Gottajustdoit

Perhaps your metabolism is stalled because you're not eating anything? I have a colleague who stalled at around a year and was told she wasn't eating enough to actually lose anything. I know metabolism can slow waaaaay down when not eating. I haven't heard that this is a thing so soon after surgery, though. I'm in week five and have only lost about 3 lbs in the last three weeks, but I am eating some. I have a scrambled egg with a bit of cheddar late this morning and then the cauliflower thin with avocado/black beans for dinner. I will be on protein shakes for breakfast for a while I think...I can drink it on my long commute into work and it fills me up. So sorry that your food seems to be coming back up! Are you able to eat cottage cheese slowly? That was my starter food for a few days.

I would say I've had bouts of being frustrated and that, compounded with my day-to-day stresses that are just part of my life, have made me a bit more edgy and testy now and then. I don't think it's a permanent thing--more of a dealing with too much at once sort of thing and feeling overwhelmed. On a completely unrelated note, how do I start a new topic that goes just to our February group? When I want to click on start a new topic, it seems to go to the entire community. Not so savvy here.... Had I started a new topic, it would be to tell you all about a great alternative to bread I just discovered. I wanted something to spread my laughing cow cheese on or dip in an guacamole and black bean dip I made so I went on a search. I found this great option: https://www.outeraislegourmet.com/products/cauliflower-sandwich-thins. I just popped one in a toaster and got it a bit crispy, then spread the dip on it. I could eat about 3/4 of the round and about a Tblsp of the dip. Yummy!!! AND one thin is a full serving of veggies. I found them in the Gluten-free section of Wegmans after reading up on them online.

Dubchild--and it's hard to explain, right? Obviously we choose to have the surgery and took all the steps to follow through with altering our insides in hopes of a road that leads to better health, but there IS a loss. I feel almost crippled. I always knew food had power of me, that I didn't eat right or couldn't eat the right portions of the right foods, but I never looked at is as a true addition, like drugs or alcohol, but holy smokes, it is! I had a lot of visits with the NUT and a diabetic nutritionist over the years, and I had the prerequisite psychological visits, but I almost think I need a 12-step program now to get over this loss! At least I know how to share this feeling with others who are contemplating bariatric surgery. I think all should be prepared for a period of mourning and an understanding of what that mourning period will feel like. I would have still gone through the surgery, but maybe be better prepared for this psychological drain.

Hmmmmm....so you think it's the protein that's causing the Rock of Gibralter in my colon? I assumed it was the vitamins and small amounts of food. That's the first I heard of protein doing this. My doc has advised against Benefiber, at least at this early stage. I wish there had been more pre-op "training" about how bad the constipation can be. My doctor told me to use Colace (but not swallow the gel pills)....so, I drained them, but no luck in the evacuation department on Colace.

wjgo--thank you. How soon after surgery were you able to have gummies? I will give those a try too when I confirm with my doctor when I can have fiber supplements. I'm still at a point where I can't introduce fresh veggies (real fibrous foods). *sigh*

Hi there, Benefiber worked very well for me prior to the surgery but I have been told by lots of folks that fiber is a no-no soon after surgery (I'm 5 weeks post-op). How long after surgery did you start taking it? Thanks for the recommendations. Now that the weather is getting warmer I need to start walking during my lunch hours as I'm behind a computer all day!

Yes, I told my husband I was a cheap date now because I order so little food. ?

Thanks for the warning! The reviews on Amazon say the oral solution "works like a charm" but I think you need to drink a whole bottle. I will get some Miralex powder today. The only thing that has had any effect so far (and it's minimal) is the Doculux tablets (so tiny I take them whole). They do make me feel horrible though in terms of cramping, nausea. I honestly find the constipation the worse part of the post-surgery process... Can you taste the Miralax? I had some issues with constipation during the clear liquids pre-op diet but I added Benefiber to my water and it worked great. I started Benefiber again (did NOT work) and besides, some posters say that fiber is NOT ALLOWED at this stage. Yes, finding the balance is very hard.

