rjan

Up your Protein, cut your carbs, and eat a ton of veggies to help you feel full.

Good time to try out some Protein Shakes and Protein Bars, see what brands you like, since that's what you'll be eating just after surgery (and probably just before also). Personally, I like the unflavored Protein Powder because you can add it to whatever you like - broth or sugar free pudding. I got really sick of sweet flavors when on the liquid diet.

I use the Isopure whey Protein Isolate from GNC. You can also buy it on Amazon.< br />
Just be careful if you add it to hot liquids - the liquid can't be too hot, or the protein powder clumps up and gets kind of gross. Good thing to practice now before your surgery so you've got a routine going.
I've seen other people here talk about how they buy some flavor syrups so they can make their Protein Shakes with a lot of variety.

Kind of too late for you to do this this, but I eased into the pre-op liquid diet by doing a week of low-carb before it. For me, low-carb for at least 3 days has always really cut my hunger - I used to do it often before WLS anytime I wanted to get my hunger under control. I also feel very hungry at the beginning of the low-carb diet, but it helps to be able to eat unlimited amount of vegetables during this time so at least my stomach feels full.

People always tell you to follow your surgeon's advice to the letter. But if you're tempted to cheat....might be better to pig out on some veggies for a few days than to go whole hog.

It's only for a few weeks....just keep telling yourself that.

I'm 3 months out - my energy came back at about 2 months. Just a data point.

I'm 3 months out - my energy came back at about 2 months. Just a data point.

The stomach upset, gas, and bloating are definitely the distinguishing symptoms of a food intolerance!

A stall and a few lb gain one week happens to most people around 2-4 months - happened to me. Not very fun, but normal.

I would really hate to cut out yogurt and cottage cheese.

Don't beat yourself up. Freaking out in some way or another is very normal in the first few weeks.

It will get much easier as you move towards eating more normal food. I'm 3 months out now, and my husband and I eat together sometimes, and separately other times. When we eat together, I just eat much smaller portions with more of the Protein and vegetables and less of the carbs. Recently I've been able to add in very normal foods that I find tasty - like steak and salads - just in much smaller portions. We even made pizza together this weekend - he just ate 5 times as much as me, and I ate an egg before I ate my slice. 😂 The only thing I still consider completely off-limits is sugar (except for fruit).

Don't beat yourself up. Freaking out in some way or another is very normal in the first few weeks.

It will get much easier as you move towards eating more normal food. I'm 3 months out now, and my husband and I eat together sometimes, and separately other times. When we eat together, I just eat much smaller portions with more of the Protein and vegetables and less of the carbs. Recently I've been able to add in very normal foods that I find tasty - like steak and salads - just in much smaller portions. We even made pizza together this weekend - he just ate 5 times as much as me, and I ate an egg before I ate my slice. 😂 The only thing I still consider completely off-limits is sugar (except for fruit).

People like that are definitely infuriating sometimes for those of us who have the opposite problem.

I agree with colormehappy - I think you're better off asking him to help you by eating/cooking his food away from you. That's a very reasonable request. If he doesn't have a weight problem, it's going to be almost impossible to get him to change his diet, and he's going to have a harder time understanding what you're going through. But surely he could at least not eat sandwiches in bed for you. 😂 Hopefully you're not in a tiny apartment like I am.

Geeze louise...you're making me glad I went self-pay!

People like that are definitely infuriating sometimes for those of us who have the opposite problem.

I agree with colormehappy - I think you're better off asking him to help you by eating/cooking his food away from you. That's a very reasonable request. If he doesn't have a weight problem, it's going to be almost impossible to get him to change his diet, and he's going to have a harder time understanding what you're going through. But surely he could at least not eat sandwiches in bed for you. 😂 Hopefully you're not in a tiny apartment like I am.

Happy to report that I'm up 3.5lbs since my 6/3 request for help. The slider foods have been a life saver, literally! I have more energy and a generally positive outlook already!

Thank you all so very much!

Try some pot 😊

My fermenting veggies
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I've heard some people gain lactose intolerance from the surgery. But I'm surprised that made you gain weight - how much did you gain?

Curious because I had surgery a couple weeks after you, and I just got out of the "~3 month stall" myself. I had gained 3-4 pounds from my low during the stall. I finally got going again this week, and am now down 2 lbs from my previous low. But I didn't have to cut out milk. 😂

On the other hand, I do have other food intolerances that I've had for years, and they usually make me bloated and/or constipated, so I definitely see how they could cause ~3-4 lbs of water/other retention. Were you feeling all bloated and gross until you cut out milk?

