BrighterSide

Thanks xxx Managed 2 hours sleep before the coughing started, but on the mega brightside I had already drunk 750mls by 5.30am

I'm full to the brim with cold and up at 2.15am UK time cos I can't sleep with temp, blocked nose, dry throat from mouth breathing, upset stomach and starving cos I've been up about 4 hours longer than I allowed for with food and drink. Also feeling a tad sorry for myself...did you notice? Carbs will be thru the roof as the idea of meat, fish or eggs is...well...offputting right now. Crackers all the way. But did do 2250ml Water by bedtime. Guess I came here for.sympathy but also to say you should remind me of this if I start fretting about a stall :-)

Yep. "It's not my practice to do so as you will have plenty of reserves from prior to surgery and it may stress your sleeve". But not so bothered about that. Bothered that there's been no checks to ensure I'm not dealing with pre-existing or emerging issues I can't fix fast on such a minimal diet.

Hi all, posted at the beginning that I had bloods 2 months prior to surgery, but no-one did pre-surgery baseline bloods. Now, 6 weeks post sleeve with orders not to take vitamins until after this consult I drive 60 miles to see my surgeon, let him know I'm knackered, I have joint pain more than before, skin is so dry it cracks, open weeping in skin folds, mucous membranes so dry I'm getting lots of spontaneous nose bleeds, lips are almost blue and he says "But everything else fine?" "Good! Glad to hear you're feeling restriction and eating a good range of food" (yeah, about 1 veg/fruit a day after protein). "Come back in 3 months and we'll check bloods at a year" Seems that is down to bloods budget in my self pay package. Did query. He seemed annoyed and bored in equal measure. Am I being stupid? Is it irrational to want to get ahead of problems? Is testing now a waste of time cos nothing worth worrying about can have happened since November.

My nutritionist suggested milk fortified with dried skim milk powder. I use 1%. 300ml + 30mg powder is 21.6g Protein. Ultra low carb is the aim for many, which milk isn't, but for Protein, Calcium, good fats, and natural carbs to just run the engine when getting anything down is rough, I ignored everything else. Did also have some Protein Water, but I could JUST taste the whey. I do however have very sensitive tastebuds. Got it down slowly, which pleased me...everything else was so sweet and creamy so the alternative was fab. Arla protein yoghurt pouches (20g in 200ml) were also a very good as they had sharpness. I struggle both because I dislike whey (seem to be able to detect it in anything no matter how strong the taste used to hide it) and because I was physically forced to eat as child (forks forced down my throat until I vomited at school), so if my brain starts feeling cornered into swallowing it's about 80% I can't physically do so. That has hobbled many diet attempts. Most, including my OH just close eyes, think of England, and get it done whether they like stuff or not, I usually can't. Got through by getting creative with nutritonist help and like childbirth, when I got to tle goal the mental pain immediately started fading :-). (As an asside, as a Brit, I do also wonder how production of their own protein drinks/soups/snacks, or deals with other manufacturers to supply via insurance, influences advice of some programmes).

Gaining weight after surgery and less retriction with liquids/slider foods. I was up 3lbs from sleeve weight 3 days after surgery, then dropped 8 over the next 3 days. Due to being crammed full of 2+ litres IV Fluid and nutrition for 2 days and portions of that retained in swollen tissues. Also learned not to do weigh-ins more than once a week. Did hop on scales every day (sometimes twice a day!), but only recorded weight every 7 days at same time.of day. Could stall for 5 days and still lose, or apparently drop 2kg overnight (how does that work!? Did I cough up a lung?) Ref that worrying lack of restriction, after the first incredibly tender and hard 5ish days, when keeping each sip down seems touch and go, I started to be able to take 2-3 mouthfuls fluid each time vs sips. I was worried that meant my sleeve was broken...sip, sip, sip, etc - but nutritionist said it was totally normal, and just listen to my body. No chugging pints, but not just tiny sips. Same with yoghurts, and Soups. Drunk over time in fluid phase could keep going pretty constantly without fullness as I was taking it slow. Helped hugely to hit fluid and protein goals. Normal foods taken as distinct meals...totally different. Get a kind of lump in my chest, like I need to burp. That means max one more bite and I'm done. Max I can take is going up, but restriction is still there. Caveat as always is it's just my experience from my puny total of 5 weeks post sleeve!

