Arabesque

What about the fresh ready meal companies if you have access to them? Most have menu plans for various eating plans but you still will have to be vigilant on the nutritional & caloric content of each meal & portion control. One of the ready meals may last you for two meals at the moment. Like many frozen meals & supermarket ready meals, many of the fresh ready meals are pasta or rice based so remember to avoid those. When you say you don’t cook, will you cook/reheat/microwave/prep simple things? You don’t have to be a cordon Bleu chef to toss a salad together (throw in some tinned beans for a protein boost) or microwave some fresh or frozen vegetables then add meat from a grocery store bbq chicken or roast meat, or some deli meats, smoked salmon, tinned salmon or tuna, etc. I ate rolled oats made on milk with some seeds (oats are a good carb which many plans allow from early stages) - couple of mins in the microwave & ready. Find a good high protein yoghurt & a low fat cheese. Eggs are also easy & barely cooking: boiled or fried in a non stick pan. Would you try some frozen oven bake fish in the oven? (Just scrape off the batter & crumbs once cooked.)

The stats tend to say the average weight loss after about 5 years is about 65% of the weight you have to lose to put yourself in the healthy BMI range. Some lose more. Some lose less. Some keep it off. Some don’t & happily settle at a higher weight. This can be from choice, genetics, lifestyle, complacency, health, etc. For example it’s not uncommon for people to experience a 10-20lb bounce back regain around year 3. I think some surgeons give the average expected weight loss to keep expectations realistic. Mine didn’t but he asked me what weight I’d like to reach. I said 60kg because that was the lowest weight I’d reached the many, many times I’d lost weight in the past & it gave me a bmi of about 23. He said it was a realistic goal. I exceeded it (135% of the weight I had to lose). My lowest weight was 48.2. For about 14 months I’ve been about 49kg but I waver between 48.5 & 49.5. But I’m close to that 3yr mark & you never know what the future will bring so I try to be realistic about that. The average is probably a good goal but no one says you can’t exceed it & set new goals if you want & if you can can without undue restrictions & limitations on your life. Even though we’re guilty of regularly checking that scale & we know all our stats, ultimately, it’s not about the number on that scale. It’s about you being happy & healthy & enjoying your life.

May be have that first appointment & see how you feel. As others have said bad reviews don’t necessarily mean a bad surgeon. Could be just a personality clash. We felt a physician who cared for my dad was appalling (rude, uncaring, abrupt, never took time to speak to him or us about his status) but others love him. If after your first appointment you don’t feel confident & comfortable with your surgeon, find another one.

It’s another one of the everyone is different things. The post surgical fatigue & your body needing rest to heal can take a a month or so - some more some less. I got hit by low blood pressure issues (my tendency to occasional drops became all day every day) & that caused fatigue, brain doughiness, low energy & weakness. Then around months 3 or 4 I experienced a big drop in energy again. Electrolyte drinks like Hydralyte helped a lot. But I’m someone who takes longer to recover & as I said the low blood pressure was pre existing which complicated things. It wasn’t debilitating or stopped me doing things. It was more annoying than anything. I just listened to my body & took it slow & easy as it needed. And enjoy having nana naps.

It may not be related to your surgery at all. Could be a stomach ulcer, over production of stomach acid, gall problems, or a hiatal hernia causing the reflux or reflux-like symptoms. Do you get a bad taste in your mouth, burning in the back of your throat &/or bad hiccups or belching? (Reflux, hernia, excess acid) Do you get cutting pains across your tummy? (Excess acid, ulcer, gall issues) Hope they find the cause & a solution for you soon.

Va va va voom @BayougirlMrsS. Dress & boots: fabulous.

