Arabesque

See you’re being very patriotic there @BayougirlMrsS & literally flying the flag 😉. The tend to jump on out breaks of COVID in Australia even small numbers @Sophie7713. Better we shut down for a couple of days to try to limit the spread than see it cut a swarth through the population. People have become more complacent which is concerning. We had cases of the Delta strain & unknowingly contagious people were at multiple shopping centres, gyms, cafes, grocery stores, petrol stations, … the list grows every day. I had held off on being vaccinated because of conflicting stories & side effects but intend to get it early next month - still not fully recovered from my surgery (low energy) & I want to be on my A game when I have the first injection.

What about the other B vitamins? They all play a part in breaking down foods to release nutrients & energy. Deficiencies in vitamin D does cause fatigue but aren’t you on a very high dose supplement for that? Has it had any impact yet?

As long as you’re following your plan, you’re on the right path. Of course because your tummy can be pretty sensitive & fussy, especially for the first couple of months, there maybe things on your plan, your tummy just doesn’t like. You can always check in with your medical team/dietician for alternatives. After two weeks most are only on purée foods which are like what you are eating. Purées should be sloppy & require no real chewing. On soft foods, about week 4, you can be eating things like fish (poached is good), minced meats, slow cooked braises, thicker slow cooked soups with meat & vegetables. As long as everything is still moist & doesn’t require lots of chewing. Some people say they’re hungry after surgery but generally this is just head hunger not real hunger. Remember, most of the area that produced your hunger hormone has been removed. It’s likely your desire for food is being driven by cravings, emotions, habits, etc. It’s understandable that head hunger is still driving you after surgery. It’s an emotional time: increased stress & anxiety, fear, etc. You’ve massively changed your diet & cut off foods you relied upon to provide satisfaction or you may have been addicted to like sugar, salt, caffeine, … For many of us, hunger feels different after surgery but I think that’s because it’s real hunger not head hunger. Congrats on your surgery & good luck.

I had a friend who’d had a sleeve & I picked her brain plus I did a lot of research. Originally I had thought I’d just do the band because it was reversible but after the research I was leaning towards a sleeve. I had 31kg I wanted to lose, was almost 54 yrs. Most of my weight was gained when I reached menopause when I put on most of that weight in a year & couldn't shift it. Prior to that I bounced around 60-75kg most of my adult life. My metabolism was really slow too. I killed it from years of skipping meals. (I did that 500 calorie diet for 6 weeks the year before my surgery & barely lost 3kgs.) I had some reflux but had managed it quite successfully for years with dietary changes & only very occasionally needed medication. I enjoyed real food too. Wasn’t a fast food person, not one for pre prepared mass produced meals, only occasionally had a takeaway (no creamy sauces, no deep fried, steamed, grilled, lots of vegetables). My portion sizes were ok - way less than a lot of my friends who often finished my meal. Sure I enjoyed something sweet at night but it would be a couple of sweet biscuits or a cup cake. My biggest battle seemed to be a slow metabolism & then damn hormonal changes. After questioning me about my eating habits, weight gain/loss history & my lifestyle, my surgeon went through each of the surgeries with me, identifying their pros & cons & how they might impact my life. He also wanted to know what I was thinking. He agreed with my choice of the sleeve because I had been managing my reflux with diet already, my lifestyle & history. I’m happy with my sleeve. It was the right choice for me. Good luck with your decision.

Caffeine can be harsh in your digestion why it’s a no for some surgeons. Mine was a no caffeine surgeon. No issue because I switched to green tea 20 years ago to reduce my caffeine intake because the caffeine was affecting my sleep. I used to enjoy coffee but don’t miss it at all. I have about 400mls a day & sometimes it’s decaffeinated. Of course caffeine is addictive - the more you have the more you want & it takes more to get the same effect. If you need caffeine just to walk your dog you may be lacking in something. What are your vitamin B levels like? (As we age our ability to absorb B vitamins decreases.) Are you well hydrated? Look for reduced or no caffeine alternatives that will give you a boost: Chia tea, peppermint tea, golden milk, etc. Try some electrolyte drinks to boost your energy. I added 500mls of hydralyte to my daily fluid intake to boost my energy levels when I was losing - worked a treat.

