Arabesque

You’re still healing. A lot of nerve endings were affected during surgery & they need time to heal too. The more liquid a food the less likely you’ll feel any sense of fullness as liquids pass through your digestive system more quickly. So it’s not until you get to soft foods or solid foods that you start to feel full. I ate about 1/4 -1/3 cup depending upon what I was eating. I was given serving sizes not calories or weights to follow. Took 3 days to eat a serve of rolled oats & the same to eat 2 scrambled eggs. Of course I could have a lot more if it was a liquid or soup but always ate/drank over a long time. In saying that, we’re all different & there are lots of different plans out there. As long as you’re not experiencing any discomfort & following your plan, you’ll be ok. Congrats on your surgery.

Low blood pressure & low blood sugars could be the culprit but definitely contact your medical team to be sure.

I was the same. I had farmer’s feet. Plus dry, itchy skin on my legs & little pimply type things on my arms. All gone. I think it’s the reduction of sugar in my diet. Your body produces various hormones to try to process excess sugar. These hormones can cause skin dryness, reduced elastin, acne, wrinkles & skin dullness. It’s why a lot of diabetics suffer from dry skin. Plus excess sugar causes inflammation which also can cause dryness, wrinkles, etc.

Aah, body dysmorphia. Yes, we all go through that in some form or another. That’s why this thread is so great - those pxts don’t lie & everyone is really supportive & gives honest feedback. I still get surprised when I see the reflection of a slim woman in a shop window & realise it’s me. One day I was sitting & trying on shoes. I glanced up & thought wow that woman has great legs. I looked up & around to see who she was & realised they were my legs in a mirror. It just takes time to recognise what you really look like now & accept it’s pretty darn good. Put on that dress & wear it proudly.

I had mine removed 2 months ago (just over 2yrs post surgery). It was my first ever attack. That pain is horrendous & I was soooo pleased the pain eased in 45 minutes. So sorry yours persisted. I actually lost 2 lbs after surgery (once I git rid of all the fluids they pumped me with) & I’m in maintenance. I lost some of my appetite (came back though ☹️) for that first month so I wouldn’t worry too much about not losing yet. Plus exercise accounts for less than 20% of the weight you have to lose so not being as active likely won’t have a great deal of impact on your weight loss in a month. You can always reduce your calories a little if you’re worried though. And any fitness you may lose will come back quickly too. Sorry about your holiday but better to have your gall removed then experience another painful attack. Hope your recovery goes well.

I second the suggestions to track your food for a while if you’re not & speak with your dietician. Because we are different heights, builds, ages, weight loss histories, etc., with different activity levels, we also have different caloric needs to lose or maintain. At 26 months, I physically can only eat about 1.5 eggs & eat about 1200 calories to maintain but that’s me & what I can & need to eat. If you can eat more or need to eat more for your body to function healthily that’s fine. My plan was portion sizes & protein & fluid goals with no calories goals. I was also no bread, rice or pasta & only small amounts of carbs from whole or multi grains. Protein first, then vegetables then fruit. I stopped shakes at week 3 & haven’t had one since. I got & get my protein from the food I eat. Are you really hungry? Are you eating what you need or what you want? Or out of habit, or because of cravings or emotions? Are you eating until you don’t need more or until you are full (there’s a difference)? I still reflect on these questions to focus on why I’m eating or why I’m hungry. Losing 53lbs in 4 months is a good amount of weight - congratulations. You may be in a longer stall while your body plays catch up. Or you may be in maintenance - your food intake equals the calories your body needs to function. Have much more weight do you want to lose?

Congrats on your weight loss. Woo hoo. Hiccups: Yes, I do but they are way less severe & pass much more quickly then they did before my surgery when my reflux would stir up or I’d have too many gin & tonics lol - the gas. Esomeprazole helps if they are bad. They happen now if I eat too fast, the food is a little dry or rich. Staggering: Your centre of gravity does change as you lose weight. You may even get lower or upper back pain as your body relearns how to stand & move about.(I had upper back pain for a while & I noticed I was slumping more until I got used to my changed body.) Do you have any light headedness &/or narrowed vision when you stagger as that could be some orthostatic low blood pressure. Wait a moment, hold onto something to ground you & it will pass as your BP stabilises again. New clothing: It can become rather expensive buying new clothes as you drop sizes but it does become a necessity when your clothes start to fall off. Try second hand, thrift or inexpensive stores just to buy a couple of essential pieces to get you through. I was pretty fortunate I had a few different sizes stored away so I pulled them out & enjoyed wearing them again.

