Beck90

An update

Well.. surgery was about six months ago now or a little more! I'm still doing well and in the six months, I've lost 80 pounds. I still have about 50 to go to get to my goal, but 30 would be within the goal the doctors set for me (I wanted to aim for the lowest possible healthy goal which was 130).

Most all of the surgery issues I had have gone away. I don't really experience dumping anymore. Occasionally rich food still churns my stomach and I toss my Cookies so to speak... but other than that.. no complications.. my Constipation resolved on its own with time etc. I'm still losing hair even though I meet my Protein goals, but I've heard that can last quite a while.

I don't measure my food, but I also only take tiny portions when serving myself and I stop before I feel full - there's a happy "comfortable" feeling right before full that I've learned to identify that tells me I've eaten enough. I figure as long as the scales are still steadily going downward that I'm eating correct portions I no longer have any temptation to over eat. My sleeve is perfect at telling me exactly how much and when to eat! Hopefully that will never change I don't notice much loosening in my restriction.

I eat high Protein and moderate on carbs with a lot of fruit and veggie. I found that eating very low carb made me lose energy, so my dietician said it would be fine to be more moderate on carbs. I don't aim for a number.. I get my protein in first and veggies and then carbs can happen. I get my protein in using a lot of dairy and also some meat (lots of chicken and seafood)

I do drink diet pop without any issue. It doesn't cause me pain or make me tempted to eat other sugary foods. I do sometimes eat Desserts, but a lot less often than I did.. I don't feel the need for them the way I used to. I can pass up a cupcake sitting on the counter and just not care.. which was never something I could do before.

I regularly exercise, which was something I never did before and I feel good about that. My energy is huge now and I've gone from a size 22 to a size 13 ish. I can wear skinny jeans for the first time and feel great about it and I feel healthier too. I can do so much more than I was able to once upon a time

I'm a cheese freak lol. It's definitely on my top five favorite list of foods. I eat it every day. I don't eat the low fat ones but I do watch how much I eat of it carefully. Love Baby Bel. I still get a whole lot of my daily Protein from dairy sources. Luckily, I did before surgery too so I think my body is used to it. I had Constipation at the beginning but now I'm over it

All you people who love the hot stuff just aren't normal (I just can't tolerate spice and never could, I'm secretly jealous)

What is dumping syndrome? Sorry, I'm new. Haven't had the surgery yet or any appointments. I'm still trying to find a doctor to go to.

Thanks.

Hell on earth?

Basically.. some people's sleeves (mine included at least right now) cannot tolerate certain foods and when they eat those foods it causes immediate and severe diaherria, nausea, (and at least in my case vomitting). I'm talking where you're in front of the toilet and it's coming out both ends for several hours - at least that's my experience with it. However, you can avoid it by avoiding the foods that cause it if you ever experience it.

For instance, Right now that means I can't have any ice cream (which is very sad as I love ice cream). I dislike yogurt but I found out that I do like frozen yogurt so I've been eating that to fulfill my ice cream craving (once in a while only!) and it's made it bearable lol.

Sometimes dumping syndrome and the foods you can't eat fade over time post surgery for those who have it and sometimes they do not, but it's less common in sleeve patients than in gastric bypass patients. Foods that are likely to cause dumping syndrome include: any sugary foods or drinks, pastas, breads, rice etc.

I was gonna say I tried all these meds but what wound up working for me was peppermint candies.. I eat them BEFORE I know I'm likely to get nauseous (i.e. I lay there and eat one before I get out of bed and only after it's down for a couple minutes do I try to get up.

So the incision that's on my left side was like this - it was basically like a crater it looked like.. slowly, skin filled it in and it healed up just fine. I was told it did this because that area is more manipulated during surgery and because I had a bad reaction to the gastrographen they did to test for leaks and did a lot of dry heaving about 18 hours after surgery so it opened a bit. But 2 months out it's all filled in.. I can tell the skin there is thinner than other skin as it's still filling in beneath and it's definitely the nastiest looking of my scars, but it seems to be healing! If in doubt give your surgeon a call and ask , especially if you're in pain.

