Arabesque

Oh no. See this is why I don’t go to the gym (I’ll use any excuse not too😁). Wonder if you had a drop in your sugar - hypoglycaemia. My worst attacks come after I’ve been exercising (another reason I avoid it). Cold sweats, muscle weakness, feel like I’m going to vomit or have diarrhoea, tremors, light headed, etc. I try to remember to take an electrolyte drink with me not just plain water. I feel you. Worst attack I had was after a bush walk up a mountain ending at a coffee shop. Friend nabbed a table outside while I went in to order & I had an hypoglycaemic episode. I was bent over with my butt against the display cabinet to prop me up, covered in sweat, white as a ghost, shaking. Asked the girl at the counter for some juice. She pointed to a fridge that seemed a mile away. All the other customers had literally stepped way back & were all staring at me. I think they thought I had Covid & no one was willing to help. All the girl at the counter wanted was my money to pay for our order. 🙄 I dragged myself to the bathroom. Never going there again.

Make the blender your friend. Use gravy, broth, Mayo, etc. to keep the purée moist & easier to blend. Purées should be smooth & pretty sloppy - at the least dollop off a spoon like the texture of yoghurt. Take your time. The stages are there to support & not stress your healing tummy.

It is a big decision & many people question if they are doing the right thing. May be continue with the process a little longer as you will find out more information. Also do a lot of reading from reputable sources. (Lots of information here too of course.) I was lucky I had a friend who’d had the surgery a year earlier so she was a font of information & experience. Yes, the first couple of months after the surgery can be difficult. You are literally relearning how to eat. In fact the initial stages after the surgery when your diet is quite restricted to support your healing is much like how a baby is introduced to solid food: liquids, purées, soft food then solid. You’ll be working at breaking habits, cravings, addictions (sugar, salt,) & any emotional dependencies on food you’ve likely had for years or your entire life. But honestly, it does get much easier. You’ll never go back to eating exactly the same way as you did before but that is how you ended up with a weight problem. Many do eat some of their old favourites BUT they eat them rarely & in small portions. Or they eat healthier variations of the food. My sleeve doesn’t limit me or restrict me from doing anything I enjoy or want to do. All the best what ever you choose to do.

I just shredded cabbage & told myself it was noodles. Lol! Works for zucchini noodles. 😁😁😁 OMG I wish I’d thought of doing this when I was on purée stage. As a child I used to love eating those imitation crab sticks from the fish & chip shop at the beach. Battered & deep fried then of course. I think I’ll be coming round to yours @Sophie7713 for dinner. That salad & then the ham & butter bean soup yum.

Weren’t you advised you shouldn’t take NSAIDS any more? Because our tummy is so small now the side effects of NSAIDS, like ibuprofen, are exacerbated (like they’re concentrated in our tummy) putting you at a greater risk of ulcers, reflux, etc. I took NSAIDS before surgery for headaches, back pain, etc. as I found other over the counter pain relief didn’t work. My surgeon advised, after he removed my gall (25months after my sleeve surgery), I could take a NSAID very occasionally: one tablet & no more. I was not to take them every day nor take them regularly. Generally applying a gel/cream NSAID topically, directly to your skin, is okay as it does not go through your digestive system though I have heard of a surgeon even saying no to that. Have a chat with your surgeon.

Yeah, mine ended up halfway down the back of my thighs. Three years on & still not back though it is a little better shaped thanks to the slight redistribution/resettling of my remaining fat in my second year. If you are also experiencing bony ass syndrome, I can reassure you it does get a lot better eventually.

I had bruising for a little while in my second year I think. I am very fair & tend to bruise easily anyway but it seemed there was always another bruise & I wouldn’t know from where. They would take ages to disappear & were more yellow than purplish. I remember someone else here had the same issue & we posted pxts of our random bruises. My bloods were all fine so I was at a loss until I realised my body awareness was off & I was often bumping into things. Like I was always kicking my toe on my kitchen cupboard skirting board because my tummy wasn’t protruding & reaching the bench before the rest of me as a warning any more. Might sound crazy but once I started to be more aware of my body in relation to furniture, other people, hallways, doorways, etc, the bruising (& kicked toes) reduced a lot. Not saying this is what ‘s causing your bruises just something to consider. Damn oestrogen. My weight problems began with puberty (oestrogen feast) & then dramatically increased with the onset of menopause (oestrogen famine). I was put on a stronger HRT med at the end of last year & I put on weight. Only a small amount but it messed with my head for a while until I realised it was likely related to the extra oestrogen. (Benefit was my empty upper breasts have filled out a little so not as many pickets in my bras any more 😁.) And yes brain fog, mood swings (I got ‘feisty’ & more argumentative), poor sleeping habits, memory loss, muscle aches, etc. are all peri menopausal & menopausal symptoms. When you have your physical make sure the test your hormone levels.

Sorry double posted.

