Creekimp13

The first year I was frozen all the time. Had an electric blanket on my bed and turned it on for half an hour before I got into it even in the summer. LOL. Am not cold sensitive like that any longer. It gets better:)

I woke up from surgery with a little nagging shoulder pain (had a hiatal hernia repair with sleeve), but I felt great. Hit the ground running...literally put over a mile of steps on my fitbit same day of my surgery wandering the halls afterward. I could have easily done this surgery as an outpatient and gone home the same day. Many people have a rougher time of it. The starvation level calories for the next month is a little tougher (was for me, anywho)...but this passes and you eventually eat reasonable calories again. It was a very easy surgery for me. I was incredibly surprised. Interesting to note...I have never vomited, not once, since surgery over three years ago. I was so worried about vomiting with an injured stomach. Never happened. Never felt nauseated.

I was starving days after my surgery, too. And literally...we are starving. Our bodies are consuming a tremendous amount of calories healing and we've been on extremely restrictive diets and will continue to be. No way to sugar coat it....it's kind of miserable and you've just gotta survive it. Eventually, you do eat reasonable amounts of calories again and start to feel better. You'll be tempted to jump ahead and taste things....don't do it, it's not safe. Let your stomach heal properly. Hang in there. I had insane food dreams, felt weak, and absolutely hated the first month after surgery. Minding the rules is so important for your safety right after surgery. I swear it gets better.

OMG, food porn. LOL! Looking fantastic and so healthy! Great work!

Diaphragmatic irritation can result in pain that radiates to the shoulder. When they do a sleeve surgery, they routinely correct the opening through your diaphragm so the new tube stomach won't slip up into your chest. It is very common to feel pain in the back of the shoulder after a surgery involving the diaphragm like sleeve surgery. It will be better in a few days as it heals. I had a big ole hiatal hernia fixed with my sleeve surgery...and I feel your pain.

My hair fell out like crazy. I never got bald patches, but my pony tail went from being the diameter of a quarter to the diamater of a dime. It was super scary! Over three years later now, and my hair is super thick again. AND THIS IS WEIRD! It grew back much more curly than before! Maybe has to do with the vitamins or something? But my hair is MUCH more curly now, and my skin is better. Used to get little red bumps on my upper arms and legs and they're all smooth and soft now. Again, maybe a vitamin thing? Give it time. Let the butterfly come out of the cocoon:)

You should see the psychiatrist. It's important. There are folks who trade food addiction for worse addictions with potentially fatal results. There are folks whose relationships fall apart. There are folks who have mental health issues that need to be addressed before surgery can be approved. Most insurance plans will require you to be cleared by a psychiatrist to approve the surgery. Most surgeons will, too. Don't wait....call your doctor's office and check if it's required. I think there's a strong chance it will be, and it would be really irritating to have your surgery date delayed while you wait to get in to see the psychiatrist. I didn't want to see the therapist...thought it was unnecissary and a waste of time/money. Boy, was I wrong! I didn't need my therapist until a few months after surgery, but I was sure glad that relationship was established when the time came. Therapy has been an integral part of my success. Food addiction is sneaky!

I'm a little over three years out. If i'm getting 10,000 steps a day (I usually do) I can eat 1600 calories a day easily and maintain. If I want to lose weight I go down to 1200-1400. Volume is still pretty restricted.. I don't think I could eat more than a cup of food in a sitting.....but I can eat about every two hours...so I can still get into trouble if I'm not making good choices, eating too frequently, not counting calories.

Was looking through old posts here and figured I'd repost my old "Chunky Monkey" pic. This is me in spring of 2017...feels like a lifetime ago.

