FluffyChix

The "swelling" is from lymphedema. The PS interrupted your lymphatic drainage system And it takes a while for the body to "reconnect." And what you're experiencing with the compression gear is absolutely true! If you don't have the proper garment in place, it will cause worse swelling below the area due to the inability for that lymph fluid to drain. I wear my sleeve every day. If I don't, then my arm gets huge and if I don't wear my glove with it, then my hand turns into a balloon. I do feel better with it than without it. It gives a comfort/secure/structure feeling. LOL.
So glad you are feeling better girlie!!!
Oh also, you know me...biased low carber, but $10 bet says that if you ditched the high carb crap and went back to low carb, you would notice the end of your belly bloat starting in as little as 3-4 days and maybe a complete resolution of it in 2-3weeks. hehe. Sorry couldn't resist. You know me...always biased. TY for sharing your journey girlie!! You are so brave and have been a true warrior during this time!!

I hear ya. So I'm taking a sewing course soon on how to alter clothes. That way I can change all my post surgery clothes to the right size when needed. Also, I will get the right fit for me and not just the generic size. If you have a sewing machine, why not try taking them in yourself?

I already planned to do some "lower"-carbing this week, though I may consider going ultra-low if I feel up to it

The "swelling" is from lymphedema. The PS interrupted your lymphatic drainage system And it takes a while for the body to "reconnect." And what you're experiencing with the compression gear is absolutely true! If you don't have the proper garment in place, it will cause worse swelling below the area due to the inability for that lymph fluid to drain. I wear my sleeve every day. If I don't, then my arm gets huge and if I don't wear my glove with it, then my hand turns into a balloon. I do feel better with it than without it. It gives a comfort/secure/structure feeling. LOL.
So glad you are feeling better girlie!!!
Oh also, you know me...biased low carber, but $10 bet says that if you ditched the high carb crap and went back to low carb, you would notice the end of your belly bloat starting in as little as 3-4 days and maybe a complete resolution of it in 2-3weeks. hehe. Sorry couldn't resist. You know me...always biased. TY for sharing your journey girlie!! You are so brave and have been a true warrior during this time!!

Yes, today is my first fill. I've seen people say that they've taken several fills to get to what's known as the "green zone" - that perfect zen place where you can only eat the small amount you SHOULD be eating and not being hungry between meals, and it not being too small to get the food down (vomiting, feeling stuck, etc.). I asked my doctor about that before my surgery - "How may fills does it typically take to get to that sweet spot?" He said that I will always leave his office at that spot. But that over time, I'll notice that I'm getting hungry more often or that I'm able to eat more food. And that I should then come in for another fill. He said a fill tends to last longer over time; in the very beginning, I might need another fill after only a week or 2 or 3. But as time goes on, fills should last me several months. I'm very unclear on WHY that is. Is it because the stomach shrinks a bit? Is it because there is some stomach swelling after a fill, and it feels tighter then and then looser later? I see that some doctors only fill a small amount at a time - like 5 cc. Others don't seem to be that limited. But I'm sure I'll understand more later today, after a visit and having questions answered.
My diet has been good since the week prior to surgery, when they put me on an extreme no-carb, not-even-veggies diet to shrink the liver prior to surgery. Then it was 6 days of liquids, then it was straight back onto solids. My diet now is more just a few rules than it is complicated. 1) Only eat when hungry, 2) STOP eating when I feel satiated, 3) Low carb, low fat - NO breads, rice, pasta, grains or potatoes, 4) No liquid calories - everything must have mass, and 5) no drinking during or immediately following surgery. I have been eating largely that way since I started back on solids. Some days I've folded and had a granola bar when hungry, or have had a morning coffee or evening tea with sugar. But other than that, I've been really good overall. What I expect out of this fill is to be able to be less limited on meal consumption size, and to not be as hungry in-between meals.

I am doing great, Thank you.

Hi Mike,
Any update on a surgery date? I'm so excited for you!
I'm at the stage that you were when you wrote this - nearing the end of my pre-op medical appointments. I have not had one single class or a support group, though. None of that's even been mentioned to me. I'm learning all on my own. It's been difficult, because my surgeon won't give me info on the post-op foods (both short and long-term) until my pre-op visit, 1-2 weeks before the surgery is scheduled. I have no idea what to expect since the doctor's office says that we shouldn't be looking anywhere for info but our doctor. Kind of frustrating.
I loved this line of yours: "I find myself completely swallowed by the excitement and eagerness to get the surgery done and to get my life back!" Same here! "swallowed" is a great explanation of how it feels.
Best of luck to you -

Kel

Hi Kel,

Thanks for the message. I am happy to say that I am officially 8 days post op today! I had the VSG done on 10/16 and had a few issues that kept me in the hospital 2 days longer than expected. Even with that, it’s been an amazing adventure thus far. I’m able to get in my fluids and my proteins each day (still on a full liquid diet until Monday), and am moving around pain free. The incision sites are close to healed and I’m almost back to feeling normal. I’ve lost 12 lbs since surgery day and am learning new things and learning the new me every day.

My surgeon's office didn't check my packet before sending it in to make sure they had all my records. My insurance required my weights for the last 5 years and they only sent in one. I requested my older medical records and sent them to the insurance co myself. Still waiting on appeal letter.

