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for some of us, both sleeve and bypass, constipation becomes a chronic "feature". It's been nine years for me so I can't remember when I stopped the (post-surgery) stool softeners, but shortly after I stopped I realized I was having frequent problems "going", so I've been taking a capful of Miralax every morning to stay on top of it. I don't back up very often, but when I do, like sleeve2bypass, I usually have to take something stronger. But from what I read and hear, many or us do take Miralax (or magnesium tablets) daily to try to prevent backups. (btw - the chronic constipation many of us deal with is probably due to the diet (high protein/low carb) and a couple of the supplements we take (calcium and iron are both known to cause constipation in some people).

No actually. I was in Puerto Vallarta and there was never actually any concern with the water at any location. A lot of places do have bottled options, but even a few spots w regular water just served at the table or ice in drinks were just fine. There were 7 of us all together, just myself with surgery, and we were all fine.

I eat Yasso bars.. I highly recommend them. They're Greek yogurt, decent protein and have 100 calories and taste just like ice cream - mint chip and fudge brownie are delicious. I also have a iCreami and make "ice cream" protein shakes. But if all else fails - fudgcicles at 40 calories low sugar.

I’m 8 day out post op and have lost 20 pounds. It’s incredible, I feel great and I am ready to get back to life. I am also getting tired of protein shakes. I have been having some soup(strained) to help break up some of monotonous of just the protein drinks.

Our weather here is really weird these days. Its July and its cold. So I have gone back to winter food. Today I am eating Corned beef hash. Its basically veg, potatoes and tinned corned beef. Start with the longest to cook. I add barley and lentils for extra protein and roughage. Its simple, made in one pan or slow cooker. Yesterday I had What I call finger food. Stuff I don't need a knife and fork for. I was really hungry and needed stuff super quick. I put on a plate, celery, cream cheese, grapes, prawns and a few cashews. It could also have different stuff for protein, cheese, deli meats, crab sticks, mussels, pickled fish and anchovies. I make the family lasagne. I cant stomach the pasta so I make mine in small dishes with baked Aubergines instead for layers. Omelettes are great, I love a cheese omelette with Heinz baked beans Look at 5 ingredient recipes. Jamie Oliver does a great cook book for this.

I had surgery May 1st, 2024, I lost 14 lbs the first week, but as soon as I started drinking and eating protein, I’ve stopped losing weight. I’m assuming it’s because I’m assuming it’s the protein intake, and not being able to eat veggies. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyone experience this?

Hi all. I’m two days post-op. I came home yesterday. I’m not gonna lie…this is difficult. Navigating all of the medications they sent home, trying to walk every two hours, using the breathing spirometer, and trying to get enough liquid and protein is no joke. The core power shakes that I like are too thick and make me feel gross. I know this is temporary, but man I am not loving life right now. I never knew that room temperature water was such a turn-off for me, but it is. Oh well, thanks for the vent. I’ve gotta finish my broth and go on a walk. Good luck to everyone today.

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.

Has anyone experienced weight gain three weeks post op? To preface, I do have hypothyroidism and PCOS. I was down to 227 and I’ve been 230 for a week now. And the scale has not budged 😅 even after introducing more movement this week. I’m hitting all my protein and liquid goals as well. I’m intaking about 600-1000 calories a day. Has anyone else experienced this and does it get better?

Just put a few teaspoons of milk powder in your cup of skimmed milk and add your nut butter and blitz. Half a banana gives fibre. Add some Greek yogurt or protein yogurt when you are eating more. Just do it to taste.

Are you all still tracking all that you eat? I keep thinking maybe I can stop, but then I feel like I need to be accountable and I like to know how much protein and how many calories I'm getting. Also, has anyone made cottage cheese flatbread? I saw a recipe for it on TikTok. It's super easy, and they said it was good. I'm going to try it tonight. It's just cottage cheese, egg, and seasoning! I think I'm going to make it and wrap up a vegan hot dog for dinner.

My dietician only gave me protein and carb guidelines. She told.me not to worry about calories. She has me at 100 grams of protein and 59 grams of carbs per day. I also workout everyday. Even if its as simple as walking. So I always go over the guidelines But it's not enough to say im over doing it. 100-130 is where I normally stay 50-65 carbs. Depending on what food I eat the calories range from.1200-1400. Again, calories aren't the important issue. Getting your protein and carb goals in is what you need. Along with staying hydrated. I'm 3 1/2 months post op.

