Jaelzion

On 9/11/2021 at 4:33 PM, Tony B - NJ said:

Chick peas are pretty high in carbs. I shy away from carbs because I want to stay in ketosis. I think that has been the guy to my weight loss so far. Low carb, low fat, high Protein

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.

16 hours ago, Crisscat said:

ms.sss I guess I was angry and frustrated mainly because Im aware I am overweight and I suppose I just got tired of being told about my weight problem or in the case of the Dr for the colonoscopy, that Dr just sent a referral without even talking to me about it.

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.

4 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

a lot of us set a drop-dead weight ceiling once we reach maintenance - and if and when we reach that drop-dead weight, it's all hands on deck until our weight is comfortably back in our acceptable range. That's going to differ for people, too. My personal ceiling is 160 lbs. Weight fluctuates all the time - up a pound, down two, maybe up three. But once I hit that ceiling, I really crack down until my weight is back down again.

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.

On 10/3/2021 at 6:13 AM, Esi said:

How do you deal with holidays that involve food traditions that are not healthy?

This will be my first Halloween without eating any candy. Thanksgiving and the December holidays will follow shortly. It feels like I am being left out when my family eats treats and other unhealthy foods, that are part of our traditional celebrations. I won’t give in, but the mental part is hard!

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.

12 hours ago, AngieL11282 said:

I am keeping junk food out of the house as much as possible but I did buy some Quest Protein chips and some Slim Fast Keto Fat Bombs. Just a few chips or 1 fat bomb will keep my sweet or salty craving at bay. I'm trying to be realistic and substitute bad food for less bad alternatives.... It's just not realistic for me to NEVER have a piece of chocolate or a handful of chips.

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.

28 minutes ago, Hlyn said:

Anyone ever have days where it feels like they never had the surgery? Where there appetite is like it used to be ? There’s no off switch and you don’t even dump after? It’s freaking me out and I don’t know how to reset or fix it. I’m 3 months out and I’ve lost 60plus but now I’m worried. Anyone have any advice?

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.

3 hours ago, SleeverSk said:

I hate it, i had second thoughts going into surgery and was treated like i was having pre op nerves. I woke up hoping for some reason the surgery hadnt been done and i spiralled from there to the point of being suicidal. I have been beating myself up over why on earth did i think this was a good idea, why didnt my gp explain how serious the surgery was and why wasnt i given other options, why did the surgeon say " the effects of the sleeve only last 18 months then its up to you" my mind heard in 18 months you will be back to eating and drinking normally, why didnt my dietian say you are not ready for this when answering her questions, why didnt she explain in full detail how eating and drinking would change forever. I spent 8 weeks on my sisters couch curled up in the foetal position bearly eating, having anxiety and panic attacks. I am getting better though i am back at work, i cry at least once a day over what i have done to myself and its hard to incredibly hard. I find no joy or pleasure in food any more its a chore to eat and drink. So i guess i am dealing with lots of problems i wish i hadnt had the surgery as i would much prefer to be fat and happy than slim and miserable 😢😢

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!

On 10/6/2021 at 4:47 AM, SleeverSk said:

I have reacted so badly to this surgery that i can bearly eat.

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

2 hours ago, MissyBoo75 said:

Hi all. I had gastric bypass last week on Sept 28. Surgery went well but I had one very bad day/night of nausea so I'm already basically a day behind. I'm in need of some encouragement that it gets better. When do I feel "normal" again? I understand there will be pain and my nausea seems unusually high but I can deal with it. But is it normal to constantly feel gurgling and movement (for lack of a better word) in my new stomach? Water tastes terrible... I have a hard time getting down the Vitamins and Protein Shakes. I've only lost about 4 lbs. I feel like I'm far behind where I should be.

I have my follow up appointment tomorrow so maybe they will be able to set my mind at ease. I would just like to hear that I'm not failing and others have had the same response.

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).

On 9/18/2021 at 9:02 PM, PCOS_Mama94 said:

Hi all!

So im due for my surgery soon, awaiting an exact date.

Ive had so many dreams about the surgery and each one mostly relates to going off to sleep and then waking up. Ive never had surgery before so dont actually know what its like going off to sleep under a general and then waking up from it.

How it goes in my dreams is ill have the drugs administered and ill start to feel very sleepy and veryyyy heavy and not long later all be asleep but it only feels like ive just closed my eyes before waking up again in recovery but still feeling really heavy and unable to move or even open my eyes, id just be laying there for a while as the movement comes back from my fingers first and my eyes opening would be one of the last things i can do.

So is that really what its like? Or is my head just making assumptions of how it feels? It almost feels like my head is preparing me for it as i have felt quite nervous at times about it. Whats your experience with it?

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.

21 hours ago, A. Will said:

I am 7 months post-op, and I still have major regrets about the surgery, every day, I wish I had not made this choice despite consistent weight loss. I am happy many people in the replies have moved past this phase. I hope to one day be at that point.

I suggest seeing a therapist as soon as you can.

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.

3 hours ago, Edabest83 said:

Is anyone going through the same thing I'm going through I am 3 weeks out and I have no desire to eat. Is this normal?

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!

6 hours ago, Numbheart said:

Getting fully vaccinated does make the stress level go down because somehow we feel that we are protected. Do you work? were you allowed by your company to work from home?

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.

On 8/27/2021 at 10:47 AM, crpowers said:

I'm 53, post menopause, 5-4, and 260. I would like this to be a one time surgery and not have to go back for additional one if needed. I'm also a sugar junkie and like that bypass would eliminate or limit that consumption for me.

My stats are very similar to yours - I was 54 at the time of surgery, I'm 5' 1" and my top weight was 250 pounds. I really wanted the bypass too, but it turned out it was medically contraindicated. I got a 2nd opinion and that doctor agreed it was too risky for me. So I had to go with the sleeve. I was super disappointed because I had read that bypass patients tend to lose more of their excess weight. I had the sleeve and it turned out to be really effective for me. I had no complications and I lost all my excess weight.

The big difference is, there was an actual medical reason why I couldn't have the bypass. If you're a good candidate for either surgery, then you should be able to choose the one you want. The post-op experience is not exactly the same between the two surgeries and you're the one that has to live in that post-op body. So, maybe get a second opinion and see if there is any legitimate reason you shouldn't have the bypass. If you get the thumbs up, then you'll have to decide whether or not to find a new surgeon. Sorry you've hit this road bump - the good news is, either surgery can be effective, so whatever you decide will probably work out for you.