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I had bypass surgery April 4. I've been getting my recommended water and was put on a clear diet when I was discharged from the hospital. This means I can be drinking clear protein shakes, broth, etc. I haven't eaten anything or drank anything containing calories since leaving the hospital. I'm afraid to eat. Not because I think I'll get sick but because I went through with this surgery to lose weight and I'm afraid any food will prevent weight loss. I didn't have this feeling before surgery. Is this normal?

Congrats!! week 1 is behind you now Do you have another week of liquids or are you moving on to pureed foods?

I’m wondering how many different foods i should be trying at each food stage. I’ve been eating the same meals for a couple of days (white fish and veggies pureed together) purely because one filet of fish cooked ended up making 5 of my tiny meals. But i wonder if i should be varying meals more ? As in intentionally trying new foods ? I’m moving to soft foods next week so i was looking for meal ideas… Also, how do you you know you’re actually ready to move up a food stage ? I’m scared of soft foods then regular food :O

I can get up to 60+ grams of protein from food. Mainly from chicken, turkey and eggs. I still have one protein shake for breakfast. My 1st snack I eat an egg wrap with a couple ounces of deli turkey and fat free cheese. My 2nd snack is 70 grams of Greek yogurt with protein powder and a couple tsp of PBfit2.

Okay, my Feb buddies, so how much protein are you able to get strictly from food each day? I find I can manage soft stuff like a smoothie or a yogurt, but when I try incorporate fish or meat, it's very limiting in terms of how much I can eat. I put my lunch on a dessert plate the size of a saucer and still could only eat half. Are you still supplementing a lot with protein shakes or adding powder to your foods? Or do you get most of it from food? And if so, what types?

I don't like soda water but years ago I used to drink vodka and coke zero, then I figured the coke was ruining the vodka so I switched to lemon vodka with water or regular vodka with lemon water so I think I may try that again soon. I have a bottle of lemon vodka in the freezer waiting for when I am in maintenance mode. I know it is not recommended anyway but my own rule will be to stay away from anything bubbly/carbonated. I have to set myself some ground rules as pre-op I would drink a lot and built up a good tolerance which was bad in that it meant I drank too much too regularly so just like with my food I am going to need rules with my drinking.

Mine is April 23rd. I started my pre-op diet on Tuesday this week. It was a rough 2 days, but I'm getting the hang of it now. I know I am not going to want to eat certain foods for a bit - cottage cheese, being one of them. Pickles have been helpful. Good luck to everyone! I'm ready for it to be here.

i had low grade anxiety the morning of surgery. i remember a nano-second of PURE PANIC literally just before i was knocked out. I remember them telling me to count down from 100 (or was it 10?)...i got to like 97 (or 7..) and felt myself starting to freak out. the last thing i (sorta) remember was 95 (or 5??) next thing i knew i was waking up in the recovery room and my very first thought was "YEESSSSSSSS!!! I'M ALIVE!!!!!". the relief of it all allowed me to ignore whatever pain i may or may not have been in. when i did finally register pain, it was manageable. i took the hard stuff pain meds during my 1 day stay at hospital. i was sent home with an Rx for more, but didn't fill it...i was fine with just Tylenol. best description of it would be it felt like i did a ridiculous number of situps...more of an ache than a pain, if that makes sense. so yeah, alot of us had at least some level of fear/anxiety/trepidation. only way is through it! good luck ❤️

I think ev1 is going to be different and I know that different surgery programs tell you different things. I personally wouldn’t be able to eat 5 ounces of most foods at once, but I do eat smaller portions (around 3 ounces ) 4-5 times a day, but I’m not as far out from surgery as you are. I think if you’re losing weight, eating a balanced healthy diet, and comfortable, you’re doing well. I think you just need to find what works for you. oh! And make sure to drink your fluids. Dehydration can sometimes present as hunger but you really just need fluid.

