Arabesque

Yep, erratic & changed periods post surgery is quite common. As you lose weight, oestrogen (& other hormones, vitamins, toxins, etc.) stored in your fat is released into your blood stream. I’m menopausal & after surgery my symptoms disappeared. Yay! (Though on HRT I still had break through symptoms before surgery.) Unfortunately they all came back when I stopped losing - no more oestrogen being released from my fat to offset what want I wasn’t producing anymore. ☹️ I questioned my surgeon about my HRT absorption because a much younger friend was told she’d have to find an alternative to her pill. My surgeon said taking the pill or HRT was not an issue with a sleeve. But it all depends upon where your pill (or any medication) is absorbed. Check with your surgeon or prescribing doctor to be totally certain.

Well here’s my throw together chicken & lentil soup. Only thing I bought was a leek. Had all the other ingredients in the freezer, fridge or pantry. Yoghurt is always a thing @GreenTealael. Are they prunes, cranberries or something else with the almonds?

We all lose at our own rate. Some are slow losers, others fast. Both are fine. Your weight loss seems great so far @rgwtwins. About 40lbs over 10 weeks is about 4 lbs a week. That’s pretty damn good. Celebrate those pounds you’ve lost. Yes, stalls can be damn frustrating but they do happen & unfortunately can occur a few times. Usually a stall will break in its own time without you doing anything different. If you’re worried, meet with your dietician just to ensure you are not missing something. Sometimes a small tweak will kick start your loss again especially if it’s persisting for more than 4 weeks. Yes @Cheryl A, the higher your starting weight the faster you tend to lose at first but it will slow. If your medical team is happy with your rate of loss, enjoy your weight loss too. It’s probably a bit of a shock but you’re doing well.

I agree with @philannony - just take whatever you’re making for yourself for dinner. I was & still am a big cook it myself person & I still spend time ‘bagging’ up single serve portions of whatever I cook to put in the freezer. (Actually just bagged up three serves of a chicken & lentil soup I made last night.) Before work, I’d just select a frozen portion & then zap it in the microwave at work. Easy. Also handy for those nights you don’t feel like cooking. My freezer is usually full of serves of soup, rissoles (meat balls), chicken tenderloin, lamb cutlets, savoury mince, corned beef, etc. Plenty of variety so you don’t get bored eating the same meal for lunch & dinner. In those first months, mince dishes, soups & casseroles were my go to as they always included some vegetable. Later chicken tenders were easy (just made a simple salad & tossed in the chicken at lunch). Also took cheese sticks, I also found a great frittata recipe. (I swap around the ingredients salmon instead of tuna & various veg.) Make it in a tray pan & slice it into portions or in muffin tins. Always a couple of serves of that in my freezer too. All the best.

Ok. Take a breath. You just had pretty major surgery. Your digestive system has been altered. There are lots of sutures & staples holding your tummy together. You’re on a restricted diet. It’s perfectly fine to be experiencing low energy & tiredness. You’ve never done this surgery before & it may even be your first ever surgery. Plus the surgery itself can cause many to experience a roller coaster of emotions. If you’re consuming 64oz+/- of fluid a day you shouldn’t be dehydrated but there is no harm in checking at your local medical centre to ensure you’re not. I added 500mls (16ozs) of diluted hydralite to my daily fluid intake for a few months. The electrolytes gave me a little boost of energy. Take it easy on yourself. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed & like crap. It will get better & easier. All the best.

You can experience many stalls as you’re losing so you’re likely experiencing another one now. Frustrating I know. If it persists more than 4 weeks, check in with your dietician. Sometimes a small tweak to your diet can kick start your loss & also ensure you are still following your plan (it’s easy to get a little complacent as the months go by cause we think we have it all under control). A change to your exercise program (frequency, duration or activity) can also shake the stall. Good luck.

For ages I used to suffer from very sharp cutting like pains across my tummy. Ultrasound, barium meal & endoscopy & they found slight reflux, no ulcer & a little scaring. What they did discover was I overproduced acid. No food in my tummy - pain. Not from hunger but from too much acid. The pain & the acidic tummy often made me not want to eat but, you know, vicious circle. The easiest & quickest way to stop the pain was to eat. (Carbs like bread, cracker breads, pasta, rice, etc. worked best - more absorptive I guess.) Because much of this is like what you’re experiencing I wonder if that is your problem too. Certainly worth asking your doctors. I take Nexium every day now. I say it’s for my increased but different reflux but I also think a lot of it is still too much acid in my tummy. And it’s likely why, & with no gall either, I have random attacks of diarrhoea a couple of times a month - acid irritating my bowel. Changing your diet is a great start I managed my reflux that way after it was diagnosed. Only took esomeprazole occasionally then. No carbonated drinks (terrible hiccups if I indulged in more than 2 glasses of champagne or G&Ts), no spicy food, nothing too fatty, no rich or creamy foods (watch cheese too), reduced caffeine (single large mug of green tea a day). Maybe try eating more regularly & more dense food (not advocating lots of simple carbs but maybe some good complex whole or multi grains). I hope they can find an answer for you soon. All the best.

