Rivka7NV

Find a WLS group or pal. I am looking for a pal. I have friends but none of them have gone through WLS surgery but, for the most part, they are supportive. Those that don't are without my presence any longer.

I was not speaking about personality disorders. Our personality changes with changes in our mental attitude. That is influenced in part by our physical being. If we have limited mobility because we are obese, we end up having different life experiences than the person who is physically active. There is no claim of character or personality disorders in my statement. Mentally we change as our world changes. Our world does change as we lose weight and become more active. I am not sure where the assumption of personality disorders comes in.

If you are still losing weight, then you are still changing and with your body changes come mind changes. You are not going to be the person 20, 30, 40, or even 50 pounds into the future that you are now. Therein lies the rub.
The person you will be dating will be falling in love with you, or at least, attracted to you initially as you are now. If you are looking for that permanent committed love, then you are doing both of you a disservice. With weight loss comes changes in clothing styles and activities. You will probably be less sedentary but what will happen if you are dating a couch potato? You will definitely be growing apart.
Also you are asking someone who does not know you at all to put up with weird eating habits. Maybe this person knows about the WLS journey and that it is not an easy way out or not. We all judge based on our knowledge and some people like learning new things and some don't. They may think passing food under your nose is funny while you find it nauseating.
Save yourself some heartache and wait until you have hit goal so you can present to them the person you want to be no the one you are now. True, your eating habits will have changed little but at least you will have reached the meadow.

Vinegars - Raspberry, Pear, Fig, Pomegranate, Cider, Red wine, Rice. Try them in your broths.

Water enhancers can be combined with Decaf teas or plain water.

syrups can be used with Protein Shakes as long as they are sugar-free. They can also be used in your decaf coffee.

Gelatins (sugar-free) can also be used in your Protein shakes. Use about a 1/4 of a teaspoon. You can also use these for a snack.

Any spice or spice mix without salt or sugar.

Not worried in the least. Those that are your friends will accept what you eat and don't eat. Those that don't and try to tempt you into eating and drinking, are not your friends. Kick them to the curb. Drink plenty of Water and if it gets to be too much, go for a walk or leave early.
For the sake of your health, you need to change your life. Sometimes that means walking away.

Hoping052017, Thank you! I am the original presenter of the line of thought that with changes in the body come changes in our personality because of changes in our mental attitude. I was perplexed that someone would associate my statement with personality disorders. I chalked it up to cognitive dissonance.
Thank you for responding. You understood and reiterated my sentiments.

I'm pre-op, but have been told not to drink caffeinated beverages for quite a while after surgery--maybe a year? I'm planning to use herbal teas but I'm expecting to really, really miss the coffee.

It has nothing to do with personality disorders and everything to do with what each 10 pounds lost brings to your life. With me, the first 10 pounds was before surgery. It was a great loss, but not much changing. Now, post surgery, every 10 pounds I have lost has brought new changes, new challenges to overcome, a new person every 10 pounds basically. The first 10 was a denial within myself that despite the weight loss that anything was really changing with my body. The second 10 was a realization that I can't wear most of my wardrobe because it's all too big. Along with that realization came the realization that I'm wearing clothes I haven't worn in 20 years.

Is 90% of the changes psychological? Yes! Did they constitute mental disorders? Do a lot of us have mental issues? Yes! But the changes that come with the rapid weight loss are NOT serious personality disorders!!! I can't believe one would even correlate a personality disorder with the changes that we all undergo as a result of our respective surgeries!

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The purpose of the pre-op diet is to get rid of some of the fat around your liver so it is easier to move aside and get to the stomach.
One cannot make up for lost time but you can move forward and pay strict attention to the 3 major factors - Water, exercise and food intake.

Vinegars - Raspberry, Pear, Fig, Pomegranate, Cider, Red wine, Rice. Try them in your broths.

Water enhancers can be combined with Decaf teas or plain water.

syrups can be used with Protein Shakes as long as they are sugar-free. They can also be used in your decaf coffee.

Gelatins (sugar-free) can also be used in your Protein shakes. Use about a 1/4 of a teaspoon. You can also use these for a snack.

Any spice or spice mix without salt or sugar.

Not to worry, KK, it is part and parcel of why we gain so much weight. Long story short, we have all the gherlin being produced in our stomachs and you are fighting against your own body when you try to resist sweets. Instead of driving yourself mushugana, out of the world crazy, just practice delaying satiety of your cravings by 15 mins. The next time try 20 minutes. If it becomes impossible to ignore then grab a piece of fruit and some Water.

I am 61 and have not had the surgery yet but I am planning on having my entire body re-done by a plastic surgeon. By that, I mean from the neck down. I am hoping to avoid a facelift because I have seen so many come out of those with lioness like features. I have seen people with severe weight loss before so I knew from the moment I made the decision that two years down the road I would be under the knife again for my changed body.

My doc says the average is 2 weeks for gastric sleeve if it is a desk job. Depending on your age and physical well-being before going into surgery, your time might be less.

I am so happy to read this. If you did not connect with the nutritionist you saw then, by all means, find another. The insurance might not cover the next one but I would think it would be well worth the money to get the knowledge to be the best you can be. and a big hug from me! Perhaps a baked omelet which you can cut up and eat over a period of days. Or how about turkey bacon or sausage. In Israel they have salad for breakfast and some cultures have what we would consider dinner during for breakfast. Just remember Protein first and a minimum of 60 grams of protein per day is necessary. How about a meatloaf or nut loaf? There is tofu. How about stir-fry?
At any rate, I am on your side and so is this group. We will walk through this together. Oh, yes there is a recipe book or two out there for us. Maybe they can give you some ideas.

