Arabesque

It’s turned cold here rather quickly (well cold for us) and I thought oh comforting and warming but nope. Yes the other one went in the bin. Had some of the pea & ham soup I made last month instead. I’ve still got bags of that in my freezer. 😁

Totally agree with @WendyJane & @SpartanMaker. Rule out a possible DVT first.Though I would also start taking your magnesium supplements again. Won’t hurt if you take the recommended dose. Are you on calcium tablets too? Remember they used to help with leg cramps when I was younger. Those muscle knots are so painful. Nothing wrong with adding an electrolyte drink as part of your fluid intake. Many of us added one to help with the energy drops in the first months. I used to take one to work and if I was going to have a busy day out & about for a boost. Check with your dietician for a recommendation. I would add a hydralyte sachet or tablet to 500mls of water - doubled the water as it tasted too sweet in 250 ml.

Popped into the local grocery store yesterday to pick up some yoghurt & on my way to the arctic zone I spied a garlic and Parmesan chicken parcel ready meal. I hesitated but picked it up. Can’t say it didn’t puff well but maybe that’s where the 19g of protein listed on the nutrient panel was. It certainly wasn’t in the almost non existent barely 2 level tablespoons of the creamy garlic Parmesan chicken filling. I have no idea where the chicken actually was either - I saw two or three small shredded pieces. And it tasted unpleasant. I know why I avoid these mass produced processed ready meal foods. The second one is in my fridge though it may be in the bin later today. At least my usual vegetables were yummy.

Most definitely! Finding my new style when I lost weight was very exciting. I used to wear a lot of architectural/structural clothing with volume, panels, angles darts & folds to give interesting shapes so more avant garde. Partly so people would look at the clothing not my large body. Became obvious pretty quickly that I didn’t have the body to support these designs (being short didn’t help either). I was drowning in the volume of fabric & being overwhelmed by the designs. I had so much fun going on shopping sprees to stores and boutiques to try on different styles just to explore and see what now suited & not always to buy. Now I tend to go for sleeker more fitted clothing much like your body con pink birthday dress. I like some volume but have to balance it with a fitted top or fitted bottom or in the cut or fall of fabric. Still like things with a difference in fabric or cut & generally don’t follow fads or trends so have a wardrobe of timeless, statement pieces. Some sadness though as some designers/labels I used to love wearing are too big now (in style &/or size) but am very happy to be able to wear designers I used to wear when was smaller in the past or coveted. (Yes, I have a clothing addiction and spend too much on clothing). PS - Your new pink hair is very flattering on your skin tone. Perfect colour choice. ❤️ And happy birthday!

Yes, any crisps or crisp like foods such as pepperoni crisps or Serrano ham crisps mentioned above are all a big no for the purée stage. Sure look at them for when you’re much further out but ensure serve the portion recommendations. They can be moorish and before you know it you’ve eaten 2 or 3 serves and there’s 200, 300 calories. (I’m looking at you those pork crackling/scratchings.) It takes at least 6 weeks for your tummy to heal. (Think of all those sutures and staples holding it together.) The staged diet of liquids, to purées, to soft is all to protect your tummy/digestive system and not damage your it or impeded your recovery. Remember too any desire for crunch is a craving and thus a head hunger. It’s got nothing to do with real hunger. The first weeks after surgery are stressful and emotional & naturally your head tells you to seek something to comfort you: food and often crunchy or salty food. Look for distractions at these times: craft, read, play a game, call family or friends, sip a warm drink, go for a walk, etc. It does help. You will get through it and learn to better manage cravings in the future.

100% agree with @SpartanMaker. You need to go back to your surgeon sooner rather than later and have some tests done to see what’s going on. Whether it is IBS, a hernia or something else, you shouldn’t be experiencing any of what you are.

