Arabesque

Pre surgical diets can differ a lot but the two shakes & one meals is not uncommon. (Mine was two weeks keto.) Generally eat pretty cleanly: no sauces (pre made or own), steamed vegetables (avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes) no processed foods, watch cooking methods of your meats - low fat. Portions sizes ate likely only 3-4oz protein & a cup of vegetables. But check with your team for what they recommend for you in regards calories, portions sizes & suitable foods for that meal. I’d look at getting a set of scales which measures small increments as soon as possible. They will be invaluable as will measuring cups, spoons & jugs.

When I was still losing & exceeding my goal, my surgeon said he thought I’d lost enough & needed to up my intake. I said I’m not deliberately trying to lose more but I could only eat what I could eat at that time & I thought the extra loss would help if I did have a regain - some wriggle room. Of course I kept losing & they stopped commenting as my surgeon & his colleague realised I was actually more finely built & my weight was okay. They prefer me to be a little more than I am currently (more 50kg) but I weigh what I weigh. I slowly started adding snacks to my intake to slow my loss as I was able. In time though I was able to eat more for a meal so I reduced my snacks until I found that balance/sweet spot to maintain. I’ll always need to snack because I generally eat pretty cleanly & therefore lower calories. Over time I’ve worked out what foods I’m better off avoiding & what foods I can only have occasionally. I’m not a calorie counter or food tracker but do random checks - it works for me. Watching what I eat & being aware of portion sizes will be a lifelong behaviour. As others have said it wouldn’t take much to start down the weight gain path. To me it comes down to what weight you feel most comfortable at, is easy to maintain & working out a way of eating to support that weight that is sustainable & doesn't restrict or affect your life/lifestyle. All the best.

I replied to your other post but I will add your shakes & broths add to your total fluid goal & sip, sip, sip all day long. I used to dilute my shakes & soups to thin them out, help the flavour a bit & also to add to my fluid intake. Plus I’d just sip them until I was finished. Didn’t care if it took me two hours to drink my shake as long as I was getting protein & fluids. And I reiterate my message in my other response: stick to your plan. It’s given to you for a reason. Now a little straight talking. This is about choice. You have chosen to go off plan. No one told you to or forced you to. The real question is not can I do/eat this but why I want to do/eat this. (I still have times I ask myself this plus do I need this or just want it.) The surgery doesn’t ‘fix’ everything. There’s a lot of hard work involved including changing your relationship with food. Working all this out takes time but you’ll get to a place you feel confident & comfortable with what you’re doing & the choices you make. Don’t be hesitant to speak to your team either. They’ve likely heard it all & will be happy to guide you - they want you to succeed too. You can get back on track. You won’t have affected your overall weight loss (we are only talking a couple of days). All the best.

I agree: ongoing support is necessary or at least knowing it’s there if you do need it. The ongoing support is the main reason I stay active on this forum plus being able to pay it back by offering others support because that can reinforce my behaviours. As is reading about others’ stories like yours. I’m also glad I still see my surgeon’s colleague for follow ups (6 monthly now) & I’m 4.5 yrs out. It’s probably more of a chatty catch up now but she is there if I ever need her. I also get the worrying over small weight gains. I find myself watching the grams/ounces & not just the kilograms/pounds some days. Before surgery I’d just shrug off any gain or simply not weigh myself so I could pretend I hadn’t gained. Now I think I’ve worked too darn hard to let my weight get away from me. But sometimes life gets in the way: you or a loved one has a health issue, you’re prescribed new meds, relationship, work, financial challenges, etc. arise, & you can’t control all those things. All you can do is decide how you manage them & their impact on your life. Maybe track your food for a while to check your food choices, portions sizes, nutritional content & whether you’re still meeting your protein & fluid goals. That way you can discover where you may have drifted off track. Then start by making one or two changes then in another week or two make another change or two until you’re back on your path. All the best.

Try exercise snacking. Multiple short bursts of exercise throughout the day. Each burst adds to your total for the day. So say 3 x 10 min sessions = 30 mins of daily exercise. Much easier to slot in your busy day. This is what I do. Try to add things during your work day like going for a walk in the your lunch break, walk/jog up any stairs you have at work. Hand weights, resistance bands are handy things to use at home at night. Some stretches (yoga based) can help you relax after work too & are great for flexibility. I have a mat on my living room floor in front of the tv. Put on Great British Bake off & do a session of stretches & bands. I also like wall push ups. (I stand about 90cm - 3 feet - from the wall & do 60.)

The plan is there for a reason - to protect all those staples & sutures holding your digestive system together & support your recovery. Remember too that a lot of nerves are cut during the surgery so messages & signals just aren’t getting through or aren’t getting through clearly so you may not know if you are hindering your recovery or doing damage or not yet. As I often say, all because you can (or think you can) doesn’t mean you should. Plans do differ but it’s always best to follow the plan you have been given. If you’re struggling with the plan then discuss with your team what options or alternatives are available to you.

