Jaelzion

I never stopped. I was served coffee in the hospital the day after surgery (my surgeon had no guidelines against it). So I'd say as soon as your surgeon permits.

I'm with you. I don't keep my carbs at ketosis levels, but I do keep them relatively low and chick peas are too carby for me. My diet tends to be lowish carb, moderate fat and higher in protein. My body is pretty carb sensitive and I learned early on that adding too many carbs is a direct path to regain for me. The right balance of macronutrients is something everyone has to figure out for themselves.

I agree that just randomly issuing a referral without having discussed it with you is unusual and potentially annoying. My PCP was more like "You know, being overweight is hard on the body, have you considered weight loss surgery?" Only when I indicated that I was open to the idea did he send a referral. But then, my PCP doesn't send ANY kind of referral without talking to me first.

It's funny, I tried to set 130 as my "redline" weight but my mind and emotions had other ideas. When I hit 127, my anxiety level is such that I immediately start working on getting it back down. So my de facto limit is 127, LOL.

Halloween is not a thing for me so that wasn't an issue. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, I allow myself a taste of all my favorites and then I go right back on plan the next day. No eating leftovers the next day, no "I'll start again on Monday". I have ONE off-plan meal and then back at it the next day. Not everyone can do that, so you have to figure out what will work for you.

These are some of my "go-to" snack substitutes as well. I know some people advocate not eating snack food ever, but for me having a less destructive alternative to the real thing has helped me a lot.

When I was still in the weight loss phase, I had what I called "munchie" days, when I was hungry all day long. I learned not to fight it, but to make sure I ate nutritious, high protein food and not junk. If I ate something and then an hour later I was hungry, I'd eat something else but it had to be something on-plan. I found those days were offset by an equal number of days when I had very little appetite and ate super-lightly. The good thing about munchie days is that they were often followed by a nice drop in weight. I have no idea how that works, but I observed that to be the case.

I'm sorry you're going through this. It sounds like your surgical team definitely failed you. The surgery does change your relationship with food forever. While your surgeon may have overstated things by saying the effects of the surgery only last 18 months, it is true that over time your sleeve will be less intrusive. The restriction eases somewhat and you get to the point where you can eat a small but regular-sized meal with no problem. I'm 2 and 1/2 years out from surgery and I don't have to take tiny bites or sips anymore. As far as eating "normally", that's not something most bariatric patients aspire to because that's what got us obese in the first place. If you really did go back to eating exactly how you did before, you'd simply gain all the weight back. My program had so many educational requirements that it got irritating, but I can see from your story why they are necessary. I hope you find some peace, particularly as time passes and your sleeve matures. God bless!

Can you explain more about this? In what way did you react badly? What's the actual problem you're dealing with?

One thing that helped me early on was clear protein drinks (not shakes). There were helpful because they gave me protein and hydration at the same time (plus a few calories, as well).

No real difference here either (beyond what you'd expect from losing more than half my body weight).

In the past I've had surgeries like you describe, where you feel yourself getting sleepy and going out (no issues with moving while waking up tho). These days whenever I have surgery, they give me Versed (a sedative) before even going into the OR. The Versed not only relaxes you, but it stops your brain from storing short term memories, so I generally can only remember a few minutes past getting the Versed. I usually wake up to a nurse calling me by name and making sure I'm responsive.

Is there a specific reason why you regret the surgery? Are you feeling ill or struggling with the eating plan? I'm just curious since you are losing weight.

I was the same (even at 3 weeks). I just ate the recommended small servings and focused on getting water and protein in. Your appetite will return but enjoy this period where you're not hungry. It will never be easier to lose weight!

I brought headphones and they were helpful for screening out noise at night. I listened to music from my cell phone.

I'm sorry to hear this. Bariatric surgery is so life-changing that it can uncover relationship issues that were previously unrecognized. Would he be willing to do a counseling session to explore why he feels the way he does? Talking it through might help.

In addition to the rigors of feeling crappy in the immediate post-op days/weeks, post-surgical depression is pretty common: https://www.healthline.com/health/depression-after-surgery#causes Hope you feel better soon!

First six months, for me. It slowed down after that, but the good thing is that it kept going and going. I was still losing almost two years after surgry.

I don't lie and I also don't always share. It depends on the circumstances and how I feel about sharing at that moment.

95 pounds in 6 months makes you a bariatric rock star! You're not just doing "okay", you're crushing it! Recalibrate your expectations and pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Getting down to goal is hard, those last few pounds definitely fight you, but it will happen if you stick with it. It took me almost 2 years to get to my final goal, but it happened! Congratulations, you're a success story!

I was already a remote worker, so I was fortunate in that respect. My company is "Remote first".

Two and a half years out, I have no regrets at all. The process has its ups and downs, but at no time have I ever wished I didn't do it. I'm normal-sized for the first time since I was about eight years old. Things that used to be a struggle, I can do without thought now. I got stuck in a middle seat on a five-hour flight and I was REALLY dreading it. But when the time came, it was really no big deal. Sure, I'd rather have a window or aisle, but it wasn't the catastrophe it would have been when I was at my top weight. Because I had been heavy since childhood, I still find surprises every day as I learn to navigate the world in my new body. I even enjoy being able to walk into a room and not stand out because of my size. Maintenance is a learning curve for sure - sometimes I get too relaxed and gain five pounds and then I'll overcorrect and lose eight, LOL. But it's all good and I'm figuring it out.

To name a few: Quest chips sugar free Jello pudding Quest peanut butter cups Mission Carb Balance tortillas French Toast Poppers (sparingly because they are not healthy, but not as destructive as some other choices) Say Cheese Cheesecake (too expensive to buy often, but really good) Wonder Slim Sweet Poppers (these are yummy, a little TOO yummy. I had to leave them alone as I couldn't help overdoing it) Jordan Skinny Syrups in my morning latte, Winky Sugar free Jello Parfait (25 calories and satisfies my sweet tooth)

If he thinks the liquid diet is so easy, invite him to join you during your first post-op week. It should be no problem, right?

Some sleevers need vitamins long-term and some don't. I'm one of those that do, in fact I had a B12 scare recently. Somehow my B12 got low and I got the whole list of nasty symptoms (minus pale skin, for obvious reasons, LOL): Weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness Heart palpitations and shortness of breath Pale skin A smooth, sore tongue Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas Nerve problems like numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and problems walking Vision loss Mental problems like depression, memory loss, or behavioral changes What caused me to know something was seriously wrong was the "problems walking" part. I fell three times in 10 days and it hit me that's not normal. I had to increase the dose of B12 I am taking and I'm still not free from all the symptoms, although I'm better. So it's a roll of the dice - you could be off supplemental vitamins relatively early or you could need them longer.