Wow, I have one month of pre-op diet to do. Here is mine.
Week 4 before operation:
Breakfast: Protein Shake
Snack: No bread. ONE SERVING of raw fruit, raw almonds or nuts or string cheese, yogurt or cottage cheese (all low fat).
Lunch: A meal of meat and vegetables (no root veggies) that is less than 300 calories.
Snack: Same as above
Supper: Same type of meal as lunch
Snack: 1/2 Protein shake
64 oz of Water or zero-calorie, non-carbonated beverages.
Week 3 before operation:
Same as week for only one of the meals is replaced with a protein shake.
Weeks 1 and 2:
8 oz Protein Shakes for meals
4 oz protein shakes for Snacks.
Some doctors want you to be on a clear liquid diet the day before surgery.
Didn't you have to go to a nutritionist before you were cleared for surgery?
I had to get to have 4 months of medically approved and documented dieting submitted to my surgeon, approval from my insurance company, a psych evaluation, met with a support group at least once, meet with a bariatric nutritionist, general blood work, Resting Metabolic Rate test and a test for h. pylori. I also was highly encouraged to read at least two books on WSL. Guess that is the difference between doctors.

For about 5-7 days, you will be on a clear liquid diet. Weak tea, broth, Gelatin, sugar-free popsicles and zero-calorie, non-carbonated drinks. Make sure it is at least 45 ounces.
The second week after surgery, you will go to full liquids for about a week such as watered down cream Soups (cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, etc.). This also includes yogurt, watered down mashed potatoes and watered down cooked cereals. I say watered down but you can use low-fat or plant milk. All foods must be at room temperature. You can have sugar free popsicles too. Of course, you must remember your Protein Shakes. The three most important things are Protein, Water, and supplements.
The third week after surgery you are on protein shakes and pureed (like applesauce) meat and veggies but no more than 3 tablespoons at a time. At this stage, you might want to get a baby plate and spoon just to make you visually more comfortable with how little you are eating. Again all foods must be at room temperature.
There are medical transportation companies around that will pick you up, get any post-op meds you need and get you settled in your own bed. Check to see in your area. Mine is going to do all that for me for $75.00 which to me is well worth it.
I would also either hire a dog walker or board your dog with a reputable person for a few days. Even the little ones tug at the leash which will not feel good on your suture sights.
By the way, don't forget to buy your Vitamins (liquid or chewable but not Gummy bear types) that you will need.
Do you have a pillow to hold against your abdomen for coughing and sneezing?
Also, you need to walk and cough then walk and cough some more to avoid clots and adhesions.
My doctor has written a couple of books that you might find informative or look up some of the books mentioned in FAQ.

Well, where is everyone???
I'm still plugging along. Lost another 2.6 this week and I'll take it! I'm down 14 pounds since the weight loss challenge began 5 weeks ago with another 29 to goal.
How are y'all doing? What victories have happened? Let me hear from you, PLEASE!

I DON'T want to do ANYTHING wrong!!! I also had to go through nutrition classes and see a nutritionist, but I really don't feel that she was very knowledgeable. I just asked a question about low carb bread, so now I know that answer. What else is there for Breakfast besides eggs? I haven't been told I could have Protein Bars and I was told to stop my shakes. I am calling a new nut on Monday.

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My doc says the average is 2 weeks for gastric sleeve if it is a desk job. Depending on your age and physical well-being before going into surgery, your time might be less.

The problem is that pizza is full of fat even without the cheese plus you are eating carbs. One of the requirements for my surgery is attending a class with a bariatric nutritionist and going to a support group.
On both occasions, it was made very clear that bread and fruit will be out for at least the first 7-8 months for fruit and the first year for breads.
The reason for this is that you want to avoid dumping. While it does not happen as much with sleeved as it does with by-pass, it does happen. So ask yourself if you would enjoy taking the risk of going through the dumping syndrome experience. You know. Sweats, nausea, vomiting or even explosive diarrhea before getting to the bathroom. That did not happen to me but it did happen to someone else who was not compliant.
You have given yourself the beautiful gift of a future of health and beauty but your gift (surgery) is only a tool. Your compliance with the program is accountable for 40% of weight loss. Sure go look at all those people on Instagram eating pizza but ask yourself if they are bragging also about their progress and successes in weight loss and physical agility.

Love my Ninja!!! Got it at costco also!

I took less than a week off before returning to my office job. I had surgery on a Friday just before a holiday weekend so there was minimal impact. Good luck!

I am not a medical professional but when I went through the journey of menopause, I did a lot of reading and found out that, unfortunately, it is not a straightforward process.
I worked with a lady in the past that had not had her cycle in 18 months but became pregnant because her cycle had started again and she was sexually active.
Perhaps your period started again because your body is finally getting the oxygen it needs for proper functioning.
Or this could just be how your body is going through the menopausal journey.

I am not a medical professional but when I went through the journey of menopause, I did a lot of reading and found out that, unfortunately, it is not a straightforward process.
I worked with a lady in the past that had not had her cycle in 18 months but became pregnant because her cycle had started again and she was sexually active.
Perhaps your period started again because your body is finally getting the oxygen it needs for proper functioning.
Or this could just be how your body is going through the menopausal journey.

I am not a medical professional but when I went through the journey of menopause, I did a lot of reading and found out that, unfortunately, it is not a straightforward process.
I worked with a lady in the past that had not had her cycle in 18 months but became pregnant because her cycle had started again and she was sexually active.
Perhaps your period started again because your body is finally getting the oxygen it needs for proper functioning.
Or this could just be how your body is going through the menopausal journey.