Arabesque

I was sent home with a stronger med for constipation. I didn’t take it. Can’t recall when I started on the coloxyl. I think it was pretty much after that but I only took it (1 tablet) if I hadn’t been for three days. Five years out & I only take it if I need it which may be once one week then no need for a couple of weeks. It is good to keep on top of the constipation but you don’t want to become too reliant on it. Gotta keep your systems working as much on their own as possible. I’m presuming you need to keep things pretty soft after bypass or SADI more so than sleeve simply as you don’t want to strain your intestines at least until you are more healed.

I had to start to keep a list of what I wanted to discuss with my GP & what scripts I needed on my phone because I always forgot something. Love the notes app. Took three appointments to remember to ask for a referral to a dermatologist until I started writing a list. Ugh! Damn menopause mind tricks & general aging. ?

Sometimes you don’t have any symptoms for you to discover you have gall stones which may be why you had your gall removed unexpectedly - they only found the problem during your surgery. I found out I had a gallstone 9 months post sleeve. No symptoms then at 25 months post sleeve I had my first attack (the pain is horrendous!) and my surgeon removed my gall. The gall regulates the stomach acid entering your tummy. It can take a little while for the body to compensate for it not being there and the extra acid can cause some smelly diarrhoea. My surgeon said to let him know if it continued for more than a month. It didn’t though every now & again I might have an attack of this sort of diarrhoea (my sister-in-law does too but my aunt doesn’t). Some people struggle with fatty food after gall surgery. This is a more common malabsorption issue. Me, I got the more rare protein malabsorption. Also have issues absorbing some meds (notably my HRT). I think I have the fat one as well & is why my cholesterol has been slowly increasing - waah! Out of curiosity, why couldn’t you have the latte? I wasn’t told I couldn’t have anything after my surgery.

Only being able to eat small portions is very normal & to be expected especially only being 3 months out. Remember how small your tummy is now. Your stomach is also still tight from the surgery but it does soften over time & becomes a little more flexible as so you slowly will be able to eat more than you can in the initial period. Initially I was eating 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée & was barely eating a cup of food at 6 months but by years two or three I was eating pretty much an appropriate portion of food for e.g, about 3ozs of meat & a cup of vegetables. Most fast food & chain restaurants servings are hugely bigger (like 2, 3 or more times larger) than what is an actual recommended portion size so leftovers are expected. If eating out, order an appetiser or ask to share a main with someone else. And ask to take leftovers home. I always had left overs in my fridge from unfinished meals. Actually I still do - right now I have left over rolled oats from breakfast (I’ll eat it as an afternoon snack) and some leftover beef cheeks & vegetables from last night’s dinner. Usually it’s because I’m not all that hungry or simply have had enough. The reason behind eating slowly is for us to learn to be more conscious of actually eating & to consider whether we really need the next bite or just wanting the next bite or mindlessly shovelling food into our mouths. Also it takes at least 20 minutes for the message you are full to register. If you eat quickly you can easily eat to excess & way past being full and not eating only what you need. I also love my microwave if food gets too cold. Constipation is common. It becomes less common once you’re close to your final weight & when you’re eating a more balanced diet and larger portions. Add a non swelling soluble fibre and keep on top of the constipation by taking an over the counter medication. I’d take coloxyl if I got to day 3 without movement. And as @learn2cook suggested, speaking with a therapist (your bariatric team should be able to recommend someone with experience in disordered eating if you need) can be very helpful. All the best.

Welcome & congratulations on your decision to have sleeve surgery. Can’t help with your denture question. After surgery , many of us experience a temporary change to our tastebuds & sense of smell meaning that some foods (including shakes & drinks) taste &/or smell awful. For me things became too sweet & some textures became off putting (like the shakes were too grainy for me after surgery). It can persist for a couple of months. Moral is have a couple of samples of different brands & flavours on hand. Also some develop a temporary sensitivity to lactose so you may have to find a plant based protein shake. I started driving short distances during the second week. But your surgeon will advise what they recommend for you.. I didn’t return to work until week 5 (I struggled with low blood pressure & energy & had a shorter concentration span for a little while) but I know people who were back at work after a week. A friend took 3 weeks. It really depends on how you recover. Generally I felt okay for basic chores around the house & short trips to the shops in the second week. Pain was gone by day 4 except for a little general discomfort if I did a little too much or moved too quickly. I lived alone and I was fine by myself though I didn’t have any health issues which may have meant I required any assistance. I slept easily on my side & could get up & down easily (just slowly & carefully). Write down your questions or things you may want to confirm from our stories as you think of them so you have them ready to raise with your surgeon. It’s easy to forget somethings.

Yes the pouch reset is a lie. You can’t reset your tummy. It’s working as it should. It doesn’t control you deciding to eat. What you need is to reset your head (thinking). Start reintroducing the behaviours you followed when you were nearing your stabilised weight. You can start by introducing just one or two changes every week or two (small changes are easier to accept, adopt & adapt to). For example: start by tracking your food to see what you’re actually eating (nutrients, calories), how much you’re eating ( portion size) and how often. Then ensure your meeting your protein & fluid goals. Then introduce reviewing portion sizes. Then maybe drop a snack or two. If you’ve let your activity slide start reintroducing something even walking at first. You’re on your way because you want to get back on track. May be see a therapist to discuss how you can avoid reverting back to your pre surgery eating behaviours again - can’t hurt. All the best.

