TrueNorth1

1 hour ago, OAGBPal said:

I'd try the opposite approach of doubling down on restriction. At your weight, you're seriously in a caloric deficit at 800 (and 1,200) even if you lie in bed all day. But obviously, your body got good at being at that weight with that input.

I do agree with TrueNorth that our bodies seem to get used to what we do to it. Maybe switch it up on what you eat, how you exercise, find room to de-stress and take care of yourself. Up the fluids, up the Protein, up the calories for a few days to see what happens (surprise: it may be the opposite of what we'd think would happen! ).

I mean, all we have to lose is weight. But if 800 doesn't work, I'm sure you'll risk feeling like a failure. Why not start with 1,400 instead with new foods and other mix-ups in activity, sleep, mental balance. Then, if that doesn't get things moving, then go to 800 for a bit to see if another change on top of that works?

As a personal sidenote, I kinda do see why trying the liquid diet again is alluring. I'm just not sure it does anything good for our long-term relationship with food.

Hugs!

You're suggestion makes sense. when I hit my plateau, I am generally at 1200-1400 calories before I drop to 800 calories. The switch of calories and foods makes a difference...to me that is. So if you are at 800-1200 calories, go higher to give your body the shock and then drop back down.

More hugs!

9 minutes ago, KarenVT said:

I've been stuck since the "three week slump" for almost two months now. I've talked with my doctor and I'm scheduled to talk with a nutritionist next week. I eat between 800-1200 calories a day. I get plenty of Protein. Getting enough fluids is challenging but I still get in at least 60 ounces a day and most days are closer to 80. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm not running 3 miles a day but I am active. I would really welcome any advice!

When I hit a plateau (which is every 2 weeks) I switch foods up. I find sometimes we eat the same food and maybe our bodies get used to it. I also go really low in carbs and sodium and come down to no more than 800 calories to get it moving again. Then it falls off. I find I hit a plateau, I see how it goes for 2 weeks, and then I push through with diet. Then 5 pounds falls off.

I eat hard boiled eggs, cucumber slices, salad with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, tuna, chicken, cabbage. Very clean and basic and it falls off. Try that and see if it pushes you through.

22 hours ago, Luna805 said:

How is everyone holding up? Any victories or struggles to share? I had an opportunity to go to work with my husband and experience a ride along. Halfway through the day I realized that I fit comfortably in the car with seatbelt, I was able to walk/hike without being winded and my mind wasn’t obsessing on what I was going to eat next. This whole new person has emerged and I can’t believe it sometimes. 55 lbs down and just doing my best to enjoy the new journey.

Hi Everyone!

I feel great! I am down to 147. Another 15 to go. It has been relatively easy but I did work at it. I feel I am now introducing things into my diet I wasn't before so the loss may be less. And I am ok with that. My focus right now is to tone, do weights, and HIIT classes as I am certainly seeing the crepey skin. That I am sure will be my next adventure....feeling comfortable in my new skin. I need to do whatever I can to reduce that look. I plan to do some skin tightening laser treatments to see how that helps. So I feel if it takes me 3 months to get off the last 15-17 pounds but I am working out and seeing definition, I am good with it!

Butttttttt.....BEST decision I EVER made!!

1 hour ago, Loriey said:

Wow, you are doing so great. Congratulations. This MGB was a life changer for me. Absolutely happy with my decision. Keep up the great work, I'm sure you'll hit your goal weight.

Agreed - best decision I made! I was sitting on the fence because of the lap band but so happy I did the revision. For the record, you helped me in that decision. So, thank you!

I made it to 147 this morning. I am going to search for a personal trainer to help with a body transformation now that I am no longer in the "overweight" area.

I will be spending some time this weekend going through clothes - its time to clean out closets;)

Have a great weekend!

Just now, TrueNorth1 said:

Hi There! That is a long time to wait.
My surgeon was Dr. Conor be in Toronto.
self paid. I would certainly recommend him.

My apologies...Dr. Cobourn! Auto correct

On 2/19/2021 at 12:59 PM, Tracey Course said:

Hi! I'm from Alberta and looking to self pay for surgery in toronto as the wait here is 7-10 years.

Who would you recommend using?

Hi There! That is a long time to wait.
My surgeon was Dr. Conor be in Toronto.
self paid. I would certainly recommend him.

25 minutes ago, Loriey said:

Yes. the homestretch. I can't believe were I am. I haven't been this small since my early teens. Oh yes, because of the quick weight loss and my age, I definitely have loose skin. But I am working out and trying my hardest to fix this. I know it won't completely tighten up but I'm ok with that. I find it has been easy, mind you I also work to lose weight. I don't leave it up to the surgery. I work out 5 times per week, drink lots of Water and really watch my intake. If you use the surgery as a helpful tool, you'll be successful.

