Arabesque

Some people do develop a sensitivity or intolerance to lactose after surgery. Don’t know why. I had it before surgery thanks to a parasite in my tummy which was in the section that was removed (good riddance) though I can still be a bit sensitive if I consume a lot of milk which if do in my rolled oats. So I drink lactose free milk now. Only difference between real milk & lactose free is that it’s a little bit less rich. It tastes great how ever you use it (porridge, shakes, coffee, etc.). Only thing is the skim/low fat versions taste sweet (well to me anyway) but I’m a full fat girl so …

Two weeks is the usual length of the pre surgery diet. But there are difference in what format the diet actually takes. Some are all liquid like yours (can be shakes or milk based drinks or other liquids) or two shake meals & one meal. Mine was keto. It, as @ShoppGirl said, can be influenced by your staring weight & how much weight they want you to lose to reduce the size of your liver before the surgery. It may be your general health status. It can also just be your surgeon’s preference. My two friends & I were each on a different pre surgery diet but all were two weeks long (2 of us had the same surgeon .) Each of us were in different places (health, weight) when we began.

When I was trying to slow my weight loss I was snacking 5 x a day. I felt like I was eating all day long. In time my meal sizes got a little larger though I still snack 3-4 x a day to get the calories in. Peanut paste, nuts, protein bar, string cheese, yoghurt. baked fava beans or chick peas, half an apple, small bunch of grapes, & my left over rolled oats, yoghurt & dried cranberry breakfast are all snack options. I’m a full fat milk & full fat salad dressing girl too. No low fat foods in my kitchen (in many cases it’s high sugar &/or high salt to compensate for the low fat). I wouldn’t get worried yet. Yes there is the bounce back many experience to keep in mind. Your remaining fat will resettle and changes your body shape & you’ll look less gaunt especially in the face. Much like we tell people while they’re losing not to worry about the number on the scales too much, the same is true now while things are stabilising. Though you say you look bony & too skinny how much of this is body dysmorphia & you’re not really seeing yourself? Are you too skinny or is it too skinny in comparison to how big you were before? Are you really seeing bones sticking out or just seeing some shadowing of bones or feeling bones which you’ve never seen or felt before or have forgotten? It takes time to really see yourself after weight loss. Our brains can really twist our thinking.

Oh that little hanging pooch I know well. It makes me smile when I look down & see it when doing my stretches. I mean I don’t like it but rather it than the big belly I used to have. 😁 As much as we’d wish it the exercising/weight training won’t get rid of the excess skin. It was stretched by excess fat not extra muscle. The muscle building does make your thighs or arms look better & can distract the eye from the sags & bags. I often get compliments on my arms and my wings are old retired hen size. Your baby chicken winglets are so tiny & probably very much like those someone who’s never had a weight issue has.

I sometimes get something like that. For me it was related to reflux. Little bits of food rise and because the valve doesn’t work effectively it rises further into my throat. It felt a bit like something is stuck & I’d try to cough it up. Don’t know if that’s what you have. Some people get excess mucus/phlegm stuck in their throats and some try to clear their throats to get rid of it. I believe there are over the counter things you can use or gargle with warm salty water if it’s that.

I’d just use a blender too. Believe me, you’ll be praying for the purée stage to be over. It’s like food but not food, the texture & the temporary changes to your taste buds really kick making so much disgusting. It can be a struggle to find something to eat at times. Not worth buying a new appliance to use for two weeks. (Though if you haven’t got a blender they’re always handy to have 😉).

Looking amazing. (Love the outfit too.) Congratulations @FifiLux. Whoo hoo!

