Deb9386

16 hours ago, Coexister said:

I am post op bypass 13 months ( surgery was 10/07/2020) ) and am I now drinking alcohol every night . I have gained back a few pounds Like 8 and am scared to death. I feel like I am heading back toward terrible habits and need to regain back control now. I am working with a Psychologist that's not very good for PTSD issues and major depressive disorder. I have got control of that but I have now a new problem= alcohol! A year ago, I would never think of drinking on a week night or much at all but now it's become my new addiction and it leads to me over eating and then the dreaded weight gain. I have now drank every night for the past two months and I can't seem too let it go. This had never been me before as my family is filled with alcoholics and I could never understand it and now I do? It kills pain and drowns out so much. It definitely affects me differently after surgery and takes very little to have any affect at all. I am drunk or affected at sip 3. It is such a great escapism and good lord with Covid and the way of the world all I want to do is escape in a legal way and alcohol is legal. I am on disability and have a lot of pain issues and the doctors and psych's try to say its a lot mental / PTSD/ Stress related but they haven't lived in my body. I have had over 15 surgeries and have had many scars and all kinds of mesh - They don't live this body and don't feel my pain. They tell me I need to learn to live with it. Well hell , I am doing the best I can and alcohol does a great job of dimming that. But I know I need to find a better answer and am looking to my community as I know I can't be alone in my pain or journey. My New Year's resolution is to get back to that person that doesn't drink in response to pain. That learns to deal with it. That get's her weight under control in the meantime. Sending out an SOS to my community and asking for good advice or just shared empathy to know I am not the only one and that we do not travel on this journey alone.

So sorry to hear you're having these problems. If you haven't seen it already I'd suggest watching Dr Weiner's Youtube video about alcohol use after gastric bypass - the video and the comments are very interesting. Judging by what he says it seems that gastric surgery can trigger alcohol abuse, and that the same amount of alcohol will affect more strongly after surgery.

He suggests that zero alcohol after gastric bypass is the best way - maybe keeping no alcohol at home at all?

You're definitely not alone. I've been teetotal for nearly 35 years - I just wasn't interested in drinking alcohol at all - and I found his video a few months ago because I was trying to work out why all of a sudden after surgery I was craving an alcoholic drink - it's bizarre! The last thing I expected.

But you've already overcome the food addiction and lost loads of weight - you can definitely overcome these cravings. Stay strong - life has been so rubbish with covid, but hopefully we're coming out the other side now.

On 9/2/2021 at 9:33 PM, Orchidlover said:

Hey everyone. I haven't been on this page in what seems like forever. I have really been struggling you guys. I stopped losing weight after month 6 and it's really discouraged me. It could be because I started back working so I made excuses for why I couldn't go walk my 2 miles or go to Pilates class or eat healthier choices since I have a sedentary job. I was wondering if anyone else was struggling and what you did to get back on track.

My highest weight was 465lbs and on surgery day I was 457. I got down to 357 and then shot right up to 378lbs. I wasn't really eating if at all when I got to 357 due to my depression. But then I was put on a new med that actually causes its users to gain weight and I was taken off of it. Thank God. I don't eat much and get full fast but I guess like the nutritionist said it still matters what I put in my body.

I hope all my fellow Oct 2020 people are doing great as we approach our 1 year anniversary. FYI I was sleeved on Oct.5,2020

Hi Orchidlover - hope things are going better for you now. It's hard fitting everything in with full time work and I really sympathise. Try to think of your original goal and how well you've done already to lose 100lbs! That's a huge achievement.

I think that all of us who have gastric surgery are going to have to treat the eating/exercise as a lifelong thing, and inevitably we'll slip at times. We just have to get back on track by prioritising our health over everything else. I know it's easy to say, but not always easy to do. My diet has definitely slipped and while I'm not putting on weight I'm definitely not eating right. As for exercise - I did well at first but now that's almost non-existent. You're definitely not alone in struggling but you can get back on track and do it!!

Hi! I can empathise with that. People say - oh, you've lost so much weight, you look great - and then I think - so you;re saying how rubbish I looked before? Even people I don't really know like my dentist's receptionist! It's particularly irritating/upsetting when people make the same comment every time they see me.