If I eat too quickly I get discomfort, my restriction kicks in or worst case scenario the foamies & that’s the end of eating anything more even if I’m nowhere near eating my meal. So I still eat slowly 2 3/4 yrs out. Happily take 30-60 minutes to eat a meal. Helps to reduce that temptation to eat more & increase my attention on why I’m having that next bite. But that’s me.

It’s as @GradyCat said: as long as the NSAID isn’t going through your digestive system you’re fine. The issue with NSAIDS post weight loss surgery is the irritation they cause to your tummy & potential for reflux, GERD, bleeding, ulcers etc. Remember you have a much smaller tummy so the effects of the NSAIDS are concentrated. Topical & intravenous NSAIDS are not absorbed in the digestive system. But check with your surgeon if your concerned.

I was never given a limit for carbs. Just advised to keep my intake low so avoid as possible. (Though I was able to have rolled oats from purée.) I was told to consider fruit & vegetables not as a ‘carb’ but an important source of fibre & essential vitamins & nutrients that were to be eaten after protein if I was able. Plus most veg are pretty low in carbs. Fruit is a little more but still you can’t eat much those first few months. I started fruit at around the 2 month mark I think. As an afternoon snack but not every day - watermelon (fluid content was a bonus) & strawberries to begin. Added other choices as I progressed. Now I have blueberries every day at breakfast & another serve of fruit (various) a couple of times a week. Fruit is my sugar fix. ? My biggest challenge with fruit is eating it too quickly - all that juicy goodness - then I have discomfort & on some occasions my restriction kicks in which is damn annoying. I started vegetables from soft food - carrots, celery, onion, tomato & mushrooms in slow cooked soups & stews. Then I added a couple of steamed green beans, cabbage or a cauliflower floret with dinner once on solid food. Now I eat a decent serve of whatever vegetables I want for lunch & dinner.

Your migraines may have improved because of your reduced blood pressure &/or the hormonal changes. Some migraines are triggered by certain foods like pickled or fermented foods, chocolate & caffeine so the changes you’ve made to your diet may also have helped. Whatever the reason why, the fact the attacks have improved is fantastic & a great win. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Were you given a list of foods to eat & avoid during each stage? It’s always best to follow the plan you’re given by your surgeon. You could try bone broths & pho & wonton soups (without the wontons, noodles, vegetables, etc. of course). Actually all soups are good just strain them to ensure there are all liquid - no chunks or fibrous bits. If you’re on full liquid how are you eating yoghurt? It’s usually added during the purée stage but then all plans are different. You can have a yoghurt drink/smoothie just blitz your yoghurt with milk, protein powder (plain or flavoured), etc. Once you’re on the purée stage you can look to thicker but still thin foods like scrambled eggs, instant oats, even meats (incl tinned fish) blended with gravy, stock, milk, Mayo, etc. then strained. Lots more options then. Check to see if these things are allowed on your plan first though.

I had reflux before my sleeve surgery but it is a stage before gerd. I also managed it with dietary choices & only had symptoms if I made poor food/drink choices. I still have reflux post surgery but it manifests differently. I take Nexium every day whereas prior to surgery I only took it as needed (months between taking one). It generally manages it except for a little throat burning late at night or early morning 4 or 5 times a week. But this is a conversation to have with your surgeon as they will be best placed to assess the severity of your gerd & the possible risks of worsening your gerd having sleeve surgery versus RNY.

My first thought was a hernia & as you had a small one anyway it could have just got worse. Glad you’re seeing your doctor soon. No one should experience pain. Be careful moving & stretching in the meantime. All the best.

Don’t know about you but I think this is the best non scale victory ever - even though it’s hindering you being able to access secure apps. Just think your phone is seeing that you have cheek bones, fewer chins, less droopy eyelids, improved facial definition, etc. even if you don’t yet. Time to look more closely in your mirror I think @lizonaplane. It’s wonderful. Love it.

@MandoGetsSleeved you’ve done so well. Congratulations. I understand the power of the number on the scale. It can make your day or tear you down. I’m battling it now - only over a good kilo or so that won’t budge but I don’t want that number on the scale to be what it is. It’s incredible how demoralising even a single kg can be. I’m very fearful it may be the herald of more gain. (Damn 3rd year regain.) I wonder if where you are now is the weight your body is happy at even though your mind is not. Remember unfortunately not everyone gets to their goal though you’re so close which can make it more challenging to accept. Are you satisfied with your food intake & activity levels at the moment? Does it limit or restrict you doing things you enjoy like socialising, etc? To lose more & then maintain at a lower weight will mean you will need to eat less & exercise more than you do now at your current weight. But saying all that if you want to lose more go for it. Have a chat with your dietician to see if there’s anything else you can do - sometimes a small tweak can make a huge difference. Do check your body measurements too to allow for muscle gain or fat redistribution (it happens). All the best.

