Jaelzion

16 hours ago, PM2022 said:

Hi there had my surgery on 4/25/2022 kind of regretting it. I wanted to ask the post OP people when were you able to realistically eat food without calculating how many cups and oz's ? Also when did you or were you able to have beer or coffee? I know they say no caffeine but that's definitely not going to happen. I just want to get a realistic stand point and when I try to research it I just see "I am not supposed to eat that".. duh I know but idc.

I feel like doctors are really failing their patients by not having these conversations prior to surgery. Every bariatric surgery patient should have a good idea of what the progression of healing will look like before they ever sign the consent forms.

That being said, I'm 3 years out from surgery and I don't have to weigh or measure quantities at all if I choose not to. I can eat a small, but regular-sized meal without worrying about my restriction. There are only two things I used to eat that I don't now - ground beef and barbecue. Ground beef upsets my tummy and barbecue doesn't taste good to me anymore. I don't drink beer, but I was served coffee in the hospital the day after surgery (thank goodness, because I'm a total coffee addict 😁). So with possibly a few exceptions, you should be able to eat whatever you want eventually. And as your restriction eases, you won't have to measure your intake precisely (although you will always want to be aware of portion sizes). I hope that helps!

5 hours ago, Sbrown41 said:

Thank you how did you feel?

I had tingling in my arms and legs, I fell a few times, I was tired and weak. I was irritable. I even got the sore tongue they mention!

Yes! I did and it turned out to be B12 deficiency. I'm sure by now they've done bloodwork, but if they didn't check that, that's something to look at.

Typical symptoms include:

• Weak muscles
• Numb or tingling feeling in hands and feet
• Trouble walking
• Nausea
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Irritability
• Lack of energy or tiring easily (fatigue)
• Diarrhea
• Smooth and sore tongue
• Fast heart rate

1 hour ago, KC35 said:

Thanks! I haven’t heard of those since I haven’t been down that isle for awhile. Will definitely check them out. Thank you for sharing your plan, too.

I prefer plant-based Protein Shakes and these are some of my favorites:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NP4XY96/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PJ181KP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 (these have an odd flavor, so you'll either love or hate them. Don't be mad if you don't like them, LOL)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FKRYPRT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Evolve-Plant-Based-Protein-Greens-Mixed/dp/B07P8J45JG

Some people find it super hard to do a liquid diet even for the short term. If it turns out not to work well for you, you can try going back to how you ate during your weight loss phase. You're much further out from surgery than I am, but I find that still works (and is a bit easier than all shakes).

On 4/21/2022 at 6:46 AM, Creekimp13 said:

But....of course.... that void looked for another way to rear its head.

It was shopping for me. For a good 6 months I spent way too much on clothes. I really did need to replenish my wardrobe after losing 130 pounds, but I was buying more than I needed. It took me a while to recognize what was going on and stop doing that. I have a couple of friends for whom the weight loss itself became their transfer addiction. Instead of stabilizing once they reached their goal, they kept dieting and losing. Eventually they were both emaciated and skeletal. In their 50s, both of these ladies developed full-blown anorexia. Fortunately, with treatment, they both recovered and they are at healthy weights now. But it just shows that literally ANYTHING can become problematic if you use it to self-medicate. It's like whack-a-mole.

On 4/17/2022 at 12:29 PM, carrielee said:

I am 5 feet tall and currently 278 pounds and consistently gaining, which I’m not proud of and definitely concerned about.

I started at 5 feet tall/250 lb, so very close to your stats. It was pain that drove me finally have the surgery. I had a broken down knee that doctors wouldn't replace unless I lost weight. So I had the surgery in 2019, lost 130 pounds and had my knee replacement in 2020! It's a long process, with lots of ups and downs, but my quality of life is SO MUCH BETTER now. I wish I had done it sooner! Don't get discouraged by all the hoops you have to jump through, just take things one step at a time. Best wishes!

