Arabesque

Wouldn’t think so on the pre op diet but it is allowed in most plans after surgery. Check with your surgeon &/or dietician because pre & post surgery plans are different. All the best.

It’s all skin that has been over stretched much like an old well used hair band or old well worn knickers. Your skin will bounce back a little but factors like age (we stop producing elastin in our early 20s), how much weight you carried, how long you carried it, genetics, etc. impact how much loose skin you end up with. There’s nothing you can do about except have it surgically removed. Exercising works on the muscles not the skin so the scaffolding underneath might be better but the skin will still be loose except for what you fill out with muscle. Collagen & retinal creams won’t really help with the laxity (certainly not how much we can have). They will make your skin smoother, even out skin tone & texture. Same with collagen supplements. Honestly I’ve tried a few things for various periods of time and I still have loose skin. I’d give it 4-6 months & if no change I gave up on it. My skin quality has improved & my arms are nicely shaped but I still have bat wings, marionette lines on my face & a little waddle. Initially after my loss I had a number of fine lines that ran from under my chin. They’ve reduced dramatically but whether it was RF, collagen serums, collagen supplements, UV lights, my remaining body fat resettling & a better diet I don’t know but there’s still loose skin. I had some filler put in the side of my face just in front of my ears - was sunken there as I had no fat left in those pockets at all. Thought we ‘d try it to see if I got a little lift too - not noticeable if it did give a lift but my face shape is better. I’m trying dermal needling RF (Secret RF) at the moment. Predominately for acne scarring but if I get a little tightening that’s a bonus. I know it won’t get rid of it. I mean I am almost 58 & naturally should have some laxity & saggy skin. Aging & gravity are hard to beat … except with surgery. The loose skin is way better than being obese.

You’re allowed juice? That’s unusual because of the naturally high sugar content. There are many pieces of fruit used in a glass of juice than you’d eat as fresh whole fruit & without all the nutritional benefits of whole fruit. Fresh whole fruit is always the better choice from when your allowed solid food. A squeeze of lemon, lime or other citrus added to your water is generally okay & can help make water easier to drink in the beginning. But yes, check with your team.

The mouth texture of so many is awful but I found if I keep the one I prefer in the fridge that gummy almost gluey texture is better.

My father took that, as zyloprim, every day but never had to take NSAIDS as well. Once on Zyloprim he rarely if ever had an attack. But definitely speak to your surgeon & prescribing doctor. I think it was in my second year my surgeon said I could take a NSAIDS very occasionally as a low dose. One tablet not two. Not on subsequent days & not regularly. Rarely take one but did take one tablet a night immediately after dinner for three nights in a row when I had COVID.

I still feel cold. It’s a lack of insulation (fat) thing now & my body doesn’t have to work as hard to get about. I dress to compensate & always have an extra coat with me.

The long term success of either surgery depends upon you. Many of the initial benefits of bariatric surgery fade over time. Your hunger comes back, your restriction can soften, it is possible to eat around your smaller tummy & your body’s new set point, etc. What the surgery does do is give you time. Time to make changes to your relationship with food: the why you eat, what you eat, when you eat, how you eat. Time to understand your cravings & develop strategies to better manage them. Time to establish new habits about eating & exercise. Time to work out how you want to eat in the future & what works for you & your body. Regain occurs for many reasons: psychological, physiological, behavioural. Bounce back regain (usually 20%+/- of the weight lost) around the third year is common. It can be because your body settles into the weight it is happiest at (your set point). Medication changes. The crap life can throw at you (employment, relationships, health, pandemics). Complacency. A too restrictive way of eating or too demanding exercise regime. Not dealing with your relationship with food. And for some it can be a deliberate choice as they themselves feel happier at a higher weight or they make adjustments to their food choices to better suit their life. Not failure of the surgery but the impact of outside factors. The average weight loss for both sleeve or bypass at the three year mark is about 65% of the weight to be lost. Of course as with all statistics there are some who lose more & some who lose less. If you are considering revision surgery of sleeve to bypass as a sign of the failure of the sleeve, remember many who have revision surgery do so because they developed GERD not necessarily weight gain. I have a sleeve & lost more than my goal and have pretty much maintained though at only almost 4 years post surgery I’m still somewhat of a bariatric baby. I settled at 49kg (48.5-49.5). I unexpectedly gained about 2kgs about 18months ago (50.5-51) but recently we discovered I wasn’t absorbing my HRT meds. Changed to a patch & my weight is slowly decreasing (49.2-50). Small numbers I know. Has it been difficult? No, not really. It was very obvious what I had been doing wasn’t working for me & I needed to make changes. I put myself & my health first. I changed my relationship with food. Made a decision to change what, when & how I ate. It became a new mindset. The changes have been sustainable & haven’t restricted my life. I still enjoy food & eating but my desire is for healthier, more nutritious foods. And no I’m not running marathons or spending hours in the gym just some at home stretching & resistance bands. Sorry long post.

