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If you were going to die, it wouldn't be "borderline". 😊 And it's worth noting that weight loss surgery tends to raise these levels for the first week after surgery. So that test is not definitive.

Ah - sorry - forgot what I actually started out to say. Arabesque is right (as she usually is). If you can go back to your original programme do. Protein first, veg second, carbs third or not at all. No sugar, it's ridiculously addictive and produces insulin spikes that make you crave it more. Perhaps consider a keto week to get you started and minimise cravings - so protein and green leafy veg only?

Did they give you a prescription for anti-nausea medicine like Zofran? I had to take it for many weeks and just stopped. Also, have you tried broth or other soups? I found that getting away from the sweet shakes and drinks helped a lot. I would call the surgeon's office again and try to speak to someone else. That response wasn't ok! When I was battling nausea, I got dehydrated, and my blood pressure got really low. I had to go to the hospital for IV fluids and vitamins. It's like a vicious cycle with the nausea and dehydration. If your surgeon can't help, maybe contact your general practitioner. Sorry you are going through this!

hi i start my optifast on 11th March for two weeks i am sleeved and having a mini bypass due to major reflux. when I did the optifast pre op diet before I also had soups, deserts and bars. it made it easier following the diet with a variety good luck with your journey

I was given cream of chicken soup with bits in it at the hospital day 1 after surgery. I was still hopped up on anesthesia at the time and called a nurse in to question why. She took my spoon and looked at it, then said the bits weren't big enough to cause a problem???? I thought well...it is a bariatric hospital so I ate it. It did taste wonderful and thankfully nothing got stuck in my incisions but I still question it. In fact a relative of mine recently had WLS and on a phone consult within week 1 with same hospital nurses, was told to try a bit of bread for nausea??? I immediately remembered the soup they gave me and am now really questioning the nurses at that hospital and their knowledge of care for bariatric patients. I tried calling them to inquire about their iffy advice but never heard back. I need to call my bariatric team nutritionist to give them a heads up. As for OP question about salty cravings. Soup. Bouillons, strained cream soups and my fav... egg drop soup strained from a local Chinese restaurant. I even used a Vitamix to pulverize any bits that could cause problems later on. Good luck on your journey @Sami2209.

Hi Wendy- I found it important to confide in friends who I knew would see the surgery as an effort to reset my system and not as a vanity project. So, I opened up to three close friends and no family other than my husband and teenage son (whom I sat down and really went through the toughest reasons why with). My parents are gone and I don’t see my siblings very often - easier in that respect. And I also sought out references from friends of closest friends who knew someone who’d had the surgery and talked extensively about the aftermath and any complications. They were exceptionally compassionate and enthusiastic supporters. I really felt ready. The comments from a good friend group came in waves: “you look great”! Then, a bit of concern - “all okay?” Then, “wow, you look like a different person: are you on ozempic?” with a direct desire to know what was up. I told that group together but only after 3 month mark, asking they not share it with others. No one has been negative about it. I had a dear friend say, “look, if there was a surgery that would reset my brain to comprehend things more quickly, I’d do it in a second”. I had to explain it’s not a quick fix but I knew what she meant- getting one’s beast of burden off the mind. Re: Hair loss- timeline was strange - I’ve always had a thick head of hair and thought maybe I’d bypass the intensity of it. Alas, no- it started to really come out heavily in Aug/Sept. I was worried bc it didn’t slow down and had thinned dramatically but now the growth is back - slowed in Dec/Jan and I kept it short all fall. No one especially noticed enough to mention it. Again, all good thoughts to you as you begin this remarkable feat! You’ll feel amazing soon enough but I hope you’re proud of getting to this point!

It’s how we measure total cholesterol & is measured in millimoles per litre. Healthy is considered 3.9 - 5.5. 5.5 - 6.5 is considered borderline. So I’m in the lower end of the borderline range now @GreenTealael. When it first went back to 5 I thought the same thing @catwoman7, my body just settling back into its norm. But now… Thinking it maybe the dairy I eat now which is way more than I had before surgery (before 3 or 4 serves a week now 2 or 3 a day a day). Meat is a little less. Butter is less. Cook more in air fryer or bake in the oven. May be I’m missing something, Or it could be the creons I take to aid my absorption of protein. They maybe changing my fat absorption??? Or it could be not having a gall bladder??? I seem to have more questions now.

