August surgery buddies!

[ShelbyGeorge29 31]

I meant to post a follow-up to my post on Thursday, but this darn tropical storm/hurricane popped up and we decided to start hurricane prep. Live in the FL Keys and it looks to be tracking west so I think (hope!) we won't get a direct hit.

Thursday I had appointments w my surgeon and nutritionist. My loss is right on track, my surgeon stressed that rapid weight loss early on is indicative of muscle loss and that is not what we want to see. I was bumped to 1000 calories, and my nutritionist stressed the most important thing we can do to ensure maximum weight loss is to eat 5-6 meals, eating every 2-3 hours. Also, to start weight training now and to focus on weights, not cardio. I love weight lifting, so I don't mind this. I had been eating 4 meals and one snack and he wants me to bump it to 5 meals. I'm good at meal prep, which is essential with such frequent eating. But it does feel like I'm eating constantly! Surprisingly, he does want me to drink one Protein Shake a day to really up Protein consumption. I've been averaging 110 g of protein a day, he wants at least 80. But craziest of all, they want me to weigh myself every 3 days!

[Char V 52]

9 hours ago, ShelbyGeorge29 said:

Unfortunately nothing about your process sounds normal. Does your surgeon have a nutritionist on their team? In your situation I would work closely with your team and follow their advice and not the advice from internet strangers. Best of luck to you!

Yes I have spoken to a dietician twice. They saw me after surgery and gave me stage 1 diet plan which was liquids for a week. I miss read it and thought it was 2 weeks. Then purée foods through a straw. When she rang me I was transitioning to soft foods but told her I couldn’t tolerate them. She suggested I go back to see surgeon so he put me back in hospital to investigate and did the ballooning. He suggested liquid diet for the week to help with the surgery he did. The dietician said liquid for the next 5 days then skip puréed and go straight to soft solids.

[Char V 52]

9 hours ago, ShelbyGeorge29 said:

I meant to post a follow-up to my post on Thursday, but this darn tropical storm/hurricane popped up and we decided to start hurricane prep. Live in the FL Keys and it looks to be tracking west so I think (hope!) we won't get a direct hit.

Thursday I had appointments w my surgeon and nutritionist. My loss is right on track, my surgeon stressed that rapid weight loss early on is indicative of muscle loss and that is not what we want to see. I was bumped to 1000 calories, and my nutritionist stressed the most important thing we can do to ensure maximum weight loss is to eat 5-6 meals, eating every 2-3 hours. Also, to start weight training now and to focus on weights, not cardio. I love weight lifting, so I don't mind this. I had been eating 4 meals and one snack and he wants me to bump it to 5 meals. I'm good at meal prep, which is essential with such frequent eating. But it does feel like I'm eating constantly! Surprisingly, he does want me to drink one Protein Shake a day to really up Protein consumption. I've been averaging 110 g of Protein a day, he wants at least 80. But craziest of all, they want me to weigh myself every 3 days!

Shelby I hope you don’t get hit by it

yes I feel like I’m constantly sipping all day too.

[Fresh2022 23]

Officially at 1 month out today. The last week has been a mess. Up and down (mostly up) 2-3 lbs from my lightest weight this month. Recently transitioned into soft foods the last few days, per my doctor’s orders. He basically doubled every stage, which was also frustrating. I know there is a lot of talk about week 3/4 stalls. Just feeling so discouraged to see a gain when the calories are still very low. It’s hard not to be frustrated and sad. I have spent the last year watching accounts on Instagram where women have described weight just melting off every week. I knew I was always a slower loser, but I thought this procedure would be a game changer. Anyone else feeling like this?

[ShelbyGeorge29 31]

14 hours ago, Char V said:

14 hours ago, Char V said:

2 hours ago, Fresh2022 said:

Officially at 1 month out today. The last week has been a mess. Up and down (mostly up) 2-3 lbs from my lightest weight this month. Recently transitioned into soft foods the last few days, per my doctor’s orders. He basically doubled every stage, which was also frustrating. I know there is a lot of talk about week 3/4 stalls. Just feeling so discouraged to see a gain when the calories are still very low. It’s hard not to be frustrated and sad. I have spent the last year watching accounts on Instagram where women have described weight just melting off every week. I knew I was always a slower loser, but I thought this procedure would be a game changer. Anyone else feeling like this?

I'm feeling EXACTLY this way. Even worse since I was told this week to weigh myself every 3 days, not good for my mental health! I weighed myself this morning, swore I wouldn't be upset, yet still was crying and I'm still so upset 3 hours later.

I also thought this surgery would change my slow loser status. I gobbled up the success stories and thought, hey maybe THIS time I'll be one of those successes! Nope! I'm doing the math, pre-op I was told I should expect to lose 125 my first year. Unless I suddenly start losing a steady 3 lbs a week, which I haven't done so far...there's no way I'll hit that. I wanted to lose 160 lbs, and if I can't lose it in the first year it's extremely difficult, yet it's ALREADY so difficult...I just don't see how realistic reaching my goal is. I'm already drinking my Water, getting my Protein, exercising 6 days a week 40-60 minutes. Weighing and measuring my food, tracking everything that passes my lips, following every single instruction I've been given.

There's nothing I can do more, I really think I'm only going to weigh myself monthly or every 2 weeks. Every weigh-in is so traumatic, telling me I'm failing AGAIN, I'll never be one of those success stories. I'm not going to quit, but I don't know how to adjust my expectations. Every time I swear I'm going to feel ok about whatever the scale says, but I'm not. When not weighing myself I feel good about my progress. I'm stymied on how to handle this.