@@GinaCampbell man, your story makes me so very thankful that I didn't have your complications. I'm blessed to be healthy and didn't have many problems at all with my sleeve or advancing through the food stages! I can related to your pizza hut problem. We went there after VBS to eat one night when I was 5 weeks out. I couldn't yet have salad. I wasn't brave enough to try Pasta lol.. they didn't have anything on the menu but wings and pizza so I wound up just eating the cheese and meat off some Pizza Crust. Your granddaughter is lucky to have a Grandma who cares so much!

I think you're right - I'll never be able to eat the quantity I used to at a buffet, and that's okay with me. I don't want to. I had surgery for a reason but this thread had given me so many great tips to make buffets worth it in their own way when I do wind up having to go to one.

I'm two months out and able to drink diet pop with a straw and with carbonation - no problems and it's a big motivator for me because I don't get to have it until at least 75% of my daily liquid is down

@@LipstickLady I don't blame you there. But really... am I supposed to sit here and allow someone to make accusations about me that are untrue, unfounded, and unreasonable based on what she "assumes" based on other posts I've made.. - especially when I didn't ask for opinions in the first place...

I specifically asked to know about dumping and what people experience after.. Not to have someone come in here and post that I'm making poor food decisions and now is the time for me to learn better habits. I am not here to be walked over and judged and won't tolerate it.

Now if she had some kind of logical point I'd listen. Happily. But she doesn't. As a matter of fact I've been told by my entire medical team (who actually KNOW me ) how WELL I'm doing. So. I feel I've a right to defend myself.

@@Beck90

I'm glad you are offended, hopefully you will pay attention. My intention wasn't to pat you on the head and say good job.

You know you are making questionable and poor choices which is why you wrote a whole paragraph in your maximizing your money at the buffet thread telling people what NOT to tell you, because you already knew the whole idea was a disaster.

Most of the vets won't touch this thread with a 10 foot pole because they just don't care but you are self sabotaging and you need to stop it.

You couldn't be more lost or off base about me if you were in the middle of the pacific ocean on a raft without a map. I am paying attention - that doesn't mean the kinds of things you're posting are acceptable or okay.

Clearly you didn't get my point in the previous thread.. I was asking how to make the most out of it because I DID NOT GET A CHOICE IN WHERE WE WENT - read that again.. it was my friend's birthday.. she chose the location and because I care about her I went... right now I AM UNEMPLOYED AND MAKING ABOUT $150 A MONTH - read that again... So yes I absolutely have a right to care about and ask about how to make the most out of a buffet when I am scrimping by on VERY little money. Normally when I go out to eat at a restaurant and order an entree it's simple because I can box up what I don't eat and take it home... That cannot be done at a buffet... and it wasn't all about how to stuff the most in my mouth quite frankly.... it was about how to make the most of the experience and the amount of money spent when I don't have that much to spend...

And frankly I got lots of good advice from people - like try one bite of a lot of new things, or see if they would let me do a takeout container by the pound so I don't have to pay the buffet price.. ask if I could do a child buffet... These are all acceptable... gracious answers along the lines of what I asked.. You have no business judging me or anyone else on this forum by "reading between the lines" of various threads they post.

I did not "know" the idea was a disaster and it WAS NOT A DISASTER... read that again THE BUFFET WAS NOT A DISASTER. I managed to stay on program and feel like I didn't get jipped money wise based on the tips in that thread which was what that thread was about And why I spent a whole paragraph telling people what I didn't want to hear - because I wanted responses that would help - not salty responses judging me for wanting to get the most of it and have a good experience... just like anyone else would want to.

And guess what I'm paying attention - maybe you should too.. I'm down 35 pounds.. PCP says I'm doing amazing, feel better than I ever have, more active than I ever have been.. hard core work outs 3-5 times a week, mostly low carb, 60 gram Protein / 64 oz Fluid a day and 800 calories... two clothing sizes down.. I AM SUCCEEDING.. Just because I'm not doing it YOUR way doesn't mean I'm not doing it the right way.. or making a lot of bad decisions read it again

I. AM. SUCCEEDING.

I would appreciate if you would not post judgmental comments on my threads when I ask questions from reading between the lines and ASSUMING (wrongly) that I'm not doing well or won't continue to do well.