I was told by a RN not to use Metamucil after Gastric Sleeve Surgery but to use Miralax instead. One week after surgery because of constipation I took a half dose of Miralax. MISTAKE...... I spent 3days either on the toilet or wearing pads to keep from leaking. Now I see in this forum that I could have taken my usual daily Metamucil.

I'm on a two week liquid diet before my Feb 7th surgery. What's your restrictions? Ask your doctor about taking multivitamins. I'm able to even on the liquid diet. But other doctors might before restive.

Hi Everyone, I am a March 2024 Bariatric By-pass patient. I am only into my 3rd week post op and I am down 50 lbs and counting. I am still learning the ins and outs of how to eat again. Drinking too fast or too much triggers consequences. Also, with eating too fast or too much will trigger throwing up. However, by eating the ways that are prescribed will render the proper results. I am very impressed with the results I have seen thus far.

Isn’t it bloody frustrating @NickelChipwhen you cannot get a consensus on what you actually weigh due to the scales being all over the place??? My own scales at home is trying my patience this week as the weight keeps bouncing around for no reason 🙄I’ve changed the battery but it’s still faffing about. I guess I will have to look for some new ones at some point but will wait to see if any appear in the sales. Any holiday clothes shopping will honestly be a last minute thing. One thing - smaller clothes mean lighter cases 😉 @SleeveToBypass2023i wish I could be as honest with my hubby re my weight. I still don’t know how he can be in any way attracted to me. I hate seeing myself naked and it’s my body. It really does affect the ‘intimacy’ side of our relationship, especially when you’ve lost your self-confidence too. I will tell him when I hit target etc, just not yet. @NeonRaven8919Yes, NHS too! I hope mine is just as quick. Apparently my trust has a fair few cancellations when it comes to WLS so 🤞🤞🤞Is there ever a good time of the year for WLS? The dietitian said that the colder months seem to lend themselves to more choices come the puréed stage post-op and I do tend to agree…you can’t purée a salad can you??

It’s been a good week all told. Lots of positives, which I’m really pleased about. I’ve rejoined the gym to begin at the start of September. I’ve made my first payment so no shirking now! I cannot fully explain how happy I am about this. I’ve even said I’d go to aqua fit with hubby (he used to go a long time ago, only bloke in a pool full of women, all enjoying it until some arse of a pool guard asked why he was doing a class with, and I quote, ‘old ladies’. This completely destroyed hubby’s confidence and he never went back, even though it really helped him with his back pain) So, I’ve offered to go with him, even though I hate swimming and only do the pool when I’m abroad and it’s hot! Anyway, he’s having a think about it. Had a clothing clear out this weekend. I’ve definitely come down a size so all the bigger stuff ether went in a bag for daughter in law or charity shop. I’ve also go rid of a lot of warm weather stuff too as I have absolutely no intention of being this size come next summer 😎 Hubby also voluntarily went through his things and got rid of a load of shirts and tops as he has slowly been losing weight and so had lots of things that were too big. I will admit to being a horribly bitter wife at this point as his diet is atrocious - doesn’t eat all day, has sandwiches/wraps etc for dinner, with loads of crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cake etc during the evening and the weight is coming off. I have a frigging biscuit and 4lbs appears out of nowhere 😡 Yes, I know, I’m a horrible cow but at least I’m honest! I tried on some smaller sized things (next size down) Again, the stretchy stuff fit, which was a bit of a boost. I also dug out my gym stuff and tried that stuff on. I’m OK for the size I am now and also for when I drop a size or 2 as well, so that’s sorted out the next couple of months at least. Off to see Fat Boy Slim at this coming weekend, another ‘wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care’ show, and I had a pair of skinny, black sparkly jeans in mind but I wasn’t sure if they would fit (have never worn them) I tried them on and they fit!! Obviously the material is as stretchy as hell but I will take it! I’ve now sorted my outfit out, and feel very excited about it. The top I’m wearing will hopefully mask the tummy tire (only surgery will ever get rid of that) and I’ll be throwing some shapes with the best of them 😉 Had physio this morning and it hasn’t killed me, which is all good. I discussed the gym and the physio was all for it. I came away with some exercises to do at home plus I’m booked in for a double physio session in September so I can go through some things in their gym to see what works. It’s the dietitian appointment this week. I’ve completed my food diaries so I’m hoping all goes well and I can move on to the next stage of this WLS journey by getting an appointment with the surgeon. I don’t know if it’s surgeon first or if it’s the multi-disciplinary team get together where they decide if I’m a good ‘fit’ or not. I am chomping at the bit a little, I’ll be honest, but it will take as long as it takes I guess 🤷‍♀️ I ordered a book this weekend called ‘52 Small Changes’ (free on Kindle Unlimited too) I want to make other changes to my life without feeling overwhelmed. I remembered the book from years ago so thought I’d have another little look. It’s a years programme (for want of another explanation) where you make a small change every week eg getting off the couch, getting enough sleep, eating whole grains, drinking water, stretching, explanations of food labels and how to read them etc. It’s all little, positive steps that I think , in the main, would work well with my WLS journey. Obviously there will be things that need tweaking or adjusting to fit in with the food and drink requirements after surgery but I’m happy to at least start. So, this is pencilled in to begin when my gym sessions start again. I’ve downloaded to my iPad via Kindle Unlimited as there are lots of hyperlinks for additional information plus I’ve ordered a physical copy too as I find it easier to follow and, more importantly, absorb! I think that’s enough waffle for today 😉 Onwards and Downwards Everyone!

