Arabesque

I don’t know if that is what I had @BabySpoons. It was only on my arms & randomly scattered & I could pop them or scratch their top off sort of like a pimple so … 🤷🏻‍♀️. It would be great if it did help you.

I can’t recall my skin being more dry but it certainly became less dry & itchy, smoother & softer (still is) as my weight dropped. And those little pimply type lumps on my arms disappeared & haven’t returned. Yay! Could be hormonal. Could be a reaction to the anaesthetic. Could be a reaction to dietary changes. Exfoliate (not aggressively or excessively) & moisturise day & night.

Dr Matthew Weiner & Dr John Pilcher have excellent videos (you tube) on a range of bariatric topics really aimed at you & not so much your family members but they are very informative & an excellent resource. As for food, you may find by soft food you will be able to eat some of the same meals. Soups, stews, braises, mince dishes, etc. You may have to make ingredient substitutions, change cooking styles as you slowly reintroduce certain foods & ingredients but generally meals the whole family can eat - you’ll just have a much smaller portion. Great opportunity to try new healthier, more nutrient dense recipes & new/alternative ingredients. I live alone but regularly spent weekends with my 80+ yr old mother. She ate whatever I cooked & ate without issue or difficulty. I’d often have dinner at family or friends or go out to eat I just made sure my friends new what I could or couldn’t eat & made careful choices. I’d check menus before going out so I’d know what I could eat or what I could ask to be modified. I ate many of the meals I always did simply by making modifications to the recipes so it would be appropriate for my needs. My friend cooked for her family & basically ate that same meal from solid foods. For example making a pasta dish - she’d use zucchini noodles or would just eat the meat sauce component. Having tacos - she’d eat the filling not the taco shell. A bonus of your smaller portion size is leftovers. I freeze leftovers all the time. They are easy meals fir you to have when you don’t feel like cooking or for when your family wants something which isn’t a good option for you. Your weight loss period is the time you use to establish better eating habits & food choices. When you stop losing you don’t go back to eating how & what you used to eat. That’s why every other diet we were on failed & we’d regain weight. All the best.

I’d always bounced between being a healthy weight & being on the top end of overweight. Then I became perimenopausal, then menopause & I became obese I swear overnight. Couldn’t lose more than a couple of kilos which would come back even more quickly. I battled for a good 4 years. A friend who’d lost a lot of weight told us she’d had the surgery and about three months later I woke one morning & decided enough. Got an appointment with my GP who gave me a referral to a surgeon (the one my friend saw). It was about 5 weeks between the morning I made my decision & my surgery. So very glad I did. I didn’t have any comorbidities though I knew if I continued at that weight I soon would. I was fed up with my large body because it wasn’t who I really was. My energy was compromised & I felt I couldn’t play with my younger nieces & nephews as I wanted. Looking back I realise I also used to work harder & do more at work or home to prove my weight wasn’t limiting me. Another factor was I love fashion, clothing designs & fabrics & my choice was being restricted by my size (about a US14). To me the difference between the surgery & medications is you’ll always have the changes to your digestive system but medications are a temporary artificial change. Of course in the end both depend on your willingness to make permanent changes to how you eat, what you eat & why you eat. If you go back to eating how & what you did before you will regain weight regardless of the surgery (you can eat around your surgery if your determined to) or medications. All the best.

Check with your surgeon about taking ibuprofen. We’re all usually told to avoid all NSAIDs & often forever. There is a much higher risk of damage & ulcers forming in your much smaller tummy. As you have a sleeve you may eventually be told you can take the odd NSAID by your surgeon but highly doubt not this close to your surgery. I was told I could after two years but only half a dose & never on consecutive days.

I was surprised by that as well @summerseeker. Prolonged vomiting or vomiting for 2 or more days yes, you should seek medical help but vomiting after a meal or with the foamies is pretty common especially in the first couple of months. I still randomly experience them & bring up what was stuck or too coarse. But I don’t consider that true vomiting (certainly not like I used to experience before surgery) more a regurgitation as it doesn’t come from the whole tummy spasming. Certainly don’t end up with sore or tender muscles after.

It’s going to do what it needs to do. A sip or two may help or it may not but I usually find it doesn’t. I had a lump of fatty gristle stuck for a few hours last year (darkened room & didn’t realise that was what it was until it was too late). Felt awful, coughing, spitting up saliva but the offending lump wouldn’t come up at all. Tried sipping green tea hoping it would sooth it’s passage but nope. Just had to wait it out for it to make its own way down.

You won’t be alone in doing this but do remember all those sutures & staples holding your tummy together. The staged return to eating solid food is in place to protect your healing tummy & support your recovery. I found the shakes awful too. I’d have a diluted one in the morning but then had cream soups (strain so no lumps or fibrous bits) & broths (bone is very good but can be salty). Make your own yoghurt drink by blending yoghurt (plain Greek) & milk. You can add some protein powder too. Just keep everything thin so it goes down easily. It’s only for two weeks. You’ll get through it.

Being able to eat something one day but not the next does happen. It’s your fussy tummy. I used to describe mine as a petulant, temper throwing two year old. 😁 Even now, sometimes something is a little to coarse or fibrous (usually vegetables) & my tummy goes nope. And yes it can take a few visits to the bathroom to clear it.

