ShoppGirl

I wasn’t able to take any of them because of my other meds but your team or your pcp may be able to prescribe meds if appropriate to help you. All of Spinozas advice is great but if you find that it isn’t working for you consider reaching out to your team for support. It may be a little easier to do all of her suggestions with the meds suppressing your appetite.

Hello @Roselyn.327795 and welcome. As others suggested there are lots of threads when weight loss stories that you can read and respond to things that you can relate to or questions you have suggestions for, etc. (on a phone or tablet you Just click the little magnifying glass near the top Right corner and search).

My story isa’t a success story YET. I had the sleeve three years ago and I lost a big chunk of weight, but due to number of factors (to include my eventually giving up) I never reached my doctors goal and I regained my weight. I am currently pending revision, though, I hope this time I will have a much better story to share.

Have you had WLS? Are you considering it now? What is your story? Do you know how to fill in your profile? If I remember correctly you have to do that from a computer.

The only thing I can add is that an extra long charging cord came in handy in my hospital (although some say it wasn’t necessary at theirs). Also pajama pants were good to slip on for walks since the hospital gowns open in back. I did see some people with two gowns on (one forwards and one backwards) I’m guessing because they didn’t have any bottoms.

Like @NickelChip, I wore the same thing home i came in. A pair of comfy Track pants and a tee shirt. I just brought fresh underthings. I bought my tablet as well so I could read (download a couple books ahead of time) but a regular book would be better since things do get misplaced and stolen sometimes and you will be separated from your stuff. They put mine in a locker during my surgery and beought it to me once I was in a room.

I also wished I had brought a sleep mask for my surgery. They closed the door and it was dark but I had to leave the bathroom light on so that I could find it. I brought one when I stayed with my husband in the hospital and it was perfect for that same light. I also bright headphones because I played Netflix at night when I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to disturb anyone else but the nurse informed me that others couldn’t hear my tv if I wanted to use that.

In terms of toiletries, I brought them all but I wasn’t allowed to shower before I left so maybe just a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and some baby wipes/ face wipes and dry Shampoo or a hat if your super oily like me. I was told not to bring my meds except for one that they didn’t have at the pharmacy. Kinda makes you wonder why you can’t just bring them all instead of laying two prices but that’s another story.

I did put a pillow in the car that my husband would be picking me up in. Ooh and they should tell you not to wear jewelry or bring cash. They have to inventory everything you bring and they actually thanked me for packing light.

2 hours ago, ms.sss said:

i have heard/read this reasoning many, many times on this forum. im not sure, but i *think* this may be something relevant only to those with bypass (or any other surgery where the pyloric valve is not is use?).

im a sleeve, and the reason i don't drink while i eat is because mixing liquids and solids results in making me feel overly FULL to the point i need to vomit.

i've learned that (starting with an empty stomach) i can have liquids immediately followed by solids, with no issue. But under no circumstance can i have solids immediately followed by liquids (or both at same time)...otherwise, the aforementioned barfing results.

so for ME, i don't need to adhere to the no-drinking-30-mins-before rule , but i definitely need to follow the no-drinking-(at least!)-30-mins-AFTER rule.

YMMV.

good luck! ❤️

Idk because I had the sleeve and that’s what he told me. But then again this was the PA and we discussed a resleeve, bypass and Sadi that day. It’s possible he misspoke?. It sounds like you understand the anatomy a lot better than I do. I didn’t know enough to question it. If I remember I will ask the dr end of this month though cause now I’m curious 🧐

54 minutes ago, funky_monkey800 said:

love the part where you say she’s not like us on the scale everyday! I don’t know if that will ever change either….😭

Thank you!

I think I’m going to give it a try-I found a spot that will ship directly to me so I can administer my own injections.
For those of you looking for updates I will post them here!
😉

I would check with your dr. If your levels are low they just send a script to pharmacy and you self administer them. Im guessing it’s a lot cheaper through insurance. I recommend that you get labs to monitor your levels after doing the injections too because there are side effects of getting too much in your system (some serious). I am anxious to hear if this helps with your energy and or weight.

Congratulations on all your success!!

