Arabesque

Actually while drinking it I thought I know someone who would also enjoy this 😂😂😂. And yes, it was refreshingly delicious on a warm Spring day in Brisbane (before the storm hit!) . OMG @Starwarsandcupcakes. Your cookies would tempt a saint. PS - If you want a giggle have a look at Grace Dent, the noted British restaurant critic, on Instagram being almost orgasmic eating roast potatoes dipped in mayo & white bread toast with Nutella & banana.

You won’t be restricted to just having to eat pasta & pizza when in Italy. Italian’s also eat a wide range of meats & seafood without pasta or rice. If you are limited by menu choices try to eat the protein in the dish before the pasta & opt for tomato based sauces not creamy ones. Pop into grocery stores & purchase tubs of yoghurt & any other available food stuffs which would keep up your protein levels. I love the card idea to explain your eating situation. By four months I was easily eating steak (thick cuts cooked to medium rare so still very juicy) but yes some can’t tolerate it yet. I’d contact the cruise ship line & ask them what foods you could take with you. Would think powdered protein shakes would be ok. Hope you have a wonderful time.

Had to look after niece #3 yesterday but before my brother went to a parent information session at her new school, we had a late lunch early dinner. My niece wanted Mexican & the only thing on the menu without chilli I could eat was … calamari (why is it always calamari?) as they could omit the chilli salt. It was a starter & the waiter said several times it was a very small portion & I’d want to order something else - good grief!! I ate most of it with some help from my niece. Also drank most of the passion fruit & lychee margarita. 😁

Scrambled all the way. Don’t mind the odd omelette with celery, capsicum, spinach, mushrooms & of course cheese. Never been fond of poached except as eggs Benedict & smothered in hollandaise sauce but that’s off the menu now 😁

That’s sounds a perfect job for you @Dtrain84 as it ties into your previous career as a police officer. What a lovely photo of you & your daughter @kristieshannon. Her lace dress is so pretty. And I agree - you do look alike. Had another visit with the hand therapy place today & decided to wear this slim fit panelled dress with cowl neckline & pouch at the hem. Skirt is very fitted though the hem restricting my stride so I had a real wriggle walk happening as I strutted down the street 😆 It was 5 weeks yesterday since I decided to add extra protein to my quiche busy slicing a chunk off my thumb & it’s just about fully healed now (was still oozing a little from one spot until yesterday). Just dealing with some hypersensitivity & dry peeling skin. You can just see a faint line from the skin graft. I was so excited last week as I was finally able to put on a real bra for the first time - I just couldn’t do the hooks up before then without causing my thumb pain & discomfort. Such a silly little thing but boy you need your thumb for soooo much.

Your fears are understandable but the slow staged return to eating (liquids - purées - soft - solid) allows for your tummy’s healings. If you are a bit concerned to jump to soft food, try some purées first then ensure your soft food is still sloppy with small easy to chew lumps & no coarse bits. It is just as important to get your tummy used to digesting food again. If you keep to your small portions & eat slowly as well you’ll be ok.

It’s a personal a thing. You know your strengths & weaknesses. I was an avoid sweet things person while I was losing - real sugar, artificial & alternatives. It is challenging as it seems like they put it in everything but avoiding it it did get rid of my desire for anything sweet. The first traditionally sweet thing I had was at Christmas (7 months after surgery & 1 month into maintenance) - I had a couple of teaspoons of Christmas cake & dessert. It was ok but I didn’t really want any more than what I ate. I don’t have desserts, cakes, biscuits, lollies, etc. much at all - go months without it. My sweet comes from fruit, yoghurt & a protein bar (low sugar ones cause a little sweet tastes crazy sweet to me now). I used to make chia pudding & flavoured it with vanilla if I really wanted something dessert-like.

I understand the not being interested in eating as I was the same. Wasn’t hungry either but I knew I had to eat to get nutrients into my body. I’d decided I wouldn’t rely on supplements & shakes but get everything I needed from what I ate. I ate scrambled eggs or rolled oats from when I was allowed - purée & soft foods stages - & tossed the shakes. You probably do need to start adding some solid ‘real’ foods into your diet especially if you’re weak & shaky . Try some thick vegetable & meat soups then some slow cooked stews & braises (perfect with your weather cooling now). You won’t eat much but you have to get your tummy used to digesting solid food again.

You may experience a lot of random discomfort because of your weight loss. A couple of months in I had discomfort across my upper back. Went to my acupuncturist & jokingly said wonder if it’s because all my bras are too big. That was the cause. Bought some new underwear & pain gone. As you lose weight your centre of gravity changes & you start holding yourself differently. Suddenly muscles, ligaments you haven’t used in a while become active. You might get achy hips, lower back pain, etc. I realised I was slouching because my tummy wasn’t there any more to support my upper body. Had to retrain myself to stand up straight. Or it could be nerves spasming & reorientation themselves after surgery. Not sure exactly why you are experiencing discomfort - just some suggestions. If it persists contact your surgeon again.

