courtoomp

You have a great butt!!

Cowgirljane has it exactly right! Lube is a small price to pay for being confident enough to get it on without being self conscious! There are creams but I would start with your Obgyn and encourage your partner to just spend a little more time with four play! HAha

There are other threads on this just do a quick search. I drink every now and then and am three months out. I find I don't like to drink too much but there are ppl here who have no problem drinking plenty once all healed and cleared by their doc.

Interesting bc I find artificial sweeteners too sweet! My nutritionist and I have an understanding... Eat tasty food that is nutritious and REAL. I focus on using purer ingredients when I can. For instance, I'd rather get jam that has seeds in it and its ingredient list is fruit!...rather than a less caloric and/or sugary 'jam' that has 10 ingredients. That's just an example. I focus on about 80 carbs a day, >50 protein, and <30 grams fat. I do not obsess over this though and find when I focus on protein and veggies the numbers even out. And i have dark chocolate almost every day too! So my suggestion is to find a nut who can help you figure out a plan that works for you. Eat real food and listen to your new stomach...good days and bad days will be had but overall focusing on quality is def working for me (but may not be the key for you). Good luck!

Sometimes losing large amounts of weight quickly can cause damage to the kidneys and subsequent loss of Protein in your urine. No it isn't normal but adding breadcrumbs likely won't help anything. Are you taking a lot of NSAIDs like ibuprofen and such? Excessive protein intake can cause some 'spillage' into your ursine but prob not enough to concern your doctor. How much protein was in your urine? Best of luck and whatever the cause I'm sure you're in good hands with your doctor!

Why shouldn't you have eaten a piece of chocolate on Easter?! That's kinda what happens on Easter. Anyway, I have chocolate almost every day. Usually a piece of dove dark chocolate or two. But I also have a couple bites of whatever dessert is ordered at dinner. It doesn't affect me at all. If it affects you...sounds like it did... then it should be easy to avoid it if that's what you want to do.

You got this! Try logging everything you eat...not to be a crazy stickler, but to really show yourself what you eat. I log every day no matter how many cookies I have. I may not lose as much as others but I have a balanced and healthy relationship with food. Food is meant to be enjoyed and if you enjoy a cookie it's fine...just be accountable. But it sounds like you didn't really enjoy it but for a moment...dumping! So stop beating yourself up. You're human. You had a cookie, didn't kill someone. Yes refocus but also focus on the big picture and forgive yourself. Good luck!

Maybe I'm the slow loser of the bunch. I'm 4'11.5" a shortie! Sleeves jan 23 Highest: 222+ Surgery weight: 204 Current: 176 So 28 pounds. Down from an 18/20 to a 14/16 so that's good. Keep it up January sleevers!

Having just straight up yogurt goes through me too. My nut told me to jazz it up...so now i have 1/3 cup fage and add a quarter cup of high protein Special K and a couple berries to mine. Sometimes i also do a tablespoon or half tbsp of flax seed. Almost can't finish it and sometimes don't but so nutritious and good carbs!

Ak mak are amazing. I can only eat one at a time but still get some Fiber and Protein plus they taste so much better than most 'healthy' crackers. They don't have them at my local grocery story but so at trader joes and whole foods. Not sure about fresh market.

Hahahaha. Awesome. Any candies or cakes. Obv. cheese which is unfortunate bc I like it and don't like meat all that much. Basically any carbs actually except ak mak crackers. For all you cracker addicts try them bc they have more Protein and Fiber and low on cals and fill you up! Great with hummus and tuna or chicken salad.

I am 2 months out an still don't know when I'm full. I so know when I am stuffed!...It feels like the food is in my esophagus instead of my stomach. But I find even if I get that stuffed feeling I can still suck in my stomach...as opposed to pre surgery when stuffed meant I needed to unbutton my pants! I don't get a runny nose or anything. What is this sixth sense thing you got going on? Did you gather this magical power after measuring food for a while?

I have had IBS like symptoms for years but I am wondering if they are getting worse. I am 7 wks post op and go two days or so with no bowel movement then have a whole day of diarrhea. With the diarrhea I'm almost grateful bc at least i am not bloated anymore! Is this happening to anyone else? I am considering trying peppermint oil pills...anyone try this for IBS or severe heartburn? Other suggestions? I have been adding more fiber lately hoping that'll firm this sh*t up! Thanks, Courtney

I had awful pain for 2 days then moderate pain for about a week. The awful pain was like an 8 on the pain scale for me and was directly due to gas trapped under my clavicles and scapulas. Never thought air could hurt so bad. Required hydromirphone (heavy duty). But many have none or very little. I'd take a week of those pains again if it was that or no sleeve. So worth it!

I had a vodka cranberry last weekend and didn't get sick or even tipsy. It seems like some people get drunk faster and some ppl it isn't any different than before surgery. For me it's the latter...so unfortunately I'm not as cheap of a date as I wanted!