That must be pretty frustrating. At least the denial was just for a technicality instead of a medical reason. Let us know how the appeal turns out!

Thank you - thank you very much - as it's said here in Nashville.
LOL _ Never thought about it like decades. Ha ha ha - thats great! I guess the 270s were my hurdle. I was 264 this morning. Doc was please with how I'm doing so that was good. I've been released from all restrictions (except on food of course) so going to add some weights to help firm up as I go. Don't have too much loosey goosey going on yet, but I knows it will come. Tummy will be the worst.
Yes the belt rocks. I'm off the normal holes now and onto these rings (decor things). My husband asked if I should get a new one and said nope. This is my measure thing. The rings work. They are about an inch apart so each ring is an inch down. whoop Whoop.
I walk the miles here at work. Our parking garage from bottom level to top level is exactly 1/2 mile. So I walk up (hardest since it's up hill some) then back down. I do get walking in on weekend when we go to the mall and walk the loop (opry mill mall here is made in a huge circle) I need to my fitness pal it and see how long it is? Hmmmmm
But I've cut it back to one or two times a day since my hours are all wonky at work now. They got changed this week now. New flex time. Love it but different. I come in at 5am instead of 8am so I don't do dark garages when there are no peoples around - But I feel the once or twice is doing me good. I try to take the stairs now since I was released from restrictions so that adds more stuff. Wowzers those are rough on this out of shape body. Whew
Can't wait for our trip to Gatlinburg. We go every year. I just want to enjoy the woods and streams. Cool, quiet and Ahhhhh - I hate hate summer so it's like a I survived reward to go up there where its nice and cool.
Have blessed Day,
TTYL gater -

The amount of info is mind boggling and yes, so much of it seems to often contradict--especially between surgeons! I love this place so far. Such great people here. I'm just a newbie too and am still pre-surg.
My R/D told me in the beginning and maybe for the first six months to a year, that I will need protein drinks in order to reach my daily protein goals. She explained that the protein drink supplements would not be counted as a meal--they are extra to the meal. She made the suggestion of adding Premier Protein to my morning decaff coffee, or adding Syntrax Lemon Tea Protein Powder (which tastes like the old Lipton Powdered Ice Tea from the 60s) to my regular decaff brewed tea in order to get liquids in at the same time, I'm boosting my protein intake. She said it would then allow me to eat that 2oz of protein at a meal and only eat 3 meals without snacking.
But, please don't listen to me about nutrition. LOL. I know low carb and keto and know about cooking, but I'm just barely a newb and am trying to figure out the whole eating pre and post WLS! ((hugs)) and hope we can get to be friends and cheerleaders for each other!

Thanks so much - that makes sense with the scale. I have a scale, just not real good at using it yet. I actually used it for the first time last night weighing out my fish. I had mentioned that about the calculating because my yogurt said serving size was one container (some crazy 5.2 oz). I took three bites and was done. The other hard thing is my program want me to do three meals a day with no snacks at 20 grams of protein at each meal. I can't eat enough to get that much at one meal. Sometimes the differentiation of programs is so hard on here and at our office. There are three docs at my doc office and each has their own rules. And everyone's program on here is so different. I agree with Aunt B's comment above : While we all want to follow our instructions perfectly, I have to remember that part of this journey is listening to and trusting my own unique body.
I totally agree. I love this site. Y'all are like the most awesome group. Thanks again for the help.
GrInS.....

Congrats on your surgery, girl!! Woot! Yeah, so it sounds like from what everyone says, you are in the dreaded 3week stall. Just keep on, keepin' on! The way I handle quantities is I have a cheap digital scale. So if a serving is 1 cup, they usually have the gram weight for that serving. I just put my serving dish on the scale and tare it (zero it out), the put how much I'm gonna eat on it. Then I enter the actual weight in grams in MFP and it's done in about 2 seconds. Best purchase evs! Hope the scale moves soon!!!

Thank you! I'm all aboard for friending and cheerleading! The proportions are pretty good, and I feel lucky there, but like you, I carry a LOT in my arms, some of which may not go away (thanks, grandmas!), but I find that's by this point post-surgery, I'm not as bothered by what I now recognize as relatively minor and non-health-affecting things.
My boob surgeon, unfortunately, didn't take anything off the side boob, so I'm still camouflaging that with tight tanks under my clothing to cut down on the chafe. hopefully, some day, there will be lipo in the cards for that area.
My one regret, looks-wise, is trying to keep the appearance of fullness in my cheeks. When I don't, it ages me a good 10 years. Not a great look with neon blue hair.
I admit I had to look up the term xiphoid process (thank you - I love new words), and that seems to be a common place for things to go pear shaped. (Or literally apple shaped, I don't know!) I have noticed though that's there's a pattern to rapid loss and a lot of people first lose the weight they'd put on last. I had to pass 250 for my stomach and thighs to start going crazy out of down side to my shape Is that its so easy to think, around 200 or so, that I've lost enough weight. But I'm still classed as higher risk then and I need to keep going.
Hopefully, that will be easier with the smaller stomach and accompanying nausea I get eating the wrong things. (Just had two beef gyoza for early dinner, and they were delicious.)

Thanks FluffyChix for the support and encouragement. I don't mind at all if you follow me. If my posting helps just one person it was worth it to me.