Yes to scrambled eggs made with 2 good splashes of milk. Also milky instant rolled oats, puréed vegetable soups made on bone broths, purée chicken with gravy or stock, soft boiled eggs mashed with a little Mayo or ricotta, yoghurt. I tried tuna & salmon but found the taste awful.

Your emotions are all up & down at the moment so it’s ok to be confused, angry, lost, miserable, etc. Take each day as it comes. Some will be great others challenging but it does get easier & better over time. Try some bone broth if you struggle with the shakes (they’re disgusting if you ask me) & some high protein drinking yoghurt (just watch the sugar & sweeteners as some have a lot). And the hair loss? Rather I temporarily lost some hair than still be obese. Good luck.

Very nice indeed @kristieshannon. And I’m not stunned it’s a size 4. You’re very slim. How did the date go? Congrats on the new job, @Dtrain84. What does it entail? Bought this rib knit skirt & top back in winter & finally wore it last week. And surplus it’s navy! The skirt has one of those sneaky high splits that you don’t notice until you sit down & hello. It’s actually higher than the 2nd pxt shows - reaches to a couple of inches below the knicker line.

Not feeling full is quite common. Nerves have been cut & as @Elidh said liquids & purées do pass through your digestive system more quickly. Observing portion control & eating slowly during these stages is important. Remember you’ve just had pretty major surgery & there are a lot of sutures/staples holding your digestive system together. You don’t want to stress or put undue pressure on your poor healing tummy. Check with your surgeon regarding portion size recommendations if you weren’t given any. I was told 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup for the first few weeks. A sachet of instant oats took me three days to eat . Of course I could also eaten the sachet over three meals in the one day. But we’re all different & our surgeons have different guidelines. I was also advised not to eat until I felt the restriction or felt full but to work out when I had enough & stop. There is a difference. It’s also about being more mindful about our eating - not mindlessly shovelling food into our mouths. All the best.

You may discover that your definition of yummy changes. A lot of fast food, takeaways, sweets, etc. are really unappealing to me now. Watching advertisements for this type of food almost turns my tummy. When I was losing I ate the inside of a wonton (group of friends decided to order takeaway for dinner) but didn’t really enjoy it. I’ve had gyoza (steamed, inside only) twice & Chinese (braised chicken & vegetables) once since I started maintenance. Again a bit blah! I’ve also had some dessert & cake at Christmas, a wedding & a birthday but again honestly the couple of teaspoons/bites was more than enough. I didn’t get the same enjoyment from eating them. I do drink alcohol. About once a month & usually only a glass. Gin & tonic or champagne usually. Some people do have the odd pizza, burger, etc. eat the occasional biscuit, etc. but it’s an individual thing. Some have found healthy versions (like bun less burgers, high protein chips). You know your lifestyle best & how you will be able to manage adding some things back into your diet in the future.

Sexy librarian - I love it @ms.sss And your moto jacket looks great with your animal print dress @GreenTealael & so talented to have made your dress too. No animal print clothing but shoes I can do. Lol! Will these count? Had some slim leg, mid thigh shorts on today actually @ms.sss. Went to take a photo after I visited my little nieces & nephews & realised that wearing white shirts to visit people with 8 dogs is not a good idea. My white shirts are covered in dog drool & dog dirt. Thank gracious for napisan! 😂😂😂

No dumb questions here ever. So all good. Ask away. 🙂 A - Meds 1- will depend on your surgery & where your meds are absorbed. Check with your surgeon & your specialist. It just may mean a switch of meds. 2- The rule is no NDAIDs for pain management. Burt in saying that I have a sleeve & my surgeon gave me the ok to take a single NSAID on the rare occasions I need to once I was in maintenance. In the last two years I’m still on the same box. B - Living alone 1- I live alone in a two story house. Stairs were no problem. Actually walked up & down them a couple of times a day from when I got home as part of my gentle exercising. 2- I have a high princess bed (plus I’m short) so I always have to do a little hop onto my bed. I didn’t have any issue but I was also able to sleep on my side & half twisted onto my tummy. It is individual & will depend on how you heal, your surgery, etc. Maybe buy a step so it’s easier to get in & out of your bed. Otherwise some use a recliner. 3- No issues at all but as I said above I could twist pretty easily. Your starting weight may be factor & again your surgery. You may find you don’t need to go for a few days - the constipation! 4- I took a shower the day after my surgery. It was glorious. Took my own shower gel to hospital so I didn’t smell like antiseptic & all ‘hospitally’. C - Work 1- pain was basically gone by day 4. But the brain fog for me was not good. Plus my blood pressure was very low. Was very doughy in the head in the morning then in the mid afternoon. I started back at work part time after 4 weeks. I do tend to take a long time to recover from everything - just me. A friend went back to full time work after a week no or is. Another took 3 weeks. 2- This will depend on your recovery. Talk to your surgeon too as they will likely have some guidelines re activity. As another consideration, you will have restrictions on how much weight you can carry, pull, push, etc. for the first 4 weeks or so. Good luck.

