FluffyChix

Sorry no help here. I'd say it's gas or constipation...but better to call Doc and be certain. Congrats on 1 month and doing well!!!

Honestly? Just make enough for a custard cup. Use carton egg whites to add the protein. Just weigh out your stuff so you know cals/protein then you can either bake or nuke it. Make it easy. It's not as if you're gonna eat more than a few bites in early stages.

That’s a very kind offer.???

Dayum. Not that I want it. But I've been on "The Facebook" since it came out and never once have I gotten a gratuitous d**k pic. LOL. I must be living wrong or something. ROFLMAO.

Right on schedule! Welcome to the Polar Express where flannel jams, turtlenecks and leggings with fleece slippers and socks are the preferred attire!

^^^Jazz Hands^^^

Ok, so sorry you are going through this and have to live with it. The worst thing in my opinion is always being on a level of pain where you can't sleep, move, etc. But here's where I probably won't be popular, and I can only give you my story. And everyone is SO different and lives a different pain history. In short, I have osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, cervical stenosis and sacral stenosis, bone spurs on my spine, hips, joints. etc, etc, chronic bursitis in both hips, a 50% ACL tear, and neuralgia 360 around my chest extending 8 inches + neuralgia in my hands/feet from hand/foot syndrome during chemo. And in addition I'm a stage 3c BC survivor on Femara (a drug that causes even more bone and joint pain). I've been on opiod pills, neurontin, tramadol, flexeril, nsaids, tylenol, pain patches, pain gels, cortisone shots to the joints. Oh and now I have a Parkinsonian trimmer in my head and hands from the radiation/chemo--so it causes constant muscle tension cuz I trie to keep my head/hands/shoulders from shaking deep inside my body. I used to not be able to sleep longer than 1-2 hours at a time before waking from pain and unintentional movement. I still sleep in a recliner. And every day I woke, I'd wake in at least a 6-7 pain level. I would not medicate until it was an 8+ to 10 cuz I hated the side effects of the drugs. And now that I had surgery, most of that or a lot of that is off the table. Here is what finally helped me. 1. Adjusting my diet to be as clean as possible. (Every time I eat beef or pork, I wake the next morning 20 years older... Every time I have carby carbs like grains--pain so bad I feel 80 years old. Every time I drink any kind of alcohol other than a little red wine--pain like cray. Cheese and dairy is the same way unless it's very very small amounts of reduced fat or fat free dairy.) 2. Started doing severe calorie restriction, then IF and that reduced the pain ENORMOUSLY! Like...magically. 3. Lose weight. I think my doc gave me some number like: for every 15% of body weight you lose, you reduce your pain level by 20-30%? 4. Get PT and then do the frickin core strengthening exercises religiously. (I'm slacking on this! But I can tell when I do them and when I don't. The difference in pain level is a magnitude of 10 with v. without.) 5. Walk daily. Daily. Even when I don't feel like it. Even when it hurts. By the time I'm done, it always hurts less. The best thing I've done is lose the weight. I can do things now without pain meds that I never thought I could or would be able to do. My goal is to get to 125-130lbs to take off as much extra stress as possible and improve my pain level as much as I can. I think the pain meds caused a continual cycle of spring-back pain (forget the name of it). So it was like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because I medicated, I would have more pain at the end of the cycle and need to take more meds. And because I medicated, I'd built up a tolerance and needed more and more meds to help. Now if I absolutely must have one, it takes maybe 1/4 of the amount it used to take. I now wake only in a 2-3 and end of day is usually only a 4 which is entirely manageable for me. Some meds that play well together and amplify their effects: 1. Gabapentin + Tramadol together 2. Tramadol + Tylenol together (this one is especially good) 3. Norco 10/325 + Flexoril (last resort med) Lastly, this is the killer part. (Sorry in advance...and you can only do what you can do--and only you know how clean your diet is and if you are eating low cals.) If you are 5'5" and 178lbs and female, you still have some fluffy slush to get rid of that absolutely would help reduce the pain level. I wouldn't say that if I didn't feel the difference in myself. It was night and day relief. I'm no longer on any pain drugs. And the only scripts I take are my Femara, thyroid, and omeprazole. I walk daily. I try to do strength training 2-3 days per week as much as I'm able. And I can actually "fast walk"/jog which I never thought possible. It's now been 1+ year since one of my cortisone shots and about 6+months since the other and I'm holding up really well. I hope my story helps you. I'm sorry for going on about myself. But I just think, if it was possible for me, how many others would/could benefit from it. The freedom from drugs is really just a great gift of this surgery and lifestyle.

