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Honestly days 1-3 were the worst for me, and I think the range is like 1-5 being the hardest part of the pre-op diet. I promise that easier days are on their way!

Interestingly, i just watched a medical program (hosted by the late Dr Michael Mosley) and a top UK gastro consultant said 2hrs is pretty average time frame for your tummy to empty of food. (His patient had delayed emptying - less than half after 3 hrs.)

Hi all, thought I would give an update and would love to hear how others March Buddies are doing! I’m 3weeks post op (3/18) & have a bit more energy now that I’m taking vitamins! Still progressing very slow with food. I’m on puréed foods and able to get about 2T when I do eat something. But, mainly takes me most the day to get my 2 protein shakes in & started drinking protein water as well. I’m 5’ 8” & “big boned” so my nutritionist upped my protein target to 80g. I’m Averaging 350-420 calories/day, not due to nutritionist just because I’m not able to take in much. What are the rest of you averaging? Is this normal for 3 weeks? Also, Hoping to get into a better walking routine. Confession: have not been doing a lot of walking, except when I’m shopping! I am parking farther away to get more steps in so making little adjustments. And, my scale says 22lbs lost since day of surgery! Hope you are all doing well on your journey.

My program allows both but hesitant about trying about three weeks post op.any experience ?

I was consuming something other than water every 2-3 hours as per my dietician's instructions.... I didn't really think about calories, I focused on my protein goals, water goals, and "eating" frequently. I still eat every 2-3 hours, so about 5-6 times a day. It sounds like you are progressing nicely!! Lucky you! I was on strict liquids for 2 weeks post op. Sounds like you get more things. I suggest broth or tea when that head hunger kicks in. Or a sugar free popsicle. I'd check with the guidelines your dietician gave you, often they want hydration focused on the most for the first few weeks, with protein goals a close second. Calories usually come in (if they come in at all) once you are on soft foods. But every practice is different!

I agree with the others, contact your surgeon and let them know. It isn't unusual to have intolerances to protein shakes early on. I couldn't stomach them for the first several weeks. I could get in my fluids though, with diligence, but they had to either be very cold or very warm, my stomach didn't like anything in between, and even with fluids I would get this intense twisting pain with every swallow, like my stomach was trying to cartwheel inside me! But after the two week mark this started to ease. I was able to water down protein water and get it in. Then I was able to thin out protein shakes with milk and get them in. I was still nauseated daily until the 8 week mark, but meds helped with that. My surgeon said this whole track wasn't unusual, I was one of those rare patients that got the side effect of stomach spasms post surgery and they usually calm down after a few weeks. He was right! By weeks 3-4 I could drink most things without pain, as long as I kept sipping rather than trying to gulp. I'm 3 months out and still can't gulp... But this is definitely a situation where you want your surgeon's office aware of how you are feeling so they can send you in for fluid infusions if you start to show signs of dehydration. Dehydration is the number 1 complication of bariatric surgery in the early weeks, plenty of people end up with hydration infusions until the swelling goes down in their tummies enough they can get their water in.

Mine has felt slow too. I went from 238 to 223 on my two week pre-op diet, which was so fast, and now at 3 weeks post-op I'm only at 217. Did you lose a lot pre-op? That can slow the post-op loss in the beginning. I figure 21 pounds in 5 weeks is awesome, but 6lbs post compared to 15lbs pre feels very slow indeed! I know there's a lot going on internally, and that pre-op, it's mostly fluids that are lost. I know I need to remember that this is a 12-18 month process that will happen at its own pace. But it's hard to be patient in the beginning when so much of what you read and hear are these crazy high weight loss numbers the first few months. Of course that's often with people who had a much higher starting BMI. But it sure does make you dream of it happening faster. However, I will take the victory that I've had to start pulling out smaller jeans and bras already because my pre-op favs are way too loose now.

Must meet one of the following three criteria: 1. Must have a minimum body mass index (BMI) of > 30 with a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. 2. Must have a BMI of > 35-39 and must have at least one of the following conditions: a. Degenerative joint disease of major weight bearing joint(s). The member must be a candidate for joint replacement surgery if weight loss is achieved. b. Other rare chronic conditions (for example, pseudo tumor cerebri) in which there is medical evidence that bariatric surgery is medically necessary and that the benefits of bariatric surgery outweigh the risk of surgical mortality. 3. Must have a minimum BMI of > 40 Here is their wording. I’m obviously number 3 I’m just worried it’s a case by case basis and they won’t approve me.

I am going to guess that it's water weight (as @catwoman7 said) unless you ate 19,250 calories extra. I often gain anywhere from 3 to 7 lbs of water, sometimes it takes a week to come off naturally and sometimes it takes a little longer.

