Arabesque

Your body is in ketosis. That is your body is using your fat stores for energy. The smell is a very common side effect. Bad breath, strong perspiration smells & other unpleasant bodily odours. If you google it you’ll find lots of information & ways to manage the odours but unfortunately no cures. The smell is not good but you are losing weight - yay!

I’m so sorry you’re going through all this. Radiation therapy is very taxing on your body & that in itself would exhaust you & stress your body. No wonder you’re not absorbing nutrients & are malnourished. Plus you’re caring for a parent. Another stress. And that’s without considering your weight loss journey which is not easy. Unfortunately, until you can dedicate time to take care of you, you are going to struggle to get your health & strength back. Do you have any support from other family members? Do you have respite services available locally for your mother just to give you a break for a couple of days? This is always a difficult decision because you want to be able to care for your mother but your health is suffering & if it worsens you won’t be able to care for yourself let alone anyone else. I do understand, even though I haven’t had your health concerns. For two years, I traveled 90 mins to my parents on Friday after work to give my mother a break from caring for my dad (cancer, mobility issues, etc.). Then Sunday afternoon I’d travel back to my home to prepare for work on Monday. I was emotionally, mentally & physically exhausted. I was getting up before 5am so I could do my washing, clean my house, pay my bills & struggled to get my grocery shopping done. But you do it for those you love. Also have you got a dietician or nutritionalist supporting you during your weight loss? They should advise you on how to improve & boost your nutrition. Are you still taking all your vitamins?

He did a friend’s surgery & she was very happy. My GP knew one of the doctors on his team & was confident about him as well. He also trains other doctors specialising in this field.

Contact your medical team ASAP. Pain is never good especially this long after surgery. Hope they can sort this out for you soon.

I had twilight anaesthetic for my endoscopy many years ago. After all I remembered was being in the room & the medical team talking to me & that’s it but it felt like someone else had the procedure & they told me about it. No side effects at all except feeling weary for the rest of the day.

It’s all the fluids you’re consuming. Don’t worry, the reverse will start soon & constipation will become your enemy.

Regardless of surgery, you’ll need to have regular blood tests to ensure you’re getting all your nutrients in. I had sleeve surgery & gave up taking vitamins 7 months ago when I began maintenance with my surgeon & dietician’s knowledge (they made me so nauseated I wasn’t eating). I had bloods taken at 3 months & 3 weeks ago & all my levels are very good. I make sure I’m eating a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, fruit & a small amount of multi or whole grains & dairy. However, it doesn’t matter which surgery you have, for you to be successful, you will always need to be conscious of the foods you are eating. Nutrients are absorbed at different stages as food passes through our digestive system. My understanding is that because bypass surgery changes the normal digestive path, malabsorption can be a concern. However, we are all different & there are sleevers with absorption issues & bypass patients without any. Same with dumping & with discovering foods your new tummy may or may not like anymore. Hair loss is because of the shock of surgery to your body & your initial reduced caloric intake (your natural hair loss cycles are accelerated) not the type of surgery. Some people find their hair changes texture too. It does grow back. And don’t waste money on products that supposedly help to stop the loss, regrow or strengthen your hair - they won’t during this stage. Just be patient. Good luck with whichever surgery you decide to have.

Congrats on your surgery. It’s likely swelling from the surgery. I had terrible trouble swallowing anything for the first few days. My surgeon told me that was the cause & it would pass. It did. Sip & wait before your next sip. I also used a straw to begin with so I wasn’t tempted to gulp large mouthfuls. Don’t stress about not getting all your fluids in to begin as the stress could tighten everything as well. Of course, if it persists or gets worse contact your surgeon.

I avoid that full feeling. By the time you get that message you’ve really already eaten past being full. I still try to eat slowly all the time just to make sure I know when I’ve had enough & I’ve only eaten the portion I prepared. On the odd occasions I’ve reached that full point, usually because I’ve rushed my eating, I feel very uncomfortable, have some pain, lots of gurgling, etc. When I near the end of my meal, I’ll often ask myself do I really want or need that next spoonful. In other words working out why I’m eating & if I’m eating just out of habit. Don’t be afraid to put your fork down. On the days I’m not hungry, I always try to eat the minimum amount to get my basic nutrients in. It’s why portion control is important to me.

This is pretty common. It’s because of the flush of hormones being released into your bloodstream. As you lose weight, the oestrogen that was stored in your fat is released which causes the difficult periods - heavy, bad pmt, irregular, etc. Being menopausal, I had the reverse situation. All the oestrogen stopped my menopausal symptoms. Unfortunately, now I’m in maintenence & all the stored oestrogen is gone, the hot flushes are back.

Was watching Skin Decision on Netflix yesterday & the surgeon did lipo on her patient & used the fat to fill the upper emptiness in her breasts. I thought oh maybe that’s what I should have done but then realised I don’t really have much fat left anywhere for them to harvest. Not a problem I ever imagined having. 🤣

Mine are just empty now but not any droopier than they were before my weight loss. I went from an 18E to a 10E. I’m not that interested in a breast reduction. I’ve just bought good supportive underwear. I do like not having to readjust myself to get my breasts out of the way when I go to bed. And I don’t have to buy a larger size in anything just to fit my breasts in.

It is possible & there are quite a lot of us on this forum who have and yes, some don’t for myriad of reasons. I’m 5’3 with a smaller frame & I exceeded my goal. My BMI is about 19 at the moment. But it’s not always about the number on the scale or your BMI. @Recidivist is correct. The ultimate goal should be about being healthy. You need to find the weight you can maintain while being able to live your life happily (balancing diet, exercise, family, relationships, etc.) & healthily. Good luck with your surgery.

