Missouri-Lee's Summit

Brilliant, T.
We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea.
I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

I, too, read your entire post. Never apologize for too many words or thoughts. We get it. Like some of the others, I wish I had something comforting to say that would be of benefit to you. All I can offer is my empathy for your struggle. I have a sparkly magic wand, but it no longer works. I got cheated by those stupid Dollar Store people!

Are you afraid that you won't wake up? I often look forward to the anesthesia. Silly, I know. I play this game with myself. I will myself while they are about to put me under that I refuse to "fall asleep." I always end up in the recovery room, diappointed that I lost. It is so instantaneous. You are out before you can even think about it. My issues are with being strapped down or my movement being restricted in any way. (A history of childhood sexual abuse.) I always request that I not be strapped to the table until AFTER I am unconscious. That's just my thing.
Perhaps your fear is with all the prep and questions asked of the nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist. Admit to them that you are anxious. Sometimes they can give you something ahead of time to reduce that anxiety. Play a more active part in your experience. Be honest about your worries. I would never downplay or discount anyone else's fears. I have plenty of my own fears. Some of them are irrational, some less so.
I hope I have been helpful in some small way. I also hope that when you return you will let us know about how your experience turned out. The thing that brought me back to this site is the caring and understanding by people who've been where we've been and understand/empathsize with our struggles.

I left this site abruptly two years ago (I no longer remember why). Has anyone else disappeared and then returned? I think I was curious. Did I still need the support of like-minded people who'd be able to empathize with any issues that surrounded my gastric bypass? I think I also miss the socialization. Can anyone else relate?
Sadly, I need to refresh myself with the settings and the how-tos of the site. Forgive me if I accidentally break bariatricpal while trying to reclaim my "skills."

Maybe that was it... the hostile environment around here. I didn't like the in-fighting among people who should have been more supportive of one another and nonjudgmental. Some people just gave off toxic bully vibes, while others insisted on being the center of every conversation-- plus being the only voice that mattered. Who needed that?!
It appears that many of those folks have moved on or were escorted to the door. At any rate, I look forward to reacquainting myself with the site, and to making new friends who may benefit from the support of those of us who may have relevant bariatric experiences to share.

I left this site abruptly two years ago (I no longer remember why). Has anyone else disappeared and then returned? I think I was curious. Did I still need the support of like-minded people who'd be able to empathize with any issues that surrounded my gastric bypass? I think I also miss the socialization. Can anyone else relate?
Sadly, I need to refresh myself with the settings and the how-tos of the site. Forgive me if I accidentally break bariatricpal while trying to reclaim my "skills."

I don't enjoy eating anymore. The only thing I can seem to eat or even taste is
Campbell's Vegetable Soup. I am not keeping up with my Vitamins. I weigh
around 180lbs, down from 303. I don't regret getting my bypass but I thought I'd
be at a different place.

Brilliant, T.
We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea.
I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

Tell these cogs what they want to hear so you can move things along. Believe me, they are pathetic nobodies in the big picture.
I hate that these ego-starved "professionals" are dragging you down, and making you feel unsure of yourself.
Trust your own better judgment and remind yourself that you know you and they don't! Get a good raincoat and let everything they say roll off of you. Feed yourself a daily dose of positive affirmations (no matter how corny) to counteract their barbs.
You sound like a sensible and centered person. Don't let others make you feel less about yourself or your goals. And keep coming here. Vent, vent, vent.

I just bought some matcha powder and was wondering what to do with it! Thanks! Hard to find it without sugar in it, had to order online!
@jess9395 I haven't opened my matcha Protein Powder yet. It's a small container, 30g, of ceremonial grade Matcha. Quite pricey. Recently, my adult daughter and I had a little tea party like we used to have when she was about six years old. Of course, there was no Matcha tea back then. The party was prompted after she ran across the teeny-tiny hand-painted tea set I bought her when she was young. I only have one daughter. The other three are boys.
BTW, I had no problem inviting my boys to join our tea parties (back in the day), but they had already been "indoctrinated" by society as to what is boylike and what is not. Sad. It's not easy being a little girl... or a little boy.