I’m sorry you feel this was the worst decision for you & you’re angry. And it doesn’t work for absolutely everyone - sometimes for genetic or physiological reasons, sometimes for psychological reasons. But if you can honestly look in the mirror & say yes I’m making changes to what I eat, I’m choosing low fat, low sugar & low carb foods, I’m eating differently to how I ate before, I’m eating smaller portions, I’m following my surgeon’s plan & my dietician’s recommendations, maybe you are one of the unlucky few for which surgery doesn’t work. The average weight loss after bariatric surgery at about the 5yr point is around 65% of the weight you had to lose to put you in the healthy bmi range. Some lose more. Some lose less. Complacency, lifestyle, health issues, age, gender, genetics, personal choice, etc. all play a part in how much you will lose & then the weight at which you happily maintain. So odds are you won’t lose & keep off all the weight you need (or want) to lose in the long term but odds are you will weigh less than you do when you started. If you buy a gym membership & never go, you won’t get any healthier, or stronger or fitter. Weight loss surgery is the same. If you don’t take advantage of the tool nothing changes. The amount of success you have is directly in proportion to the amount of effort you put in to making the long term changes. Like most (all) of us I’ve lost & regained hundreds of pounds over the years. Tried every diet, & exercise program. This time, I took advantage of the benefits the surgery afforded me in the beginning. I used the tool. I did a lot of research & changed how & what I ate. Put new habits into place. Came to understand why I was eating & worked out how I could manage those drives. I did & continue to do the work. If I didn’t consciously make those changes & continue to work at it every day, I’d be very near my highest weight again. That’s what always happened in the past: I dieted, lost weight, then would return to my old eating habits & food choices & would start to regain within days. I ate little to begin after my surgery: less than 300 calories. I was healing (all those sutures & staples holding my tummy together) plus no appetite & no real interest in food. But my calories increased as did my portion sizes over the weeks & months. I eat about 1300 calories to maintain but I’m shorter than you, likely older than you, not very active, female & have a small frame. But before surgery I could barely maintain my obese weight eating 1300 or fewer calories a day & I regularly skipped meals for decades. My metabolism was shot. I eat regularly now, eat more nutritionally dense food & eat more often then I’ve ever done before. I haven’t been this weight since I was 12 yrs old. I feel great.

Yep, pretty common. Some even find their sense of smell becomes over sensitive & the smell of certain things turn their stomach too. It’s temporary.

Some good suggestions above. I’d also look at getting off the Xanax & seeking alternative meds or reduce the dose you take to manage your anxiety & depression. Brain fog, grogginess, fatigue, etc. can be side effects of being on a too high a dose of these type of meds. All the best.

The surgery will give you lots of help to lose weight to begin (loss of appetite, smaller tummy, etc.) but in the long term you have to make the decision to make the permanent changes to how, what & why you eat. If you go into this thinking you’ll come out the other side weighing less but still eating the same way & for the same reasons you’ll put the weight on all over again just like you always did. That might sound harsh but it is the truth of it. After surgery, I really looked at what, why & how I ate. I took that time to refocus my food choices & gained a better understand of my eating cues. I did a lot of reading & worked out a new eating plan because I realised I couldn’t go back to how I used to eat if I was to be successful in the long term. You may find you won’t follow a specific restrictive ‘diet’ like keto or Atkins, etc. to maintain your lower weight but you may pick & choose & develop your own eating style that fits into your lifestyle, isn’t too restrictive &, this is the big one, is sustainable. Generally I eat lowish carbs, lowish fat, very little sweet, high protein. Big change was eating more nutritionally dense food & eating more regularly. And I eat about the same number of calories as I used to eat when I was obese. My metabolism actually works now so I can eat about that same 1300 calories & maintain my current weight. Do I miss the foods I avoid now like sweet things? Nope, not really. Uncle’s 80th yesterday. Most had dessert. I had a cup of tea. There was birthday cake later & I had tea again. Did I feel like I was missing out? Nope. Didn’t want it either. Realising you can reach that mindset where you’re not really interested in foods you used to crave & love to eat is a bit of a head spin. Weight loss surgery is an amazing opportunity. You just have to fully embrace all it can offer. And don't be afraid to ask for help from a dietician or therapist along the way. All the best what ever you choose.

Yep, sipping all day long is the only way I could do it too. I used to dilute my protein shake to make it more palatable & for extra fluid. I’d sip on it for 3 or 4 hours. Same with the soup I’d eat. (Popped the soup in the microwave to reheat it as it cooled.) You’ll find it does get easier as you progress. And yes all liquids count to your fluid goal. Congrats on your loss so far.

