Taylor5

Hope your surgery went well and you had a great experience! In case anyone else reads your topic and is wondering, my surgery was on Weds, I was discharged on Thurs, went back for swallow test on Fri, and we flew back on Sunday. We gave ourselves extra time bc we had to fly to/from Philadelphia and I have chronic back/neck pain. Also, we were planning around Xmas & NY's and wanted a reasonably priced non-stop flight.
I could have probably flown a day or so earlier, but as it was I was surprisingly comfortable. We had an overnight flight 11pm - 5am roughly - and I used my heating pad for the few hrs. we sat in the airport. Then took my night time meds right after we boarded and the anti-inflammatories they gave me upon discharge. I slept for several hrs. and woke in time to watch the sunrise over our final hour descent over the city. Was actually pretty cool...

Got a new acronym for you WTFGTBS- what the F*** go to be something And you're the first case they've seen! Sent you a hug, you need one now!

Sorry, just remembered this: When I was discharged, the nurse told me to get myself some juice from the store or hotel - like Regular Juice - and water it down some. She said, "Everyone needs some sugar for energy, etc, and your body is trying to recover from major surgery. Don't overdo it, and don't get anything junky - make sure it is 100% juice." I got 100% apple juice bottles from the hotel store and OMG, even watered down they helped So Much! Was honestly the best part of my day each day besides the popsicles! I would have part of it in the morning before meds and same in the evening. I am prone to stomach issues and have not thrown up once at any point since surgery. I am positive the diluted apple juice helped my stomach handle the meds the first few days. Obviously I don't recommend this if your doctor or nutritionist don't think it's ok, but I guess something to remember if she is feeling too weak or nauseous. It might help.

My place, like many, didn't like to go by calories but rather just making sure there was adequate protein and fluid intake - especially in the first 1-2 months. And low sugar/lower carb, of course. However, from my food diary I was in that range of 600-900 per day for the first few months, and then slowly increased after month 3 when my activity level increased a lot more. But everyone is different as far as individual needs and rate of loss and all of that. And there's also that balancing act of not taking in too much, but then also make sure you are getting enough. Because of course you can stall from too few calories too! Def check with your doc/nut too though, especially if you are having concerns due to feeling you are either too hungry or not hungry enough, and even more so if that coincides with a slow-down or stall. Good luck!

It sounds like either a hernia or scar tissue that has attached to something else and is pulling. My husband had something similar on a surgery scar. Surgeon went in and cleaned it up. Was outpatient quick and easy fix. Definitely get it checked if it does clear up in a week or so.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hey guys,
So first a quick update - Just celebrated my 10 month surgiversary on Saturday and made my 1st weight goal, which was 140. Currently at 139.7 and probably aiming for 135 before settling down into maintenance mode - yes I could aim lower at my height, but don't love the sagging skin that is starting & won't likely be able to have any cosmetic surgery. Plus, given my health issues, I feel - and my docs agree - that this is a realistic goal to maintain. Can't believe this time last year I was scheduling my surgery and taking out a loan and researching, researching, researching! Seems so long ago and also that it has flown by at the same time ; )
Have a few other victories to celebrate such as total inches lost so far over 42" when added together from biceps, bust, waist, hips, thighs & calves - so that is exciting! I tend to think of myself as "Droopy-Drawers" now, but I guess that's ok. Also out of plus sizes finally, which makes me so happy. Much more active now, both in and out of the gym - doing things around the house & yard I haven't done in a long, long time. Still dealing with all my back & chronic pain, but at least I'm able to DO more! Bloodwork is good except still a little low on the iron - continuing to work on that one. Hair could be better but I knew that was a strong risk and am praying it will start growing back soon. All in all it has been a great journey & totally worth it - that part w/o a doubt!
Anyway, the reason for my post - have just started having this pinching sensation lately when bending over or leaning forward. It is in the area of the incision on my left side but the one closer to my belly button than my side - the one up about midway (not the little one under diaphragm area). It's not excruciating but is like a sharp pinch, and has been pretty much daily for the past week I guess. If I were earlier out post-op I would say it felt like being poked by a stitch or maybe popping one - but I would certainly hope that wouldn't be the case at 10 months. Has anyone else had a similar sensation this far out, and if so, did it go away on its own or did you ever find out what it was? Just wondering if I should be concerned...

Thanks for the tip! I think I will do that, as I am still having issues...

Right, that's the other reason I take mine at bedtime. I take Nexium in the morning and have protein shakes or yogurt up through dinnertime. I need that separation too in order to keep the calcium and medications from blocking the absorption. On the other hand, I'm starting to have a little bit of stomach issues this morning, and I just read a few articles saying that iron supplementation is thought to decrease production of Leptin, which provides the feeling of satiety. That makes me think it could very well be the cause of my increased hunger and food intake this week, and my first gain since surgery...which of course makes me not want to take it anymore. My doc prescribed Ferrous Gluconate Rx as it would supposedly be easier on my IBS symptoms...

