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We're a few weeks ago from releasing this....

Hi all! Sorry I've been in a whirlwind (I'm not sure thats how you say that in english...) of work for the last few days. The political situation in France is very unstable and unsettling right now and because I work with public funding it's been more than crazy. I'm in Canada but am having to unexpectingly having to fly back to France early later today ( was meant to be in the US next week) to be able to hit the floor running if **** hits the fan with the election results Sunday. That said... I am proud of myself because I put my foot down and will not work through the weekend. I'm going to a music festival in the loire valley instead and will dance and be merry. Happy belated birthday @LisaCaryl! I hope this next trip round the sun is a good one and that by the end of it you are where you want to be. @NickelChip I'm happy your holidays went well and applaud you making good choices when away from home. I've got to the point where I'm loosing very slowly ( 5 pounds in 6 weeks) and so am just trying to make the best choices I can without over thinking things. I've finally dropped to 67.5kg (148.8lbs) (BMI 23.9) and have accepted things are going to be slow from now on .... I have three weeks of hectic work left before I'm on holiday for 5 whole weeks before starting my new job in September. Once I'm on holiday I'm going to try and up my steps and focus on eating the best I can( and drinking less alcohol) and I'll see where that gets me. @RonHall908 Like every true Parisian I know .... I leave Paris 48 hours before the games start! I'll be away on holiday for 5 whole weeks with my partner. The longest holidays we have ever taken. The games are going to be hectic and access to a lot of areas in the city are restricted - most of the bridges are also closed ... so we're just leaving the city... like every sane person I know! That said... in France we get 5 weeks of paid holiday a year plus 1 extra week if we work over 35 hours a week (my case) plus 11 bank holidays plus basically unlimited paid sick leave plus like an extra day when you move houses, 3 days for a wedding, 3 days for the death of a parent, 2 weeks for the death of a child, 6 months full pay maternity, up to 5 days a year full pay for sick children under 14 etc etc etc ... so we only use holiday days for holidays so every summer ( office working ) Parisians tend to leave paris en masse for most of August - we all joke that the 15th of August Paris is empty every year ... so this isn't so specific to the olympics! I did go for a walk in Versailles not long ago and saw the prep for the horse racing ... it's going to look so so cool with the chateau as a backdrop!

the SADI is a fairly new surgery and isn't very common - which is probably why the office staff isn't that well versed in it. Although if the surgeon is going to be offering that surgery, they really need to get the office staff up to snuff, because they're the people you're usually going to see when you're there as far as red, purple, yogurt, and fudgsicles, they're probably talking about the day or two before the surgery, and not the regular pre-op diet that many of us have to do for a week or two before the surgery. I've had about four surgeries, plus a couple of colonoscopies, and having a completely liquid diet for the day or two before with nothing red or purple is pretty standard with any procedure. They don't want anything in your G/I tract (that's why they say only liquids), and red and purple fluids look like blood on the equipment they use, so they tell you to avoid anything red or purple.

So my doctor has me seriously ticked off. She told me she'd like to see my weight and bmi down. I said "WHAT???? I weigh 183 and my bmi is 30. What's wrong with it???" She told me she wants to see my weight around 155 or 160 and me at a normal bmi. I was like "if I do that, I'll look sickly!!! I've always been bigger boned and somewhat curvy, I carry my weight differently. Not one person would look at me right now and think I look like I weigh 183. No way would I look healthy if I went down to 160" and she said it would be better for my health and I should at least think about it. I told her "my blood pressure already runs on the low side of normal. I struggle to keep it up to 103/55!!! My A1c is 5.0 and my glucose is 96. I'm not on any meds except what I take for my MS. All my labs come back perfect. What else do you want??" I told her I feel amazing, I'm really active, I'm able to work as a clinical medical assistant for a busy specialty practice (infectious disease) which has always been my dream, I hike, I work out, literally I'm living the life I only dreamed about. What am I missing here???? I was so mad. And she said we'll discuss it at our appt on the 17th. I said "oh we'll discuss some stuff, alright, but that ain't happening". She's going based off my height, weight, bmi, and their supposed "ideal weight" BS. My bariatric surgeon is ecstatic with my progress. He actually said I've lost more, with both surgeries, than he realistically expected that I would. My neurologist is thrilled because losing all the weight has significantly improved my MS symptoms. My gastroenterologist is thrilled because all of my GI issues have gone away. Just this idiot yahoo isn't happy. I definitely think I need a new doctor. This is just too much. For reference, here's what I looked like when I first started seeing her, and here's what I look like now, literally this week....as in Monday and yesterday.....