I also catch myself thinking about how much time/how many years I spent very overweight and unhealthy, which meant I felt self-conscious and insecure - and then I obsess a bit about how awful I looked for all of that time.

I suppose we just have to try to put all that behind us and just look forward.

I also find it hard to stay on track. I see this as a lifelong battle and my motivation is that I NEVER want to go back to the overweight and unhealthy person I was. My absolute "set in stone" rules are that I weigh myself every day (for me this is absolutely crucial to maintaining my weight); I count my Protein carefully to make sure I get enough, and always take my Vitamins (I really want to minimise other medical issues and hair loss). Other than that I have good food days and not so good food days but I just can't be "perfect" with what I eat everyday and I've accepted that.

I've been taking specialist bariatric Vitamins, but I agree the cost is huge. I've been working to the specification of vitamins from the website recommendations of the ASMBS, and if I could find those specifications in over the counter vitamins I'd take them. I couldn't find any here in the UK though so still paying out...

My surgeon explained it to me that the issue is that if the liver is still too fatty after the pre-op diet it's just impossible to lift up the liver to do the bypass. My bloods b4 the pre-op diet showed that my liver was very fatty and so I had to do the pre-op diet for 18 days beforehand rather than 14. The nutritionist's diet sheet included carbs, so I didn't go into ketosis as some people do.

So, I'll be honest, I was hungry most of the time, but I did what all the other posters here did and drank plenty & filled up on veggies. I managed to stick to it simply because it was so time limited. I knew it was only for 18 days and the surgeon had told me of one patient who he'd opened up but whose liver was still too fatty to move, so he'd had to sew him back up again without doing it and I was determined not to let that happen if I could help it.

Just focus on the fact that it's only for a very short period of time. The hunger is good - you're losing weight and visceral fat. You can do it!

Very interesting topic! I was 231 lbs pre surgery and set my goal at 160 as that was a weight I'd maintained for much of my adult life before piling on the pounds. I got to that about a month ago, and despite now trying to up my calories and maintain at that weight I'm still losing. So maybe your final weight does choose you?

On 5/9/2021 at 1:19 AM, SoulGardener said:

the operation was unusually difficult due to the size of my liver, and it added an hour and a half to the operation.

I also had exactly this - and my doctor showed me the pictures of my liver from during the surgery (horrifying...). I'd followed the liver shrinking diet to the letter as well.

When I attended my 3 month check-up my blood tests showed that my fatty liver had improved radically and levels were now in a "normal range". [I'd had non-alcoholic fatty liver for years (it'd showed up in blood tests). My doctor said that the reduction was entirely down to the loss of weight.

So this should be exactly the same for you as you continue to lose weight (hopefully).

On 4/30/2021 at 2:08 AM, MoominMan said:

I don't have a dietician (I went abroad for my op). I am serious when I say three meals. I can't just find new things to eat off the internet - that's sort of the whole point.

Could you post the foods that you can eat - others on the board may be able to make suggestions for recipes or meal plans?

My personal experience after RNY bypass is that the underlying issues (whatever they are) that caused the disordered eating in the first place don't go away magically, and it's going to be a constant battle to keep on track. [well for me anyway].

I see you're in the UK too - I had my bypass privately here and had a UK dietitian who was very helpful. If you're interested in her contact information I can dm details?

On 4/26/2021 at 2:01 PM, BigSue said:

This 4-ingredient* Protein Mug Cake is amazing! (*This recipe is awesome as written, but see below for my recommended modifications.) Cocoa powder, Protein Powder, pumpkin puree, and sweetener of choice. It sounds weird, but you don't taste the pumpkin once it's cooked. You can even make it vegan if you use vegan Protein powder.

https://masonfit.com/one-minute-protein-brownie/

 

There are a lot of low-carb Mug Cake recipes out there, but this is the best one I've seen because it's so easy, low in calories, and doesn't require any weird, expensive, hard-to-find ingredients (unless you count protein powder, but I'm guessing most bariatric patients have a tub or four of protein powder in the house). It's amazingly cake-like for something that contains no flour. I normally eat it directly out of the bowl/mug, but I wanted to get a picture that shows the texture (unfortunately, I'm a terrible photographer, so you might just have to trust me).