So I had my iron tested recently and my Ferritin level was 7. My doctor has me taking a prescription iron supplement because I have IBS Type-C and she said this would help me avoid some of the tummy issues. I've been taking it 1x per day, as prescribed, for about 9 days now. I take it at bedtime because a lot of vitamins and supplements tend to make me nauseous, and this way I'm not risking feeling sick during the day. Take it with Vitamin C to help the absorption. Have not had any issues with nausea so far. Increased my stool softener as a precaution - that seems to have helped avoid worsening constipation,
However, I have noticed an increase in appetite this past week. All of a sudden I am hyper-aware of all the food in the house and what everyone else is eating - usually I can look at it longingly for a second or two and then forget about it. I've been really struggling. I'm definitely eating more than I was. I have gained at least one pound whereas I had been at a slow but steady rate of loss since my surgery 7 months ago. My stomach is round and more prominent again - feels full and uncomfortable. Also feeling a little out of sorts and depressed. All of a sudden last night I started to put together the timeline and wondered if it could be the iron making me feel this way?
I know I need to get my levels up as 7 is way too low, but I am really unhappy with how I'm feeling right now. I'm wondering if the iron patches might cause less side effects? I use the multi-vitamin patches and don't notice anything bad from them. No one has ordered a check of specific vitamin levels bc my surgery was in MX so my follow-up has been with PCP, but she just double-checks I'm taking a multi, calcium (chew), a B-12 (melt), and Biotin (melt), and hasn't mentioned checking levels yet - so I can't say for sure if the patches are keeping my vitamin levels up or not, just hoping they are. She checked my iron because my tongue was really sore, which it still is actually...
So...Has anyone else experienced any of this?

Fast food is a fact of life for so many of us, so is it really reasonable to expect it to disappear from the scene after bariatric surgery?
Note: This isn’t an article on “How soon after surgery can I eat pepperoni pizza and wings?” This is an article on making the best choices you can given your situation.


Consider Macros
That is, “macronutrients,” or carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The news is bad on the surface since the average fast food meal has more carbs and less protein per calorie than the average home-cooked meal. You can work to turn this around, though.
Carbohydrates: Cut back on carbohydrates by skipping the starchy sides: French fries, potato chips, and hash browns, steamed, fried, or Mexican rice, and breadsticks. Try to go “green” (lettuce wrap) or “naked” (no wrap) with your burger, tortilla, or sandwich; if the fast food joint cannot honor your request, just eat the filling with a knife and fork, and throw away the bread, bun, tortilla, or taco shell (if you are feeling guilty because of starving children in third-world countries, make a donation. You’ll do more good than you would by adding starch to your hips).
Protein: How can you boost your protein intake at a fast food restaurant to be what you need? Skinless grilled or baked chicken, lean cold cuts, cheese, and beans can all up your totals, and yogurt is an increasingly common side option. Even a small burger patty can give you 10 to 15 grams of protein, although it comes with a few extra grams of fat.
A good protein goal for a meal is about 20-30 grams. You can get that for 200-300 calories with any of the following.
Burger King Double Cheeseburger, no bun; Grilled Chicken Garden Salad, no croutons; or Veggie Burger with cheese, no bun or mayo. McDonald’s Grilled Southwestern Chicken Salad, no cheese; or Grilled Chicken Sandwich, no bun or spread. Taco Bell 2 grilled or fresco steak soft tacos, no tortillas; chicken or steak Power Menu Bowl, no rice or cheese. KFC Grilled Chicken Drumstick plus green beans or side salad. Panda Express Grilled Teriyaki or Asian Chicken. Fats: Your first order of business is to avoid anything fried. You will be avoiding excess grease while also avoiding sneaky carbs in breading – did you know that the amounts of carbs in onion rings and fried chicken are comparable to the amounts in bread? Also, watch the fatty spreads – think mayonnaise – salad dressings, and dips.
Find the Vegetables
Protein and vegetables…does this sound familiar? It should, since your goals when eating at a fast food restaurant should be the same as when you eat at home. Vegetables help fill you up without filling you out, and it is best to eat as many of them as you can handle with your pouch or sleeve. It may take a little more digging to find vegetables at fast food restaurants than at home, but you can usually do it. Here are a few leads.
Ask for extra lettuce, tomatoes, and any other available vegetables on burgers and sandwiches. Order a side salad or baby carrots with your meal. Check for salads with grilled chicken as an entrée. Pile salsa and diced vegetables onto your naked burrito. When “Value” Isn’t
Besides the convenience, the deals are among the most tempting things about fast food. For pennies more, you can often add fries and a drink, or you could get a second burger or taco for half the price. Don’t do it!
“Value” depends on what you want and need; why would you pay extra, even if it is “only pennies more,” for extra fat, sugar, starch, and calories? A healthier definition of “value” might be to pay the least you can for a meal that is convenient, delicious, and healthy. Why include “oversized” in your definition?
For those times when fast food simply makes sense, go for it – just keep yourself on track by reading the menu carefully and staying focused. You can do it, no matter where you end up. You might as well enjoy it!