theantichick

I have RA/PsA. I am on Sulfasalazine. I had to stop the meds 3 weeks before surgery and was off for 2 months after surgery. I flared up pretty badly with joint/body aches following the surgery, by day 3 post-op my arthritis hurt worse than the surgical pain. But it had dulled down to just bad chronic ache by a few weeks post-op with pretty bad fatigue. Was hard to tell what was RA fatigue vs. post-op low calorie and low carb fatigue. I started feeling a little better when I went onto soft foods, but the real improvement came when I was able to go to full diet at about 6 weeks, which was also right about the same time I got back on my meds. My inflammatory factors were elevated in the blood draw before I started back on my meds, which was expected, but they weren't nearly as high as might be expected off meds. My rheumy says that the stomach tissue that is removed is responsible for a lot of inflammatory hormones, and of course the fat tissue that is lost also causes a lot of inflammatory process. Now that I'm back on meds the factors are coming back near normal, and we've tabled any discussion of biologics for the forseeable future. We may still have to increase the dose of the sulfasalazine and/or consider plaquenil, but prior to surgery we were planning to move to biologics. My overall joint pain has decreased and my fatigue has decreased. Not completely controlled, but certainly an improvement. And the 70# lost is very likely part of the decreased pain in my knees specifically.

I use MyFitnessPal. The paid version gives you more control over your display and mix of carbs/protein/fat, etc. I know some people use Baritastic. I looked at it briefly but was already used to MFP.

Mine's shedding like crazy, I'm hoping it stops soon.

I would have pains when my sleeve would get completely empty post-op that kinda felt like hunger pains. And I would get queasy and have an odd bubble pain behind my breast bone if I drank or ate too fast. For the first couple of weeks, the answer was to always be sipping on something - Water or Protein drink. That kept something in the sleeve, kept me hydrated, and the sipping (and I mean REALLY TINY sips) kept me from drinking too fast and getting pains. It's a learning experience to be sure.

I don't tend to take "multi" products since nursing school. It's too easy to overdose on Tylenol because it gets added into everything, plus you end up taking components you don't need. Instead, I take just what I need for the symptoms that are keeping me from sleeping or working or whatever: Now, none of these are restricted by my surgeon, but you'll want to clarify with your team. For ANY type of sinus issues use a saline rinse in whatever form you prefer - neti pot, spray, etc. And a humidifier in the room unless you know humidity in your house is at least 45%. For sinus congestion, get the "good" Sudafed that you have to sign in blood for at the pharmacy counter. For drainage at night (or if you're lucky enough it doesn't make you drowsy) Benadryl. For drainage during the day, Zyrtec or Clairitin, whichever works better for you. For cough if your doc won't prescribe something better, Delsym. Plus whatever cough drop you like (I like Halls) For chest congestion, the Mucinex that is just the guaifenesin (expectorant) - and drink TONS (and I mean an extra 24-32 oz at LEAST) of extra Water with it or it won't work as well. And for the record, with any viral infection a *little* extra Vitamin C or Zinc can help, but don't overdo it or you're just making expensive urine. Homeopathic medicine is just expensive sugar pills. And every version of Airborne is a complete rip-off, medically speaking, all you're doing is making REALLY expensive urine.

Because my plan doesn't call for carb restriction (and I get very ill in ketosis), unsweetened applesauce has been in my diet since day 2, it was included in the full liquids list from my surgeon.

Try to relax. Every time I stalled out, I was convinced my weight loss was over, and I was screwed. That I was the ONE person this surgery wasn't going to work for. If you can, stay off the scale. If you can't try to relax and remember that it really does work if you follow the plan. Frankly, for the first 9 months or so, it works even if you don't follow the plan. That's what a lot of people call the "honeymoon period". According to all the WLS vets I've talked to, virtually anything you do for the first 9-12 months, the weight will come off. That time is when you need to cement your best habits for eating and exercise in place so you can maintain and not re-gain. Weight loss is not the challenge. Maintenance is. My weight loss goes in a pattern. I'll stay the same or even appear to have gained a pound for several days, then I'll drop 2-4 pounds in a 2 day period. I've quit stressing over the mini-stalls, and just go with it.

Check out this bariatric surgeon's vids https://www.youtube.com/user/DrMatthewWeiner/videos He pushes a high veggie diet. Now, veggies usually aren't on the diet progression until several weeks after surgery, so be sure to follow your surgeon's diet progression plan until you're fully healed and released to a full diet, but I think this guy has some good advice for long-term weight maintenance.

