Madam Reverie

Okay, so, we're rapidly approaching week 7 post op and I am having issues. Not ever being full for long enough. Now, I know that if you eat carbs, it makes you want more and yes, I have been in social/life situations over the last two weeks or so which have necessitated a few white lies to cover why I was avoiding the mash potato in its mountainous glory or the pile of fluffy white bread like the plague. Which, if you're of Irish lineage and in Ireland, is verging on the impossible to do... However, I was told by my nutritionist that by week 7, I should be eating three square meals and snacking on only yoghurt, nuts and fruit in between. I was also informed that I should be eating my meals within 20 minutes and not drinking before or after the food. Lovely in its idealism, but frankly, it's just not working. I am hungry. It is true. Exactly 2-2.5 hours after consuming my meal - I AM hungry. And for the record, it's not indigestion. Can someone please tell me of any wondrous ideas as to how I am supposed to eat and not be hungry so quickly afterwards? I have no idea the volume I'm consuming in ounces or anything. I eat until I'm full and stop happily - because I don't want the discomfort. So, we're talking between 4-8 tablespoons of food. Approaching a third of a side plate full. However, irrespective of cramming in the Protein and veg, exactly 2.5 hours later, my energy levels collapse and I'm a dozy, glassy-eyed incompetent (some might say this is a permanent disposition). But seriously, 6 small meals a day work better for me than three main meals - because I simply can't take enough food in to sustain me. Which, and I am ashamed to say it, is why whilst out and about, I have eaten some convenience foods like wraps and sandwiches..... All of this appears to be placing me in the 'grazing' category (note: I don't graze on junk) and as my scale has moved by but 1.5lbs since week 4 (bouncing up and down by 1lb in the meantime), I am starting to get concerned... Any suggestions for this predicament would be greatly appreciated. Kinda feeling a bit miffed with it all - particularly as my nutritionist during our recent discourse offered no solution other than 'dried nuts and fruit' and kept uttering 'hmm... most unusual'.....

Thank you, Cheri. Glad you can see the value in it x

I've just ordered a ham and pineapple pizza and chicken tenders from Domino's. The human dustbin that is sat next to me will be consuming most of it, but i shall thoroughly enjoy the 6 bites of quality saturated fat I'm going to get in whilst watching Star Wars. Happy Saturdays. Huzzah!

You're doing great. Hang on in there and enjoy the broth!

It's fish oil - effectively. So, cod liver and other fish oil tablets/liquid. If you're hard core, you can take the liquid straight (however, i wouldn't do this unless it has a strong flavour in it, like orange, to mask the gross taste). Texture is bad, too, because it's oil you're having to swallow. If you can swallow tablets well, I'd do it that way. It's great stuff. Awful to taste, but very very good for you. Alternatively, eat waaaay more good quality fish.

Thanks, folks. x NMJG, reflux not too bad now, thank you. Still have to be careful - not eating/drinking before bed, being careful with what I eat, sleeping upright, etc.. But it is definitely improving! I might not have this forever after all Yay!

How much are you eating? Are you eating regularly enough? I find if I don't eat every 2.5 hours, I'm the same way. I'd introduce a small amount of trail mix to chomp on.. Good quality, low GI, blood sugar stabilising stuff.

Get some Omega 3 in you...

The type of dance which accompanied the revelation

Today, with my hair all messy and a cup of coffee in hand, my scale said the following: 99.9kgs Oh yes indeedy. That is NOT over 100 kilos and NOT in the 3 digits any more. Yipppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Allegedly and according to my Nutritionist, 7-10 day stall is totally normal at the 3-5 week stage. Mine lasted 2.5 weeks. Bounced around .02 and .07 of a kilo repeatedly. Don't freak.. Your break will come..

I'dve replied 'Did you really intend to put your make-up on like that today? Yes? Really? Well, there you go. A valuable lesson on 'intent' then, Coco.'

Too right.... I'm finding this all largely based on guess work... Consequently, I'm thinking; if I eat little during the day, am I okay to eat properly (or more substantially) at night? Is it anything carb related that makes me sleepy? Or is it the quantity? I shall certainly be asking for some definites from the professional on the 28th. We were told 'don't focus on calories - focus on protein'.. Well, what if that 'focus' is a veritable mountain of Protein through the afternoon and evening?! Oh, I give up!

