kc892020

Finding triggers is definitely the key. Tools also help as well. For me, I purchased the bowl and plate with all the measurements on them. Words cannot express how much they help keep me on track!

I also heard of people doing "pouch resets" to regain their stopping points. I would suggest meeting with your bariatric nutritionist to discuss how to go about this if you feel the issue is no longer feeling full as quickly when you eat.

If the issue is fighting temptation with forbidden foods, try looking up bariatric friendly substitutes or recipes. I've found that to be a God send. There's literally a healthy, bariatric-friendly version of every bad food out there! All it takes is a little research and recipe planning. If you're ever interested in swapping recipes or product ideas, let me know.

Good luck to you! You've got this!

Hey everyone!

Uff, what a crazy few months! So, even though I'm not in a relationship, it turns out I have to go on BC anyways because...tragedy struck. I'm down to only half of an ovary! I suffered TWO ovarian torsions due to enlarged, hemorrhagic cysts. I lost my right ovary completely (it died and had to be surgically removed) and the remaining half of an ovary, while it was able to be saved, had to be repositioned and reconstructed. So, needless to say, I have to take some kind of BC to control the cyst growth if I don't want to end up in premature surgical menopause. I'm only 31 so I definitely don't want that! Anyways, after trying the hormonal IUD and HATING it (TERRIBLE pain, excessive bleeding, etc), my gyno suggested a low-dose BC pill that instead of taking orally, I take vaginally. Apparently, this is something that women do if they want to help bypass the side-effects of the Pill. It's only suggested for cyst prevention however, as this method isn't super effective for preventing pregnancy.

Thank you all once again for all of your input!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to ask if anyone ever heard of and/or had a procedure called "cool sculpting" done instead of traditional plastics?

According to my doctor, I might not be a good candidate for traditional, invasive plastics because of all the surgeries I've had on my reproductive organs (long story). He suggested looking into cool sculpting instead. If anyone has had this done, did you like the results? Were you satisfied?

I'm not super self-conscious about my "pooch," but it would be nice to "even/smooth" things out.

Thank you for your help!

So...just out of curiosity, has anyone ever been broken up with due to their WLS?

I was seeing a guy for a couple of months and he broke it off because he "couldn't deal with all my dietary restrictions." WTF?

He claimed it wasn't fun hanging out with someone whose options for dining out were limited and who couldn't drink.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Hello to everyone and a very big thank you to all of you for taking the time to respond.

Unfortunately, the guy I was seeing broke it off with me and I never had to worry about bc in the first place (sorry if TMI). It was a pretty upsetting breakup. But at least thanks to all of your input, I have some ideas for the future, if anyone special ever does come along.

This may sound a bit too personal, but I was wondering if anyone post-op would be willing to share their experiences with birth control?

I'm nervous because in the past when I was taking the pill for acne, I gained A LOT of weight. Looking back, I'm pretty convinced it set the spark for my past obesity. I'm dead serious. So...yeah. I definitely don't trust that. But I know there's a lot of other options these days. I've never had to consider birth control for actual birth control until recently, so I thought I'd ask for other's thoughts on the subject.

I know this can be a sensitive topic, so I really appreciate anyone who is willing to share their experiences. I've come far on this journey and the last thing I want to do is worry about weight regain from my method of pregnancy prevention.

On 2/18/2021 at 9:50 PM, Arabesque said:

Menstrual pain is the worst. So sorry you suffer from this.

My surgeon told me as long as I wasn’t taking nsaids regularly it was ok to take them. I take them for my rare headaches - so 1or 2 tablets less than once a month. Panadol, etc. are useless & codeine messes with my head. I’m not suggesting you start taking nsaids but have at chat with your doctor. If they say no ask for suggestions for alternatives to help manage your pain.

Thanks!

I contacted my surgeon and he basically said the same thing. I'm just afraid that I'll become dependent on them for the cramps like I was before surgery. 😕 The only other advice they told me was Tylenol.

On 2/18/2021 at 1:22 PM, LaoDaBeirut said:

This doesn't help for pain in the moment but helps prevent it. Take evening primrose oil once a day and then take a magnesium supplement or electra sport drink mix infused with magnesium. You can also take buscopan (I don't know the name of it in America) for the pain when you experience it.

Thanks! I've never heard of those before, will definitely look into them!

On 2/18/2021 at 12:17 PM, Jnfinney said:

I also was a big ibuprofen user. I am still pre-op, but am trying to break that habit. Are you allowed to take Tylenol or acetaminophen? Those are pain relievers. Some other things that are not medication that have helped me have been using a heating pad on my abdomen, taking a hot bath, exercising (sounds counterintuitive, but it did work for me), and drinking herbal tea. Feel better soon!

Tylenol is acceptable. Unfortunately, it just doesn't do the trick all the time. A heating pad seems to be the biggest relief so far. Thank you for the tip!