I found some information that might address some of your concerns.
"High B12 levels in the blood are not necessarily a reason to panic, as they can stem from a number of different causes."
Two reasons for increased levels of Vitamin B12 include:
1. Your B12 test was carried out too soon after taking B12 supplements.< /span>
2. The body is failing to use the B12 correctly.
High levels can be followed up by a test called the MMA Urine Test and works by measuring the methylmalonic acid in urine, which determines how much B12 the cells actually receive. The test can be carried out comfortably and quickly ay home. (I don't know where to get this test.)
Another testing method is a blood sample test. It is known as the HoloTC test, which measures the B12 bound to its specific transport molecule, transcobalamin.
http://www.b12-vitamin.com/blood-levels/
There are some cases where high levels of B12 are of concern but don't get ahead of yourself. You seem to be under a lot of stress and that makes you worry even more. Ask your doctor, for your peace of mind, to order more testing. It's interesting that you stopped taking B12 (and your other vitamins) for three months prior to your 1-year check-up. Maybe your body isn't able to use B12:
"Usage issues occur when the body isn’t capable of properly utilizing vitamin B12, leaving it to accumulate in the blood. It is possible that a B12 deficiency can occur despite high B12 blood levels... if vitamin B12 isn’t correctly binding to transport molecules and thus is not able to be used by the body..."

I found some information that might address some of your concerns.
"High B12 levels in the blood are not necessarily a reason to panic, as they can stem from a number of different causes."
Two reasons for increased levels of Vitamin B12 include:
1. Your B12 test was carried out too soon after taking B12 supplements.< /span>
2. The body is failing to use the B12 correctly.
High levels can be followed up by a test called the MMA Urine Test and works by measuring the methylmalonic acid in urine, which determines how much B12 the cells actually receive. The test can be carried out comfortably and quickly ay home. (I don't know where to get this test.)
Another testing method is a blood sample test. It is known as the HoloTC test, which measures the B12 bound to its specific transport molecule, transcobalamin.
http://www.b12-vitamin.com/blood-levels/
There are some cases where high levels of B12 are of concern but don't get ahead of yourself. You seem to be under a lot of stress and that makes you worry even more. Ask your doctor, for your peace of mind, to order more testing. It's interesting that you stopped taking B12 (and your other vitamins) for three months prior to your 1-year check-up. Maybe your body isn't able to use B12:
"Usage issues occur when the body isn’t capable of properly utilizing vitamin B12, leaving it to accumulate in the blood. It is possible that a B12 deficiency can occur despite high B12 blood levels... if vitamin B12 isn’t correctly binding to transport molecules and thus is not able to be used by the body..."

I just bought some matcha powder and was wondering what to do with it! Thanks! Hard to find it without sugar in it, had to order online!
@jess9395 I haven't opened my matcha Protein Powder yet. It's a small container, 30g, of ceremonial grade Matcha. Quite pricey. Recently, my adult daughter and I had a little tea party like we used to have when she was about six years old. Of course, there was no Matcha tea back then. The party was prompted after she ran across the teeny-tiny hand-painted tea set I bought her when she was young. I only have one daughter. The other three are boys.
BTW, I had no problem inviting my boys to join our tea parties (back in the day), but they had already been "indoctrinated" by society as to what is boylike and what is not. Sad. It's not easy being a little girl... or a little boy.

@SueperGaland @MIZ60 Thank you for the comparison photos. Just what I hoped to see. I'm glad you mentioned that the Thai food was 1 cup (your order) because I was only able to see a difference. A description of what was in the omelet was helpful also.
I'm only guessing about the yogurt. The shot is a close-up so I don't really know how much that is. (I usually make my own yogurt, so I'm not familiar with most of the commercial sizes.)

Most of the bariatric literature on thiamine deficiency surrounds gastric bypass, but it seems sleeve gastrectomy is not immune to this problem despite that, theoretically, sleeve gastrectomy experiences fewer malabsorption issues. https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(18)30222-3/fulltext Nutritional deficiencies are a recognized complication of bariatric surgery. Thiamine deficiency has been reported as a possible consequence of both restrictive and malabsorptive bariatric procedures. Most of the reported cases occurred after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery; fewer were described after biliopancreatic diversion, vertical banded gastroplasty, or duodenal switch. Adults who have a high carbohydrate intake derived mainly from refined sugars and milled rice are at greater risk of developing thiamine deficiency because thiamine is absent from fats, oils, and refined sugars. https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(05)00726-4/fulltext Thiamine was the first Vitamin B to be discovered. It is absorbed in the proximal jejunum and is mainly stored in muscle as thiamine pyrophosphate. It has a biological half-life of 9-18 days. Patients who experience persistent vomiting after bariatric surgery are at risk of developing thiamine deficiency. Mild deficiency should be suspected if patients complain of apathy, anorexia, restlessness and generalized weakness. Prolonged deficiency leads to beriberi and/or Wernicke’s encephalopathy. The most common presenting symptom of thiamine deficiency is a pins-and-needles feeling in one’s extremities despite normal vitamin B12 and folate. The average time from surgery to onset of thiamine deficiency symptoms was 9 months. Persistent vomiting, alcoholism, and non-compliance with Vitamins are all contributing factors to thiamine-B1 deficiency. Treatment for those suspected of thiamine-B1 deficiency: 50-100mg of thiamine twice daily. https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(11)00050-5/fulltext