Dupe post

Sometimes life just throws crap at you & I’m sorry you are the target at the moment. So it is understandable that you are trying to comfort yourself & food is the go to for many of us. Realising this is what you are doing is your first step so you already are on your way to getting back on track. I’d go back to how you were eating when you neared your final weight. This will be closest to the way of eating that best complemented your needs & lifestyle. You could start by making one or two changes a week so it’s easier to transition during this stressful time. May be start with checking your portion sizes & ensure you’re getting in your protein & fluids. Track your food so you can ensure you’re getting in your nutrients but not exceeding calories. Focus on your protein, vegetables & carbs last. Cut out the biscuits & any other snacks that may not support your weight loss. Reassess your shopping so you are purchasing predominantly nutrient dense foods. Contact your dietician for a phone appointment until you can find someone in your new location to help you refocus. I agree about finding a way to release some of your stress & tensions. Are you still finding time for yourself to do some sort of activity? Even a short walk (if the weather is okay) can help. Find a warm, quiet spot in the sun & sip a cup of tea - soothing & calming & an opportunity to breathe & relax. Doesn't matter how long it takes to refocus yourself. You’ll get there in your time. Hopefully things will turn around for you & your husband soon. All the best.

I agree. If it works for you it’s ok. Understanding what I eat & when I eat was an important learning for me. Learning & understanding what’s best for me isn’t necessarily what others do or recommend. If having a protein shake in the morning as your breakfast is fine if it works for you. Personally I’m an eat real food person & haven’t touched a shake since week 3 & started purées but that was what worked, & still does, for me. We always say follow your plan, but if it doesn’t work for you, negotiate alternatives or substitutions with your team. As long as you meet those nutrient goals. (BTW BCAA isn’t a complete protein & can’t be counted towards your protein goals. Fine to drink & count as a fluid during or post your workout but not as a source of your protein.) What & when you eat may change as you progress through your weightloss & learn more about nutrition, your body’s needs & what works best to support how you want to live & enjoy your life. All the best.

Give your team a call & see what they advise. Have you taken any Tylenol to get it down? It could be just a post operative fever which is quite common after a surgery but better to be sure.

Oh yes it’s normal. The first 24 hrs you still have anaesthetic in your system which is why you likely slept a lot yesterday. Now you’re starting to feel the pain, discomfort, muscle strains, maybe some nausea, etc. & generally feeling blah. The surgery is pretty major but in another couple of days you’ll notice you’re starting to improve. All the best.

Have to admit I wondered thyroid too. Gall removal can cause malabsorption issues which would add to those associated with your bypass. I struggle absorbing protein & one med since my gall was removed. And my energy is lower than it was before the gall surgery 2.5yrs ago. My labs come back really well too (except the protein which vacillates between 58-61 so barely ok & that’s with meds to help). Also going through a hungry not hungry phase at the moment. Usually this last for a meal or a day or two except this time it’s been 6 or more weeks. Dropped a meal & a snack (now 3 meals & 2 snacks) cause don’t want to eat them. I am concerned as my protein intake is lower as a result. Have lost about a kilogram (2lbs) which puts me back at my lowest weight (48.4kg/about 106lbs yesterday). Not as much as you but … Hoping Christmas will sort it out as I might be tempted to eat a little more again. If it continues I’ll be calling the doctor who does my post sleeve surgery checks. She wasn’t happy 18 days ago at my last appointment when I was 49kg. (She prefers me in the 49/50kg range.) Wonder if it a combination of things with not one single thing being really out of sync or not functioning correctly is what’s happening?? Our bodies are complex & maybe yours needs some fine tuning. I hope they find some answers for you soon. All the best.

.Yes it is tough especially if you struggle to drink the shakes because of the taste (they were disgusting after surgery). I agree it’s only a few days & will be over before you know it though it likely feels like forever now. Actually i found the purée stage harder as so many things didn’t taste good. Thank goodness for the instant oats I was allowed, yoghurt & thick soups in purées. Remember the staged return to eating is in place for a reason - to protect your healing tummy (all those sutures & stables holding your tummy together) & support your recovery. Stick to your plan.

Certainly worth asking about. A few months back I started going twice a day or feeling like I could go again an hour or so later. Thought I might have a bug so went to my GP. Had some tests & turned out I was constipated which surprised me. Not blocked though just ‘speed bumps ‘ meaning I wasn’t fully emptying my bowels. Suggested treatment was stool softener - one dose then two days later repeat. It helped a bit but I still basically have the same issue but not every day. I’ve just accepted it though I might try the stool softener treatment again one day.

I didn’t while losing & still don’t. I’ve tried bread & pasta a couple of times in the last 4 years as a test but they still sit heavily so I expect rice will do the exact same thing. Don’t mind because of the their low nutrient content (rather eat something nutritionally dense) & don’t miss them either (& I used to eat a lot of all three). I have a friend with a sleeve & she can eat all three so … 🤷🏻‍♀️ You can only give it a go when your plan okays it & see how you go.

