chiquitatummy

Today I had an unexpected and surprisingly satisfying NSV. I noticed that my belly button shrank. It's about 50% shallower than it used to be! Who knew I would be so pleased about less depth to my belly button? 😆

Oh man, I'm so sorry that anxiety is sitting with you right now - it stinks. I too have heard that mood swings can be part of the early stage post-surgery for a variety of reasons, including hormonal fluctuation, sleep disturbance, or loss of food as a comfort and coping tool. During my pre-surgery phase, I got more aware of how I have used food to manage and numb anxiety. Post-surgery, as my hunger/food desire has started to return I've had some unpleasant reminders of this old habit.
I also really and truly get having fear around moving from one food stage to the next. with each food stage "graduation" I have been so afraid of what might happen. Go figure that by following my program I have been fine. Like catwomen said complications are rare, and even rarer if you're following the recommendations of a reputable program.
Not to go into advice mode too much, and knowing our experiences might be different (maybe you are having panic attacks rather than generalized anxiety?), I will say that I have found therapy to be a big help. With my therapist I know I can unload my anxious build-up. saying my fears out loud to someone else helps me put them in perspective. Therapy also gives me a non-food outlet that instead of numbing helps me identify what might be contributing to anxiousness and give it less power by helping me to put it in perspective. Not all therapists are skilled, so it can take some shopping around, but might be worth it.

That shirt sure is looking baggy and your face is so much slimmer! Congrats on your progress, you look great!

Today I had an unexpected and surprisingly satisfying NSV. I noticed that my belly button shrank. It's about 50% shallower than it used to be! Who knew I would be so pleased about less depth to my belly button? 😆

Glad to hear you are on the mend and able to get food in without issues. I had VSG on 2/23, so far I've lost 45 pounds. I recently moved to soft foods which seems like the wild west of foods to me since there is so many more options. So far I had my first stall this month which has messed with my head a bit, but I'm hanging in there trusting that sticking strictly to my program will keep the weight loss coming. I'm getting antsy to get some new clothes (and will need new bras soon - the girls are going!) but want to wait until I lose another 15 pounds or so.

Today I had an unexpected and surprisingly satisfying NSV. I noticed that my belly button shrank. It's about 50% shallower than it used to be! Who knew I would be so pleased about less depth to my belly button? 😆

I can relate! It's hard to understand my body's cues right now and everything happening in my belly area feels so weird.
For the first month after surgery, I didn't feel hungry and didn't have desire for food. I am now starting to have hunger feelings again, but it also feels different (wanting specific foods) so it also feels like cravings/head hunger. It's confusing and I'm struggling a bit with feeling hunger/food desire and fear that I will slide down a slippery slope and ruin my surgery. I'm also in the soft food phase so I'm eating a greater variety, which is nice but also feels scary like I could accidentally reintroduce a food that I can't control myself with. This is compounded by the fact that I'm at the point of weight loss where, with every pre-surgery weight loss attempt, I stopped losing weight, got frustrated and quit dieting, and gained everything back plus some. It's a triggering time for me. I guess this is what everyone means when they say the surgery is a tool that you have to work with rather than just rely on.