Ty! Yes we are! Some of that weight loss was pre-surgery, lost about 26# since surgery. I feel really good actually. a) I too need to stop eating before I’m too full like so many others here, I’m having a hard time with that. b) I was super nauseous for the first 3 weeks or so but was lucky in that my surgeon gave me Zofran for it. My Dr. cleared me to eat whatever (as long as it’s healthy) I want after my 1 month follow up and so far so good. My new favorite food is canned chicken crust pizza I make. It’s soooo yummy and gives me tons of protein intake with just one piece. c) I’m definitely feeling the stalls, I’ve had 2 (one currently) which is what makes me come see how y’all are doing and then I realize it’s not just me so that makes me feel better. It’s just so annoying bc I typically eat about 750-900 cal a day and my brain just doesn’t want to get why the weight doesn’t just drop off 🤣. I think it thinks I’m starving to death 🤦🏼‍♀️😂 d) I have on occasion gotten super hungry which I hate. I was so hoping that feeling was permanently gone but 🤷🏼‍♀️. It’s only happened to me 2 or 3 times so maybe I was dehydrated? That’s what I’m telling myself for now. I also have a hard time getting 64 ounces of fluid in but I try. And going back to the nausea thing….i just had a couple of suggestions that I’ve tried and have helped me, but of course ev1 is different. Even the thought of protein shakes now make me want to vomit, I do everything I can to avoid having to drink them. I try to hit 60-80 gm of protein a day. I eat a lot of tuna, chicken, Greek yogurt, the Only Bean roasted edamame beans and chicken pizza crust pizza. And use liquicel if I need a protein boost before breaking down and having a shake. I don’t ever take my vitamins on an empty stomach, I always eat light and fit Greek yogurt first. water makes me nauseated now. So I very rarely drink plain water. I usually drink decaf unsweetened iced tea and now add Mio to my water but I’m trying to integrate the plain water back in, I think it’s just some kind of weird mental block. And just keep in mind that dehydration itself can cause fatigue and nausea! Of course so can the vitamins were all taking 😂 Sorry for the vvvveeerrryyyyyy long post guys! And thanks again for all y’all’s unknown help. I wish ev1 the best on their weight loss journey!

PCOS is absolutely something that will make this harder. I have it, and I've had to fight for every pound lost. PCOS causes, among other things, weight gain without the real ability to lose the weight. It just holds on to it. While there's no actual "pouch reset" per se, there is the option to get back to basics with what you eat, how much, how often, and how you move your body. It's more resetting your mind and reminding your body what it's supposed to do and not do. For me PERSONALLY, on non work out days, I eat around 1100 - 1200 calories, 25-30g of carbs, 50g or less of HEALTHY fats, and 60-70g of protein. I will drink 64oz of fluids typically. On work out days, I eat 1300-1400 calories, 40-50g of carbs, 55-65g of HEALTHY fats, and 80-90g of protein. I'll drink 90oz of fluids per day, with at least 20oz being either a Propel electrolyte water or a Gatorade Zero. For work outs, I started off small in the beginning. I walked on the treadmill, rode the exercise bike, did water exercises. Once I lost my first 60 pounds or so after surgery, I started adding in walking around my neighborhood and light arm weights. When I hit 100 pounds down, I increased my arm weights to full blown weight training, added in core/strength training, and kicked up my cardio. While I still keep to my eating schedule, I change up what food I eat based on the kind of work out I do that day. And I switch it up, meaning I don't do cardio on Monday, core training on Tuesday, weight training on Wednesday, etc... I change up the order I do my work outs and what types of core exercises I do or cardio I do, etc... Keeping my body confused about what I'm doing each day makes everything I do more impactful and makes more of a difference. I also make sure to take my multivitamin every day, I take a collagen & biotin supplement, I take a fiber supplement (on top of the fiber I eat because constipation and I are old frenemies at this point), I take coq10, echinacea, and I am sugar free as much as possible (or at the very least, no sugar added, and when I need a sweetener, I use monk fruit sweetener) and salt free (if I absolutely need it, I use pink Himalayan salt). I also drink green tea every morning for my caffeine as well as because it's a mild appetite suppressant (sometimes I have one at lunch, too, if I'm just dragging at work, but that's on top of my normal fluid intake).

