Berry78

By "tolerate", I actually didn't mean physically sick.. just a taste revolt. I tried only about 5 different brands of the low carb ones. So is there one that I could possibly take and be happy about it? Sure.. probably. But I wasn't willing to go through the time and expense to figure it out. I already had to throw out $70 worth of ones I couldn't use. So, yes.. I was drinking 40g of carbs with 40g of protein. My carbs during weeks 2-4 were between 60g and 90g per day... which may seem high compared to many post op peeps.. but I don't mind. I lost 17lbs the first month, which was good enough for me.. and more importantly, I didn't lose my MIND! lol! We have the 3 week stall.. we should have the "6 week psycho".. and I think it's cuz people try TOO hard, too early out.

This is the only type I could tolerate. Yes, it has a ton of carbs compared to regular protein shakes, but during the first 8 weeks postop, your body needs carbs for healing. At 4 months postop, I don't drink them anymore, unless I need something for a road trip (grab and go). http://lifewaykefir.com/products/vanilla-protein-kefir/

You shouldn't be feeling that bad, so definitely put a call in to your surgeon. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Are you drinking enough? Are you getting enough carbohydrate? If you are sticking with mostly protein shakes, depending on the shakes, you might be too low on carbs and/or fat. Adding 2-3 cups of milk will boost your carbs and fat (if you do 2%). I like to see carbs up to at least 50-60g during the first couple months postop to facilitate healing. (Mine were closer to 100g from dairy, and I felt really good! After 8 weeks, I've decreased them to 60g). Your potassium consumption might be low.. try adding a cup of coconut water. Your prescriptions might need to be evaluated, since blood pressure and blood sugar problems can get better very quickly postop. What types of foods are you pureeing? How thin is it? At first, make it really thin.. like suck-through-a-straw-thin. Try pureeing potato soup, split pea soup, oatmeal, cream of wheat.. something that is easier than meats. Everyone gets so excited to get on the right path with diet, right out of the gate, that they frequently do TOO much restriction. First and foremost is you need to heal. Once you are 9 weeks postop, the real weight loss diet can begin. I'm not saying to eat twinkies and ice cream.. but rather dairy, legumes, grains, fish, some berries (blended and strained of seeds if permitted), etc. Postop we have "baby tummies", and so we feed it like we would a baby. Water and milk, then gruel, and gradually things with more texture. You wouldn't blend up steak to put in a bottle.. don't do it to your tummy either.

Congrats on the 20lbs! The preop diet is usually the worst Don't load up on extra protein shakes for postop, since your tastes will change, and you won't know what you'll like. Have just one or two each of assorted kinds. Do have plenty of choices for the clear liquids too. Look up a recipe for homemade broth, make a bunch, and freeze it in 8oz quantities (or ice cube trays. You can pop the frozen cubes into a gallon size ziplock bag, and then serve out how much you want.) I LOVE homemade broth, but didn't have the energy to really make much of it postop, so if I'd had it premade and frozen, I would have consumed more of it.

An ounce or two? Mine jumps around by a pound or two. I do notice that the lighter I am, the less dramatic the jumps..(it used to jump by 3 lbs, but now it's usually closer to 1) so the closer to goal we are, perhaps the more consistent the number we see.

I think what I'm hearing is.. "I lost 35lbs during the preop diet plus the first month postop, but only 5lbs the second month, is that a problem?" It is very common that when we lose extra fast, it's followed by a dramatic slow-down. 35lbs the first month or so WAS extra fast, so your body was playing catch up the second one. If you were on a regular diet, your doctor would like to see the scale move by 4-10lbs a month. Which means you could expect to have lost between 10 and 25lbs on a regular diet (assuming you did a 2 week preop diet). So you are doing super! Now that you are on (or soon will be on) regular foods, it's a good time to really plan what you are eating. There is a ton of advice on this site, so peruse some of the old stuff, and if you have specific questions, ask away!

