Arabesque

Definitely get in contact with your medical team or go to your local medical centre asap! Dehydration is a big concern with many complications. You’re only managing a third of what you should be having. I had swelling to begin but it passed after a couple of days but it made swallowing difficult & painful. I did find warm drinks much easier to sip: more soothing on my throat & easier on my tummy. I even heated my protein shake. On day 9 most are still only on fluids - protein shakes, broths, cream soups. Make sure you’re only having a sip at a time & waiting in between. If your shake contains lactose, it may be upsetting your tummy because you may be a little sensitive to dairy post surgery (this is not uncommon & is usually temporary). Look for lactose free shakes. All the best.

I knew you were out west but couldn’t recall where exactly - Conclurry? My family is in Gatton & mum told me this morning they’d had 17in since early Wednesday. I’ve had similar in Brisbane. All our farms are flooded, water through packing sheds & through the offices. Higher than 2011. Mum & both brothers are isolated because of flooded roads & bridges & subsequent damage. One brother had septic back up in his house & same issue at the offices & packing sheds. And it’s still raining. Will be a huge mess to clean up. Said to mum: everyone is safe & healthy. Everything else is just stuff. We are a land of droughts & flooding rains.

What does your plan say? Generally we’re advised no fruit to begin though plans are different & some are allowed puréed apple or banana (I wasn’t). Check with your dietician if your plan is unclear. It’s always best to follow your plan.

Congrats on getting your surgery date. Whoo hoo! What people eat at each phase depends on the plan their surgeon & dietician put them on. Most seem to be on purées for weeks 3 & 4. Think baby food, thick gloopy liquids. You can purée most proteins with gravy, broth, stock, milk, etc. to get the solid food liquidy enough. But you may find your tummy is a bit fussy & your tastebuds can be sensitive making things taste pretty awful so it can be a bit hit & miss but it passes. I blended up tinned salmon & tuna but it was disgusting. Eggs were good - scrambled, poached, or mashed boiled with Mayo. I also made slow cooked soups with meat & vegetables & blended well. I could have yoghurt which I ate every day & instant rolled oats made extra milky. But don’t worry if you struggle moving to the next food phase. Some need a couple extra days on the previous stage. We all heal & recover differently. Have a chat with your surgeon about what to expect post surgery & what you should be aware of or watch for with your surgery. Generally generally you can expect gas pain (they inflate your abdomen during surgery so they can see the operating field). It distends your tummy & stretches muscles & then has to escape your body - walking a little often helps as does Gas X - but it could take up to a week to dissipate. Surgical pain is generally managed with meds & many find by day 4 it’s greatly diminished to just general discomfort. Remember no NSAIDS. You may be swollen & have difficulty swallowing fir a couple of days. You may have diarrhoea &/or constipation. You won’t be able to lift anything over 10lbs +/- for a couple of weeks. You may not be hungry or interested in eating. You may be nauseous again meds help so ask for some if you need them. Sip slowly & sip often - stay hydrated. Take it easy & listen to your body. If it says rest, rest. Try some electrolyte drinks to give you a boost of energy if you feel you need it. Don’t be afraid to contact your medical team if you don’t feel well, pain persist or isn’t managed by your prescribed pain meds. It all gets way easier as you progress. All the best.

You shouldn’t be committing this far out. Are you eating too fast? Eating too much? Are you dumping by eating too much sugar or high processed white flour foods? Are you drinking while eating? It would be worth seeing your surgeon to discover what’s really going on. Golden rule is eat your protein first then vegetables if you ate able. Some plans say if you still have room some good multi/whole grain carbs but you likely won’t be able to especially if you are getting in your required protein first. 60g of protein a day is the usual goal. A simple google search will reveal the protein content of any meat, seafood, dairy, etc. Weigh your protein so you know how much you’re getting. Bread, rice & pasta are usually not allowed on plans because they are nutritionally poor food choices & are too filling. So a muffin would be a poor food choice & the cream cheese would provide very little protein (less than a gram for a tablespoon). Get in touch with your dietician & ask for some sample menu plans & recommended food lists as well as portion size recommendations,. You may benefit from being given macro & calorie guides as well. Rate of weight loss is individual. Some lose more quickly, others more slowly. You seem to be doing ok but factors like age, gender, starting weight, weight loss history, etc. all influence your rate of loss. But you’re happy with what you’ve achieved, and you should be, that’s the most important thing. Congrats.