Nope. Not even for 1 millisecond. I'm so grateful for this surgery, my team, and you guys. And LOVE having my life back. I only regret waiting so long to do it.

^^^Me2

Congrats! I would say to be patient and don't push. Only do what your doc wants. As I understand, the legs in particular are tough to heal and not rip out suture lines. And that's the last thing you want. So be compliant and don't try to overdo! Can't wait to follow! @2Bsmaller18 has some great practical tips and advice!!

Wahooooo! Hell yeah you should be over the moon girlfriend! Seriously. Seriously awesome! (and we're girls...that's how we roll! )

Happy happy happy goal!!!! WTG!!! (Great pedi, nice tile...)

Gosh so sorry about the c-Diff stuff. That's just brutal and it could also contribute to taste changes and food aversion. I'm sorry you're experiencing this problem on top of everything else. My only thought to you is...it's kinda a compromise ok? Mind-set wise that makes it easier is to "Embrace the suck." And just move forward cuz realistically there will come a time down the road where everything tastes AWESOME SAUCE and you find yourself struggling with old habits and bad behaviors. LOL. So kinda make hay while the sun shines. BUT... and it's a big butt... You still have a responsibility to satisfy those needs that are gonna keep you healthy: 1. Fluid requirements 2. Vitamins/supplements 3. Protein requirements 4. Exercise/movement (ie walking) And honestly, beyond those big 4, everything else is optional. Some how, some way, that is non-negotiable, you must drink a minimum (and it's a bare naked ladies minimum) of 64oz of fluid a day with ideally 36-40oz of those being water. But it's more like 100-120oz of fluids daily. You must get your vitamins and supplements down some how, some way. You must get your protein in (60-80g per day). If yogurt floats your boat? Why not. It's gonna help build your gut, but don't add sugar. Use Greek Plain Yogurt and add liquid stevia or some small amounts of berries, vanilla extract, etc. Sugar will only populate your gut with bad bacteria. Try kefir plain too. It will also help re-populate your gut. White Mountain Yogurt is a Bulgarian yogurt that has an excellent probiotic combination. Flavor these plain yogurts and kefirs with things like Walden Farms Blueberry and Strawberry pancake syrup, or SF DaVinci or Torani syrups or liquid flavored stevia. Also powdered peanut butter can add protein as well as yummy flavor. Maybe even use a tiny bit of smashed banana and applesauce (no sugar added) if you tolerate them. Also, when you can, try adding small amounts of fermented veg. but that will be much later down the road. Much much later down the road!!! Try adding just a small spoon of protein powder (any low carb/low sugar flavor) to your yogurt. Not so much that it taints the taste, but enough that it adds about 6g or additional protein per serving. Also, try Fairlife Milk (high protein) and fortify it with either protein powder or Powdered Milk. Then make SF Chocolate Milk using Hershey's SF Choco Syrup. But milk may give you probs after c-Diff...so you gotta balance it. Try easy to digest proteins like white fish baked in a foil pouch, or tuna mixed with cottage cheese. Try spices!!! (not hot spices, things like Everything But the Bagel Spice from TJoe's) Vary temperatures! If hot is hell, try cold, or room temp. Some how you will find what you can tolerate to the extent it allows you to have 60-80g per day. I often think the people who develop lots of food aversions and nausea and taste changes are those who have gotten "too deep down the rabbit hole" of dietary ketosis. So they are semi-anorexic because of higher ketone levels in the blood. You change those levels by eating food. So yeah...you gotta eat through it to feel better... Anyway, hope this helps!!! Take things slowly with the c-Diff gut. It's gonna take some time and figuring things out. Bone broth is literally your best friend. As is small bites of things like avocado. Think baby. You have to reintroduce food like a baby tummy. Pumpkin canned and seasoned slightly, butternut squash roasted, those kinds of bland foods. You can add tiny spoons of protein. Small amounts of protein powder added to everythign that goes down your piehole will allow you to get your protein in without as much angst. Also protein water helps too--dilute it and vary the temperature if you need to! Or make popsicles or ice cubes or slushes out of it with Sonic ice! You can do this. You just have to be creative. ((hugs))

Phenomenal!

