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Hi guys I was sleeved 2 weeks ago and am due to go onto pureed foods tomorrow. MY main concern is how I am going to get the protein in as I know I will only be able to manage a few mouthfuls at first. Do you have any tips? I have ordered some protein flavoured water power and I am fed up with protein shakes now! I have to be careful what I have because I have suffered with digestive issues and have had to drink more to keep hydrated! Did you have problems with your digestion after surgery, not constipation though Any help would be gratefully received. Thank you!

OMG @Bypass2Freedom so happy for you - you SHOULD be chuffed!!! I think of all the hurdles I jumped, getting into the 'overweight' BMI category was the most significant to me, because it was so long since I'd been there. Deep down we know BMI is all BS but being human, we need a yardstick to measure our success and this is what we have. Fab fab fab - so well done.

Hey so I’m three months post op and I haven’t been feeling well… I know I’m dehydrated and I know my bs are low from not eating on a consistent basis… it’s due to my job I work in an OR so there are times where I can go long periods of not eating or drinking but the last few weeks I haven’t been myself.. headaches so bad I’m nauseous then I don’t want to eat or drink bc my head hurts so bad then I get dizzy and lightheaded.. like I don’t know if I should follow up with my surgeon so he’s aware of my challenges during my work but today I didn’t eat hardly anything at all what should I do?

Yes, @Trish662 , I had the exact same situation only I’m 5’4”. I was 53 yrs old when I had surgery in August, and had a long stall in December and bloodwork came back iron anemia. It took a month of faithful iron supplements with vitamin C during my lunchtime (coffee, milk products, PPT, magnesium supplements all make taking iron at other times cancel out absorption). You will have to find a 4 hr window (nothing 2 hrs before and nothing 2 hrs after) that works for your absorption. I ate meatloaf, meatballs and ground grass fed beef with a small amount of marinara or mild salsa for lunch meals as well. At the time I could only eat 3 oz of protein due to restriction (dietitian still pushing for 4oz per meal even now). I get my 60-80 grams of protein per day in easily now! After that grueling iron work I did start loosing weight much more regularly 3-4 lbs a month and kept loosing weight until 2 years and 4 months. I had RNY so I need to stay on top of the iron absorption issue regularly. If I forget to take the iron with C for a week, I feel sluggish and 4-5 lbs shows up quickly. It takes about another week to get the weight and iron back on track (says the bloodwork and doc). You’ll feel better soon and your stall will end quickly. I take Centrum Women’s 50+ tablets in the morning with Calcuim and D3, then additional Nature Made Iron 65mg with Trader Joe Vitamin C complex at lunchtime. I found my magnesium low too so I take that at night with a probiotic, Trader Joe’s is the cheapest that doesn’t hurt my stomach or pocketbook but you will probably find something you like better. I don’t count carbs, but I find if I eat any simpler carbs like an apple or oatmeal I dump. I also throw off all my electrolytes and get wicked muscle spasms. Gatorade Zero or similar products help me stay balanced, and I stayed away from most carbs except veggies during the loosing phase. I can eat the same or more calories in fat and loose, but if it’s carbs, stall, stall, stall. You will find your sweet spot, pun intended.

Congrats! I had my testing earlier this week. Everything went well and I'm ready to go for Tuesday! Liver shrink is HARD. I'm fine all day long, but really struggling when it comes to dinner time when I can actually eat real food and not just a protein shake. I feel like I'm eating the same boring things every day. I think I'd almost rather being in purely shakes, because at least that I can vary the flavor of. @one more time, I wonder if it has to do with BMI? Maybe your bmi is lower and the size of your liver won't be as much of an issue?? I know bc my bmi was over 50, that's why I needed 3 weeks of liver shrink instead of my Dr's usually two week rx of it.

@sillykitty you look great! I am an A cup of skin LOL I have had 2 children breast fed, this is my second time losing 100+ lbs so my boobies have seen better days. Thank you for your input!