I don’t mind eating the same things on repeat - I’m a single person so have eaten that way for ages. I like not having to think about what I’m going to prep for lunch or dinner every single day. I’ll eat on repeat for three days & anything left I freeze. My freezer is full of single serve meals. So handy on those days you don’t feel like cooking, are working late, don’t want what you have in the fridge, etc. Only have to prep some vegetables or salad & then reheat the frozen meal. Five minutes & dinner is served. You’ll also discover what you don’t enjoy or struggle to tolerate today may be fine tomorrow or next week.

I remember having a real slump in energy about half way along so around 3 or 4 months. Remember almost falling asleep on my treadmill one day. Sounds crazy but my eyes were literally drooping & I was starting to stumble. Got off that machine straight away. For the first time in decades I was sleeping more than 5 hours a night. Eight - 9 hours became my norm. (Annoyingly my sleep has become poor again recently - grrrr!). Sleep is a great healer & a way for the body to manage stress. Listen to your body. If it says you need to slow down, slow down. Try some electrolyte drinks for a boost of energy - I drank them almost every day for months. My energy did come back.

There are many different plans with different requirements for how frequently you should eat, how much you should eat, etc. I was to eat only three meals but as I progressed & my caloric intake & portion size continued to be low (couldn’t eat much at a meal) I was advised to add a snack or two - I added yoghurt & or fruit. While trying to sort out my maintenance plan I was adding 4-5 snacks. Now I’ve stabilised, & can eat more at a meal, I usually only eat 3 snacks. Eating this often helps me get the calories in I need to maintain (about 1300) & to meet my protein goals. You may be totally different & that is a big thing to understand. What worked/s for me may not work for you. Best place to begin is with your surgeon’s plan then continue to have discussions with your dietician, surgeon & GP to work out your best way forward. Good luck.

It’s mind blowing isn’t it. I still think ‘how did I not know this before?’ & I’m still discovering things at 2 & a half years out. Congratulations on your progress & successes so far. (And for getting your hubby on Thanksgiving duties. 😉) Whoo hoo!!

You are right to have concerns & to ask questions about possible long term side effects as you should after any surgery or medication regime, etc. You should be fully informed before making any decision. The unfortunate thing today is that our chances for cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are Increasing regardless of having weight loss surgery or not. A combination of many factors including poor diet, genetics, lifestyle, environment all increase our chances for developing serious health issues as we age. Being obese increases our likelihood even more. Most of these we have no control over. You may have the surgery & develop an issue but you may have developed it without the surgery & vice versa. There are some things we can’t control or predict. As @Sunnyway said if you ensure you eat a balanced, nutritionally dense diet & follow the vitamin regime you are prescribed you will actively be working to avoid any possible side effects. I’d also suggest you continue to have regular blood tests to ensure you’re never lacking in anything & have bone density tests to check for early signs of osteoporosis. Make them a regular event to keep ahead of things just like having a regular Pap smear & your teeth checked. All the best.

So sorry your surgeon was an ass. I hope you have more support from the other hospital’s team. Some vitamins can cause nausea (vitamin C, E & iron are the main culprits) & it can be challenging to find one with right quantities to suit you. Make sure you take it after you eat & if you have to take more than one, spread out taking them across the day. Bone broths do contain protein. Not as much as the protein shakes of course but for those who can’t tolerate the shakes they are a welcome alternative plus they are a change from shakes three times a day. The broth contains lots of essential nutrients as well.

I don’t take any vitamins any more. Haven’t since about month 8 (hit goal at 6 months) with my surgeon’s approval. While I was losing I took a multi vitamin. Also took a vitamin D to begin but was told to drop it because I had more than enough in my body. I stopped taking multivitamins because I’m not lacking in any nutrients - my three monthly blood work always comes back really good - except protein ☹️. (My poor ability to absorb protein is a result of my gall surgery but I don’t have to take the Creon I was prescribed anymore because they didn’t help - just have to continue to be vigilant with my protein intake.) What do your blood tests show? Are you lacking in any specific vitamin or mineral? Once you stabilise your weight, it’s not as necessary for sleevers to continue to take vitamins unless you are specific lacking in something unlike bypass patients who need to continue to take them due to malabsorption challenges.