Many people use protein shakes long term (especially for breakfast). I used them exclusively during the preop diet, but postop I haven't been able to tolerate them AT ALL. Even 3 months out, I tried again, and gave up, throwing the leftovers from preop away. I was able to meet my protein goals through dairy by about 12 days postop.. (and I was on clear liquids for the first 7 days, no protein shakes allowed.. so once I went to full liquids it only took a few days to start meeting my goal). Been meeting it ever since. As for no veggies.. raw veggies are very hard on the healing tummy. Soft, cooked veggies are ok sooner, but you have to get your protein first, and only eat your veggies if you have room at the end of the day. Shucks, I'm just about 4 months out, and I still don't always have room for my veggies

I love Dr. Weiner, haven't gone back to watch his videos postop.. (need to).. but I also have the concern about protein. The best vegetable sources are beans and seeds/nuts. It takes about 4oz of beans to get 7g of protein, and 1oz of nuts to get 7g protein. (Give or take a gram, depending on type). We would have to eat 4oz of nuts plus 16oz beans to meet our minimum requirements. (That would be all I could eat in a day, spread out among 8 "meals") There wouldn't be a leafy vegetable in sight. But, if you replace 16oz beans with 4oz fish or meat, then suddenly things become much easier. Keep 1oz nuts, and replace the other 3 with egg, dairy, and beans.. now we're getting a nice round diet that still has room for fruits and veggies.

I think there is definitely a reason for 2 doughnuts buried in the fact that you've lost 99lbs. A bit of early celebration, perhaps? I can't say whether doughnuts were a good choice or bad..(after all, what I think doesn't matter!). But it is VERY important for you to really analyze why you ate the doughnuts. Like the characters on Independence Day..(smoking those cigars was the best thing they could do in their situation prior to blowing the alien mothership and themselves up).. maybe there was a very good reason for you to do something that may appear to others to be self sabotage. I've eaten cake, ice cream, fudge, banana bread, pizza, and cupcake since surgery. In every case, I knew what I was doing, and why I was doing it. In no case did I have more than a small bite... (except the pizza). My choices weren't wrong.. and yours might not be either. Just make sure that you have a distinct reason for what you do. Preop, if someone asked why I ate something, there never was a good reason.. I was "hungry", or "*shrug* just because...". I'm reformulating my relationship with food, so I can tell you EXACTLY WHY I eat anything, and that is the difference between then and now. (And.. the WHY.. has to be good! A craving is a terrible reason to give in to temptation.) I visited Mackinac Island this summer. So I ate fudge. It wasn't even very good.. but I was on Mackinac, and that's what you DO! Lol! For me, that's a good reason. For someone else, it wouldn't be.

Amazing!! You are beautiful in both pictures, but look a lot more confident now.

I do own a scale, and have learned a ton about what my body does during a weightloss phase by daily weigh-ins.. but I'm not one to stress about weight. I didn't own a scale before the preop diet. Hiding from my weight is part of how I got as heavy as I did without realizing it. Weekly weigh-ins should become part of my lifelong habits.. keeping me accountable. In the past, I accomplished weekly weigh ins by NOT owning a scale, but knowing where one was I could go visit (like at a gym). When I own a scale, I tend to weigh every day. Measurements, clothing fit.. all these are good too. Another way to track is by making exercise goals, and watching progress with that. (Last week i could walk 1 mile, now I can walk 2)...

I made it for dinner last night. Just ate a few bites plain, but it is quite bland, so you can add what flavoring you like. There are only 8g of net carbs in a cup of it.. so it's an excellent choice. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2655/2

I'm not familiar with that particular program. Do be sure that your program is reputable, as there are some pretty scary places down there. I went with Dr. Illan (his name is advertised all over this site).. and had a WONDERFUL experience. There were a few things that were different from care in the States, but ultimately, I felt very well taken care of, and would do it again in a heartbeat. I traveled from Maryland by myself. I flew in the day of surgery (but would change that to flying the day before). 2 days in the hospital, and 2 days in a hotel. Flew home the 5th day, and was doing very well by then. Some programs might have you going home sooner, but don't. Those extra couple days are necessary. With Dr. Illan's program, we get a valet that takes you around the city for the 2 days after the hospital. Lots of walking, fresh air, souvenirs. Had a blast!