Well... I'm going to reply to this and I don't think everyone will respect my opinion but I'm going to try to do it in the most polite way possible.

I come to this forum to get answers to my questions, guidance, share experiences.. NOT to be judged or run over by people. And I find that the same happens on a lot of other threads as well.. I get that the veterans here are a great asset to those of us newbies and that they get frustrated that no one seems to appreciate their expertise.. I do... but I don't come here to be judged... I opened this thread to ask people what experience they have after dumping. I did not open it to hear anything other than that.. to be quite plain..

@ Thank you for just answering my question.. no judgment involved.. this is what I was looking for. your symptoms seem to line up on par perfectly with what I experienced.

@@OutsideMatchInside I'm trying to be nice here but frankly I found your post to be pretty offensive.. I have no idea where you got the information that I'm making a lot of "poor" food choices or that I'm "squandering anything" but I didn't appreciate you posting that (wrong) judgment about me - especially on a public forum for everyone to read. So I'll just set the record straight.

For the most part I've made good choices. I've posted more about problems I had than successes because that's usually the way it goes.. when something goes wrong you ask about it.. if it's going right.. you usually don't mention it. Do I occasionally eat off plan when I want to try something? Yes I do.. Am I aware I could dump or have a bad reaction? Yes and I accept that risk. But I sure as heck am not "wasting" anything... I have lost 35 pounds + in only 7 weeks, my doctors are amazed at my progress, I am down two clothing sizes from where I was, My eating habits are far more healthy than they were pre surgery, I am successfully eating -fairly- low carb for the first time in my life, I am doing intense aqua aerobics that puts my heart rate in the 200's 3 times a week and lap swimming 1-2 times a week even though I never used to exercise at all, I religiously get 60 grams of Protein and 64 ounces of Fluid (which is what my plan asks for) every single day. I have upped my intake of fruits and veggies extremely. I am completely embracing the changes I need to make to succeed.. but I'm doing it in a way I can handle. Just like all of us got overweight in our own unique ways with our own unique challenges.. all of us MUST handle life after surgery and losing the weight in our own unique ways... I personally won't restrict myself from food choices I want to make as long as, overall, I'm doing the right things becuse if I feel deprived then I will fall off the wagon completely and abandon ship. That is the case whether I was two months out or two years out.. it does not mean I'm making poor choices overall and it does not mean I don't appreciate this period of rapid loss.. it means I'm doing what I believe I can stick with for -lifetime- not just a race to get the weight off.

@@Dub Frankly I don't think it was well said and I'm a little bothered that you approved of it.. for all the reasons I stated above.. that poster is someone I know only casually - she and I haven't talked about my food options at any length and she had no reason to assume anything...

Likewise... I don't really ascribe to the "honeymoon period" if that works for some people that's cool.. it doesn't work for me. This is not a sprint.. it's a marathon... I have no intention of "hammering down" on myself in a way I know will cause me not to succeed.. I'd rather lose it slow and steady over time (honeymoon or not) with new habits that are more moderate and I know I can stick to for a lifetime because then I know I don't have to worry about re-gaining because I don't feel I've spent the past however many months depriving myself. I am not the hammering down kind of person.. Like I mentioned above.. I'm doing the right things based on my plan (800 calories, 60 gram Protein, 64 oz Water, good exercise, more good choices than bad, increased fruits and veggies and lowered carbs immensely) but I have no intention of "hammering down" anymore than that because to do so would just be depriving myself from living a natural and normal life.. I'm not going to do that now nor in the future because I know me personally and I know that won't work for me and will cause me to give up. I'm far more in danger of failing by depriving myself than I am from "slider foods" "poor choices" or other issues.. I know this about myself and am handling my weightloss with this in mind.. if the honeymoon sprint of losing weight works for some then they should do that.. but it doesn't work for everyone and I resent the idea that everyone "must" ascribe to it.. like I said before... all of us got overweight in our own ways and all of us have to get it off in our own ways.. there is no one size fits all strategy here.. and for me.. I'd rather try new foods, eat with a plan I can -manage long term-, measure my food out, keep my portions small, and stick to the things I mentioned I was doing above than deprive myself just so I can shed the pouds X2 fast and then deal with putting it right back on because I feel like I've been deprived for months.