At 8 weeks I wasn’t eating 1/2 cup. Two scrambled eggs would take three days to eat. But we are different & there are a lot of different plans some which encourage you to eat more than what I did. Hopefully your dietician will get back to you with more specifics around portion size, etc. which will best suit you. You do need to work at eating more slowly & taking small bites. Use smaller cutlery (I used a teaspoon for ages). Put your cutlery down between bites & wait a couple of minutes before taking the next. Distract yourself if needed. Have a conversation with your family between bites. Read a page, wait for an ad break, play a game of solitaire or sudoku online, listen to a song between bites or whatever. I still take ages to eat 30 - 60 minutes is usual depending upon what I’m eating. Remember it takes time for that message you’re full or had enough to get through & often by the time you feel full you’ve eaten more & are actually more than full. All the best.

Not shaving my legs for a week? Yikes. I’d be booking in for waxing the week before. ?. I had to use an anti bacterial wash the night before my surgery too & wash my hair with it. Bit drying on the skin & then couldn't moisturise. Didn’t have to with my gall removal 2yrs later though ??‍♀️ Sounds like you’re doing well so far - congrats.

I like capsicum but am allergic to chilli. At least you can pick the capsicum (pepper) out @OnMyWay1956. Try to go out to eat & order something without chilli these days. And they rarely identify it on the menu either or use terms that might indicate the presence of it. I have to ask if it’s in what I want to order every time I go out. It is frustrating when they recognise certain allergies but not others. I’ve had a wait staff tell me there’s only a little bit in the dish & it isn’t hot after I’ve told them it’s an allergy. They wouldn’t suggest someone with a nut or seafood, etc. allergy eat a meal with their allergen present. Oh gracious, a Queenslander with a Mango allergy - ?. You’ll be kicked out of the state ???. I love mango but they tend to make my restriction kick in if I have more than a couple of bites so sad. (You getting any of this rain @SleeverSk or are you too far west?)

Frustratingly, stalls can happen once or multiple times while your losing. They can last for a week to 3 or 4 weeks. If they persist, have a chat with your dietician/nutritionalist to review your diet. Sometimes a small tweak can kick start your loss again. I also think you’ve answered some of your own question by saying you’ve let your food choices slide a little (we’ve probably all done it at some time). Best is to get back on your plan re food choices, portion sizes, etc. I have a small window of calorie intake variation to maintain (don’t check my calories everyday but do random checks) & recently I’ve put on a little weight. I’ve realised, in my attempt to up my protein intake a bit (since my gall was removed I don’t absorb it well) I’ve increased my calories. Increasing my portion size of meat (3oz to 4), throwing in some beans to my lunch salads, etc. & there’s the reason for the weight gain. Though I reduced the amount of vegetables I was eating the calorie difference was not enough to compensate. Can’t believe I didn’t realise. My surgeon’s doctor has put me back on Creons to help with protein absorption & I’m going back to my previous eating habits.

You’ll work out your cues for real hunger & feeling satisfied. It just takes a little time. Try not to eat until you’re full though, but stop when you’ve had enough - big difference. The message you’re full actually takes a bit of time to get through & when you do think you’re full you’re likely really or overly full. It’s one of the reasons we’re advised to eat slowly. I still ask myself do I need this next bite or just want it? Never be afraid to put your cutlery down & sit back from the table.

Do they have nutritional information about their products online? That way you can compare them & work out the best option if they will fit in with your plan. If they’re high sugar or high carb give them a miss. If they sell protein water that would be your best & safest bet. Beside the social aspect, are you looking for a drink for food or for fluid? If it’s a fluid you’re looking for, & can’t have coffee because of the caffeine, can you have decaf? I could have green or herbal tea. So if I was out & about I’d take a break & have a cup of tea. I didn’t eat out until I was on solid food but if you are looking for a drink for food try soup or even just the broth in a pho or wonton soup which will give you some protein.