Food that is too dry, too coarse, too dense or if you eat too quickly or too big a bite can cause problems like blockages or irritation resulting in you bringing up what you ate as your body tries to clear the blockage or digest the food. So yes it could have been the steak (it does cause issues for some) or the skin or both. Out of curiosity did you spit up thick, sticky saliva as well? This is what we call the foamies which is the body attempting to clear the blockage & sooth the oesophagus. Check your allowed foods list as vegetable & fruit skins are often on the avoid list for a while. Keep your meats tender & moist (use gravies & sauces) & avoid fibrous vegetables. Your tummy & digestion will be sensitive & fussy for a while so go slowly when introducing new foods and textures. Regular foods doesn’t necessarily mean all foods for everyone. Lots of trial & error on the way especially in the beginning.

Some people are slow losers & some are fast. Nothing wrong or right about how fast or slow you lose. You’ll find lots of stats about weight loss but they are just averages & will give you an idea of what you might experience not what you definitely will experience. But 21lbs in about 5 weeks isn’t slow. Excluding your initial 7lbs, you’re averaging about 3lbs a week. That’s about what I lost & my surgeon & dietician were happy with my progress. Don’t know what your starting weight was but were you expecting to lose 40 & 50lbs in your first month? That only happens for those who began at very high weights like on My 600lb Life. Oh & how fast or slow you lose doesn’t affect how much you lose. You’ll be fine. Just stick to your plan.

I was older, almost 54, same height & weighed a little less, 200lbs. I have loose skin. Not a lot though - not worth plastic surgery. I can still wear body con clothes without support garments. How much you’ll have depends on many factors. Age, gender, genetics, how much weight you lose, how long you carried your excess weight, etc. things we can’t control. As an adult I bounced between 60 & 75kg so healthy to the far end of overweight. When I became perimenopausal & then menopausal I put on my extra ‘obese’ weight (I swear I gained overnight). I carried it for about 5 or so years. When I got back to 60kg I had very little loose skin - pinches. As I lost more weight & got to a weight I hadn’t been since I was about 12yrs, my loose skin became more noticeable. Have a little tummy pooch, some bat wings & my butt is halfway down my thighs (it’s the worst bit & what you can see sometimes like in the dress pxt.) Still rather have the loose skin than those extra 42 kgs. I find the loose skin a great motivator. I earned it with my weight loss & I don’t want to gain again.

Your tummy is still healing & sensitive. Sometimes it’s just not ready to move on to the next stage yet. Don’t be afraid to go back a stage for a couple of days or add in the next stage foods slowly (one meal, then two meals, etc.) Your tummy can be very fussy about foods too. Eggs, chicken breast, steak, etc. can be troublesome for some for a while. Also if your food is too coarse, too dry or you eat too quickly your tummy can say nope & up it comes. And don’t be surprised if you eat something easily one day & the next your tummy is just no way! I used to describe my tummy as a petulant temper throwing two year old. It does get better but how long until it’ll take is individual. Lots of trial & error at first.

I found minced meat meals the easiest. Meat balls (rissoles & gravy), zucchini noodle bolognese, savoury mince, etc. Single serve portions freeze really well too. I also made chunky soups & slow cooked casseroles. Just add the spices, herbs & vegetables you like & can tolerate. I remember staying with my mum & I made chicken chasseur for our dinner. Bad idea because I added the white wine as per the recipe (alcohol cooked out so thought it’d be okay) & it made it taste disgusting. It as all I could taste. Like acrid. Couldn’t eat it. My mum loved it. So tread carefully.

It’s okay. We all lose at our own rate & no rate is right or wrong. There is only the right rate of loss for you. Some people just are slow losers & others just lose more quickly at first - everyone eventually gets slower as they progress & get closer to their final weight. There is no timeline as to when you must reach your lower weight. Stick to your plan & you’ll lose your weight in the time that’s best for you & your body.

Could be from the oestrogen flush? Oestrogen is stored in fat & as you lose weight it’s released into your blood stream causing an increase of the hormone. It can cause changes in your menstrual cycle (heavier or lighter, more or less frequent, more or fewer PMT symptoms, etc.). You can also become more fertile - be careful. It does settle as you lose more. Have a chat with your doctor/gyno. Maybe request a hormonal blood test to see.

Very common. Your digestive system is pretty sensitive & will be for a while while you are healing. (Just like a cut is sore & tender for a while healing but this is on a much bigger scale.) You will be swollen internally too. Expect some quirky & unexpected random reactions to eating & drinking for a few weeks. Try warm drinks as cool/cold drinks can make your tender tummy cramp/spasm. Warm drinks are often more soothing.

