Atomic*Girl

I would talk to a psychiatrist about OCD. I never considered having it because I didn't have the stereotypical behaviors, but compulsive eating is a symptom. The more I learned about it, the more my anxiety/behavior made sense. It wasn't an eating disorder, it was OCD. I currently take a combination of Zoloft and Prozac, which is unusual, but it's what works for me. Psychiatry is an imperfect science, pretty much trial and error. And I have a Valium prescription to take as needed, which isn't very often.

Personally, the desire to actually binge eat is gone post op, it's just too unpleasant. But, there is a psychological and physiological void left by this. Compulsive eating was a coping mechanism for obsessive thinking, and there's a huge drop in serotonin received from feel-good foods. But, the meds help with both of these.

Another way I have looked at it is that I allowed myself to mourn the loss of my relationship with food. Being a foodie and a classically trained chef, a job I no longer have, food was life. And, it was sad to have to let it go, and I deserved to acknowledge that and give myself time to deal with it.

I would talk to a psychiatrist about OCD. I never considered having it because I didn't have the stereotypical behaviors, but compulsive eating is a symptom. The more I learned about it, the more my anxiety/behavior made sense. It wasn't an eating disorder, it was OCD. I currently take a combination of Zoloft and Prozac, which is unusual, but it's what works for me. Psychiatry is an imperfect science, pretty much trial and error. And I have a Valium prescription to take as needed, which isn't very often.

Personally, the desire to actually binge eat is gone post op, it's just too unpleasant. But, there is a psychological and physiological void left by this. Compulsive eating was a coping mechanism for obsessive thinking, and there's a huge drop in serotonin received from feel-good foods. But, the meds help with both of these.

Another way I have looked at it is that I allowed myself to mourn the loss of my relationship with food. Being a foodie and a classically trained chef, a job I no longer have, food was life. And, it was sad to have to let it go, and I deserved to acknowledge that and give myself time to deal with it.

Okay, just for the sake of it. You cant gain weight by eating too few calories. Thats simply not a possibility. Also, contrary to urban myth, your sleeve can not be stretched out. it has a finite space to it that takes months to adjust to after your surgery which is why people seem to think it is capable of being stretched. The Fundus, which is the only part of your stomach to be elastic like, is removed fully in your surgery.
That being said its good to see you back on track and taking charge of yourself.

I love nooch! As a 13-year vegan I've tried it every which way. I've come to love its stinky foot smell! Haha

Update - adding an Iron supplement helped my energy levels greatly. I think I was anemic. Feeling much better now!
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Don't forget about tattoos to cover surgery scars!! If you don't hate tattoos...
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My appetite has increased slightly, and I have started adding a shot of espresso and ice to my shake. If you can't have the caffeine yet the ice still helps the shakes go down easier.
I'm not even keeping track of how much I drink. It is what it is. But, I've also been drinking G2 Gatorade and if you're like me and hate artificial sweetener, adding lemon juice to it cuts down on that overly sweet taste.
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I was sleeved 12/21 and I am right where you are. I feel like the walking dead! I did talk to my NUT and she encouraged me to keep up the Protein and Water (which I've been doing) but I am NOT allowed to have caffeine yet. Uggg. She also said once I transition from purees to soft foods in two days that may help. Glad to know it's not just me who is sleeping all day. We will push through this!
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Omg I eat the stuff with a spoon! LOVE it and its full of B Vitamins and Protein
My nightly snack is a big bowl of popcorn sprinkled with low-sodium soy sauce and about 1/2 cup nutritional yeast. Yum.

I love nutritional yeast! It's so versatile, I add it to anything liquid/moist to give that umami taste that makes things so yum.

Lots of things can be ok, this is a huge change for your body. Check with your surgeon, as you advised, but I know that when I'm not getting enough calories that is when I tend to go through stalls. Good Luck on your journey!

My energy level has been kinda low lately too. I feel like I could nap ALL DAY, unfortunately I have to work! I've been doing light cardio to help with this.