Congrats on your loss so far. 59lbs is great. Have you taken any body measurements? You’re losing weight from all over your body and body measurements can better show that inch loss here, half an inch there as against looking at your entire body as a whole. Years ago I remember reading that dropping 5kg (11lbs) was a dress size. But that’s if your sitting at or near a healthy bmi. Unfortunately, when we carry more weight we have to lose a hell of lot more to drop a clothing size or for weight loss to be really noticeable. As you know muscle weighs more than fat & if you’re building muscle you’ll also be changing your body shape.

There are lots of right answers to this question. Gender, age, type of surgery, level of activity, calories, type of food, etc. can influence what is an appropriate amount of food to eat. The goal should be to eat until you have had enough (need not want) & not until you are full. Sometimes by the time you’re full you’ve had too much. As examples, at about 4 months I took three days to eat two scrambled eggs, about 2oz of protein & 1/3-1/2 cup vegetable & about a cup of a meat & vegetable soup. Were you given any caloric goals? I was only just given the 1/4 cup starting portion size advice. But I clearly remember my surgeon drawing a picture of a small plate & then drawing two circles saying this is how much protein & how much vegetable I should work my way towards eating by maintenance. It was 3-4oz protein & about a cup of vegetables. Best advice is to have a conversation with your dietician.

First congrats on your surgery. Second, congrats on recognising some of your triggers. Now you know these you can start working out strategies to manage them like how to avoid food commercials. (I record, download or stream most of what I watch so I can fast forward the ads or not get any at all.) It does get easier especially after you pass through these post surgery phases. Once you’re on purée foods and soft foods, try to cook meals that are soft or can be purred but the family can eat too. Freeze left overs in appropriate portion sizes so you can just reheat your meal (reducing how often you have to make separate meals) & still eat with your family. There are always ways to still participate in social events. I had a combined 60th birthday for two of my dearest friends 10 days after my surgery. I took some hydralyte to sip but I could have taken a small thermos of soup or a shake. I only stayed two hours but I was there. I made a zucchini slice I could eat for a pot lunch work reunion two months post surgery. Good luck.

So sorry they’re not being supportive. I didn’t tell anyone in my family but my mother & one brother & his wife because I knew they wouldn’t judge & would understand & be supportive. Have you turned it back on them & asked what research they have done & where they got their information? Is it from recognised & legitimate sources? What medical people have they spoken too? Have they looked at all your medical test results & history? How many people who’ve actually had weight loss surgery have they spoken too (they’ll never be able to compete with the number of people on this forum)? Do they understand the reasons why bypass is the better option for you? Do they think you’re not intelligent enough to make a rational, informed & logical decision about your own health? Why can’t they just say they’re concerned but offer support & willingness to be there for you? Honestly, there are risks. But there are risks with all surgeries & they are pretty low for bariatric surgeries. It can be a struggle to get used to how your digestive system works post surgery but you’ll get used to its idiosyncrasies & discover how it works for you. I hope they can see your position & can be encouraging & not negative.

Love those pants @Sophie7713. Love, love, love wide legged pants. So fresh too in the navy & white stripe. Can’t beat natural fibres in summer. Was that the Eric Bana movie? I’ve been looking at it & deciding if I would watch it or not. I watched Nobody last night with Bob Odenkirk listening to rain on my roof. We’ve had four days of rain (very little in total though), cold & in lockdown. So generally pretty grey all over. Thankfully lockdown ended last night, though masks for another fortnight, & the sun came out today. Beautiful. Fingers crossed for a buyer for your lovely home soon.

Remember, your nerve endings have been affected during the surgery so they may not be as sensitive & able to register you’re full yet. Also did they remove anymore of your tummy during this surgery? If your tummy is about the same size it was before the revision, I would expect you would still be able to consume a similar portion size as you did before. The main purpose of the post surgery diet is to not damage or strain your healing digestive system. Hope you continue to recover well.