Exactly this. How your body reacts to certain foods, or portion sizes, or times you eat, etc. are all idiosyncratic to you. I had this exact conversation with my surgeon’s colleague this morning at my check up. It’s not something you’ll discover quickly. I’m still learning my body’s personality quirks. It seems to throw new ones at me randomly but my eating is constantly evolving. I understand how to best manage the ones I know. Like I know I’ll feel a bit ‘off’ if I rush through my breakfast or have it too early. If I have yoghurt for lunch I’ll want something salty after (don’t know why yet but I know it happens). In time you’ll learn your body’s signs & cues & recognise what they mean - some may be very subtle. You’ll also discover some signals will be different to what they were before surgery or aren't what you expected.

Exactly this. How your body reacts to certain foods, or portion sizes, or times you eat, etc. are all idiosyncratic to you. I had this exact conversation with my surgeon’s colleague this morning at my check up. It’s not something you’ll discover quickly. I’m still learning my body’s personality quirks. It seems to throw new ones at me randomly but my eating is constantly evolving. I understand how to best manage the ones I know. Like I know I’ll feel a bit ‘off’ if I rush through my breakfast or have it too early. If I have yoghurt for lunch I’ll want something salty after (don’t know why yet but I know it happens). In time you’ll learn your body’s signs & cues & recognise what they mean - some may be very subtle. You’ll also discover some signals will be different to what they were before surgery or not what you expected.

Years ago I had a extensive collection of wide legged pants now I’ve realised my wardrobe is all skinny leg pants. This is another pair a just picked up but with a side zip. I paired it with a beige coat which I bought online from The Curated. The fabric is nice, the colour a break from black but the cut is not good as you can likely see. Couldn’t be bothered packaging it up & trudging it back to the post office & waiting in a queue for 20+ minutes. It’s freezing here … well freezing for May in Brisbane. Apparently we’ve averaged just over 3hrs of sunshine a day this month. So much for living in the sunshine state. It’s just all rain, grey skies & humidity. Everything is damp & clammy. Shudder!

Made a pork loin stir fry last night & these were the vegetables. They looked so delicious & colourful I couldn’t resist immortalising them. Added some shredded cabbage as well as my pretend noodles LOL. I think I’ll have enough for ten meals though. They’ll freeze. 😉

You’re losing around 4lbs a week. That’s a great rate especially with your starting weight. I hated protein shakes too & just suffered through the two week liquid stage. Soon as I was on purées I put those powders away & never had another one. Yes, it was a struggle to get in my protein eating ‘real’ food because my portion sizes were so small but as long as I was close I was happy & so was my surgeon. I found a great high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drink which gave me a good boost of protein (15-30g) every day. Worth a try. You may have to try a few to find one you enjoy - some are very sweet. Give yourself time to recover & heal. You’ll be feeling better & more comfortable about your food choices & options before you realise it.

I think we all find the way of eating that works best for us. It sounds like your body is leading you to eat like intermittent fasting (which a lot of people swear by). I eat almost every meal later than I ever did before (not as late as you though 😉) but then before when I ate was dictated by things like work. Now I breakfast around 9 because I’m not really hungry before then. I snack at 12, lunch at around 3:30 (sometimes later) & dinner around 6:30pm. If it works for you & you’re getting in your protein, other nutrients & fluids it shouldn’t be an issue what time you eat.

As @SleeverSk said your nerves are still healing after being cut during the surgery & you won’t feel signals yet which is why it’s important to stick to the portion sizes you’re given & your eating plan. All because you can doesn’t mean you should. The staged return to eating is there for a reason - to support & protect your healing tummy. Remember all those staples & sutures holding your tummy together. Yes, we all recover & heal at our own pace but you can’t see your tummy to assess how you are healing. Stick to your plan & eat slowly is always safest. Testing a food a couple of days before your plan says to is ok. Trying something a solid food like a chicken thigh three weeks before your plan likely recommends isn’t the best choice.

Just tell them you are making changes to what & how you eat. Tell them you’re seeing or have seen a dietician & you’re doing this with your doctor’s support. I’d also tell them you hope they will support you too as you try to improve your health. They don’t have to know any more if you don’t want. You’re not lying. Just not telling them everything. I have friends & acquaintances who only know this part of the story & all accepted it. Oh & if they start sharing their weight loss stories & how you should try their diet, remind them you are seeing a dietician & want to stick to that plan as it’s working so far. Have a great time on your holiday.

Yeah, a few of us suffer from episodes of dry mouth. Besides being a random menopausal symptom I think it also happens because we don’t have fat around our necks which used to help keep our mouths closed at night & we are likely sleeping differently (head position) & our lax muscles cause our mouths to droop open. Well that’s a bit of a theory I have. I have water beside my bed too (I drink through out the night) but others have found success with Biotene which is a spray that moisturises the mouth.

I take a PPI every morning (20mg Nexium), always will & it controls mine. I also found not eating a heavy protein a couple of hours before going to bed eased the odd night of a bit of a sore throat. If meds are going to be a long term solution, try esomeprazole instead of omeprazole. It is a more recent & advanced formulation of basically the same medication & has fewer side effects (so my pharmacist told me yesterday). You can also make some dietary changes that help too. Avoid or reduce carbonation & caffeine intake & avoid spicy, rich, creamy, fatty, oily food. Allowed me to manage my reflux pre surgery with out medication except on rare occasions like if I had too many G&Ts or champagne 😉.

