Cheryl C

The thing is, your pouch is tiny. Bread expands. It's a struggle to get all your protein in, when you're just eating meat. Adding bread to your pouch is going to take up all the room and you won't be able to eat your protein. Protein is vital for healing.
Eat your meat first. Then your vegetables. If you still have room, then you can have your bite of bread.
I'm 4.5 months out and I still won't eat fluffy bread. I'll eat half a slice of Lavash bread, or a small tortilla, but not an actual slice of bread. It just takes up too much room.
We're now eating to nourish and fuel our bodies. Yes, food should taste good and be pleasurable, but we aren't eating for pleasure anymore. We're eating with purpose, now.

Hi, my bypass was 1/23/23. I was nervous as well not knowing what is going on with my insides healing. Very scared at times navigating drinking clear fluids and protein shakes. I couldn't gage how long the liquid took to get through the swollen areas of the surgery. I wished I had superpowers of xray vision ha! I have had surgeries before that I'd gage my healing on visible scars and inflammation. This was new and different. I want to validate your feelings of fears as I too had these anxious moments. You'll start to get better learning your new organs function as with everything new it's going to take time.
I'm starting my new phase of soft foods(from pureed) and will have to figure out again how my healing is going. (Secretly hoping for those xray vision superpowers, ha!)
Cheryl

Hi, my bypass was 1/23/23. I was nervous as well not knowing what is going on with my insides healing. Very scared at times navigating drinking clear fluids and protein shakes. I couldn't gage how long the liquid took to get through the swollen areas of the surgery. I wished I had superpowers of xray vision ha! I have had surgeries before that I'd gage my healing on visible scars and inflammation. This was new and different. I want to validate your feelings of fears as I too had these anxious moments. You'll start to get better learning your new organs function as with everything new it's going to take time.
I'm starting my new phase of soft foods(from pureed) and will have to figure out again how my healing is going. (Secretly hoping for those xray vision superpowers, ha!)
Cheryl

Umm, there are men here too. Just sayin…

Do you have what's app group link. My bariatric pal app isn't working. My surgery is Jan 23rd I'm starting my two week liquid diet today.

Worry is natural as we are bombarded by the "scaries" of our fears and risks. However you and we know this is better than what we've been going through with our weight all these years...you've got this, keep us in the loop we are in this together ❤️

What an amazing update - thank you for sharing, you've done brilliantly and you deserve to feel as good as you do. ?

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I posted or updated. Mainly because there isn't much to update. (Just over 9 months post-op)
First: I am going to go a head and admit that through the Holidays I sucked! I ate too much (not to be sick, but over my calories) and the wrong things at times. Reset- Holidays are over so I admit it and I am moving on from it and back on the horse and focused!
The worst part of this (or at least what I am calling the worst) is that I still lost some weight through it. I am saying this is bad, because other than knowing I shouldn't have done it, there was no "punishment" in my mind. Honestly, I wish I would have just gained a few pounds. But, it didn't seem to stop me from getting re focused and back on track so I will take it.

9 month update: No changes except weight and NSV's! I can eat anything (including what I shouldn't) I don't and have never dumped. I still track everything I eat and drink, still stay within my calorie range (less the previous comment). I had my 9 month follow up with my surgical team. They called me a rock star. I was very proud of myself and how well I am doing. I still don't exercise, they still don't care. LOL Well, kinda, of course it has other health benefits but they are not concerned for the weight loss aspect of it. I am well ahead of schedule, and my Nutritionist has already started talking about my maintenance calories and how to start upping my calories slowly and safely. I told him to slow down, I still want to loose another 43 lbs to hit my goal! He agrees that is achievable, but was merely explaining where my calories would likely fall when the time comes. Which, is about double what I currently eat so he wanted to bring it to my attention so I could mentally prepare for how much more I would to eat to stop loosing weight. He explained that some people struggle physically and mentally to increase so greatly so he wanted me to have time to process and prepare for it. He said I would fall between 2000-2300 calories a day WITHOUT exercising, more depending on the intensity and frequency of exercise. Yeah.. that's a lot.
I still drink a shake a day to maintain my calories and proteins, 70g protein or more a day and 80 oz fluids a day or more. Pretty much all water, and usually 1 sugar free drink a day to switch it up.