On 4/10/2022 at 10:42 AM, mlwoodall said:

Hi! My surgery was on 4/4/2022 so I'm 6 days post op today. I was sent home with 28 days worth of Lovenox injections to prevent blood clotting. I understand how important they are and 100% plan on doing what I need to do with them, however, I am bruising up after some of the injections. I already have the bruises from the incisions which look ROUGH, but I feel like these bruises might be contributing to the chaos that is my torso right now. I also saw in the side effects and papers about the injections to contact the doctor if you start to bruise, but it's listed as a "minor side effect" and I don't feel sick or anything from it so I've kept on with them and will say something to her at my 1 week post op visit tomorrow.

Did anyone have these injections as well and if so, did you have any issues using them or reactions to them?

I'm a Lovenox lifer due to a clotting disorder. Here are some tips I gave another poster:

On 11/7/2021 at 10:06 AM, Jaelzion said:

Yeah, that's super common. I have a clotting disorder that wasn't controlled by either Coumadin or Xarelto, so I am a lifer on injectable Lovenox. Raised purple bruises or blotches are normal. Definitely avoid those areas when you inject again, you don't want to inject into an already bruised area. It helps me to inject at a slant, rather than perpendicular to my skin, I seem to bruise less that way. I try to avoid any visible veins. Make sure you pinch enough of the injection site (don't inject into flat skin). Other than that, it's hard to prevent the bruising. But they'll fade (sometimes VERY slowly).

My doctor said "never" and soda is not a big deal for me, so I haven't had any. But you'll find a lot of folks on here who do have soda sometimes (usually people whose surgery was quite a while back).

140 calories, 22 grams of Protein and 2 grams of carbs. Lots of flavors to choose from and they don't need refrigeration until you open them, so they're perfect to take along with you. They're filling too, one cup gives me a lot of satisfaction. Just passing along a good th

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DDFCWF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

My hair was pretty much a casualty of WLS. I lost most of my hair and it hasn't grown back. My surgeon speculates that my hair fell out due to the normal telogen effluvium that comes with drastic weight loss. Then it didn't grow back due to age-related Hair loss I would have had anyway (I'm 57). So the surgey sped up the hair loss and I lost it all at once, rather than gradually over a couple of years. But my experience is unusual and I wouldn't take back the 130 pounds I've lost to get my hair back!

Even three years later I take Senna every other day or so. Just comes with the territory.

48 minutes ago, blackcatsandbaddecisions said:

I could have loved and accepted my body all I wanted at almost 50 bmi and the health problems coming my way would have still been a reality. I’m watching my mother die a long drawn out miserable death from kidney failure brought on by type two diabetes. There are real heath impacts to being drastically overweight, and what’s not a problem in your 20s or even 40s can lead to issues later.

Agreed. I didn't want to wait until I was dealing with multiple comorbidities of my obesity before addressing it. I was willing to assume the risk of surgery, but not the near-certainty of obesity-related diseases as I progressed in age.

1 hour ago, carpeediem said:

I had surgery on March 5th; I 100% regret my decision to have surgery. There is so much I wish I had known before getting this done. I know it's still early in my journey, but I was "healthy" by medical standards, but I was just FAT! I wish I would have just excepted that about myself... I personally think everyone should have mandatory meetings with a therapist for the six months before surgery.

You had surgery 10 days ago? It's not uncommon to have 2nd thoughts right after surgery. When you combine post-surgical pain, the shock of the change in diet, possible post-surgical depression, and a lot of other factors, it can take a while to feel "normal" again. Don't assume you'll always feel the way you do now - take it a day at a time. Week three was when I turned the corner. Best wishes!

Yes, it's happened to me (both before and after my sleeve). I don't pretend to really understand the science, but many people have experienced this.

Great post, LOL 😂

Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment of "AnotherGuy Vanquishes Food!"

Do you know why you gave up on your eating plan? Is there something happening in your life causing you undue stress. Are you grieving a loss? Do you think you might be depressed? Are you self-medicating with food? If you have access to a therapist, they can help you try to get to the root of WHY you feel the urge to eat the wrong things (or in the wrong amounts). Unfortunately, surgery helps the body lose weight but it doesn't cure the emotional issues that may have caused us to overeat in the first place.

In the meantime, I don't know what you're eating that is problematic, but maybe start by getting rid of junk food, soda, sugar, etc. Go back to Protein, veggies and fruit. Don't worry about quantity, but start by focusing on making good food choices. Once you "detox" from your problem foods, it will be much easier to figure out how you should eat going forward.