First IF after Fatsgiving!! Boy did I try to rationalize not doing it!! I’m gonna try for a 22/2. I’m up 6lbs of F&F (fat & fluids) ?. Am gonna try for back to back 22/2’s then get back to UD/DDs on a 16/8 daily schedule. Have to whip my mind into shape that treats are not in an everyday rotation! LOLOL Sincerely, Rationalizing Rhonda in Recklessville

You’re awesome sauce, Ken! TY for all you do!

@GreenTealael ((hugs)) So sorry to hear this news!!!

I honestly think it's super important to have your mental health network or team set up well-before you undergo the stresses that the surgical process entails. And even more so after surgery. The waiting and jumping through hoops and the questions about whether you will or won't qualify for insurance etc, can be just a real toll on you! I'd also have the plan in place for the meds you need and know what surgery you will have and whether you will still absorb the meds the way you do now pre-surg. They may have to have a plan in place for adjusting dosages, switching up meds or med combos, etc. But it's better to go in strong and stable now with a plan in place for tackling tough issues that might arise post surgery. I believe that depression or mental illness should not automatically preclude you from having surgery. You just have to be pro-active in making a game plan and make sure your docs/therapists are on-board with you.

Hi. What's your most important meal to you? From a satisfaction standpoint?

I soft boiled eggs, poached eggs with runny yolks and over easy/medium fried eggs. I love European omelettes and Gordon Ramsay's scrambled eggs with soft set eggs. The world is a big place filled with wonderful tastes and differences between people! Embrace the egg. Pssssst eggs are also FABULOUS for your brain and liver health being super high in many nutrients such as choline!

I'm 10 months out. And I can literally get every ounce of protein I need at each of 2-3 meals to make my daily protein goal. I also have a mature pouch. So I can get at least 3oz of veg in at the same meal. As for fiber and pre and probiotics, I concentrate on dark leafy greens and low glycemic veggies + fermented veggies (kim chi and sauerkraut) + some seeds/nuts/legumes + a bit of low glycemic berries and/or a green apple with peel for the pectin a couple times a week and a bit of Greek yogurt. I'm experimenting with adding inulin into the mix of prebiotic fiber. I also drink/use whole psyllium husks here and there in iced tea, green smoothies, and I make psylli wraps (psyllium + egg whites to make tortillas). I also am down to taking 10g of Miralax (down from 17-20g) per day and also take 2 Colace). I drink 120+oz of liquid per day with 80+ of those from pure unflavored water. If I skimp on any of those things, then the train schedule gets totally whacked. If I eat a crap ton of cheese, the scheduled is off-kilter.

Quite frankly it's part of the human condition to seek reasons why "x, y, or z" are happening to you or that happened to you that will "let us off" the proverbial hook for self-responsibility and culpability. And the whole "starving kids in China" thing might have been a valid argument when you were a kid, thinking with a kid brain and kid programming. BUT...it ends at some point. At some point, you are a rational ADULT and you are thinking and reacting as a RATIONAL adult. You are not still using a child brain to process behaviors, habits, etc. At some point we all have adult culpability for the reason why we found ourselves as lifetime members of the Obesity Ball. We can't blame anyone or anything else other than our own shabby human will and piss poor metabolism that we did somehow contribute to through our choices. But in owning our choices lies our redemption. Our recovery will be our own. Not anyone else's. We did not get fat cuz we were made to clean our plates. We won't stay fat because of it. But, we do now need to recognize portions and what an appropriate portion is for us at each stage of eating/recovery. And that will build a lifetime of new habits. Send the damn extra food to the starving kids in China for Christ's sake! The postage will be lots cheaper than the emotional baggage we "want to try" to continue to carry. Forgive the parents and move on.

Ha! You're welcome!

Wooohooo! Wait til you try poach white fish. I use tilapia and seasonings (or Swai) and foil wrap it with a bit of spices and sometimes a little onion and spinach and mushrooms chopped super fine. So dang good...and easy to eat.