I had my sleeve surgery December 5th of 2017, and its been ages since I've checked in here. I'll be honest....after a while, this became an unhelpful environment for me and I needed to leave. Too many experts. Too many people who had "found the answer" and judged others who were following a different path. Sometimes ya'll were really helpful and sometimes you just made things worse. I'm not saying that to be critical of this place (there were times it was sincerely helpful and I think it's a great site, particularly for those starting out)....but I wanted to share my experience that there are times when it's better to walk away, take breaks, or escape relationships formed here that end up being unhealthy. I'm gonna talk about my experience with the disclaimer that this is MY experience. I'm not judgeing anyone else's experience. If it works for you...that's great. I'm not giving advice here....nothing I say will be "right or wrong" for anyone but me. It's your job to find your best path. This is just my experience. I had a terrific surgery. Either i'm really tough or was too excited to feel much pain, but I woke up from surgery feeling great and walked every chance I got. It helped. I had an easy recovery. I followed directions to the letter with the bazillion little ouce cups spaced out across the day. Got my fluids in, hit my protien targets, walked constantly. The two most difficult things I remember....were the liquid diet leading up to surgery. Mine was over Thanksgiving and wow, did that suck, because I was cooking dinner for everyone else. Crazy difficult. The other really tough part for me....were the first few months after surgery when my weightloss slowed and I was like....what in the world? I expected this big fast drop, and it wasn't like that at all. It was a slow weightloss with long plateaus. I also remember being angry because I was insanely hungry ALL THE TIME the first three weeks. Harsh! And here I thought all the little "hungry sensors" in my stomach would eliminate this issue....nope. My doctor had a different approach to what many people were doing on this site. I was told to eat more calories faster than many other plans, and my diet included a lot of carbs....which melted the brains of many of the protien police. LOL. Granted, the carbs I was allowed were high fiber, high protien and unrefined. (Potatoes were one of my first foods, I ate chickpea pasta, whole grain high fiber English muffins, sweet potatoes, beans, etc.) So yeah....I was clearly doomed to failure and killing myself in the minds of many here. LOL. And it's true...I lost weight slower than most....BUT! I continued to lose weight, and weirdly, my tastes changed. And I've gotta tell you....no one is more suprised than me about this....but better food choices are much much easier for me now. I stay away from refined sugar, refined flour and animal fat. I like plant based protien and fiber is my go to. My doctor stressed the importance of fiber and fermented foods in creating the right kind of gut bugs...and I really think he's on to something. Couple of things I've learned that apply to me: * I'm a food addict. I will always be a food addict. I have never met an emotion I couldn't eat. I need to think about that every day, and when things get tough....I need to go to therapy, because it helps. I don't go nonstop...but when really tough situations come up in my life (big changes, deaths, etc.) having an extra set of eyes and ears from a bariatric-familiar therapist really helps me keep the addiction in check. *At some point, you regain a little. In fact, statistically, most people will regain about 20% of what they lose the first year. I didn't. I regained ten pounds and joined Weight Watchers until I lost it, again. I didn't follow their diet, but found that going in to be weighed once a week and attending the meetings with a fun coach really helped keep me on track. (Therapy also helped, bigtime. If I gain five pounds, I schedule a therapist appointment...I know something is going on and I need to act) *I need to exercise if I want to eat the number of calories I find satisfying. I love my Fitbit. I wear it on my foot. In the summer, people think I'm a criminal with an ankle monitor. LOL. *I hate logging my food with a purple passion. But if I start to gain weight, I know it's absolutely necessary if I want to reverse it. *Menopause sucks. Particularly with your metabolism. You might need to make calorie adjustments. *No matter what life throws at you...no excuse is good enough to destroy your health with food addiction. Find better ways of dealing with anxiety, pain, grief, fear, boredom, worry, stress. *Weighing myself once a week reduces stress. I have been a lunatic with the scale most of my life. Get on every morning (or several times a day)...if the number is good, I'd go...heck, I'm doing great, I deserve a treat! If the number was bad, I'd get depressed and stress eat....it was no win. Weighing once a week is much saner for me! *I grieved foods when their taste changed and I didn't like them as much anymore. I used to love Egg McMuffins and Chilli Cheese Dogs. I can take or leave an Egg McMuffin now...it's ok, but kinda meh. Chilli Cheese Dogs just taste like salt and I don't like them at all. Have tried eating them a few times and each time...have grossed myself out. I genuinely miss and feel sad about how good they used to taste. This isn't a perception I've talked myself into...other naughty things still taste great...but your tastes honestly do change and some things get ruined for you and even though this is probably a VERY good thing, it can make you feel kinda sad. And here are some CONFESSIONS! I eat 1400-1600 calories a day now and maintain my weight at 168-172 Eventually, you really can eat almost anything. And I have. I've eaten all my old favorites and overdone it. And felt guilty and stupid. And I've also saved calories and eaten an appropriate amount of my old favorites and felt pretty damned satisfied with my discipline. There might be a few things that give you trouble forever. Last week I ate dry chicken with corn on the cob...did not get backed up saliva stuck...but felt that horrible stuck feeling for about twenty minutes and sipped water until it passed. Corn is my big one to watch...which stinks...because I really like corn. I drink diet pop. Yep. I do. A can a day most days. My restriction is still great...as evidenced by my corn issue. I take ibuprofen now. Never more than a dose or two in a week's time and always take it with antacids....but I do use it once in a while and my doctor is ok with this. (he said not advised for the first year after surgery) My maintenance diet has a ton of carbs. I still get about 60g of protein a day, but I try to get at least half of it from plant based foods. I eat fast food once in a while, when necessary. Usually, I cut a sandwich in half and eat half. No fries. Coffee with cream and splenda. I don't like it very much anymore. Honestly...it doesn't taste like it used to. My idea of naughty junk food now...is hitting the specialty deli for four pieces of sushi and one of those cups of watermelon chunks. LOL. Here is a current picture of myself. I'm not perfect, but not bad for turning 49 this year! Beats the hell out of weighing 270 pounds. I have no regrets. Wishing you all the very best.