Your information on the SADi is mostly inaccurate. I had it in 2014 and can eat a horse every day and not gain weight (caveat that you'll need to poop out a horse everyday). There is virtually nothing off limits if I am willing to put up with gas and bloating that eating in excess will cause. I lost about 152lbs over a year or so, and after an initial regain of 25 to 30lbs, I stabilized a few years out. I eat a lot of good quality foods including potatoes but also plenty of ice cream and chocolate. The ice cream, onions, and carbonated drinks all cause gas. I've probably developed some level of tolerance after eating so much of it. The Sadi is an awesome option from my experience so I would highly recommend you seriously consider it. Also fewer vitamins and malabsorption issues.

ok, gonna throw my story on the table...take from it as you will, as a lesson to live by, a cautionary tale, or a personal justification...you choose. pre surgery i was also a weekend warrior, actually, more like a yearly quarterly warrior, lol. i had like a couple drinks every 2-3 months. probably got stupid drunk once a year or less. during weight loss phase (which lasted 7 months) i had maybe 5 partial drinks. i don't think i finished any of those drinks. my first "drink" was 3 weeks post op. I had maybe 2-3 sips of a glass of red wine. it was really weird, i swear i could feel the burning of the alcohol pass down my esophagus, through my stomach and along my intestines. my second drink was about 1 month later (christmas) and it was a very sugary soju-sake drink. again i had maybe 2-3 sips but this one resulted in my second worst dumping experience ever. *shudder*. the next 3 or so drinks were vodka or gin sodas (learned my lesson! less sugar!) ok. now its 2019, im in maintenance and i'm looking hawt and feeling awesome and me and mr. go on a couple vacations and i drink way more than i normally do. but its vacation, right? so its ok. i also took up smoking again after being smoke free for 10 years (but thats another story). now its 2020 and its effing covid, and i, like many others i know started drinking at home (i never did this before, i was always a go-out drinker) ...and now its 2024 and i drink every day. i don't get stupid drunk every day or anything (not that i'm trying to justify anything - i fondly call myself a high-functioning alcoholic), but i do drink every day. its at a point where others (i.e., my doctors and my hubs) are chastising me with the amount i drink. i know i drink too much and its probably doing a number on my health despite nothing showing up on any of my labs or whatever. i quit drinking for a month last year because my son said i couldn't stop drinking for a week. so i know i can stop (or at least slow down) if i really wanted to. trouble is i don't seem to really want to. last year, my OBGYN said i really should stop smoking AND drastically cut down the amount i drink. i told her i'm not sure i could do both, so i made her a deal and said i would stop smoking. i'm proud to say i have been smoke free for 9 months (after smoking for 4 years after quitting for 10, after smoking for 20...say that ten times fast, lol). its been surprisingly easy, but i think its because i can still drink. ANYWAY. i'm hoping to get into a mindset soon to address my drinking problem. i don't doubt my ability to reduce, but i'm not sure i will actually WANT to anytime soon. le sigh. so there you have it. i am the poster child of transfer addiction. despite all this, my weight has more or less remained unchanged (go figure). i continue to stay below goal weight this entire time. ....and i am literally typing this post out with an espresso martini in hand. dont judge me! lol. i am relatively chill about all this so even if you do judge me, i wont take it personally. p.s. oh, i should also mention that i get "affected" real quick and on very small amounts. and i also sober up real quick. this phenomenon is a purely post surgery thing. i needed lots more to get drunk before surgery....although my smaller size now may also be a factor....

My less eloquent take. I am also a foodie. I never stopped cooking for family and friends. I just pureed what I cooked and then had tiny portions of what I cooked and can now have bigger portions but nowhere near what I used to. Food is a big part of socialising. Eating out was super tricky in the early months because nobody outside my immediate family knows about my surgery, so I just avoided it. Once I could eat a starter or at least rearrange the leftover stuff to look like I'd eaten most of it, I was back in the saddle! I said I had eaten already or wasn't really hungry and nobody ever cared. Lots of thin people eat like that - I have regularly split main courses with people I've known for years who always left half their meal anyway. Small plates like tapas are absolutely ideal. And sharing plates - you can have a bite or two of everything and if other people are digging in they'll honestly not notice. And don't bother with the sides - our plans want us to concentrate on the good stuff! Most of us (especially with sleeves) can very quickly eat everything again. Don't worry, you will absolutely still be able to celebrate food whilst losing weight. Welcome to the forum and welcome to your new life.

