Teachamy

Most people complain of a "stall" 3-4 weeks post-op. Your body is getting used to the changes and the trauma it has experienced. As everyone just said, if you stick to your plan, the weight will come off. If stepping on the scale is making you crazy, stay OFF it! I weighed once every 2ish weeks only at my bariatric center. If I owned a scale, I'd get on it several times a day and go bananas.

Breathe. You got this!

Tell your WL center this. They'll probably say you'll get used to it so they can profit, but any "Complete" Multivitamin regimen would probably suffice.

Good luck! Tufts is a great choice!

Ditto. Good luck!

My mom is the only one who ever expressed she worried I would keep losing. My body seems happy where I am, so I don't seem to fluctuate, whether I take in 700 or 1200 calories. I have a dietician who is more of a therapist. She's also a Certified Diabetes Educator, so she has worked with me fore 12 years. I see her frequently, email her with questions, and trust her judgment. Months ago she asked me my goal weight, and I said I was shooting for 130-135. She looked me in the eye and said, "Hear me tell you that 155 is a good weight for you." When I protested, she repeated that line. And now I see, she may be right? We are working on a diet that will help me maintain in the 145-152 range. Even in maintenance, we may fluctuate.

My advice is: Find a medical provider/therapist to talk through this with. All of it. It may help!

Good luck!
Amy

I have asthma too, and had been on prednisone on and off in recent years until I was put on the proper control meds. I fully believe that prednisone, although a necessary evil, changes our bodies far more than "an increased appetite and minor weight gain". I have vowed to avoid it as much as possible from now on. Good luck with your surgery. I hope it brings you wonderful health gains!

Found this online...

One nutritional ramification of bariatric surgery can be Lactose Intolerance. After bariatric surgery, dairy products can move too quickly from the stomach to the small intestine potentially resulting in gas, bloating and/or cramps.

Makes sense!

Hi all,

So lately I have been experiencing the tummy aches that are fairly common for me with increasing frequency. I have always had mild lactose issues, and I was diagnosed with Celiac 7 yrs. ago. Lately I've been wondering if my lactose intolerance has become more "intolerant" when a literally gut-wrenching tummy ache hits and I know gluten contamination is not the culprit. I am going to pick up some lactaid soon, just wondering if this has happened to anyone else post-op.

Many thanks!

Good for you for giving yourself time to heal! And have fun! (Once week 1 is over, that is...)

I think sometimes the trauma our bodies experience during surgery can set off a latent issue that would have come to light eventually. Once you get your thyroid meds at the right level, you will feel much better.

I had a couple of cups of it a few times after the healing period. (3 mos.) It caused no digestion issues. Empty carbs, it's true, but lots of fiber!

My dietician said at 12 weeks I could start coffee again. I gave up and started drinking it at 6 weeks. No problems, and the best cup of coffee ever!

Left shoulder pain I think could also be a sign of a leak. Please call your doctor and just let them know what's going on.

It usually means gas shortly after surgery, and is very common.

I felt it in my left clavicle. I put a heating pad on it and reclined in the recliner rather than bed. That made it possible to sleep. Others have said walking around (which no one wants to do at 3:00 AM) and taking Gas X helps. It will pass!

Patience, love. I had those food dreams early on too. Give it a few weeks. You'll be chewing food again soon!

You catch your own reflection in a store window and can't believe how great you look!

I was diagnosed with Celiac about 6 years ago. An upper-endoscopy can show if you have damage caused by Celiac. I would ask your doc to be specific about how he diagnosed your "sensitivity". It can show up on a blood test, but an upper endoscopy is typically done in this instance. You should continue to eat normally if you are planning to have an endoscopy.

If you are moving to a gluten free diet, you must avoid wheat, barley, rye, and any oats not specifically labeled gluten free. As it is important to stay away from processed food anyway, I would highly recommend staying away from gluten-free processed foods. (Chips, crackers, pastas, etc.) Gluten free products are typically milled with rice flour. High calorie, high carb, a no-no for a health conscious eater. Eat fresh foods. And look for Protein supplements labeled gluten-free. I have found most of the shakes are gluten free.

Hope this helps!

My Fitness Pal is the best way. You can mention restaurants, generic, or name-brand foods and they have the info. there. Just make sure to get a good food scale and measuring cups and spoons and use them. Don't "eye-ball" the quantity.

I never had a stall until the very end of this journey. (My medical folks are telling me I'm done losing weight.) What's my secret? I only would weigh once every 2.5 weeks. That way, I only saw major losses, no stalls. Good luck!

Saw my Dietician and CDE (of 12 yrs.) yesterday. As always, she gave excellent advice. That it is now the time to accept that there are times food will be "boring"--it's not entertainment--it's fuel. There are some staples I will get sick of from time to time, (yogurt, string cheese) but overall, I should plan my meals and Snacks for the week and get on with it. She told me to talk to a few people who have never had weight issues and notice that many of them eat the same things/quantities every day. That is true of my mom and vegan sister-in-law.

I feel a lot better.

Thanks for your many words of advice!

I wasn't a fan personally, but I am sure it depends on the management of the individual franchise. Mine had a lot of 19 year olds standing around in their sports-bras, texting behind the desk. I didn't enjoy waiting for machines or the time-limits placed on them. They didn't have classes when I joined, but again, I'm sure that differs from franchise to franchise. The good side is that they are inexpensive, and they will show you around the machines and set up a program for you.

Great post! Thank you for sharing your insight. I know exactly how you feel about how you view the "real you" at your normal weight. My old friends and family told me "you look like the old Amy" when I lost my weight. People who never knew me thin said"you look so different." It was odd for me to hear. Inside, I always felt of myself at my healthy weight.

Now that I have lost my weight, I have learned to strut a little bit better. I give a lot of details about the process to my friends when they ask about it. When others ask how much I've lost I say, "I've lost a lot." I also try to answer their "outward appearance comments" by talking about my health improvements.

I figure it's my story to tell. And I figure as time goes on, they'll get over it.

No, I'm not a slow cooker. I am sticking to what appeals to me for now. My sister-in-law (vegan superstar) gave me a new Protein powder to try with my almond milk--so that's next on my list of "I'll give it a shot". Quest bars make me happy, so I'll pick up a few more of those to keep on hand. Tonight I baked some haddock, potato and corn on the cob. (Ate about an ounce of fish and potato--will save the corn for tomorrow.) Thanks for your ideas. 8 mos. out and this was my first "RANT". Not bad.

And umm..btw...the "green slime" comment was my attempt at humor. Epic fail.

UPDATE: I wasn't in a donut mood today. In fact, all I managed to eat this morning was half a yogurt.No morning snack either, so by lunch I was pretty hungry. I went for one of my pre-sleeve favorites. Grilled salmon & avocado brown rice roll from Whole Foods. It was AWESOME!!! I managed to eat 4, but next time I know 3 will be more than enough. 30 g. of carb, just under 200 calories. Sleeve is happy. I am less bored. (And btw, I used to be able to eat 2 containers of these rolls in 1 sitting, today I ate half and gave the rest to my 8 yr. old.)

Now we'll see what 30 g. of brown rice will do to my blood sugar.

Back to being a good kid.

@@Teachamy when I have a moment of weakness, I try to do a lot of self talk: "You already know what that tastes like." or "That sugar is going to give you a headache later." It works a lot of the time (not always!).

Obviously what you're doing is working for you...why mess it up?!

I won't mess it up, that's the point! A goody-two-shoes to a fault and it gets a little boring...