I recall hearing the dietitian in my support group meeting telling someone who made a similar comment that as long as they were getting in their Water, Protein, and able to go to the bathroom they were okay the first 6 to 8 weeks. If it lasted longer it was time to see the doctor. She said being tired is normal as the body is going through a major reset.

For me, the fatigue was a big issue until I was advanced to soft foods and could start getting in more calories. As much as you don't want to be "eating" right now, you should try to get in more calories if you can. Suppliment your Protein with strained cream Soups if you can handle them. They have a decent amount of calories and could help boost your energy a bit. You have to fuel your body. It is using a lot of energy to heal right now. If you are only meeting your protein goals and not getting in any other "food", you are definitely going to be tired all the time.

Dang, my stage two only adds pudding, yogurt and shakes. Can't wait to chew something...
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I've dabbled in derby myself. I've seen some pretty ample girls on skates, there's got to be a pair out there. My Riedell Darts are a good, durable starter skate. If you are near a skate shop, they can recommend which wheels to put on them (I replaced my wheels not long after getting my skates). They may also be able to recommend a good plate that would accommodate weight. I'm a firm believer in not letting weight stop you from derby--we need ladies of all sizes on the track! Strap on skates sound like a good idea, but as a skater myself, I'd be scared to death those things would fly off. You want reliable footing and control and a good skate with a good plate and wheels can give you that. Hope it helps.

AND ....as you lose weight, you can change out plates and wheels.

I cannot help with the skate question - sorry. But I wanted to say YEAH to the Rollerderby thing. It is so much fun! I will also consider going back when my fitness level goes up.

Want to get into roller skating and one day, would love to be conditioned enough for roller derby ❤️ I've looked at tons of skates online and most seem to not hold 300+ Anyone have good experience with some? I like the idea of starting with the type that strap onto your shoe, seems like the most comfortable/stable...
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Want to get into roller skating and one day, would love to be conditioned enough for roller derby ❤️ I've looked at tons of skates online and most seem to not hold 300+ Anyone have good experience with some? I like the idea of starting with the type that strap onto your shoe, seems like the most comfortable/stable...
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The liquid diet has been tough for sure. Then last night my husband got me a large wonton Soup from our favorite Chinese restaurant. I strained out all the wontons and other bits and gave them to him, and had the broth for myself. It was the most glorious thing I have tasted in 2 weeks. Although it's essentially just chicken broth, all the different flavors from the spices they used, and the bits of pork and scallions that had been steeping in there, made it so flavorful and delicious. Sometimes I think we just need a little something different after all the Protein Shakes and sugar free Jello ????

15 months out from surgery now. The pictures below are from my heaviest weight at about 376 then in the white shirt is from October, I have lost another 12lbs or so since then and am at 148 now.

I got my surgery 12/20/2016 so far so good. Just some gas pain. And tenderness. Oh and my throat hurts so bad :-(.
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12/20 here also! Good day today. Throat is better, lungs normal. Just muscle soreness and itchy, healing incisions. Sipping is more annoying than I expected, but I'm drinking Gatorade G2 (doctor's ok) to stay better hydrated. Also, fabulous BF brought home sugar free hard candies. Although I'm already sick of fruit everything, they help a lot. So far organic veggie broth tastes best. But man I cannot wait for next phase, never thought I'd be looking forward to sugar/fat free pudding. But, I will say that artificial sweetener has been surprisingly more palatable post-op. While I hope to transition to more natural, low glycemic sweeteners eventually, I'm really thankful for that.
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Allow yourself to cry a little...purges toxins and reduces stress. I'm scheduled for December...are reg gas meds not allowed? Phazyme and such?
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I'm not looking forward to this either, but it's a small-ish price to pay for all the good. I'm just going to do my best to keep/build muscle while I lose, and experiment with skin firming treatments/supplements. But, I am totally expecting and planning on some kind of plastic surgery including Botox/fillers for wrinkles and lines. I used to stress the body lift scars, but luckily I'm a tattoo person so once everything is healed I'll just cover it up!
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