Krestel

I have no idea if it is even possible or if my mind has been playing tricks on me, but shortly after surgery, I swear I I could feel both my pouch and the remaining stomach. Even now Im sitting on my couch and my stomach part is gurgling a bit. Have any of you experienced the same thing? Is it even possible?

//feeling like im halfway to being a (cute) cow!

2 hours ago, sideeye said:

Yes, see a therapist. You know that your current reaction to a bunch of stimuli results in you feeling strong emotions that you don’t like - generically, that’s exactly the situation where a therapist comes in handy.

...

Anyhow, I was seriously worried that I’d have another freak out reaction after bariatric surgery and had a therapist lined up just in case, but looks like the initial months of therapy did the trick and realigned my thinking.

I totally agree here. I specifically asked for regular times after my surgery with my therapist just in case. She asked me what kinds of problems that I thought I might encounter and I honestly answered that I had absolutely no clue. But I know that these kinds of things can either get out of control or screw over my weight loss. Im not taking any chances.

I also saw this article (https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/teen-became-bulimic-after-family-16486322) which also reflects the same issues this thread has been talking about. This teenager got so much more positive attention when she lost weight (under such a short period of time) even though she practiced an eating disorder to get there. Sad, but good on her for sharing her story.

4 minutes ago, sideeye said:

Yes, see a therapist. You know that your current reaction to a bunch of stimuli results in you feeling strong emotions that you don’t like - generically, that’s exactly the situation where a therapist comes in handy.

...

Anyhow, I was seriously worried that I’d have another freak out reaction after bariatric surgery and had a therapist lined up just in case, but looks like the initial months of therapy did the trick and realigned my thinking.

I totally agree here. I specifically asked for regular times after my surgery with my therapist just in case. She asked me what kinds of problems that I thought I might encounter and I honestly answered that I had absolutely no clue. But I know that these kinds of things can either get out of control or screw over my weight loss. Im not taking any chances.

I have only told a select number of people...basically only those that I feel comfortable telling.

On the other hand, my surgeon gave me a letter to give to my school/work in order to explain that I needed three weeks to recover. It said straight out that I had GBP. When I complained that I didnt want them to know exactly why he replied, "There's no shame in having GBP. It's so common nowadays." I wanted to reply, "There's no shame in having an STD. It's so common nowadays."...but I was still recovering the day after surgery and didnt want to fight. Damn him. He eventually got the message and gave me a more generic letter instead.

Unfortunately, this type of behaviour is psychologically hard wired into us humans. Sadly, even things like learning work better when you have a good looking teacher (all else being equal ofc). Esthetics play a larger role that we all want to admit. Sad..but true. Still, I hear ya and totally agree with the frustration.

3 hours ago, Carrot64 said:

For me the chicken cannot be dry.. I make a sugar free barbecue sauce or chicken salad, anything to keep it moist .

You should try sous vide chicken. It is soooo moist that it almost melts in your mouth. Sous vide brings meats to a whole other level. ..and everyone else loves it to boot.

I am almost 2 weeks out from GBP and other than the damn gas (which follows ALL laproscopic surgery), everything has been totally fine and am 95% back to normal. Im off painkillers completely and stopped them about 7 days after surgery. I had a slight complication with my bladder not restarting, but that had more to do with surgery and not with the GBP itself. So if you get either of the weight loss surgeries, you will be experiencing the same type of recovery afterwards.

Both the sleeve and the bypass will make you feel full. The other advantage GBP has is that it also incorporated malabsorption as well and not just restriction.

15 hours ago, GradyCat said:

I still can't do bread or soft tortillas or shredded chicken and sometimes steak.

Is it just when it's shredded or even when when it's in breast form? I would hate not to be able to eat chicken again. Before the surgery my husband perfected his sous vide chicken recipe and I am really looking forward to eating that again.

14 hours ago, giddygiddygiddy said:

I had the same issue...I’m now a week postop. They did a straight catheter on me to relieve me, but then after that I was able to pee on my own. Anesthesia does some weird things...

Ah, thank gawd Im not the only one. They used a catheter to "drain" me the first time (in Swedish they used the more colloquial term "tap" as in, "tap a keg." hahahhaa...) and then when I still couldnt pee after that, they set one in to send me home.

My doctors/nutritionist hasnt said much of anything about having no-go foods. I think their idea is that as long as we dont injure ourselves then go at it. If we then get sick, well then we know that it wasnt a good idea since everyone is unique in what they can eat after surgery.

Ive even eaten bread, albeit the really dark (but soft) bread that we have here in Europe along with hummus. I had no problems with it at all (after chewing it well ofc). I wonder though if I dont have a pouch of steel since im only 10 days out. Ive even done seeds with no problems. Admittedly, Ive kept my portions really small, but everything has gone down just fine.

The only problem Ive had with food so far was a mild dump from a nurse giving me non-watered down juice just after surgery (grrr). Still not up to normal foods yet, but I will start slowly with that in a few days.