Happy to read everyones progress! I @LisaCaryl I feel you I'm still in Cairo so haven't weighed yet... I have no idea if I've lost at all this week or stalled or gained. Ramadan is over now so it'll be back to getting lunch normally etc, but I'm not sure it'll be a joy like it used too... even though I love the food from north africa to the middle east. Also Bit freaked that I have another week until I can weigh myself. @kissabeth It's so amazing to fit back into old clothes isn't it! Well done you. And well done for making it through the interrogation. @RonHall908 I know how depressing the stalls are ... but you've already lost over 100 pounds ... thats amazing I mean thats like the average weight of a 13 year old ... you've lost the équivalant of a teenager! @NickelChip How was the eclipse?

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.

The stalls keep hitting me as well. Losing weight after Gastric bypass is a lot slower than I expected. Only fast food I've ate was grilled chicken nuggest from chic-fil-A and chicken protein bowl from subway. Both last a couple meals. Instead.of trying to eat any meal. I just eat a few bites of protein and veggies. At 4-5 times a day.

April has been the month of stalls for me. I was stuck at 210.6 for 4 days, dropped to 208.8, and then stayed there for 4 days. Finally inched down to 208.4 yesterday and 208.0 today. Only losing 3 pounds in 10 days when I had been on track to lose closer to 5 is frustrating to say the least! The closer I get to being below 200, the more the universe wants to mess with me, apparently. But on an unrelated note, I drove to see the total eclipse in Vermont on Monday and it was amazing! Thank goodness for stopping to get some Vermont cheddar on the drive because healthy food options were scarce. I actually ended up eating McDonald's chicken nuggets for lunch. I managed to eat two of them, and they were okay, but I have no idea how I used to eat a box of 10 plus fries. Next time I venture out, I'm going to need to pack food for myself.

i'm 5+ years out. i love food and everything about it (many on here know this about me already). i love the cooking, baking, making, plating, shopping, researching, testing recipes of it all. i love to watch all the tv cooking shows, all the travel food shows, all the cooking/baking/grilling competition shows. i like to look at pictures of food, smell it, take pictures and videos of it, watch people eat the stuff i make for them. one of my favourite pasttimes it to read restaurant menus in their entirety...like multiple times. i am always down to go out for food and drinks at restaurants/bars with fam and friends, i am always so excited to come up with my contribution(s) to pot-luck parties. love love trying out new restaurants...i have a list of bucket list restaurants around the world i am determined to visit. ...and i love to eat. but to be more precise, i love to TASTE. so small plate venues (dim sum, tapas, izakaya, etc) and tasting menus and pot luck parties are my fave: an abundance of choice and low commitment to just a single large entree. i have will taste all the "good stuff" (easy on the side dishes as they take up too much stomach real estate) and be perfectly happy. a.k.a. JOY lol. the one difference with how i enjoy food now is i no longer feel joy with the stuffing of myself. i have vague memories of actually feeling GOOD with a distended belly bursting with something i ate. Now its the opposite. the feeling of being full is very unpleasant to me (to put it mildly). and i think this is key, now that i think of it.... long story short, joy is still on the table...its just up to you where you find it.

Hi ! I’m 7 days post op and have been home for 4 days. i had the same feeling that i suspect was brought on by a mix of adapting to being home and my « new normal » but also the fatigue from the surgery. I almost cried the first two days, and was asking myself why i’d done this to myself … but then i realised this is just the beginning, and the « strictest » of restrictions but in only a few weeks i’ll be able to eat more varied things. I also read through my eating plan and phases to make sure i’m well versed on what to eat and when and how to manage the next weeks. Being prepared kinda helps me mentally realise there is better to come. I think it’s normal to feel this way after such a major change but stay strong, i’ve been feeling better and better every day and it’s important to celebrate that to keep spirits up ! I realised if i want to be able to get to the point where i can eat real food i just need to work and concentrate on how i’m’feeling: eating slowly and concentrating on how i feel so that i’ll learn to recognise being full, when to stop etc That’s my main priority for this second week! If you need to talk don’t hesitate :)

