OzRoo

@@reree6898 Awesome result! You look great! Glad your health is good and that you managed to get through the challenging times. Congratulations!!!

Yes, it can be hard initially to get all the Water and Protein in. My dietician told me to keep adding Protein powder to my liquids (when I was on liquid phase), then to yoghurt, and I still do this. I have not had any bad effects, even though I am supposed to be on 80g protein per day. I average 60+ All I know is that Proteins are made from chains of amino acids, and these are the building blocks for the body, and necessary for recovery and good health. If there is not enough protein in the body, the muscles and tissues start to waste since there is not enough protein for energy and repair. Some people suffer from hair loss, although ironically some people eat loads of protein and still go through a hair loss phase. Protein also quells hunger really well, and fills you up without the added sugars like in some carbs. So, after a high protein meal, you stay satisfied lot longer. Water/fluids are very important. I suffered from a really bad Dehydration event, early post op, and it was a terrifying experience for me. Lucky I was in a clinic, and a nurse there recognised it, and gave me an electrolyte drink, and after 15 mins I was OK. Now, over 6 months post op, I can guzzle water, but it took me over 4 months to get to that stage. It will get better for you, just need to force yourself to keep sipping or drinking, and add protein powder to your drinks/purees/meals.

My hunger also disappeared, for months. I was advised to keep adding Protein powder to my Chobani yoghurt, as I was over the shakes then. This helped to raise the protein count. Now, over 6 months post op, my appetite is coming back ...... I was enjoying the "no hunger" phase ..... alas it did not last. Have to have regular small meals these days.

Non starchy vegetables ( no potatoes, pumpkin, corn) such as: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy No bread, Pasta, rice Fruit Lean Protein Healthy crisps like Ryvita or Cruskits Chobani yoghurt with 1/4 grated apple, vanilla essence and bit of cinnamon I put cream and cottage cheese on my crisps, plus lately bit of coleslaw salad on top.

@@Browneyedgirl41 I lived in Sydney most of my life, and yes, it is a fabulous city with great beaches. I am now on the Gold Coast, which I call a miniature version of Sydney. Hope you can start buying chic clothes soon. And visit Melbourne as well. I have had so many thyroid issues, and this made my recovery from WLS much harder, I am now on 1/2 dose of my med, and starting to sleep better and have less nasty headaches, so fingers crossed. Haven't had issues with weight-loss, just my med was getting too strong with each weight-loss, this was making me Hyper-thyroid again. Anyway, another blood test in 6 weeks time, and maybe this time it will be better.

No, not for me. I had to go on a 2 week mild diet. 1 or 2 Optifast shakes, and lean Proteins with non-starchy veg, 1-2 fruit per day. It wasn't too bad. @@lowbmi65 Perhaps due to your lower BMI and less weight to lose, this could be the reason. Although, my initial BMI was 32, I was told I still needed the pre-op diet. Since then I had to wait 9 months to be sleeved due to discovery of my Graves Disease (hyper-thyroid), I was told to come back once my thyroid was stabilised. So, when I was finally approved for the sleeve, my BMI was 37.

@@Browneyedgirl41 Yes, the ice-cream, demon food, will pile the weight on ..... Glad your thyroid is good! I lived in Sydney before, and the climate was just right for me. In Queensland, I really have been suffering from the heat and humidity. Summers last 6 months here! My hyper-thyroid and gaining 90 Ib in 2 years made it so much worse, practically unbearable. Lately, I started feeling a bit cooler at times, and like you, I am waiting to be more comfortable. Good luck to Us!

@@shedo82773 " OzRoo, I have the same problem with shaving my pits!! What is the Brazillian Laser treatment? Is it painful? Does it cost an arm and a leg? " This laser slightly burns, but it is not unbearable, and each session was very quick. You get special lotion to put on, and really one hour later you don't feel anything. I bought a package for $39 AUD for 1 treatment. I had 8 treatments that included arm pits, pubic hair and in between buttocks. Each treatment was initially spaced 1 per month, then as the little hair got weaker and started completely disappearing, I went every 6 weeks. It was done in a Laser Clinic. You can find out and check out laser clinics in your area, and enquire if they do pits only. Please let me know, and I am curious re prices in your area too.

@@lowbmi65 I had about 90 Ib to lose, so far I have lost 70 Ib (32 kg). The only noticeable loose skin for me is in my upper arms, and my breasts are flatter. Everyone heals in their own individual way, and there is no set rule on the amount of loose skin. Age, amount lost, general health can influence the post op body condition, as well as strength training. Having said that, I still prefer my loose upper arm skin than being obese! Good luck and best wishes for your surgery

@@Browneyedgirl41 Yes, it was a very icky experience, and for me frightening as well because it started while I was in my car, driving. Lucky it was only a short trip, even so I was thinking of pulling over. It never happened to me again, as I became very mindful of my Fluid intake, and kept my Electrolyte drink in my fridge. It is hard to get enough fluids early post op, I had to force myself at times. Now, 6 months later I can guzzle Water in large quantities, but it took me about 5 months to get there. Glad you are OK now!

Yes, I had it too, early post op: clammy, dizzy, rapid pulse, bit disoriented, headache, and I was told my skin colour was grey ... It was Dehydration. I thought the same: hypoglycaemia, even shock ..... but no, it was Dehydration. As I was in a clinic, and barely made it there, the Nurse there recognised it and gave me Hydralyte drink. After 15 mins I was good again, symptoms went away and my skin colour was normal again. I then bought an electrolyte drink, just in case it happened again. If you are concerned, please call your surgeon, always. And please drink more fluids, and buy yourself electrolyte bottled drink or sachets. Hope you are better and good again soon!