I'm almost 4 months postop, and have made some interesting discoveries. We have 2 grocery stores in my area that I use. They are part of the same chain, so are set up almost identically, although there are some atmosphere- type differences, so I can "feel" which one I'm in. About 90% of the time I shop at the one closer to my house, and I just go to the other on occasion when I'm in that neighborhood. During the preop diet, and right after surgery, I did a lot of head-work at my local store. It's a continuing endeavor.. recently I discovered that if I use the entrance by the fruits and veggies, (rather than the one by the bakery and diary).. that I end up with MUCH more fresh produce in my cart. That entrance is less convenient for parking, so I simply never used it for the last 5 years I've gone in that store! I made the switch, and use it now. Yesterday I found myself at the store across town. I had already been out, running errands for a few hours, and it was my last stop before going home. I was likely hungry and thirsty.. but for the first time in a few months, I rediscovered head hunger. I realized before going in, that I wasn't going to get doughnuts (I had always gotten doughnuts from that store because they carry an especially good flavor that isn't at my local one). So I did avoid the bakery section, without issue. But when I went in, suddenly everything looked good and was pulling me towards it. I managed to keep to my short list, and get out of there without getting any "wrong" stuff. I recently went on vacation in another state, and didn't have trouble at unfamiliar grocery stores. So that is proof to me, that my head work HAS worked, and the problem at the store yesterday is based on HABITS.. I haven't been there much postop, and never developed new habits to replace the old. I'll avoid that store until I have the time and energy to go through the process again to redevelop new habits.

I also had no classes, but it would be a toss-up between "mindset and motivation" and "self image". I have good motivation for the diet, less for exercise, and some serious issues in other motivation-areas of life (like mowing the lawn). Not sure what happens with self image if/when I get to goal.

There are many complications that can happen during and after any major surgery. The main ones that people worry about after bariatric surgery are: Bleeding, infection, blood clots, leaks, strictures, gallbladder problems, and malnutrition. There are probably 100 other things that could go wrong.... but keep in mind that significant complications only happen about 5% of the time for good surgeons. Malnutrition is an issue both close to surgery and years later. (Close to surgery, there can be a rare complication that keeps one from eating. While years out from surgery (usually gastric bypass or DS)... malabsorption can result in deficiencies (thus the need for lifelong routine bloodwork checking vitamin levels). Heart, lungs, and kidneys shouldn't be more affected by bariatrics than by any other major surgery.

Oh how wonderful!! Yours is such an awe inspiring journey....success was within reach, and now you're riding that bull!

He may be adding in the preop weight loss, but regardless, this is quite possible if he started out as a heavyweight. Large guys can easily lose a pound a day for a while. If a woman lost 45-50lbs in 3 months, would you consider it unbelievable? Women almost always lose at about half the rate of men. My husband, who hasn't had surgery, is down 23lbs in 21 days, just from diet, since he can't exercise right now.

What a difference! Congrats! Oh, and 53lbs in 3 months isn't slow

Did you get treatment for the hives? Be super careful of seafood in the future... and be sure to talk to your doc about it. Try to drink a ton to help wash things through. Some liquid antacid might help soothe your tummy. You wouldn't be amiss taking some liquid benadryl, in case your discomfort is from a continuing internal reaction. Of course, if you have some reason that antacids or benadryl is a bad idea.. then don't do those things

If a person needs their meds at a meal at a restaurant, they have no problems bringing the pills along to take with their food. We should feel the same way about our special requirements. Pack a little plate into your purse, then you'll have it. (I'm assuming your plate is as small as mine ) bring some wet wipes to clean the plate when you're finished. Also, perhaps either avoid the appetizer, ask that it is brought at the same time as the meal, or just eat the appetizer and not the meal (unless you want to bring the meal home). Personally, I avoid the appetizers completely, leaving room for my meal (and so far I pretty much always just order a cup of soup). While others are eating their appetizer, I'm working on drinking water. (I drink right up until I eat, and haven't had a problem with getting full faster or hungry sooner). Gives me something to do with my hands while waiting, and helps meet fluid goals. I'm also 3.5 months postop.

So glad everything sounds like it's doing well!

Oh man {Hugs} I can't imagine what you must be going through. Do you have family around? So glad they've at least figured it out, though...

Whatever weight you've gained, it's not fat. (not this early out!). You are probably retaining fluid. The best way to "let it go", is to keep on drinking. Pay attention to the salt content of your food. Aim for around 1500-2000mg a day. Coconut water will help with electrolytes. And check your scale. It could be inaccurate too. Step on it several times in a row, and see if it weighs you the same each time.

Have you tried some warm tea, or something that is super cold? Many times a different temperature will help. But if you still can't drink, you need to go back to your doctor. You'll need IV fluids very soon if you don't drink. Maybe the doc can get you some different pain med...