There are several medications available which are more effective than nsaids to counteract migraines. My mum used to take a cocktail of nsaids & codeine just to take the edge off her migraines which would last for days. Now she takes one of these migraine meds & they don’t even manifest into a migraine. Speak to your doctor about which one would be best for you. The no caffeine is usually only short term. They often ask you to stop a couple of weeks before to get over the withdrawal & then continue for a couple of months (though this differs surgeon to surgeon) to protect your tummy post surgery. Like @Creekimp13, I’m allowed to have the odd nsaid now. It is a possibility for sleevers but it is only the odd one not regular doses. As you lose weight, some of the pressure will be taken off your knee & may alleviate some of the pain you experience before you can have your replacement surgery. Whether you can lose all the weight you need without weight loss surgery & can you keep it off is something you need to decide. You know yourself best & you know what you’ve been able to do in the past.

Thanks for sharing. I was curious as your height & starting weight & BMI are similar to mine were. Honestly, when I started my research the permanency of the surgery was a concern too but the more reading I did & self reflection I realised the permanency was what I probably needed. Not that I was really someone who binged, emotionally ate or craved food but I felt it was the only way to alter my dead slow metabolism & the hormonal influence on my weight gain/loss cycle. That was my thinking for my situation & it’s certainly worked so far. Good luck whatever surgery you choose. 😀

I found trying to be truthful to a point easier. If you feel comfortable tell them you’re trying to be more conscious of your eating or just that you’re on a diet. I bet dieting is a pretty common occurrence in your staff room - was always in mine 😁. Then as you lose weight they’ll think you’re being successful on your diet & with your changed habits - which you are. You can always eat in your room on odd days - say you have class prep or marking to catch up on. I like @Bluebonnetgirl’s mindful eating suggestion especially once you’re on soft or solid foods. It does get easier because those around you start to accept the changes you’re making, your portions get larger & closer to recommended serving sizes. I still sometimes have to tell people who ask why I’m not eating or not eating much that I’ve had enough, I’m not really hungry today or these portions are huge. Good luck.

Your soft foods might be too dry &/or too heavy. As @chrissy86 suggested go back to your liquid stage for a couple of days. Though your surgeon said you are ready for soft food your tummy may not - we all heal differently & at our own pace. Maybe try pureeing your food (it’s a stage many of us are required to go through before soft foods). Yes, listen to your body. It will tell, you pretty darn quickly what you’re ready to do or not. Personally, I don’t understand that chewing, chewing thing. If your food is soft it should be fall apart tender & not require much chewing. Mash things, slow cook meats, add extra sauces, gravies, etc. Some people do struggle with beef, chicken breasts or eggs. What portion size are you eating? I was allowed 1/4 - 1/3 cup. Are you eating slowly & leaving a couple of minutes between each bite? You’re 11 days out. Give yourself time to heal & not strain or stress your poor tummy - it’s been through a lot & you have a lot of stitches & staples holding your tummy together. Yes it does get better & easier but there’s a lot of learning about how your new tummy works on the way.

So sorry your experiencing this. It can take time to work out what your tummy can & can’t tolerate after surgery - it can be pretty fussy & overly sensitive. Developing an intolerance to certain foods, especially lactose, isn’t uncommon & it’s not always permanent. (Check your shake doesn’t contain lactose. If it does look for an alternative lactose free one.) Some have trouble with eggs or chicken or beef. Record the foods that upset you & avoid them for a while. Try a plainer diet for a while so it doesn’t aggravate your tummy lining especially if you’re someone who likes spicy foods. We all heal & react differently. Some struggle with food to begin while others have few or no issues. Just one of those things Good luck & I hope this improves for you soon.

Ok breathe. You haven’t messed up. First, because a lot of nerve endings have been cut during your surgery you won’t feel full like you used to until you’re healed. Now you’re on soft food you’ll likely start to feel full sooner as soft food takes longer to pass through your tummy than liquids & purées. But try to avoid feeling full. (You don’t want to stress or put strain on your healing tummy - remember all those stitches & staples holding your tummy together.) Because it takes time for the message to get from your tummy to your head, by the time you think you’re full you’ve likely past full. Make sure you eat slowly to allow time for the message to get through. Asking myself if I needed the next bite or just wanted it was a game changer for me. I still ask myself that question. Second, portion size is very important. What portion size were you advised? Mine was 1/4 - 1/3cup. Thirdly, our weight always fluctuates. Fluid retention, constipation, eating a little more one day, etc. can cause us to gain. Plus, there are stalls. Many experience the first one at about 3 weeks - can be earlier can be later. They tend to last 1 - 3 weeks. You can experience a couple of them as you lose. Your body is going through a lot of changes & it just needs a break to come to terms with everything. They do break. Just stick to your plan.

Why not? It looks fabulous on you @Sandee29. Look at your legs & your slim figure. So good.

