LAJ23

I'm 4 months out and still cannot eat "comfortably". Every time I take a sip of a liquid or a bite of food (always well-chewed, very small bites) I have discomfort. Not all-out pain, but discomfort, like an ache. I now dread eating as it is no longer enjoyable or even satisfying, and I don't mean that I miss fried, heavy food, or junk food (I'm eating very clean), but just eating anything is a chore. Will this ever go away, or is this just how it is forever? I'm also burping A LOT. Every time I swallow something - doesn't matter if it's liquid or solid food - I'm burping and belching like crazy, and it's uncontrollable. Does this ever go away?

Hi all, I'm 3.5 months out and my hair started falling out about 2-3 weeks ago. In that very short amount of time, I've noticed it's become extremely thin and my hairline is receding bigtime. How long does this last? Is there something that works to stop it and restart growth? I've added prenatal vitamins and liquid iron to my vitamin regimen, but I know it will take a while for them to start working - if they work at all. I'm still having trouble getting all my protein in as I have almost no appetite and it's still a bit painful to eat (yes, I'm taking small bites, chewing A LOT, and eating slowly). I'm supposed to have 60g-86g of protein/day, but I'm probably only getting about 40g-50g. I simply can't eat more. I'm really freaking out as I knew this may be a possibility, but I was reassured by my doctor and his team that it was unlikely....and now it's happening. Ugh...

I don't necessarily have a problem avoiding starches, however, I'm on a general diet and was told by the surgeon and the dietician that pretty much anything is ok, as long as it's a "healthy choice" (per the post-op diet binder). I'm not cramming myself full of pasta, bread, potatoes or anything else. As a matter of fact, I've had very little of any of those things, and am still sticking to a low/SF diet as well. My confusion/concern is why two people in the same practice have such differing views and one was downright rude about it. I think I'm doing pretty good as far as weight loss goes - I'm the lowest I've been in about 19 years and still losing!

Yikes! Well, at least the noises aren't uncomfortable or painful - just NOISY! LOL! Hope yours eventually go away too!

Pre-op, I was a pretty healthy eater, but my portions were larger. The biggest thing that kept me from losing weight is that after I was pregnant in 2001 (gained about 100# during a terrible, dangerous pregnancy), I was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromyalgia in Aug. 2002 - 8 months after my son was born. Ever since then, I've had trouble getting the weight off. I'd lose 20# or so here & there, then gain it back because I was unable to exercise & keep active due to severe pain and fatigue. So, unhealthy eating wasn't really my issue. I wasn't even interested in surgery until the head of a weight loss program at a major hospital told me I'd be a great candidate. I have no comorbidities aside from the Lupus & Fibro. I've never had food "issues" (overeating, stress eating, binging, etc.). Surgery was recommended to get the weight off so that I could become more active, which has been the case. I now walk, bike, hike & swim with regularity. So, the surgery did its job as far as that goes.

I went thru the pre-op program at one hospital before changing to another location at the last minute (for various reasons). The first hospital had a 2-week post-op pureed stage. The place I ended up going thru only had me on pureed for 2 DAYS. And the doctor who did my surgery worked at the first hospital for 10 years before moving on to his own practice, so he's obviously familiar with the differences in post-op diets. Odd - and can be confusing!

I might agree with that, however, the dietician (who I meet with next week) also told me at our last meeting that I'm now ok'd to be on the general diet and have no limits, other than making "healthy choices". Not to mention, the surgeon owns this practice, so he's essentially their boss. Something just seems off...like maybe there's some in-fighting going on. I don't know.

Hi everyone, I'm 11 weeks out (this Wednesday) and still having discomfort when eating or drinking anything. The discomfort ranges from mild to moderate and sometimes, severe. It's never really "painful", just feels like I have to burp REALLY bad, even though I feel like I'm constantly burping the second I put food in my mouth, followed almost always by a stomachache within a half hour or so. My gut is always making a TON of noise too! I also feel like I'm getting conflicting info from my surgeon and his team (PA, nurse, dietician, etc.). I had a telemed visit with my surgeon about two weeks ago. He's the most laidback and easy-going of the bunch. He encouraged me to eat anything and everything I want (within reason & making healthy choices), but to be prepared for unexpected reactions. He basically said I have to "live and learn" what I can now tolerate. Of course, he also stressed small, slow-paced, well-chewed bites & portions. I even mentioned that I had a couple sips of a margarita a few weeks ago and his response was a laugh and "I bet that tasted good!" - not the scolding I expected. (BTW, that is the ONLY alcohol I've had since surgery.) I told him about the severe burping and stomachaches and he said that it will pass, but could take up to a year to totally go away. He wasn't the least bit concerned about it. For whatever reason, his PA followed up with me the next day (not sure why, as I had just talked to him) and she was way more strict, almost condescending, telling me NO pasta, NO bread, NO rice, NO sugar, NO crackers, etc. The surgeon himself said I could have those things in moderation if they agree with me and as long as I'm continuing to lose weight. I'm still eating super healthy, getting my protein and fluids in for the most part (it's hard when I know it will make me uncomfortable) and I'm still losing weight (down 31.5# since DOS, and that includes a 3-week stall). I guess I'm confused as to who to listen to - not to mention surprised that people on the same team have such conflicting guidance. Thoughts?