Add gravy or stock when you puree any chicken, beef, etc. It will help keep it to at least a nice dollopy texture and will boost the flavour. Honestiy for the two weeks I ate mostly the same things. It was only two weeks so I could put up with to the limited variety. I pureed a few things but many tasted quite repulsive to me. Plus I wasn’t all that interested in food or eating. I mostly survived on instant oats, yoghurt, extra soft scrambled eggs & soups. I’m surprised by the no fruit or vegetables too. Coarse or fibrous ones are a big no as are any seeds or skins but certainly any you can blend to a smooth puree are usually fine. Think apple sauce, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, potatoes, tomato puree (for flavour) etc. Plans can be different but may be ask for more clarification from your team. All the best.

Love the Princess Leia hair style @GreenTealael. What a fun night. Glad everyone got their geek fan girl/boy on. Cute look @Bypass2Freedom. At first look I thought they were little hearts in your skirt but then I wondered little flowers or cherries??

Been drinking green tea for about 24 years now and believe me it never did a thing to help with my losing weight. Was drinking it when I had my greatest weight gain periods. Only reason people may notice a little weight loss over time is you drink it plain without extras so no milk, cream, creamers, syrups, sugar, honey, etc. that many add to their coffee so fewer calories. I began drinking green tea for one reason: caffeine was kicking my butt specifically sleep issues & reflux. Tried decaf for a while but felt it was a sacrilege and it would make me a little nauseous. Interestingly the smell of the leftover coffee dregs in a cup turned my tummy too. I also thought if I get any anti oxidant benefits yay but not really a factor. I enjoy it. However, I don’t like the grassy, grainy texture of matcha nor any of the green and fruit blends: bit of a purist. Don’t miss coffee at all. Not all green teas are the same in regards to caffeine content but generally it’s about 1/4 the caffeine as coffee or black tea. So if I have a cup/mug too late it can affect my sleep as it will if I drink more than two a day. Personally I prefer Tea2 green teas (sencha and Buddha’s tears). I believe you can but them online in the US. They have a cleaner taste and tend not to get that bitter dry taste that some brands do. Note the tea bags are large and a single bag gives me a good strong 450ml (almost 2cups) mug. Funny story: Back about 20 years ago, my hairdresser asked an apprentice to make me a cup of green tea. He went out the back & was gone for a little while. He returned and asked how do you make tea green? He was being serious. Still makes me chuckle. Never forgotten his name either: Luke. Bless him.

As @SpartanMaker said don’t compare yourself to others. Doing so can lead to much angst as it messes with your head. But being human I get that you might want to have a bit of an idea of what you might expect. Your team can advise you on this too. if you use a calculator to try to predict your weight loss and you understand it’s based on averages and only gives you an idea of how much you MIGHT lose then it’s okay. A calculator is not a guarantee of how much you WILL lose. So don’t use it against yourself and you don’t match those numbers especially those giving time frame losses. For example I’ve done a couple of those calculators & I beat them on both weight loss (more) & time frames (faster) but that was me. Generally the average weight loss after a sleeve or bypass is around 65%. Averages for other surgeries are higher (70-75%). Of course factors like age, gender, height, medical history, current medical status, genetics, lifestyle, activity levels, etc. will influence your final weight loss. And even those aren’t guarantees. My advice is to count every pound you lose as a blessing & celebrate their loss.

You can buy the topical version over the counter at the pharmacy. I buy the men’s 5% Regaine brand (the women’s 2% is useless) but there are other brands. You need a script for the tablet. It’s used for pattern balding as is experienced with aging (& high blood pressure hence avoid if you have low BP).

Minoxidil may be your new best friend, @Dub: topical (I prefer the liquid over the foam but others love the foam) or as a tablet (avoid if you have low blood pressure). Takes a couple of months but you will see regrowth. I use it on my eyebrows and for a thinning spot above my temple (thanks to menopause) and I have visible regrowth. Very excited about my brows coming back in after many, many years and some scar tissue from micro blading. Downside is you have to use it forever. You will see extra hair loss initially but the it settles and your new hair starts to grow back. It can be a bit expensive but look out for special deals.