I had a sleeve gastrectomy so I had at least 75% of my stomach removed not just sectioned off. The section that was removed contains the area of the stomach where most of our hunger hormone is produced hence the lack of hunger. Out of curiosity why did you choose the ESG?

Honestly in the first few days after surgery, I wasn’t really interested in doing anything. I couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything & I slept or dozed a lot. We all take our own time to heal & I needed a little longer. Week 2 & 3 I was happy to potter about my house doing chores, doing my walks & rest while watching some mindless tv or reading.

Nope, I didn’t. I didn’t really like anything around my middle - not painful just a bit uncomfortable. Used to roll down the waistbands of my pants so they would sit at my hips & under my wounds. We all carry our weight in different places & if you have a larger or pendulous tummy, a binder my help support it & not strain your surgical wounds. Good luck with your surgery.

I didn’t really feel hungry for ages - 18 months. A couple of times in that time I experienced real hunger. Each time was late at night because I had eaten very little all day. The first time was at about 8 months when I was trying to maintain. At 26 months post surgery, I still have days or part days when I’m not really hungry or interested in eating. To combat that I try to eat to a routine, at least eating three meals & try to get close to my protein goal. I don’t mind if I don’t eat everything as long as it’s something. This morning I wasn’t hungry but I made sure I had something for breakfast at about 9:30. While it’s okay to have the odd low calorie day & day you don’t meet your protein goals, but it should be the exception not the rule. Have a chat with your dietician. They may be able to suggest some ways to still get in your protein & calories. You could try incorporating a protein shake on a no appetite day - drinking not eating.

First, congrats on reaching your goal. Woo hoo! Your sugar craving will be head hunger. Unfortunately, cravings, eating from habit, emotional eating, etc. will always be with us. We just have to learn to manage those yearnings & reduce some of their power & that isn’t easy. It’s why many seek the help of therapy. You reached your goal quite quickly after your surgery & may be this has contributed to falling back into old habits. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I mean it’s likely your past habit was lose weight & then revert to your previous eating habits & gain again - mine was - & that habit is trying to return. The changes you made to what you ate, how you ate & why you ate during the weight loss period have to become what, how & why you eat forever if you want to be successful. It’s challenging but so worth the effort. Get the temptations out of your house. Instead have healthier treats that are low sugar, low fat, low carb, high protein in your cupboards. I found doing this very helpful. I have things like freeze dried fruit (naturally occurring sugar & a little crunchy) & nuts (dry roasted & salted) for the odd days I want something a little sweet or little salty. Portion size is very important when I do indulge & I can go for weeks without needing to have any. I hope you can find ways to manage your cravings & don’t be afraid to seek help from a therapist.

Stalls happen. And you will likely experience a couple of them as you’re losing. They tend to last 1-3 weeks but some people do experience longer ones. They can be very frustrating. I thought of mine as my body taking a breath to catch up with all the changes. It’s been going through a lot Some people say increase your caloric intake, others say to up your activity. I never changed a thing & mine always broke. Though this video from Dr Matt Weiner is in response to a stall when moving through the post surgical stages (the 3 week stall) it really applies to all stalls while we are losing. (The question is a little long.)

Congratulations @STLoser. The changes amazing & I’m not just talking about the superficial though you are looking great. The improvements to your health & well being are the most wonderful achievements. Woo hoo!

Aren’t you glad they found theses things now before they became worse & caused pain or more severe health problems. Finding hernias (& gall stones) isn’t unusual during the pre surgical tests & most are repaired (or removed) during your surgery. Ask your surgeon if your’s will be repaired too. They usually remove any polyps they find when they do the colonoscopy. Did they remove yours? You will probably need to have regular colonoscopies in the future now they’ve found these.

Glad you contacted your surgery & it’s ok. Always give them or your medical team a call if something feels strange for you or you’re in pain. Better to be safe than sorry. Congrats on having your surgery.

Muscle weighs more than fat so it could be that. We all fluctuate a little. I have about a 1kg (2lb) fluctuation cycle due to fluid, constipation, slight changes in daily food intake, etc. Are you in maintenance or are you still trying to lose? Are you still gaining? Are you still tracking your food intake (calories & portion size)? I do random checks now because it can be easy to miss something you’ve added or changed in your diet or misjudge portion sizes.

Broths are the liquid from soups made of vegetables & meat. If you strain the cabbage soup you’d be having broth but if you’re allowed non starchy vegetables you should be fine to eat it unstrained. There are stacks of non starchy vegetables you can eat: salad greens, tomatoes, green beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, capsicum, … Can you have eggs? Make some omelettes. Make a pasta dish using zucchini noodles & the meat & vegetables you’re allowed. Check with your dietician if you want to be sure.