I used to say my tummy was like a petulant child who was very fussy & would randomly throw tantrums. For example at about 3 months I was able to eat smoked salmon but at 5 months it was disgusting. I can eat very small amounts now. Don’t know why it changed except it may be too rich. I was pretty tentative introducing new foods into my routine. If my tummy didn’t like something the first time, I’d try it again in a couple of weeks. Sometimes it’s not straight forward to work out what about the food upsets you - too rich, too dry, the texture, the smell, etc. The portion size you are able to eat does increase as you progress. I could barely eat an egg at 6 months but I can eat about 1.5 eggs now. I still eat slowly: 30-60 minutes depending on what I’m eating. I still eat from a side plate too but have graduated to a dessert fork now - lol! I also cut my meat & vegetables before I sit down to eat so each piece is bite size. Don’t be afraid to put down your cutlery & sit back from your table between bites. I also ask myself if I need the next bite or do I just want it. Sometimes, I will start to take a bite but stop & put my fork down again. Sometimes I pace myself by only taking a bite during an ad break, or when I finish reading a page, or complete a sudoku, or every 3 - 5 minutes. They’ve been little tricks that work for me. Good luck.

There’s a world of difference between supportive comments & intrusive or critical ones. I’ve never quite understood how some people think it’s ok to comment on your weight & tell you what they think you should weigh or should do. And do you find they tend to do it when there’s an audience? 🤷🏻‍♀️ The reverse was, I also was a little bemused by people who didn’t comment at all. I mean I was almost half the size I had been. But then I realised they were the ones who felt my weight was a personal thing & it wasn’t their place to comment or they saw me for who I was not what I weighed. Consequently I began to respect those people more. After my weight settled, I noticed those ‘well meaning’ acquaintances who repeatedly told me I was too thin weren’t saying anything at all. I think it just took them time to readjust how they saw me. Hopefully this will happen for you too. PS - love a bit of sarcastic humour: lighter than air, baby weight. 😂😂😂 That should have made them rethink their desire to comment.

Hello @Sophie7713 so lovely to see you. That is one scrumptious looking hot dog & as for Mr Sophie’s pie - delicious. Are you serving it with cream, ice cream or creme anglaise? Love your shirt (or is it a shirt dress?) too - is it fagotting? (Do people know what that is anymore? 😂)

I was very badly swollen for the first few days & hardly drank anything either. And don’t get me started on trying to swallow the pain meds - ugh! I spent the first two days in hospital carrying a sick bag because I was constantly spitting up saliva. Silly thing was I sort of felt ok just pain on swallowing & the saliva. On day three my back went to spasm from the tension I was apparently holding in my body. By day four it improved dramatically. Didn’t even need pain meds. The swelling reduced, the tension reduced & I wasn’t bringing up saliva. It will get better. Just take it slowly. As I said warm drinks were easier to sip - warm water, green or herbal teas, soups, were easier to sip & more soothing. I’m glad you’re going to get some iv fluids. Good luck.

There’s lots of different pre surgical plans. I had about 2.5 weeks keto. My friend had four weeks of two shakes & one small protein & vegetable meal per day. Another friend had two weeks shakes only. The first week is always the hardest - my surgeon called it hell week. I’m secretly pleased I had keto but I’ve done those shake diets several times in the past for a couple of months each time. Once past that first week of cravings, headaches, etc. you’ll be ok.

I taught year 6 many years ago & I would have definitely needed more than a week recovery before returning to the classroom. I tend to take longer to get over things & I struggled to return to a desk job at week 4: low blood pressure, low energy & often got doughy in the head as the day progressed. A friend returned to work after two weeks & was fine, another extended her two week leave to three weeks. We all heal differently so take how you tend to recover into consideration. Remember you will be limited on how much you can lift too for the first month. I was restricted to carrying less than 5kg - 10lbs. Can understand why you don’t want to delay your surgery further though.

Could be your tummy healing too. Some surgeons use an internal tethering stitch which could be pulling when you’re active. Constipation can cause discomfort & intestinal spasms as well. But as @Creekimp13 suggested, contact your medical team to be sure.

