jam2412

Thank you for all your advice. It gets so confusing sometimes, sometimes I'm told I'm not eating enough calories and then I'm told I'm eating too much ! It's so confusing !

@@mskitty66 are you post op as well ? Let me know how it works for you

It really is! But that's why you have to kind of be a science experiment to see what works. @@OutsideMatchInside is also a great veteran to listen to as she has lost A LOT of weight and is still losing like a champ. I hope you can figure it all out! I just would love to see you try to do this experimenting first before you turn to the phentermine. But I wouldn't judge you for it, either. I know how frustrating it can be!

My biggest fear is doing the phentermine and the coming off and gaining the weight back which seems to the the theme of that medication. I was doing less previously (800-900) but I was told by my dr's office that I need to get my calories up to 1200 or my body would go into starvation mode. My surgeon also said sometimes people respond better to other types of surgeries so if the phentermine wasn't working we could talk about doing Gastric Bypass as a last resort and it wouldn't be anytime soon.

I worked in a medical office that specificity gave phentermine and or Topiramate or both together. I worked there for two years and off first hand experience I saw the long term/ short term results including permanent hair loss aka alopecia. It's good to use "tools" to help you but made sure your educated about the "tools" you put inside your body.
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Drop the carbs and the yogurt. Increase your Protein. you should be able to have 3-4 ounces of meat at a time.
I would ditch the premier shake too honestly, and replace it with meat unless you really just can't eat and that is your only option. Cut out all processed foods (and Protein shakes are fake processed foods), and eat lean meats you cook yourself, get up to 90 grams of protein and I am pretty sure you will see the scale moving.
Even with your not intense workouts you are still probably burning more calories than you are intaking. You need more protein to fuel yourself.

Well, and here's a little secret. You don't really have to exercise to lose weight. It's 90% diet. But with your stall (and actually it's just basically maintenance at this point), you need to do something to boost your metabolism, and exercise will do it in place of the phentermine. If you don't want to exercise, you're going to have to cut back on calories. Either way, something's gotta give. So you're going to have to figure out what's going to work best for you. You may have to try several things to see.
You're in a pretty long stall, so obviously it's not So you either need to increase them or decrease them. Try both and see what works!

Thank you for all your advice. It gets so confusing sometimes, sometimes I'm told I'm not eating enough calories and then I'm told I'm eating too much ! It's so confusing !

I am 9 months post op so isn't that calorie range okay ? You're right about the empty calories.

because I'm only 3 weeks out so I obviously can't answer it yet. Sent from my SM-G900T using the BariatricPal App

LOL!
What'd you think was gonna happen Month One post-op -- the WLS fairy godmother (who looks just like Cher, btw) was gonna show up and poof you a size 4 ballgown that would fit you perfectly?
I lost 10.4 pounds the first month post-op.
I've lost 100 pounds altogether.
I've maintained my weight loss for nearly a year and now weigh 135 pounds.
Protip: It matters not a whit whether you lose 10 pounds a month or 30 pounds a month (btw, at your low starting BMI you were NEVER going to lose 30 pounds/month). The only thing that matters is that you lose all your excess weight and eventually learn how to maintain your new, healthy weight.