Some do take something every day others don’t. Depends on your needs. I took, a stool softener (coloxyl) if I got to a third day without any movement. Some swear by that smooth move tea but any over the counter medication will help. Add a non swelling fibre like Benefibre every day too. Ensure you're getting your fluids in. Do t expect to go every day the first couple of month. You are consuming very little so have little to poop. Do try to keep on top of it though to avoid it becoming chronic, painful & needing extra strong medication or other intervention to break it.

I completely agree with what everyone has said so far. I will add, there are many people on this forum who hesitated & deferred their surgery for many reasons (influence of family or friends, own fear & doubt, etc.) all say after they do have surgery, they wish they had done it the first time. I hate people, who have never had the surgery, say it’s the easy way out & that they care about you. If they cared about you & your health they would support you wanting to do something to benefit & improve your health. And, importantly, it’s not easy. You have to watch every thing you eat & doing some form of activity is recommended but unlike any usual weight loss diet & exercise program you have to do a lot of head work. The head is where many of the issues that drive excessive eating (addictions, emotional issues, etc.) originate. The psychological aspect of the surgical program is great & a vital aspect of continued success. I can’t stress this enough. The other thing is that the programs get you to examine & change how & what you eat which any traditional diet doesn’t. It’s why traditional diets fail - we all go back to eating the same way we always did. However, the whole process does get easier as you progress and get to the point of maintaining your lower weight. Many of your new learned eating behaviours & food choices become imbedded and second nature. New habits are formed. Less liked foods become favourites. You’ll discover & enjoy new cooking styles & ingredients. You’ll learn what you can & can’t eat to maintain your weight & how much & how often of some other things you can eat (like those old favourites). And you work out a way to eat that is sustainable and doesn’t feel like you are missing out or punishing yourself like a traditional diet does. If you decide to explore the surgical option again, maybe don’t tell anyone until you are completely certain about your decision and won’t be swayed by people who don’t understand or respect your opinions, intelligence, decision making abilities & have never walked in your shoes through your life. All the best which ever path you chose.

Hey @MrsFitz, I’m a little confused. Sleeve does reduce hunger hormones - where it is produced in the tummy is in the section of the tummy that is removed. Unfortunately, hunger hormones are also produced in the brain which can compensate which is why hunger comes back in varying degrees for both sleeve & bypass.

My cousin experienced early menopause in her late 30s too. It was a shock to her as well. Thankfully she had a good & supportive doctor. I hope the functional medicine doctor is able to help you. I’d seriously consider going down the HRT route. I’ve been on it for about 8 years. I had an absorption issue with it after my gall was removed but we sorted that. So many benefits besides the hot flushes, night sweats, emotions (I got pretty feisty before I started on it), etc. There are other benefits as well: help with bone density by reducing calcium loss, supports muscle development/strength, brain & cardiac health & reduction in cervical, uterine & colorectal cancers. Plus I look way younger than my friends who are similar ages but aren’t on it (slows the decrease & can boost collagen production). PS Don’t forget it is normal for the rate of loss to slow to almost a crawl as we near our stabilised weight. Consequently those last pounds can be a right b*&ch to lose. Congratulations on what you have achieved so far.

Congratulations @kristieshannon. Welcome to the five years club. Yay! Where are you off to?

I don’t drink sodas diet or not either except for soda water & tonic on the rare occasions I have a gin (can’t recall the last time I had one). I do drink sparkling water every day (San Pellegrino is my go to). I started drinking that around month 3 or 4 I think. I’d let it go pretty flat & sipped on it for hours interspersed with plain water back then. If I’m socialising I’ll sometimes have soda or sparkling water with a slice of lime if I don’t feel like an alcoholic drink. I stopped a lot of carbonated drinks some years before my WLS as a way of managing my reflux, of course the calories (?) & I was questioning the use & impacts of artificial sweeteners. So I lost my desire/craving for it way before my surgery. But you know you best & whether it will lead you down a slippery slope.

Thank you @MrsFitz. It has been pretty crappy lately. I had small fibroids picked up last year & GP sent me for a follow up ultra sound to check growth in June which was when they picked up the cervical fibroid had grown but they questioned if it was a fibroid or something else. Sent to gyno. Sent for an MRI & they still don’t know what it is. Sent to a gyno oncologist. Waiting for deeper Pap smear result but considering a hysterectomy regardless of the results (she doesn’t know if the deeper Pap smear into the cervix actually reached the mass so another may not be an accurate test & result). At least, I’ve been able to get appointments to see each specialist comparatively very quickly: about 2 months from when I got referral from GP for ultrasound. I hope your getting appointments quickly too @fed-up & we get an answer and a way forward soon.

Oh no, @fed-up. I’m going through this too & waiting for results (an undiagnosed cervical mass) so I know how you’re feeling. Those ‘it could be nothing but ….’ statements from the specialists are the worst and then the waiting for results are a rollercoaster. You’ll be in my prayers. Fingers crossed for an all clear.