Ooooo that does look good! I am interested in that brownie yogurt- yummy!! I have found this protein bar called Fulfil OH. MY. GOSH! 150-160 CAL 5g fat, 15g carbs, 15g of protein and 1g of sugar. They make a few of flavors. I put it in the fridge or freezer and its literally such a dessert it feels like I am cheating lol More Yumminess (probably way more than you want lol) "dessert/sweet treats" -100cal bag of Emerald Nuts and a Ghirardelli dark chocolate square -Chomps make these taco flavored beef sticks 100cal, 7g fat, 0g carbs, 10g protein that are really good - Quest makes Frosted Cookies either chocolate or birthday cake 90cal 7g fat 1g sugar 5g protein -Fage 0% Greek yogurt, w/ slivered almonds, fresh fruit and honey drizzle -Carb Smart Mini Bars 50cal -Echo Earth Cocao Bliss (this is very very good and filled with nutrients) [https://earthechofoods.com/products/cacao-bliss-pouch]: 1scoop, with 4-8oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk topped with fat free whipped cream Meals: -Iced Coffee: Caffe Latte Premier Protein with decaf cold brew -Egg cups: 2C of liquid egg white, spinach, plum tomatoes, pepper, top each with Sargento thin sliced cheese and 1 piece of turkey bacon -Just Bare Bites Chicken tossed in 0cal Franks wing sauce -Cilantro Enchilada Crockpot chicken: Chicken breast, sliced onion, half a can of enchilada sauce then its cooked, shred it up and then add the cilantro I put it on top of cauliflower rice - Turkey Taco Salads- turkey, corn, black beans, tomatoes, reduced fat cheese with spinach -Spaghetti with turkey or very lean ground beef and low sugar or sodium sauce, instead of Pasta, I use Pasta Zero, its in the tofu section Okay Im done lol! These just are my top that I have made and liked and are in my loop of food.

No, no difference, however, it is important to remember that everyone loses at their own rate & there is no right or wrong rate. So many get very anxious that they’re not losing enough or fast enough. It’s not a race and every pound is a win. I always say celebrate every pound you lose. You’ll discover there is a lot of variation in the pre surgery diet @RuizAyres but we always say it’s best to follow your plan and not someone else's. I know my surgeon gave different patients different plans based on their health status, current weight, etc. it could be three shakes a day or two shakes & one protein plus vegetables meal a day. It could be no shake but milk like @summerseeker. The 3 or 2 shake plans tend to be the most common. He put me in keto for the two weeks prior. There’ll be slight variations in the post surgical plan too. Also, not sure your age, I was almost 54 when I had my surgery and there are people here who were in their 60s and 70s so you’ll be fine. There was a thread a little while ago called 50 and over I think. You could search for it as you might find it interesting. Found it:

Hair loss is a super common concern with being post-op! and I hear you on not wanting to continue to lose hair, because it was quite distressing for me too lol. This type of hair loss, known as telogen effluvium, typically begins around 3-6 months post-op and can last for several months. Make sure you're staying well-hydrated and eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Iron, zinc, and other nutrients play a role in hair health. Hair loss after surgery is usually temporary. It might take a few more months before you see improvement, even after you address nutritional deficiencies. Keep up with your protein and supplement regimen, and be patient with the process. With all of that being said, it is something that you just need to ride out unfortunately. A big part of it is also because of the "delayed response" of not getting enough protein earlier on in your journey, so even though you're hitting your protein/vitamin goals now, it's still going to take a minute to kick in. It typically resolves with time and proper nutrition. Keep focusing on meeting your nutritional needs, and your hair should start to recover. Wishing you all the best on your journey!

Definitely go back to your prescribing doctor. Meds are absorbed in different parts of your body (stomach, intestines, kidneys & liver). It may mean changing to a more rapid release vs slow release or a different med. My experience was the absorption of my HRT but after my gall was removed. My doctor switched me to a patch to ‘completely avoid my digestive system’ & all was good again. But that likely won’t be an option for the meds you are on.

I haven’t heard of the gel either but I do remember something with the powder and adding it to the broth. I think it’s best to mix it into a little that was room temp and heat up the rest then mix the two together. I never tried it but someone said it was the solution to it being lumpy when mixed in the hot soup. So if you do try powder and it doesn’t mix well, maybe try that. Let us know more about the gel though if it does work out. Sounds like it could be better to mix in food? Is it whey protein though. That’s the one I was told we absorb the best post surgery.