I got on my scale 2 weeks I was 315 now this week I am 322. Massive gain in that short time. Everyone says I eat like a chicken but chicken don't gain that much weight.

Hello @BigDane looks like we Will be pretty much be going through the stages together. How is the preop diet going? I was told by the nurse that since he didn’t mention a preop diet I just needed to do a two day liquid diet but last time he had me do a week long liver shrink diet first. I’m just going to do that to be safe. The smaller the liver is the safer the surgery is with the added bonus it’s less weight to lose after.

I’m pretty simple too - if I can’t do it in 20 minutes not interested (for every day cooking) & I have favourites I cook on repeat. Plus all the leftover meals in my freezer, I actually only cook a couple of times a week. Most is reheating & only cooking vegetables. Honey is like sugar in that it is an added sugar so check with your team as to how much you can have each day post your Sadi. But it’s not.that you’ll be eating it everyday anyway not eating a huge portion. You can always reduce the amount of honey in the recipe if you’re really concerned. Personally, I like honey soy sauce marinated chicken or pork & cook it a couple of times a month. I’d share my recipe but I’m a ‘that looks about enough’ or ‘I’m not adding that much’ of an ingredient cook - a recipe is only a guide not a rule. I’d google easy mahi mahi recipes or easy beef (what ever the cut) recipes & see what looks interesting. It’s what I do sometimes.

That’s exactly how I felt. I got down close to my doctors goal for me (18’ppunds shy) stalled there for about three months and then the hunger came back and I started to gain. If you haven’t spoken to your surgeon yet, definitely do that. They have some weight loss meds you may want to try (I couldn’t take because of other meds I’m on) and also the GLP-1 that some people are having a lot of success with (my insurance doesn’t cover but some do now). Plus there is the option of revision if/when you are ready. I am learning that it’s not super uncommon for people to have to revise the sleeve. Don’t quote me but it seems like it was 26%! Of people need revision within 3’years. Dom‘t personalize it like I did. I felt like I was such a failure that I stopped going to my follow up appointments and gained it all plus some. Hopefully they can help you before it comes to that.

I can't take any oral iron, so I'm not sure, really. I can't imagine a reputable company like them would put a fatal amount of iron in their product, as it would be very bad for business. 🤣 I just get iron infusions when my iron gets low, but it is ideal to take it in pill form if you can absorb it... You could try a few days a week and then have your levels checked to see if they are responding to the dosage. It is not usually a bad thing to start slow and ramp up if you aren't getting your levels up. And be sure to talk to your surgeon about it, as they can help guide you to what is a safe dose and do labwork regularly to be sure you aren't getting too much. ❤️

Hi everyone, I had my lap band inserted in Nov 2016 and after the first 6 months really hated it. Felt like it ruined my social life and my relationship with food. Eventually, acid reflux became so apparent I was taking Omeprazole every day, constantly vomiting and just feeling really awful. Some days could not even drink water. Had chest pain, back pain. I was miserable. So I had the band removed last week (I’m 6 days post op) and just wondered how long it took most people to feel better? Surgery went well - the band hadn’t slipped but there was scar tissue. My acid reflux went away immediately (yay!) but am still having constant cramping in the stomach area. This moves into my back quite a bit too. Was on clear fluid diet for the first 3 days and felt pretty awful, and have now graduated to mashed/puree foods, which seems to be causing diarrhoea. Just wanted to know others experiences

I have just found this site today. I had my gastric sleeve May 21 thought I was doing ok but see others are zooming way ahead of me. I have lost 10.7 kg since surgery (exactly 6 weeks ago). I only lost 400 grams on my liver reduction diet. According to weight charts, I need to lose 80 kg more, but I would be thrilled with 63kg. I am currently 137.9 kg.

Oh, saaaame. I'm in a stall right now, and my inner voice was trying to convince me not to weigh in this morning until after a bowel movement, but also to do it before eating breakfast (as if the cereal and almond milk were somehow going to raise my weight by noticeable pounds?) I do try to do it at roughly the same time on weigh-in days (I'm trying to stick to twice a week but during a stall I should probably go once a week lol), but that's more for my neuro-spicy brain. Sometimes the things my ED brain tells me are kind of ridiculous.