My mom force fed me, she was very strict about clearing my plate, then I grew up and she became the opposite and gave me a hard time about “how much I ate” 🤷‍♀️

Honestly, one of the things I didn't miss when I became morbidly obese. There is a big difference between a kind compliment and a lewd suggestive comment. Now that I've lost a lot of my chest size, it's cut down on that BS considerably. Hahahaa!

Definitely reach out to the surgeons office bc BCBS tried to pull it saying it wasn’t covered but it actually was I had already checked before going through the program

Hokas I wear them at work bc we walk and stand a lot they are very comfy

Thank you so much. For the detailed repsonse i am indeed fed up of nuggets and shrimps which’s what my diet is predominantly composed of not bec of any indigestion but the restriction of the sleeve and my no interest I. Cooking I don’t like Greek yogurt. would love trying oatmeal but thought that would be too high carb frutis fill me fast at the cost of protein and fluids soups sound divine and recipes would be welcome ideas to diversify proteins beyond baked chicken and nuggets would also be very very appreciated

Do you live alone Fars? That seems so much harder than if cooking is being done for more people but it's doable with a bit of meal planning and a well-organised freezer I suspect. At 4 months I was eating pretty much everything apart from white carbs and sugar (including hidden sugars). I still eat those in very limited quantities 3 years post op because those are what made me obese. I also cook everything from scratch but I love cooking so that's not a chore. Soup I had by the gallon - all types - lasts several days and it's very freezable in one portion pots. @summerseekeris a huge soup fan and might be able to suggest some more adventurous ones but I did a lot of chunky chicken soup, hot and sour lentil, fish chowders. I liked plain greek yoghurt with a few berries for breakfast. I always had oatmeal for supper. Eggs eggs eggs are your best friends - scrambled, fried, boiled, poached. I never tire of them and they're so quick if you get hangry. My dinner was a small portion of your average family dinner without the carbs. Pasta dishes, stews, curries, burgers, tacos, sausages, fajitas, roast dinners with veg. I still eat all of these things, just more now! I hope you can find some variety, you must be fed up of the same few dishes.

I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t be in a rush and don’t compare yourself to others. It’s not a race or competition. Everyone has different circumstances and factors affecting rate of weight loss. For example, the more excess weight you have, the faster it comes off, so you can’t expect to lose as quickly as some who started 50 kg higher than you. i know most of us go down the path of WLS because we are fed up with being obese and we are desperate to lose the weight after a lot other attempts. Of course we want it to happen as fast as possible. But here’s something to consider. WLS makes it virtually impossible to fail at losing a significant amount of weight. That’s the “honeymoon period” for about the first year after surgery and almost everyone has amazing results. What really matters, though, is what comes after the honeymoon period. It is heartbreaking to see people go through all of this to lose 100+ pounds only to regain it. It doesn’t matter how fast you reach your goal weight if you don’t stay there. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you, decades, to enjoy your new chance at life. Trust me, in 20 years, you won’t care how many pounds you lost in the first month or two or six. Don’t worry about how fast of slow you’re losing now. Keep following the program and you will lose a lot of weight. Set your sights on the rest of your life, everything you will get to experience in your new body, and how you will keep it.