How are you making out? Are you feeling better?

Hi Lori - so happy for you!!
yes, I am the same as you. I’m down to 154 and hoping to be 145 end of March and 130 for end of June. I’m also walking 13,000 to 20,000 steps a day and now doing weights at home. I can’t wait for gyms to reopen for variety. I also am careful of what I am eating and portion. eating very healthy. But will treat myself to something every now and then. But it’s small amounts. I still haven’t had pizza or bread. It has been effort on my part for sure. I’m the lowest I have been in 10 years! Lower than the band. I always wanted to be back to 130-135 but couldn’t get that last 20 off. So I think it’s going to happen with the MGB! Can’t believe it. And what a perfect time we did so. Once things open up I’ll be where I want to be. So very happy!

9 hours ago, Luna805 said:

Each little step is going in the right direction. Saying no to foods I used to love, cooking new recipes, and trying to enjoy the journey. I do not see the weight coming off except in my face. But today I’m -45 lbs since surgery. Clothes fit better and I’m almost 1/2 way to my goal weight 🙌🏻

Congratulations! At 45 pounds, for sure there is a difference. You probably don't notice in yourself but I am sure others do. Can you believe we are getting close to our goals? So good!!

1 minute ago, KarenVT said:

Thank you! I hadn’t seen anyone post about that, just plateaus a few months in. I really appreciate it. My doctor doesn’t offer any resources beyond telling patients what to eat those first 30 days post op, so I feel like I’ve been flying blind.

Yes, it can feel that way. This site is amazing for any questions. There is at least one person going through whatever you may be at the time! And tons of people that are at their goal and help out the newbies.

11 hours ago, Grammie2 said:

I haven’t been on Celebrex since my surgery, and I was really missing it! I still have inflammation in my lower back, and my knee joint, but yes, I’m off inflammatory medicines. Hoping to go off blood pressure medicine, but I started having SVT’s about a year or so ago, and the medicine for that also helps manage my blood pressure as well, so I may not get off that for awhile.
The main things I’m on now is all these supplements, multi, B1, B12, Biotin, Fiber, stool softener, magnesium, potatassium., and finally probiotic. Oh yeah , pantoprazole for acid reflux, but the dr. said that’s good...........guess this is my new life, right? I can live with it....🙃 It’s expensive to buy all these supplements...

Thanks for asking tho - I think you got more info than you bargained for! Lol

hahahahaha....I know....these supplements are not cheap! But yes, out new life. Agreed, we can live with it. We are so much healthier than previous:)

7 hours ago, KarenVT said:

I was a December sleeve. Is it ok to post here? I’m not getting any guidance from my doctor and feeling like I’m not doing things right. For the first two weeks, I lost some weight every day. As of tomorrow, it will be two weeks without losing an ounce. I rarely eat more than 600 calories a day. What am I doing wrong? I feel defeated.

Hi Karen,

Do not feel defeated. For whatever reason, everyone at the 2-3 week mark hits a stall or plateau. If you search the site you will find this everywhere. We all go through it. In fact, I hit a plateau once a month. It lasts about 2 weeks. Then it drops. Just keep plowing through. Keep doing what you are doing and the results will come.

8 minutes ago, Grammie2 said:

Awww thank you for remembering! Yes I did, I must say the pain going down my leg is gone, although I still have pain in my knee, but I knew it wouldn’t take care of that. I may just see about getting Visco (?) shots in that knee joint. Oh my gosh what an experience it was! I felt like I was being electrocuted when I got the first set on each side of my spine. But that was to make sure they were hitting the right nerve and that the machine was fully warmed up! But after those two initial jolts on each side the others were much milder. I will prolly need it done once a year?? They say it lasts about that long before the nerves grow back. But who knows, maybe longer! But I won’t be afraid of it now I know what it’s like.

That's great news!! And off the meds? You must feel incredible!

7 hours ago, Grammie2 said:

I agree with True North, and congrats on your weightloss! You re moving right along. I am moving slower, but in the right direction.lol and I’m prolly a lot older. It’s all good, as they say. I’m just glad I am learning to stop eating before I eat too much and keeping my portion sizes at 1/2 cup.

As for your blood work, this really bothers me that you have to wait 6 mos. before they request bloodwork. (Bariatric, I mean) that is way to long to have to wait to find out what’s going on. I’m so glad your PCP requested it for you!
I hope my PCP will do that when I go back. I won’t be getting it done for Bariatric til MAY! Hope you get normal results from your blood work tomorrow. Keep up the great work! AWESOME!

Grammie, did you have your back operation?

