rs

Update for today:

Since I wanted to wear my regular bra today at work that gives me a better profile look (compared to the sports bra type I wore yesterday), I did what a couple of you suggested - I wore a thin camisole *under* my bra. It totally helped. No chafing on my side incisions at all. So happy!

As far as the swelling in my elbows, this morning they had improved from the day before but by the end of today they're more swollen again. Tomorrow I have my next Dr checkup so I'll ask about it. Hope I don't get a scolding for no longer wrapping my arms either in the garment or ace bandages. Every day or so I try the ace bandages to see if it will help with the swelling but it actually makes it worse so. Plus it also makes the under side of my elbows red and sore.

The tightness I was having when I outstretched my arms seems to have improved quite a bit. Thinking it's because I've naturally been moving more these past 3 days since I've been back to work compared to the 3 weeks I was home doing absolutely nothing.

My skin around the incisions is so dry and gross. I haven't put on any oil or that silicone tape yet because at my last appointment the Dr just said not to do anything. Hopefully tomorrow at my appointment he'll say it's ok.

So there's my 24 day post arm lift update!

17 hours ago, ms.sss said:

Man, I can't get enough of these sugar-free  chocolates

@ms.sss which ones

Much better today at work. I wore a different bra, one that is sorta more like a sports bra, like @ms.sss suggested, with a wider band and softer material. I don't like my profile in a shirt with this bra but at least I wasn't uncomfortable from chafing.

On a different note, I woke up with swelling again around my elbows. Surprisingly hasn't decreased very much even though I moved around throughout the day. I'll just have to make a more concerted effort tonight to elevate.

Did yoga today. Really helped stretch out that scar tissue. Here is a bunch of pics of what my arms look like exactly 7 weeks post op today.       

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm 4 weeks post ... and wearing a robe! #FML [emoji23]

I'm 4 weeks post ... and wearing a robe! #FML [emoji23]

It’s Monday. I told my boss this morning I wasn’t ready for this full week of work, we’ve had so much time off for the holidays. She totally got it. My new size 4 skinny jeans. The 6’s I bought 2 weeks ago are already a little to big.

Okay. I’ve got about 5 mins before I need to leave for work guys
I’ve worked so much since the 30th I’ve almost lost track of the day.

I’m back now, but work is still crushing me.
Started training for a half that I want to run later this year and still doing 5-7 Pilates classes Weekly
Maybe Wednesday I’ll have time to revirew and comment, but not today.

Here is my OOTD from yesterday. I’m wearing size 6 skinny jeans. #mindbkown

First day back in the office since arm lift 3 weeks ago, which meant wearing work clothes and a bra (gasp!) all day. The bra was rubbing against my incisions (I had extended arm lift so incisions go down my side to the bottom of the bra line) and really bothered me. When I got home I was nervous to see if there was any visible damage to the incision areas but it doesn't look like it. Not sure what I can do differently tomorrow to minimize the chafing. I'll try adjusting my straps to see if I could reposition where the bra band is hitting my sides. Still haven't shaved under my arms. When I put deodorant on I carefully put just a little keeping it away from the incision. Thankfully it's winter so I'm not really sweating much. Next Dr appointment is this Thursday.

14 hours ago, sillykitty said:

Can't see the protein Pasta,  but I thought of you @rs, it does look like worms 😂)

🤢

😁

OOTD
Bespoke kimono # 3

Congratulations! Welcome to the party, sneaky girl! Best wishes on a speedy recovery and great results!

Ok, I went a teeny bit punky edge today. My husband says I look really cute. His taste cracks me up.

4 hours ago, ms.sss said:

@rs :

Posters in the food Before and After Thread often post their recipes, but you'll usually have to ask them for it when you see a picture that you like...

Thanks @ms.sss! Also, I just now saw that there is a recipes section in the Baritastic app that's probably worth looking at.

https://www.baritastic.com/

I'm coming in late to this thread but I see some great stuff - thanks! Also, I just now saw that there is a recipes section in the Baritastic app that's probably worth looking at.

https://www.baritastic.com/

One version here
https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/high-protein-mexican-lasagna/
One here
https://theconsciousdietitian.com/all-recipes/protein-rich-zucchini-noodle-lasagna-with-cottage-cheese/
And the one I use most often, because it is like "real" lasanga, only with more flavour. I prefer this one from a "regular" lasanga because of much more flavours. Keep in mind that I never tastet a real italian homemade lasanga [emoji14]