Hi All,

Just wanted to know what others have experienced. For some reason I am having daily anxiety. I absolutely can't stand it as it hits out of nowhere at all. I am only 17 days Post-Op, take my Vitamins daily, and still taking my Metformin until I am blood tested again. I do not want to go on an anti anxiety medication. I had been on Lexapro for 4 years at which point I put on a lot of weight going from a size 4 to 1-2X. I lost all motivation on working out as well. I went off the Lexapro completely 2 months before surgery and started actually caring about myself which is why I decided to do this surgery so I could get my health back on track. Following my weight gain, I developed diabetes, Apnea (now using a C-Pap for a year) and NASH of the liver. I notice exercise helps with the anxiety for sure but I cant seem to get a decent response from the medical community to help me feel better about this. I asked my surgeon why this sudden onset of anxiety that hits for what seems like no reason at all and his response was if I am eating right and exercising that this could be the cause because of sudden change and that maybe people are treating me differently and all of this is causing anxiety. I then told him no - people are not treating me differently. My family is amazing with all of this and I am working out of the house so have not been around others for them to treat me differently. In my case this is absolutely not the case at all. I pressed on asking if chemical changes in the body could be happening due to the surgery that may be causing this and he said yes. Wondering why I had to keep poking to get that response at all and yet because that was not the first response I am even doubting that. Why not just tell me that since I made it clear I am having these spikes out of nowhere and can't figure out why. I am finding myself overthinking everything right now honestly. Wondering how I will tolerate eating anything at this point or will I ever be able to. My doctor keeps his patients on a 5 week post-op liquid diet before you go on to a pureed / soft food diet for another 3 weeks. So unsure of myself right now and considered I made a huge mistake and so very much want to get passed this feeling more than anything in the world. Part of me is happy I did the surgery for my health and the results of weight loss I have seen thus far but another part wonders why I could not get back on track on my own and worried about long term complications. Like once I start eating will I have a sudden stomach leak, will I have no ability to hold down food or end up on liquids for the rest of my life? Will I ever be able to enjoy a glass of wine again and comfortably get on with life in a better more healthy way. Will I end up with Gallstones that cause another surgery or will I have stomach blockage in the future and how will I know if I do? I want to Celebrate my choice to have done this and enjoy the weight loss but instead I am having so much self doubt and it's making me miserable. My liver health alone was cause to do this along with the diabetes so what is my damn problem? It is really hard to deal with this and I'm frankly pissed at myself for letting the anxiety get to me. I am considering going back on a lower dose of Lexapro again at least until this simmers down as I am hoping this is a chemical change in my body due to part of the stomach being removed and all the dietary changes just concerned it will make me not give a crap again and go lazy. IDK, if I knew factually this was all going to be a temporary reality then I would do it until the body goes back to normal.

Hello, I had surgery 3/3( gastric bypass) then bowel obstruction surgery on 3/12( surgeon obstructed my bowels during the first surgery). Yesterday I made 6 weeks and I’ve been good with my food no vomiting but I measure everything and I learned yesterday when my nose starts to run stop eating( lol). The only meats I’ve tried so far is chicken and salmon. I’m terrified of eggs( I’ve heard horror stories). I’m still working on getting my Fluid in I literally sip all day in between meals and still can’t get to 64oz. Maybe tomorrow I’ll start waking up at 5:30am. I’ve lost 44 pounds since surgery and 54 all together. This week I hit a stal 😞 probably because I’ve been housebound from all the rain. I’m still working on getting Protein and calories up it’s hard when you are not hungry 😞. I hope everyone is doing great on their journey and I would love to hear where others stand ❤️.

I did the same thing! In the first week drinking while standing was so much easier. I kept my glass on the dining room table, would do laps around the table, and then take a sip when I passed my glass. it got to be a fun game. Fun get's weird when you are holed up at home post-surgery. 😂
Sounds like recovery is going well for you, here's to good results on the scale!

To prevent future disease and illness. I was obese and generally healthy but knew I was on the path (like many of my family members) to diabetes and high blood pressure. Watching my mom suffer with her health now is a big motivator for me to do something to prevent being in the place she is in another 15-20 years. Realizing that my weight put me at high risk for Covid was another wake-up call for me.
I was also tired of feeling physically uncomfortable in my body (achy back, feet, hips, etc) and having no energy. I missed doing the things I used to do like hiking, rollerblading, and bike riding. I'd stopped doing them when I got heavy enough that it was painful and physically uncomfortable to be active. I'm only two weeks and a couple days out from surgery and already I can walk without discomfort around my neighborhood. My energy may still be low, but my back and feet don't hurt! It feels amazing!!! I'm remembering how much I used to enjoy being physically active.