@SpartanMaker is on point as usual. 😊 Many surgeons initially patients on a fairly general supplement regime to begin usually including a multi vitamin, calcium and iron. There are variations. Some may include vitamin D and/or vitamin Bs as well. However, your regular blood tests, medical history, type of surgery all will influence what supplements you’ll need before surgeon, post surgery or in the long term. Plus some surgeons have restriction on swallowing tablets in the initial weeks post surgery which will dictate how you take the supplement (gummie, patch, …). While sleeve surgery usually does not usually require long term supplementation due to malabsorption you may be someone whose body reacts in a way that means you will need specific supplements. Or it may be discovered you are lacking in a particular vitamin, or your diet is lacking in certain nutrients. Another consideration is if you also have gall removal with your surgery or after as that can result in malabsorption issues in some. For example, I had a sleeve I was required to only take a multivitamin and a Vit D/K. My pre surgical blood work and subsequent 3 monthly tests (actually I was having more as my GP was monitoring them too) showed I wasn’t lacking in anything. At around 8 months my surgeon okayed going off the vitamins. The regular blood tests did eventually historically show I had a drop in vitamin D in winter (when I hibenate and bundle up). Consequently I take a Vit D/K (as a mouth spray) in winter. My gall was removed two years post sleeve and I now have issues absorbing protein and certain medications. Yes supplements are expensive especially if you are taking a lot & taking them long term. Finding a balance between economies and quality can be a challenge. I do recommend looking for a reputable brand (ask for referrals from your doctor, dietician, pharmacist or people here like Alex Brecher) as it is an industry in which quality and standards are not defined nor monitored like with prescribed medications.

Detoxes are a fallacy. Don’t get caught up in social media ******. If your kidneys and liver are functioning correctly your body is already detoxifying itself. Was it your surgeon who did the upper GI and barium test? If not, as @WendyJane, suggested, I’d go back to the to see what might be the cause. No one should suffer pain. An elimination diet like fodmap may be helpful to see if a specific food is causing you the discomfort or do some tests for food allergies or sensitivities . It’s not uncommon to develop sensitivities or allergies to specific foods after surgery. Something to consider or to discuss with your surgeon anyway. In the meantime maybe try some less dense foods like soups or like the purée stage foods for few days and slowly introduce more solid foods and see if texture or density is an influence on the pain and your inability to eat more than a couple of bites. Hope you can find some answers soon.

Aaah scales. They have the power to make or ruin your day just by standing on them. Did you weigh more at your doctor’s than at home initially? I weigh differently at my GP, my follow up doctor, the hospital & at home. So they keep their records and I keep my mine. The actually weight loss is the same just the numbers are different on the scale. Check your batteries. How old are your scales? As my old scales were failing my weight was erratic until they finally read I weighed like 100kgs more than I was. They went in the bin & I bought new ones that day. Remember you have lost 43lbs in 4 months so averaging 10lbs a month. That’s fantastic.

Unfortunately so many are struggling financially these days all over the world. Cost of living is skyrocketing everywhere & we have to do what we can to survive. I swear I go backwards every week. I am with @SpartanMaker in regards to meal prepping ahead. I love my freezer & my microwave. My freezer is filled with food I have cooked and frozen in single serve portions. I did this from early out from surgery. At most all I have to do is reheat the meal and zap some vegetables or make a quick salad. I can have a nutritiously cooked meal in 5 minutes or so. Easy peasy. As most workplaces have a microwave, grab a meal from the freezer & reheat it at work for lunch. For example pre cook some chicken tenders and freeze, then in the morning grab the chicken tender and pop it in a container with a few cherry tomatoes, some lettuce leaves, a few slices of cucumber, … done. I loved mince dishes because you can add lots of vegetables: meat balls, savoury mince, taco filling, etc. so you can eat as a complete meal or add to a taco shell or wrap if you want/can. And soup is great too for the same reason (protein & vegetables in one). And yes home cooked foods are often less expensive. For example I made pea & ham soup last weekend. I made around 18 portions (I wasn’t interning to make that much but 🤷🏻‍♀️) and it cost me $18.80 Aust (split peas, frozen peas, pearl barley, an onion and a ham hock) so about a $1 a serve.

