3 Months Post-Op: 50 lbs dropped! But, I am Weak

[Deep6 66]

Today was the 3 month anniversary of my bypass/hiatal hernia repair. I've done ok on the calorie restricted diet--still can't eat certain meats (I've stayed away from steak which I love, haven't eaten lamb and even a moist pork chop is a little tough for me- instead, I'm eating. lot of fish). My portions are small-- -protein say three tablespoons, veggies, two tablespoons, mashed or sweet potato- 1/2 a small sized one.

Today I weighed myself- I went from over 271 to 221 which is kind of crazy! (I am around 6 feet, used to be taller but I'm a geezer so I'm shrinking).

Hooked up at a new gym that I can walk to from my house, so I will go more frequently and won't need to spend money on ride shares (I prefer not driving in town). I was shocked at how weak I was--It is going to take some time to strengthen and I'm being very cautious about torquing my gut given the surgery (even though the surgeon cleared me for weight lifting).

I'm doing my supplements.

I guess this is a good news/bad news thing- not that I live by the scale but I was amazed at how much I've lost so quickly.

And a little disappointed in how weak I am. My wife said, "dude, you went through major surgery, take your time." She's probably right.

There is no question that the surgery + pretty strict adherence to the post-op diet does work. Now I just have to rebuild my strength over time.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Deep6

[NCL04321 161]

Make sure you are getting enough fluids in as well. Your wife is right, it will take time for you to build up your endurance. Congrats on the weight loss so far!!!

[toodlerue 452]

Good for you!
Try adding an electrolyte Water to your fluids like Drip Drops or liquid IV.

That really help me when I was feeling “punie”

[Arabesque 7,240]

You may not be eating enough given you are male & going to the gym. Have a chat with your dietician & review what & how much you’re eating & your current activity. Are you hitting your Protein & fluid goals? I wasn’t eating much at three months & get only being able to eat what you can physically eat. But I’m female, way shorter & certainly wasn’t very active when losing so it wasn’t as much of an issue for me.

I agree with adding an electrolyte drink to your Fluid routine. The extra boost of energy was a blessing on busy/active days.

PS. Give lamb a try & see how you go. It’s more tender than pork which can be dry & then difficult to eat. Also chicken thigh, which is more moist, tender & flavourful than chicken breast, maybe easier to tolerate. I ate a lot of minced meat dishes (meatballs, savoury mince, bolognese with zucchini noodles, etc.) in the first months so give that a try too.

And congrats on your weight loss!

Edited September 7, 2023 by Arabesque

[Nepenthe44 188]

FWIW, my strength also dropped massively after surgery. I was a weightlifter before and when I started back up again it was all I could do not to pass out trying to clean the baby barbell with no weights.

But it's slowly getting better and now i'm back up to using the real barbell with tiny weights. Still nowhere near where I was pre-op, but it's an improvement over where I was 2 months ago.

Keep at it, and be patient, and your strength will come back.

[Possum220 230]

You have lost a massive amount of weight. Congrats.

Given that you are 6ft you may need to be eating more to sustain such a weight loss and have good energy levels.

Are you currently under the care of a bariatric dietician? If not please check in with one so that your tiredness can be investigated. Have you been having regular blood tests done to see where everything is? Having a bypass may result in malabsorsion of nutrients and lead to deficiencies that can show up in blood tests.

Being back in the gym will also require more fuel for energy. You may want to throw yourself back into the thick of it but dont. Slowly increase the rate and weights that you exercise with. Dont pop another hernia by rushing things. Does the gym have an exercise physiologist that can give you guidance? Please seek one out. Walking is a great place to start.

Your wife IS right. You just had major surgery and that by itself will take time. Dont try to run before you can walk.

[Deep6 66]

Thanks to all of you for your insights. I was doing the Ensure Max Protein drinks for the first two and half months. Now I find them very gag-inducing and have a hard time digesting them.

The Electrolytes- yep, both in Water and Gatorade Zero.

I'm not sure I am eating enough--my portions are small, and I feel fine after a small plate, 1/2 protein, 1/4 veggies, 1/4 carbs.

My wife has been great about making different dishes that are compatible with post-op lifestyle. I'm just not that hungry, though I'll still eat simply for fuel. When I first got out of surgery, I couldn't wait to eat real food again, but now, I think my system cannot handle the volume and in some cases the texture. Maybe this is also a result of hormonal/nervous system changes, I dunno.

Yes, I have a good dietitian who is part of the surgeon's office, as well as an integrative medicine nurse/practitioner who does a different set of blood work at the same time I get blood work done for the surgeon. I'll be back up there for another post-op exam in a couple months.

Sorry for the lag in my responding- i didn't get an email alert when a lot of you posted, I'll have to check my settings--in the meantime, the weather has broken here in Texas, finally. So, walking outdoors is possible. (It was 110F most of the summer here--brutal!). Now is the nice time to be here.

PS: on the gym, I talked to the head trainer, and they are used to members who have gone thru physical rehab and coming back to the gym- they were fine with me taking things slowly and will work w/me.

Edited September 17, 2023 by Deep6