Just noticed my post said it was a Mediterranean bowl. Let’s try middle eastern - damn auto correct.

Can only claim ownership to about 5% of this salad. It was leftover from a lunch with my sister in law: a Mediterranean bowl. Halloumi, hummus, chick peas, grilled zucchini & carrot, roasted sweet potato, dukkha, cucumber, tomato, spinach & pea shoots. I added the diced chicken to the leftovers for dinner. Damn yummy.

Pooping or not pooping will be one a bit of a daily focus while you’re losing & constipation begins a regular occupancy. As @catwoman7 said your not eating much & what you are consuming your body is squeezing every last nutrient out of it so little to poop out. But do try to keep on top of constipation as it can be a battle to break it & not very pleasant & even painful when you do. If I hadn’t pooped for three days, I’d take a stool softener. I remember being told by an older woman many years ago that jumping up and down will get get things moving ??‍♀️. I thought it was a bit risky after surgery as I didn’t want to risk a more ‘explosive’ conclusion. ?

Keep fluids by your side. You’re more likely to sip if it’s right there. Some people use a timer so they sip every 5 minutes. The 2L or 64ozs we’re advised to drink is actually what everyone should be drinking each day. More if you are physically very active or live in a very hot climate. I’m still very vigilant. I have water beside my bed & I drink every time I wake (usually to pee because I’m drinking ?) i also drink in the car. Sip when I get in. Sip when I get out. Sip at traffic lights, etc. I also found drinking warm/hot drinks easier & soothing at first. I could have green tea, which I drank anyway & I so enjoyed that big mug full I had everyday. I also used to dilute my shakes & soups/broths so I was drinking more. Remember all fluids count including shakes, soups, etc. Drinking water is habit forming. You’ll eventually get used to drinking a little often & will actually start to look for a drink. Also don’t worry if you are not exactly meeting your goal every day at first. As long as you’re pretty close & you’re working to reach your target you should be ok

You need to discuss this with your surgeon & dietician because there are lots of different answers & you need the one that is right for you & your needs as well as your team’s medical recommendations. I was never given a caloric goal just water, protein & portion size recommendations. I’d check my calories myself out of curiosity & I was only consuming 200-300 up to solid food stage. But others are given much higher caloric goals like double & triple what I was eating. And some are given very specific macro goals - how much fat, carbs, etc. to consume each day. Don't be afraid to ask for enough guidelines around this that you feel you need to feel comfortable about your food choices. I was fine with very few requirements but others feel safer if they’re given very precise instructions.

It’s very individual. I still can’t chug. More than two large swallows & my restriction kicks in but I don’t have to wait as long between a drink (a minute or two depending) so that helps. I actually prefer it because I never feel really thirsty now because I’m constantly keeping myself hydrated. If the dry mouth is bad you can try some of the mouth moisturising sprays like Biotene. Drinking frequency & volume is a habit. Your body will learn your new drinking routine of sipping little & often versus drinking large volumes a couple of times a day. It just may take a little time.

I still tend to take smaller bites. Not teaspoons but not big mouthfuls. Partly because larger bites tend to mean larger swallows which make my restriction kick in. But also because it moderates how much I eat & how long I take to eat it - more mindful eating. I also still cut up my meat when I’m at home. But that’s me & everyone is different in what they can do or like to do.

I just have water. Ask for a slice of lemon or lime so people don’t immediately think you’re just drinking water. In time you may be able to tolerate/be allowed to have some carbonation (sparkling water, soda water). You can stir it vigorously so some of the carbonation reduces & if you take it slowly a lot will abate as you sip. I went out for a ladies lunch last week & two of us just had water while the others all had wine or champagne. It’s certainly cheaper ?. It can be a bit of a change of mind set initially if you’re used to drinking alcohol or carbonated drinks when you go out. Honestly, I sometimes had an alcoholic drink if I went out when I was past month 2 of the losing phase. I would have one glass & sip for literally hours & it was only about once a month.