"Soft serve" ha ha! Thanks for this information. I actually bought some but haven't used them yet. Is there any negative to using them as often as you do? I'm started taking the maximum allotted Doculax tablets but the cramping and some nausea as a result are not fun either. I know laxatives are not the best solution long-term. I just cannot swallow that awful viscous Phillips Milk of Magnesia. Makes me gag. Would much rather go the suppository route than vomit the Phillips. I appreciate you responding!

I have to say, if anything would be difficult to manage after surgery it's eating on a cruise! There are food options everywhere. Kudos to your husband who understands how eating in front of everyone is so difficult after surgery.

I take two softchews of Bariatric Advantage multivitamins, one softchew of calcium citrate (Celebrate) and one softchew of Iron + C (Celebrate).

Thanks Toodlerue! I can not take capsules, tablets, or caplets yet so did you use the oral solution? I see online that folks often drink an entire bottle as colonoscopy prep. How much do you think I'd have to drink to get the desired effect?

I apologize if this is too much information, but I need to figure out how to end this horrible constipation I'm experiencing. I'm in my 5th week after gastric bypass and I'm just starting small amounts of food. I am not taking any pain meds, nor have I after day 3 of the surgery, but I am taking all my vitamins, which includes Bariatric Advantage soft chew multivitamins (2 a day) and Celebrate's Iron + C and Calcium Citrate softchews (1 each per day). I drink two Premier Protein drinks and day (60 grams of protein total) and approximately drink 60 ounces of water. The foods I have been eating are unsweetened applesauce, cottage cheese, and mashed potatoes. It takes four days for me to feel like I need to go and then it is MISERABLE. I am chockerblocked to the max. I have had to resort to laxatives and enemas because taking Colace and drinking Smooth Move tea regularly is NOT working. The laxatives only work some of the time and they cause bad cramping. Has anyone else suffered like this and what has worked? Are my vitamins causing this horrific experience and has anyone found a better type of vitamin that helps with constipation? Is it my protein intake? I feel as if I'm drinking enough water.... would love to know if others have experienced this and how it was solved. Thanks!

My appetite is crazy too, total weirdness. My gastric bypass was February 13 so I'm into the 5th week post-op. It seems as if after I eat my small meal, my stomach gurgles with hunger pains about an hour later. It literally feels hunger, although I don't feel like eating. Food tastes REALLY good to me and I'm forcing myself to eat very slowly (I'm not too patient). At this stage, I'm getting the blues because I'm thinking "I'll never get to go out to eat and just sit down and really enjoy pizza, or steak and potatoes, or a big salad, or ....whatever." Going out for dinner and ordering favorite foods was a form of entertainment for me and this is the first time I thought of it that way. I had fun, I felt good, it was a social event. So, I struggle with this. And this is when I start to feel regret about having the surgery. Also, I have only lost 2 lbs in 2 weeks. Boo. I know, I know, my body is still adjusting, but it's a mind meld. As much as I knew this was going to be how I felt after surgery, I never knew PRE surgery just what I loss I would feel. Hope this makes sense and thanks for letting me vent. ?

EmzBee--so many of us are horrified by what happened in New Zealand. I've been in Christchurch and it has been a favorite city of mine every since. I live in the Washington, DC, metro area and have always thought New Zealand, with it's beautiful landscape and friendly people, would be the best place to live a peaceful life. I used to work with head of security for Air New Zealand and based on the conversations I had with him, I know that this kind of senseless violence is almost inconceivable to Kiwis. I'm so sorry this has happened to innocent people in your country. Prayers are with you! (Mashed potatoes are my go-to comfort food.)

Working long shifts, feeling miserable, and still trying to gain back energy from surgery--no wonder you are feeling waaaaaay down. Hope you feel better soon!

I share your hatred of taking crushed pills. Ick. The best success I've had is to "hide" the powder in unsweetened applesauce. Have you been told how long it will be until you can take your pills whole again?