Stalls are literally the worst 😂 I am trying to keep that same mindset - once my body has recalibrated, it'll go back to losing, but the devil side of my brain is telling me: "weigh yourself after a bowel movement" 😂 Send help 💀

Just hitting 2 weeks post, constipation has set in and had some blood in stool I talked with my surgeon he said start to introduce stool softners only and try to increase more water anyone else run into this any other suggestions, tips or tricks ?? Just feel miserable right now

Back from vacation last night and had a great time. We spent 2 days at the waterpark at Great Wolf Lodge, then drove to Hershey, Pennsylvania to visit the amusement park, followed by a trip through Lancaster County (where many Amish people live). I did what I could to meet protein goals and make healthy choices at restaurants, but I also allowed myself some sweets and tried not to stress about it too much. Weighed myself this morning and was down one pound since last week. Overall feeling good and looking forward to getting back to a more normal schedule, although I have a bit of a break from work until next week. A few random travel tips: Always make sure you are getting your food prepared the way you want it when you order. I saw a photo of a salad with grilled chicken on the menu, but I didn't realize it could also come fried until that was what the server brought me. She didn't ask which I wanted (she was new), and I just assumed it was grilled. A simple, "That's with grilled chicken, right?" would have saved me having to try to peel away all of the fried breading. If you must order fast food when on the road, a small cup of chili from Wendy's has 16g protein and 240 calories. I believe it's 22g carb (6g of which is fiber). They also have some nice salads. For a long car trip, bring a gallon-size thermal jug of ice water and keep it in the back to refill your smaller water bottle. Individual packs of edamame, beef jerky, and nuts made great portable snacks to get in some extra protein, and Quest protein chips are delicious! I also found protein pretzels in a gas station convenience store and they were good, although not as high in protein as Quest (which they also sold there).

Hey and welcome to the June buddies thread I am just over 2 weeks since sleeve surgery and yes, the first 2 weeks were difficult. That chewing sensation is what I was craving and actually got some great advice earlier in this thread. I started to chew on sugar free ice lollies and made sure I had ice with my liquids, so I could crunch them. Other than that, not a lot you can do until you're on the next stage. All the best for your journey

I think I’m entering my ‘stall’ period now. Having had numerous attempts at weight loss in the past, I know my body sulks between week 3 and week 7. I’m just beginning week 5 so the timing is bang on. My weight has gone up 1.5lbs from my lowest weight this week but it happens so I will just keep on keeping on. Once my body has got over its sulk the weight should start coming off once again. A couple of NSV this week. I don’t know about anyone else but my clothing sizes can be a bit all over the place. One size of clothing can have 3 meanings for me, depending on what it’s made of. So, for example, there’s the ‘I’m kidding myself’ sizing - plenty of give, elasticated, stretchy material. It may say 22 but I know it’s really a 24+. There’s then the ‘huh, it’s not too bad’ sizing - some give, not that stretchy, a definitely generous 22, and then there’s the ‘unforgiving’ sizing - no give, no stretch, no elasticated waist etc, a definite 22. For long enough I’ve been at the ‘I’m kidding myself’ stage but I went shopping in my wardrobe and found a couple of tops with no give, a definite 22. Tried both on - they fit!! And they didn’t look like sausage skin!! Very happy dance around the bedroom! I also went out of my comfort zone at the weekend and bought myself a size 22 no-stretch denim maxi skirt. I can fasten it, just, but don’t rate my chances of sitting down and/or breathing in it 😮‍💨 However, I’m keeping it as I know I will fit in to it comfortably at some point. We’re off to London for a few nights in 3 weeks or so, so fingers crossed it may fit a little better by then 🤞🤞 Meds have finally been sorted and delivered, had my Oximetry test last week so hopefully that’s gone well. No Bariatric appointments this week but I have my endoscopy next week plus knee X-rays for my arthritis. Food wise things are going OK. My new favourite thing is Lindhals Stracciatella Kvarg protein yoghurt - oh, I could eat barrels of the stuff! I’ve also tried the Warburtons Protein Power bread as a change to the whole meal. It’s definitely nice as a change but doesn’t want to make me eat lots and lots of it, which is a definite plus! Hope everyone has a great week… Onwards and Downwards!

