Jaelzion

@goodmanje, if you're just wanting to vent because you're angry and upset, that's fine. We've all been there at some time or other in our lives. But if you are interested in help with troubleshooting what's going on, you'll have to engage with us and provide more specific information. Like post an example of what you eat on an average day. And you have to be willing to change - for instance, you can't just say "I'm not a disciplined person". Losing weight requires discipline with or without surgery. There are lots of food tracking apps out there and you may not be able to figure this out without making use of one of them.

@goodmanje, if you're just wanting to vent because you're angry and upset, that's fine. We've all been there at some time or other in our lives. But if you are interested in help with troubleshooting what's going on, you'll have to engage with us and provide more specific information. Like post an example of what you eat on an average day. And you have to be willing to change - for instance, you can't just say "I'm not a disciplined person". Losing weight requires discipline with or without surgery. There are lots of food tracking apps out there and you may not be able to figure this out without making use of one of them.

If your B12 is on the low-normal side, it can't hurt to try supplementing it more. My doctor told me that there's very little risk of toxicity from getting too much B12, so there's no downside to increasing it. Honestly, I felt very much like you describe when my B12 was low: out of it, depressed, angry, tired, weak, confused. I say give it a try. And don't be discouraged if you don't see a change right away. As I said above, it can take a while for the symptoms to go away (I'm still working through my last symptoms).

Are you getting enough B12? I had a scary B12 deficit that left me with many of the symptoms you describe, plus some others. Not getting enough B12 causes all kinds of neurological problems, including mood swings, personality changes, fatigue, brain fog, tingling and/or pain in arms and legs. I even lost my voice as my vocal chords became paralyzed. The bad part is that even after your B12 levels are back to normal, the symptoms don't resolve immediately. I still have the tingling, pins and needles feeling months later, despite supplementing my B12 back to normal levels.

Everyone has covered the mental aspects, so I won't repeat. But I'm curious...
1. Do you feel restriction when you eat? At six weeks out, it should be very apparent. What happens if you overeat?
2. What kind of food are you eating? Are you following an eating plan? Or just eating whatever?
3. Do you eat meals? Graze? Both? What is your style of eating?
4. Are you hungry all the time? Or do you eat out of boredom, as a coping mechanism, etc?
The folks on this site are super-knowlegeable and might be able to help you figure out what's going on if you provide more information.

I'm in maintenance and there are times when I'm going to eat snack food. So it's important to me to find less destructive alternatives. But that's a personal call we all have to make.

It's really common for people to experience an immediate drop in apetite right after surgery. This can last from a few weeks to forever, it just depends on how your body reacts. I lost my apetite for most of the first year and then it slowly returned until now it is about 65% of what it was pre-surgery. When I had very little apetite, it was easy to live on 600 calories and I did for months. Then it went up to 800 calories and stayed there pretty much until I hit goal. I was blessed not to be hungry during the weight loss phase, but some people never do lose their apetite. So you won't know exactly how your body is going to react until you are post-op. But if you have the average experience, there will be at least some period of time when your apetite is greatly diminished.

This is something that the surgery really changed for me. Somehow having most of my stomach removed cured my food obsession (maybe due to reduction of ghrelin production). I no longer find myself focusing on when I can next eat. I still have the occasional craving, but they are manageable now and not overpowering. Not everyone has this experience, so I'm not predicting it will be the same for you. Just saying that things may change post-op. Best of luck!

I'm so sorry you're going through this! Prayers for a quick and complete recovery.

A 3rd vote for ketosis. Drinking extra Water can help, but that's not so easy when you're one week post-op.

This is something that the surgery really changed for me. Somehow having most of my stomach removed cured my food obsession (maybe due to reduction of ghrelin production). I no longer find myself focusing on when I can next eat. I still have the occasional craving, but they are manageable now and not overpowering. Not everyone has this experience, so I'm not predicting it will be the same for you. Just saying that things may change post-op. Best of luck!

I will typically go back to how I ate when I was in the weight loss phase - little to no processed foods, limited carbs, no drinking calories, Protein first, then non-starchy veggies. I literally cannot overeat on nutrient-dense, protein-rich food. My tummy won't let me. So by sticking to that kind of food, the calories take care of themselves.