Ditto ref labour pain, that's probably why my go to place was panting. Walking helped control it and moved on the process of shifting it, but both getting up and sitting/laying back down caused an acute spike in pain. That made me have to screw up courage to go for the walk for first 48hrs. At about 72 hours the shoulder pain just disappeared...pouff. Was bliss. Not sure if I never felt incision pain, or if the wind pain, then the magical relief of it disappearing distracted me [emoji23]. Went home with pain meds I never needed.

I wish I'd grasped how damn sore wind pain would be. I had pain in my left shoulder that radiated down by back and round to my chest at an intensity that made me pant to cope. Harder drugs were on offer, so was my own silly fault for not taking them. Part of the reticence was that I had scared the wotsits of my fella by being back an hour late from surgery. Aparently I was "very sleepy"

Thanks folks [emoji4]. Will see if the snaps are more than luck in the next few weeks and that was very kind about my drawings xxx

After an overeager week as a gym member I deferred that until I can get my money worth. Been walking instead and loving it :-) Adore woods. Feel at peace when I'm under trees. Rewarded myself with a new camera. Pretty chuffed with results :-) Also do a lot of doodling, so acquired some lovely new pens. The efforts below are a fave and a work in progress. Fabulous head quietening. Reckoned with current gym savings and food savings I should break even in a week or so [emoji3526]. What are your non-food rewards?

Idea rather than recipe. Grilled bacon & tomato with scramble done in non-stick pan with just a squirt of oil. My alternative to an old school fry up with some HP Sauce, just cos. 1 Egg 1 Dry cure bacon medallion (I like smoked) 2 Cherry tomatoes 2 Squirts spray oil 3g HP Sauce Salt and pepper. According to my app 118kcal, Protein: 12.4, Carbs 1.1g (Sugars 1g), Fats 4.7 (Sat. 2.4g)

Just wanted to report back that it was a quickish dip so not likely to be brain chemically, more likely hormonal, but will keep a watchful eye. Learned the hard way not to ignore those incremental signs. Thank you all for posts. Great to see so much openness about mental health. Folk often don't get that they only don't know I have challenges because I manage them and reached out to get help and talk to others :-)

I've haven't stalled so far (only week 5), but would probably have reported a one if I hadn't cut down to weekly weigh ins after week 2. Not that I didn't get on the scale every time I went in that bathroom, I haven't got superhuman control, just that I only log it every 7 days at the same time of day (record evening to morning change was 2.2kg...how the heck does THAT much difference work?). Scale didn't shift for 5 days week 3, but week loss was 1.2kg. Waiting for a biggie soon and feel for folk hitting them early. It's normal biology so I'm told, but must brew up horrid doubts.

I understand to some extent (no-one has walked in your shoes obviously). I cried beforehand too asking myself who was I to subject my family to the risk of major surgery and my potential loss just to lose weight I should have moved more and eaten less to lose... ...then I looked back at each of my attempts and attempts by peers that ended up worse than useless. All the cyclical guilt and progressive chipping away of ability and heart to try again. Then I looked back at the stats that said it's not just me. 90% of dieters regain. Then the stats for serious heart, bone, and blood disorders I was suffering or almost certain to suffer soon. Would I catch some mysteriously different wave, despite the painful joints and crushing self loathing that kept me in the house whenever there was a choice? Would I get enough weight off to counter those almost certain ill effects? How many more years with my family would I lose before I got there, if I got there? Then I looked at the success rates currently known and the safety record for these surgeries for my surgeon and his team because I had managed that risk pretty hard with research. Then I reckoned, even if I had moderate regain, it would like be 2 or so years going in the right direction. 2 or so years not going another morbidly obese BMI data point higher. 2 odd years to reset and regain some mobility and motivation even if I'm only as successful as the 30% who struggle the most to lose. It all added up to a good choice. A brave choice. A kick start and a tool to gift to the strong, resilient, courageous me that has been hiding from a world too stupid to see the help you needed. Then I did look at the identity I'd forged since being a fat five year old. I'd never been 'normal', never been classically 'attractive', but I'd mostly enjoyed not having to compete on the modern beauty playing field...it always looked an utter waste of money, time, and energy. Not chuffed at the prospect of being involuntarily judged on that yardstick in future if I'm booted out of the fat pigeonhole. I was comfy telling folk to f-off from my cosy corner of the fat pigeon hole because I was usually better than them at my job, and generally at being a worthwhile human. So that will be interesting, but hey, 5 weeks post sleeve I'm already ready to tell them to bring it on. Plus thanks to folk like Jamilla Jamil and many others it's a far leveller playing field. A long, long, long and flowery way of saying it is of course your choice, but I suspect you didn't make it lightly and all the reasons you are here haven't gone away. I hope you find your peace soon. xxx