Whoops:)

I'm not sure Einstein actually said that, Buzz, but your point is heartfelt. Personally, I have a different strategy this time around. I have blocked Mizz and Fluffy and intend to concentrate on simply sharing studies I find of value with those interested in reading them. Good advice from those of you who have encouraged me to do this. Those who decide to stop by purely to scoff and attempt to control the narrative can simply bump my posts. Or, they can make their own posts. Adults can make up their own minds. Win-win. It's all good:)

PhD post doc from UCLA Professor at the USC Davis School of Gerontology with a joint appointment in the department of Biological Sciences as well as serving as the director of the USC Longevity Institute. Dr. Longo is an impressive guy. https://news.usc.edu/135551/fasting-aging-dieting-and-when-you-should-eat-valter-longo/

Most people here are getting at least 20% of their calories from protein....much of it animal protein, particularly all the whey in protein supplements. In this research, a diet comprised of 20%+ protein was associated with these bad outcomes. Particularly if nearly all protein is coming from animal sources. I'm not suggesting anyone go against their doctor's advice. It's important to work with your dietitian and meeting early protein goals is essential no matter how you have to do it. I'm suggesting that as we move to maintenance, it is extremely important to consider the benefit of plant-protein rich carbs, nuts, beans, etc. Eating a diet with a high percentage of animal protein LONG TERM....is potentially moving from the frying pan (obesity) into the fire (cancer). We work too hard to get healthy. We deserve long healthy lives after winning this battle:)

Authoritarianism and punishment seems to be the way people cope....who feel powerless.