Here are 5 website for swapping your clothes. 1- Swapstyle 2-Rehash 3- Dig N’ Swap 4- ThredUp 5- Closet Infinite This is an article that talks about these websites https://www.wisebread.com/5-websites-for-swapping-your-clothes-and-refreshing-your-wardrobe

1/3 a buffalo chicken wrap and 12 sour cream and onion Pringles. 192 calories, ate it all! ( I feel like they should be more calories but this is what MFP says, so...)

Week 4 Post op Sw: 155kg /341 lbs Stats to date: - 13,8kg / -30.42lbs One month post op today ! I’ve been back at work for a full week and feeling great. I work as higher management in a corporate environment so except the daily and expected stress it’s not too strenuous. I had promised myself i wouldn’t go for long hour days unless i felt ok about it and i do. I am working as per usual and managed to get back into the swing of things after 3 weeks off. The only difference has been i actually take the time to take snack breaks. My daily eating schedule looks like: - breakfast + around 300-400ml water + coffee with milk and stevia - mid morning snack - lunch - water all afternoon - dinner I have adaptes super super well to the « real food » stage and i can eat absolutely everything i’ve tried. The only thing that does make me feel slightly uncomfortable is raw vegetables (lettuce, beetroot, carrot) or certain fruits (watermelon). It’s not that i feel pain i just feel super bloated when i eat them. I think the most shocking thing has been the fact that i went from being unable to eat more than 30-50g in the early days to actually being able to eat a (dessert) plate of food. I took what my surgeon told me about not measuring and ran with it: no more weighing food i just eyeball my dessert plate and i’ve learned my limit so i know when i’m full. I actually think it’s crazy when i think back to the amount i used to put on a plate … It did scare me to be eating more but i have understood that the actual goal is to be able to eat a « normal » portion. Because before i used to serve 2-3 in one sitting ! I have family friends that are visiting for 5 days and don’t know i’ve had surgery (we’re not specifically close enough to discuss this topic) and they actually haven’t noticed anything (or at least haven’t mentioned it haha) but i can sit and enjoy a meal with everyone without restrictions on anything other than the quantity. I’ve been able to eat carbs for a few days so i made a delicious bell pepper tomato and chorizo tart served on a bed of baby spinach - i had 1/6 size tart, and served everyone else the standard 1/4 size slice. Even though i know i’m eating much less i do feel guilty about eating more than 3 weeks ago at times. I feel like my surgery isn’t working because i feel hungry if i miss a snack mid morning … but, i know from having logged all food and drink for a while that i’m’at 600-800 cals per day So i’m reassured by the fact that it’s scientifically impossible to not lose weight eating so much less. Hopefully this slight panic, scared feeling subsides with time.

Dinner: Lean beef enchiladas (which you can’t see 🤣) topped with a greek yogurt crema, tangy salsa, avocados and Chloula sauce. I used mission low carb mini tortillas, my hand is for reference. Ate 3/4 of it, guessing around 300ish calories?

Have you tried Chia seed pudding? Here is how you can make it with 3 ingredients https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a28929331/chia-pudding-recipe/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=arb_ga_del_md_pmx_hybd_mix_us_18345007169&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb-zBhCmARIsAAfUI2tYtRgM91LFmKptTFpGNs6wIZ3UQWMfLvs1DNKzKsq6jwVmOSTA-h4aAndKEALw_wcB

My insurance approved me in 1 day. I have pre-op 3/7 and surgery 3/14. First follow up is 4/1.

I have been tolerate eggs, hard boiled and scrambled I will usually do hard boiled 2 for breakfast with my decaf coffee with sugar free creamer, or I have tea with a tsp of honey. I also will do 3 oz of egg whites, with 2 oz of turkey ground and will add some buffalo wing sauce. snacking I will usually do a protein shake (premier) or I will make one of my vanilla Isopure with unsweetened almond milk and drink that, and/or I will have cottage cheese 3 0z, or applesauce unsweetened, hummus 2 oz, turkey sticks cut up about 2. water in between those, then lunch will be chicken salad that I make from scratch, I just take chicken in the can add tbsp of light mayo and some shredded cheese and mix together. ( I prep a lot for the week due to work) I will do avocado smashed 3 oz of that also. I usually cannot get all that down. so I will go back later and eat the rest on break. I will also have another protein shake later with my snack. For dinner, I have chicken salad and broccoli and or shredded chicken 30z's and some veggie. I do like to have a snack later after dinner about hour or so. I do turkey stick or I have a Popsicle.