You may reach goal, you may not or you may exceed goal & all are okay. Remember though if you have to work harder & be more restrictive to reach your goal you will always have to work harder & be more restrictive to maintain the lower weight. At that point it becomes all about sustainability: can you maintain the exercise and eating plan in the long term without feeling it’s too restrictive or you’re missing out. As for the possibility of regain, there are a myriad of factors. Could be just the bounce back regain many experience (around 10-20lbs), stressful situations (personal, work, etc.), health issues, changes in meds, too restrictive maintenance, not dealing with issues that lead you to gain in the first place, returning to your old way of eating, etc. Some things we can have some control over and some we have no control over. Personally I maintained for almost 6 years but a complete hysterectomy Sept last year has messed up my hormones and I’m seeing regain. I’m fortunate I have supportive doctors and we’re looking for ways to manage it. Regardless where you settle, you are winning and have successfully made changes to improve your health and life. Enjoy.

I’ve been here for 6 years now and I’ve see a variety of protein goal recommendations so I don’t believe there is a right number or a wrong number only what you & your team thinks is best for you. For example I was told 60g was my goal from the beginning. Certainly in the first months when we’re healing and not eating large portions focussing on protein is very important. Now at 9 months, you’re eating more and a greater variety of foods ensuring you’re getting in a balance of all your nutrients is just as important like @spartanmaker mentioned. Maybe this is why your dietician has reduced your protein goal or did they mean 65g is more a minimum goal??? As for should you count calories or other macros, my feeling is you have to do what you feel most comfortable with. Another case of you doing what is best for you & much like what you said about exercising. Focussing on counting calories messes with me so I’ve always done just random checks of calories & portions. I probably was & still am more concerned with specific food choices and ensuring I was consuming some complex carbs, fruit and vegetables every day, reducing added sugars. Though I know others who value the accountability of calorie and macro counting and feel doing so keeps them on track - what’s best for them. @SpartanMaker has given you some fabulous information for you to consider &/or adopt or for more rigorous conversations with your team.

Usually people experience their first stall at around the 3 week mark +/- and they can last 1-3 weeks. However this isn’t a hard and fast rule. There are some who experience small stalls of only a few days. I was one who wouldn’t see any loss on the scales for only a handful of days and then would drop again. I noticed this simply because I weighed myself daily and recorded my loss. As you weigh once a week you may have missed a brief plateau at around that three week mark and you are having a larger more average length stall now. Your friends may not have noticed stalls if they weighed once a week or less frequently. The only thing you can rely on is regardless of how often you stall or how long there last they will break. Just stick to your plan & everything will be fine when your body is ready to start losing again. Is there a reason you are only eating one real meal a day and your other meals are shakes? At almost three months post surgery most of your nutrients should be coming from real food not shakes. A shake should only be to supplement your protein intake or as an occasional convenient meal alternative (work commitments, travel, etc.). I also wonder if that could impact your weight loss and the length of your plateau. Personally I never had another shake after the first 2 week liquid stage & was eating real food meals from week 3 post surgery. By around week 8 I was eating all meats (fish, beef, chicken, pork, lamb) & 1 or 2 vegetables for lunch and dinner and eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. This is when you should be introducing better food choices and eating habits for the long term. This would be worth a conversation with your dietician & surgeon.

It’s nearing winter here & we ‘re experiencing cold & drizzly days at the moment so made pea & ham soup in my slow cooker yesterday. Is supposed to be a bright pea green as it has fresh peas added to it at the end before pureeing it! Extremely filling and almost eat it with a fork thick.