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I find it a bit dry (which could be because I use whey protein isolate instead of the recommended whey/casein), so I always top it with sugar-free Syrup or melted sugar-free Jello (plus a dusting of powdered Swerve), flavored Greek yogurt, or -- my favorite -- raspberry or strawberry puree (sometimes I mix about half a tablespoon of raspberry puree into the batter, which adds a little moisture).

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Although this recipe is great without any modifications, I couldn't help myself from tweaking it. I like to add a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla. I also like to substitute half of the pumpkin puree with liquid egg substitute (like Eggbeaters), which provides even more protein. But that makes it more than 4 ingredients, so if you want to keep it simple, you can stick with the original recipe.

• 1 tbsp dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (or any flavor you like)
• Optional - calorie-free sweetener to taste (about 1 tbsp sugar equivalent)
• Optional - pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp liquid egg substitute (Eggbeaters or equivalent)
• Optional - 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients in a mug or small bowl. Stir in wet ingredients to make a smooth batter. Microwave for 1 to 1.5 minutes (it might take some trial and error depending on your microwave; 1 minute 20 seconds is perfect for me).

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Seriously, this is SO GOOD! If you try it, let me know how it goes!

So I tried your recipe today using apple sauce as the wet ingredient. It took a bit of experimenting with the microwave times but wow! It actually had the taste and texture of a brownie - a sort of chocolatey apple brownie! Thank you very much for the recipe - this will become a staple.......

2 hours ago, David_L said:

It's almost to the point where my newer smaller clothes are getting too big.

Yes, I've found this too! Semi retired and at home a lot during lockdown I've managed largely with very casual clothes and it doesn't really matter if things are a bit big on me. Some of the clothes I had from before I put on weight were not very flattering when I tried them again, so I bought some new things a couple of months ago - they're now getting loose. It's a nice problem to have but as I'm only a couple of pounds from my goal weight, I really can't wait to stabilise my weight and get into a maintenance mode.

I've also been buying and selling some clothes on ebay which has worked well so far.

Thank you! I think I'm going to have to look at everything I take/eat again.

9 hours ago, 2Bsmaller18 said:

Did you start a new Vitamin? Even if it's the same brand but a new bottle it could be a reaction to a filler in it. New medicine like an allergy pill?

I did change the dose of an existing medication - I hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

9 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

no. they can go on for a couple of hours, but not days. There's something else going on.

Thank you - that's very helpful. Have to think what it might be.

I've tried to stick to my diet plan and have considered myself fortunate to have had just 1 or 2 minor dumping episodes since surgery - the worst being when I was sick after eating some restaurant food which must have been (but shouldn't have been) very oily.

Then last Saturday I gave in to temptation and ate a small chocolate bar..... (it was very small - about 85 calories worth). And I paid for it with upset bowels that evening and during the night. So I thought - right, never again, and that'd be the end of it. Except it hasn't been. Every day since I've had the same problem - usually in the evening, but always waking up at about 4am. I haven't eaten any sugary or fatty foods since Saturday - the foods I've been eating are the same ones I've used throughout the whole period since surgery without a problem.

And I don't think it's a stomach bug, because it's weirdly consistent in the times of day I have the problem. I can go all day just fine and then the evening and night - oh dear me.......

Has anybody had a dumping episode which has upset their whole system like this for days on end? Or should I be thinking what I would normally do with d&v, i.e. nothing but clear Water for a day or two?

Any advice welcome! Thanks

Strange - that's exactly what I wanted at about the same stage after my bypass. I did actually lick the coating off a couple which helped get rid of the craving....

coffee makes me feel unwell after my bypass, but I can drink decaff (1 cup a day).

2 hours ago, nessie said:

I've really been struggling with Protein Shakes until my bff who has had rny suggested chocolate fairlife shake with a shot from my nespresso pods. GAME CHANGER! Just wanted to share in case anyone else would like it as much as me!

That sounds a great idea! I'll try it!

Sorry this is a bit of an essay, but it's been something I've been thinking about for a few weeks!