I was just coming back on over here to say maybe try non dairy. Maybe try protein shakes that aren't whey (or if you're not using whey, try them). Try something different than what you're using now. When I had my surgeries, I developed weird allergies that I've never had before. I'm not lactose intolerant, allergic to peanuts, allergic to shellfish (deathly allergic), and allergic to surgical glue. It's really crazy what these surgeries can do to our bodies.

For me the physical hunger is completely gone now. With my sleeve it was also gone but it did come back. It was around 6 months that it started coming back if I’m remembering correctly. It comes back for most people to varying degrees of intensity. The best case is that you take that time to really change WHAT you eat, not just how much because when the hunger comes back you will likely eat larger portions and if it’s less healthy food you will probably begin to gain. At least I did. With my revision I have changed what I eat entirely. I didn’t do this with my sleeve. I had just a few menu options so it’s no wonder I got board with it and started to eat off plan more often. This time I did research and found several healthy recipes to try and I found quite a few that I enjoy so I don’t get board at all. You may not recall but I have Bipolar and Anxiety. I have found that freezing some healthy meals has come in real handy at times when I am not up to cooking. I also am in touch with my surgical team more often for office visits as well as the support group meetings and those help tremendously. Post op I also had more frequent appointment with my psychiatrist and psychologist as well. I just asked for all of the support I could find because it is a lot of change which I don’t do well with but now that I am two months out and i have a little routine I am feeling better than ever. The exercise that I am finally energized enough to do has helped my mood tremendously and the weight loss and the social aspect of the group fitness classes have helped with my self esteem too. I have so much more structure and routine now which is actually really great for Bipolar. I am able to fall asleep at night and stay asleep and I wake up at the same time and exercise, I set recurring alarms for vitamins/food and I log my food with the Baritastic app and my fitness watch keeps track of all of my activity. I show all of that data to my NP at my checkups and she helps me make adjustments to my nutrition. You will probably see a nutritionist for food related questions but I had a newer surgery called the SADI and the nutritionist wasn’t very helpful with regard to the macros after I got back to normal food. As long as you are managing your mental illness, though, you should be just fine. Just don’t hesitate to ask for whatever help that you need in order to be successful.

I hope you have a wonderful vacation!! My 4 months is tomorrow. I see the dietician and surgeon's office next week which I'm excited about. I weighed in this morning and I'm down 50 pounds. I'm very happy about that in 4 months! Speaking of packing protein things, have you tried the Quest chips? I love the BBQ!!

I agree with others that it’s normal and it will slow down and stop eventually. I remember that phase all too well. I couldn’t really see the loss in the mirror but I hurt my back pretty bad and was down for a while. Before I vacuumed I noticed the hair collecting near all the baseboards and.i was horrified. I never lost enough for anyone else to notice either. It just seemed like I was going to. Just keep getting that protein in and you will be fine.

I would say prepackaged foods are fine for popping in your bag when you go out in case of emergency, but for work, you might want to figure out a better option because that's multiple days every week. Personally, I like baby carrots, red peppers, snow peas, and mini or English cucumbers. Mushrooms are good, but they make me feel ill right now (too dry). If you like ranch dressing, get the container of ranch powder from the dressing aisle and buy some low or non fat cottage cheese. Put the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender and blend it until it's totally smooth. It'll look like pudding, sort of. Add in about a Tbsp of ranch powder per 16oz container of cottage cheese. This makes a fantastic and really healthy dip. I bought a set of parfait cups from Amazon like these: https://www.amazon.com/CRYSTALIA-Breakfast-Container-Colorful-Set/dp/B09N8K6CZ5. I put the veg in the big section and the dip in the small section, and then I store them upside down so the dip doesn't get all over. You can make up 4 days' worth at one time for convenience. Instead of the protein shake, could you make a green smoothie? You could do a frozen fruit blend, a handful of baby spinach, and a serving of Greek yogurt (thin with water to your preference). I like to add a squeeze of minced ginger that comes in a bottle in the produce section. I get a blend of frozen peaches, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries that comes all in one bag and is so tasty.