You can usually add protein powder to any liquid you’re allowed during this stage. Have you been given your dietary requirements for post surgery yet? There are foods & liquids you should avoid during the 6 or so weeks of the restricted diet while you’re healing. Check with your surgeon’s office & your dietician about what you can & can have. There can be differences in what you’re allowed & when across surgeons & plans. Like I didn’t have a clear liquid stage just liquids. All the best with your surgery.

Ha! Carrots were the first thing I officially threw up at about week 8. Ate a soft slice one day easy but the next up it came. They actually weren’t on my permitted food list for a few months - root vegetables were a no. Slider foods are high processed, high sugar &/or high carb foods with very little nutritional value. How many do you eat? 6 baby carrots/half cup is considered a single portion size but this is for someone on a regular diet.. If your carrots are very soft & well cooked, you possibly are digesting them quickly & can eat more but they wouldn’t be considered a slider. Are you eating them raw as a snack or with protein as a meal? Remember eat your protein first then your vegetables if you’re able. Portion size is important for everything you eat. At 2 months I could just eat a small cauliflower floret or a green bean after I ate my protein. Could also be the baby carrots are satisfying your craving for sweet &/or crunchy not a real hunger. Head hunger can be very powerful. Have a chat with your dietician.

You poor thing, How awful. I’d go to your nearest medical centre/ER. They should be able to help.

I get it. Like @Starwarsandcupcakes, sometimes I too just don’t feel hungry. And other times I didn’t feel like cooking (think this is common for most people some times & I only cook for myself not a family). I know I still need to consume something nutritious so on not hungry days I’ll have yogurt for lunch (easier to eat & digest than a proper ‘meal’) &/or I’ll skip snacks. On the don’t feel like cooking days, I go to my freezer where I have lots of single serve meals. Then it’s simply a matter of reheating & microwaving a few vegetables. I always prep enough food for 3 or 4 meals & will freeze 1 or 2 of them. This week I made zucchini noodle bolognese which I’ll eat for a few days & I froze four servings I can eat in the future. @NP_WIP, have you tried to find some meals everyone in your family will eat so you only have to cook one dinner or keep some of the meal the same for everyone. I know it can be difficult with different dietary needs but even if you can do it a couple of times a week it would be easier for you.

This is very common this soon after surgery simply because you’re slowly sipping all your ‘meals’ as well as additional fluids to meet your goals. Once on solid food this will change. It happened again when I was trying to maintain. Because my meal sizes were still smaller (couldn’t eat more at a sitting) I couldn’t get in the calories I needed to maintain so I was snacking (on nutritious foods) several times a day. It felt like I was eating all day then too. Then when my portion size increase a bit more I didn’t need as many snacks it didn’t feel as much like all I did was eat.

I’ve found setting a routine of when I eat very helpful. Started doing it because I had no appetite or interest in eating but knew I had to eat something. I still eat to a routine almost 4 years later. I’ve never set a timer not even to remind me to sip fluids. I just eat to the time on the clock. I can eat earlier or later than those set times or miss a meal/snack (conflicting appointments, commitments, travelling, not hungry, etc.) but I don’t eat additional snacks/meals between those times. Honestly, I really only ate two ‘meals’ a day those first two weeks. Sipped those shakes & soups for ages as I diluted them for extra fluid & so they’d taste a little better (they didn’t). Started my breakfast shake at around 8am & my dinner soup around 5pm if I remember correctly. On purées I began three meals a day & I added a mid afternoon snack I think from solid foods to ensure I was better meeting goals. My surgeon & dietician were okay with this as I was slowly increasing my intake every week.