Before my wls, I'd been taking NSAIDs for some years because of bad arthritic pains. I thought I'd still need anti-inflammatory drugs after the bypass and this was the thing that worried me the most about the operation (I couldn't have the sleeve because of reflux). My thinking in deciding to go for the bypass was that once I lost the excess weight the arthritic pains would be manageable without anti-inflammatories 🤞

At my initial consultation in the August before my bypass in October, my surgeon prescribed me different anti-inflammatories that he said would not cause an ulcer and so would be ok to take after the bypass. I tried these for about 4 weeks pre-op but found that they exacerbated dry eye symptoms that I also suffer from and this was extremely painful. So I just decided I'd stop taking the anti-inflammatories completely after the bypass and put up with the arthritis pain until I'd lost enough weight for it to make a difference.

I did lose about 1 stone in the pre-op fat reducing diet, but since the bypass (literally since I stopped taking them about 5 days before the op) I haven't taken any anti-inflammatories at all, and immediately noticed that I had significantly reduced arthritic pains (so before I'd lost any significant amount of weight). I found this so unexpected? My diet before wasn't particularly fatty, but I definitely ate a lot of sugar and I can only think that the sugar was causing a lot of the inflammation? Has anybody else experienced anything similar?

The first few weeks I was advised to concentrate just on getting in the Protein and fluids. The suggested menu for when I started the puree stage came to about 800 calories per day. This gradually increased with the new menu plans, and at the 3 month stage post-bypass my nutritionist told me to aim for between 1000-1200 per day. I couldn't have physically taken in 1200 calories at the stage you're at. My weight loss has been steady with this plan.

I don't buy Protein bars - they're packaged too much like chocolate/candy bars for me: I'd just either eat every one I had in the house or be desperate to eat them 🙄

I've found high protein yoghurt - greek yoghurt or skyr to be the most effective for getting in protein. I also use flavoured protein waters a lot (I use a Wow! brand).

3 hours ago, Blueslily said:

Great thread. Hopefully more people will start similar ones so the topics can be discussed more in this community. My surgery is coming up soon. I'm glad that I found this site.

I wish you success with your surgery! It certainly sounds as if you're preparing well. 😀

I've definitely found this. I hadn't realised how much I was using food to "self-soothe" until I couldn't have it. I haven't yet found a way to deal with it effectively, other than trying to distract myself by doing other things. It's difficult here - we're in a full lockdown so no visiting family/friends & no trips or holidays, or even going out for a meal/coffee.

But I've now dropped sufficient weight that I need new clothes and I've started selling my better quality clothes (i.e. the stuff I might have bought for a wedding or party and hardly worn) on ebay and am replacing it on ebay with smaller sized items. It's given me a bit of a boost to get into clothes that are at least 3 sizes smaller; it doesn't cost a lot and I'm making what I spend anyway on my sales. It can get a bit addictive though! I've become someone with lots of party/wedding guest dresses and nowhere to go!

This thread just goes to show how different each individual and their experience is. I was always hungry before the op (actual hunger). I also found when eating that it took me at least 50 minutes to register the food I'd eaten and feel full. It's part of the reason I gained so much weight!

I felt starving hungry all the time when on the 2 week pre-op 800 calorie diet. But straight away after the bypass I did not feel hunger at all. The nutritionist had said this would happen and I just didn't believe her! I still don't feel hunger (that gnawing feeling in your stomach where you'd wolf down anything), but I do feel what I know is head hunger. It's easy enough to tell the difference I've found. If I feel "hungry" but I don't fancy a nice bowl of spinach & pea Soup, it's head hunger.

As for the calorie need, again I think that's very individual. I have no idea how people survive long term on 1000 calories per day (though my sister did for decades when anorexic), and I haven't got to maintenance yet so don't know what my actual basal metabolic rate will be to maintain, but before the op, in my periods of yo yo dieting, I could always lose weight easily when taking in 1500-1600 calories: more than the bmr tables suggest for my sex, age, weight etc.

My personal opinion is that nobody gets to the place of needing wls by having a healthy relationship with food. We all have our own individual & different triggers for eating and it's good to be tolerant of each other.

Life can throw some horrible curveballs at us, but well done for working so hard to get your life back on track! The surgery is a really great tool to help with weight loss and I wish you the best of luck!