Arabesque

Deciding which surgery to have is not straight forward & it’s a good idea to ask for real life experiences to help you decide. Some factors will direct you more to one or the other more easily. Like some surgeons recommend bypass over sleeve if you have a larger amount of weight to lose. If you have reflux/gerd already the sleeve really isn’t for you. Then it becomes lifestyle choices, existing medical conditions, weight loss history, etc. that will influence your decision. I had sleeve surgery even though I had occasional reflux. I experience it more now but it manifests differently. One of the reasons I chose the sleeve was because it would change my digestion the least but also because I could revise to a bypass if I needed in the future. My tummy has always been a sensitive (lactose, spice esp chilli, fatty or oily foods, etc.) because of the reflux, a parasite in my gut, an acid tummy & just me. Consequently, I thought I’d be more likely to end up with additional food limitations with a bypass. 27 months on & I’m happy with my sleeve. There are odd foods I’m not good with. Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes sit like a weight in my tummy. Dry meat & vegetables like char grilled ones cause the foamies & gagging. Oily fish upset me more now than before surgery. But this is very individual & you can’t predict it. Amusingly I’m way better with dairy than I was before - tossed that parasite with most of my tummy. I find it harder to find non spicy & non chilli food than foods I eat with my sleeve. Foods you struggle to eat in the first couple of months after surgery may be fine later on. Your tummy can be sensitive to begin & you might have episodes of diarrhoea, vomiting, dumping, foamies. It can help if you introduce foods back into your diet slowly. Most of this is temporary or only if you eat a specific food & I just try to avoid those I know upset me. Some people, though, seem to have no issues with food at all. These experiences seem to be similar across the surgeries. I remember my mother lamenting she didn’t know what food to buy when I visited her. The reality was she didn’t have to buy different foods or cook differently (mind you I’d always do the shopping & cooking when I’m there). I just bought my own yoghurt & protein bar snacks but otherwise we ate the same foods except she has dessert & slightly larger portions. You may choose to make a lot of changes to your long term maintenance diet (I have - rarely have sweet cakes, biscuits or desserts, no fast foods, etc.). You may chose to go the moderation path & still include the odd take away, sweet treat, etc. Doesn’t matter what form your maintenance diet takes it just has to be sustainable for you & how you want to live your life. Good luck with which ever surgery you choose.

Yep, very common. You’ve had pretty major life changing surgery, you’re healing & consuming very little. It’s not unusual to be feeling week & generally blah. Plus as you lose weight, the oestrogen which is stored in your fat is released into your blood stream throwing off your cycle & screwing up your emotions. It will get better just give it time. We all recover differently. Try adding some electrolytes to your water to give you a boost to your energy. Good luck.

First, congrats on your surgery. Secondly, it’s quite common for emotions to be a bit up & down. You’ve just had pretty major life changing surgery. Plus you’re unable to turn to food as a source of comfort now if you were someone who turned to food in the past when you were feeling emotionally unsettled. Thirdly, we all heal differently. Some people are able to get back to work & their usual routine more quickly than others. I returned to work after 4 weeks & struggled: tiredness, sluggish thought processes, etc. A friend went back after a week & was fine. Maybe you could return to work in a part-time capacity to begin or do some work from home like prepping for future trips, reply to emails, complete paperwork, review docs, etc. & see how you go. Give yourself permission to take it easy for a little while as you recover. You will get back to your old life. Well not exactly your old life. An improved version.

Oh yeah, very common. Makes sense when you think about. Major surgery, healing, low calorie diet, emotions likely up & down, etc. Lethargy & general lack of energy should be expected. I mean when we get the flu, we’re always told to rest. You’ve had a huge chunk of your tummy removed, so I think you’re allowed to be tired. I spent a lot of time on my couch the first two weeks then it took me a few months to get my energy fully back. We all heal & recover differently so you may be ok in a couple of weeks or may need a couple of months. Take the time you need. Good luck. BTW I used to mix up a bottle of hydralyte everyday - the electrolytes used to give me an extra boost.