The difference between "sleeve" and "pouch" is not a big deal.
But ... as I understand it, per medical nomenclature, a "pouch" is a food container created from the upper portion of the stomach during RnY (gastric bypass) surgery. During RnY surgery, the surgeon staples the greater portion of the stomach separating it from this smaller portion of stomach. This smaller portion of stomach does not include the pyloric valve at the bottom of the larger stomach, which regulates the flow of food from the stomach to the intestine. This new smaller stomach area (without a pyloric valve) is now called a "pouch." The surgeon then stitches the bottom of this pouch to a portion of the upper intestine that's lower down than the natural length of the intestine above it, giving food less intestinal surface and length along which it can be absorbed. Without a pyloric valve, food that's eaten flows directly (without restriction) from the pouch into the intestine.
The banana-shaped sleeve created during VSG surgery still operates just like the larger stomach did (with valves at both ends -- the hiatal valve up top and the pyloric valve at the bottom). With both valves, the sleeve offers food restriction that an RnY's pouch does not. And with the stomach fundus removed (not just stapled off), VSG surgery removes ghrelin (the hunger hormone) from the equation altogether.
In short:
1. RnY (gastric bypass) uses intestinal malabsorption to help patients lose weight.
2. VSG (sleeve) surgery uses restriction and greatly reduced ghrelin to help patients lose weight.
Anyway, that's how I've understood the major distinctions between these two procedures. (I'm a sleeve patient.)
EDIT: Here's a picture of the new gastrointestinal connections found post-RnY surgery:
http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/image-files/ximg-med-rny-gastric-bypass.jpg.pagespeed.ic.bt9H0OYtw3.jpg

That was actually my motivation for getting an elliptical- my knees! It doesn't bother them at all (and I have a partial ACL tear in one of them). I knew if I bought an elliptical I would be more keen on using it vs going to the gym. I'm a single mom with 4 kids and there is no way I could find the time to go to the gym- however the elliptical is there for me at 3am, 5am, 1pm or 10pm- whenever I can work it in.
I also have found that now instead of turning to food- I turn to exercise. If the kids or life are stressing me out- I go do 30 minutes on the elliptical LOL It feels great, clears my head and best of all, my kids get excited and cheer me on (so they are SEEING good habits now).

I have kids and their way of eating has changed a LOT since my surgery and they have always been thin and don't need to diet (I have a growing teen boy who eats a TON lol!)
They now eat only whole wheat or sourdough (no sugar) bread and only two slices a day. They either have it at Breakfast and lunch is more Protein based (tuna salad, chicken salad, meat and cheese roll ups, etc) or they can have a sandwich at lunch. I no longer serve bread at dinner. Potatoes are once or twice a month as is Pasta. I can't remember when I last made rice! Sides are Beans and yams and veggies and salads. Lots of lean Protein, fruit and veggies. Lots of dairy. Whole wheat crackers and cheese (I am careful to buy crackers I don't particularly like LOL!), apples and Peanut Butter, tortilla chips (which luckily I don't care for) with salsa and guacamole, raw veggies wth homemade hummus or blue cheese Greek yogurt dressing.
Kids don't NEED pasta, rice, potatoes and bread.

I wish that I knew how emotional I would be the week after surgery.
I wish I knew that the "after" was really not that bad. (at least for me) I worried so much about nausea and inability to eat/drink before surgery...My doctors took good care of me and I had none of those issues.
I wish I knew that the week after surgery it is entirely possible to not lose weight even though all you do is drink. It apparently can happen any time....and can last a while. (I started getting regrets)
I wish I knew that unflavored Protein powder...is not flavorless. I still haven't found a way to add it to any food. Instead I stick to keeping Protein supplements between meals and choosing foods that have protein in them. I track everything on myfitnesspal and I'm meeting my goals with out that expensive useless jar of nasty powder.< /p>

If you've been on the pre-op for a week and you've lost 5 pounds... That means you've cut 17,500 calories over the past week. It is pretty difficult to lose 5lbs in a week, especially if you aren't counting calories (as you said). Keep that in perspective and don't lose hope. You're doing fine and you have control over your own success!
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All of you are going to do great! The pre op diet just flat out sux. I cheated on mine too. Guess what!!!!!! I am about four months post op and I am successful!!!!!! Stick to the plan and this will work. After surgery you won't want to eat anyway right off the bat. The sleeve will do its job. I get hungry, but fill up really quickly. I love my sleeve!!!!!!!!!! I have to make myself eat to get in all my Protein as before I had to make myself not eat.

This is me exactly! We even have the same surgery date! I've cheated with veggies but I still felt super guilty ! We have 4 days left so I'm trying to be as good as possible but it is really hard. I've only lost 5..5lbs on the liquid diet but I keep telling myself to think positive. Good luck !
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