Aaah the foamies. Better than a full out vomit but still unpleasant. Our tummies can be pretty fussy to begin & you may find you can eat something without issue one day but the next no way. Give that food a break & try it again in a couple of weeks. Eating slowly is really important. I still eat slowly: 30 - 60 minutes for a meal depending upon what it is. What I found helped was putting down my cutlery between bites & sitting back from the table. I also asked myself if I needed (not wanted) that next bite to help ensure I didn’t overeat. I still do these things. I also find dry foods cause issues like the foamies or a gagging choking thing so I try to ensure my meals are moist or have some sort of sauce or gravy with them. I tend to steam my vegetables so they add moisture too. If you like chicken, try the more tender (& flavoursome) thigh meat & not breast which is drier & more coarse in texture. We all have these quirky or strange things that happen to let us know we’ve eaten too much, too quickly, something our tummies don’t like, etc. It will take a little time to work out your signals & then modify what & how you eat accordingly. Good luck.

I think the hike & the bugs were worth it for that fabulous pxt @GreenTealael. You look gorgeous & such a beautiful location too. Gotta love a fluttery sleeve @BayougirlMrsS. So pretty. And red too. Perfect with your colouring.

Pug butt - hilarious @Czarrina. The bony ass pain does reduce in time. Doesn’t go away but I find mine has definitely reduced in intensity. I still have to do that twist & sit on my hip thing to alleviate the pain but not as often.

I think that show does influence people’s perceptions too. You’re not going to lose at the same rate as people who are two or three times your starting weight. If you do watch that program (& I do) you’ll notice the weight they’re expected to lose each month decreases as they lose once they get down to 400lbs & less. This surgery isn’t a miracle cure. You’re not going to lose all your weight in a couple of months. Consider how long it took you to get to your staring weight in the first place. Yes, to begin the weight loss is quite large in comparison to your previous weight loss rates & it’s motivating & exciting but it will slow down to a 2 pounds +/- a week which is generally considered a normal healthy rate. Men tend to lose more quickly then women @Mnevins, unfair but true, so don’t be discouraged & compare your weight loss to your husband’s. You are playing on two distinctly different fields - height, starting weight, gender, genetics, age, … all influence the rate at which we lose. We share a surgery anniversary & are similar heights & staring weights - I’m just two years ahead of you. I lost about 10kgs (22lbs) in the same period so you could say you did better then me. But my surgeon was very happy with my rate & as I said earlier my rate was considered pretty common.

There are a few maxims you can depend upon on this journey. There’s no right or wrong rate of weight loss. Some people are fast losers & some are slow losers. The more you have to lose the faster you’ll lose at the beginning. Muscle weighs more than fat. The closer to goal, the slower you’ll lose. You may stall multiple times as you’re losing. It’s not a race. I lost 31kg in 6 months - that’s 68lbs - sound familiar. And I wouldn’t be considered a slow loser. Of course, I don’t know where you started but I think you need to reassess how well you’re really doing. You are doing the right things. It will happen. Remember, every pound you lose is a win. Celebrate each one’s passing.

Oh, yeah. The tale of the missing ass. Have you experienced bony ass pain yet? It’s awful. I don’t really have a butt anymore though some of it (the empty loose skin part) droops down the back of my thighs. But as my remaining fat has redistributed (it does start to happen when you’re a few months into maintenance) I think my butt got a little bigger & my bony ass pain isn’t as bad. You could always add some of those exercises to boost your glutes.

Most pre & post surgery diets recommend you avoid juices. For example it can take three or more oranges to get a cup of juice but you wouldn’t eat three or more oranges in one go even though there’s way more nutrients in the whole orange than the juice alone. A cup of orange juice contains 21g of sugar (daily recommended intake for everyone is 24g). It contains about 111 calories - that’s a lot of the total calories you’re consuming at this stage. Remember most of your calories should be from protein. A cup of orange juice has about 2g protein - you should be working at consuming 60+g. Thank you brother for his generosity but tell him it’s best you rely on water, shakes, soups, etc. for your liquids & nutrients.