4 hours ago, Del Renee said:

I'm doing better, I go on Tuesday to get an endoscopy and they will open up the restriction. I'm so ready for some relief. I'm still losing, but i suspect that will slow down a little once I'm able to get/keep food down. I'm 215. On the day of surgery I had gotten down to 265. Good luck to all.

Oh, that is difficult. I hope you get the relief you deserve.

9 minutes ago, FireEMT710 said:

I'm down 45.9 lbs since Nov 9 when I started preop diet. Less than 100 lbs from goal! I had no preexisting conditions and no health conditions before surgery.Yes, overweight, but nothing else. I'm a pre nursing student so I know just enough to make me dangerous! lol

Oh my god...so good, right? More than a quarter of the way there!! You must feel amazing? How are your friends and sister doing with your weight loss?
hmmm...very strange re: blood work. Are you doing high fat, low carb (keto) or low fat low carb?

17 minutes ago, FireEMT710 said:

Hi everyone! I've been so busy with kids, work, school, and just life! Weight loss has slowed down some, but still 10 lbs in the last month, so way better than I would have ever done on my own!

Friday I had a dr appointment with my PCP for a referral about a cyst I have on my forehead... as I lose weight, it's becoming more noticable. I also mentioned I think I had a UTI. So did the customary pee in a cup. She said that the urine showed signs of liver issues... like too much urobilinogen and bilirubin in my urine, as well as ketones. So she ordered blood tests. The blood tests aren't exactly normal either, but of course I haven't heard from her because the test came back after office hours, and she's off on monday and tuesdays. A friend said it may have been because I had fatty liver... but wouldn't someone have said something throughout the whole prep for surgery process if that was the case?

Hi Fire!

Good to catch up with you and everyone else in the group!! Can’t believe it’s been just over 2 months now. It seems like yesterday and yet so much progress and learning.
How much in total are you down now?
it’s hard to speculate on the urine and blood tests until you hear back. You probably did have a fatty liver...that’s why they want a pre surgery diet...to reduce a fatty liver. Ketones in urine are ok...totally normal with low carb diet. Curious to hear what it is though.

glad to see you back!!

On 1/15/2021 at 7:58 AM, Loriey said:

Sorry, for the late reply. I am now 4.5 months after surgery and everything has fallen into place. Tons of energy, still losing weight. I'm 11 lbs from my goal weight. I have started back at the gym a couple of months ago, and now that we are on COVID lockdown, I am working out at home. I have so much energy that I can't help but exercise. Things are great! I hope things will as smooth for you as they did for me.

Hi Lori - you are on the home stretch! 8 pounds to go! Amazing! Are you finding any loose skin? Has it been pretty easy for you?

On 1/4/2021 at 2:20 PM, OAGBPal said:

Another MGB'er here; I'm in Week 5 and fatigue has truly set in. I'm powering through to get my walks, and I'm obviously staying with the program and all, but man, I'm tired. I hope it clears.

How are you now?

I also had the MGB 2 months and 1 week ago! I find mornings difficult...but once I am up, I am raring to go!

I think the low carb thing does it also. There is such a thing of Keto flu....where you are exhausted. So body healing, new way of eating, exercise....we will be tired! But then it switches and you will have energy.

27 minutes ago, Del Renee said:

I was November 9, 2020.

Welcome Renee!

How are you feeling? Looks like you are doing great!

36 minutes ago, Luna805 said:

My family has pizza once a week. I’ve completely avoided but missed joining in at the table. Tonight I baked tofu with Italian seasoning and dipped it in marinara sauce. It was tasty & hit the pizza craving.

Oh yum!! That sounds great!

3 hours ago, cpudoctor2020 said:

Hi All

Just wanted to check in on the November Surgery People! Well really all of us that have had the surgery!

I hope you are all doing well !

I have recently been have issues with eating to fast and the results are similar to dumping! Has anyone else experienced this ?

I also do not feel hungry ever and I eat based on the recommendations from my Barbaric Clinic.

I also do not get the full feeling !

Any others experience this , any tips or advice ?

Hi There,

I have had something once....not sure it was dumping. I had a day where I ate and ate and ate....all goof stuff, but I was hungry! until I was full. And then I had gas and diarrhea. I did not throw up. I was not nauseated. I was not sweating. Just diarrhea....for about 2 hours off and on....and I think everything came out of me.

I will take that any day over throwing up.

I get hungry. I wait and make sure it is real hunger and not mental hunger. But I try not to wait too long or then I am famished and after 1 serving I am still hungry. I never feel full unless I eat too much which I very rarely do because I stop myself. If I didn't stop myself I could certainly eat more than I do. I only put a portion of food on my plate that I am allowed. 80% of the time I want more. But I don't allow myself.