My kids “mystery box” ‘ed me tonight, so this was dinner- cheesy stuffing waffles (crispy, delicious… recommend), air fryer buttermilk chicken legs, Caesar roasted broccoli, balsamic cucumber and tomato salad. I also used about a tbsp of bbq sauce for my chicken leg Gonna use the leftover waffles for breakfast sandwiches this week Waffles recipe - 1tbsp butter, 1/2 onion finely diced, box of stovetop or similar stuffing mix, 2 eggs, 4oz cheese, vegetable broth to moisten Sautéed onion. In butter until lightly browned. Add a bit of broth to get up any goodness in the bottom of the pan. Pour into bowl with stuffing mix Preheat waffle maker blend eggs with cheese until smooth. Mix into stuffing mix. Add broth until soupy. Don’t worry. After it sits a few minutes it thickens. I think I used 3 cups for 2 boxes. spray waffle maker and scoop in stuffing mix. Used about a cup a waffle. Cook for 6-8 minutes until crispy and delicious.

Spot on SBG. this happened to me first time round. I also didn’t do any pre op for both surgeries as they were both ended up emergency surgeries. but you also get a stall around 3 months. I lost 55lbs(25kgs) in 3 months. But cause I was so sick and not handling foods my body stored all the nourishment I would be able to hold down. Plus I was plagued with injury so couldn’t walk. Cat, up your protein. My nutritionist said this to me and I started to shed a little more. good luck Brandy. You are doing this cause you want a better quality of life.

Good morning! I have officially joined the "stallers" club this week. It is sad to see the scale at the same place it was a week ago. But I have all of you going through it, too, and while we don't like it, it does help some. I guess I'm glad to be part of the club lol.

Catching bronchitis and having my first stall at the same time had me bummed out especially since it was only a month after surgery. 2 months of feeling bad and on top of it watching the scale stall was so disheartening. What kept me going was reading about all the successful losses from people on here and cheering them on ! Now it's finally my turn My motivation is back ! The bronchitis is nearly gone and I'm starting to walk again (even in the damn heat ...gggrrrr ) and the scale is once again my friend . I just thought I'd share my good news with you !!! I'm so happy I found you all !

Just by way of alternatives: My plan never included protein drinks. I'm one of those folks that gets their protein from "food." Google it if necessary. My plan from day 1 was/is 3 meals per day of 3-4oz protein + 1oz veggies. First 6 weeks it was pureed. Granted, I never completed a meal until about 5 or 6 months post-op, but I did the best I could and my team was happy with that. At any rate, just a different take on the whole protein thing. Good luck, Tek

FMLA is granted by your employer, but the doctor is the one who says when you can return to work and if they say two weeks, your employer only legally has to hold your job for two weeks. Like I said, I did a lot of research prior to taking leave and saw some went back as soon as 2 days after their surgery, others took the full 6 weeks, but the most common leave time was 2-6. Given that timeline and my previous experience w/ surgery, I expected 4 weeks would be the best situation for me. I am not sure there should be a "standard" for these surgeries. Most of us are very obese and have varying comorbid conditions. I'm not saying that some people cannot return at 2 weeks (or even sooner), but this should be a private conversation that takes place between a patient and their provider and should be customized to the specific patient and their needs. The door to conversation about this should not be slammed on the patient.

Woohoo way to go, great end to the week.

Hi guys. Been a few weeks since I've posted here. Feeling a bit frustrated and puzzled right now. So my first six weeks weight loss was great. I lost 48 pounds in six weeks since my RNY on October 9th. However, since then I've pretty much stalled out and only lost 3 pounds in the past three weeks. I noticed my weight seemed to stall once my surgeon cleared me for solid foods. So far I've been very blessed with my recovery. I've never experienced a single episode of nausea or dumping syndrome no matter what I eat. Not one episode from day of surgery up til now. Pork, beef, carbs, fat. Nothing seems to negatively affect me. But what really puzzles me is I seem to be able to eat much more than I should. For example, I can drink an 11ounce (330mL) Ensure in about a minute or two. Also if I don't strictly measure out my food portions, I'll easily eat more than I should, again with no nausea I should expect with overeating. I'm paranoid of stretching my new pouch out. When I brought this up with my surgeon during my follow-up, he looked puzzled as well but basically just dismissed it, saying we'll discuss it at next follow up if nothing changes. Sometimes I wonder if he actually reduced my stomach to the size of an egg like they said it would be post-op. I definitely cannot eat near the volume I could pre-op, but I feel like I'm able to eat way too much. Such as 8 entire grilled chicken nuggets in about 10 minutes time. Otherwise, I feel great. No complications whatsoever. I really hoping I haven't gone through all this time and money for nothing. My surgeon told me at my followup that I can expect weight loss to level out between 9-12 months post-op. And I can expect to lose half my total weight loss at 3 months. Have about another 75 lbs to go for my goal weight, so I feel like I'm on the clock here. Has anyone else out there experienced anything like this?

I'm right there with you. The last 3 days have been constant cravings, so I'm back on the protein shake diet for the next week. I'm working with my therapist to get set up with a coach that's trained to deal with eating disorders and retraining myself. I'll check back in if that leads anywhere. Hope you're doing well, and that things are improving!