Mickeydies

I really don't miss a lot of the foods I used to eat. I came out of surgery with a hate for certain foods I used to love. I can't stand the taste of chocolate much, sodas of any kind, and even Water tastes still like it does when a person is sick. But there is lemon water, and the liquid diet orange koolaid to shoot into the water. I have found a serious craving for fresh anything, veggies, fruits, meats, what we are supposed to eat. I've hit pause, and have been hovering for a couple of weeks weight wise, but my close are still growing on me, so my body I guess is just doing a catch up. Yes, I wish I could have done it on my own, BUT, with all the prednisone, and weight gain, and inabilty to lose, I decided to nip in in the bud. Has it been rough, heck yeah, just had gall bladder surgery, so 2 surgeries in 3 months...but most of my pain(Back, knees, feet, shoulders) is gone with the 82 lbs I've lost, and I can keep up with anyone now. PLUS, I'm going to be a grandmother for the first time in February, and my grandkid is going to have a Grandma DD that can do the fun things with...which is far more important than any food I may miss out on. I do love having 6 meals a day and knowing if I get full before the apetite runs out, I just have to wait 3 hours, and I can eat again, and shrink, shrink shrink!

I replied absolutely before, and now that I am down 82 lbs, absolutely again! I did have to go ahead and have my gall bladder out July 3rd, and that has resolved the pain issue I had when I eat anything, so my stamina is down a bit with the two surgeries. But it's building back fast. I wish this had been an option 15 years ago.

I understand that, I had a 2 day bout of OMG, what the hell have I done, I've cut my Blanking stomach out. It happened about 10 days after surgery for me. I'd been confidently preparing for 8 months to get it done, then, holy cow, and liquids were awful, water tasted like crud, and I thought well, this is it. Lasted about 2 days, and it was over. Thing is, my doctor said I might face a little depression, but woah, that episode, unreal. Hasn't happened since. But remember, your body has been thrown into a major change mode here. You won't regret it later. Once you get to feeling better, this will pass as well, but you should probably contact your doctor and get some help for the nausea, not to mention some comfort from your doctor that this will pass, and not only will you survive, you will thrive! Good luck, I'll be praying for you and checking back to see how you are doing.

Have you had any metabolic or endocrine studies done? I found out 40 years ago, I have no thyroid, so without the supplement that I have been taking for my whole life, I wouldn't have lost the weight well either. It wasn't what got me or kept me fat, or kept me from losing. I have had it monitored every 6 months for 40 years. Even with that, I could pack the food in. But, when I was trying to lose my 6 months requirement of 26 lbs, it was agonizingly slow, even with exercise. It took this surgery, and once again another medication adjustment to make sure my metabolic rate stays normal.

yeah, I was public about it from the moment I decided to have the surgery. I am always ready to help anyone who needs it. It's hard sometimes when people aren't ready to hear it. There are a few here at work, they are in need of the help, but aren't ready. They know I had the surgery. They kind of give me a smile and a nod when they hear how I lost it, but they aren't ready to make that choice. So, they know I am here, and I'll let them start the conversation now when they are ready.

I lost 9 pounds the 3 weeks before surgery on the pre-op diet. No problem though, cause the surgery had already been approved, and I felt better that I had lost those lbs before the surgery. Kind of told me I could do it.

I can stand sweet and sugary any more, robs me of the energy. Perhaps you need to go see the doctor about your blood sugar, that could be giving you the problem.

I started using a nice lotion called Cera Ve, it has really helped with the moisture issues I started having with my skin, it contains natural ceramides, like our skins produce, and it's not greasy, but helps me look healthier. As for dark circles, I assume you are getting enough rest, and your nutrition is still good, getting lots of protein? My circles are better since surgery, cause I am sleeping better...probably because I no longer have a large late night meal to digest.

EXACTLY, my nutritionist said that even at 800 calories a day, and getting the proper protein, by having the surgery, you have still put your body into a starvation state. It's physically impossible for us to eat much more than that, if eating extremely low carb, and so the body has no choice but to use it's reserves. Which is why the nutrition is so critical. I still can't eat much over 2 ounces at a time, so I make sure to drink at least 30 grams of protein a day, and just trying to get the nutritional requirements uses all the alloted calories. BTW, I am really enjoying your posts. I am learning a tremendous amount from you.

I am excited for you as well. It's been a total game changer, life changer for me, and I'd do this again in a heartbeat.

NeverBeTheSameAgain, on May 24, 2013 - 11:16 AM, said: So heres 2 u food from an OLD friend!!!!! YOU GO GIRL!!! WE ARE ALL HERE STILL, AND WE ARE ROUTING FOR YOU!!!!!

Clear liquds you can see through, full liquids you can't. I only had to have clear liquids until day after surgery when I had my leak test. And I find that water after surgery was gross. Make your liquids the strength that tastes good and doesn't make you queasy. sugar free Popsicles were great for me on that. Everyone responds differently, so just use your good judgement to the liquids you like, and go down easy. Don't forget your Protein. I liked fudgescicles, popsicles, and a good lemonade fresh squeezed with splenda is nice. I found frozen yogurt to be good for queasy as well. I'd get a No Sugar Added from TCBY and take home, and have a couple ounces when I needed to quell and just taste something normal. I am now on any foods I can tolerate, and I once couldn't wait to get to this spot, but all along the way, and still I go to liquids and softs a lot easier than other foods. I still have one meal that is a Protein shake a day.

I know about the retrain the brain. I stated a month ago, the biggest thing, is we had surgery on our stomachs, but not our eyes and brain, they still see and calculate the same. As for being stopped in your tracks, you hit that on the head. As soon as I feel the smallest pressure I stop. One more bite, and it want to revisit. My husband the other day wanted me to try some of his food, and I was already full. He said oh, try one bite...I said I had to wait about 3 or 4 hours before my stomach would let me. He was astounded by the fact that 2 months out, I can still only eat 2 ounces...what did he think, it would grow right back to original size. His brain and eyes see things the way ours did. You are right, we are truly retraining our brains and eyes. I looked at this surgery as my insurance policy for weight loss. I am now physically incapable of over-eating.

I do a lot of liquids and soft food too. Lots easier to digest. BTW, I can't wait for June, I will have a bumper crop of blackberries. Grow em, eat em right off the vines.!