Have you discussed your desire to lose weight & your interest in bariatric surgery with your endocrinologist? Are they aware of how little you eat now which must be a concern with your malabsorption issues. Unfortunately, the surgery won’t stop the weight gain side effect of the meds you have to take. Medications are one of the causes behind weight regain after surgery. Are there alternative meds you could take that don’t cause an increase of appetite/weight gain? Malabsorption issues are a possible side effect of weight loss surgery which would only add to your existing situation. Being aware of your nutrient intake & meeting protein goals is a lifelong consideration for everyone after weight loss surgery. Many will always need to take vitamins to supplement their intake via food. Just some things to consider.

Have you considered seeking the support of a therapist? It seems you may need some help dealing with the why you eat & why you make the food choices you do. They’ll also help you identify strategies to better manage those urges when they arise. Many find therapy extremely helpful. The hardest part of this is understanding your relationship with food, recognising them when they arise & better managing them. We never completely get rid of those urges but we can take away a lot of their power. As @BigSue suggested get rid of the food temptation out of your house. If you don’t buy them you can’t eat them. And delete any home delivery apps on your phone. It was one of the best thing I did. Look for some healthier alternatives instead of traditional ‘junk’ food for those times the urge for something salty or sweet or whatever is too strong. And like @catwoman7 what keeps me motivated is not wanting to be the weight I was again. I want to be able to play with my nieces & nephews. I want to feel better & healthier. I want to easily be able to buy beautiful stylish clothing.

You can’t predict what will happen so it would best to discuss this with your surgeon. My thoughts would be if your reflux is significant enough that you already have to manage it with daily meds that sleeve would not be best for you. It’s not common for the surgery to reduce your reflux unless you are one of the lucky ones like @Spinoza. It’s more likely it will get worse not better. Ask your surgeon to review your case & history & make a recommendation for your situation.

Made zucchini noodle bolognese last night. Mixed the noodles in with the bolognese & added a tin of lentils too. Ended up with what looks like enough for 10 meals 😁 so froze several single serves. This is supposed to be a one cup ladle full but I heaped it a bit & then couldn't eat it all.

Fluid retention after surgery is very common. They pump you full of IV fluids, you’re body is stressed & can hold onto all the fluid you put into it & you’re likely constipated. (I put on more than 2kgs (more than 5lbs) overnight with my gall surgery. Took about 4+ days to pee it all out.) Plus you likely have swelling making it difficult to swallow & your smaller tummy to feel more bloated. Try sipping a warm/hot drink as they can be more soothing & easier on your throat & healing tummy than cold. Don’t forget your shakes & broths all count towards your daily fluid goal. I used to dilute them to get in more fluids (& make them taste a little more palatable). I also still keep water by my bed & drink throughout the night every time I get into or out of bed (which is few times with all the peeing 😁). I get in another 250-300ml (8-10ozs) at night & while I don’t sip anymore I only take a swallow. It does get easier & becomes more if a habit.. Don’t panic if you don’t exactly meet your goal at first as long as you’re close.

Check with your surgeon to see what they require you take. For example, bypass seem to have to take a wider range of vitamins than sleeve & they have to take some of them forever. Plus, your own needs should be taken into consideration: what does your blood test show you are low in? Some surgeons don’t want you swallowing meds for a period of time after surgery too so that will influence the type of vitamins you take (patch, gummies, spray, capsules, …) Vitamins can be difficult to take after surgery, they can make you nauseous & are expensive. If you don’t need to take certain ones don’t - you’ll only pee out the excess you don’t need. I only had to take a multi vitamin & a Vitamin D after my surgery. The vitamin D was stopped after a couple of months & I stopped the multi vitamin at about 8 months (2 months after goal). My blood tests showed I didn’t need the . The only supplement my regular blood tests show I need is a Vitamin D in winter when my levels temporarily drop (I hibernate in winter).

I don’t understand why your doctor wants you to speak to your dietician about your low iron levels except to maybe review your current diet & see if something is missing or there is something extra you could add. Has your doctor has you to arrange an appointment to discuss your results & prescribe or recommend an additional supplement or an infusion if needed??? Unless your level isn’t that low & dietary changes should be enough??? 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ve heard it can take some time for your iron levels to go up again too. Low iron levels seems to becoming more common these days for all women not just bariatric patients. I have several friends (none have had surgery) who need to take iron supplements or have transfusions because of low iron levels. Never knew one 10 years ago. PS - I have a protein absorption issue thanks to my gall removal. Not related to my sleeve. (Also stopped me absorbing my HRT meds - God bless the patch.)