I wonder if your therapist just chose the wrong word. I think we all enjoy food (stimulating all the senses) but what we don’t do (or try not to do) is rely on it as a comfort or let it take up a great deal of our thinking. So may be glamorise wasn’t the best word and focus or fixate may have been better. But they should have given you some strategies to help. You may have to ask for some the next time you meet. You know that old adage of eating to live not living to eat? For many of us that is what it is like now. I still love to go out to restaurants with family & friends. I still like to try new foods. I still like the taste, smell, texture, & sight of food. I still love to cook & try new recipes. I just watch portions, ingredients, cooking styles, frequency, etc. & make adjustments accordingly and also make the best choices I can in the situation. But a lot of that has become second nature now & don’t think about it much. If you were someone who used food to comfort or sooth yourself, the first weeks after surgery can be challenging. Your emotions can be all over the place & you may be stressed, anxious, teary, …. If when you felt like this before surgery you turned to food you may want food more now simply because you can’t which can also make you more emotional. Plus being restricted about what you eat can often make you crave the food you can’t have even more. Though challenging, these things are temporary, not long term & certainly not forever. In the meantime try distracting yourself when you find the food voices in your head too loud or you think you may hungry. It’s a great strategy we all use. Go for a walk (as you’re able), read a book, craft, ring a friend or family member, play a game or do a puzzle, check your socials (like this forum), meditate, etc. Sometimes a warm drink can be helpful like green or herbal tea (counts to your fluid goal too - yay!). All the best.

That sinew is the worst! I started hacking at it too but gave up. After a couple of hours of cooking it cut through like butter and no sign of it since. Think it melted away. So maybe just leave it & see if it cooks out for you too. My sauce was pretty much a Bourgogne sauce too except I did one cup red wine & 2 cups stock (1 chicken 1 beef) instead of 2 cups red wine & 1 of stock, plus carrots, onions, celery, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh chives, dried thyme & bayleaves. They were delicious. Froze four individual meals & will have the last of it as the third meal tonight. My sister-in-law puts hers on in the morning too and comes home in the late afternoon to dinner cooked. Hers is huge to feed their family of 7. They use it a lot. I bought my mum a little one probably like yours which barely fits in 2 teeny tiny lamb shanks which is why I didn’t buy myself one - too small even for just me. Happy when I found this 5.5 litre (11.6pints) in between size.

Bought a slow cooker and this is its first outing: beef cheeks. Two huge 400+g (almost a pound) each cheeks. Had to cut them into quarters after a couple of hours (and they were more tender) otherwise they still would’ve been cooking today. 😉 Forgot the mushrooms so added them a couple of hours in. Supposed to blend the stock & vegetables & simmer to reduce for a gravy but I couldn’t be bothered last night when it was ready. I’ll freeze several portions for future meals.

No not dumping. I agree with @catwoman7: Orthostatic hypotension. Your blood pressure dropped from getting up quickly. It’s not that uncommon after surgery while you’re losing and until your body re-regulates itself. I had it randomly before surgery & now have it every day. Get up slowly. Pause for 10-20 seconds before moving. I’ll reach for something solid to grab if I feel lightheaded and my vision narrows/goes black like a table, wall, chair, a person to ground myself for those few seconds until everything stabilises again & my heart has pumped blood back up to my head. Also find bending over at the waist so my heart and head are aligned helps it pass more quickly. Let your doctor & team know so they are aware.

Lovely skirt & beautiful colour @GreenTealael. How often do you sew? I remember you often used to make things. Have to admit I haven’t used my sewing machine for years. Oh I did get it out a couple of years ago to repair a split in a leg seam (no I didn’t split it 😁😁) and the poor thing was clunking - a service is needed I think. I do darn sweaters & such regularly. Can’t be bothered hemming these days though so I take pants etc. to the professionals for a better quality job. Plus it’s too hard to get the length right by yourself. 😁 Apparently sewing classes are taking off here in Australia for those over 30. They want to know how to darn, sew buttons, hem, patch & cycle up existing clothing to cut back on the costs of replacing items they usually would just throw away.

Had to get a new driver’s licence today. They took the new picture which is then run through a facial recognition program where your new photo is compared to your old licence photo as proof of identity. Program runs & runs & runs. Comes back it’s not me. (Well it was when I looked in the mirror this morning.) Had to have another photo taken & had to pull my hair back. (Great. This will be my licence photo for years.) Again the program runs & runs & I’m sitting there with the woman processing my request waiting & waiting. I asked if there was an override to this step. No she says. What happens if it still doesn’t recognise me? We keep taking pictures until it does or the license can’t be issued she says. It does realise I’m 10 years older I ask then I realise: 10 years & 42kgs lighter. Oh… Thankfully, the program decided it was me with the second photo & my new licence will be sent to me in 21 days. (Don’t get me started on that. What happened to them producing the licence there & then & your new licence is warm from the laminated printing process.) Anyone else have unexpected experiences because of their weight loss?