The Celebrate and nectar brands agreed with me the best when I was on the shakes. They tasted amazing and went down very easily. BariatricPal also makes their own brand of shakes and they are VERY good. The cinnamon roll flavored one literally tastes like a blended Cinnabon. Dead serious.

Good luck!

I was told by my nutritionist to check out the Great Low Carb bread Co. Wow am I glad I did! They make it all-breads, pastas, rice...whatever you want. There's no risk of dumping or weight gain. Just stick with a serving and you'll be good. It's all about portion-control when it comes to anything with our new lifestyle. I was sharing in another post on here that the other night, I mastered the art of "bariatric friendly mac and cheese" and tbh I couldn't be happier.

In addition to that company, there's a whole slew of low carb and carb-free brands of pastas, breads, etc to try. I've tried several and while pricey, they're definitely worth it if you need that occasional "pasta fix."

FYI if you're wondering about sauce, Ragu and Prego both make no sugar added sauces that are quite good!

Good luck!

Healthwise is an excellent brand for microwaveable meals. The only downside is they're not sold in stores and have to be ordered online. I find I can eat their pasta-based dishes without worrying about weight gain or dumping. Their lasagna is especially delicious.

As a side note if you ever do have a hankering for Pasta though, I highly recommend you try out the Great Low Carb bread Co. I mastered bariatric-friendly macaroni and cheese thanks to their macaroni and am more than pleased!

Unfortunately, a lot of what we can eat as far as "quick fixes" just aren't sold in stores and/or are hard to find. It sucks. 😕

Hello everyone,

So, since we're no longer allowed to take NSAIDs, what has helped you with menstrual cramps? Mine are so bad I'm getting nauseous. They hurt like bleeping hell! In the past, I'd take Pamprin or Advil and everything would be fine, but now I can't and Extra Strength Tylenol just isn't cutting it. Any advice is appreciated, thank you.

Brown rice was on my "approved foods list," but I still couldn't tolerate it. I dumped SO HARD after just two small bites! Everyone's system/body is different, and many people can tolerate it well. But some, like myself, can't. It's always scary when introducing/reintroducing new foods, so keep the bites small. Good luck!

Try sugar-free items to kill the cravings.

This site's store has A LOT of options for "fake treats," IE, treats that are both pre-portioned and don't contain sugar or anything to harm you (in fact, a lot contain Vitamins and protein). I don't crave sweets near as much as I did pre-op, but when I do want something sweet, I find a sugar-free, bariatric-friendly product works well.

Russell Stover's also makes VERY good sugar-free chocolate. Just a piece is enough to satisfy me and it's inexpensive. There's also Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream and Smucker's sugar-free hot fudge if you have a hankering for something of the ice cream nature. Their SF hot fudge I KID YOU NOT tastes EXACTLY like the real thing! I top my coffee with it and SF Cool Whip if I want a "mocha."

Hello fellow ladies!

I'm sure this topic has been covered A LOT on this forum, but I thought I'd post anyways. So, I'm 31 years old and have never been physically intimate with anyone before in my life. I've certainly done my sharing of dating, but in the past, it seems men were either only interested in me because I was heavy or they lost interest fast because I was heavy. I couldn't win, so naturally, I never ended up in a relationship and physical intimacy never happened. Anyways, I've been seeing someone, and (dare I say?) it is actually going amazing and is starting to get pretty serious.

However, I have my...concerns.

Although I'm happy and am starting to think this guy might be "the one," the trouble is, I'm TERRIFIED of getting naked with him. The only people who have ever seen me naked were myself and my gyno. What is he going to think when he sees my...pooch (it looks like that's what most people on here call it, personally, I call it my "squish")? He knows I've had gastric bypass and says I'm sexy and my "squish" won't bother him. But I don't know. I'm still scared! What if when he sees me, he changes his mind and disaster strikes? I could be overthinking this, but I think it's only natural to feel this way if a person's never been in the situation before.

Does anyone have any tips for building confidence? For those who have been there before, what helped you? Was your partner critical or accepting? Thank you for your help!

Thanks everybody! I found some relatively inexpensive briefs that work well.

Yes, these were. and you're right, that's just what the bariatric nurse said. My body is basically trying to readjust to complex carbs and fiber. The good news is that taking a probiotic seems to be helping some.

On 1/4/2021 at 7:42 PM, RickM said:

Are these foods that were in your normal diet and tolerated well before surgery? It sounds like it may be a matter of adaptation of your gut biome (all those little buggers that live in your intestines that help digest your food.) A probiotic may help repopulate your gut with the bacterial species appropriate for digesting what you are now eating.

This is an adaptive thing, and our gut adapts to what we eat; make big changes to our diet and the gut needs to adapt to the new diet. Vegetarians can eat a lot of legumes and cruciferous veg that would have most of us farting to the moon are hardly bothered by them because their gut has adapted.

Just having WLS and the major dietary changes (along with the anti-biotics that can kill of some of the gut bacteria) that typically go along with it can cause digestive problems owing to the biome no longer being compatible with the diet; a malabsorptive procedure such as the RNY or DS compounds this as it also changes the way digestion is done, but we adapt over time. Now you are adding in a new phase of changes that the gut needs to adapt to. It will pass in time (so to speak) but a broad spectrum probiotic can help speed the process.