Brilliant, T.
We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea.
I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

My problem was a bit different. If you read my profile you'll understand that I'm a chronic pain patient (#CPP).
https://www.bariatricpal.com/profile/341190-missouri-lees-summit/
This manufactured opioid hysteria has created a nightmare for people who once had a tolerable quality of life. The forced tapering and abandonment of CPPs by doctors is a disgrace. I follow a twitter dialog with other CPPs. Suicides among people forced to live in pain are increasing at an alarming rate.
https://twitter.com/DanLairdMD
https://twitter.com/ThomasKlineMD
https://twitter.com/ravensspirit68
https://twitter.com/reversechapter

@SueperGaland @MIZ60 Thank you for the comparison photos. Just what I hoped to see. I'm glad you mentioned that the Thai food was 1 cup (your order) because I was only able to see a difference. A description of what was in the omelet was helpful also.
I'm only guessing about the yogurt. The shot is a close-up so I don't really know how much that is. (I usually make my own yogurt, so I'm not familiar with most of the commercial sizes.)

Brilliant, T.
We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea.
I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

@SueperGaland @MIZ60 Thank you for the comparison photos. Just what I hoped to see. I'm glad you mentioned that the Thai food was 1 cup (your order) because I was only able to see a difference. A description of what was in the omelet was helpful also.
I'm only guessing about the yogurt. The shot is a close-up so I don't really know how much that is. (I usually make my own yogurt, so I'm not familiar with most of the commercial sizes.)

I didn't know what weight goal to set for myself. Initially, I came up with 130, but after considering that I've had four children and that my body has been through a lot, I asked my doctor for his opinion. He came up with 150.
I honestly don't know how much I weigh now because I haven't weighed myself in over a year. I no longer "track" my weight and I am better off for it. My body has its own schedule and I'm just along for the ride.

Brilliant, T.
We definitely need more fun, original, and helpful threads. I'm making an attempt to get something helpful started (the mini WL dictionary/glossary*), and now you've come up with this fun AND helpful idea.
I'd also be interested in seeing typical meals with honest serving portions (pre-surgery, even before the ALL-LIQUID pre-diet). The subsequent photo(s) could be a typical meal(s) AFTER surgery (post-healing). There might be some significant time lapse between the photos. The BEFORE photos could be honest re-creations meant to show one's previous unhealthy food choices and less-than-ideal serving portions. Tip: Place a familiar object (edible or non-edible) on or near the plate so we can get a reasonable sense of scale.

@SueperGaland @MIZ60 Thank you for the comparison photos. Just what I hoped to see. I'm glad you mentioned that the Thai food was 1 cup (your order) because I was only able to see a difference. A description of what was in the omelet was helpful also.
I'm only guessing about the yogurt. The shot is a close-up so I don't really know how much that is. (I usually make my own yogurt, so I'm not familiar with most of the commercial sizes.)

Do you have any known thyroid disease? I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and I noticed that I had similar symptoms (that got worse) post-gastric bypass. Perhaps there is no correlation, but it's one possibility.

Tell these cogs what they want to hear so you can move things along. Believe me, they are pathetic nobodies in the big picture.
I hate that these ego-starved "professionals" are dragging you down, and making you feel unsure of yourself.
Trust your own better judgment and remind yourself that you know you and they don't! Get a good raincoat and let everything they say roll off of you. Feed yourself a daily dose of positive affirmations (no matter how corny) to counteract their barbs.
You sound like a sensible and centered person. Don't let others make you feel less about yourself or your goals. And keep coming here. Vent, vent, vent.