Thanks for posting this Everythinganna-- I just moved from purees to solid food tonight and had my first "meal." We have a family favorite, a green bean casserole, and my husband made it for dinner. It has green beans, chicken, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and saltine crackers in it. It is delicious and I figured since it contained beans and cheese, it was a good protein option. I ate about a half a cup and am STUFFED. It tasted so good that I wanted to eat more, but I just couldn't and I found myself to be very frustrated. I hated been so stuffed so fast, but I guess that is what this is all about--eating less. I also have a sharp pain/discomfort in my tummy so I know I ate over my limit. I am finding that waiting to drink water for 30 minutes after a meal is HARD. I have zero room for it, though. If you are a member of the "clean plate club" like me (that's how many of us grew up, right?) I am guessing you get how frustrating this is. I think I hit a level 7 and need to strive for level 5. I'll try for that tomorrow as I'm bringing leftover casserole to work tomorrow for lunch.

For those of you who had surgery February 13 (or mid-Feb) are you about to transition from puree to soft foods? I've got a few days left of puree foods and really all I've been eating is low-fat cottage cheese, no sugar added applesauce, and mashed potatoes. During this past week I lost only 1 pound (discouraged, but realize this seems to be the norm). I also am drinking my two protein shakes per day (60 g of protein and water. This Wednesday will be one month since the surgery and I'm excited yet concerned about eating solid foods. How has it been going for those who have transitioned? Have you been feeling well? What have you been eating? I hope you are inspiration to me! I am thinking of joining Planet Fitness--just to do some treadmill and weights. I broke my arm two years ago and had surgery with plates put in so it's very difficult to hold me weight up with that arm. I'm slowly gathering gumption to get into a fitness regime. I hate exercising (hence one of the reasons I found myself in Obeseville!).

I hope you are inspiration to me! I am thinking of joining Planet Fitness--just to do some treadmill and weights. I broke my arm two years ago and had surgery with plates put in so it's very difficult to hold me weight up with that arm. I'm slowly gathering gumption to get into a fitness regime. I hate exercising (hence one of the reasons I found myself in Obeseville!).

Your time has finally come! That's an amazing weight loss on liquids! Best wishes to you and we look forward to hearing how you are doing when you're through the operation.

Hi Newbie. This is a great question and the same one I had prior to surgery, and as you can see, it's different for everyone. For the first few weeks I had no desire to really eat anything. I had "mental" cravings when I smelled certain foods I liked, but I'd call that more of head hunger...you want it, but not really. In this sense, it helped me not to cheat. Hard to explain. Today I went with my family to a Mexican place where I LOVE their burritos. I ordered a side of refried beans and ate about 1/3 of a cup of them. They tasted soooooo good. My husband and two teens ordered burritos and although they looked good, I was satisfied that (1) I could still go out with them at a restaurant and (2) I could slowly enjoy just a small serving of the beans. The other food looked so overwhelming to be honest. Sadly, I don't think my cravings for certain foods will ever go away, but I know that in a couple months I'll be able to enjoy tiny bits of them to satiate the cravings. Also, when I looked around at what other people were eating, I was amazed to find myself thinking "Wow, are they really going to eat ALL that?" I'm trying to embrace the "less is more" philosophy. I will say, though, that while walking through the grocery store the other night I was a bit bummed thinking, "oh, I will never be able to sit down and just eat [fill in the blank] to my heart's content" again. It was depressing, no doubt, but I'm taking one day at a time. Have your food funeral if it helps. I did my favorite foods each night for the week prior to clear liquids and enjoyed them to the fullest.

Hi berryfam--do you think this will help with constipation. Not to be too graphic, but I have a horrific case. I was taking Benefiber but that did not help at all. Last night I gagged down Phillips Milk of Magnesia (I really hate that stuff) and this morning I emptied a Colace gel tab into a bit of my protein shake. No luck yet--nothing seems to be working. I have been taking my multivitimins, but not my Calcium citrate of Iron + C because I heard those two can make the constipation worse. Now I'm wondering if my Celebrate softchew multivitamins are causing it. Might these help? Anyone have other ideas?

Thanks for the encouragement! I tried a bit more smashed egg today...I added salt and pepper and somehow the salt made it more appetizing.

Same in the United States. Low-fat yogurt is an option when you're on full liquids. ?