Translated from norwegian:
Protein lasagna. I make it with low fat minced meat, and a cottage cheese base for the sauce, so the entire pan in about 20x30 is basically Protein with a little bit of vegetable and carb, and a little bit fat from the cheese. One pan gives me 26 meals. I can handle Pasta so I use Pasta, but with whole wheat Pasta. I also just use half the pasta, and have a couple of layers with whole wheat wraps. If you can't handle pasta, you can just replace it with potatoes, with wraps or with zuccini or other vegetables. Or just saus.
How to
For the entire pan
meat sauce
A little bit of oil
2 large carrots
2 large yellow onions
3 clovers of garlic
200g selleri - I skip this, I hate selleri
500g minced tomatoes
100g Tomato puree
5 dl water
800g low fat minced meat (I use meat with 5% fat)
¼ ts grinded star anis
1 ts grinded pepper
½ ts salt
cheese sauce
600gcottage cheese - I use the low fat kind
75g parmesan
2 ts basil
¼ ts grined nutmeg
¼ ts pepper
¼ ts salt
1 dl skimmet milk - I usually switch this with a little bit of creme fraiche or keso (I live in Norway, I have no clue what your high Protein dairy sources might be called [emoji3] )
+ A little bit of cheese to have on top
How to make the meat sauce
Finly slice all the vegetables and unions. Lightly cook them with some oil in a large pan with the spices. Pour the minced tomatoes over it, and half the Water. Turn the plate down and let it simmer. Fry the minced meat and add that to the pan of vegetables. In the frying pan, mix the Tomato puree with the rest of the Water - you do this so you get all the flavors in. Pour the Tomato puree Water into the meat sauce. Let it simmer for at least an hour.
Cheese sauce
Grind the cheese, and put that, the cottage cheese, milk and spices in a blender. Mix until you have a sauce. You'll see some small spots, but just ignore that. Now, I usually add just a tablespoon of the bag of powder that comes with any lasagna kit, just for the flavour.
Put the meat sauce, cheese sause and pasta on top of another in the pan. Cover it with foil and roast it for about 25 minutes 200degres in the middle of the over. Then sprinkle the cheese on top of it and roast it until the cheese is golden.
You can serve it with any type of salat or perhaps some WLS friendly garlic bread. Whatever floats your boat. I usually have 1 meal of it, and let it cool down before I divid it into portions and freeze. And in the morning you just grab a portion for lunch, .
You can actually make it anyway you like. Vegetarian. Add Beans, etc.

On 1/2/2020 at 1:43 PM, mousecat88 said:

this is the extent of my scarring on my arms. looks lighter actually, but I'm in a dark office right now. lol. that line underneath is just from the seam of my compression garment.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

@mousecat88 gosh I just can't hey over how nice your arms look. About how long after surgery did the incisions flatten out? Have you been putting any cream or oil on them, and if so when did you start that? I think I read that you had the traditional staples/stitches vs the dissolvable which is what I have. Not sure if that makes any difference in healing or final results. How did you shave under your arms with the incisions? I'm so afraid to do that. I think I may have asked some of these questions before but there have been a lot of posts to sift through. So glad to have others such as yourself who have recently gone through this surgery to ask questions of. Thx for responding.

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

This morning I woke up to some SERIOUS itching along my tummy incision line. OMG it was unbearable, I popped two Benedryl and by the time I finished my morning coffee it was gone.

So I got to thinking that the itching is maybe the nerves are reconnecting? Early on PO, my arms itched like crazy. Now I realize that they are not itchy anymore AND they don't feel numb anymore either. So I went poking around on my abdomen, and yeah, there are some parts where I can actually feel again. So maybe itching is a good thing then?

@rs @mousecat88 @sillykitty @catwoman7 @okayestmom Do you guys notice this as well?

P.S. My boobs on the other hand, have not itched nor felt numb at all.

P.P.S. I wore regular pants yesterday! I looked about 3 months pregnant, but whatevs.

@ms.sss I haven't experienced itching or numbness in my arms at all. The only thing I have issues with is the tightness when I extend my arms straight out, either horizontally or vertically. I left a message last Thursday for the surgeon's nurse but never got a call back. I wanted to confirm that I should continue trying to stretch out whatever is making it tight (muscles, nerves, ligaments, scar tissue?). My next Dr appointment isn't until Thursday. Btw I tried the other compression garment style and it was too uncomfortable also. I just haven't been wearing anything, no garment or ace bandages. I cannot handle the pain and swelling that comes from wearing them.

I'm a little late to diving into this thread. I'd like to try some of these meals but not all have the recipes listed. Also searched here on the BP site but didn't seem to find a good thread posting recipes. Maybe I just didn't look in the right place. Any thoughts on where to look, either on this site or maybe another site?

36 minutes ago, MsMocie said:

My favorite is Protein  lasanga

@MsMocie where can I find the recipe?

3 hours ago, ms.sss said:

109 lbs

WTF?!?

Where do I get that ? Thank you!

30 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

I'm actually in Miami

Nice!

Good habit to start getting into more, before surgery. It will also help to start seeing the different macronutrients and calories the different foods you eat have so you can adjust your choices as needed. You've got this!

Congratulations! That was exactly me a few months ago and I just couldn't believe it! And now I'm in 8's! I'm in maintenance mode and very happy where I'm at in the scale and in clothes.