AZhiker

I believe each of us has fallen one way or another, but the good thing here is we get ourselves back on track. You can do it!

I'm miserable when it comes to eating.. Or should I say drinking broth... I took it upon my self to start on pureed foods a week early or else I would've died of starvation. However I'm doing pretty good.. I've started walking up to a mile and a half everyday. I had surgery on Nov. 3, 2020. Before surgery my weight was 245 now I'm 225... I'm sure I lost some weight pre-op due to the 2 week liquid diet. Anyway the Journey continues.
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Oh sure it's scary wondering if you're going to overdo it or stretch something or tolerate certain foods. Just take your time.

I was afraid to start eating solid foods because I was afraid of getting sick. I really hate vomiting, so I am super careful about what I eat. I stayed on purees for a few weeks longer than I had to because I didn't want to try solid foods too soon. I haven't had any issues so far except for occasionally having a bite of meat getting stuck on the way down. I haven't really felt restriction kick in -- I haven't gotten to the point of thinking I couldn't eat any more. I measure out my food and don't eat any more than about 1/2 cup at a time. I have gotten full a few times, and even to the point that I wish I had stopped a bite or two earlier, but only with solid foods, not purees. And I haven't experienced any of the new feelings of fullness that other people have described; it feels pretty much the same as before surgery to me (just takes much, much less food to get there). I have a few go-to meals that I repeat a lot, so I've learned to adjust the portions.
The dietitian in my surgeon's practice told me I should be eating 800-1000 calories per day, and I don't get anywhere close to that. I have only gone over 600 a few times. And when I do, it kind of makes me nervous because I'm worried it will get out of control, and I feel like I need to stay lower in calories the next day. I'm very strict with myself about only eating 3 meals per day and no Snacks other than Protein Drinks. Right now, it's easy because I don't ever really feel hungry, and I want to take advantage of that to cut my calories while it's still easy.

most of us don't feel the restriction until we start eating solid foods again. In the mean time, just follow your clinic's guidelines.

Take a step back and re-evaluate the whole situation from a different point of view. When you think about what you've learnt about weight loss, nutrition etc. - do you make any sense right now? What would you tell a close friend if he/she would tell you this?
What I experienced after my surgeries for the first few weeks was a feeling of pressure in the region directly under the xiphoid before my brain switched back to a "normal kind of feeling full". Do you experience this bit of pressure in a pretty located area in the epigastric area? Take your time to feel it. You might only be able to feel it in a standing position.
Don't give too much about what you're reading on the interwebz or what other people might have told you. Many things have to be taken with a grain of salt or at least with a bit of caution. Comparing yourself (or your own experiences) to others only contributes to raising your anxiety levels as you've already noticed. In the end you are you and not someone else.
If it's any solace to you: I never experienced this "being full after 2-4 bites" as well and I'm a normal weight since a whole while now.
A certain level of anxiety ist pretty normal. After all we don't want to do anything "wrong". "Last chance", "if this doesn't work out I'm doomed to be fat", "end of the road" and blahblahblah...
Depending on how strong your fear is you might benefit from talking to your dietician.
Reason should tell you that eating an amount of 3 bites a meal and 425 kcal a day is non-sustainable starvation for any human being on this planet and that weight loss isn't linear and yet you're experiencing fear and pressure that you might be eating too much.
If nobody ever told you about this "feeling overly full after 4 bites" or "even having trouble hitting 600 cals a day" or how much weight other patients lost within the first few months or something like that - would you still feeling afraid and experience this level of anxiety? Or would you be happy with your results and restriction level?
You're most likely being afraid because you're comparing yourself to others and therefore expecting certain things, not because of hard facts. It almost always boils down to comparing yourself with others.