So yes, I understand how you feel.

[ShelbyGeorge29 31]

I thought about editing my previous post, but decided to leave it up. After my post I laced up my sneakers and went for a long walk. It's not like I have any choice but to keep on keeping on. Eventually I'll get there, or to wherever it is I'm supposed to be if I just keep at it. The other options aren't under consideration.

Really wish my therapist wasn't on an extended vacation! I really need to find better coping mechanisms with weigh-ins. There's a lot of discussion around the mental component of WLS, and I thought I wouldn't have to deal with as much as I'm not a food addict. How very wrong I was!

[Fresh2022 23]

On 09/25/2022 at 16:22, ShelbyGeorge29 said:

I thought about editing my previous post, but decided to leave it up. After my post I laced up my sneakers and went for a long walk. It's not like I have any choice but to keep on keeping on. Eventually I'll get there, or to wherever it is I'm supposed to be if I just keep at it. The other options aren't under consideration.

Really wish my therapist wasn't on an extended vacation! I really need to find better coping mechanisms with weigh-ins. There's a lot of discussion around the mental component of WLS, and I thought I wouldn't have to deal with as much as I'm not a food addict. How very wrong I was!

I’m so sorry you’ve been having a tough time too! I know we have no choice but to hang in and stay the course. Nothing but time here to use our tool and work on ourselves. It doesn’t mean that we can’t feel frustrated at times though. I hope that we can all vent to and learn from each other in this crazy situation. Our bodies have been through a lot in a short time and I forget that at times. We are still better off than when we started and hopefully on the road to better health!

[AliceFD 55]

I just hit my first real stall at one month post-op. I had asked my husband to hide the scale so I wouldn't obsess and only weigh weekly. Got on the scale Saturday and I hadn't lost a single ounce from the previous week. I was expecting 3-5 lbs. So discouraged.

[SuziDavis 546]

On 9/24/2022 at 8:39 AM, Char V said:

Hi everyone.
I found this forum from a friend. I had to have emergency Gastric Sleeve surgery on 25th August as my hiatus had been strangling my stomach. Part of my stomach had died or diseased he said, it was all a blur for me. Anyway it was another kick I needed for weight loss help. I had been going to gym 4 days a week for a month prior to help me loose weight. So on surgery day I weighed in at 103kgs. I didn’t get the chance to do any pre op I have read. I was basically thrown in the deep end. I’ve been on liquid diet since surgery and still could not tolerate soft puréed foods unless it was able to go through a straw. Today ihad to go back for surgery as I had stricture from the hiatus repair and the sleeve done. They removed some scarring and ballooned my oesophagus. So I’m on liquid diets for another week the dr said.
I am over the “smoothies”. And puréed fruits/soups. Is this normal?

Welcome, that sounds scary! I would not get advise from us in your situation. I think your Dr and his staff should be guiding you.

[SuziDavis 546]

has anyone else his a weird low? I was feeling really good, but this last week I am miserable. I have no appetite, I can't get my Water in, everything tastes and smells bad to me. Its to the point where I would rather not eat than possible be nauseous because of it.

So all that makes me tired all the time. I am hating this.

[heartofmercury 186]

has anyone else his a weird low? I was feeling really good, but this last week I am miserable. I have no appetite, I can't get my Water in, everything tastes and smells bad to me. Its to the point where I would rather not eat than possible be nauseous because of it.
So all that makes me tired all the time. I am hating this.

I'm sorry you're not feeling 100%. I'm not sure if this is helpful but I am having trouble being motivated to eat the food I should. I realized on Friday I havn't been walking and I haven't gotten any real sunlight in the last week. I started making an effort to get outside and take my Vitamin D. I think its helping.

[SuziDavis 546]

1 hour ago, heartofmercury said:

I'm sorry you're not feeling 100%. I'm not sure if this is helpful but I am having trouble being motivated to eat the food I should. I realized on Friday I havn't been walking and I haven't gotten any real sunlight in the last week. I started making an effort to get outside and take my Vitamin D. I think its helping.

It's been wither raining like crazy here in Florida or 105 F... So being outside has been miserable. But I think I will make the effort, hopefully it helps.

[heartofmercury 186]

It's been wither raining like crazy here in Florida or 105 F... So being outside has been miserable. But I think I will make the effort, hopefully it helps.

TX has been in the 100s too! It's exhausting. Right there with you. Speaking of weather, stay safe in the next few days!!!

[SuziDavis 546]

3 minutes ago, heartofmercury said:

TX has been in the 100s too! It's exhausting. Right there with you. Speaking of weather, stay safe in the next few days!!!

Thank you! Luckily it looks like its going to miss us. I am on the south east side by Ft Lauderdale/Miami. Just more rain and wind coming our way

[I Am Enough! 197]

5 hours ago, SuziDavis said:

has anyone else his a weird low? I was feeling really good, but this last week I am miserable. I have no appetite, I can't get my Water in, everything tastes and smells bad to me. Its to the point where I would rather not eat than possible be nauseous because of it.

So all that makes me tired all the time. I am hating this.

Hi Suzi! Sorry to hear you are feeling so low. What I have found when I'm like that is I'm dehydrated. I know it sounds like a broken record, but I have truly been adding a lot of electrolytes high in potassium and it makes the world seem like a better place. I have also learned that I cannot eat first thing in the morning. In order to get in my dailies, I drink my Protein Drink warmed ( like a cuppa joe) then set a timer for every four minutes to get down 32 ounces of electrolyte Water before I can eat anything. Taking the Vitamins daily seems to help a ton too. Ar you getting any B12, B1 and D3? Hope you feel better soon!