Our plans may not be the same, but added sugar is a no-no on my plan, fruit is ok for me but only in small quantities right now.
I'm almost at the end of my 3 weeks on pureed foods. This is what I've been living on:
refried Beans with a little cheese and Valentina sauce egg salad, replacing mayo with cottage cheese (more Protein plus my tummy doesn't like mayo right now) soft poached eggs or soft scrambled eggs tuna salad (I don't mind pureed tuna) also made with cottage cheese Protein Shakes (I still need them to meet protein goals most days) Homemade chili, blended up (it's good!) with greek yogurt as sour cream My version of ricotta bake with made with cottage cheese instead ( I don't like ricotta) "tuna melt bake". This is just ricotta bake with mashed tuna added. I like tuna melts and it was a change of pace mashed banana with PB2 (not my favorite, but still ok) Baked yam mixed into greek yogurt with PB2 added (tastes better than it sounds) plain cottage cheese

This made me laugh so hard...Just this morning I was complaining that my fat girl butt is going faster than my fat girl gut - NOT how I would plan this if I could! 🤣

Super nice weather here, lately. Running errands in this...

Im not usually a jealous person, but the one thing that has me eating envy pie are people who are blessed with HEIGHT.
You look so tall and slim its killing me.
If you post a pic in a body con dress and heels i will burst into green flames.
(Please post a pic in a body con dress and heels!!!)
P.S. and no, its not your responsibility to dress “appropriately” lest you entice the hoard of “bad boys” into “going nuts”. It’s THIER responsibility to check their misogynistic attitudes and internalize that yes, you CAN control yourselves in the presence of attractive women. And, no, it is not acceptable nor normal nor legal.
Sorry. I held off for a day. I couldn’t resist anymore.

Congratulations! Isn’t awesome being CPAP free! I am so thankful.

Yesterday at my 3-day post op check-in I hadn't pooped and the nurse suggested that I take a stool softener and milk of magnesia. I took the stool softener, but was too scared to drink the milk of magnesia (I've just barely been on the ok side of nausea) so I drank some Smooth Move tea instead. It got me moving!

To prevent future disease and illness. I was obese and generally healthy but knew I was on the path (like many of my family members) to diabetes and high blood pressure. Watching my mom suffer with her health now is a big motivator for me to do something to prevent being in the place she is in another 15-20 years. Realizing that my weight put me at high risk for Covid was another wake-up call for me.
I was also tired of feeling physically uncomfortable in my body (achy back, feet, hips, etc) and having no energy. I missed doing the things I used to do like hiking, rollerblading, and bike riding. I'd stopped doing them when I got heavy enough that it was painful and physically uncomfortable to be active. I'm only two weeks and a couple days out from surgery and already I can walk without discomfort around my neighborhood. My energy may still be low, but my back and feet don't hurt! It feels amazing!!! I'm remembering how much I used to enjoy being physically active.

I know we aren’t supposed to compare ourselves to others but I see we are still twinning 😊 My weight loss just slowed to about 2lbs a weeks too. It’s hard to be patient after the early whirlwind of pounds flying off.

Ive been walking a lot lately. My joints are still complaining but it’s getting easier and easier. My husband also got me an electric bike for my birthday and I’m biking just about everywhere these days. I LOVE it!

Congrats! Sending you good wishes! It looks like you are well stocked.

Spot on. I had my sleeve 3-29-2021 and it's just shy of a week and each day is a bit better. But man, everything you mentioned in the second paragraph is spot on.
Getting used to not having energy and being patient because of no energy is challenging as I had started to light jog and do pretty intense lifting right before surgery. Gotta build all that endurance back up after healing.

Looking forward to living healthier.

Keep up the walking, it will get easier and easier. And it is so good for you.

Where did everyone go? I hope everyone is doing well. I'm 8 weeks out at this point down 30lbs. I had a few stalls but just checked my diet and got back on track with Protein and Water intake and a few more walks. I got Covid as well and was not feeling well for a week thankfully it was pretty mild. I went for a couple of 1 mile runs for the first time since surgery this week as well. Feeling good and looking good.
I'm still craving bad foods especially at night. I tried to fast from 8pm -8 am and that lasted a day to try to keep from snacking. So I'm just trying to have better Snacks than my go to chips. Greek Yogurt or apple and Peanut Butter or the Jello sugar free pudding cups. But definitely craving salt and crunch.

Thank you all for the kind comments. I did steal the polka dot dress and wore it to church that day!

We are surgery twins. I am the same. The struggle I have is learning ny new stomach am I full am I not is it gas pain. And then of coarse I freak myself out. I am moving a lot energy is better and clothing is pooing is moving right along lol.. I do use vitamin patches cause the others where gross.

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