Yes. A revision to bypass is what usually occurs if your reflux worsens. In most situations your surgeon will advise against a sleeve if you have existing reflux/gerd. I had reflux but I’d managed it for many years with dietary choices. I usually only needed to take meds maybe <5 times a year. This was why my surgeon decided a sleeve would be ok. I still have reflux but it manifests differently & I do have to take a PPI every day. PS - I think those whose reflux improves after a sleeve is because of dietary changes & the weight loss. It’s not common though.

Yep, check with your surgeon. A lot of our levels go up (for e.g. oestrogen, liver function, cholesterol, etc.) while we are losing but it’s only a temporary side effect. They may want to do a few tests to ensure there is no other cause - it’s always better to be sure.

Agree with @Possum220. Check with your surgeon. They often have different requirements as to what & when you can do certain exercises and it may also depend upon your recovery too.

It can take ages for our heads to catch up with the reality of how we look when we’re losing & have lost the weight. I’m almost 4 years out & last week I was folding my knickers & wondered how these tiny things actually fit around my butt. But they do. Same with how other people see you. It takes time for their image of you to change from the overweight you to the slimmer you. It’s why we get all those how much more weight are you going to lose & you should stop losing you’re getting too thin comments. I picked my goal weight based on the lowest weight I was always able to get down to so I was able to visualise what I’d look like & what size clothing I’d be able to wear. Well that fell to pieces when I lost more. I couldn’t see myself at all. Would be shocked when I realised reflections in stores mirrors & shop windows were actually me. I haven’t weighed this since I was 12 (almost 46 yrs ago now) & I didn’t know how much I actually weighed then so it makes sense I couldn’t understand or visualise it. Proved it to myself by putting on the tutu I wore then but it was super freaky & weird me out at the time at the time. I also did something that probably sounds a bit odd but I used to google the weight & height of celebrities I thought might be about my size to get a better idea of what I may look like. Oh & I second @Smanky’s advice to get in & wear those beloved old smaller sizes when you can. I remember I was only able to rewear a beautiful Dries Van Noten outfit I’d kept twice because in 4 weeks it was simply too big. I also lost my window to wear some clothing because the seasons were wrong. 😩 For a laugh, here’s a pxt of me in 2021 wearing the one tutu I kept & one of me at 12 in 1977 wearing the other tutu I wore at the same concert. (Wish my arms & thighs were still that slim - dang loose skin. 😁)

While the surgery will help with some things, it’s real success depends upon choices you make. Regardless of which surgery you have you will lose your appetite/hunger for a period of time (there are a few people who don’t & it’s with either surgery). You will also temporarily lose your taste for certain foods. It’s often sugar, as foods can become super sweet but it can be any food that smells &/or tastes awful. Neither surgery will do anything about your desire for sweet & your emotional eating. These are things you have to work through yourself. As we often say the surgery only removes some of your tummy/changes your digestive system. It doesn’t remove the part of your brain that drives your head hunger. It’s why many chose to seek therapy to learn the reasons behind their head hunger & develop strategies to help them better manage their emotional eating, cravings, etc. Both surgeries will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. What your set point becomes can’t be predicted. Can you lose more than your set point? Yes, but it is harder to do & maintain. Can you weigh more than your set point? Yes because lifestyle demands or choice, medical conditions & medications, etc. can mean we carry more weight. Remember the average weight loss statistic at the three year mark for both surgeries is about 65% of the weight to be lost to put the person in a healthy weight range. Some will lose more & others less. I have a sleeve. I felt it would suit my life better & was less drastic than bypass. I made a number of choices to benefit my success that I knew I could sustainably follow for the long term & not feel like I was missing out. I took advantage of the too sweet phase & decided not to introduce sweet back into my diet - or avoid as much as I could - & so rarely eat real or artificially sweet foods or drinks. I chose to rarely eat take away or fast foods. I prep & cook most of what I eat from scratch & rarely eat medium or high processed foods or ingredients. I also chose not to include a lot of exercise in my life - I simply don’t enjoy it. But these are my choices. You’ll make choices that best complement you & your lifestyle. I also lost all my weight & more & have maintained. All the best with whichever surgery you chose to have.