lisafrommassachusetts

Hang in there, the first few weeks are challenging! I have always hated the taste of artificial sweeteners, but find Stevia and Monk Fruit a little easier to take. For Protein drinks I used Iconic Protein; I like the chocolate truffle flavor. I also used the Iconic Protein Powder with Fairlife milk, 1%, which gives you quite a protein punch. I also loved chicken bone broth; Swanson's makes a grab and go cup which I brought to work. Various teas helped me, including ginger with a little stevia, and Egyptian Licorice, which has a strong taste, and I liked that iced. sugar free popsicles were also a staple for me during that first stage.
Once you move into Phases 2 and 3 it gets a bit easier; Plus once the exhaustion of the surgery passes it is easier to get up and do something (even just a bit of a walk) which takes your mind off when you can eat next!
I also like the sugar free Jello pudding, especially Pistachio, and don't find the artificial flavoring as strong in that as in some other things. Again, if you make it with the Fairlife Milk you get extra protein.
Yogurt is also your friend! I eat Siggi's Icelandic Yogurt; low carbs and high protein.
Good luck!

You must’ve missed the first reply which was a picture of what the OP actually ate- an egg muffin or baked egg cup. Lots of people missed that fact because the picture wasn’t in the original post.

Turns out you also missed the OP’s reply that she felt terrible after and was in pain but also planned on texting the surgeon to discuss what happened.

Berating her and telling her she needs therapy isn’t going to help, just like the enabling won’t. Compassion and empathy go a long way. We were all new to post-op at one point and nothing you can do will truly prepare you for it. Take a deep breath and realize the OP learned a valuable lesson from this.

Yeah, why not do the right thing and simply "stick to the program"?
1) She thought it would be fun and perfectly ok to eat an egg mcmuffin that early out.
2) She wanted to sabotage her success on purpose.
3) Disordered eating got the better of her.
I opt for number 3!
Stop being so damn self-righteous about this!

I have decided this past year to abandon a “size” or poundage goal. I have lived as a morbidly obese person for so many years. I lost over 140 pounds then had regain over 8 years. I lost the regain in the past year. I am 5’2”. Now. I shrunk - being 64 now. I now weigh about 175. I went from over 320 pounds to 175. I am comfortable here. I feel good. I am maintaining the weight loss with healthy and mindful eating. I am never going to reach my surgeon’s goal for me 10 years ago. (145 ) I am happy to be where I am. Once Covid calms down I will get labs done - I am back to having lost 145 pounds. No plastics - but yes to excess skin and trapped fat. I don’t want any elective surgeries. I am happy wearing a petite size 16. Live happily within yourself. And congratulations on a healthy you !

This is me at my mid-goal photo. I still have about 40lbs to go! I can’t believe I’m this thin again! The pants were my daughters and I had to ask her to bring me some things because nothing fit. Top is a Large and trending to Medium pretty fast!!

Not 7 days post op or you could really injure yourself enough to need surgery. Th sis happened to someone in my program. He was in rehab for a couple of months after they operated on him again. I don't mean to be scary but 7 days after surgery can be dangerous.

It's a story as old as time...
First you look, just a quick look which turns into a long, langorous gaze, taking in every curve...
Then, you just must touch. Just a little touch. Before you know it, you're holding it, caressing the peperoni...
Next thing you know, you are waking up in a gutter with pizza stains on your cuff, wondering where your weekend went.
Nine months later, a pizza delivery guy shows up at your door with a package...
Tek

I don't know what I was thinking I have been under considerable stress and I didn't give myself credit for coming out the other side. I'm not surprised that my diet was going out the window. I'm back on track, writing down my food, shopping for what I want to eat and getting lots of sleep. I'm feeling much better

@Donna1966 myfitnesspal has a wonderful recipe converter. I use it all the time both to determine portion size for me and to track Protein, calories and carbs.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

@Donna1966 myfitnesspal has a wonderful recipe converter. I use it all the time both to determine portion size for me and to track Protein, calories and carbs.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

It tastes good. lol

some relationships get better, some get worse, some stay about the same. Mine actually got better - my husband is/was very active, and at almost 400 lbs, I couldn't keep up with him. Now - I can! But I've also known a couple of people who've ended up divorced. I think it largely depends on how the marriage was BEFORE the surgery. Some people, after losing their excess weight, decide they're not going to put up with the crap any longer. They're more self-confident, they're more attractive to others (so there are other fish in the sea, if they so choose), so they're comfortable saying good-bye.
SO...long way of saying, it's certainly not a guarantee that you'll have an affair or want a divorce. But I'm glad you're talking to your therapist. It sounds like there are issues there. I personally don't know if I'd want to put up with them, but then, I'm not you. You may prefer to stay and work on the issues - and that's fine! Like others have said, I have no advice for you - but I'm glad you're seeing a therapist to help you work some of this out.