Hello @MelP1970 and welcome into the forum. You are in a very strange and bewildering time in your recovery. You might be regretting your surgery, lots of us do. The fat cells that you are shedding so quickly at this point, contain your hormones. Fast weight loss means so many are coursing through your body now. Its like puberty all over again. I was so emotional and could not understand why. A kind soul on here put me right. It is a massive learning curve right now for you. Just relearning to drink is a full time job . You are lucky, like me, no hunger pangs. I also love to cook. Once I was physically able to cook again, I restarted feeding my family. I make my portion separately from theirs. For instance, If I make Lasagne for the fam, mine has no pasta and I use sliced baked aubergine instead. Having a wide knowledge of recipes has really helped me vary my food choices. I am 2+ years out and do not feel any loss issues because I can eat almost all the foods I could before surgery. I still have a few issues with certain foods that I adored pre surgery. For instance, I detest cooked salmon but make my own Gravadlax and it tastes divine to me. I hated eggs and now I find them delicious ! If I have carbs, its only a few spoons. I make own wholemeal, seeded bread. This means I can eat a sandwich. Its not the same as regular shop bought stodge which sits heavily in my stomach for hours and then gives me the foamies. I still enjoy eating but now a tiny amount suffices. Being thin feels better than eating huge meals. Long ago, I read that Parisienne women ate this way, a few forkfuls and they leave the rest. My immediate family are used to me eating what I can and putting the remainder in the fridge for a later snack. I have a friend that I eat out with once a week. It was hard in the beginning to find things I could eat on a menu but now I usually have a salad which to me is a joy. I love the variety and crunch. This forum has members all over the world. People post pictures in the ' Food before and after' page. I find things I have never heard of before. This leads to new recipes to cook and taste. TBH my menu has expanded now, my food is more nutrient dense and much better quality. Give yourself time to accept the changes and challenges. You will feel your normal self quite soon.

Dear Community, I am 5 days Post Operation (I live in Berlin, Germany) I believe the proper translation is the Gatsric Sleeve (75% Stomach is removed). Although things are going much better than expected post surgery more uncomfortable than pain, and I am not excessively hungry or thinking of food, I know what is to come will be a life changing situation. I feel very emotinal of the unknown and the worry about life quality with my family and friends where so much has been me as a provider of space where the love of food at gatherings brings people together and I enjoy cooking, trying new flavors and of course eating that is obvious! It has always been a part of my identity this side but this emotional element is not a fear of myself eating too little or not healthy or yummy enough because that will continue be a part of my cooking. But maybe there are a few out there who felt similar but found a great way to not lose the joy? the celebration? I would be very grateful for opinions thank you!

I've heard other ppl on the medical sites say the same thing. I'm almost 60 and have always drank with my food. My mouth is very dry after I eat. It could be the seasoning because I'm from a Cajun family and we love our seasoning. Guess I will learn to deal with it. I dont do sugar because I'm pre-diabetic. I hope it gets better.

Great responses so far- and as I hit anxious times, I find myself thinking about some of those unhealthier options too— I was/am an emotional eater- stuffing down my emotions with food— and realizing it was half the battle. When i get anxious/sad/have a feeling I have to slow myself down and ask am I really hungry? And to be completely honest, 90% of the time im not. I hope that as you heal from breakup you are able to find support to grieve and move on while also keeping up with taking care of yourself. Question- is it because you think the friends are having more fun than you? Or that they are watching you and wondering why you arent eating? I have never had anyone say anything about how much im eating— and if they ever did, I would simply say, im just not that hungry right now. But if it is that you are concerned they are watching you: i offer this quote from Schitt’s creek— Alexis discussing why David was anxious about his driver’s test: “ David, no one is thinking about you the way you are thinking about you”. That is the mantra I’ve decided to live by— no one cares what im doing! I am going to make sure i do what is best for me and have fun- and as long as it hurts no one, im golden. Best of luck to you!

I was told about the 30:30 Rule by my team. For all of the reasons stated above. It can cause fullness and washing the food out of the pouch. I am 14 months out, and I will say this is one of the cons of RYGB. I don't like it but I get it. But it is a lifestyle change for life. In February, I had a bottle of water almost 30 minutes after lunch. What happened next was dumping where I didn't eat for the rest of the day. I was still a little shaky the next morning. Luckily for me, I was going to see my primary doc that morning. All in all, it turned out fine. So now I wait at least 45 minutes to an hour before drinking again. It may not be that way for you. But is the risk worth it? Especially, the chance of stretching your pouch? Where you may have to get it revised.