I echo the other comments to talk to your surgeon and team. However, I'll also offer this... people tend to think once they've been released to a full diet that they're all done healing and they should be able to eat anything and in normal amounts. Think of your stomach like a baby's stomach. It used to be a big bag, and now it's been re-structured as a long tube. It has to re-learn how to deal with each and every kind of food. We start off with liquids and move up through purees and soft foods and keep trying things in small stages over and over. It's not a one-and-done deal. With each new food that you're introducing, the best results happen when you give the sleeve just a little - a spoonful maybe, or one very small bite and see how it goes. Chew the ever-living stuffing out of it, until you think you just can't chew anymore, especially if it's dense like steak. Then try it again another day. Don't overwhelm the sleeve with too much all at once - too much of the same stuff, or too much new stuff all at the same time. And if something doesn't sit well, leave it for a couple of weeks before trying it again. My doc told me some people don't tolerate eggs right off, even though they're listed in the soft foods phase, but if they come back to them after other Proteins are sitting well they often can tolerate them then. Some people have steel guts, and can throw anything at their sleeve and it's fine. Others need to take it a little more gingerly. I'm 4 months out, and some days things that sat well before just don't that day, but are fine a couple of days later. I really have had to learn to listen to my body, eat VERY SLOWLY with very small bites, and if something isn't going down well, walk away from it and try something else. It can be very frustrating but it's also been a great learning experience in listening to my body and intuitive eating. Some days I don't get my Protein in, but I'm getting better at it, and learning lots of different foods I can use to feed myself with. Just keep at it, and take it slow and steady!

I like to think there are people who just read and absorb, and don't get into the fray. I'm writing mostly for them. And from now on when this kind of post gets made, I'll link back to this one as my only comment and move along. LOL. sent from mobile device LOL. Yes, we'll see. I get frustrated like everyone else, especially when vets are getting attacked for simply trying to offer common sense. But I'm pretty stubborn. And very used to repeating myself, as I'm a parent and a RN. LOL.

I don't stand in front of cameras very often, when I do see a picture of me, I think "who is that fat woman?". I am looking forward to seeing pics of me now (I still don't stand in front of the camera often) and thinking "yeah, that's me" since I obviously don't recognize myself heavy, I'm hoping I recognize myself again when I look the way I do in my head again. LOL. But seriously, you look fantastic!!

that one depends on a bunch of things. My surgeon said if the pill was the size of an M&M or smaller (and I assumed not the peanut ones) I could take them staying the day after surgery with my Protein shakes out with applesauce. But my surgeon allowed those things on the full liquid phase that started day 2 if we could keep Water down on day 1. Other surgeons have their patients crush the meds and take with Jello or yogurt unless they are extended release which are never safe to crush. Check with your surgeon or team. sent from mobile device

For the first month I wasn't given any carb or calorie limits our goals, just Fluid and Protein goals. sent from mobile device

If you are consuming less than about 50g of carbs a day (most patients still on liquids post op are) you are likely in ketosis. The bad breath is a side effect, and there's not much to be done about it. Ketosis is the goal of low carb eating, so if your surgeon's eating plan calls for low carb, you'll get used to it. sent from mobile device

Don't eat anything you haven't been cleared for. Just keep sipping your fluids and Protein drinks and walking. sent from mobile device

I am also a sleever but am learning that the difference between full and oh my god I feel sick is one bite. So I'm having to really learn to eat slow and listen to my body. sent from mobile device

I like to think there are people who just read and absorb, and don't get into the fray. I'm writing mostly for them. And from now on when this kind of post gets made, I'll link back to this one as my only comment and move along. LOL. sent from mobile device

Yummy! Just plain refried beans? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Well, with cheese.

It gets better. Your new sleeve is having to learn how to handle fluids (and later food). If you think about it, the stomach used to be a big balloon... once past the opening, there was plenty of space for it to just go wherever. Now think about pouring Fluid down a beaker in the science lab, or in a funnel... it's going down a narrow tube. Early on, I found that any sip I took, it was like there was a huge bubble trapped, and it was VERY uncomfortable right in the center of my chest, until the liquid kinda seeped down around it, or I was able to burp. But the more I sipped, the smaller the bubble seemed to get, as if the sleeve figured out what to do with it. As days and then weeks passed, I was even able to take larger and larger sips without invoking the same discomfort. I can drink Water almost normally now at a little over 4 months out without discomfort, and thicker fluids like Protein shakes or milk I just have to take a little slower.

Definitely don't eat anything you're not cleared for. Try mixing it up.. I was so sick of sweet stuff, I had some chicken bouillon with Protein powder (mix up the Protein Powder with warm Water, then mix that with the hot water and bouillon) and that was heaven. I also did better with the clear Protein drinks frozen into ice pops. Just keep plugging away, focus on fluids first, then protein, and you'll get through it. It gets better!

The first week I was working all day just trying to make my Fluid goals and get a little Protein in. Just keep at it, sip sip sip all day. Fluid is most important, protein is 2nd important, and calories don't really matter for the first couple of weeks according to my surgeon.

I was on liquid 2 weeks, then cleared to puree/soft foods at my 2 week checkup. My first pureed food was refried Beans, I'd been having cravings for it.

It's possible to lose weight without the surgery, so it's not the only chance to lose weight. But the evidence is pointing to a one-time chance at re-setting the "set point". That set point is one of the factors that makes weight loss such an uphill battle. Uphill battles are not impossible to win, but certainly harder than those on level ground. So I'm treating this as my one and only "get out of jail free" card, with "jail" being the fat prison I've been in most of my life.

It is very normal, you're taking in very few calories, and are likely at least a little dehydrated even if you're able to tolerate fluids well. However, be cautious and if you're also having any sharp pains in your lungs call your doctor, as there is also a slight risk for clots in the lungs following any surgery. http://www.webmd.com/lung/tc/pulmonary-embolism-symptoms