NSV's are ENDLESS! Really, as we lose weight so many things change. Even some bad, like my bony ass knees when I sleep I have to stagger them so the knees are directly on top of each other because they hurt like crazy in the morning! I could go on for days about this subject! Body dysmorphia is real, like really real! When I was my heaviest, I knew I was fat but when I looked in the mirror I didn't see a 422 lbs person but when I saw pictures of my I did.. man I did.. I was sick to my stomach and so disgusted! Now, At almost half that size when I look in the mirror I still see a fat girl but when I see pictures I am like WHOA I am so small. I found out my cousin is 1 size smaller than me, but when I look at her I see someone very small and when I look at myself I cannot believe we are only 1 size different. I look so much bigger! I love to see pictures of myself now! I encourage them rather than hiding in the back of them. I buy shirts from everywhere, and really only because I can. HAH I have never been able to buy a souvenir shirt, they never fit. Not even close to fitting. Now I literally buy them everywhere I can, to an rate of just wasting money because I shrink out of them faster than I can actually get use out of them.

To finish up: I hope to hit my goal weight by my 1 year follow up but I know 43 lbs in 3 months will be tough!
My original goal was 225, which is much more reasonable to loose in these next 3 months. But 210 is my ultimate goal as that will be half of my starting weight which is pretty freaking cool!

422 down to 250
26/28 down to a 14
4/5XL TALL shirt down to a 1/2x regular shirt

Good luck to all!!!! ❤️

it takes a long time to wear down your iron stores , although I don't know what your iron level was before surgery.
it's super common to lose your sense of hunger for several weeks or months after surgery (up to a year for some). I know it seems weird at first, but take FULL advantage of that. It'll never in your life be easier to lose weight than it will right now, when you're not hungry and don't give a flip about food. I found it very liberating, too! My hunger came roaring back at five months out, and I honestly wish it never had. It was so much easier to stick to plan when I was never hungry!!!
and no, what you described was not dumping syndrome.

you're extremely tired because you just had major surgery, so I wouldn't worry about that, either.

Everyone is different. Follow your plan and you will do great!
I can eat drink decently too. Never had a problem getting my fluids or protein in. Depending on what the food is, sometimes I do fill up fast but otherwise I can usually eat a serving without a problem.
I just follow my plan and go with the flow, seems to be working great for me.
PS: You are still early out and your stomach is still healing so the nerves aren't completely healed and not getting the hint. You will start to feel the restrictions when you get to solid foods.

I was in the same boat as you! I did not feel tightness until I moved onto soft/solids as the liquids just went through me. And don't worry about your stomach stretching, trust me you'd FEEL it! You'd have to be eating solids & a TON of them for that to happen.
In my opinion you have nothing to worry about, you are Just having an easier time than others! We got lucky with that

Congratulations!!

Hello and congratulations to all of my January surgery buddies! My surgery has been scheduled for January 5th. So excited, feeling a bit surreal.

I'm scheduled for January 23, 2023

Sent from my SM-G986U using BariatricPal mobile app

Mine is Jan 23 2023

Yay! Congrats

I’m 1/26/23!!!

The anticipation is building for December 5th! I'm feeling good that I have made the best decision for myself and my future. These forums have have instilled a confidence that I am on the right track and not alone in trying to achieve a better and healthier life. I anticipate a few bumps in the road but intend to ride them out. Good luck to all!

Just informed my surgery was cancelled due to full hospital. Might be rescheduled in January after my insurance rolls over and I have to all the copays again. Not happy at this point. Never the less, I wish all of you the best and safe journeys.

Had my first non-scale victory today!! I had my surgery on Dec 2nd., and today I was able to go down a size in shirts with plenty of room to spare!!! Feels awesome!!!

I think when the time gets closer I will be nervous, but right now I am just so miserable living in my body that I am counting the hours.