I am three years post op and I can drink while eating but I don’t recommend it. For one, I’m pretty confident my pouch was left bigger than most since I was always able to eat more than expected from day one. For two, I gained my weight back and this could have contributed. I am thinking I am doing a revision and the PA reminded me I should be doing all those things such as the 30:30:30 (30 before and after with no Water and take at least 30 minutes to eat your meal). They haven’t checked it yet but if it is possible to stretch the sleeve in any way, I worry that I have stretched mine. Regardless, he explained that the purpose of not doing both even once you have room is because the liquid flushes the food through your system quicker so you don’t feel full as long. In terms of the size bites you can take they will gradually increase BUT, ideally you will still stay with “normal” sized bites but with time in between so that full signal can get to your brain. Hopefully others can Learn from my mistakes. Apparently they make these rules for a reason 😔

Has anyone asked about the cirkul drink cartridges whether they are okay post surgery. I am wondering if it would be too similar to drinking through a straw or not? I am looking for flavored waters and figiures that brand has a ton of flavors but I don’t want to waste the money on the special cup if my dr is gonna say it’s not allowed.

On 4/29/2023 at 5:01 PM, HealthyT said:

What about deviled eggs with hummus? I saw a recipe on another post-I intend to try it

Oh I seen that recipe too. Looks yummy. I want to try it also.

Awesome. 👏🏻

I was taking the collagen peptides after surgery. When I showed the NP she said that there wasn’t a whole lot of research on these post WLS but they wouldn’t hurt. She just asked that I didn’t count the Protein towards my goal. That was three years ago, though, I would ask your team what they suggest about the protein.

It honestly depends on your clothing budget but I would want to have at least a couple outfits that truly fit at each size. Consignment shops and thrift stores are your best bet (the church ones tend to have better prices because they price each item based on brand and condition rather than making all jeans or all tops a set price. Im sorry but a worn out camisole shouldn't be the same price as a silk Michael kors blouse with the tags still on it. Yet at goodwill, you will find them next to each other both marked $4.99 (or whatever price they have on tops). This is great if you find the nice top with the tags in your size but I usually don’t. lol. I would rather go to another store that prices based on quality and pay $10 for the nicer blouse. I wish I had more consignment stores near me because that would’ve been a great option. They would most likely buy back everything as it becomes too large so you would always have a credit to apply to your next visit. Plus, consignments stores tend to sift through and not take that really worn out camisole plus they organize the clothing by sixes a bit better. Tjmaxx, Marshall’s and Ross are good too. Especially their clearance sections. Clothes shopping becomes so much fun as you begin to really lose and I is not deny myself that but I did keep my real big splurges to accessories so they wouldn’t be too big in a few weeks. Whatever you do. Don’t forget to budget for a couple overhauls of your bras and panties. Because as mentioned before those will need to be sized down a few times as well.

12 hours ago, Clueless_girl said:

I have been struggling with how to tell my family and friends about my surgery. It's not even because they would judge me, it's kind of the opposite.

My brother was super skinny until about late high school and then struggled with weight gain and loss for years. Then 6 yrs ago he got the gastric sleeve and after seeing the results, my parents immediately looked at me and said I should do the same. I have always been bigger and curvier than everyone in our family, which is hard to ignore when you're an Asian girl (I'm not stereotyping here. They are all under 5'5 and the largest cup size is a B). While it has hurt me, it also pushed me to find a version of myself that I can accept and be happy with.

Oddly enough my existing health problems (which are mostly the known side effects that occur from wls) stem from a blood disorder from birth and I don't suffer from the common issues from obesity like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. Having dealt with a number of specialists and doctors over the years without any real solutions, I eventually decided to consider bariatric surgery this year. I planned on telling them about it after I had recovered, but it has been rough and I am still undergoing further tests and treatment. My brother gained a lot of his weight back while my sister has pushed herself and lost weight- both about the same amount that I have lost in a few months. I don't want either to feel shame or resentment towards me, not that I can control that.

It looks like I may have to go back into the hospital a 3rd time and get my gall bladder removed. How awful would it be if I lied and said that is the reason behind my weight loss? My family knows that I have been dealing with stomach problems and pain for years. I'm also losing weight much faster than the doctors expected due to this, in addition to nausea, and we're trying to figure how to slow it down. I HATE attention and it's getting harder to try and hide how different I look. Any advice or motivational speech from anyone would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