@SpartanMaker is correct. It will likely be from the surgical gas rising behind the lungs & putting pressure on the phrenic nerve. From here it is absorbed into the lungs & you breathe it out. You don’t burn or fart it out. Yes walking helps as does slow deep breathing, marching on the spot (even seated ones), lifting your arms up and down as they help you breathe it out more quickly. A heat pad can help with the shoulder & neck pain. Otherwise it’s just a waiting game. I think it took up to a week for it to abate after my gall removal surgery (I had none with my sleeve). In saying that I had a muscle spasm in my back (I have a weakness there thanks to oozy discs) on day 2 or 3 after sleeve surgery. My surgeon suggested it was likely stress I was holding from the surgery. I had a lot of pain when swallowing due to swelling & I know I was holding myself tightly every time I had to sip or take a tablet. The spasm passed later that day. If it persists fir more than a week & isn’t lessening, contact your team.. All the best.

Always check with your doctor if something is unusual for you. In saying that, you store estrogen in your fat & as you lose weight it is released into your bloodstream. So it’s not unusual for women to experience heavier or lighter, or more or less frequent periods, more or fewer PMT symptoms like mood swings & emotional highs & lows after surgery. It seems to persist until your weight loss starts to slow or you’ve lost more than half the weight you were hoping to. Your spotting could be related to that but do check with your doctor.

The hair loss can be shocking and frustrating but save your money on supplements, special shampoos & treatments. Unless you’re lacking in the specific nutrients you require for hair growth they won’t help. The hair loss is temporary and for most lasts 3-4 months (regardless of taking supplements or not). During this time of stress and hormonal changes, your usual hair loss cycle is accelerated so you lose more hair but it is hair you would lose at some point. Your new hair is continuing to grow just at its usual rate. Meet your protein goals and ensure you’re getting in the nutrients, take a vitamins you’ve been advised to take. A blood test will show if you’re lacking in anything. Many of us cut our hair shorter as shorter hair always looks thicker and bouncier than long. And it will take less time for your new growth to reach the length of your shorter hair. Also there is no real evidence in support of collagen for hair growth (hair is made of keratin not collagen). Want to take it for your skin, go for it. I agree with @SpartanMaker: as collagen isn’t a complete protein it can’t be counted as part of your protein intake and you’ll get more collagen per dose/serve of a collagen supplement in powdered form than a capsule. It dissolves well & isn’t filling like a protein powder. If the hair loss persists or the loss is excessive, a dermatologist will be the best for you to see for help and other causes of the loss than just weight loss.

I bet you’ve tried a lot of diets and tried many different exercise plans & I bet you’ve were committed to them too but didn’t continue because they didn’t work for you or were to restrictive or had negative side effects, etc. If diets and exercise programs alone worked no one would be obese. People have to change their thinking about how they look at obesity. Obesity is a disease. There are psychological, physiologically, emotional, genetic & other complex & nuanced factors behind obesity. Unless your critics are obese they cannot understand what you have experienced. If you had a respiratory disease, heart disease, cancer, etc. would they say you’re cheating or taking the easy way out by having surgery or taking meds?? You have made a choice to become healthier. You have made a choice to be there for your family and friends for a long time. You have made a choice to be able to live your life as you want to live and enjoy it. Weight loss surgery is not an easy way out. There is no easy fix. Surgery opens the door to an opportunity. What you do with that opportunity is up to you and the long term effort you apply to it. Good on you!

Offer to be the designated driver. Nurse one glass for hours (did that a lot & still do it but for an hour or so now). Say you’re not really in the mood to drink. Or you have been fighting a headache all day & you don’t want it to come back. Or if you’ve realised you’ve been drinking a bit lately & decided to have a dry couple of weeks. They will notice your weight loss soon if not now so you could be semi truthful and say you’re making a few changes and trying to lose some weight. Whatever you decide to say add you’re glad to see them and to spend time with them & make sure they know you’re okay with them drinking or eating whatever they want.