Wouldn’t be an issue to start early. You could always start out slowly - swap out one meal for a couple of days, then a second meal, then the third meal. Might even make transition to just the shakes easier & the withdrawal (from sugar, caffeine, etc.) side effects less harsh to cope with. Good luck with your surgery.

Aah, the swelling carbs that keep filling your tummy even after you stop eating & then what your tummy can manage just regurgitates up. My first experience wasn’t an excess of food, eating too quickly or eating something that was too dry or coarse which are the things that trigger the foamies or the regurgitation for me. It was a piece of well cooked mushy carrot in a stew at about 2 months. Ate it the day before no problem but the second day my tummy said no. We all get to learn our triggers but it can be unpleasant along the way. 😁

Your tummy continues to produce stomach acid, not as much post surgery but still more than you need to digest the small amount of food you’re currently consuming (well drinking 😉) plus fluids need less acid to digest. Talk to your surgery, you may need a higher dose of your esomeprazole to get you over the hump until you’re eating solid food again. Congrats on your surgery.

Stalls are extremely common. The first usually starts in week 3 but can be earlier or later. They usually last 1-3 weeks. And yes I said the first stall. Many experience more as they progress. I liked to look at a stall as my body needing to take a breath. It’s been going through a lot: surgery, change of diet, restricted calories, etc. & it’s stressed. So just like when you’re experiencing emotional stress & you want to shut the door & pull the covers over your head your body shuts down too & you don’t lose weight. Best advice is to stick to your plan. You’ll slowly be eating more & more dense food anyway as you progress through the stages. If you are concerned have a chat with your dietician about your calorie intake especially if you’re very active again already. If not losing upsets you, avoid weighing yourself everyday. The stall will break when your body is ready. Good luck.

Have a chat with your team. The no alcohol advice tends to be for two reasons: one the calories & poor nutritional value (& no it doesn’t count as a fluid 😉). Two, the more important consideration for many is the addictive nature of alcohol. If you are someone who has a food addiction, post surgery you can’t satisfy that addiction so you turn to something else & alcohol is usually the first place people go. At about 6 weeks out I nursed a gin & tonic for hours. It was my cousin’s 40. I think I had another g&t at about 4 months, then 6 (girls weekend & at goal) then 7 months (Christmas - though was champagne). Same story sipped for hours. The tonic would be super flat & I could tolerate the bitterness. I still usually only have a glass of something about once a month or so, occasionally more often depending on what’s happening (special events) but am happy with just one glass. I used to drink one or two glasses of wine, gin or whisky every night. Don’t miss it. I go for quality now not quantity.

Oh, yeah the ads can be terrible. It’s why I record or stream almost every tv program I watch these days. Funny though I’ve been able to watch quality cooking/baking shows without a problem from the beginning (Great British Menu, Great British Bake-off, Top Chef, MasterChef, etc.) but ads for fast food & high fat, high sugar, etc. foods actually turn my tummy now. Social media can be terrible too.

Like @Sunnyway I have a lot of respect for Dr Matt Weiner’s advice. If you don’t want to get the books he also has great videos on You Tube: https://m.youtube.com/user/DrMatthewWeiner/videos I really like his recommendation to make one change at a time in your eating. Make a change then a couple of weeks later make another. Small changes are easier to manage & accept. And you get small wins to help you refocus & get back on the best path for you. Maybe start by tracking your intake again so you have a better picture of what & how much you’re eating. Then drop something from your diet. A couple of weeks later swap out something for a healthier choice. It will take time but it may help to make the changes permanent cause that’s how to be successful long term - permanent & sustainable changes to how, what & why we eat. Were you referred to a bariatric therapist during your approval process? If so, may be reach out to them again or contact your surgeon & ask for a referral to a reputable & experienced therapist. Many, many people have had success with therapy. It will help you better understand & manage what drives you to eat & help you find the motivation to take control of your eating habits. All the best.