I drank instant black decaf for 3 months both pre-op and post-op. I'm 9 months post-op and have been back on regular coffee for about 6 months. A change in my preference is that I now drink it with half & half and protein powder added. Two or three servings every morning, no matter where or how I find myself 😁 During that 6 month caffeine-free period, I also drank warm herbal teas, and room temperature decaf black teas. I still enjoy the herbals in the evenings occasionally. And I'm back to regular black teas with cream, one of my favorites!

So I am around 6 weeks post surgery I think! Seems like it has been so much longer! I have found that my restriction recently has been annoyingly high. I just have 0 interest in eating, and when I do take a bite it takes a while for me to get into it - I feel full quickly, which was something I wasn't struggling with a couple of weeks ago! I have started going back to the gym as of last week, and I am nervous but excited. Quickly realised my body is a lot weaker than it used to be 😅 I did 3 x 10 sets of squats and was walking like a cowboy for 4 days 🤣 I want to try swimming but I am nervous about wearing a swimming costume if I am honest, even though I can tell my clothes are bigger on me! Which is another thing...stuff just isn't fitting right! I was excited for this part, but I didn't think it would be annoying 😂 I can't wait to buy new stuff! Thanks for reading my useless waffle ❤️

I’m exactly one week post-op today! 6/24 I had gastric bypass and, despite all the info I’ve been given, I’m feeling completely lost! 😅 My friend who’s had gastric sleeve surgery a few years ago told me about this site so here I am! Anyone else miss chewing food like I do?? 😂

I remember gaining a pound or two and always just figured it was the time of day or whatever. You know one salty meal or a full bowel can make a two or three pound difference. To this day k weigh two or three pounds more in the afternoon than morning time. Your loss will not be a straight line downwards, but it will trend down. Everyone says it and I know firsthand how hard it is to listen because I didn’t but try to stay off the scale for a while in between because then you will see the real losses. After my sleeve surgery I would weight myself daily but i only recorded it one day of the week so I could better see the number decreasing. Even still it didn’t always go down so honestly if you’re self disciplined enough, weighing like once a month would probably save a ton of mental anguish.

Yes! I experienced this at exactly 3 weeks. The first 2weeks, I dropped weight consistently and then at week 3… nothing. I googled it. As a nurse, I should know better than to do that but also being human, I couldn’t help myself. It was very encouraging. I read a lot about the 3week stall. It has a lot to do with your body adjusting to its new normal after the pre-op liver shrink diet and building back up glycogen stores. the old me on a regular diet would have gotten frustrated and jumped of the wagon head first. The new me, is focused on knowing that health weight is a marathon and not a sprint. I kept doing what I was told to do by my doctor and my dietitians and trust the process. I am now 37 days post VGS. I stalled at 230 at 3 weeks and now I’m down to 222. give yourself some grace. Anyone that says that surgery is the easy way out is so wrong. It’s a lot of work and learning to really listen to you body. hang in there. Don’t give up.

Hey there! I'm glad you did see some benefits from the stall. My dietician told me that would happen. The scale will stall, but our bodies will still lose inches. I'm doing well here. Nothing much new, really. It's so freaking hot out, and while I can handle it a bit better than I did with 50+ more pounds on me, it's still miserable. Especially the horrible humidity we get here. My birthday was last week, and my hubby and I ordered me an Electric Bike! It won't be here for a while, but I won't really ride it until it cools off outside anyway. We are building a new home and will be moving in about a year and a half, and that's when I really want it. We will live where it's more conducive to riding. We live on a mountain right now, and I'm not sure I'll be able to ride it down the hill. I'll try! Hope everyone else is doing well!!

How's everyone doing heading toward July 4th Holidays? I'll be taking a trip driving to Missouri visiting friends and family there. I'm going to prep some meals and take protein shakes with me to make sure I don't fall off the wagon. I've lost a few pounds, breaking the stall I had going. I did measure my belly or what the bariatric center called my waist (measuring around my belly at the belly button), and I lost 1-1/2 inches since May. So the stall was not as significant as I thought it was. @BlueParis With the Olympics in Paris in a few weeks, are you going to attend any of the games? I would bet getting around will be a nightmare with so many people there for the games.

Had mine on 5 June and transitioned to soft stage on 27 - I was hungry first week post op but the restriction kicks in asap you transition and you are full after two teaspoons