The chewing & spitting of food is a slippery slope. I know people say they do it but it doesn’t make it the best choice. The liquid diet is only two weeks before surgery. Besides helping you lose weight & shrink your liver to help during your surgery, it helps to start breaking your cravings/dependency on caffeine, sugar, carbs, etc. It helps you start to think about why you eat & why you make certain food choices. It’s not easy, but you have months of weight loss ahead of you which will throw many eating & food related challenges at you. You can do it. The post surgery staged diet is needed because you’ve just had surgery to alter your digestive system. Your poor tummy is being held together by a lot stitches & staples. It’s there so you don’t strain or stress your tummy or pop stitches. You may not have felt nausea or vomited @edwardstylez but you could have been just lucky. We all heal at different rates & your tummy may have been able to cope but others may not. Please be careful. Good luck.

I sometimes experience blocked ears - hearing becomes muffled & ears block like when going up or down a mountain range (used to get when flying) except, yawning, swallowing doesn’t ‘pop’ them. For me it’s from low blood pressure (& a little drop in sugar sometimes for me too) - my iron levels are good. The low BP will also cause weakness, lethargy, dizziness, narrowing of vision, mental doughinrss, headaches, etc. too. Do you have your BP tested regularly? Low BP plus low iron levels could be making the situation worse or you. As @catwoman7 said you’ll get more iron from red meat than vegetables. While 100g of fresh spinach will provide about same amount of iron as a 100g of steak, 100g of spinach is a lot of spinach. Personally I was eating vegetables from soft food - carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, … in soups, stews, omelettes, mince dishes, etc. In solid foods I was eating a small floriet of cauliflower, a couple of green beans, or some steamed cabbage at dinner. Not much, but a start. I slowly increased the vegetables as I increased the protein. How much protein do you have to eat each day? My goal was 60g - it took me a while to reach that goal every day but I’d get close. Hope they can sort this out for you soon @SummerTimeGirl. After weight loss surgery, we can’t take nsaids like ibuprofens. Too strong & harsh on our now small tummies & can lead to inflammation, ulcers, etc. Sleevers may be able to have the odd one after a year or so if your surgeon approves. I’m allowed . For e.g. had 2 in the last 3 months - one after my gall surgery & one for my COVID vaccine headache. Many ibuprofens work by constricting blood vessels but they increase your BP as your heart works harder to get your blood around your body hence hearing the whooshing sound of blood being forced through the constricted blood vessels.

So, it’s most likely a menopausal side effect. A non wls friend experiences the same thing. She calls it mummy mouth - the petrified dusty Egyptian kind. Seems the saliva glands start to produce less saliva during menopause. Great another thing drying out! Sigh. Becoming the ubiquitous menopausal dried up prune.

Thank goodness. I thought you may have been unwell or had surgery.

Congrats on your pregnancy. The old ‘eating for two now your pregnant’ maxim isn’t actually true. My sister-in-law was told she should only add up to a 100 calories in the first trimester & slowly increase to about 250 in the third trimester. She has back problems plus gestational diabetes so not putting on excess weight was very important. She followed that advice for her four pregnancies (incl a set of twins) & kept her actual weight gain pretty low each time. But that was what she was told. Check with your ob/gyn for their recommendations as to what you would need & then your dietician for suggestions on how to add those extra calories. If you’re advised similar amounts, you could add those extra calories with a protein shake or soup as a snack (easy to consume), increase your protein serve a little & add a few extra vegetables.

I agree it’s not always the size of the plate or the total weight of your meal. Calories & nutritional value are more important. Measure/weigh your food separately so you can accurately track what you’re consuming. Soft liquidy foods like yoghurt will go through your tummy more quickly then a solid protein like meat. I can easily eat a full serve of rolled oats made with a cup of milk & about 15-20 blueberries for breakfast & I often eat about 1/2 cup of diced red paw paw (papaya) mixed in a tub of yoghurt (160g). If you’re consuming only 900-1200 calories, you can’t be eating to excess with portions that are too large. You need to work out the calories you need to maintain your weight & not lose or gain. Take the caloric ranges as a guide only. We’re all different & factors like age, activities levels, genetics, etc, all affect the actual calories your body needs to function versus what someone else needs. Have a chat with your dietician.