All insightful advice above
my opinion: Choose peace and happiness (which ever path that may be)
Good Luck ♥️

I definitely had my share of complications (nothing life threatening) over the years and had more than one revision because of this but I don't regret it.
The only thing I regret is that I postponed revision from lap band for so long. I don't know if hesitating bought me some complications that could've been avoided but in the end it's speculative so no reason to mull it over in my head.
When it comes to "regret": I don't think you will get many "I regret it" answers for several reasons.
1) Most people on here are relatively early out. They're still in the weight loss phase when rewards are rolling in big or in early maintenance phase. That's too soon for e. g. long-term nutritional deficiencies or transfer addiction to roar their ugly heads. It's also too early for regain struggles.
2) There is high selection bias on internet boards. Here you either see "surgery newbies" or very successful people who want to Celebrate their success and maybe make sure to stay on track by posting here or simply continue hanging around because they want to stay in contact with certain users.
3) People having serious ongoing complications or insufficient weight loss or major regain and therefore feeling regret don't tend to hang around here. Maybe they meet elsewhere or suffer in silence, I don't know. Once in a while you see a new user posting about regain and "wanting help". They make a thread, get several answers and seem to vanish into thin air again but they don't hang around so you can e. g. follow their journey for some months to come.

I just tried siggi's almond butter and vanilla skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and it is delicious! Very filling. Add a small salad and you have lunch. It is 19grams of protein! 260 calories.
They also have mixed berry with almond butter which does not appeal to me, and Apple & Cinnamon, which does, but it was not in my local grocery store.

I had my 6 month surgery mark on Sunday, and my tele-doc visit with the PA and the Nutritionist yesterday. Everything is on track, which is good to hear; my blood work is all good as far as Vitamins, macronutrients, Protein, etc. Because I use Myfitnesspal to track food, the nutritionist was able to review my diet with quite a bit of detail, and thinks my carbs are a bit low; sometimes my carbs are as low as 20-25 (but sometimes they are 85!); she suggested I monitor to see if I am tired on the days my carbs are below 40, and adjust.
I can't believe it has only been 6 months...February seems a lifetime ago, given all the ways our world has changed since then.
Thought I'd share a before and after (during? Because I hope I'm not "done"): Before is from a wedding in 2019; After is from a hike/walk on Sunday.