Oh gracious I hadn’t thought about that with their swollen & bandaged faces or noses or chins. But ears can be altered a little with face lifts & I saw a social media post where someone asking if there’s a surgery to reshape ears. Maybe retina scans are the way forward.

Most over the counter versions of PPIs are 10mgs & people will swallow several of those a day regularly without thought. I’m on 20mg Nexium. Took that dose randomly for years before my surgery & now every morning since my surgery so 5 years. None of my doctors are worried so… It wears off some nights (around 10:30-12:30). Generally I just go to sleep but on odd times I’ll get up & chew a couple of Quick Ease 😁. I think if I had to start taking 40mg I’d worry. I didn’t know what was wrong with me at first with the Zantac but a neighbour had one of those pharmacological books with every med with the brand names, uses & side effects listed & there they were. I agree they have to list the side effects just in case. You never know how any pre existing condition or other medication may react to the drug for you.

I thought all PPIs started to work (reduce acid production) immediately (well within 30mins or so of taking the dose). Can understand it takes longer to feel the benefits if you’re taking it to heal ulcers, etc. but GERD… ??? Might be worth a call to your doctor to check. May be you need a higher dose. Or can you supplement it with over the counter antacids at night. I was put on famotadine (Zantac) years ago when the thought I had ulcers which turned out to be only an over production of acid. I swear I experienced every side effect there is with it and they stated pretty much straight away.

This surgery is something none of us have had before & so we have no understanding or experience of how it feels post surgery. Add to that our bodies often respond differently to the surgery, it can be hard to predict exactly how you will feel & respond & how long you will be affected. Like I had no gas pain at all with my sleeve (don’t hate me) but when my surgeon removed my gall bladder two years later boy oh boy did I have gas pain. Also even if we are told things or it’s in the material we’re given, the information overload & usual emotional stress of the surgery means it can be easily missed or forgotten. So 100% no judgement. We’re always happy to share our experiences, advice & any tips we found helpful here. PS: I do have some judgment for any surgeon or team if they don’t ensure you’re well prepared for the very common post surgical experiences like hair loss, constipation, nausea from vitamins, etc. though.

I was a teaspoon dipper or baby bite person too. My bites were just want ever was on the end of the teaspoon I dipped into my food. Don’t be afraid to wait longer between bites: a couple of minutes. Even eating 1/4 cup of food would take me 20 minutes or more. I would avoid the crackers and focus only on eating protein at this stage and any incidental vegetables like what might be in a soup you’ve blended. Generally any carbs should be left to the last thing you eat & only if you are able. So eat your protein first, then if you are able any vegetables then finally carbs you’re allowed at each stage (usually whole or multi grains not the more highly processed, less nutrient dense breads, rice, pasta, crackers). So if you were able to eat the saltines, you would have been able to eat more of the chicken salad & therefore more protein. There were many times I ate protein & nothing else for some meals for months. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

A sip isn’t a mouthful. Think about 1/2oz (15ml or about a tablespoon). As your body is able, you’ll be able to taking larger sips. How much & when is individual. Some can take several mouthfuls at a time in a couple of months. Me I’m 5 years out and two swallows is it for me. Your body will tell you if you’re drinking too much or too fast but certainly in that 8 week healing period best to keep to sipping. They insert a breathing tube which can cause swelling which hinders breathing & swallowing. It usually passes after a couple of days. Keep trying to do some slow deep breaths throughout the day. It will help you breathe out the surgical gas. Watch not being able to not breathe deeply especially if you have heart palpitations, chest pains or coughing. If you have that as well go to your nearest medical centre as it may be a clot. Try some biotin for your dry mouth/thirst. I found green tea soothing & refreshing. Any warm or hot drink can help too like herbal tea & soups & broths. Try warm water though some say cold water is easier.