We have hereditary back issues/arthritis in my family (all the women on my mom's side) so I've had back problems for years, but this hip pain is new and is almost crippling. I already know a call to my dr. will be unproductive as he won't prescribe pain meds. He'll likely refer me to a specialist, who will in turn prescribe PT. Once I go thru all that, the specialist MIGHT prescribe pain meds, but I doubt it. I can't spend all that time going thru the motions...this pain is AWFUL. I need relief sooner, but I wanted to rule out/in that it could be due to weight loss and the way I'm now sitting. Just trying to figure out if this is a common issue after losing weight.

With my hips, it's deep joint pain. Doesn't hurt when touched, but does hurt when I sit, lay, stand or walk - pretty much hurts nonstop, but is worse when laying down. It also wraps around to my low back.

This may be a longshot, but I thought I'd ask anyway... I'm down 49.5lb as of yesterday morning. I've noticed in the last few weeks, I've been sitting with my legs crossed a lot more often - because it's comfortable, and I finally can! - but I've also been enduring increasingly worse hip and back pain. It got really bad this past weekend and is now to the point that I can't sleep (kept me up all last night). Motrin/Advil, heating pad, and doing stretches hasn't helped. It also seems to be worse on my left side than the right. Just curious if this is something any of you have encountered as you've lost weight and maybe sit/lay in positions you didn't before. Last night it was so bad, I nearly went to the ER in the middle of the night. ?

OMG! I finally made it to “one-derland”!!! After a one-month stall at 204.5, this feels great!! Great way to start the weekend!!! ??

I don't have the patience to sell stuff, LOL! I wish I did...I just cleaned out a few more things and found a $129 sweater with the tag still on and 4 pairs of jeans with tags, totaling about $200 - and I'm just starting! I bet I could get a pretty penny for some of this stuff. That said, a lot of our local online sale places (local FB garage sales, etc.) aren't allowing clothes back online yet.

I feel the same way! I look at my armoire and see how much stuff is crammed in there, but I also realize that most everything is a size XXL (larger size = more material = takes up more space) and I can only imagine how many smaller items will fit in there. LOL! Also, a lot of my big clothes are barely worn, and I have a ton of them. I almost feel bad just discarding them, but as I said, I need the room! I tend to buy mostly classic clothing as well, but sadly, I don't have any stored up for a skinny day. Have to buy all new stuff as I continue to lose!

I'm 7 weeks post-op and am down almost 50lb. All of my clothes are too big (literally, from underwear & PJs to jeans & sweaters - nothing fits) and I've been buying things here & there so that I have stuff to wear to work, etc. My question is, what do I do with my TONS of old clothes that no longer fit? I don't have room to store them somewhere "just in case", and I almost feel bad about donating them or tossing them, because I still have that little devil in the back of my head saying "You never know! You might fail & be a fatty again!" I have a packed armoire, dresser & closet so I need to get rid of stuff to make room for new things. I don't have an extra square inch of space for storage, so I'm wondering if it's "safe" to get rid of these clothes, or should I wait. How long did you all wait before you finally got rid of your big clothes?

Not on anything for GERD. No one has ever mentioned that, and it's never been an issue in the past. I'll be sure to ask my doctor or his PA about it. Thanks.

The funny thing is that there have been a few times (very few) where I ate beef - very tender filet - and didn't have a problem. The pain I have now is caused by almost anything - even plain water - so I'm not sure that beef is the problem. Yesterday I ate chicken broth with super tender vegetables and that hurt too. I guess my other question is, why are we cleared to be on a general diet (meaning just about anything goes, as long as it's a healthy choice) if the risk of pain is still so great due to the recovery process? I eat super small portions and constantly take small sips of drink throughout the day. It doesn't seem to matter...almost always hurts when it hits my pouch.

I haven't heard from my doctor (or anyone at his office) in close to three weeks. When I mentioned it back then, I was told it was still early and things were still healing. I just sent them an email, but won't hear back until Monday.