@bajansleeve Your post also, apparently, put a rocket up my behind. A real fists clenched 'NO MORE' moment. Found my closest consultant member of the British Menopause Society. Called and found out they take referrals from outside their local NHS catchment area, called my GP and asked how best to get a referral. Threw myself on receptionist mercy to identify a sympathetic doctor Vs the first one they could find, now have a phone appointment in 10 days to get that referral to consultant gynaecologist. Whoohoo! Here's hoping GP doesn't fob me off

Thanks for that. Your reply made me cry. I have been going to my doctor about what I saw as perimenopausal symptoms for 5 years. The response every time was that there was no point testing me and there was nothing they could do and anyway it was probably because I was fat or stressed so until I had that under control a referral was a waste of time. One of my key drivers for weight loss surgery has been to go back to the doctor and say...look, I still barely drink, I quit smoking over a year ago, I work from home 4 days a week now (largely due to being too broken to do otherwise), and I just dropped X stone. Refer me or I will chain myself to your desk and report wilful medical negligence leading to cardiac and bone problems to everyone I can reach with my not inconsiderable social media presence linked to my day job.

Thank you both for simply acknowledging the post. I've got pre-surgery problems to solve work-wise and have always tended towards the bi-polar. Calmer tonight. Not least cos my fabulous other half just let me sob for 20 minutes while keeping kids clear. I've been such an odious PMS-like hair-trigger mess on and off and last couple of days family got it in the neck as couldn't vent at boss or clients. New routines. All about new routines. And decent bed times. Must get back to that.

Think I may be due for a visit to the doctor. 2nd day back at work 4 weeks post sleeve and anxiety through the roof, plus telltale signs of depression. Could alternatively and absolutely feasibly, be hormonal, but not had a period for 2.4 years (only 42 when they stopped so assumed was weight, but now not so sure). I knew this would be a roller coaster, but snapping or tears every time I even think about getting showered, dressed, exercising, cooking, doing laundry, getting work done for 5 clients assigned to me at work. Totally useless rn.

Thank you :-). It's more arranging than cooking, but I'm a sucker for good looking food. Why puree stage was such a nightmare!

I might well do that :-) Ta for the invite :-)

35g smoked salmon slices 12g lightest cream cheese (Philadelphia 3% fat) 2 Jacobs high fibre cream crackers 3 Cucumber slices 1 Cherry tomatoes sliced 1 bulb spring onion sliced very fine Lemon juice to taste Salt & black pepper to taste Layer up as desired. Nummy flavour and texture. Replace with ham / chicken / turkey. According to my app: Kcal 155, Protein 11.2g, Carbs 11.5g, Sugars 1g, Fat 5.7g (Saturates 1.5), Fibre 1g

Thanks for that. Will search out the powders. Heading back to gym in the next couple of weeks and want this under control.

THAT TITLE WAS MEANT TO READ "Interigo - Red itchy Patches in skin folds" Wouldn't let me edit it!!! Yeah, I know, fun discussion, but rather be comfy and plain spoken, than shy and sore. Sure as I can be I have this and possibly secondary fungal or other infection under boobs and belly overhang. Very careful with hygiene, drying, and finish with talc, but ironically worse since surgery. Maybe a less nutrition / more movement thing? Going to docs (never did before sleeve as couldn't face real or imagined "hard luck you're just fat" subtext and didn't want to slather already torn skin with oomphy steroids), but would really value experience of others. As a physical back stop bought a soft long maternity belly band to create a physical barrier under bra band and down over belly under clothes (lateral thinking). Silly idea? Any other thoughts?

So glad it might help :-)

If it's not added processed sugar then I wouldn't fret. I get 40-50g sugar daily, but it's primarily lactose from fortified (added milk powder) milk drinks I drink in preference to Protein Shakes. Average about 800cals total for all food and drink, 65-75 Protein. I don't knowingly eat any processed sugar and losing on track. The milk was drs orders. Guessing they were concerned about Calcium too.