I had a stall. About a 2 weeks ago.. stayed the same for about 10 days.. that's ok.. I stepped up my exercise.. I have a Fitbit, that was a great investment:) keeps me moving. If you don't have one I would definitely suggest picking one up! Now my scale is on the move again. I hit my first goal.. u see 200 pounds;) first time in 7 years:)
My experience, no it's not the same... after surgery I wasn't hungry at all. A few teaspoons of Soup ( when I was allowed) filled me up... wasn't hard to lose the weight. Everyday my scale moved.. please stay strong. It's so worth it. Trust me you can do it. I didn't cheat once. I say that to give you strength. You will be so proud of yourself.
I use Isopure with coffee flavor first thing in the morning and love it.
Edit: To be clear, I don't mix Isopure with coffee. I drink coffee-flavored Isopure with Water. Two scoops in a large shaker bottle.
I'm so excited yesterday I paid my deposit and booked my tickets to get surgery done in Mexico. In 12 weeks I will be on the losers bench (May 18th). I wish I could go sooner (because 3 months is soooooo long lol) but because of work and not knowing how long it will take to get my passport when I go tomorrow (not going to pay to expedite it) I decided May was best. I had so much anxiety picking flights/airlines and I'm praying seats near me don't fill up. I don't want to cause anyone and discomfort sitting next to me. I travel often for work but it's on smaller planes around Alaska often with open seating so I don't get as anxious. I'm trying not to focus on that much and it's working (until the day I have to fly out) because I am so excited right now about surgery and hoping the next couple of months go fast!!! Whew feels good to be excited and be able to tell people who get it!
I had my surgery on December 6th.
Almost 3 months ago.. I've lost 53 pounds already. I feel amazing! It is hands down the best thing I have ever done for myself!! I feel like a new person. Anyone having second thoughts and wants to ask me any questions please don't hesitate!
HW: 250 SW: 238 CW: 197
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It's not a dumb question, walklady. (I had to look it up to find out what it meant) EGD stands for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy. It is a test to examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine.
Technically what you did isn't 'cheating'. It is stressing your body. The meal plans are not dietary advice, they are post operative instructions. Your stomach, while tough, is still healing. It was 'cut in half' and the cut edge is being held together by 3 rows of staples. There's no need to irritate that edge by eating stuff that could force the stomach to do extra work.
The fact is that even if you damaged something, you will likely not feel anything immediately . Your stomach has suffered major trauma in the form of surgery and it is still healing so it may not transmit signals properly for a while.
Don't do it again. Complications are expensive.. (if you survive).
Was supposed to have surgery on Tuesday. Got canceled. Postponed till march 3rd now moved up to TOMORROW!! In exactly 24 hours I will be where I want to be and I couldn't be happier!! Yes yes yes yes!! I have emotional whiplash from being approved to canceled to hopeless to excited but I'm forsure ready!! Wish me luck!!
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First, I suggest you watch this video. This surgeon basically says you can't stretch your sleeve.
Second, you can get back on track. A mistake won't undo a year of losing over ONE HUNDRED POUNDS! That is a ton of weight!!!! You should be so proud!! That is a wonderful achievement!! Now use that pride to get yourself back on track and remind yourself why you did this surgery in the first place. You can do it!!!!!
These posts will come in handy. I am on day five of the preop diet. I am consuming about 60 to 80 (Premier Protein) grams of Protein per day and nothing but liquid. This morning the Constipation was hell! Never had anything like this. I am starting Benefiber and stool softener today. I am so glad we have this site to share and thankful to you all. Surgery is next week and I am happy I found out about this before surgery.
DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.
How do I embed the weight loss ticker? Click on the liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein Drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, Decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc…
When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:
Day 1-7 Clear Liquids
Day 8-14 Full liquids
Day 15-21 Purees
Day 22-50 Mushies
What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.< /p>
Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.
How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.
How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz
When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.
Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.
What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)
How long will my surgery last? Typically about 45mins assuming there are no complications or other procedures (ie: hernia repairs) being done at the time of your surgery. Every surgeon is different so for a more accurate answer you should consult your respective surgeon.
Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.
What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.
What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.
What do all these acronyms mean?
In no particular order:
WLS – Weight Loss Surgery
NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)
NUT – Nutritionist
PCP – Primary Care Physician
VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
TOM – Time of the Month
SF – Sugar Free
WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner
How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.
What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.
When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.
When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.
What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.
Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.
I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.
I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.
Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.
When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.
How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.
Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.
Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.
What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.
What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.
Congrats on getting your surgery date!!! Isnt it exciting? I was counting the days for mine. I hated the 2 weeks pre-op liquid diet. I bought Biotene spray for the dry mouth. It helped alot!!! Just make sure you dont swallow it until after the sip test. For BM i bought Fiber gummies. I'm sure they have the powder for Water. It helped alot as well. I also took Gas-X strips for my hospital stay but I didnt use them because I had no gas pain. Anyways good luck!!!
I am having my surgery on Jan 30th and I want to be prepared with what I will need for dry lips , dry skin and possible issues with bowel movements. I'm sure my surgeon will tell me but I would just like to see what others have used . Thank you
Jessica
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I tell you what..I was getting ready to ask what people used when I saw your post. I haVE IBS and just Protein is killing me..I'm taking benefiber and softeners already..Calm at bedtime not much help..I'm going to look for the squatty potty now..something has to give..lol
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If you suffer from Constipation like I do (I'm 2 months post op), may I suggest taking a stool softener every day, Benefiber with your fluids, and a SQUATTY POTTY! The squatty potty has literally changed my life in the matter of a couple of days!
"We're On This Journey Together!"
I start my liquid diet tomorrow. Cold Turkey too. I was set for surgery March 9th so I was starting liquids on the 23rd. Well this morning I received the call that my surgery was moved up a week. Now liquids start tomorrow! I am so ready to get this going. Best of luck to all of us.
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