Oh my gosh, me too! But: We got this!! I'm going to get my lab work done next week and I know it should look really good with as long a path I've been on to get to this point and all the vitamins I've been taking! I've been taking the Barimelts multi w/iron (dissolved crazy easily, best I've found) the Calcium from BariatricPal every other day, and some Multi-collagen Peptides w/Probiotics for like, two months. I also had to quit smoking cigarettes and with the help of Chantix I've managed to do it, and just passed my fourth month of not smoking! I use the Baritastic app for my food tracking. There's SO much to the process! I'm nervous and wondering if I'm going to end up feeling like a stranger in my own skin but I'm trying to keep focusing on my reasons for doing all of this - better health, longer life, better quality of life, etc. Feel free to message me; I can be bad about checking my emails but I found an app called Finch that is helping me keep track of everything, thank goodness, and reminds me to CHECK my email. Sorry for the delayed response!

This may kind kinda crazy but have you tried just walking in your house. I have been doing an outdoor walk too now but I started with little five minute walks back and forth in my house from one end to the other. At first I wasn’t really logging them, just trying to prevent blood clots but I decided to start wearing my watch that logs my activity and five minutes is a quarter of a mile!! Work up to four times a day and that’s a mile right there. If you get to where you can do 20 minutes at once then you can probably make it around the block. It is hot but I have been going just before it gets dark and I walk in and jump in the shower. I’m telling you it feels so good to get started and being outside and the endorphins from the activity are so good for your mood. I talked to my therapist today and she is amazed at how great I am doing. I know that I’ve still got a ways to go and I may need encouragement to stick with it since one week it isn’t exactly a habit yet. But I am so proud of myself and that is an amazing motivator. This is coming from someone who hasn’t exercised at all in YEARS. You just have to get past that first time and it gets so much easier. Just set small goals so that you can achieve them and that should keep you going. If you don’t have one, these watches are pretty great too. It’s almost like a game trying to beat yesterdays goal.

How long was you pre-op liquid diet? My doctor requires a two week liquid diet prior to surgery so the liver will shrink enough they can work around. I've seen several people say from 2 days up to 2 weeks or more.