My surgeon actually gave me a hard cover copy of Sally Johnston’s Your Complete Guide to Nutrition for Weight Loss Surgery at my first appointment. I found it very helpful. Information about sleeve, bypass & band, before & after surgery, post surgical stages, general healthy eating & nutritional needs as well as sample menus & recipes for each stage.

Yep, could be keto flu. Google it & see if it’s what you’re experiencing. Plus you’re likely experiencing withdrawals from caffeine, sugar, etc. It does get better. Good luck with your surgery.

At lot of people experience a drop in their BP after surgery. For some it persists for a few months. For others it passes & their BP increases again. As you lose weight your BP should decrease but how much is an individual thing. I always had a tendency for low blood pressure but the episodes of weakness & loss of vision would only happen occasionally - couple of times a month. After my surgery it started happening every day then multiple times a day. My GP put me on a med (a fludrocortisone) to increase my BP but it didn’t work at all. Now it doesn’t happen quite as often only a few times a day so it’s improved lol! When I had my gall out in May, they pumped me full of fluids & even gave me a shot of ephedrine because my pressure was so low after surgery but nothing really worked. The ephedrine got it up to 105 over 70 something but ten minutes later it was back to the low 80s over 60s. It’s just me. My GP checks it when I see her but it seems to sit around that 90/100 over 70ish. Do you have your own BP monitor so you can track your levels during the day? Talk to your medical team about your BP meds & how to manage the drops in pressure. If you start to feel weak, dizzy or your vision narrows, stop moving, sit if you can or hold onto something. The episodes tend to pass in 5-10seconds. Some people do blackout so be very careful. Get up slowly & wait on standing before moving. Keep hydrated. Add extra salt to your diet.

What’s happened that this is your first true meal @GreenTealael? I’ve obviously missed something? Are you ok?

Your husband has just had a pretty big surgery. He is swollen, his digestive system has been altered, has been pumped full of gas to inflate his abdomen for the surgery, may have also been pumped full of fluids & has a lot of internal stitches &/or staples. Feeling pain, weakness, tiredness is too be expected. I know it’s scary but it’s very normal after surgery. The pain will pass (less than a week), the swelling will reduce (a few days), his energy levels will build, & he’ll generally feel better. Of course we all recover differently & the tiredness & lack of energy may persist for a while because he’s also consuming fewer calories. Walk to get rid of the gas. Take the pain meds he’s been prescribed. Take it slowly. Rest or sleep as needed. All will be good. He’ll just need time to heal internally.

Are you still just sipping & waiting between each sip? I know it’s a annoying but you will get to your goal or at least close to it. Don’t forget everything you drink counts. Sometimes plain water can be hard or heavy to drink. I diluted my shakes & soups to get in more fluid, added electrolytes to flavour my water (& get an energy boost). I still drink a large mug of green tea every day & pour a large glass of sparkling water in the morning & drink it the afternoon when it’s flat. Some people seem to be able to get back to drinking quickly or a couple of swallows at a time in a short period of time. Some of us can’t. Just one of the ways we’re different. Even at almost 27 months post surgery, I can only have two swallows at a time. If I have a third swallow, my restriction kicks in - pain/tightness or general discomfort across my chest. I find drinking from a glass easier than a sippy type bottle - I suck up air with them which causes discomfort. I also drink at night - whenever I wake & when I go to the bathroom - 1 or 2 swallows before & after. It all adds up.

At 6 months, when I reached goal, I was eating less than 900 calories but I wasn’t very active. I eat about 1200 to maintain my weight. I’m shorter than you, have a smallish frame, mid 50s & still not overly active which all influences how many calories I need. You’re burning more calories by lifting weights & building muscle. Beside the dizziness, you shouldn’t be feeling hunger except if you’re skipping meals or not consuming enough. Do you still see your dietician? If not I’d get in contact with them again to review your diet & suggest ways to increase your calories to counteract your weakness & hunger. As @catwoman7 said, you could probably eat up to 1000 calories & still not gain. Add some snacks (fruit, yoghurt, cheese, a protein shake, etc.) to slowly up your caloric intake. Increase your meal portion size if you’re able - a little extra protein, a few more vegetables. I still eat slowly so I can eat a little more at each meal. Good luck.