Now... if someone would like to be like @ and @@LipstickLady get back on track with responding to what I actually asked about instead of judging me and assuming you know things you don't.. I'd welcome that.

Well. I made an unwise food decision today. Sigh. And dumped. Like badly. An hour on the toilet and then having it come out both ends at once (more embarrassing still I'm at a relatives house not at home so they all know!) but what I want to know is what's normal after dumping. Now that I've dumped. I feel exhausted. I don't want clothes on. I feel hot all over my body. I just want to lay naked with ice on me. Is this normal ? Those of you who have dumped what feelings physical sensations did you have after the dumping ended?

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What all the others said. And I can't emphasize enough how much talking to a counselor can help when you're going through this process of learning to rely on other coping mechanisms. Look into some counseling if you can

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Ugh. I don't have a lot of good advice beyond that I empathize. I'm bipolar II and anxiety and it was hard for me to get the psych they wanted me to see to clear me even though my own psychiatrist and therapist did right away. (Kind of the opposite of your situation) hang in there. If they're a big enough practice to have an hr department reach out to them to find out who to call. If not start by calling Medicaid itself and find out who you need to speak with because as far as I know they can't just downright not fill out forms.

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With mine I remember them trying to put ether a cpap mask or an oxygen mask on me first. And I pushed it away and got kinda upset because I don't like things on my face so then the nurse got me a nasal canula and then I was out again for a while until I woke up enough to ask for my own clothes a few hours later. Then I fell asleep again. It took many hours for my anesthetic to wear off and stop making me sleepy. I had an Iv and a catheter (that drove me insane later) and no drains

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Oh if anyone is curious I had:

Shrimp

Crab salad with cheese

General Tso's chicken (wiped off excess sauce as it's a bit spicy and high calorie)

Sushi and Shashami with unidentified fish on top

Egg

chicken & Broccoli

Grilled Vegetable mix with some delicious sauce I have no idea what it was.

fruit mix with cottage cheese

and for a treat I let myself have a tiny bit of noodles and a crab rangoon.

Now bear in mind I only had a bite or so of each. So that sounds massive but lol it wasn't much.

Thanks you guys gave some great advice and it really helped tonight!

@@VSGAnn2014 - sorry I didn't mean to come off as demanding.. More.. I was trying to avoid this becoming a debate about whether buffets should even be an option for those of us who are sleeved. And I was afraid if I didn't say something it would.. I was mostly looking for information on how to make the most of the experience and enjoy it the most even though I can't have the quantity I used to.

@@jess9395 - TY this is exactly what I was looking for! I did what you suggested and went for variety rather than quanity.. I tried everything I wanted to try but only a bite of it.. it was a different experience than I normally have, but a great one! I tried loads of new things I've never tried before.

@@AvaFern - Yep! I allotted lots of extra calories for going out to eat. I had low fat high Protein options earlier in the day to make sure I would be hungry and have the calories. Also I got a bit more out of my money because we sat and talked for three hours so I was able to get two plates (much smaller than my usual plates!) but what I ate when we came in digested.. I drank.. then was able to eat more in all that time.

Also good point about what money I waste being a present to my friend

@@LipstickLady Completely agreed! Choice of location was up to the birthday girl so I'm just figuring out how to make the best of it Best part EVER!!! They let me have a Child's buffet!!!!! They couldn't seem to figure out what my sleeve was but I asked if I could show them what I could eat and if they could give me a child's buffet and they said "Sure" so I showed them a plate and they were like "Yes absolutely ma'am We understand! You can have child buffet price!" (which was 7.99 as opposed to 14.19!!!)

So.. LOL I started this topic before surgery about drinking diet pop after surgery.. I thought you guys might like to know my experience after being sleeved!!!

I'm 7 weeks out and was cleared to try all foods at my visit with NUT. I was also told that I'm doing much better than most of her patients who have the same surgery (losing more, more healthy choices, more exercise).

But throughout this time I have missed my diet pepsi something fierce.. and it's not simply a caffeine addiction or a pop addiction - until yesterday I hadn't had a sip of pop in 10 weeks and I had no withdrawal symptoms or problems giving it beyond just.. it tastes good.. but nevertheless I've been missing the taste... the same way you'd miss the taste of lemonade or any other drink you like..