On 1/4/2021 at 1:28 AM, catwoman7 said:

those are all complex carbs. And have Fiber. My system is a mess if I eat too much Fiber, but for me too much means at least 30 grams a day. My experience is more bloating and abdominal cramps, though (although that's probably due to trapped gas). I just have to watch my fiber intake. I have to eat enough to keep things moving, but not enough to rile up my G/I tract. It's a continuous balancing act...at least for me..

Have you researched SIBO? Someone on another bariatric site I'm on has that. If so, supposedly low-FODMAP diets help.

anyway, good idea to check with your surgeon. I'm just throwing things out here - your issues may be due to something else.

I spoke to the bariatric nurse and It's looking like it's my body getting used to complex carbs and fiber again. I meet with my surgeon this week and I'll know more, but based on what she said, it looks like that's the issue. She told me to try a probiotic and it has provided with some relief.

I don't mean to get graphic here, but I'm having a rather embarrassing problem.

I'm a few weeks shy of my 1 year post-op anniversary, and have just recently been able to tolerate more solid foods like certain fruits, vegetables and grains after several months of difficulty. While this is a great relief, I can't help but notice I've been dealing with the ABSOLUTE WORST GAS of my entire life. I mean, we're talking really loud and smelly farts (again, sorry to get graphic) that are probably capable of killing a nest of rodents (which would save on extermination, but ya know...).

So the question I have is, has anyone else ever experienced this, and if so, what helped alleviate it?

I've been trying to get a hold of my surgeon but haven't been able to get through.

OK ladies, so this might be a weird question, but since the weight loss surgery I've noticed that I've developed some "squish (loose skin)." It's not nearly as bad as I'd thought it was going to be, which is good, but yet, it's bad enough wear it's difficult finding panties that fit...in a way that flatter me? I suppose that's the best way to put it.

Is shape wear the only answer to this problem or are there specific brands, styles, materials that can be recommended?

I hope my weird question makes sense...

Thank you all for the thoughtful and helpful responses! I sincerely appreciate it very much. As always, every answer means the world to me. Thank you.

On 10/12/2020 at 3:18 AM, Alsgal said:

I felt I had a great support system, but I got some eye rolls from my sister when I mentioned this app today and It did bother me. She didn't want to hear about it. She been with me from the Beginning so she knows how much I've put into it. I lost 95lb on my own following the dieticians plan and daily workouts, and logging every bite I put in my mouth. If you're like me the bariatric program requirements just to be approved for surgery includes jumping perfectly through all those hoops to give us the best chance for long term success possible. So we do A LOT to get approved, then it is so hard afterwards, NOTHING is easy about it. I knew that i had to do this tho and for your reasons so do you. I am 3 weeks post op and i have said 25 times "why in the world did I do this?" My surgeon said I will probably be saying that 25 more times before I get everything figured out, and in the end it will be worth it, I do believe that. You deserve to have all the support in the world. I would ignore those so called friends unless they have an apology for you and some respect that you deserve. I hope that this gets much better for you. They should be proud of you and stand beside you throughout.

You'll be in my thoughts, & Good things coming your way!

Sent from my SM-T307U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you for the encouraging words! ❤️ I appreciate it.

On 10/9/2020 at 1:02 PM, ms.sss said:

This may not be a popular line of thinking but here goes:

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I think that alot of WLS folks believe that those around them would naturally share the same opinions and thoughts they themselves have about it, because, I mean, its a good thing, right? Why wouldn't anyone and everyone with a heart and a brain support and cheer someone on who wants to better themselves (for whatever reason)? The reality is that not everyone will think the same way as you.

Yes, one may get disappointed and hurt when those who we care about aren't on the same page, or react/behave in a way that we don't like/want/expect. Whatever their motivations are, in the end the only thing you can control is YOU. You have 3 choices (in terms of relationships, or anything else for that matter): work to change it, accept it, or leave it (and know when to do which). Anything else is doing a disservice to yourself.

I know, easier said. But I think the sooner one can recognize what things help and what things don't help (and act accordingly) for any situation, the sooner one can exist in peace and contentment, no matter what situations or people cross their paths.

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Good Luck!

P.S. Re: Dating...take it easy and try not to put too much pressure on yourself...like attracts like. Again, I know, easier said. Good Luck! ❤️

Thank you! ❤️ I appreciate the encouraging words.

On 10/8/2020 at 1:24 AM, tarotcardreader said:

Hey i think youre brave for sharing your story with most people. Thisll help other obese people To have hope that perhaps bariatric surgery will help them as well. People downplay that obesity kills. Better alive with unnatural anatomy then dead with no potential for improvement. As for dating i agree to find other activities but most people do like to eat. I once read Soup is a good thing to order as a bariatric patient When out with others and most places seem to have it. Keep up the good fight!

Thank you!