Also, protein pasta! Excellent source of plant-based protein.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/03/04/the-protein-puzzle-meat-and-dairy-may-significantly-increase-cancer-risk/#749e74c058b7 This research describes a "high protein diet" as being a diet with 20% of total calories coming from protein. Since most bariatric patients fit this profile, it is worth reviewing and discussing with your doctor. This is particularly important as you move to maintenance. Why High-Protein Diets May Be Linked To Cancer Risk Alice G. Walton Despite the popularity of protein-rich diets like Atkins and Paleo, new research suggests that it may be wise to steer the opposite way, especially when it comes to cancer risk. In the new study, middle-aged people who ate protein-heavy diets had a markedly increased risk of dying from cancer compared to their low-protein counterparts. But, as always, there are caveats: Protein from animal sources – meat and dairy – was what largely produced the risk, whereas plant-derived proteins seemed to be “safer.” And the rules seem to be different for people over the age of 65. So what are we to do? "There's a misconception that because we all eat, understanding nutrition is simple,” said study author Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. “But the question is not whether a certain diet allows you to do well for three days, but can it help you survive to be 100?" In the new study, the team followed over 6,300 adults over the age of 50, to see what effect high-, medium-, and low-protein diets had on longevity. A high-protein diet was defined as 20% of one’s daily calories coming from protein, a moderate-protein diet is made up of 10-19% calories from protein, and a low-protein diet consists of less than 10% protein. People in the study ate, on average, 16% protein, with two-thirds coming from animal sources – pretty typical of an American diet, the authors say. The findings were intriguing: People from ages 50-65 who ate high-protein diets were four times more likely to die of cancer – this is in the ballpark of smoking risk, say the authors – compared to people who ate low-protein diets. Even those who ate moderate-protein diets were three times as likely to die from cancer. And people who ate high-protein diets were 75% more likely to die from any cause, including three times as likely to die from diabetes. The team calculated that reducing protein intake from moderate to low would reduce the risk of death by 21%. Interestingly, when the source of the protein was taken into consideration, things changed a bit. When animal-derived sources taken out of the mix, the mortality risk was significantly reduced: In other words, plant-based protein did not seem to present the same kind of problem as protein from animal sources."The majority of Americans are eating about twice as much proteins as they should, and it seems that the best change would be to lower the daily intake of all proteins but especially animal-derived proteins," said Longo. "But don't get extreme in cutting out protein; you can go from protected to malnourished very quickly." Why the protein-cancer connection? Protein intake influences the levels of the growth hormone IGF-I, which not only affects the growth of healthy cells, but can also encourage cancer cell growth. In fact, in the current study, the team found that for every 10 ng/ml increase in IGF-I, people who ate high-protein diets were 9% more likely to die from cancer than those on a low-protein diet. This growth hormone mechanism seems to be the reason that calorie-restricted diets have been shown to increase longevity in certain species, including, possibly, humans. But again, there are more caveats. IGF-I levels decline over the years, especially after age 65, which is part of the reason that people lose muscle tone and become frailer with age. And the current study bore this out, too: When the team looked at people above the age of 65, people who ate more protein had a reduced risk of death. The protein issue is therefore complex, and will require some more research. But the recommendations arising from the current study, says Longo, line up with those from the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine. Longo tells me that generally people should stick with “plant based proteins and/or stay as close as possible to 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. This is about 54 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person… However, going lower than that can be detrimental.” So, it may be wise to watch your protein intake, at least in middle age. And at any age, eating a plant-based diet is probably smart, as study after study shows the near-indisputable health benefits of doing so. "Almost everyone is going to have a cancer cell or pre-cancer cell in them at some point,” says Longo. “The question is: Does it progress? Turns out one of the major factors in determining if it does is protein intake."

Ah no..not doxing, sharing a publicly advertised site where the owner (Fluffy) makes money plugging the Keto diet. Illustrating a possible explanation for her fanatical obsession with everything I post. Also interesting...her bio says she's been eating a high protein low carb diet for 14 years. When was your cancer diagnosis, Fluffy? A few years ago, you say? Hmmmmm....

Hey Fluff, thanks for the bump. While I realize you do not value this information or believe in it's relevance, I do appreciate that your comments keep it moving up the board so that others who might find it of value can find it. By the way, how's business? Sell any of your keto cookbooks lately? http://fluffychixcook.com/ Cheers:)

I can see how you'd be afraid of that. Sounds awful! Glad you're doing better now:)

Make your own soup, AND put some BariatricPal soup on the shelf. Sometimes it's nice to have a variety of flavors in an on the go package. Homemade soup is a staple at my house. Loves it! Veggie, split pea, bean, crock pot leftover soup, chicken.... But it's awfully handy to have some soups in the cupboard that are grab and go.

https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall You are not alone:) This, too, shall pass:)

Yikes! Ouch!