I just had my sleeve done yesterday 11-16-2020 and I'm home already, surgery went very good and I feel amazing! I dropped 34 lbs before surgery and can't wait to see what this new lifestyle has to offer! I hope everyone had, or has the same great experience I did!
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Hello everyone, I would lile to share that I had my surgery 13 years ago, no complications before or after surgery, at the beginning of course was difficult because is a new life with totally different eating habits, portions, but the most important is to be ready mentally and emotionally so we can be strong to stop ourselves to eat or drink something not in our new menu for our new condition.
Second, follow every single step and everything will be fine. Exercise with a simple walk around the house but maintain your body in movement, at the same tine we are helping out stomach tissue to heal faster.
Righ now,, I am able to eat everything but I never exceed and I continue with my precautions. I am 52 years old and I wish the best to each of you and be proud of every single change you made, reward yourself with self motivation and encouragement to do better and better.
Each of you can do it!
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I stayed one night, but COVID definitely changes how hospitals operate. They need to keep as many beds open as possible for COVID patients, especially since the disease surging right now. The other thing that can happen is that all elective surgeries are cancelled indefinitely. If you can get surgery now - get it!
As far as COVID, you are not likely to get it at the hospital. The COVID patients are housed in a different unit than the surgery unit. All the surgery patients are tested and the nurses are screened. There are more precautions being taken in the hospital than just about anywhere. Once you get home, just stay put and don't congregate with a lot of other people, which is what you should be doing now anyway.
Usually only people with history of blood clots or several risk factors are put on blood thinners. I was not. That being said, even though I was walking as soon as I woke up and doing 10,000 steps by the end of week one, I developed several clots in my legs! I was feeling soreness along some of my varicose veins, and the ultra sound showed some deeper clots. My doc told me even soreness and swelling at the IV site can be an indication that a clotting disorder is happening. Anyway, I went on Xarelto for 3 months and that was that. Done. However, if I ever need surgery again, I will be put of blood thinners as a precaution.
Complications are rare, but they can be dealt with. Staying obese has a lot more lifetime risks than surgery. This may be a window of opportunity for your surgery that could close, so take advantage of it and take each day as it comes.

Kdella,
I'm sorry you are feeling so discouraged. I also had a bleeding ulcer and blood clots in my legs. It's hard to keep your spirits up when there are complications. But the reality is that you are doing great. 55 pounds in 4 months is actually very good. Nearly everyone stalls around the 4 month mark, so what you are experiencing is normal. There are so many psychological changes that occur after WLS. As you know, it is a lot more than just a physical process. The joy of food will return, but it will be different. The fact that you are a cook and a baker is wonderful, because you have the knowledge to adapt recipes and come up with innovations that will probably help others, as well. Do not get your surgery reversed! You just need to heal and keep following the plan. The weight will come off, and a year from now your body and your outlook will be completely different. You just have to hang in there. As you have discovered, the crutch of comfort food has been taken away, so now you will learn new ways to cope - ways that are healthier and more positive for your life. You have made one of the biggest decisions of your life in getting surgery. It will most likely turn out to be one of the best decisions you have made, but you have to reframe your thoughts to start focusing on what you have instead of what you don't have. You are over half way to your goal weight! That is great! A lot of folks are not that far along in just 4 months - really! You have passed some major hurdles - the first few months are the hardest for everyone, and you had the added complication, but... that is behind you now. It only gets better. Start reworking your favorite meals to see what kind of tasty dishes you can come up with! I discovered a severe gluten intolerance about 10 years ago, and am STILL finding new gluten free recipes that are even better than the originals. (I found an amazing green bean casserole, complete with onion topping that is more delicious than the standard one that everyone brings to potlucks. And I just learned how to back incredible GF bread.) It's a learning adventure that keeps on going..... Learning how to appreciate and prepare healthier foods is like that, too. You start building a catalog of recipes that you and your family like, and it just gets better and better. HANG IN THERE! You are not alone.

There are a few other hormones besides oestrogen stored in our fat too including ones that regulate our appetite, insulin, metabolism & blood pressure. You may find that these go a bit crazy too. My cholesterol levels also went up as I lost weight & then settled back at it’s normal range after I hit my goal.

If I'm reading this right, you're just 5 days post-surgery? The number you see on the scale doesn't mean much right now. It's way too soon for you to be able to assess what kind of results you are getting. You're just starting to heal - you still have internal swelling (which means Water retention). Stay with your eating plan, give your body time to recover and R.E.L.A.X. This is more like a marathon than a sprint. I lost my weight over 18 months (and I'm still slowly losing). It won't happen overnight, but if you're diligent about following your plan, it WILL happen. Feel better. 🤗

