WhoKnows

Including the pre-op diet, I've been losing for about a month now, so we're at different points in the process, but already to a certain extent I'd agree with you. It's not that I'm not happy to see the scale move, but I also feel secure enough in the process, that even though I'm losing more slowly than other people, I'm not discouraged. The flip side of that is that when the scale does move, it's nice, but not a big deal. Just part of the big picture.

Are you tracking your macronutrients? If you're low on fat for the day, then go ahead and have some avocado, like cut up in a salad or something. But if you've already had enough (healthy!) fats, then skip it. I don't think it's forbidden (I know I ate it pre-op), but it should fit into your overall meal plan for the day. Also, if you're making some kind of lettuce wrap, I think a bit of homemade guacamole smeared in there is a wonderful substitute for mayo. It's just about the amount and the overall nutritional picture for the day. Regarding tracing, I really like cron-o-meter because it gives you a very detailed nutritional report (macro and micro) all on one page, so you can look at your nutrition for the day or week and see what you still need more of.

I'm two and a half weeks post op. I'm doing well on fluids and I can move ok, but due to what I believe is a muscle pull near my belly button, I don't get out and just walk and walk the way others do yet, since it still really hurts if I move the wrong way. I'm probably just fretting over nothing, but I'm terrified about DVT/blood clots. I didn't receive any shots to give myself at home and I'm all alone until Monday night when my roommate comes back from a trip. My partner also just deployed for the first time the other day, so I suppose my emotional state is a bit fragile. Why am I so worried about this? I mean, the chances of getting DVT or an embolism or something are really slim, right? Ugh, I just wanna feel normal again!

I'm gonna get back out tomorrow. I have some documents I need to scan and since we don't have a scanner, I'll walk to the internet cafe to do that. I'll also bring some glass to be recycled. I mean, I have been moving. Just not the long long walks a lot of other people seem to do every day, and today was more of a bust than usual in that respect. And I just get so paranoid about DVT. But at least I'm well hydrated and I'm not on hormonal birth control, so that's something.

I know you're right. I mean, I do get out. I just had a lot of stuff to do today at home though, and didn't leave the house even though I know I should have. I paced around while I made phone calls, but when I'm stressed and alone, I tend towards hypochondria. Does anyone know how common DVT actually is?

Everyone has lost so much since surgery. I've only lost 11 pounds and the scale hasn't moved in four days. I trust the process and I'm getting all my fluid and about 70g of protein a day, but I just hope I'm not one of those really slow losers...

I agree with @blondiebabs. Therapy sounds like a must, probably both together and separately. Maybe if you can get him to your next appointment, your surgeon or nutritionist can help push in this direction as well. You say it will work out if you're both willing to change and compromise, but right now it doesn't sound like he is.

He's gonna do what he's gonna do, but you need to look out for number one, and if he's standing in your way and won't even talk about it, then that's a problem and you have to find a way of dealing with it. Also, why on earth does he expect you to cook? It's not 1954; he should be capable of scrambling an egg.

If the UTI got to your kidneys, could that have been it?

I've been a bit fuzzy, but mostly I've been having trouble getting motivated. I timed my surgery so I could take a week and half off from uni, follow by our week long spring break. I'll be back in class next week (as a student and as a teaching assistant) and now I need to start doing work to prepare, but I'm finding it really hard. I keep losing track while I'm reading and I haven't even been able to think about working on any of the papers I have to write. I'm just hoping this clears up in time for me to get the preparations done over the summer in order for me to write my thesis in the fall...

That sounds like maybe something nerve related (which could be B12 related), so yeah, you should see someone as soon as you can! Even if it's just a pinched nerve or something, you want to know!

@@lylabelle, is that 20-30 pound average including the weight dropped in the pre-op diet, or is that just the weight off in the first month post-op?

The water thing doesn't sound too far off, but the blood sounds problematic. Is it coming from the front door or the back?

I've told people I've cut out sugar and starches, and therefore am eating mostly at home, since being a vegetarian, this greatly restricts the kinds of things I can find in restaurants. But I've also said that I still wanna socialize and they shouldn't feel weird eating around me. It's been fine so far. I also just get soup or tea or coffee or something (my surgeon said coffee is fine, but I know that's not the case for everyone).