I had trouble even with fluids at first - couldn't drink much at a time. But not everybody does - especially if you got the bypass - the sleeve can be worse. Once you get to real food, you'll probably start feeling it more. In the meantime, thank your lucky stars!

I totally know what you mean.
You will get more and more used to not drinking with meals as time goes on.

And like @NovaLuna says, you might be just generally thirsty - even if you feel like you're already drinking a lot, drinking more away from mealtime may help.
But I'm feeling your pain. My doctor didn't give me advice on drinking BEFORE meals, and advice on this topic is very variable - some doctors say not to drink before meals for up to an hour - others let you drink right up until you start eating. I find it helps me if I take a drink right before my meal starts.

If it gets real bad, sometime I'll chew on an ice cube during or right after my meal. It's not enough Fluid to wash things through, but it's enough to moisten my mouth. I think when I feel thirsty during a meal, what I'm really feeling is that my mouth is dry. They're always telling you to make things saucy to help food go down - I figure an ice cube does the same trick.

Microbiome affects everything. It will be years before they figure things out. Stanford Univ did fecal transplants on 19 kid on autism spectrum. 40% reduction in nervous behavioral symptoms for two months. I want to start a probiotic specifically for chronic constiptation. Research studies shows specific strains of bacteria greatly improved constiptation in elderly in nursing home. But cannot get reliable source. Probiotics are like Vitamins and supplements, not regulated by FDC. So you have no idea if the probiotic you buy is even alive, what it claims to be and even effective. ACTIVIA didn't help at all.
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I started with very similar stats, I do have some loose skin, but it’s 2718262282 times better then being fat

Sorry, I'm probably one of the really rare ladies that isn't experiencing the slightest bit of breast sagging. My girls have always been tiny - no matter what I weigh. When I was young and dating, I used to lament this fact. Now I feel really lucky.

On the other hand, my arms are already a nightmare...and I'm only halfway.

It really depends on the person. But personally, I'd suggest 6 days out - that's when I flew. I probably could have done it at 4 or 5 days, but 3 days would have been tough. And the doctor was telling me how impressed he was that I was walking so much the day after surgery! Also, I usually don't check my bag, but this time I did.

Yes, definitely. I had bought a bunch of pre-made Protein Drinks before surgery after I tried a few brands to see what I liked. But after surgery, I didn't like them anymore - mostly I found them ridiculously over-sweet. So I found some unflavored Protein powder (GNC Isopure whey Protein Isolate).
Right after surgery, I was using the unflavored protein powder to make protein pudding (for a little texture) and mixing it with broth (for something that wasn't sweet). You have to be really careful when you add it to hot foods, or the protein powder lumps up and turns disgusting, but it's doable with some practice.

Now that I'm 3 months postop and back on coffee and solid foods, I have my protein latte every morning. 1 cup of milk, espresso, with protein powder in the milk. Then I eat it with half a Protein Bar. With the milk, it's 28 g of protein before noon!

Another thing you could do after your surgery is just make your usual, but with a touch of juice instead of the fruit. It's the Fiber in the fruit that your stomach won't be able to handle for a while after surgery.

🥰That’s another negative tape that plays in my mind, too! “You’re losing so much slower than these other people and you’re on your way to wasting this surgery”!!!
We’re not wasting a dog gone thing, Rjan!I 😅l love what Cheeseburgh shared with us above—-that around 5 months she really tightened things up, avoided processed foods, kicked up exercise, etc. And we’re not even 3 months in yet!
Our first month was just recovering, so we’re only 7 weeks beyond that! I’m really just now feeling more energy, pretty well figuring out what I can eat, what sets well with me and sustains the energy I need, which foods give me the most nutritional bang for the buck, and which don’t. Which foods/routines may be contributing to my Constipation issue😩! We’re getting better and better at this.👍.
So really? We’re just NOW getting our groove going!! We can take it from here, kick it up, smile at and love ourselves and log in here WHENEVER we need a pick me up!
We’re NOT gonna waste this surgery!! So not!!!💪💝😃👏

I started lower than you. But like you, I'm almost 3 months out and only lost 30 lbs - 4 in the past month. Super frustrating! But we will just keep at it, eh?

I started lower than you. But like you, I'm almost 3 months out and only lost 30 lbs - 4 in the past month. Super frustrating! But we will just keep at it, eh?