So yesterday we went to eat at Cheddars and I took the plunge.. When we were ready to leave and after we'd eaten (and sat and talked for about an hour) I asked for a diet pop to go. They brought me a roughly small medium to go cup. I took slow sips. I did not have any pain or issues whatsoever other than needing to sip it very slow (for the gas to leave my stomach) and doing a lot of burping LOL and so there you have it. the OP can indeed drink diet pop (through a straw GASP!) upon occasion without a problem apparently lol.

Okay.. So.. I am 7 weeks out from surgery and cleared to try anything I'd like to.. most things go down well. My friend's birthday is tonight and we're going to go to a Chinese buffet. Needless to say.. I cannot eat at a buffet the way I used to but the price is not going to change (unless by some miracle I can explain and they'll let me eat a child buffet but let's assume I won't get that lucky). How do you guys make the most out of a buffet? In general I don't eat around my sleeve and I'm doing good on weightloss.. but if I am going to go to a buffet.. I'd like to make it count and it's not like at a regular restaurant where I can get a normal portion size and just take home what I can't eat either... So what are your tricks and tips for getting the most out of your money at a buffet after sleeve surgery.

-----

PS I'm just going to say I can see this becoming a hot topic.. but I'm doing well. I've lost 35 pounds... my doctor says I'm well ahead of the curve for his patients on loss. I'm exercising regularly. I'm making better food choices than I ever have and "slider foods" aren't a thing for me.. I just don't have a problem with them... I'm seeking information from those who've been here and not a debate about whether I should be going, whether this is a slider food, whether I'm going to mess up my weight loss or any other hot topic. -thank you-

@@Beck90

LOVE that last one- "The things I imagine doing to to people who ask me..."!!!!

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Last night I was craving chocolate like a wild person - so I had some chocolate covered raisins (decently healthy choice for chocolate I feel?) as I'm eating them my mom walks in and goes "Why are you eating so much junk food lately?" -.- okay I didn't know apple juice (within my calorie limits and small portions), veggies and dip, & ham and cheese rolls & choco raisins = junk food but w/e I wanted to scalp her.

Guilty Pleasures

- Playing Neopets and Pokemon Go even though I'm an "adult" and loving it!

- Enjoying sitting under a fan and relaxing in my tempur pedic bed on a hot day

- Sitting with the sliding glass door slightly open when it storms and just watching and listening

- Full fat dairy products that my high protein/high fat diet allows me to have!

- Reality TV junkie LOVE shows like Teen Mom and Catfish and My 600 pound Life and Hoarders

- Medical Shows. Any kind.

- Getting to go to the pool 3X a week for Aqua Aerobics class

- sleeping clothesless when I can

- Baking (and being able to eat just a bite or two AND feel satisfied AND not worry about gaining)

- Going out to eat!

- Being able to embrace both my gastric sleeve and my foodie nature and succeed!

- The things I imagine doing to people who ask me "Should you be eating that?" bc they know I had WLS

According to my NUT - as you start transitioning to solids it's common to have lots of nausea and for foods to simply not sit right and cause you to get sick. She recommended trying only one new food each day because if you try more than one new thing and get sick then you won't know which one made you sick. I dunno if this tip would help either of you but it's been helpful to me

I got to 264 pounds "treating" myself with food and being "adventurous" on diets. Not the best decision for me, and a choice I won't make again!

I think a big part of success is -absolutely- figuring out your issues and what's a slider for you and so on.

In my particular case (can't speak for others) treating myself and being adventurous wasn't my problem, nor was emotional eating.. my problem was Portion Control. I didn't have the self control to shrink my stomach the normal way, and even though I could stop when I was full, it took a sickening amount of food to -get- me full. Endless cycle. I knew the sleeve would help me after researching it because not only did it give me a small new stomach to start over with (as the problem of a stretched out stomach I had already acquired by age 7 before I knew better) and helped take out some of the ghrellin so I don't feel ravenously hungry all the time.