I don't know about you, but food has long been a best friend to me. When my "real" friends weren't available or when I just didn't want to bother them with why I was depressed/sad/lonely/stressed yet again...I could turn to food. Always there to support me, numb me out to all feelings, and help temporarily turn off those damn self-critical voices polluting my brain. I knew I had a lot of food head issues going into this surgery. Accordingly, I have been seeing a therapist for eight weeks, twice a week. I am now moving to once a week. I started at my therapist's office thinking we would work on behavioral changes...you know, distraction and healthy habits to avoid bingeing. What I've found is that we've barely talked about food at all. Instead, we speak about WHY I turn to food...you know, core issues and all. For me, it's about loneliness and self-criticism. I am, as most of us are, my own worst critic, and I exert so much energy trying to control how others perceive me that I'm left exhausted at the end of my day...and food is there to nurture me in a way I haven't been nurturing myself (and in a way I haven't let others nurture me either). Enough of my psychobabble. I really wanted to start this thread to offer a safe place to discuss the emotional toll food has taken on us. And a place to discuss how our disordered eating is really a parallell too, and extension of, or disordered thinking/feeling. And further, to offer each other support as we grieve the loss of our good friend, food. I grieved super hard core last Wednesday at my therapy appointment. I was a hot freaking mess, and my therapist was the one who pointed out it sounds like I'm grieving. And she was right! I was so upset because I was feeling isolated from my friends and family AND didn't have my comforting binge foods to soothe me either. So I had to soothe myself (read a book, took a hot shower, wrote down my feelings). How do you get through hard spots without food to lean on? Wishing you all a nurturing day and hope to hear how you have dealt with the loss of your old best friend. Courtney

Hi everyone! I had a nutritionist appointment last Thursday where she told me to increase my overall caloric intake and especially my carbs. I was one of those die hards staying between 20-50 carbs a day. She told me to not worry about it. To add fruits and veggies and some whole grains, too. She also told me to get my Protein but don't obsess over it. She claims I am healed and dont' need 100g protein a day... for such a shortie like me 50-60 is perfect she said. So happy to rid of those nasty protein shakes! Well, since doing this for four days, I'm happy to report I think she was right! I have dropped 3 pounds since Thursday...in the 170s woop woop!!! This could be a coincidence as I typically do lose in a stair-step fashion, but I don't think so. It's been fun to add in some blueberries and raspberries and peppers, onions, broccoli. Funny how I've been missing this healthy food more than chips and Cookies (don't get me wrong...some days I crave these too!). Anyway, thought I'd follow up from my Thursday post to let y'all know upping my cals and carbs helped. The lesson I learned, however, is to add variety to my diet and not obsess. This is a lifetime process, and it's crucial for me to develop a healthy, normal relationship with food now. I've spent so many years dealing with disordered eating, and I'm ready for food to just be food...nothing more or less. Courtney

Thought I'd start us out on this medical professionals group. I am a third year medical student and am resuming my clinical rotations a week from tomorrow. I am concerned come surgery as there are hours and hours in the OR without a break (meaning no Water or food!). Anyone have experience with this? I can kind of chug water, but not enough to get in my 64 ounces if I'm also not eating thirty minutes after meals and am in surgery for 10 hours a day or so. Anyone deal with this or a similar situation? courtney

I'm sorry you're struggling. I am not as far out as you, but I think I can still speak on this. It sounds like you never (or insufficiently) dealt with the emotional aspect of your weight. I think many of us enter into this surgery with a fantasy of looking great and believe that will translate into feeling great/stable physically, mentally, and emotionally. Unfortunately this philosophy doesn't work (and explains how I failed so many weight loss efforts in the past!). As much work as we put into improving our bodies, I think we have to put just as much or more work into our heads. I would recommend two things. 1) start with the basics. Visiting your nutritionist is good, but it sounds like you already know what's wrong (unhealthy habits)--back to basics of Protein and veggies and water/fluids. I think of this as our foundation. Track everything honestly and bring that in to the nutritionist. 2. I really think you could benefit from talking to someone about how you have slipped. Were you immersed back in your pre-WLS lifestyle? Going out to dinner a lot with friends? Has your stress level increased? Relationship or financial or family problems? Try to really look at why you're turning to food. Maybe you're one of those rare sleevers who truly just had bad habits with no emotional explanation for those habits...but I have yet to really meet someone who doesn't use food to handle a deeper issue. Maybe it's just me, but I know I didn't get here overeating at parties or having just a couple extra bites of food. I got here because I used food to cope, to fill a void within myself, to numb out the good and bad...i could go on. I didn't mean to preach. It's brave of you to share bc it's hard to admit when we are f***ing up! You are going through something I know i fear...slipping into bad habits. I hope you can settle back into focusing on why you did this to begin with and dealing with the head issues. Courtney

You look wonderful! I can totally tell the difference. You look fitter and firmer. Sporting yoru workout clothes also adds to that image! :-) keep it up!

Thanks! I'll look into the crystal lite naturals. Is stevia healthier than Splenda? I haven't done my research clearly. Never heard if Desani drops...what are they sweetened with? Thanks!

Yes. Both will cause your 'eating' hormones to be released. I try not to chew gum for this reason. I find it makes me hungrier and heartburn worse.

I am trying to cut out the fake sugar. It's hard considering plain Water makes me nauseated. This unfortunate effect is new since surgery and hopefully will abate as time passes Until then, are there any simple powders or on-the-go packets I can add to flavor my water that don't have aspartame or sucralose? Just squirting lemon has unfortunately not stopped the nausea so I'm hoping there's some miracle product or suggestion out there. Thanks for any advice! Courtney

Yowzer! Amazing. Not gonna lie you look stunning before, too. Cute dresses! Haha I'm starting to develop a girl crush on your style. I'm sure you just feel amazing. Congrats!

Exactly simplyjax! She said only do a Protein drink if I 'feel' I need it...so after workouts or if just not into eating that day. Variety variety variety! I equate it with working out...your body gets used to the same old things every day, so spice it up and keep it guessing with a varied diet! How liberating to not have to be a slave to protein and carb counting.