What version of the truth you choose to tell is up to you IMO. If you refer to the gall bladder thing as a stomach surgery and you said your “stomach surgery” is why your losing- frankly that’s not a lie because the WLS was a stomach surgery too. In terms of claiming it’s due to all the changes you are making that’s absolutely true. I made the changes three years ago and guess what. I changed back to old eating habits and I have gained it all back. I still have a sleeve but I am obese again. So that surgery did not do the work to lose the weight. I did. And the second I stopped doing my part I started gaining and ended up right back where I started. My point is it is what you are doing that is making all the difference in your weight. The surgery is just a tool. No one tells a carpenter he is taking shortcuts if he uses a drill instead of a screwdriver. So why does society assume we shouldn’t take advantage of the best tools money can buy to set us up to succeed. I am willing to bet that they all buy the latest and greatest gadgets they can afford to make things easier on themselves. And realistically it’s not even like it makes it that much easier. It just makes it possible instead of impossible!! IMO taking the lazy or easy way out would be to never try anything. We have tried everything. To include facing some pretty scary complications not everyone would face to achieve their goals. Nothing about this is easy and people who think it is are just ignorant. You just have to decide what your comfortable sharing. It’s no one’s business unless you want them to know. Honestly if someone was really going to think I was doing drugs I would just think to myself that they never really knew me anyways so what reason do I have to care what they think about me. You are facing enough with your upcoming surgery. I say Focus on yourself and your health.

You are just going through the tough part now. You will get through this and be happier and healthier for it. You say it’s especially bad when you take your Cipro. According to Dr google Cipro can be taken with or without food but I wonder if the 500mg is just too much on your empty stomach? Maybe you can take a smaller dose spread out or something. If it’s really bad it may be worth a call to your doctor. Definitely if you actually do vomit it up. Be certain you are getting your fluids. If not. Dehydration will definitely make you feel nauseous. If that’s the case contact your team to see if they can arrange for fluids. Your can just go to the ER but my team was able to arrange for me to get them at the hospital building but in another part of hospital than emergency.

Glad to hear that you figured it out. Ear infections are the absolute worst. Up there with toothache IMO. Hope you feel better soon.

42 minutes ago, apalm said:

I don’t count carbs or calories. I just focus on Protein and Water. The SIPS/SADI is a malabsorption surgery. What you eat goes through your system “faster” than other surgeries. I have not had any issues with dumping syndrome. I usually have 1 bm a day . If I do eat something that may be fried or higher carb I do get gas, which is unpleasant smelling. Lol. So I focus on high Protein foods, at least 60 grams a day.

I guess that’s why it’s been so difficult for me to find the macros listed anywhere. I think the idea of smelly gas may just be enough to keep me from eating alot of carbs. At least when I’m out which is when I usually am tempted to make bad choices.

29 minutes ago, apalm said:

Some of us just need the “extra help” that bariatric surgery can give us. I was a total food addict. Always thinking about my next meal, feeling cheated if I did not have heaping portions and eating until I felt sick. Some of us are just wired like that. It’s not just “push the plate away” or having “will power” I believe it just how we are wired, an addiction. This surgery does change your brain, I’m serious, I don’t plan my day around food and I easily choose healthy foods. I don’t crave junk and sweets. The Hair loss is no joke but I knew that was going to happen. I’m 7mo post op and it has slowed down. As far as Vitamins .. I take 2 chewy Multivitamins and 2 calcium chews per day and a B12 every other week because my B12 level was really high. All other blood work was good. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. I wish you the best of luck on whatever journey you decide to take.

Thank you so much. oh how I really hope I am like you and it’s easier to make healthy choices at 7 months. Post sleeve my hunger came roaring back and I had already started to eat small portions of less than healthy foods because calorie wise they were okay in small portions before but with that hunger I ate more or more often and you see how that ended up.

I do have two questions off the top of my head. Other than the really scary medical stuff my biggest fear are the bathroom issues (diarrhea and smelly gas). A couple DS people have said that it’s mostly just if you eat bad though. If you don’t mind me asking Is that the case for you? Also, I am trying to work out what the macros will be so I can get started now. Currently I’m trying to keep carbs below 40 but I have no clue what fat, sugar and calories I would be allowed. What are your macro requirements now. Ooh and finally when you look at carbs on the back of the package do you have to count total carbs or just the net carbs which are much lower?

10 minutes ago, apalm said:

But I knew I needed to do this for me, to save my life. So I guess to answer your question I knew all the risks, the rare complications the benefits that WLS entails. I just gave all my fears to a higher power and took the biggest step forward I have ever taken in my life!! Fortunately, I have had zero issues and have followed the Drs orders faithfully. It is the answer to my prayers, the help I needed. Now at 54 I am healthier than I have ever been!

I am so happy to hear you are doing well. Thank you so much for sharing.