Funny how different our taste buds can be after surgery. Rice protein powder is a new one for me but I struggled with the pea protein. So much for its claim it was flavourless. I love peas but this tasted & smelt awful. Plus the texture - blah! I had a huge container of it & was going to throw it out but like you felt it was a waste of ‘food’ (& money). Ended up giving it to some friends of friends who loved it. May be you can find someone to give your rice powder to or donate it to a food bank?? I gave away some tins of tuna I had in my cupboard (gone right off it not that I loved it before). The pest man who came to spray my house yesterday took the two tins I had. Now to find someone to take the tinned salmon.

So sorry you are experiencing this @fed-up. Have you seen a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss issues? There may be something else going on. What are your blood work results like? Have you had your hormone levels checked?

Glad things have gone well so far. The sucking not blowing the spirometer confusion I think is pretty wide spread. We thought you had to blow for years before a nurse told us. ??. Oh those inflating leg things that gently pulse to keep your blood pumping to avoid clots are wonderful. They felt so soothing. Will you be heading home tomorrow?

Usually weight loss & eating more nutritious foods boosts your immune system. Maybe you’re a little run down from the recovery & healing, the physical & emotional stress of it all, from the changed diet/lower calories & the initial more rapid weight loss. Low protein can affect healing but, if I remember correctly your protein intake has been okay. How are your iron levels? Anaemia can affect your immune system too. Sorry lancing the abscess was so painful. ☹️

Made meatloaf for the first time ever. It’s not something we traditionally make in Australia but decided to, give it a go. Of course I didn’t follow the recipe exactly - do I ever ?. Added lentils, used tomato paste & balsamic vinegar for the glaze, added carrots & celery to the mix and used panko crumbs. Will be lots of portions to freeze!

Remember the first week is always the hardest on the liquid diet. I didn’t do it for my surgery but I did it myself a couple of time to try to lose weight before I ever thought about surgery. Maybe be a little more gentle on yourself and give your body time to get used to the reduced calories, low/no carbs, and whatever else has been cut from your usual diet like sugar & caffeine & your body used to rely on. The spring cleaning jobs will still be there & who cares if it takes you longer to get through them. (Mine are still there from last year ?.)

So lovely. And look at that jaw line and cheek bones. Even your eyes are larger & brighter.

Some people do develop a sensitivity or intolerance to lactose after surgery. Don’t know why. I had it before surgery thanks to a parasite in my tummy which was in the section that was removed (good riddance) though I can still be a bit sensitive if I consume a lot of milk which if do in my rolled oats. So I drink lactose free milk now. Only difference between real milk & lactose free is that it’s a little bit less rich. It tastes great how ever you use it (porridge, shakes, coffee, etc.). Only thing is the skim/low fat versions taste sweet (well to me anyway) but I’m a full fat girl so …

Two weeks is the usual length of the pre surgery diet. But there are difference in what format the diet actually takes. Some are all liquid like yours (can be shakes or milk based drinks or other liquids) or two shake meals & one meal. Mine was keto. It, as @ShoppGirl said, can be influenced by your staring weight & how much weight they want you to lose to reduce the size of your liver before the surgery. It may be your general health status. It can also just be your surgeon’s preference. My two friends & I were each on a different pre surgery diet but all were two weeks long (2 of us had the same surgeon .) Each of us were in different places (health, weight) when we began.

When I was trying to slow my weight loss I was snacking 5 x a day. I felt like I was eating all day long. In time my meal sizes got a little larger though I still snack 3-4 x a day to get the calories in. Peanut paste, nuts, protein bar, string cheese, yoghurt. baked fava beans or chick peas, half an apple, small bunch of grapes, & my left over rolled oats, yoghurt & dried cranberry breakfast are all snack options. I’m a full fat milk & full fat salad dressing girl too. No low fat foods in my kitchen (in many cases it’s high sugar &/or high salt to compensate for the low fat). I wouldn’t get worried yet. Yes there is the bounce back many experience to keep in mind. Your remaining fat will resettle and changes your body shape & you’ll look less gaunt especially in the face. Much like we tell people while they’re losing not to worry about the number on the scales too much, the same is true now while things are stabilising. Though you say you look bony & too skinny how much of this is body dysmorphia & you’re not really seeing yourself? Are you too skinny or is it too skinny in comparison to how big you were before? Are you really seeing bones sticking out or just seeing some shadowing of bones or feeling bones which you’ve never seen or felt before or have forgotten? It takes time to really see yourself after weight loss. Our brains can really twist our thinking.

Oh that little hanging pooch I know well. It makes me smile when I look down & see it when doing my stretches. I mean I don’t like it but rather it than the big belly I used to have. ? As much as we’d wish it the exercising/weight training won’t get rid of the excess skin. It was stretched by excess fat not extra muscle. The muscle building does make your thighs or arms look better & can distract the eye from the sags & bags. I often get compliments on my arms and my wings are old retired hen size. Your baby chicken winglets are so tiny & probably very much like those someone who’s never had a weight issue has.