On my worst day of overeating I had 1424 calories and it consisted of (throughout the full day but most within a 4 hr period). I clearly was craving carbs as I have cut the carbs to very low!

Organic Roasted pepper and Tomato Soup with 8 saltine crackers (total of 2 cups)

1/2 cup of almonds

mini flavoured rice cakes (about 15 mini)

Cabbage & ham

I cup plain greek yogurt with 1/2 an apple

Goldfish crackers about 30g

1 cup chicken broth with cabbage and ground veal

After all that, I didn't gain...but in reality, 1424 calories is probably a normal day for the average normal person. So, If I have one of those every now and then and that is what I consider a pig out, I am ok with it! I just wont do it often because I don't want to stretch my new tummy.

8 minutes ago, lynnh said:

What's a mini gastric sleeve?

There is the sleeve which I believe you are getting? Its slicing the stomach to make it smaller but no bypassing.

Then there is the Gastric Bypass. This is surgery that makes your stomach smaller and also bypasses parts of your stomach and small intestine.

Then there is a mini gastric bypass. This is the similar to the gastric bypass but involves less intestinal rerouting and the surgery is shorter. It is also reversible. I don't think Insurance companies cover this one yet.

37 minutes ago, lynnh said:

Hi November peeps, I was a Nov person too and postponed it to Feb. I feel that if I can gain the weight back, what's the point? I hear it over and over again and it really concerns me. That and feeling sick. Am I wrong? I need some people's feelings about this.

Hi Lynn and happy new year!

You certainly have to be comfortable with the surgery. You need to weigh out the pros and cons. It is generally for people that are obese or morbidly obese and have been for a while. Those that cant get off the weight or yo-yo. Those that have health issues. As we know, there are major health issues of being severely overweight. With the surgery, you will lose weight, but if you push overeating and you continue to eat high fat and high sugar foods, you will eventually gain the weight back. It will take a while but you will. That is in your control.

As for pain, the sleeve will be less painful than the full gastric bypass. I had the mini gastric bypass and I had no real pain. Some gas pain that was uncomfortable but no pain. I didn't have to take pain medication. I had it done on a Thursday and was working on Tuesday (desk job at home). I was doing laundry and walking around the house on the Saturday and Sunday - also trying to keep moving (it relieves the gas) and it was no problem. The only thing I would not do is lift anything heavy. Or bend with my stomach (I would bend with a squat) as not to put any pressure on the surgery site.

I had the mini gastric bypass done in November 2020 and was also wondering if I should get it done. I did not qualify for insurance as my BMI was too low and I do not have any other health issues, so I had to pay for mine personally. I had a lap band that I needed removed so I had to make the call if I do a revision to mini gastric bypass or try weight loss on my own. At that time, I had already gained almost 30 pounds from my lowest with the band (I had the band in 2009 so it was 10 years). I tried and tried to loose weight on my own. I would loose 10 then gain it back. I never came close to losing 30. So, I did the surgery and I am happy. I am down 23 pounds in just a little over 6 weeks and I could never do that on my own. I want to lose a total of 60 pounds so I am 1/3 of the way there in 6 weeks. It may slow down but I am ok with it. Now, am I eating wings, nachos, pizza, burgers, fries, cake, Cookies? Nope. Will I try these at some point? Yes. Just like any diet, as you see the results, its somewhat easy to be "good". I have had crackers, flavored rice cakes, bananas, salted almonds, carrots, turnip, butternut squash Soup, etc and lost weight. When I hit a plateau ( recently) I went low cal and low carb and pushed through. So, you control your weight loss. The surgery just makes it easier to do that!

48 minutes ago, Grammie2 said:

No, but I’ve had bread since then. I think something might have gotten stuck somewhere, and just didn’t sit right. I had felt sorta nauseas half the day, but don’t remember what all I had that day or evening. I haven’t had any problems with anything I’ve eaten except that day.
also, I’m trying to get my ticker up and running, but I get this message saying it hasn’t been rendered yet.....or something like that.....what do I need to do to get it out there? Yours looks so perty!🥰

Ok, I signed in with my laptop. On the main screen to the far right your profile name with an arrow. Click the down arrow to get this this:

Then click on My Tickers. To the right it says CREATE. Try that.

Let me know if it works for you. I can only do it on my computer, not my phone.

10 hours ago, Luna805 said:

Awesome on breaking 2nd stall! I broke through 1st one but then slowed again.. I cut out almonds because I wasn’t measuring them. Fresh & natural ingredients always seem to break up stalls. Hoping I can break mine on Tuesday’s weigh in!

I had to cut the almonds out as well...for now anyway. I was having salted almonds so maybe the sodium was retaining Water? They are also quite high in calories. But 6-8 filled me. It was a great snack.