good morning.... Pretty much the same status i started with .... it was 2009 and at 5'2" and 232lbs. I had NO self confidence and NO sense of self. My x brought me to nothing. He (6'4" not overweight) is the most self-centered, selfish, controlling, norcicistic man you will ever met. I took it for 26 years... technically 29, we dated for 3 years. It was a gradual thing... At first it was my friends, then my co-workers, then my family. We would only do things with his friends and family. I could never do anything with friends and co-workers only if he was there. Family, i could on holidays and he would never come. He controlled everything even though i work all the time (2-3 jobs sometimes). He took all of my main jobs money. I was able to keep the cash of the other (waitress). This is what i used to buy personal stuff and my kids things. I couldn't even buy underwear without his approval. I would sew up the holes just to avoid an argument. Cut my kids pants for shorts for school.... it was ruff.
I thought all those years ago, if only i were skinny i could make him happy. Make him love me again, make him want to be with me sexually... and life would be fine. But NO, life after the band got worse. From day one he hated the thought of me losing weight. He was very degrading to me and one of the biggest was my weight. Of course, he told me all the "normal" things you tell a large person..... Your fat, no one will ever want you, you are disgusting, Lazy.... that i was ugly... But when i tried to lose weight he would always sabotage it. He knew and would still make me bring him home cake, pie, ice cream...., Then say, you don't have to eat it. Well when i decided to have WLS, he fitted out... he did everything in his power to get me to change my mind, and when i didn't and was doing my 2 week liquid diet..... he decided to go on a 4 day bike drive to the mountains. I stood strong and didn't cheat not once. As it would turn out, that trip saved me.... My company did a massive lay off and i was to be part of the over 100 to be let go. But because i wasn't there they couldn't lay me off. That Tuesday i had the band sx and went back to work the following Monday and lost my job and insurance.... It was a blessing in disguise. Over the next year, i lost 69lbs. the next year i lost 20lbs and that's pretty much where i stayed. In 2012 without him know till two day before i had a TT w/MR and Lipo to the flanks..... HOLY HELL was he mad. I thought i didn't come all this way to be left with saggy skin... As my confidence grew my tolerance of him got less and less. Even with him still degrading me.... I was too skinny, looked like a bag of bones, still ugly, but now he pointed out the wrinkles. And through it all...... Why are you losing weight? You must be cheating... NO. In 2014ish.... i got to the point where i hated going home. My oldest was out the house and married and my youngest was on his way. There was nothing at home except my dog and a hateful miserable husband. I asked him so many times for counseling... he said, if you pay for it, i'll go, but i don't need that, there is nothing wrong with me.... It's all you. That was it, the last straw... i started preparing my self to be on my own. In July of 2015 i told him that if things didn't change, i was filing for divorce come January. He of course didn't believe me, well January came and i filed. He still didn't believe i would go through with it.... but when i started going out and leaving him home he finally got it. I was gone forever. I made him move out July 4th.... My independence day..... It was like the world was lifted off me. I could breathe. And i figured if i had too, i would work 3 jobs again... My weight went up and down over the years, but never more than 20lbs.... i was at my lowest when he left 130ish. But got back to my normal 143lbs.
Dating was exhausting and fun all in one. Then in Oct i signed up for Match on a "free" week just to see what was out there in crazy land. And i met the man of my dreams.... we talk, texted for a few weeks and then met in person. I never knew men could be like this. Opened doors, pulled out chairs, walk nearest the road, carried my luggage, complimented me, listen to all my crap... Including that i was dating others and was NOT interested in a relationship. But i found myself comparing all the other men to him... and my friend said, men like him and one in a billion, take him before someone else does..... and i did. He is the most incredible man, supports me in everything including my revision to the sleeve a year ago..... and our 1 year wedding is on the 28th...

Hi everyone!!! Im almost at the 6.5 month mark & I feel absolutely FANTASTIC. I haven't felt this great since I was a freshman in college. I'm down 79 lbs- everyone is noticing a huge difference which is sometimes a bit awkward because they're like "you look so good" and in my head I'm like "I also looked so good before ...or did I?" Messes with the brain and self esteem in weird ways.. Anywho- I have my days where I look in the mirror and feel like I have a long way to go, but I'm actually 24 lbs away from my surgeons goal of 170lbs. Ive only dumped maybe 3 times "non-traditionally" I get the sweats and have to use the bathroom shortly after. I have had episodes of the foamies 2 times though (dry heaving with only clear slimy stuff coming out?). I haven't been able to pinpoint what triggers it, but I definitely hate it. Surprisingly I am able to tolerate just about anything.. don't judge me or just stop reading now lol.. I've had small portions of: Cake, chips, Fried Foods, Fast Foods, pizza, Ice cream the list of no-no's honestly goes on and on. You name it I've probably at least had a bite to test the waters, but I do eat clean 80% of the time- which is my long-term goal. I have been working out on and off. I completed a full body strength training 28 day challenge and worked my way up to running/walking (2.5 minutes running/ 30 seconds walking) 2.47 miles using the run keeper app. I then took a break to plan and have my micro-wedding which was 7/23/20! I'll attach some photos. The wedding threw me for a loop and I didn't workout for about a month after that, so I'm still getting back into the groove and trying to make it a habit. So far so good, I worked out everyday this week (Monday-Friday) I want to take weekends off. I have some loose skin that I think will need some plastic surgery later on in life, I'm not that worried about it right now. Hope everyone is doing well!