So, before surgery, I was a really fast eater. Slowing down has been tough for me, but I've been working on it. And here's how I've been helping myself to eat more slowly, and I realize it seems counterintuitive, but I eat watching TV. Now, hear me out! My doctor said I can eat between two and three tablespoons per meal. I dunno about you guys, but for me, that's a lot right now. If I eat too quickly, it makes my stomach clench, but eating slowly, like over the course of an hour, is super boring. So, here's what I do: every time there's a scene change, I take a tiny baby spoon full of food and slowly nibble/lick it till it's gone. Then when the next scene is over, I do that again (if the scene was super short, I'll let another one pass). I find it takes me about the length of an entire episode of Mad Men (minus ads, so about 42 min) to eat my 2-3 tablespoon meal. I know people say watching TV while you eat is distracting, and that's probably true, but I couldn't just watch pain dry while eating or I'd rush it for sure. This helps me keep pace since I don't get bored. I think reading would work too. Like take a bite every 4 pages or something. Anyway, that's just what's been helping me eat slowly!

After some very rapid loss, my scale has slowed down a lot too. But we don't need to be concerned; this is totally normal. We just have to follow the rules, trust the process, and start getting to know our bodies again as we heal. Chin up @@swedishfish1020

@@zmdh39 that makes so much sense! And you're surgeon sounds like a real mensch for explaining it to you so well! I like my surgeon a lot, but sometimes I felt a bit out of the loop on stuff.

@@habsi, don't worry, @@lylabelle is right! I've been able to drink much bigger sips for the past six days or so without trouble, but since I've been eating purees, I can definitely feel restriction. While I can easily drink 500ml in an hour, it takes about 45min to comfortably eat two tablespoons of pureed food. This is exactly why we mustn't drink while we eat.

I had my surgery done in German, and they don't do narcotic pain relief either (or at least that's what I gathered from how whatever they gave me didn't work). I have to say though, my pain level wasn't really that high, and I'm also a big baby with pain. I would hope that if I had really, really been in pain they would have given me something stronger. My guess is Mexico would be similar. I don't think anyone wants you to suffer.

I was sleeved in May 28th as well, and my surgeon was a bit more lenient/vague. He basically said if doesn't hurt, do it. Frankly, I'm gonna be a little more conservative, and wait until at least 10 weeks before I start lifting (even though that's what I wanna do most!). Though at this point, I'm so weak from the calorie deficet and get winded from just walking up the stairs, I dunno how I could do the gym.

@@Krystal0528, my engagement ring (which was pretty tight) is now too loose for me to wear without worrying! Also, my class ring fits on my ring finger! I don't think that's been the case since I graduated.

@@Sh3iz actually, drinking hasn't been a problem at all for me since about 4 days post op. I haven't tried taking big gulps or anything, but I can take normal sized swallows of water and protein drinks, and if it weren't for the ick-factor, I could for sure finish a bottle of Isopure in an hour. I've been very lucky in that respect, since it's made getting my fluids in such a breeze. To be on the safe side, I've actually been making sure to only drink half a protein shake at once, then putting the rest in the fridge and finishing it later. Thicker purees are an other story though. I feel restriction and a sort of rhythmic clenching in my stomach, so I have to really, really pace myself, which is all for the best of course

You can count me out for the FB page. I certainly won't try to stop you guys from making one, but I don't think I'll join. I've heard stories about people thinking they were posting to a private page and accidentally posting things to their walls and stuff. I mean, I'm a relatively tech savvy youth, but I'm also super tech-paranoid youth. Plus I don't trust Facebook not to be constantly changing its privacy settings. Remember a few years ago when they introduced Timeline and suddenly everyone had easy access to stuff you posted in 2005?? I had to go back through years of stuff and make sure 18 year old me hadn't posted anything to embarrassing. Anyway, I've been very private about my surgery, and even though I'm careful on Facebook, things happen, human error, policy changes, etc., and I'd rather not take the risk. Regarding the Isopure drinks, they're better if you Water them down or freeze them into popsicles. Plus I've read you can't absorb that much Protein at once anyway, so better to pace one bottle throughout the day.

@@Gettinfit, yeah, seems a bit quick to me. I've been enjoying my black bean soup and my hummus (as of today), but I'm definitely limiting it. I guess I'll move on to some softer stuff like scrambled eggs or tofu at 4 weeks, but I might wait til six just to be safe. I'm bored, but I'm not having trouble with liquid or Protein and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Every surgeon is different, but mine said I could have purees after 4 days, even thicker ones. When I was in the hospital, they gave me mashed potatoes. I'm gonna try some hummus in a few minutes and see how that goes.