I hear you. I think I can count the number of times I’ve worn makeup in the last 4 odd months on one hand. Bought two new lip glosses early last month to celebrate spring arriving. Don’t know why I bothered. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ahh the battle of defeating or at the very least reducing the power of your cravings. Not easy at all. I had some oven fry fish at around 5 or 6 months - I ate the fish & left the crumb coating. I did buy an air fryer a good year ago for when I want that crisp finish. But I really haven’t had traditionally deep fried food since before surgery. The exception has been calamari a few times. I haven’t had pasta or rice for that long either except for test bites in the first year of maintenance that proved very quickly they weren’t for me (too heavy & too filling). When I want pasta I eat zucchini noodles - you can eat them from the soft food stage on. Same with cauliflower rice. I tried some high protein vegetable pasta but while yummy (much improved from the mushy, starchy stuff of 20yrs ago) it was heavy in my tummy for some reason. I’ll give it a go again in the future. I agree with @TheGreaterFool, your surgeon isn’t telling you when to eat these foods because they don’t want you to. One: probably to try to break your craving. Two: they’re too high in empty calories (little or no nutritional benefit). Three: because if you can only eat say 1/2 cup of food it should be nutritional dense & high in protein. And finally pasta & rice is too filling & can swell in your tummy meaning you can’t eat much of the nutritionally rich food you need to be eating. Some quite happily eat traditional pasta, rice & deep fried foods at times in maintenance. But it really is your call.

Try some bone broth or soup so you’re still getting in some nutrition & fluids. Dumping usually has cold sweats, heart palpitations, as well as vomiting, diarrhoea, etc. So a reaction to what you’re eating or a bug does seem most logical. Did they at least take a sample at urgent care to ensure you don’t have a bug? Did the recommend some Imodium or similar to slow/stop the diarrhoea? Hope this resolves soon & you feel better.

I haven’t touched a protein shake since my two weeks of post surgical liquids finished. I lost all my weight plus more, met all my protein goals & got all the nutrition I needed through the food I ate, even stopped vitamins just after I reached goal. My plan was always to get the nutrition I needed through what I ate not through supplements. I’m a question asker too. Plus I do a lot of my own research - love me some googling. I think your questions were very sensible. Can’t say the same for the responses from what you said though. Sheesh!! Do you have to be your surgeon’s support group? And why does he have you still on purées? That seems to be taking it too far at 7 weeks unless there are other health considerations at play of course. Though I’m a stick to your plan person, I think you could slowly start to add real food sources of protein & other nutrients to your diet. Maybe don't jump to a steak tomorrow but move to soft food for a week or so. Check with your nutritionalist, make sensible nutrient dense healthy food choices & then tell your surgeon when you see them. You’re doing well with your loss so far. Congratulations.

As a joke I tried on a pair of shorts my mum bought for my 11 almost 12yr old niece - children’s size 14. Think I just found a new place to shop - the children’s department. Though don’t think I’d get away with a daddy’s little princess t shirt. 😂😂😂 Have a few ribbed dresses ready to pack @Sophie7713. Fingers crossed we’ll be able to travel safely soon. Third time’s the charm. That linen suit is gorgeous @ms.sss. Another piece fir my wardrobe, thanks. 😁

So talented @Starwarsandcupcakes. Envious of people like you who can turn their hands to such artistic activities. I can about mange to draw a stick person. 😆

Forgot to add you’ll probably have lots of leftovers. My freezer is full of single serve meals of leftovers. When I don’t want to cook I pick a ‘takeaway’ from my freezer. Couple of minutes in the microwave, prep any sides I want or need & done - 5 mins top. You can eat as much flavoursome food as you & your tummy likes. It may be a bit fussy to begin but as time passes you shouldn’t have to sacrifice any flavours you enjoy. Have a look at the food before & after thread here: hundreds of pages of pxts of food that people enjoy post surgery.

The surgery throws you on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Plus you’re healing from a pretty major surgery, you’re on a restricted, low calorie diet. So having low energy & feeling flat or down emotionally is quite common. It does pass but when is an individual thing. You also haven’t experienced anything like this before & as you said don't know anyone who has which would add to any feelings of being lost or confused. There are lots of people here happy to help, offer suggestions, offer support & to celebrate with you. It was a great source of information & advice when I began. You don’t have to post. Sometimes just reading about others’ experiences can be helpful. Maybe sitting down with your closest friends to explain why you chose to have the surgery may help them understand your reasons better & they may become more supportive. It is something that will be part of your life & you will be making changes to your eating, physical activity, etc. Having them onside would be helpful.

Welcome to you both. Oh yeah. Peri menopause & then menopause is the worst. It’s when I put on 30kg (15 more than I ‘d ever done before) & couldn’t shift a gram of it. Was so glad I found this forum before my surgery. There are lots of people willing to help, offer suggestions, hold your virtual hand or celebrate with you here. Hope all goes well with your approvals.