While the majority of us lose our hunger for a while after surgery, a small number don’t. While a lot of our hunger hormones are produced in our tummy & mostly removed during the surgery, hunger hormones, though in much s,aller quantities, are still produced in our brains. Head hunger can drive us to eat for different reasons. To soothe & comfort - post surgery your emotions can be all over the place & the surgery itself is stressful so you seek food to comfort but you can’t eat what you usually ate in emotional situations. Out of habit - you eat because of what you’re doing (watching tv, etc.) or the time (on the clock or how long since you last ate). Out of boredom - the act of looking for something to eat & eating is something to do & breaks the boredom. Craving a texture or flavour like craving sweet, salty or carbs, or wanting something crunchy or chewy, etc. - this craving can’t be satisfied during the liquid, purée & soft phases which seems to make the craving stronger. Eating mindlessly - nibbling, grazing, etc. because the food is there & for no other reason. Because so many of us were driven to eat by our head hunger in the past it’s like we have to learn what real hunger feels like now & it does feel different. How it will feel for you may be different than how it feels for me. (I get restless, think something is wrong but I don’t know what till I realise I’m hungry.) Working out strategies to manage head hunger can be challenging. Recognising it for what it is is the first step. Then look for ways to handle it: distractions (watch tv, read, do a craft, play a game, go for a walk, potter in your garden, etc), delay (wait to satisfy the craving for 30mins - it often goes), have some water, a cup of tea (herbal or green as you’re allowed),. This can help with real hunger too. It can seem a lot to work through but you’ll get there. Good luck & I hope you continue to recover well.

Stumbled upon this article this morning: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2021-09-24/collagen-skin-care-what-is-it-how-good-is-it/100431694 It basically says the body can’t absorb the collagen found in supplements. There is no real research to support the taking of collagen except that done by the companies that make it. ? The slowing of your hair loss @SummerTimeGirl could be the natural conclusion of the rapid hair loss cycle. It usually only lasts 3 or so months. It’s more likely due to your increased Protein intake than the collagen. ?

I added a collagen powder to the high protein drink I had every second day & also added liquid silica to the mix (BioCeuticals which is a practitioner quality brand - don’t know if you can get it in the US). I also did a couple of 6 week radio frequency treatments to stimulate collagen. Can I say it actually did anything to help my skin? Nope. My nails didn’t get stronger either & I still went through the har loss cycle most of us experience. I have some loose skin on my face & on my body but I did stretch out my skin being overweight so it is to be expected. We all seem to go through a stage where we all look drawn & haggard but once we get into maintenance everything seems to settle. I sometimes wonder if the actual texture of my skin improved but that is more likely down to my more balanced nutrient dense diet & being even more vigilant about my fluid consumption (& maybe regular facials ).

You could be a little dehydrated first thing in the morning or your blood pressure could be low. I seem to remember I went through a second big energy drop around the 4 month mark - very lethargic for a few weeks. Are you sleeping well? Have a chat with your medical team & ensure you are getting all the nutrients in you need (are you having regular blood work fine?).

I was sleeping on my side straight away too & I’m do almost a 3/4 body turn so almost sleeping on my tummy. I did only have stitches for the laparoscopic wounds but have had staples in my head from another surgery which I slept on with minimal discomfort. But we all heal & experience pain/discomfort differently. If you can sleep on your side early on that’s great. If you can’t that’s ok too. All the best with your recovery.

Most of the worst pain dissipates by day 5 & most don’t need anything but the occasional over the counter pain med. You’ve had pretty major surgery & we don’t always stop to think about what the surgery involved. Your abdomen has been inflated with gas (it’s often the worst), your abdominal muscles were stretched & of course you’re internal organs & nerves were cut, changed & prodded & poked. In a week you’ll feel so much better. Be gentle on yourself & allow yourself time to heal & recover. Your fluid intake will start to increase soon too as you’re likely struggling now due to swelling. Of course if the pain gets worse or doesn’t lessen, contact your surgeon.