My dietician wanted me to get at least 90g of protein a day and 30g or less carbs. My energy has been sapped as well. But I also work 55-60 hours a week. So that doesn't help much along with getting in some exercise daily. So, I've been getting in 40-45 g of carbs and that seemed to help some. But I've also had no more than 100 grams.of caffiene every couple days. I use the baritastic app and log everything. It's helps a lot. My dietician can log in and see what I've been doing. She hasn't said anything, but I also don't have an appointment with her until next month. I think my issues are getting enough vitamins and minerals. My hair used to grow very fast, now it doesn't. I take three multivitamins a day and two B-complex vitamins. Along with calcium chews. I also have an appointment with the bariatric center where I had the surgery. I'm certain they will have another round of blood tests to see if I have any deficiencies. Sorry this was a book. 😁 -
Water intake issue?
BlondePatriotInCDA replied to jparadigm's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yes, its fairly common! Try taking smaller sips and space it out a bit more. If it continues I'd contact your bariatric surgeons office and see what they have to say. Also, before WLS did water do this? Water always made me a bit nauseated, so I add flavor which helps. Good luck, I hope you this is your only bump on your journey! -
What you should know about WLS they don't tell you
BlondePatriotInCDA posted a topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Good afternoon all! I just was thinking of all the surprises I've experienced since WLS...and I wanted to ask others what's surprised them about their weight loss/surgery journey that they weren't told by their bariatric team?! I'll go first: 1. All the aches and pains in my hips and butt. My butt hurts now when I sit since I'm missing my butt padding! Also, since losing weight my posture and gait have changed so now I'm in PT for hip abductor pain. 2. The ever increasing and changing locations of skin irritation. The skin now droops in places I wasn't told to expect and I get red irritation under my butt creases from over lap - sorry for the unpleasant visual! 3. I've shrunk..so driving I now need extra padding to be at my former "sitting height" I feel like a kid driving my parents car now. 4. I've had to buy new glasses, mine were stretched out from digging into my fat head 😋 and now they keep falling off when I look down. 5. I've had to buy new shoes, all my old shoes no longer fit. They just flop around. I was expecting new clothing..not shoes. 6. I feel more clumsy and weak despite working out. My manual dexterity is horrible now. 7. I still feel hunger 😔 These are just a few of the changes I've experienced that my bariatric team never mentioned. Do you have any to add that can take the surprise out of it for people just starting their WLS journey?! I eagerly await your responses! -
What they don't tell you...
BlondePatriotInCDA posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Good afternoon all! I just was thinking of all the surprises I've experienced since WLS...and I wanted to ask others what's surprised them about their weight loss/surgery journey that they weren't told by their bariatric team?! I'll go first: 1. All the aches and pains in my hips and butt. My butt hurts now when I sit since I'm missing my butt padding! Also, since losing weight my posture and gait have changed so now I'm in PT for hip abductor pain. 2. The ever increasing and changing locations of skin irritation. The skin now droops in places I wasn't told to expect and I get red irritation under my butt creases from over lap - sorry for the unpleasant visual! 3. I've shrunk..so driving I now need extra padding to be at my former "sitting height" I feel like a kid driving my parents car now. 4. I've had to buy new glasses, mine were stretched out from digging into my fat head 😋 and now they keep falling off when I look down. 5. I've had to buy new shoes, all my old shoes no longer fit. They just flop around. I was expecting new clothing..not shoes. 6. I feel more clumsy and weak despite working out. My manual dexterity is horrible now. 7. I still feel hunger 😔 These are just a few of the changes I've experienced that my bariatric team never mentioned. Do you have any to add that can take the surprise out of it for people just starting their WLS journey?! I eagerly await your responses! -
If all else fails, maybe speak with a bariatric nutritionist for some advice. They'd be able to give you tailored suggestions. Good luck!
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I started chewing Nicorette Gum about 6 months after my gastric bypass due to a lot of stress going on w/my teenager… Up until recently, the last 3-4 weeks, everything seemed fine; I even swallowed my gum once accidentally not thinking cuz I was getting a ketamine treatment for depression and chewing gum right when the ketamine started kicking in; but that didn’t cause any issues, thank God!!! Then I all of a sudden started really feeling sick when I chew gum after meals w/bloating and gas, nausea, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. I had increased the amount I was chewing; which probably really kicked in my sick feeling. I know most of my fellow responders are referring to non nicotine gum; but if any of you chew Nicorette or take nicotine lozenges I’d love to hear if anyone has had negative side effects after bariatric surgery. I know chewing any gum, and definitely using any sort of nicotine, is most likely frowned upon by our surgeons; but has anyone heard anything specific about why using nicotine gum or lozenges after surgery is particularly a bad idea?
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Is there a standard guideline?
NickelChip replied to NovelTee's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
At my surgeon's office, they have one set of guidelines for bypass and another for sleeve. Interestingly, bypass moves out of the liquid phase faster, perhaps because we don't have that long line of staples to worry about? But as far as I can tell, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery sets certain guidelines for programs to be considered Centers of Excellence, which many insurance programs require in order to cover the procedure. But these do not include a lot of specific dietary guidelines. A lot is left open to personal preference by the doctor or practice, although they are required to stay up to date on medical research.