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

Do you think just going back to that pre-surgery diet for a week would work well as a jump start? The 1 - 2 cups of broth, 4 oz of protein, 1 cup veg, 2.5 protein shakes? The surgar free water packet flavorings and even the gatorade / powerade zero still give me the prevomit saliva problem T_T

The thing is that they assume that you can only eat so much so if you prioritize protein then veggies then you should only be able to eat a tiny bit of healthy starches, if any, and based on that theory everyone will be okay. When I had Sleeve three years ago I swear mine was left larger than most though because I could drink and eat more from day one than they said I should. I always said that I know I had surgery because I could no longer get my moneys worth at an All you can eat buffet but I could still eat quite a bit. When I was back to “regular” portions I hit all my protein goals then ate my veggies like suggested but still had room for more carbs than I should be eating. I did great in the beginning when I was told how many ounces I should be eating and I wasn’t hungry so I just stopped myself there but later on I think I needed more guidance than just calories and what to prioritize. I know I was an exception to the rule though. When I went back to discuss revision with another dr he said not that I’m suggesting it but if you were eating a sub how many inches could you eat and when I said 5 or 6 easily he said that I should not be able to eat that much. I believe that is why things went wrong for me. I reached my first easy goal I set to encourage myself but never made it to my ideal body weight. Then a few month later when actual hunger came back and I ate until I was full I started to gain even with the healthy options because of my portion sizes. Admittedly if I had not been frustrated and basically gave up at some point I probably would not have gained ALL my weight back and I would still be healthier now than when I started, but I know where things began to go wrong so this time I asked repeatedly until I got even more guidance from the dietician.

Same here I'm like 7 weeks out and can't tolerate a smell of anything meat or cooked and eggs even make me sick and I loved eggs before, I've been eating honey nut Cheerios and pork rinds

I went out food shopping too about 8 days after surgery and let me tell you… I felt dizzy and everything was spinning around me. I went and sit in the car too. When I told my doctor, she screamed at me for going out. I had a revision RNY which is a major surgery. I didn’t expect it to have that effect with me. I finally feel better after full 3 weeks. I am glad I took 3 weeks off from work. From time to time I still feel dizzy. I think I need more liquid intake. How are you feeling now?

I am at the end of week 3 post op, and I had my bloodwork done 1 week again from primary care for other reason. However because he knew I had surgery done, he order to check vitamins and urinalysis. I don’t know if I am freaking out? But it has more red in the result than before the surgery. Hope to see if anyone of you had testing done post op and maybe can explain a little bit before I get a call from my doctor. It show I have too much B12, then there is protein in my urine, and bilirubin is high. I hope my liver is ok! Maybe all this is normal after surgery.

I have to get into my closet. I did a quick cleaning out of shirts a few weeks ago, but I need to get serious. I have things in there that I never wore and never will... silly to hang on to. Then the ones that are too big also. Size-wise, I'm about the same as you. I was wearing a 22-24, or 2X. I'm more like an 18 now and would love to be a size 12, but I will happily settle for a size 14. I have always liked loose-fitting clothes. With the exception of a period from late teens through mid-twenties. I've been a jeans and loose T-shirt girl. I don't foresee that changing, but you never know! I have a shelf of clothing in my closet that I started collecting before surgery. Much of it was either free or on sale. I need to get in there and start trying it on. Like you, I think I have enough to get through the summer. As soon as my knee is feeling better, I'm going to make getting into that closet a priority!

Anyone else experience complications post bypass? I just had an endoscopy that found ulcers inflammation and stricture at the sit where my new stomach connects to my intestines. Apparently it's because of lack of enough blood flow to the area and is the reason I've been so sick since my surgery 6 weeks ago

Good morning! I have my 6 month check up next month (its gone quickly) and I'm too impatient to wait 6 weeks to get an answer, so I decided to consult the mass of experience on these forums. My question is this: When were you allowed to start taking capsules again? I'm tired of spending $90+ each month on chewable multivitamins, chewable calcium and chewable iron supplements! Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom!

I went 2 weeks after the surgery, then 3 months, then 6 months, then 1 year, then once every year after that. My surgeon said I'll do a 1 year follow up until I hit 5 years out, then it's more of on an as needed basis, like if something is wrong or whatever.