I have no idea.. But as it stands, I can eat every 2.5 hours.. and feel it if I don't. This is not head-hunger. This is running around and then wooosh, the batteries run flat. Like seriously flat. I am seeing my nutritionist on the 28th, so I hope he can come up with something. I have not been sick once since surgery. Have had a couple of mouthfuls get stuck because I didn't chew it well enough; but I've not 'pushed it' and had an adverse reaction. Consequently, I wonder when it comes to the evening 'when is full, actually full?' Seems like a silly question, but I do worry that I am stretching my sleeve...

I did have a sizeable dinner.. I am only 4.5 weeks out and during the day I can eat little. During the evening, the capacity seems to increase. This capacity worries me...

Hmm.. you may be onto something there.. I have IBS and have always know that bread is not always good for me. Thing is, I can't imagine life without bread. Its my most favourite thing in the world

It is weird.. During the day I'm fine, but the moment I have my dinner I just cannot stay awake. I literally spin out and pass out. 30 minutes sleep and I'm good to go, however I don't want this to be the state of play for the rest of my days. Can you imagine it?! You go out for dinner with friends and you promptly want to pass out face down into your dinner plate?! It's like I've reached my dotage. Blue plate specials because I have to be in bed by 19:30hrs... Not groovy!

I, personally, have never wanted to be looked at/pitied/observed/cross-examined/analysed/evaluated/held up as some sort of bariatric circus freak or wheeled out as the novel conversation topic du jour (however 'well' intentioned). Which is why, only two people in my world know what I've done - my fiance and I. My sparkling personality <coughs> is enough to raise peoples interests levels in me, all by itself. I, personally, do not need a badge that says 'I am now officially 'interesting', because I've mutilated my body, of which I now offer up to you all as part of my identity for your consumption, titillating dissection and ultimate judgement.' Its everyones own path to choose. As LV says, there's no right or wrong approach - each to their own. If you need to talk about it with people in your sphere - then that's cool and i totally understand it. As for spreading it to the four winds? Hell no. I'm pretty good at keeping my own counsel and will subsequently keep it that way.

Tonight and for the first time in, ooh, 8 months, I had a spoonful of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, with three mini Amaretti biscuits. I must say, I nearly passed out with the level of unadulterated pleasure it brought me... Feeling guilty? HELL NO!!!!!

You got in there before I did! Drat and double drat!

'You can have a million dollars.. I have 200 million in an offshore account.. sadly, I need $350 dollars to process the paperwork to receive the money. If you send that to my bank account, I will send you a million dollars on release of the funds.' ........ Gotta love the 419......

Are you serious?! Oh no! I wish I hadn't reported it now.. I could've have some serious fun! BOOOO!

Anyone else received a dodgy email today like the below, requesting that you respond to someone offline and with your private email address? "hello dear, my Name is miss ******* i am here to seek for your friendship please contact me to tell you more about me (*********@yahoo.com)please my good lovely friend do not contact me in this site try to contact me in my privet Email id with your own contact Email address," If you have, I wouldn't respond to it. I disliked the look of it so much, I reported it. Looks decidedly like an intro to email hacking/scamming/419 fraud. Revs x

I was told by my nutritionist.. 'you would really have to go some to stretch your stomach to its original size and regain all your weight'. As for my surgeon - he said 'yes, there is flexibility in the organ (that is what the stomach is designed to do) so if you overeat every day, you will, over time, stretch it out a bit. Conversely, if you eat little, it will shrink.' Consequently.. and my advice? Listen to your pouch and when it says stop - stop. Asking for absolutes on the 'average stretch of a pouch', is, although i'm sure that this is not your intention, like asking 'how much to the millimeter of alcohol can I consume before i can't drive a car'. There are guidelines provided us, based on average consumption levels and associated performance. Some people can drink more and process it more quickly, like some people can eat more and process it more effectively. Asking for any further specificity than that, is pretty futile. Only you know what your stomach tells you in comparison to the guidelines offered you. None of us know exactly the amount we can eat - because each food type has a different effect on us and this also changes day by day. For example, some days I can eat bread and some days, I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty spoon than put bread in my belly. I just eat what I fancy and stop when I feel a fullness below my sternum. That feeling that if I ate another mouthful, it'd be up into my esophagus. That's the only gauge I know and that's all I have to go by. Best of luck in finding yours and being comfortable with it. More importantly; try not to freak out. You're not going to put all your weight back on overnight and if the scales do start going the other way, you know what you have to do.

You go girl!