How are you doing now? Have you started back to some form of movement. I know that when I had the sleeve I tried to do the treadmill and that did not stick no matter how many times I tried. To me, that was like torture. This time with my revision I am walking around the neighborhood instead. Talking with a friend on the phone who is also walking or listening to music and seeing the various houses and people is just a great deal more enjoyable for me than the treadmill even with the television on I still felt like a hamster I am still early out and I definitely wouldn’t call it a habit yet but I can tell you for sure that I do not dread it each day like I did the other and I’m really hoping that I can keep it up I know for sure that the endorphins are great for my mood and my energy I go until I fall into the bed and sleep like a baby. In fact that’s why I’m up right now, because I did so much yesterday I feel asleep at 9pm 😂 I agree somewhat about the fact that if you must choose one place to put your effort then the nutrition is definitely the most important in terms of weight loss BUT, having done this before and been less successful, I can tell you that last time I did not exercise and it felt like less of a huge life change for me as it does this time Again, I am only 5 weeks out so it’s possible that this is temporary, though I hope not because I feel fantastic with all of my choices my point is that adding in exercise, for me, makes it feel like more of a lifestyle change and after I come home all sweaty from my walk I don’t want to put any junk into my body. I am even starting to buy things that are grass fed and organic when they are available and trying to cut back on salt as well as rethinking my artificial Sweeteners (although that’s going to be the toughest for me to give up) because my body feels so good and healthy and I want to feel this way for a long long time. As others have said it doesn’t have to be a specific exercise. Just move your body more. Maybe dance lessons, or Pickleball, something like that. My library had a Belly Dance teacher at one point about a year ago and now that I’m losing a bit I am going to look into whether she is still there because that sounds kinda fun. I also did some research on the weighted hula hoop and it is cardio for most people as well as a bit of strength training so I may try that. It brings back memories of competitions with them as a kid so it could be fun. Something that my PA said at one of my pre surgery support group meetings keeps ringing in my mind that helps motivate me too he said that just 90 minutes of exercise a week in zone two heart rate (which I achieve with a brisk walk) decreases your risk of “all cause mortality” by 15%!! You can even break it into 15 minutes a day- 6 days a week (although it’s really 25 with your warm up and cool down added) but weight loss aside, a 15% decrease, thats pretty incredible. I was afraid of some of the complications from surgery that may or may not kill me and that was once like a 2% risk. So my goal is 30 minutes of exercise a day (I rounded up) and anything beyond that is just a bonus. That has seemed to work for me so far 🤞

I was concerned bc it was trouble free with airfryer shrimps earlier but my impression now is body can react weirdly to things it tolerated well b4 anytime it wishes

It’s been a strange kind of week. I haven’t gone wildly off plan but I have definitely struggled with focus. Nothing has gone wrong, I’m not upset about anything or fed up. I just think that having the dietitian appointment and everything going OK with that sort of had me taking my foot off the accelerator a little. Then the shock of getting my appointment with the surgeon has played with my head somewhat? “I honestly don’t know” is the answer right now. I think, as others have pointed out, that this whole WLS journey became very real this week and there’s a bit of panic going on. Me and hubby have had lots of conversations this week too, about how the future may look what with the LRD to come, immediate post-surgery things to deal with and then long term. Hubby admitted that he knows he’s going to find how little I will be able to eat a struggle but takes comfort in the fact that others have done, and continue to do, the exact same thing and survive plus the Bariatric team at our hospital seem really switched on so he knows I’m in good hands. It’s a learning curve for him too, with more lessons to come! Thankfully the hospital team does welcome questions from family members because they know it can be difficult for them too. I’m not worried about anything specific, just more a case of the practicalities of things. I always do better when I have planned things, even if it’s just in my head, because it’s feeling like I have some control! I’ve ordered a mini food processor to hel with the purée part of the journey to come, so that should be here by the end of the week. Hubby has been looking at different sized ice cube trays for freezing individual portions of purée plus looking at recipes etc. I think he feels a bit ‘in limbo’ at the moment, which I do understand. Anyway, went to see Fatboy Slim on Saturday. I felt good in what I was wearing: Size smaller sparkly black jeans (with lots of stretch, obviously 😉) It was a nice confidence boost anyway! However, the gig was outside and it was freezing cold - that a UK summer for you 🙄 I had a blanket plus a wrap but it got too cold and my hips and knees just had enough, especially with being locked in one position while sitting on the scooter. We left before the end because I honestly couldn’t handle the cold anymore. Disappointing, yes but it happens. On the drive home the heavens opened and it rained so I didn’t feel too bad after that. It took me ages to get warm though. Had a hot shower, extra blanket on the bed, plus pyjamas but I couldn’t warm up. Hubby eventually made me a hot water bottle and I managed to slowly thaw out. We’ve said no more outdoor things for now, especially as the weather is so unpredictable here. Nothing else to report. I will knuckle back down and re-focus. I’ve had a weekend of pizza and alcohol so that’s my wander off-plan done with! Oh, my new weighing scales are in agreement with the dietitian’s scales, which surprised me! The dietitian suggested that I took a photo of her printout from when she had weighed me. I have no idea what everything means but she did underline a couple of things like the visceral fat number, metabolic age etc etc and my new scales match those numbers exactly 😮 So thank you @FifiLux for your suggestion 🥰 I just need to make sure that the weight numbers on the new, shiny scales start reducing again… Wishing everyone a successful, happy week regardless of where you are on your weight loss journey 😎 Onwards and downwards everybody!