I'd really like to switch to being vegetarian for spiritual reasons, but I'm at the beginning of the whole process for the gastric sleeve. I have to lose 30 lbs to have the surgery. So far I've gained one. I swear, being told I have to lose weight makes me gain. I really have not liked meat substitutes I've tried, and I'm wondering if it's possible to get your protein without them. I'm looking at going vegetarian, not vegan, so I would still have access to dairy and eggs, but I don't want to overdo it on those. I'm not a fruits and vegetables fan and this is going to be a very hard switch for me, but I do really want to do it. Thanks for any info you can give!

Congrats on your revision. I do agree that most big celebrations are centered around a dinner, drinks and dessert historically. I don't personally have too much issue with still involving food as I either split a meal or just take home leftovers for a meal or two. (my boyfriend is a fan of my small capacity as he just gets to eat more), but I understand separating that out at this time. I would say, depending on where you are/what you are into, there should be events/activities that don't center around food. Pottery or a painting class. An art show. Museums. The zoo or aquarium. A movie (and bring your own snack). Amusement park or local fair. An escape room (those are fun). A walking tour of some kind. I'm in NYC so there are so many varieties of things to do especially now that the weather is getting warmer. I also just like to have friends over and have a game night - board games or Jackbox game on the tv. Food may be optional, just not the focus and if it's at home you can control the healthy options you need to have on hand. What type of activities are you into? Hope this gives some spark of inspiration and happy early birthday.

I suppose I'm one of the few people after reading responses to the OP's post who haven't had their past food cravings or the food they love change. I still want pizza, phad Thai and Chinese food etc. No, grilled fish doesn't suddenly appeal to me anymore than it did before surgery, in no way is grilled fish comparable to fish and chips to me. I don't suddenly find a piece of fruit better than a brownie. There are times I'd kill for a roll or a sandwich with actual bread (not keto tree bark full grain bread) and yes I become resentful. I'm being totally honest, healthy alternatives don't taste as good (to me) and trying to change food I love/loved to a "healthier" version just isn't the same and doesn't taste anything close leading me to; 1. A waste of time and energy and cost, cooking/cleaning afterwards 2. Total disappointment and yes anger. I explain this because I found myself becoming upset because I wasn't and haven't experienced the sudden love of healthier food like others here on this forum leading me to be upset with myself. So, I'm being honest about my personal experience. There are some alternatives I have found such as Yasso "ice cream" bars and Wilde chicken chips, but that's about it. Unfortunately, I find myself just not eating opposed to stuffing yet another high protein non tasty food into my mouth. To combat this I stick to a few things I do like (you should know I've had food issues my whole life, in fact I almost died as a child because I'm an extremely picky eater - food texture issues). So, this is on me. I do get the required protein or close by drinking a fairlife protein drink. I say all this because the taste for healthier food doesn't happen for everyone and I don't want you thinking it most definitely will for you then if not wondering what's wrong with you!. I've only experienced dumping one time, but for the most part I can eat what I used too, the difference is I chose not too. Being thin to me is by far better than eating something I love and enjoy. Does it take a lot of joy out of my life? Yes, celebrations/holidays just aren't the same. I'm not trying to depress you, I'm sure you have enough of that as it is, but I am being realistic. You need to determine what your real priorities are; 15 mins of eating enjoyable food or 24/7 of being thinner and healthy? It all comes down to the mentality of it. Having your head straight on what you really want. I truly hope you're one of the lucky ones as all those who've responded thus far and you find healthier alternatives you like or you just don't like your old food loves, but be aware that might not happen and start getting it straight in your head now. Thinner/healthier/longer life/decreased co-morbidities vs. 15 minutes of food enjoyment and weight gain? Lastly, If I really want something I get it, take a few bites and physically walk away from it. I throw it away before I eat more or give it to my husband.. either way I get away from it. It all comes down to choices and what's really important to you. Good luck, you got this, you've haven't gone through all this just to throw away your opportunity for a healthier thinner life. It would be a tragedy for getting a few good tasty bites in. I really hope I haven't burst your bubble after reading others more positive your tastes will change posts, I wanted you to also read there are others who aren't that lucky but still do what's right for a healthier thinner life. Its all getting the mindset down and if all you read was just the your food tastes will change posts and that never happens you'll blame yourself like I did. I hope this helps you. Some may condemn me for my less than positive post, but I've always been a realistic no rainbows flying out my backside type and I would have appreciated both sides of it right after surgery so I knew all possibilities. Lastly, don't condemn yourself if you do cheat occasionally, just up step up and eat right next time!