I can actually get down on the floor now and GET UP BY MYSELF! This is still quite amazing to me. There is a ton of information about WFPB eating online. Go to You Tube and watch "The Game Changers" and "Forks over Knives." That will give you a good idea. Basically it is WHOLE, unprocessed food. That means food as close to its natural state as possible. Whole grains, not refined grains, for example. No processed sugars, no animal products (that includes dairy and eggs), no processed oils (you use avocados, nuts and seeds and nut butters instead.) LOTS and LOTS of veggies and fruit, plenty of starchy veggies, lots of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, no alcohol, no soda or artificial colors/flavors/chemicals, decreased salt. Many WFPB folks also avoid gluten (wheat, rye, barley) and I am highly sensitive to it, so have already avoided that for years.
I get more than enough Protein, tons of fibers and phytonutrients, eat all I want, am never hungry, have tons of energy, and am NEVER sore after workouts. Amazingly, my cholesterol always hovered around 225-235, even after losing over 100 pounds. Once I went WFPB, my cholesterol dropped like a rock to 152 (80 points!!!). My triglycerides and LDL also plummeted. Even with the low total cholesterol, my HDL went up to 80. For me, it is a lifestyle that I will maintain for life. It is change, for sure, but not actually hard to do. Most of my family is making the switch as well. You don't have to go 100%, either. When you look at the areas of the world (the blue zones) where people live to be over 100 and have virtually no cardiac disease, osteoporosis, dementia, cancer, or diabetes, these are all plant based societies. Does this mean they won't eat some fish or cassowary eggs if they find them? No. But animal protein is the exception or reserved for celebrations. They don't eat meat 3 times a day like most of the western world does. I will occasionally eat an egg (my own backyard chickens) or a little wild game meat. (The more I learn about commercially raised cattle, hogs, chickens, turkeys and dairy cows, the more I cannot bring myself to eat these products.)
So there you go - probably more info than you wanted. I started this about 6 months after my surgery as I learned about it and once I was able to eat the volume that is required. I had to rely a bit more on the grains and nuts to keep my calories up so I wouldn't keep losing weight. I used pea Protein Powder as needed to keep my protein up. I don't need that now, with the increased legumes, tofu, tempeh, and soy/oat milk and yogurt. Now I eat a lot more of the veggies and legumes, and control my weight very easily with decreasing/increasing the grains and nuts. I did gain 8 pounds of COVID weight, but have lost all of it and some extra, just by cutting back a bit on the nuts and grains. It really couldn't be easier!

Yup. Fat stores estrogen and hormone dumping when the fat starts melting away can also happen to guys. Eat some pickles!

Yup. Fat stores estrogen and hormone dumping when the fat starts melting away can also happen to guys. Eat some pickles!

I can actually get down on the floor now and GET UP BY MYSELF! This is still quite amazing to me. There is a ton of information about WFPB eating online. Go to You Tube and watch "The Game Changers" and "Forks over Knives." That will give you a good idea. Basically it is WHOLE, unprocessed food. That means food as close to its natural state as possible. Whole grains, not refined grains, for example. No processed sugars, no animal products (that includes dairy and eggs), no processed oils (you use avocados, nuts and seeds and nut butters instead.) LOTS and LOTS of veggies and fruit, plenty of starchy veggies, lots of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, no alcohol, no soda or artificial colors/flavors/chemicals, decreased salt. Many WFPB folks also avoid gluten (wheat, rye, barley) and I am highly sensitive to it, so have already avoided that for years.
I get more than enough Protein, tons of fibers and phytonutrients, eat all I want, am never hungry, have tons of energy, and am NEVER sore after workouts. Amazingly, my cholesterol always hovered around 225-235, even after losing over 100 pounds. Once I went WFPB, my cholesterol dropped like a rock to 152 (80 points!!!). My triglycerides and LDL also plummeted. Even with the low total cholesterol, my HDL went up to 80. For me, it is a lifestyle that I will maintain for life. It is change, for sure, but not actually hard to do. Most of my family is making the switch as well. You don't have to go 100%, either. When you look at the areas of the world (the blue zones) where people live to be over 100 and have virtually no cardiac disease, osteoporosis, dementia, cancer, or diabetes, these are all plant based societies. Does this mean they won't eat some fish or cassowary eggs if they find them? No. But animal protein is the exception or reserved for celebrations. They don't eat meat 3 times a day like most of the western world does. I will occasionally eat an egg (my own backyard chickens) or a little wild game meat. (The more I learn about commercially raised cattle, hogs, chickens, turkeys and dairy cows, the more I cannot bring myself to eat these products.)
So there you go - probably more info than you wanted. I started this about 6 months after my surgery as I learned about it and once I was able to eat the volume that is required. I had to rely a bit more on the grains and nuts to keep my calories up so I wouldn't keep losing weight. I used pea Protein Powder as needed to keep my protein up. I don't need that now, with the increased legumes, tofu, tempeh, and soy/oat milk and yogurt. Now I eat a lot more of the veggies and legumes, and control my weight very easily with decreasing/increasing the grains and nuts. I did gain 8 pounds of COVID weight, but have lost all of it and some extra, just by cutting back a bit on the nuts and grains. It really couldn't be easier!