How wonderful for you. And congratulations on maintaining your weight too - inspiring! I remember my mum saying how horrendous the pain was with her knee reconstruction (she had both done at once - yikes). She was on opioids for ages & iced her knees three times a day for a couple of months. Hope your pain subsides soon & you have a speedy recovery.

My only thought would be how stuffed up you are which may impact your breathing. Give your surgeon/team a call & ask. You have a few days before your surgery so you you likely will be fine & over the cold by then. Fingers crossed.

I agree. Yes your relationship with food is supposed to change but the surgery doesn’t do this you have to do this work. The surgery just gives you the time to reflect on your relationship: the how, why, when & what you eat. Many find the support of a therapist helpful during this time. The pain in your tummy you feel is likely stomach acid not real hunger. Much like a rumbling tummy is often called hunger pangs/pain but usually is that excess acid & just your digestive system working & again not real hunger. There’s a lot to learn about your body & your signals. My real hunger signals are restlessness. I feel like something is wrong but at first I don’t know what & there is a reason I feel hungry - I haven’t eaten in a few hours or I only ate part of my earlier meal.. I never want a specific food, flavour or texture (that’s head hunger) just food & I choose protein dense food. I’m 4.5 yrs post sleeve & have basically maintained. Things I found that helped include eating to a routine. I don’t eat unless it’s time to eat. I eat slowly. I ask myself if I need the next bite or just want it. I watch my portion sizes & never eat more than the portion. (Don’t mind if I don’t eat all my portion.) I consider the value of the food I choose - nutrient dense, predominantly low processed foods. Highly processed food is know to suppress your satiety hormone & stimulate your hunger hormones. (Recently I read that an easy way to judge how processed a food is, is to read the ingredient list. The more synthetic ingredients or ingredients you don’t recognise as real food the more processed it is. Ingredients in traditional rolled oats are just oats so low processed. In Quakers instant oats, as an example, there’s oats, sugar, flavours, salt, calcium carbonate, guar gum, pyridone hydrochloride, etc. so more highly processed.) Just some things you might want to consider.

Congratulations @kcuster83. This is wonderful. Make sure you post some pxts of your sky jumping - what a great way to celebrate!

I could eat eggs so I appreciated very runny scrambled eggs & instant rolled oats from purée (again very runny made in lots of milk). Thank goodness for them & thicker soups during purées cause a lot of things just tasted awful. I even ate baby food a couple of times. Once in soft food I ate a lot of mince dishes, stews & thicker chunky soups. Remember your shakes & soups count towards your fluid intake so that helps. I still keep water by my bed & sip during the night (every time I get in & out of bed) so you’re drinking 24 hrs a day. Don’t worry if you don’t hit that 64oz at first. As long as you’re close & making an effort.

Simple answer is no to the peanut butter. I didn’t like the shakes either after surgery. I would have just one a day (diluted to try to help with the flavour) & then had soup (cream, bone broths, consumes) for the rest of the day. If you like milk you could make up your own shakes by adding a little Greek yoghurt & a little protein powder. Just keep it very thin. You could get some powdered flavours to add too like a peanut butter one. Only a week to go to purées which is when I never touched another shake again.

Yes, as @Tomo said it takes 6 (or longer) to fully heal. Besides all the sutures & staples holding your digestive system together, many nerves were cut during your surgery & your signals/messages, like you are full, any discomfort you may be experiencing & your restriction, just aren’t getting through. It’s why sticking to your portion size recommendations during these early stages are especially important. Check with your team if you weren’t given any. For example I was told 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée (week 3) slowly increasing to about a cup at 6 months. But that was what I was told. Starting solid foods after a week seems incredibly early especially without the puree & soft food stages. Plans can be different but yours is the most different I’ve come across. Do check with your team just to be sure.

It may be time to discuss additional help such as with GLP- 1 medications. If your team isn’t being supportive have this conversation with your PCP. Dr Matt Weiner has some videos on you tube about combining these meds & surgery. See what you think & they may be helpful in your conversation with your doctor. But yes, definitely start tracking your food. If only to get you back I track. And maybe make an appointment with a dietician to ensure you’re getting in all the nutrition you need & advice on better food choices.

Oh that is so annoying. I’ve had that happen too. If they only go down to an XS I need an XXS & if they do stock XXS I only need an XS. Sizing is super frustrating. One of the dresses I bought is an Aust 4 & the other an UK 6 which is pretty much an Aust 6. Tried on a pair of tailored linen pants & the Aust 6 was tight around the waist & hips. I mean?? 🤷🏻‍♀️. At least I was in store with the pants so they went back on the rack and was in store with the dress I needed the 4 in. Hey but you got a cordless vac. That’s a win. (Is it wrong to get excited about a vacuum??? )

Go to your nearest hospital emergency centre. Better to know what’s happening & start some treatment. You may only need nausea meds & fluids - fingers crossed. Some do experience some vomiting. If it’s yellow it may be excess bile/stomach acid. If it’s dark almost blackish it could be remnant blood from the surgery. But again seek some medical advice to be sure. All the best.