My real battle will likely be when my restriction is less as my body adjusts - a year or so down the road. But I'm hoping it wont' actually be a battle because I'll have learned to be satisfied with small portions and learned some healthier habits - and the ghrellin will still be gone.

Either way.. there are certain choices I would never make - like you not treating yourself or being adventurous - because I know they would cause me problems. This just wasn't one of them. I try to stay aware of what issues led me to where I was.. and what to do to avoid them

Ahhh... But there is a BIG difference between a treat once you've hit goal and maintenance vs. during your soft foods phase.

You gotta learn those healthy habits before you use them automatically.

I think it just depends on the person.. I am enjoying learning a new way to eat and I find that I'm more successful at it and dedicated to it if I treat myself every once in a while than if I don't (at least that's what I've found out in the last.. 8 weeks of changed dieting? ) If I don't then I start thinking about how long it'll be until I get to maintenance and I just want to give up. So for me personally it seems to go better if I allow for the occasional treat along the way because it gives me focus to do what I need to do without getting sidetracked by "omg how many months will it be before I can have ______ " but that's just me.. the same approach might not work for others at all. I'm only an expert on me lol.

I got to 264 pounds "treating" myself with food and being "adventurous" on diets. Not the best decision for me, and a choice I won't make again!

I think a big part of success is -absolutely- figuring out your issues and what's a slider for you and so on.

In my particular case (can't speak for others) treating myself and being adventurous wasn't my problem, nor was emotional eating.. my problem was Portion Control. I didn't have the self control to shrink my stomach the normal way, and even though I could stop when I was full, it took a sickening amount of food to -get- me full. Endless cycle. I knew the sleeve would help me after researching it because not only did it give me a small new stomach to start over with (as the problem of a stretched out stomach I had already acquired by age 7 before I knew better) and helped take out some of the ghrellin so I don't feel ravenously hungry all the time.

My real battle will likely be when my restriction is less as my body adjusts - a year or so down the road. But I'm hoping it wont' actually be a battle because I'll have learned to be satisfied with small portions and learned some healthier habits - and the ghrellin will still be gone.

Either way.. there are certain choices I would never make - like you not treating yourself or being adventurous - because I know they would cause me problems. This just wasn't one of them. I try to stay aware of what issues led me to where I was.. and what to do to avoid them

@@kmcglo2016 Hi Kelsey! I'm close to Indiana! I live about 30 minutes across the state line from Terre Haute and I come there a lot. I went to college at ISU (grad. 2013) and I come there three times a week for aqua aerobics. I'd be happy to be a buddy. What part of Indiana are you from?

I'd been really bothered about my weight for the past few years when I struggled to find things that looked nice and felt nice that also fit.. shopping had become the most miserable thing and I was also huffing and puffing to do the things I used to love doing.

I would have considered surgery as an option if I had known about the sleeve earlier.. I'd heard of gastric bypass - but the things I'd heard about it I knew weren't for me - a lifetime of tons of supplements, high incidence of dumping syndrome, lots of post op complications that can develop and so on.. And I knew I couldn't follow those rules.

Finally one night when I was thoroughly frustrated because I didn't get a job I interviewed for.. I decided to randomly google about weight loss surgery.. I took the leap because for now - I don't have a job and I'm on medicaid.. and it occurred to me that when I find a job.. I might not be able to afford the co-pay they would demand and that this might be my only chance if surgery was something I wanted to consider.. so I went ahead and looked at the different types and lo and behold I found the sleeve..

It was basically everything I wanted.. less invasive and less scary than bypass.. no equipment left inside like the band.. and the rules are a little more adaptable to each person (e.g. I've been drinking with a straw since day 1 post surgery and I don't know how I'd survive without it because it helps me control better the size of the sip coming into my mouth - which is very helpful when I'm feeling super restricted) based on their needs, and the risks of complications were less..

I watched a seminar about the surgery and googled for the rest of the evening for articles - everything from blogs to medical journals. It took me about 4 hours total to decide I was going to seek a consult for sleeve surgery and I called my doctor the next day. I've never looked back

Compared to others.. my decision was a lot quicker but... that's also just how I am.. I don't take a lot of time to decide things.. I weigh the facts and make a decision in a short amount of time.