I had my 6 month surgery mark on Sunday, and my tele-doc visit with the PA and the Nutritionist yesterday. Everything is on track, which is good to hear; my blood work is all good as far as Vitamins, macronutrients, Protein, etc. Because I use Myfitnesspal to track food, the nutritionist was able to review my diet with quite a bit of detail, and thinks my carbs are a bit low; sometimes my carbs are as low as 20-25 (but sometimes they are 85!); she suggested I monitor to see if I am tired on the days my carbs are below 40, and adjust.
I can't believe it has only been 6 months...February seems a lifetime ago, given all the ways our world has changed since then.
Thought I'd share a before and after (during? Because I hope I'm not "done"): Before is from a wedding in 2019; After is from a hike/walk on Sunday.

yes, you do have to work at it or you'll gain back a significant amount of weight. The surgery acts more like a strong tail wind - you still do the work, but it gives you a huge boost.
I started off MUCH heavier than you - I had about 15 stone to lose. I am 60 years old. I spent DECADES losing and gaining weight. Four stone would have been one of my more successful attempts - and I would always ALWAYS gain it back. And I had 15 stone to lose. I knew there was no way I would EVER be able to do that on my own, if I couldn't even keep four stone off for more than a few months.
as for Hair loss, some people lose a lot, some lose very little, some don't lose any at all (I lost hardly any). But for most of us, we're the only ones who notice it. And it grows back. I think most "vets" on here will tell you that in retrospect, we wonder why we wasted even one brain cell worrying about hair loss. In the grand scheme of things, the hair loss was just a minor (and temporary) annoyance. I would take the hair loss any day over almost 400 lbs again. ANY DAY!

Study after study has shown that dieting alone is not effective for long-term weight loss. Roughly 95% of people gain back all the weight they lose from dieting, and often more. Most bariatric surgery patients, on the other hand, maintain weight loss of at least 50% of their excess weight long-term. Many bariatric surgery patients do regain some weight, sometimes a significant amount, but typically still maintain some amount of weight loss (whereas without surgery, they’d most likely be gaining steadily over the years).
The amount you can eat after weight loss surgery gradually increases, but usually not to the point that you can eat as much as you used to. People call the first couple of years the “honeymoon period” because that’s when it’s easy to lose weight, since the restriction is strongest. WLS also changes the hormones in your body that cause hunger, so at least for a while, you don’t feel hungry. They say it’s important to take advantage of the honeymoon period to change your eating habits so they become permanent even when the effects of the surgery weaken. Some people experience changes in taste after surgery and come to dislike sugary or fried foods (and these foods can even make you sick after WLS, which creates a strong disincentive to eat them).
So yes, it still takes work and lifestyle changes to lose weight and maintain weight loss after WLS, but WLS makes it easier than dieting. Many, many people who have repeatedly failed at weight loss through dieting alone have been able to succeed with WLS. (FYI, I’m only 7 weeks out from surgery, so I don’t have personal experience to back this up, but I’ve read a lot and watched a lot of videos from people who have been through it. There a lot of people on this forum with amazing success stories.)

Hi! A very valid question. Statistically, the evidence shows that WLS is the most effective way to lose a significant amount of weight and to reach a more healthy BMI. Yes, you have to make lifestyle changes. It is not a quick fix. What its been for me is a very effective tool that is helping me to have a new relationship with food.

I'll have to work at this for the rest of my life. This tool (I had the sleeve) helps me in a way that a the diets I've done in the past did not - i think partly bc for me, I feel like this is my last, best chance to be healthy. You will likely still be hungry or crave things - some people don't, but I for sure do. But this tool helps me with that.

My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. I've lost 140 lbs since December and am healthier than I've been in years. Good luck on your decision!

Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

In other news, I had the same surgery as you through the very highly rated program at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, MA and they recommended Premier Protein shakes, which I liked, so reasonable people can disagree on this issue.

I had my 6 month surgery mark on Sunday, and my tele-doc visit with the PA and the Nutritionist yesterday. Everything is on track, which is good to hear; my blood work is all good as far as Vitamins, macronutrients, Protein, etc. Because I use Myfitnesspal to track food, the nutritionist was able to review my diet with quite a bit of detail, and thinks my carbs are a bit low; sometimes my carbs are as low as 20-25 (but sometimes they are 85!); she suggested I monitor to see if I am tired on the days my carbs are below 40, and adjust.
I can't believe it has only been 6 months...February seems a lifetime ago, given all the ways our world has changed since then.
Thought I'd share a before and after (during? Because I hope I'm not "done"): Before is from a wedding in 2019; After is from a hike/walk on Sunday.

Siggi's yogurt, especially the vanilla and cinnamon and pumpkin spice. 15 grams of protein! and it satisfies my desire for "a little something sweet."
Kibo's chips (I get mine on Amazon). 7 grams of protein; I bring them for lunch frequently to eat with tuna salad or chicken salad instead of any bread. I usually eat 1/2 the bag at lunch, and then save half for a mid day pick me up, with a piece of fruit.