You are absolutely 100% correct in how you are approaching your surgery & weight loss. You can do heaps of research but until you really experience it itself you don’t really know what it will be like. The research does go a long way to ease your mind when you experience some of the quirks & changes along the way, to know when to ask questions, to know what questions to ask & when to ask for advice or help. I was almost 54 when I had my surgery & hadn’t been part of a forum before either. Am so glad I found this one - a wealth of knowledge, experiences & support. It was my four year anniversary yesterday. I didn’t have any comorbidities but I knew they were likely ahead of me. I’d always bounced between healthy to not quite obese for most of my adult life but menopause pushed me over the line & I could not shift that weight for love or money. I lost more than I expected & have pretty much maintained. Having the surgery has been such a wonderful decision for me. Keep sharing your story (the highs & the lows). Never be afraid or reluctant to ask questions, for help or advice. You’ve got this. All the best.

I know what you’ve been going through has been absolutely awful but it did lead to them finding the cancer. Thank gracious it was picked up so early & you won’t need more aggressive treatment. Have you tried using resistance bands or other less strenuous exercise? Remember exercise only contributes to about 10% of the weight you are to lose. I didn’t exercise through my weight loss & all I do now are stretches (on the floor) & a few resistance exercises. I do short bursts of 5 or so minutes about 4 times a day. My arms are nicely toned & I see a little muscle definition in my knees & thighs which is what I wanted & my back doesn’t cause me as many issues. Actually have had to drop my sit ups (the most strenuous thing I did) because I had a fairly significant retinal bleed in my ‘better’ eye & was ordered not to by my specialist. (Not completely disappointed because I really hated them. 😁) Praying the end is in sight for you & you’ll be cleared for your revision soon.

I went through four size changes. The first time I bought 2 or 3 new ones. Got fitted properly because I’d experience back pain if the bras I was wearing were too big. I thought I was safe when I got to my goal weight & bought a few very nice ones. Bad move as I kept losing. All up I went from an 18E to a 10E when my weight stabilised & been the 10E for a couple of years now. Have empty upper boobies but the bottom is still full. The only bras that fit me properly are an expensive French brand (others are too narrow in the cup) - sigh! I’ve spent hours being fitted in other (cheaper) brands & styles but nope that wire would dig in the side. The only breast change I’ve had since then was when my HRT wasn’t working (absorption issue) & one breast got a little larger. Still the same cup size but not as many gathers in the upper part of that cup. Fixed the HRT issue but still have one breast a little fuller. I tend to wear crop top bralettes around the house even now. I started to buy & wear them them as by the end of the day I’d get pain from the underwire pressing on my bony ribs (much better now). I buy Bonds (Haynes) which I can pick up at the supermarket here in Australia. Not hugely supportive but comfortable & stretchy. I donated all my bras as they got too big.

I’m so sorry you are struggling & don’t seem to be getting any real answers from your surgeon. I wish I had answers for you. I’d probably go to an emergency centre (may be at the hospital where you had your surgery if it’s close by - might force the surgeon to really look at yi & yiur circumstances). Hopefully they will then organise a variety of tests to see what’s going on. Certainly rehydrating you via IV as @MountainClover suggested wouldn’t hurt. I hope you gets some answers & help soon. All the best.

You can’t break a stall. I know some will say I did by doing this or that but what happened was their body was ready to break the stall. Stalls are an important part of your weight loss. It’s the time the body takes to readjust to the stress of the changes you’ve made & making. It’s also the time your body uses to reassess your needs & adjust things like digestive hormones & enzymes, metabolic rate, etc. Even though the scales don’t move, many find their clothes get a little loser which I think is part of your body readjusting. My body kept settling & changing shape for a time even after I’d stopped losing & my weight had stabilised. How many stalls you’ll experience & how long they last (most tend to last 1-3weeks but can be more) will depend on your body & it’s needs. Stick to your plan, don’t make big changes to stress (or confuse) your body more than your plan advises & the stall will break when your body is ready.

A lot of factors come into play in regards to how much lose skin you’ll have. Age, genetics, gender, how much weight you lose, how long you carried your weight, weight loss & gain history, etc. The lose skin you end up with is skin that has been stretched out to a point that nothing can make it bounce back and the only way to get rid of it is through surgery. I always compare it to a well used hair band that has lost it’s stretch - can’t do anything with that. Collagen, while it has its benefits, won’t stop or get rid of the amount of lose skin most of us have. Some people will suggest exercising but this only works on the supporting muscles not on the skin itself. I have lose skin. Not a lot (not handfuls but good pinches over my body). I can still wear body conscious clothing without support garments. More from good genetics I think. I chose not to have surgery to remove it. I look at it has something I earned through my efforts to lose my weight. It’s a reminder to keep me on track. I’d rather have my lose skin than be 200lbs again.

This made me smile & remember when my brother bought his children that rainbow bread where they colour the bread dough with food dye before baking. His children told him never to buy it again as, as one niece whispered to me, it made their poop rainbow too. Lol! Mine used to be pale if I ate yoghurt. I put it down to my then lactose sensitivity. While yoghurt didn’t give me the full gamut of lactose intolerance reactions, it would do this.

Portion size recommendations are generally the same regardless of surgery but do check with your team to find out their recommendations for you, your needs & their plan for you. Ask for cup, spoon & ounce recommendations as not everything can be easily measured on scales. I was told 1/4 to 1/3 cup from puree slowly increasing as I was able until I got to about a cup & about recommended portion sizes of different foods around goal.