18 hours ago, laura071693 said:

I just don't know if I would want to take Vitamins for the rest of my life.

I think with the gastric sleeve you have to take Vitamins as well...just maybe not as much as those of us who have gastric bypass. For me, I take meds for other things every days well, so adding vitamins wasn't that much of an issue. Heck lots of people take vitamins everyday that dont otherwise need them.

4 hours ago, Mint2bskinny said:

research reasearch research. i watched you tube video blogs, read so much data ultimately

This site is great for giving you information. ask questions we love to help!

Have to soooo agree here. There is sooo much information and people sharing their stories on Youtube that I think I have watched each and every one.

For me, I wanted gastric bypass to take advantage of "dumping". In other words, I wanted quick feedback when I was being dumb. But I agree with the others above, sleeve is a good idea (and often recommended) for younger people.

Now Im off to take my vitamins!

One thing that I didnt realize was going to happen is that my husband is (sympathy) losing weight as well. He isnt even trying, it's just happening. (Damn him. he he) So im looking forward to his sexy self as well.

On 6/2/2019 at 11:38 AM, rs said:

I tell them I'm focusing on my health. Eating far fewer calories than I had been eating, primarily eating Protein to keep me full longer, reducing carbs, and logging it all on an app to keep me accountable.

To be honest, during the pre-op this was what I was doing and enjoyed eating that way. I dont know how I missed it all my life, but it really helped me to "passively" lose weight. So if people are looking for good tips, this has to be #1 on my list. Everyone loves to talk about dieting...and when you mention Protein, even the guys get in on it.

Im planning on telling people that, "I had to lose weight before surgery (since I was extremely overweight) to remove a liver hemangioma (a mass of blood vessels) and kept with the strict diet afterwards as well. (I had what looked like a hemangioma a while back that made me extremely sick a few times which is extremely rare.) I am also keeping the diet in order to not stress my digestive system."

Oh, and I also am changing jobs this August which should also help with other people's concept of how I look.

I agree with the above. It sounds like Water weight more than anything.

Please don't think that Im being nosey here, but might I suggest getting away from the whole weighing yourself every day? Or maybe try once a week or 5 days? The daily ups and downs of weight loss/gains can really play with your head.

Ah, the protein...Im still working on that one. On the other hand, I seem to have a pouch of steel. Nothing really seems to bother me and Ive already eaten soft-boiled eggs, soft bread, and cottage cheese.

The only food problem I had was in the hospital when I experienced my first dumping. The morning after the surgery, the nurse gave me juice that I had asked for her to Water down. She had totally forgotten to water it down and voila! I got my first taste of a mild dump.

As for water, I have been getting in quite a bit. I have a lemon-lime Protein water that is sickeningly sweet when drank by itself but when water down tastes like lemonade. It's wonderful. Ive also tried water down prune juice and love that as well.

So other than protein, Im well on my way. Thank gawd that the gas pains in my shoulder are done with. I could kill my surgical team for not warning me about that. (I though the gas would be bloating in my stomach and not that my diaphram would kill me instead.)

5 hours ago, momof2mnm said:

Not so much a question about peeing but...I had my sleeve done on May 30th and I have already had some loose stools? Is this normal? I always hear about everyone having Constipation.

I have gone back and forth and back and forth the whole time between being loose and constipation. I think it really differs from individual to individual. (Mine is totally black at the moment btw. Hehe.) On the pre-op diet I was also back and forth as well but mostly on the loose side. So I wouldnt get too worried just yet. Just make sure to keep drinking LOTS of liquids. If Ive learned anything from from having that catheter was that I was under-drinking lots even when I thought that I was drinking constantly. (Since the pee was in a bag, you really get a chance to see how the color changes during the day.) And since you are loose, you will be losing Water a bit faster.

6 hours ago, allies journey said:

I hope that I don't have that issue when I have my RNY revision surgery.

I think it's rather unusual to have this problem actually. At least from how the nurses looked at me about the issue. Also that and it takes me 5-7 minutes in the morning to pee even when Im normal.

Finally, I could pee this afternoon. Thank gawd! I hope that everything gets back to normal normal soon.

I got my catheter out today. Holding my fingers crossed hoping that I can pee on my own.

16 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

Most people, my PCP included Say cut yourself off at 7 PM, I could not do that, I have 3 kidneys and would risk Dehydration, my 3 kidneys would continue to process every drop of Fluid out,even if it dried out the rest of me.

3 kidneys? wow, ive never heard of that. how did that happen?

Ive always heard that you should stop drinking after a certain time in the evening. Before I had a really small bladder. Do you think I should do that? or is it a problem now after GBP?

How is lamb btw? I LOVE lamb! Giving prio to eating Protein rich meats for the rest of my life is heaven.

Ok, then how should I drinking before going to bed? Otherwise ill be having to pee several times a night.