Too kind @Sophie7713 but I am surviving. As I said it seems to be the specific extras I use to boost my protein intake I’m struggling to find. Hunted & gathered at a different store this morning & found the water I prefer (am not crazy some water tastes hideous & our local water supply is very ‘dirty’ tasting at the moment because of heavy rains) & a couple of tubs of the 20g protein yoghurt I like. Forgot to look for my protein bars but I’m rationing the ones I have. Ok with toilet paper as being a single person it takes a while to go through a pack. ? Not like my brother’s family - with 5 females in the house they go through a roll a day ?. At least, I’m pretty good with throwing a few things in a pot and coming up with a yummy soup or stew or stir fry dish like your chilli. Having a few good stores in your pantry & freezer are the way to go to boost flavour & ingredients. I hear you about the couple of pounds gain. I’m still haven’t really knocked off my Christmas kilo either. I thought I had but no. Sigh!

You’re not the only one. Not saying it’s right or wrong but whether you do it again is up to you. This is just the beginning of big changes to how & what you eat. Take it one day at a time. The first week is usually the hardest because your breaking habits & addictions. All the best.

Watch your diet. Certain foods will encourage flare ups. There is a prescription medication to manage gout. Can’t recall it’s name. When you first take it the side effects aren’t pleasant as it flushes the excess uric acid out of your body but once that occurs & you keep taking the meds you don’t experience that again. It could be occurring because the uric acid stored in your fat is being released into your body as you’re losing weight.

Congratulations! Definitely see your doctor & then your surgeon. Start adding folic acid to your vitamin regime now - get supplements from your pharmacy. Also, talk to your dietician about what you can add to your post surgical diet to ensure you’re getting in a variety of nutrients. You may be surprised how few extra calories you’ll need - you’re not eating for two adults but for yourself & a tiny growing baby.

I’m with @Sleeve me alone!. Stick to fresh ingredients & prep your own meals. Add your favourite herbs & spices as you’re able. You’ll find to begin you’ll tolerate a more simple diet more easily & meals may just be protein. Can you order protein shakes online because they will be the focus of your post surgical diet for the first couple of weeks. Do products you can buy list the ingredients? They tend to list ingredients in order of amount used so if sugar is high on the list avoid it. Many manufactures list nutritional content of their products online too so you could try that. I’m a big make it myself person but I rarely follow recipes. Once you have a few basic recipes you can vary ingredients & boost them up however you want. You can make soup & stew like dishes without a recipe from almost whatever meat, vegetables, legumes you have in your fridge, freezer or pantry. I keep tins of beans, lentils & tomatoes, stock & gravy powders in my pantry - you don’t have to worry too much about their sugar, salt, fat & carb content - & they can be easily used in a variety of dishes. I’m making a no recipe soup this weekend: chicken thighs in the freezer, lentils in the pantry & will add, celery, onion, carrot, chicken stock, some herbs, garlic, ginger. Done & yum! All the best.

I picked a weight that had always been my lowest weight the many, many times I’d lost weight in the past. It put me at a BMI of 23. My surgeon thought it was an achievable goal & it was. I reached it by 6 months & then continued to lose as I tried to sort out my maintenance. Whatever weight you reach has to be one you can maintain without having to establish unsustainable limitations to your diet & how you want to live your life: happy & healthy. All the best.

Could be just your crazy hormones at the moment but am glad you are seeing your gyno tomorrow just to be sure. Hope you’ve fully recovered from Covid too.

That’s such a thoughtful offer but I, like everyone else here will survive. ? I did consider dried beans too but decided it wasn’t worth the effort of rehydrating & cooking them for what is essentially the 1/3 cup I throw in my salad every couple of days. And I actually found oats yesterday on a foraging expedition to another supermarket - whoo hoo.

I agree with what @ShoppGirl said. Many use not just your weight before the pre surgical diet but your weight when you begin the whole approval process. Have you been approved? You said you’re committed to surgery in April. Have you begun your approval process? Your weight at surgery may not be a consideration at all but ask your surgeon or team to be sure. The surgery is a tool & like any tool if you don’t use it & take advantage of what it can offer, it won’t work. Many of the benefits post surgery (like loss of appetite & hunger) are only temporary. The surgery is not a guarantee of permanent weight loss. That is up to you. Your physiology & psychology will influence how successful you are. As @ShoppGirl said if you don’t make permanent changes to how, why & what you eat you will regain your weight. It’s a simple truth. But one you need to be fully aware of when making your decision to have surgery. It may be helpful if you see a therapist who specialises in bariatric patients & eating disorders. Your surgeon, doctor or medical team should be able to recommend someone. Many, many people here have sought support from a therapist before & after surgery. It’s not easy to reflect on your eating habits & drives (cravings, emotions, etc.) alone & a therapist will help you work through them & the questions & concerns you have. All the best.