Yep surgical gas & IV fluids. It will take about a week for you to breathe out the gas (it’s not in your tummy but in your abdomen & it rises up behind your lungs before being absorbed into your lungs) and a couple of days to pee out the extra fluids. You can help the gas move up & then into your lungs to be breathed out by walking, doing arm lifts, marching on the spot. (Do as much as you can without straining your post surgical body. Little and often is best.) Deep, slow breathing can help too. Heat pads can help with the shoulder pain that occurs when it rises behind your lungs.

It’s another big surgery that will make other changes to your digestive system so it’s understandable you are still questioning whether to go ahead. How much I eat depends a lot upon what I’m eating (liquidy, soft or solid) & if I’m in a hungry or not hungry phase. I don’t measure & track, just random checks, but I can eat about 1.25 - 1.5 cups of say soup. About a cup of a mince & vegetable dish (like savoury mince or bolognese). I can eat about 1.5 cups of milky oats, yoghurt & fruit. And about 3ozs of meat (steak, chicken, lamb, pork) with a good cup of vegetables, Generally I don’t exceed a recommended serving size of what I’m eating. I still eat slowly: 30-45 minutes & still ask myself if I need the next bite or just want it.

How big are your bites? I was advised to eat 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purées. So it took three days to eat two scrambled eggs & the same with a serve of rolled oats. Would your 3 bites be equal to about 1/4 cup? (Was 6 months before I was able to eat a bare cup of food which was what I was advised too.) Eggs can be hard at first. Many can’t tolerate them so that could be contributing. What if you had soup at night. Easy & quick to heat. I used to freeze individual serves of lots of things like soup, meat balls & gravy, etc. Popped a serve in the fridge to defrost in the morning & reheated at night. Even took them to work for lunch. Or try your shake at night ( just sip until you’re finished even if it takes an hour) or a high protein yoghurt. There is a lot of trial & error in the beginning especially while you are still healing (takes about 8 weeks to be fully healed) & your tummy can be very fussy & temperamental . Plus your taste buds &/ir sense of smell can temporarily change making some foods disgusting. It dyes get better & easier.

Generally full healing takes about 8 weeks but of course some are a little faster others take a little longer. There will be some abdominal swelling from the surgery & being poked & prodded, your organs being shifted about & the external wound areas. Again recovery is very individual. If I remember correctly it took me about a week. Some abdominal swelling is from the surgical gas (it’s not in your tummy but the abdominal cavity) which you will slowly breathe out over about a week or so. They also pump you full of a lot of fluid so you may be retaining some fluid from that. It can take a few days for you to pee it all out. Some shakes can cause bloating from the lactose or if they contain sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol. Erythritol, isomalt, etc.) Some find if they sip too quickly they can swallow air & become bloated & gassy too. GasX can help with any gas. All the best.

Are you taking anti nausea meds to help? Multi vitamins can cause a lot of nausea so they may be contributing. Make sure you take them after you eat. If you take additional iron separate when you take them (multi in the morning the other at lunch). I used to split my multi - 1 in the morning the other at night. Water can almost seem heavy which may make it harder to drink too. Add a herbal tea like ginger (which may help with the nausea) or similar or green tea as an additional liquid option. Have you spoken to your surgeon/team about there nausea?

It’s not easy for everyone to hit that 64oz goal the first couple of weeks after surgery. I certainly didn’t. You’re about 2/3 of your goal which is okay as long as you are making an effort & are slowly but surely increasing your intake. Don’t forget you can include your shakes, soups & broths in the liquid stage. After that include only the extra liquid you add to a soup or shake, etc. (e.g. say your shake recipe is mix with 250ml of water but you add 300ml so count the extra 50ml). Also keep water by your bed & sip through the night. I sip every time I get in or out of bed (which is often cause a layoff peeing 😁) & can get in another 8 - 10ozs or more. Set a reminder alarm on your phone so you sip every 5+/- mins and always keep water or other liquids close to hard. It eventually becomes a habit. You’ll be hitting that goal easily before you know it