Have you contacted your bariatric team? They should be able to provide support and guidance (and maybe a referral to a therapist). Best wishes, hope you can get back on track soon. Hugs. 🤗

16 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

I changed one of my medications about two months before surgery because I was on a medication (Latuda) that you had to eat 350 with it for it to properly absorb but there are very few medications that work that way so you should be fine. I haven’t had to make any other changes post surgery.

I had the same issue with Xarelto (blood thinner). I actually got a blood clot because of it. Now I take injectible Lovenox.

Yes! My need for a knee replacement is actually what pushed me to have the surgery. The Ortho surgeon wouldn't do it unless I lost 75 pounds. I had the sleeve in March of 2019 and I had the total knee replacement in August of 2020. So I waited about 1.5 years between surgeries. But that's because it took time for me to lose the required weight. Ask the doctor (bariatric, Ortho, or both) but I don't think you will have to wait as long as I did. Best wishes.

4 hours ago, Tony B - NJ said:

To be honest, I think there is more at play though. I think the people ranting and being negative are either those who were simply not able to follow directions and control their urges or someone who just flat out did not have the surgery or even knows a spouse who wants to and are trying to create negative content to change their minds.

This has crossed my mind as well. There's no way to be sure, so I decided to answer the questions as if they are being sincerely asked; however, I do notice that this individual is not willing to invest any time or effort in getting help (for instance, by posting intake for a sample day). People who really want help getting on track are generally willing to engage with others and provide the info we would need to help troubleshoot.

2 hours ago, Robert S. Libberton said:

Delay the survey fix the marriage or not prior to another life change, it takes 2 to tango and your own part is ignored in your post.

I respectfully disagree. Severe diabetes is an imminent threat to your life. You can work on your marriage without delaying surgery. Many here have done so and eventually got to a better place with regard to both health AND their marital relationship.

Hi @Countrygirl2000 - because I have a clotting disorder, I've had more blood clots than I can count at this point. Pain behind the knee that is persistent is often the first sign that I have a clot in the popliteal vein. Of course, it could also be a million other things, so no need to panic. Just mention it to your surgical team so they can rule out a clot and help you figure out what's going on. Best wishes!

10 hours ago, DaisyAndSunshine said:

So I am a huge fan of spicy food given my Indian origin.

Ofc, I don't eat way too spicy but a decent amount of spice is definitely a must.

Hence I was wondering were you ever asked to restrict your spice post-Op? Or we can carry on eating spice level as we did pre-Op?

In the immediate aftermath of surgery, very spicy food caused me stomach pain. But at this point, coming up on 3 years, I can eat the same degree of spiciness as I could before surgery.

1 hour ago, goodmanje said:

Well I’ve been logging my meals since I originally posted this and following the doctors advice to the T and I still haven't lost a single pound. Every visit he acts like he doesn’t believe me when I say I’m staying at 800 calories a day. So I’ve been told a million times by my doctor and people on this forum that the surgery is just a tool. I get that. But a tool for what? How do you use the tool? I don’t ever feel full, I’m always hungry, I’m not losing weight…. What a useless tool.

Now that you are logging your intake, can you post a sample of what you eat in a day? Between all of the folks here, there are decades of experience with post-bariatric weight loss. Maybe someone will be able to spot something that could be derailing your progress.

6 hours ago, DaisyAndSunshine said:

Okay that is kinda scary. Were you on regular dosage of Vitamin B12 or no because sleeve?

I was on a regular dosage of B12; however, I had gone for some time not eating meat or dairy. My B12 dose was meant to be supplementary, not a complete replacement for B12 in food. It wasn't deliberate, I wasn't planning on becoming vegan or anything, I just hadn't had a taste for meat, dairy, or eggs. And my supplement wasn't enough under those circumstances.

Another vote for checking with your doctor. Earlier this year I developed a B12 deficiency and it caused all kinds of symptoms: fatigue, irritability, brain fog, pins and needs feeling in my arms and legs, and generally feeling crappy. I even lost my voice because my vocal cords were paralyzed! I'm not suggesting you have what I had, just that there may be a medical reason for how you feel. I hope it gets better soon. Hugs.