Early last week I was given the green light to move onto the "general" phase of the post-op diet. I've been extremely cautious and still mostly eating softish foods, but introducing more things slowly. The problem is that even though I'm over 6 weeks out, I still get pain every single time I eat or drink anything. It doesn't matter if it's plain water or a small piece of beef tenderloin - it hurts. I'm feeling under the weather today (allergies, achy, headache, etc.) so I wanted some chicken noodle soup. I removed most of the noodles and the dogs had a nice treat with their dinner, LOL! Even just the broth and soft veggies (VERY well-cooked carrots, celery, and onions) were wreaking havoc on me within seconds of swallowing. The chicken was super tender and juicy but was super painful when it hit my stomach. Yes, I'm taking small bites and chewing A LOT. I could only eat a few spoonfuls, then had to put it away. Any idea why I'm still experiencing so much pain this far out? I also burp terribly, and my stomach sounds like a one-man marching band the second I eat or drink. Lots of noise for hours. I just don't get it. Is this normal?

Since my OP on 9/13, my dietician has now told me that Flintstones multivitamins (which I had been told was the ONLY multivitamin I could take) are now a no-no...after I purchased a huge 2-pack on Amazon. ?‍♀️ I was told I had to switch to Centrum Women's multivitamin and add a separate Iron pill. She also changed my B12 from sublingual to extra strength oral. I've lost track of how many pills I take daily (I'd have to recount), but it's A LOT, and as others have said, it's an "accomplishment" at the end of the day when you finally get them all down. I was also instructed to take pretty much everything in the morning, except the additional calcium chews which I have to take three of daily - morning, noon & night. My stomach has a really hard time getting all this crap down, but I was told I'll eventually get used to it. So, for now, I'm taking them all over the course of an hour or so each morning. Such a pain...but I realize it's necessary.

No nasty comments or judgment, please. So last night, we went out for Mexican at a new place nearby. My husband ordered an organic, all-natural "skinny" strawberry jalapeno margarita and I had....water. ? After a few mins of him raving how awesome it was, I decided to give it a try - and yes, it was AMAZING. I had several small sips over the course of an hour, expecting at any minute for it to hit me like a ton of bricks, but it never did. It had absolutely zero effect on me, even though he insisted it was pretty strong. I'm just over 5 weeks post-op and at my appt. with my dietician last week, she mentioned I'd be starting my "general diet" on 9/29 and that nothing was off-limits as long as I could tolerate it (and choose wisely). I've also been eating more "normal" food lately without issue. Last night I ordered two "street" tacos - one grilled grouper, the other grilled chicken. I ate almost half of each one without any problem (I removed most of the tortilla - just enough to hold the food together). Neither the food nor the drink had a negative effect on me in any way. I also woke up 2# lighter this morning after being stalled for about 2 weeks. While I'm not a big drinker and haven't had any alcohol since mid-July, I do miss the occasional margarita or beer - especially during football season! I'm holding off on the beer though due to the carbonation. I'm NOT going to make this a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this? Absolutely no effect from booze? I should also add that I've had the same thing happen my whole life with other things...Benadryl makes me hyper, as does Hydrocodone. Nyquil gives me a buzz. Caffeine sometimes makes me drowsy. LOL! Maybe this is another weird quirk?

Thanks for the info. I added a pic to my original post to clarify the product I'm talking about.

Still trying to find a post-op protein drink that I actually like. I haven't had luck with the powders as I just can't get used to them and even though I've tried the Unjury unflavored, I can still taste it and can't stand it. I came across "Isopure" and have read VERY mixed reviews. Some people say it's an amazing post-op drink, packed with protein, and tastes pretty good. However, according to the nutrition label, it's also high in sodium and calories. On one website, the reviews reflected as being BOTH an outstanding drink for weightloss/post-op bariatric surgery AND for gaining weight (bodybuilders). So, which is it? Also, any idea where it's sold in less than a 12pk? $40+ for a 12pk on Amazon for something I'm not even sure I'll like seems like a lot. For clarity - here's a pic of the product I'm talking about.

Somehow in the last couple of days, I've GAINED 2lbs. Not sure how. My food log reflects that I'm getting in about 50oz - 60oz of liquids (between water, Gatorade & protein drink) and approx. 40g of protein daily for the last week-10 days. The dietician wants me to "up" my protein intake big time, but I just don't know how I can do it. She suggested different foods and adding another meal daily, but NO snacking - even on healthy, protein-rich foods. I still have very little appetite and when I do eat, I'm full almost instantly. How I'm going to get MORE food in is beyond me. She said if I don't do this, I will likely stall or even start gaining again. Ugh...this is getting frustrating!

UPDATE! Hey everyone - so I had my 1 month (actually, 5 week) appointment with the dietician this afternoon. She told me that "one or two Triscuits" with tuna salad or hummus would be fine. I asked about the Quest Protein chips and she told me to avoid them but didn't really say why. She said, "You don't want to get your protein from there". So, I don't know what that's all about. I bought mini smoked gouda Triscuits and will try a couple slowly, knowing they are very dry and can get stuck. She also said Wheat Thins are a good option as well. Thanks for all the suggestions!