I spat out my coffee ..... First we had a pork chop debate, now pork sausage .... Well, I bought pork mince and see if it will agree with me ( Over 6 months post op). Just give me sausages, yes, and no innuendos with either pork or sausages ..... LOL ! OP, if you don't have post op instructions, see a NUT or dietician.

You're Funny, Mr. HFFM !!! Yes, there seems to be gender undies discrimination

You probably made her day! And how come your meat and 2 veg were lacking undies ? LOL Congrats! Great NSV me thinks

Good luck for the "mining expedition" and happy digging @@Daisee68 xxxxx

Dear @@Daisee68, I really don't know much re this type of surgery. I just wanted to say Best of Luck, may you get a Fantastic result and a smooth recovery! I'll be thinking of you. WLSResources gave a good reply with good suggestions. There are few members here who had this done. Hope they will offer their experiences and support to you. Best Wishes to you.

I had an early menopause too, and the troublesome symptoms like excess sweating was taken care of with HRT. At peri state, I was given hormone creams and later troches to dissolve under the tongue, and they also helped. My sweats got so much worse few years down the track, I thought I was having a 2nd menopause .... I was still slim then. Well I was diagnosed with Graves Disease (hyper-thyroid), this is why the sweats came back for me. They went away after Radioactive Iodine treatment, and they came back after I was losing significant amount of weight. My Thyroxine levels got too strong, so hyper-thyroid troublesome symptoms came back. Funnily enough, I was hot yesterday, had ceiling fans going full blast plus air-con. This morning my fingers are cold ..... just my fingers ..... LOL. Ceiling fan on low, no air-con right now Maybe this is a start ...... Cold fingers in the beginning

Not at maintenance yet, but I have been slowly increasing my fruit and veg. For breakfast, I usually have 1/4 of a large apple, grated in my yoghurt. I love the grated taste with bit of vanilla essence and cinnamon. For lunch, I add bit of coleslaw salad to my healthy crisps (Cruskits) with cream/cottage cheese or hard/yellow cheese. For dinner I have small serve of zucchinis, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and at times bit of sweet potato together with my 1/2 cup Protein (mainly turkey, chicken or fish) For dessert I have a serve of melons (any type) with berries So I guess, I now have 4-5 very small servings of fruit and veg per day. I would like to increase the amounts, but I am waiting until I am at goal, and then talk with my Dietician re maintenance program and serving sizes.

Oh, and re sweats or feeling cold ..... The only time I felt cold was during European winters, many, many years ago. I have a thyroid disease, and I always did sweat when I was slim, when I was obese and sweat again now, when I am heading back to being slim again. My thyroid has been doing cartwheels before, and is still making me sweat now, after my 3rd med dose adjustment. I live in air-conditioning, other people freeze, but not me I long to feel cold! Can always put more clothes on, turn up the heating. With feeling hot so much, even sitting naked would not fix this for me ...... And I live in the hottest and humid state in Australia ...... And summer is coming ....... Check your thyroid ladies, it does affect the internal furnace.

@@rydersmama I will address the armpits. I had a full Brazillian laser treatment on my armpits, that also included the "Down Under" region This completely removed all hair forever, and I don't need to shave anymore. Makes life lot easier. I may next buy leg package ..... Before I gained all this weight pre WLS, I was slim, and had an inflammation of my coccyx. Very painful! I bought a dough-nut foam cushion, and made myself another cushion that I cut a hole in it. This put the pressure off my butt, and later on this problem disappeared. Even though I now lost lot of weight for me, the painful butt has not come back. If yours gets inflamed, ask your doctor for anti-inflammatories, or cortisone, even in a cream form. Good luck.

I like Hands and GifX ..... Now, just need to put some Flowers in these hands ...... Had to edit, as one pic loaded twice .....

@@dusky goddess Thank you! Best wishes for your journey

@@poppys Welcome! Good luck with your surgery and post op recovery. For me, the first 2 weeks post op were the hardest, being on liquids only, hungry and I had really bad reflux. All this is a distant memory now. Reflux is gone! At 6 and 1/2 months post op I see a massive change. I am 4 kg away from my goal weight, and 9 kg away from my stretch goal. Hit my final milestone decade today, under 70 kg, at 69 kg now. If you follow the post op instructions and quickly address any issues or queries you have, with your surgeon, psychologist or dietician, you will be fine. The last 6 months went very quickly for me, hope the same happens for you. Best wishes! PS. I lived in Sydney most of my life, then moved to Queensland

@@laceemouse For both you and I

Today I reached my final decade ( Less than 22 Ib ) to be under, towards my goal. 6 and 1/2 months later I finally got under 70 kg, and weigh 69 kg ( 151.8 Ib ). Being in AU, I am used to Metric system, but with my calculator I can show Ibs lost in my updates. So, each 10 kg lost ( 22 Ib) was a milestone for me. Now, I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel 19.8 Ib ( 9 kg) to go to my stretch goal, then visit my Dietician again, and discuss maintenance. After my scales not moving for few weeks, they're on the downward slope again, Yay! I may reach my stretch goal before Christmas. This will be the best present!