Mine also wants 64 oz fluids which eeems impossible going to get iv fluids today - will also see how my BP is bc still on ntihypertensives and low BP could cause nausea too

Please take that as a blessing! It’s the worst not being able to intake liquids as recommended and feel behind. It just means your body is healing well and making progress. Your stomach is enjoying why it’s been fed.

So glad things went well for you at your follow-up appointment and you can stop taking lansoprazole - hurray!! It’s amazing how much has changed for you in such a short space of time, and will continue to change for quite a while yet. I think it takes a some time to find your feet when you have undergone some transformative weight loss, plus I also think there’s an element of mourning the person you was and not being sure about the person you’re becoming. I hope you’re documenting your experience, just so you can look back on your journey when things get difficult or you get fed up. It always helps to have something to guide us when we’re feeling out of sorts, or the dreaded stall look’s never ending! Well done on your journey so far 👏👏👏

I have been in line for the bypass surgery before, but each time I had doubts and was told by friends and family that I need to not take the easy way out. That a simple diet and exercise is enough. Granted, they are right, but I know me. I have an addiction to food because I grew up being over fed by my grandma who had alzheimers made me food every 30 minutes. I never grew out of that habit. I put a lot of merit into what people were telling me and that was when I was 21 and I'm now 30. Now, all the consequences of my bad eating habits and lack of exercise is catching up. I now have joint damage in my knees making it extremely hard for me to take care of myself. Showering, cleaning, cooking, you name it. I also have sciatica and arthritis. I have arthritis in my hips and lower back. Now I am worried what could possibly start to fail next. I guess I am just looking for some encouragement because the people in my life just don't seem to think it's a good idea. Deep down I think the bypass surgery is my only hope to live past my mid 30's. The people in my life just have a way of making me feel like I don't know what is best for me and it's leaving me with a lot of hesitation. I don't need my hand held through life, but sometimes I need that push to do what is best for me.

Thank you @MrsFitz. It has been pretty crappy lately. I had small fibroids picked up last year & GP sent me for a follow up ultra sound to check growth in June which was when they picked up the cervical fibroid had grown but they questioned if it was a fibroid or something else. Sent to gyno. Sent for an MRI & they still don’t know what it is. Sent to a gyno oncologist. Waiting for deeper Pap smear result but considering a hysterectomy regardless of the results (she doesn’t know if the deeper Pap smear into the cervix actually reached the mass so another may not be an accurate test & result). At least, I’ve been able to get appointments to see each specialist comparatively very quickly: about 2 months from when I got referral from GP for ultrasound. I hope your getting appointments quickly too @fed-up & we get an answer and a way forward soon.

@fed-up and @Arabesque so very sorry that both of you are going through this horrible, stressful “Is it? Isn’t it?” journey right now. Sometimes life just throws 💩 at you and expects you to deal 😕 Take care both of you 💜💜

Oh no, @fed-up. I’m going through this too & waiting for results (an undiagnosed cervical mass) so I know how you’re feeling. Those ‘it could be nothing but ….’ statements from the specialists are the worst and then the waiting for results are a rollercoaster. You’ll be in my prayers. Fingers crossed for an all clear.

So sorry you are experiencing this @fed-up. Have you seen a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss issues? There may be something else going on. What are your blood work results like? Have you had your hormone levels checked?

Premier protein is intolerable pos op - I use fairlife/ isopure the nausea is just worse somedays more than others its not mechanical restriction so much as just a not wanting to drink more bc it’s plain water if that makes sense Haven’t found a flavor enhancer I like so far anyone have a sipping schedule (how much water to aim for in a certain period to get to 64) would be very welcome