catwoman7

mood swings and other hormone-related weirdnesses are pretty common after WLS. It's supposedly due to estrogen being released from your fat cells (where it's stored). It'll level out and stabilize after a few weeks or months (hopefully weeks, though!) bypass patients have issues with extended release meds, but I don't think sleeve patients do. But they may need to play around with your dosage or have you switch to a different brand if this one is no longer working.

I was about where you are at seven weeks out. People lose at all different rates due to several different factors, but as long as the general trend is down, you're good. Your loss is actually pretty average. I also wasn't a very speedy loser, but I ended up losing all of my excess weight. It's your level of commitment that makes the difference - not your rate of weight loss.

I was thinking the same thing! Plus she looks way better than I did before I had plastic surgery!!

that seems to be a fairly common "full cue" (it's not mine, but I've read this on several posts before..)

I didn't - although it was probably from the breathing tube they used during surgery. The inflammation should probably go away on its own in a few days, I would guess..

it depends on your surgeon. I wasn't allowed to eat any of that --- just protein shakes (4-5 a day), clear broth, ultra-low or no-calorie beverages (with no caffeine), V8/tomato juice (although I think we were limited to a cup of this a day), and sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello

it's the infamous three-week stall. Happens to almost all of us. If you do a search on this site for it, you'll find literally thousands of posts on it. Lasts 1-3 weeks. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale. Your weight loss WILL start up again.

Happens to almost everyone, and you'll hit several of these on your journey. No need to go back to liquids. Just keep following your program and stay off the scale if you need to - and remember that it WILL break. it always does.... (it's probably just coincidence that the dreaded "three-week stall" happens around the same time that you start eating real food)

oh - OK. I think your situation is pretty rare so not sure if anyone on here has had it, but maybe someone has who'll respond.

not sure why you're complaining - I think we'd all love an easy recovery! (and many of us do have them). It sounds like you're progressing normally. No reason to go back to protein shakes only if you're not having any issues. almost everyone has their first major stall during the first month or so after surgery. We even have a name for it - "the three-week stall" (because it's usually the third week, but not always. It can be the second week or the fifth week). It'll last for 1-3 weeks. Just stick to your program and it WILL break. You will likely hit a few of these on your journey. I had a very easy recovery and was able to progress quickly, like you. I ended up losing all of my excess weight. So you're fine.

a surgeon will probably know if they can do that or not. I don't think they could remove the pouch since that is created by dividing your stomach with staples, but they may be able to move the intestine to a different place - I'm not sure. A surgeon would know.

you have to find something that works for you. Some people swear by Keto, but others find it difficult to follow for more than a week or two. Others swear by Weight Watchers - or intermittent fasting - or Atkins. I usually just cut calories, watch my portion sizes, and go back to the way we were supposed to eat that first year (NOT all the way back to protein shakes - but I mean how we ate after the first couple of months post-op - protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and then, if we still have room (and if wanted/needed), a small serving of fruit or whole-grain carb). And start logging your food again if you aren't still doing that. You may be eating more than you think you are. I stopped logging (and weighing myself) for about a month last year when I was overseas, and I came back a few pounds heavier, even though I thought I was being "good". I learned I have to monitor myself like a hawk - and probably will for the rest of my life! btw - if it's too hard to drastically cut calories (if you decide on the calorie-counting method, which I do when I want to lose a few pounds), then do it gradually. Log your food for a week or two to see how many calories you typically average. That's your baseline. Then cut it by 100 calories. If a couple of weeks go by and the scale isn't moving, then cut by another 100 calories. Rinse and repeat. Eventually you'll find the calorie level that'll get the scale moving again.

RNY is reversible, although it's a complicated surgery and usually not done unless there's a serious medical problem that can't be resolved any other way. If the problem is something like a hernia, they should be able to repair that without reversing your RNY. I'm not sure about the defective muscle you mentioned -- hopefully they can repair that easily...

as usual, I totally agree with Jaelzion. the first year or so most people do have lowered hunger and most of us are pretty gung-ho about following our programs, and as long as you do that, the surgery WILL work. You have to really monitor yourself for life, though. After a year or two, you're dealing with the hunger monster again (although for some, it's not as intense as it was pre-surgery), and you're not always as committed as you were that first year ("diet fatigue"), so weight gain is easy if you don't watch yourself. if you find yourself dealing with the urge to binge eat again, then like Jaelzion said, work with a therapist. The surgery won't cure that. A lot of us work with therapists and find it helpful.