It was 4 weeks before I took up a new work contract. Thankfully part time as I struggled with low blood pressure & energy levels (but that is me). My new employees new I had had surgery but not what & were very supportive if I had to take an early mark. Amusingly, I think my male boss thought I’d had some sort of ‘female surgery’ so never pushed for more information. Teaching is emotionally & physically demanding. (I taught for many years.) Would your school allow you to come back part time to begin - maybe working a Mon, Wed & Fri for your first week back? Just to test the waters.

Yeah, there seems to be a few of us who have had difficulties with protein powders. I have a huge tub of supposedly unflavoured pea protein. It tasted terrible & I love peas!

You’d both be very welcome to sit on my deck with me & enjoy a glass of bubbles or three, some treats & the beautiful Brisbane weather, Sophie & Ms.sss. We could ask daisychainoz to join us. 😁

So pretty. And nothing wrong with comfort dressing in these times. Recently saw a guy in his 30s at my local supermarket wearing navy pyjamas, a matching robe & slippers carrying a bottle of milk & a couple of other essentials. It was 10:30am. Thought that was taking relaxed, casual dressing a bit far.

Our humid summer day temps are 35+, so when we get winter days of 18 or less it’s freezing for us in Brisbane. I always shake my head at how people dress for the cold - wearing parkas with thongs. I love our springs & autumns. Just glorious days.

Losing 10lbs in three weeks is worth celebrating. You’re doing well. Some people will lose more but it’s often because they have a lot more to lose to begin (that’s why those on my 600lb life can lose 25-30lbs a month to begin). Losing 2-3lbs a week is great. It is likely you’re experiencing a stall or slow down. It’s very common in week 3 (though it can happen in weeks 2 or 4) & you’ll experience more along your journey. I think of them as your body playing catch-up with the changes - to diet, activity, etc.

It was extremely worth it. The whole journey has been. I had little pain from the incisions, gas or from the surgery. I did have trouble swallowing initially due to swelling & consequently had a lot of salvia. No nausea. No vomiting. No hunger. I took a month to go back to work but still struggled because of low blood pressure & I’ve always been slow to recover. By that stage I was on soft foods which was easier to manage at work. We are all different & our recoveries are different. Some do have more pain, some feel hungry others don’t, some take longer to get their energy levels back or return to full time work. Take your time. Listen to your body. Don’t push yourself to meet stages or goals if you’re not ready.

I never hated myself when I was overweight. My weight struggles began when I hit puberty. I would gain 15-20kgs & lose it but when I hit menopause I put on more than I ever had & reached 91kg & just couldn’t lose it. To be perfectly honest I didn’t truely realise how overweight I was. I thought a lot of photos of me were just ‘bad’ or unflattering photos. (Body dysmorphia I know.) I knew I needed to lose weight for my health. Not that I had any major issues but to prevent any developing & to be generally fitter & have more stamina. I also wanted to look better. I enjoy ‘dressing’ & was nearing the end of the size options where I could purchase unique & stylish fashion. (I know this might seem superficial to some but for me it is a way of creatively expressing myself.) I was almost 54 when I decided to have wls & it was an easy decision. I have overweight friends (two of whom have had the surgery too) but they don’t hate themselves either. They’re confident, outgoing, active, successful women. Like me, the two who’ve had the surgery did so to become better versions of themselves - internally & externally. I know for many though, being overweight is rooted in emotional pain. That losing weight is extremely challenging, even with support & therapy. For them, the journey begins in understanding & accepting who they are & that they have value. I’m happy you’ve made that journey & came to discover your true value & sense of self. WLS is not an easy way out. It’s not an easy fix. I’m frustrated by people who say this. I feel pretty confident to say, everyone on this forum works hard every day to make the best choices (what to eat, to exercise, etc.). I like to say the surgery is like a gym membership. If you don’t go to the gym & take advantage of the equipment, the trainers, the classes, make new habits & routines, ... nothing will change. Same with the surgery. It won’t work if you don’t take advantage of it, put in the effort & make the changes. For those of us who’ve always struggled with our weight, we will have to work hard at this for the rest of our lives. (Sorry, I don’t mean to sound preachy.) Personally, I want to reach that time & place when I’m not defined as someone who was overweight or had wls but that I am just me. I hope you can find your place. Good luck.

Thanks Sophie & greentealael. The Avengers comparison made my day. Just call me Miss Peel. Oh, I wish my legs really were that long. Welcome @VSG_Barbie. An amazing transformation. Hope you post more pxts. That cobalt blue is a stunning colour @Cheeseburgh. So fresh & summery.

We never have snow here. Queensland is too far north so not cold enough. It’s about the same distance from the equator south as Florida is to the north.

Made a big pot of chicken & corn chowder (not authentic) yesterday so we would have something a little more nutritious & warming than nibbles with our drinks last night. It looks more stew-like but I added a more stock before serving with diced crispy bacon, chives & a swirl of cream. Though I asked everyone to take all their leftovers home, I have a fridge of cheeses, dips, homemade Japanese curry sauce & boxes of cracker biscuits.

I didn’t count calories (wasn’t a lot, probably close to @ms.sss’s <800 a day) but was very aware of portion size. I consumed about 1/2 cup of food three times a day. Predominately protein (about 60g of meat) with a small amount of steamed vegetables ( couple of green beans, a tablespoon of shredded cabbage or a cauliflower floret). I kept everything very simple. I couldn’t eat a whole egg until I was almost at goal. To up my protein, I would eat a high protein yoghurt or drinking yoghurt most afternoons and a little fruit like watermelon which upped my fluid intake.