On a day to day basis, no. I don't eat potatoes, rice, bread, etc. But at Thanksgiving dinner for the last two years, I allowed myself to taste everything (which was enough to fill me up). So potatoes are not part of my regular diet, but a rare treat.

As everyone said, there are as many different eating plans as there are surgeons. My doctor's plan was lowish-carb (not Keto low, but controlled). It emphasized Protein first, then veggies and not pushing my restriction. He said if I did that calories would take care of themselves and it did work out that way. I tracked (and still do) everything I eat so that I am aware of how many calories I am taking in and what the macros are.
I actually also eat about 6 mini-meals per day rather than 3 "big" meals. But if eating that way isn't working for you, try the more traditional 3 meals per day approach. Low-fat has never worked for me as it leaves me hungry, but your body might react well to it. Different bodies thrive on different approaches. At 6 weeks out, you are still very early in the process. Ask your bariatric program what they recommend and then adjust as needed to accommodate your body's needs.

The pre-op diet is the hardest part for some of us. Staying away at mealtimes helps. Also distracting yourself. Don't try to restrict your liquids, you can sip on broth or have clear Protein Drinks whenever you feel the need. sleep a lot if you can, LOL. If sugar-free Jello is allowed (it was for me), that can give the illusion of eating solid food.
And generally just hang in there! It's difficult but worth it in the end. Hugs. 🤗

The pre-op diet is the hardest part for some of us. Staying away at mealtimes helps. Also distracting yourself. Don't try to restrict your liquids, you can sip on broth or have clear Protein Drinks whenever you feel the need. sleep a lot if you can, LOL. If sugar-free Jello is allowed (it was for me), that can give the illusion of eating solid food.
And generally just hang in there! It's difficult but worth it in the end. Hugs. 🤗

I strugged with the pre-op liquid diet and I did break down and have a yogurt on day 4. Just get back on track and keep pushing. The pre-op is the hardest part for some of us.

As everyone said, there are as many different eating plans as there are surgeons. My doctor's plan was lowish-carb (not Keto low, but controlled). It emphasized Protein first, then veggies and not pushing my restriction. He said if I did that calories would take care of themselves and it did work out that way. I tracked (and still do) everything I eat so that I am aware of how many calories I am taking in and what the macros are.
I actually also eat about 6 mini-meals per day rather than 3 "big" meals. But if eating that way isn't working for you, try the more traditional 3 meals per day approach. Low-fat has never worked for me as it leaves me hungry, but your body might react well to it. Different bodies thrive on different approaches. At 6 weeks out, you are still very early in the process. Ask your bariatric program what they recommend and then adjust as needed to accommodate your body's needs.

As everyone said, there are as many different eating plans as there are surgeons. My doctor's plan was lowish-carb (not Keto low, but controlled). It emphasized Protein first, then veggies and not pushing my restriction. He said if I did that calories would take care of themselves and it did work out that way. I tracked (and still do) everything I eat so that I am aware of how many calories I am taking in and what the macros are.
I actually also eat about 6 mini-meals per day rather than 3 "big" meals. But if eating that way isn't working for you, try the more traditional 3 meals per day approach. Low-fat has never worked for me as it leaves me hungry, but your body might react well to it. Different bodies thrive on different approaches. At 6 weeks out, you are still very early in the process. Ask your bariatric program what they recommend and then adjust as needed to accommodate your body's needs.

I'm in maintenance and there are times when I'm going to eat snack food. So it's important to me to find less destructive alternatives. But that's a personal call we all have to make.

Exactly. In maintenance you discover what works for you & allows you to continue to maintain your weight & if that includes the occasional snack that’s fine. I keep macadamia nuts, roasted fava Beans & nut squares in my cupboard - lowish fat, lowish carbs, about 100 calories & 3-7g Protein. Mainly to have on hand if friends drop by for a drink or cup of tea but I do sometimes have a nibble. Fava beans last week, nuts a couple of weeks ago, nut squares … can’t remember.

The good thing is, you're addressing it now rather than letting the gain get out of hand. 10 pounds in one month is a lot, are you sure there are no health issues that may be contributing to that?

Ha! Maybe that's why they are so good, LOL 😀

I'm in maintenance and there are times when I'm going to eat snack food. So it's important to me to find less destructive alternatives. But that's a personal call we all have to make.

I'm in maintenance and there are times when I'm going to eat snack food. So it's important to me to find less destructive alternatives. But that's a personal call we all have to make.