I was 62 when I had surgery and it was the best decision I've ever made. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner and avoid the arthritis and joint deterioration. I ended up having a knee replacement and may need another one down the road. 5 decades of abuse and the joints just can't take it any more. Don't wait that long.
Please read "The Obesity Code" by Dr, Jason Fung. He explains it all so well, and relieves you of the guilt and lack of will power. There is no will power when biology is calling the shots.
BTW, one of the best predictors of successful weight loss surgery is having a first degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) who had a successful surgery.
I LOVE my reclaimed life. I can do anything I want - hiking, long distance biking, and even completed a triathlon within a year of my surgery! I have maintained my weight and am actually under my goal weight right now. I have been gluten free for years, but am now also following a whole food plant based diet. I've never felt better or stronger, and I eat an enormous amount of food, am never hungry, and basically eat whatever I want within the WFPB guidelines. I'm not saying you should do this, but surgery gave me the jump start. Once I reached goal, I felt free to explore other options without the cravings and over eating that would sabotage every other effort. WLS has given tremendous freedom over food. For the first time in my life, I feel like I control the food instead of the food controlling me.

I lost 14 before surgery, 35 in the first month post op, and 15 the next month, Then it was slower and steady to goal in 7 months. HOWEVER>>>>> This is not a race or a competition. Everyone is different. I wish I had lost slower, as it would have given my brain a chance to catch up. I really struggled with body image and dysmorphia. Everyone loses as different rates, and as long as you follow the plan, the weight will come off. You have to run your own race and absolutely cannot compare to anyone else. I also started exercising right away and took that part of the plan very seriously. I think that accelerated my weight loss, but like I said, it did have a down side.

I lost 14 before surgery, 35 in the first month post op, and 15 the next month, Then it was slower and steady to goal in 7 months. HOWEVER>>>>> This is not a race or a competition. Everyone is different. I wish I had lost slower, as it would have given my brain a chance to catch up. I really struggled with body image and dysmorphia. Everyone loses as different rates, and as long as you follow the plan, the weight will come off. You have to run your own race and absolutely cannot compare to anyone else. I also started exercising right away and took that part of the plan very seriously. I think that accelerated my weight loss, but like I said, it did have a down side.

I searched for quite awhile before selecting my surgeon, and I am so happy with the choice I made. I live in GA and had my surgery in Deluth at Northside hospital, my surgeon was Dr. Del Mazo. I really like his bedside manner, and have been very comfortable with him from the initial consult. The dietitians, fitness instructors, nurses and office staff have all been wonderful and when I was discharged from the hospital he gave me a teddy bear; of course I said that’s not necessary and he goes...”well yeah we do, it’s “bear”iatrics.” Lol

I cried, because I’m a softie, and because it was just unexpected, and no it doesn’t matter that they do it for all of their patients, it was touching to me:)

I wanted to share, because I don’t genuinely enjoy and click with every doctor, but feel
It’s worth some kudos to them when you find a good one.

I did the first year or so, but not anymore. For some people, it's permanent, though.

Like catwoman, I was FREEZING that first year. I was going to bed with the hood on my hoodie on. Starting around 7 months (which coincided with the end of my weight loss phase), I wasn’t as unnaturally cold. Still a little leas warm, but def not as HOT as pre-op. I think I still run on the colder side though (im 2 years out) as I still need to wear socks 24/7, and notice I often wear more/warmer clothes than those around me.
But like others said, I ‘d rather this than sweating profusely at the slightest effort.

I wouldn't recommend doing it for any longer than your doctor requires. It kind of depends on what the diet is, though. Mine was one week with 3 Protein Shakes per day plus a low-calorie, low-carb meal, then one week of all Protein shakes. It's not fun, and it's not intended to be a long-term diet. It's just meant to shrink your liver to make your surgery safer. I don't think it's particularly healthy as a long-term diet, either. You're probably better off eating "real food" for as long as you're allowed, like lean protein, veggies, and complex carbs (like Beans and whole grains). Some pre-op diets are a lot less strict than mine and allow you to eat meat and veggies, so if yours is like that, it might not be as hard to do an extra week. Unless your surgeon has a requirement for you to lose a certain amount of weight before surgery, don't worry too much about that 4 kg. You will lose plenty in a 3-week pre-op diet and of course after surgery.

we just had to do it for two weeks. I personally wouldn't have wanted to start it early - it was hard enough to do it for two weeks! You may end up dropping most/all of that 4kg the first week.

I am so happy today! 50 pounds gone! It has taken 3.5 months, which is longer than I thought it would take, but it's 50 pounds gone which is more than I've ever lost before regaining! I lost 25 pounds the first month and have been averaging 10 pounds for the last 2.5. I had to resign myself to NOT getting to goal by the holidays, but I have felt amazing, never deprived and my skin and hair look great! Slow and steady wins the race!
I hope everyone has a great weekend!