Am I recovering TOO fast?

[JustJovi 7]

I know the title may sound odd....but hear me out.

I'm 5 weeks post op, so just over a month.

I don't feel "restriction" as much or as painful as i did initially. I still feel it but i feel like it's not as significant of a feeling as before.

Also i feel like I can eat more than i should already without pain. I had a piece of cake the other day at a birthday and felt fine, no dumping syndrome or any issues. That was really surprising to me.

Also, I don't have changed taste buds like everyone else seems to (so far). Everything still tastes the same to me! The only thing is i prefer very cold Water now and before i was fine with room temperature water.

Another thing about water is I feel like I can take like 2 or 3 gulps without any issue. I know you aren't supposed to and before it would hurt a bit but not anymore.

I'm still losing weight though. On my date of surgery i was 195 and today I'm 174.

I'm just worried that maybe I'm advancing too fast? Anyone else been through this?

[Arabesque 7,219]

Everyone recovers differently & can or can’t tolerate different things at different times. Not everyone experiences temporary changes in their senses taste &/or smell. Some can drink cold drinks easily while others find warm or Hot Drinks easier & more soothing. Some people are advised (by their surgeon) to progress through the stages more quickly while others need to stay at a stage longer.

You won’t really feel your restriction (a tightness across your chest) until you’re eating more solid foods & the nerves that were cut during the surgery are healed. The pain you initially felt would have been from stressing, straining or irritating your healing tummy. You shouldn’t use your restriction or discomfort as a signal you’ve eaten or drunk too much or too fast.

Not everyone dumps. Less than 30% with sleeve & less than 40% with bypass. But it is easily managed by avoiding those foods that cause it (fats &/or sugars) which you should be doing while you’re losing weight. In time even those who do dump may find they can eat a small amount of these foods without issue.

It is important to follow your plan. Remember all because you can doesn’t mean you should. The plan is in place for a reason. Initially to protect & support your healing tummy (think of all those sutures & staples holding your tummy together) & then to support your weight loss (awareness of portion sizes, calories, nutrition, food choices, reflect on old eating habits & establish new habits, etc.)

Conversations with your surgeon & dietician would be of benefit to ensure you are making the best choices - behaviours & foods. If your surgeon feels you are healed enough to progress more quickly, they’ll let you know what you are able to do & eat now.

I am worried you chose to eat cake at 4 weeks post surgery. It was your choice but was it a self sabotaging behaviour? Cake at week 4? What will you eat in subsequent weeks? Only you know the answer to this. Maybe a conversation with a therapist will help. And yes you will lose weight while your calorie intake is in deficit even eating cake but your focus should be on the nutritional value of what you are eating when your intake is low. Protein, protein, protein then vegetables & eventually some fruit & complex multi/whole grain carbs.

[catwoman7 11,211]

^^^^ what she said. I agree with everything she said.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,597]

I never had any restriction, never dumped, never lost hunger. So while those are nice tools to have, don't rely on them to keep you on track. You have to retrain your brain and stomach on how to eat, when to eat, and what to eat. As well as when to NOT eat. Just because you CAN eat something, or a certain amount of something, doesn't mean you SHOULD eat it.

For example, I CAN eat a burger patty, 1/4 cup of broccoli, and 2 hotdogs in 1 sitting (no buns). What I ACTUALLY eat is a burger patty and 1/2 a cup of broccoli. I'm comfortable but not stuffed, and it's healthier. You don't want to eat until you're completely stuffed. You want to eat until you're comfortable and no longer hungry. And you want to add in veggies whenever possible, and make sure your Protein amounts are where they should be (protein makes you feel full longer).

Edited April 9, 2023 by SleeveDiva2022

[Tomo 1,191]

100% everything@Arabesque said.

I wanted to add that cake, Cookies, any of the comfort and slider foods (overly processed foods) generally won't fill you up and many can tolerate them but choose not to. They are designed to eat rapidly and they also get quickly absorbed so it's really hard to gauge the effectiveness of one's wLS.

[JustJovi 7]

Thank you everyone!!!!