programs are all different - and they're the most critical that first year post-op. 180 g of protein is very high - most of us are told 60-80 g (I have to average around 100 g because I malabsorb it (it was discovered early on), but I'm kind of an exception. many new post-ops are on ultra-low carb diets that first year, but some of us are not. My program was balanced. I was never told how many carbs to have since my program didn't focus on those, but it was unusual for me to have more than about 80 g a day that first year, but that was more because the protein requirements were so high that by the time I got all those in, I didn't have much room for carbs. Honestly, I don't count or care about carbs at all any more, and really didn't after that first year. I've never counted fats. My program never said anything about them, and I don't think most do. at the year mark, I switched to calorie counting, although I still made sure I was averaging 100 g of protein a day. so in short, although overall calories are important to lose or maintain weight, and although getting enough protein is also important (double check with your surgeon about that 180 g - that is crazy high), I think you're overly worried about this macro thing.

My husband took a week off but ended up going back to work after about three days. Honestly, I probably would have been fine on my own from the get-go. It was nice to have him here to bring me protein shakes and fluids, but I probably could have done it myself.

going out to eat during the puree stage is really difficult. I ended up just not doing it. But like others have said, the broth from a soup should be OK.

following since I'm considering the same..

I see the surgery more as a strong tail wind that helped me to get to where wanted to go - but I had to do a lot of the work. I don't really eat until I feel restriction, because at that point, I've overeaten and there's a risk of it coming back up. "Full" cues are often different after RNY than they were before, and it takes awhile to figure out what they are. I usually just eat as much as I know I'm supposed to eat (which I pretty much know having been at it for almost six years), but when I do overdo it and get to the point where I'm feeling some pressure in my chest - or a bit uncomfortable - I know I need to stop RIGHT THEN or I'm going to be sorry. Granted, I had a virgin surgery - not a revision - so it may be different for revisionists.

I'm sorry - I didn't mean at all to hurt your feelings. Just agreeing that you have to stick to the program even if you're not feeling restriction, or you'll fail it. I'm glad to hear that you've been following it regardless - from your post, it sounded like you were getting ready to throw in the towel. Sorry if I misinterpreted it.

I hate to say it, but you WILL fail if you don't follow the program.

the only time I've had to fast before labs is when they're testing glucose, which I don't think they've done with my bariatric panel in quite awhile. Although I've sometimes been asked before a "surprise" blood test (like when I go to my PCP for some issue and she orders a blood test) how long it's been since I've eaten -- they can still test glucose level, evidently, but I'm guessing they do something different if you haven't fasted. the PA at my bariatric surgeon's office once recommended that I stop taking vitamins a couple of days before my annual bariatric panel, but honestly, I'm not sure why he recommends this since I take vitamins every day and have for almost six years. So whatever my vitamin levels are on any given day is my "norm". The only vitamin I take that's not a daily thing is B12 - I take a megadose every two weeks. So I try to schedule my labs in the middle of the two-week cycle, since having labs done a day or two after I take my B12 could show that I'm really high in B12, which may not be my "average", if that makes sense.

that dizziness seems to be common early out - I've seen several posts about it. I've read it's often due to lower blood pressure. You're supposed to just transition slowly (e.g., from sitting to standing). It seems to be a temporary issue. I never had issues with drinking - I didn't chug, but I never had to sip fluids really slowly, either.

I like the Quest Hero bars (regular Quest bars are OK - but I love the Hero line), Robert Irvine's Fit Crunch bars, and Power Crunch bars (esp the salted caramel flavor)

only about 30% of RNY patients dump (I never have - and know lots of others who don't). If you're a "dumper", it can be controlled by limiting your sugar intake (and for some people, fat - but sugar seems to be the more common culprit). Many people who dump can eat SOME sugar (well, and there are a few who really can't eat it at all). But it seems most can manage something like a small cookie or a few bites of cake. But much more than that and they'll dump. I kind of wish I WAS a dumper so I wouldn't eat that crap! P.S. some people do vomit when dumping, but the more common side effects are dizziness, diarrhea, cramping, chills, and heart palpitations. So even if you turn out to be a dumper, yours might not involve vomiting. Besides, vomiting isn't as bad after RNY. You have a really small stomach, so there's not much in there to vomit. Plus you don't have much acid in your stomach, either, so you don't have that awful taste. It tastes the same coming up as it did going down.