Teachamy

Stress affects our bodies in a million different ways, so yes, I'm sure it could affect weight loss. Focus on protein and you'll start losing again, although I'm sure this is getting a little agonizing! Good luck!

I wasn't gassy after surgery at all. In fact, I didn't recognize the shoulder pain until a few days out. (My clavicle ached in the evenings.) I agree with the response above. Walk around as much as you can. It helps gas and prevents blood clots. Good luck! I'm sure it will feel great to get home!

OOPS! Just read all 3 pages, and I can see it did! Good for you! And you're right. It gets better everyday.

Hope all went well!

Sorry you're still having trouble! I agree with the above post that you should focus on liquids right now. 5 days out means nothing will feel good. You haven't had time to heal at all yet. Give it a week or 2, and beans will be just fine.

I boiled the hell outta some broccoli, and thought that would do the trick. Sadly, it came back to haunt me, and I spent much of the next day in the bathroom. Otherwise, I have learned that stuffing in that extra bite or 2, despite what your sleeve is telling you means immediate regurgitation for me. On a less gross note, most foods sit just fine with me.

You're the cutest little thing! A model for WLS! Congratulations!

I assured them that everything would be fine.( they are 6 and 8) I also set them up for the 3 days of school they would have while I was away. I laid out their outfits for the 3 days, I prepared their school Snacks, I showed my DH how to brush our daughter's hair, and I explained to them how Daddy would pick them up from school, cook dinner, and take good care of them. As far as the surgery goes, I spared them a lot of details, and tried to remain very matter-of-fact in front of them. (I kept my anxiety to myself) The best thing you can do is stress to your kids that everything will be fine. (And try to tell this to yourself too!) And kids are naturally very concerned about how your absence will affect life at home. Try to make this as stress-free for them as possible by setting up in advance what you typically do for them. It helps calm their fears. Best, Amy

Mean. You have obviously been taking care of yourself! I am outraged! After all the wonderful advice you give us all here on this page! Maybe you should counsel her about her own insecurities and the fact that taking care of oneself entails not scaling rooftops in the middle of winter!

Week 6 for my program is soft foods. All meat/fish needs to be moist. Chili is good, soup is somewhat difficult to eat. (Soft foods and broth at the same time is like drinking while you eat.) The most I can eat at one time is a half cup. (Tonight I ate 3 homemade bison meatballs. I tied to do 4, but couldn't do it.) You also won't be able to skip meals to save room. It doesn't work that way. I agree with the spa day idea! Ooh. A nice massage, a facial, mani/pedis--something not focused on food. What a treat! Good Luck and happy (early) birthday! Amy

I have read various times on this forum that hormonal changes can affect mood and cause depression. Although I am not depressed, I have noticed a change in my emotions that I don't necessarily attribute to hormones. It's more like my senses are heightened. My sense of smell in particular is much stronger than it used to be, as is my empathy for everyone and everything, even fiction! For example, I tried to watch "The Joy Luck Club" last night, a movie I used to enjoy while I stuffed my face and stifled my emotions. Movies make me cry too readily these days--I am no longer using food as therapy, and I think that's why. Heck, even commercials make me teary these days. Has anyone else experienced these changes after surgery? Amy

I have just about every co-morbidity on the list, most caused by metabolic syndrome and auto-immune disease. SO...I told them I was having surgery to combat my wacky immune system. Most have commented on my weight loss (I haven't weighed myself lately) and I explain that the weight loss is helping reset my metabolism and deal with the gut hormones, which it is hypothesized is responsible for most autoimmune issues. I give the whole story to those who won't judge, but will also spread the word in the staff room so I won't have to! There is a stigma about WLS no matter how much we benefit. We just have to accept it was the best choice we could make for ourselves--and they are all pea green with envy!

I am not going near soda ever again. Too afraid I will stretch my sleeve. I do miss seltzer though. I had to break that habit about a month before my surgery. I guess I'll switch to iced tea when we go out to dinner.

It was 19 days from my date of surgery to the time I returned to work. I am a teacher and I timed it so I would only miss 4 days of the school, and then we had 2 weeks of vacation. I needed all the time I got and still find i get pretty tired around 12:00 every day. I spent most of those 19 days napping and doing my walks around the house. It was biting cold here at the time, so I rarely changed out of my fuzzy jammies or left the house!

Yay! Happy for you!

Wow! You look fabulous! Congratulations!

I am still at the 500-800 calorie target, and sometimes I worry when I get just over 700. When I first started this diet, I thought it felt a little like forced anorexia, but now that I am used to it, I am fine with the amount of food I am getting. I do know how you feel though, we go from feeling guilty about the calories we ate that made us obese to the calories we eat that will help with our weight loss. Have you consulted a trainer at your gym? They may be able to help you process the intake of calories versus the exercise you do. Sometimes getting that info. from several different sources helps me internalize it. Best of luck! Amy

That must feel awesome! Congratulations!

I do! Can't wait to start 'shopping"! I have organized everything by size already! Right now, a very sturdy belt has helped me out a lot!

The most difficult thing I experienced after surgery was nausea, nausea, nausea. But it only lasted a few days, and once it was gone, I started to feel the benefits. Weight loss, amazing blood sugar levels, cutting down on some of my other meds. Life is good!

Our manual says 20-30 minutes. They want you to avoid "grazing" behavior, that is, even sleeved we can eat too many calories if we eat all day long.

Yes, ketosis causes bad breath, but I've never heard of it affecting body odor.

Is this smell new? Could it be a fungus or mold type smell because of wetness under the excessive skin? Might be something to discuss with your doctor. I am so sorry you are going through this! Hope you figure out the problem. Amy

I used to finish dinner and snack until bedtime. Now I like to see "snack" as a noun, not a verb! It is freeing to be able to break the old starch habit. I feel physically better and that makes a difference in how I work, parent, and live life! So glad I was sleeved!

Chili works well for me, as well as ground turkey in spaghetti sauce. I love cottage cheese, and have some everyday, which is helpful. I also find string cheese goes down pretty easily. 99% of the time I can eat an entire scrambled egg. And I love Amy's Sonoma veggie burgers with a little salsa put on top. (Of course, I can only eat half of one, and I need to put unflavored protein powder under the salsa to get any decent protein.) Best, Amy