I agree with @catwoman7. It could be low blood pressure (postural hypotension if it occurs after you stand up or get out of bed). This isn’t uncommon but more the minority & even fewer reach the full out faint but it’s a temporary side effect. Think it may be just yiur body sitting itself out & getting used to the weight loss & changed diet. Stand slowly & wait before moving. Some suggest marching on the spot for 30 seconds or wriggling your feet before rising - doesn’t work for me. If I feel an episode coming on I stop moving & hold into something solid - table, chair, wall, person - or sit down again. I’d certainly get your sugar checked too especially if it was accompanied by cold sweats as it could be hypoglycaemia (drops us sugar levels) I have hypoglycaemic episodes & have low BP all the time. I had them occasionally whenever I was at a low weight before my surgery. Now I’m at a much lower weight I have them more often. So really pre existing for me.

My thought was reflux &/or air borne allergens too. Food based allergies usually don’t cause gagging or wheezing, sneezing, etc. But reflux can cause a sore throat & a dry cough. Talk to your doctor again or at least try an over the counter esomeprazole to see if that helps with the sore throat & cough.

Check with your surgeon first but also try avoiding lactose. Lactose & certain artificial sweeteners can cause bloating & cramping. Try plant based protein shakes & non dairy yoghurts, milk, etc. Also try a heat pad instead of ice.

Sounds like your aunt has reflux or gerd. Did she have it before surgery or develop it after which is a possibility? I had reflux before my sleeve but managed it with my dietary choices & only rarely took medication. I cut carbonation, spicy, rich, creamy or fatty foods & reduced caffeine. If I had too many gin & tonics I knew it & would have to take my med but this was rare. My reflux is different post surgery. I still avoid those things & I take a PPI every day to manage it. I could eat those foods but I know they’ll make me unwell so I don’t. She should have a chat with her surgeon or GP about what she’s experiencing. Does she still eat slowly? Eating too quickly can cause discomfort or your restriction to kick in which stops you eating. She may also have to return to leaving a break between eating & drinking. Not necessarily 30 minutes though. I can take a mouthful or two 10 minutes before I eat but can sip up to 5 minutes before. We all have our own indiosyncracies we have to learn (& choose) to manage.

I was eating a meal anyone could eat from soft food. Sure they were way smaller portions & sometimes without certain sides. I made things like chicken stew spaghetti bolognese (without pasta) in my first week of soft foods. Some recipes I tweaked to make them healthier & to meet my plan but there wasn’t anything anyone couldn’t eat. I regularly had breakfast with girlfriends from solid foods. I’d order a single egg scrambled no toast. I was allowed green tea from the beginning which I drank anyway so no change in my routines. Dining out was pretty easy too. Just careful & considered food choices & small portions. I usually order entrees (US appetiser) & I don’t worry if I can’t eat everything if I have to get a main meal portion. If I’m able I’ll take home the leftovers. Of course a lot of this depends upon the type of food your family eats & what they still want to eat. I live alone so it is easier for me, but I often spend weekends with my mother, eat with my siblings & their families, dine out for lunch & dinner, have friends & family over for meals. No problems. My sleeve really doesn’t stop me eating anything (except bread, pasta, rice, potatoes that sit heavily in my tummy) & I have to avoid dry, coarse foods (but a good sauce & eating carefully helps). What stops me eating certain foods is me & the eating plan I’ve devised to help me maintain my weight & be healthy. At 6 months I could eat almost 3ozs protein & maybe 1/2 cup vegetables but sometimes less. It took me into my second year before I could eat about a regular portion size - e.g. 3 - 4 ozs protein & a cup of vegetables. But that was me & we all take our own time.

Embracing the tastebud changes & losing the craving for sugar was a big win for me too. I gave up soft drinks (sodas) years ago so I didn’t have to break my addiction to them but I enjoyed dessert & always at a sweet treat after dinner. I haven’t done that since surgery. Don’t miss it either. I will have a couple of spoons of dessert at Christmas (I make the Christmas desserts so …) & then maybe a bite of one or two sweet things a year. Had a bite of a friend’s wedding cake last year - it was awful. But nothing yet this year. I remember accidentally picking up a box of honey oats during Covid lockdown in 2020. It was so crazy sweet I couldn’t eat it. Yes, fruit is my sweet treat now too (but I always enjoyed fruit). I have blueberries every day with breakfast. Occasionally I might snack on some other fruit. I avoid artificial sweeteners where possible (they just feed your sweet cravings) & as I cook most of my own food from scratch it’s easier.

I found keeping an eating schedule much easier too. I still follow one though with a little flexibility based upon how I’m feeling (hungry/not hungry) & what I’m doing. Generally, at three years, I do breakfast at 8:30, snack at 12, lunch at 3:30, dinner at 6 & snack at 7:30. Sometimes there’s an extra snack before lunch but then lunch & dinner are later. Initially I started because I wasn’t hungry or interested in eating after surgery. Then when I was trying to stabilise my weight, it helped to ensure I got in the calories I needed to stop losing & now it’s to meet my higher protein goals. (It’s why I snack so often too.) Give it a go. You may find it helpful too