I couldn’t lose a single kg of my menopausal weight gain which had put me 16kg over the highest I’d ever been in my life. (15kg in less than 6 months to my highest weight & then another 16kg the following year & I hadn’t changed a single thing in my diet or activity.) My feet ached at times, my fitness wasn’t great & I knew there were a lot of health complications in front of me if I didn’t do something. Woke up one morning, said enough & made an appointment with my GP. About a month later I had my surgery. So glad I did it. Good luck with your surgery.

Everything tasted too sweet to me after surgery so it was easy not to want to have biscuits, cakes or desserts. I had some fruit cake & a little dessert at my first Christmas (7 months & maintaining). Now, over Christmas is really the only time I have cake or dessert but again only slithers - a couple of bites. I did have a bite of a friend’s wedding cake at 2 years (it was dry so disappointing). I got rid of a lot of sugar, artificial sweeteners & sugar alternatives out of my diet. I add a little honey to my rolled oats. I know there’s some artificial sweetener in my yoghurt & protein bar & some sugar (<2g) in my multigrain crackers but that’s it. I try to rely on fruit (1-2 serves a day) if I want sweet. But that’s me & what I’ve chosen to do. You’ll discover what works for you & what’s sustainable. Good luck.

Oh, how insensitive is your doctor. After weight loss surgery, you are unable to take nsaids. (Sleevers are eventually able to take the odd nsaid but not regularly.) But there are alternative pain relief & RA management drugs for rheumatoid arthritis than nsaids such as steroids and dmards (like methotrexate which 2 friends take). Chat with your surgeon as to whether you’re able to take these drugs as it will depend upon where in your body they are absorbed. Hopefully you may be able to take one of those. Plus as you lose weight some of the pressure will be taken off your joints which should offer some reduction in pain too.

Oh, yeah season to your heart & your tummy’s content. Just watch herbs to begin - they can be too coarse & dry & also watch spices as your tummy can be a bit sensitive for a while.

Yes, you’re likely experiencing your first stall. Yes, you will have more. Perfectly normal. Just your body taking a break to get used to the changes. You can easily weigh a couple of pounds more at the end of the day after eating & drinking versus first thing in the morning after not consuming anything over night. It takes time for all you’ve consumed to pass through your body. Weigh at the same or similar time wearing the same or no clothing to get the most accurate reading. I’m an after breakfast, after I’ve been to the bathroom & in my underwear weigher. Find the frequency of weighing yourself that works for you - though just not multiple times a day. I weighed every day while losing but now weigh about 5 times a week. That’s because I need to know I’m keeping to my plan & maintaining. In the past I wouldn’t weigh myself if I was suspicious I’d put on weight - if I couldn’t see that the scale had gone up I could convince myself I hadn’t put on weight even if my clothes were tight. I’m also more conscious of my own body’s fluctuations now too so I allow for slight daily & weekly variations (up to about 2lbs).

As the other posters said plus are you constipated? That adds weight too (& it will become quite a regular occurrence). Good luck & congrats on your surgery.

Great post @MandoGetsSleeved. I’m sure many of us go through the same thing or similar. It’s the old habit thing. In the past, we ‘d lose weight, feel good about ourselves & then let it all sludge away & go back to what we used to eat. So we do it again this time. It’s wonderful that you realised what you were doing & committed to going back to the new better habits you were learning. It is a constant battle though. Congrats on your weight loss so far. You’ll at your goal in no time.

Try some of those period pants. They may even let you wear them during the surgery just bring an opened pair. Otherwise use tampons for the surgery. I wish they had those period pants when I was menstruating - so much easier & comfortable I’d think. Good luck with your surgery.