14 minutes ago, apalm said:

At 53, the age I was at my surgery, I had spent my entire life hating my body and being on some type of diet. I researched and educated myself on the types of bariatric surgeries. I scheduled the sleeve surgery and canceled telling myself I will try one more diet only to schedule the SIPS/SADI 3 months later. It is a scary step

I believe that post came at the exact time I needed to hear it. Thank you. I am in a craft group and for some random reason they were talking about someone they knew that had bariatric surgery and how they gained it back. I told them I had the sleeve and I gained it back. That was kinda my way of testing the waters to see if I could confide in them I am considering it again.

Well that went over okay so I did and that’s when All the advice came of how I should try to lose it with this diet and that. I know that I can lose weight. I have lost probably over 1000 pounds in my life. It’s the keeping it off part I cannot do!!

Recently, I have been doing low carb trying out recipes that I think I can eat post op and I have lost a couple pounds. That’s when the little voice creeps in asking if I should try it the old fashioned way just one more time. Knowing good and well it will just be another year of dropping a few pounds then gaining that back plus some more soon after.

Can you tolerate lettuce? Do you like salad? When I had my sleeve I did a lot of chick fila. Their salads are really good and they really measure things and post the nutrition information that is actually accurate not like places that do not measure and you really don’t have any idea how many calories you are getting. Plus the crunchy toppings are on the side so you can choose to leave off if need be and they have the exact calories listed on those as well. Early out to avoid spice I got the spicy southwest salad but I asked for plain chicken breast (no seasonings) and the market salad I would get without the blue cheese. Both of these I take home and take the toppings with just a little bit of lettuce and put into a plate because it’s way too much if not. When I dine in I just do my best to eat the toppings to get the nutrition and toss the lettuce. It is a good place to go with friends because they can get what they want and I can get eat on plan. Super early out you can ask for the grilled chicken breast by itself. Panara is another place with some healthy options. I usually get the kids meal because it’s a half salad which is more than enough and you get a yogurt you can save for later instead of bread or an apple. I have often wondered if they will let you pay to double the Protein though because the half salad is half the protein which very well may be plenty. I’ve just never weighed it. Panara also has food that the rest of the family could enjoy.

I think I seen in another post that you are having trouble sleeping. Loss of sleep can certainly make you feel like you are losing It. Have you spoken with your team to see if they have any ideas that can help. It’s possible your medications are just not absorbing properly. Maybe Check with them to see if they can safely adjust the dose or try something different alltogether. After you get some sleep you may find that the depression and anxiety subside. If not, it will depend on how problematic it is.

Many times Depression can be helped significantly by just getting outside in the fresh air and sunlight (or by using a special lamp Designed for seasonal affective disorder that can be purchased on Amazon). Light exercise can also help if you are cleared for a walk. Even better if you can get a friend to go along with you.

Most anxiety can be reduced through meditation. Guided meditations are available on you tube or apps such as the calm app. If formal meditation is not your thing, many hobbies require mindfulness. I suffer from anxiety and I crochet. Focusing on the pattern and counting the stitches takes just the right amount of mental energy to pull my focus and help me relax. Believe it or not since I started crochet I have been able to cut back on my anxiety medication by more than half. Many people also Find adult coloring books to help With stress and anxiety. If Crafts are not your thing, just google anxiety reducing hobbies and you will find things such as puzzles, writing and reading have been proven to reduce Stress and anxiety.

If you are still struggling with depression and anxiety that are bothersome i would contact your team. I am not certain but they may be able to prescribe something for you to take temporarily to help you to feel more like yourself. If not hopefully they will have some more ideas because you are definitely not the first one to go though this.

26 minutes ago, apalm said:

My surgery was a “virgin” surgery. I did my research and felt the SIPS/SADI was the best surgery for me and my health. It was not covered by my insurance (it was around 16k) it is so frustrating that insurance won’t cover this surgery that will literally resolve T2D but will pay for metformin, insulin and dialysis.

Yea insurance companies seem to have things backwards sometimes. I’m so glad you were able to get it though. I commend you for making this investment in your health!! Is there anything you have learned along the way that you wish you had known going in?

11 minutes ago, Clueless_girl said:

I don't think I'm a common case but malabsorption of Vitamins is expected of all bariatric patients. I've been dealing with random abdominal pain for years, alongside the gluten sensitivity so now my surgeon is looking at removing my gall bladder.

But I know a few patients will have a rough recovery like mine and IV nutrition will help them tremendously. I am able to eat and the bruising I have from every lab/blood draw is taking longer and longer to disappear (making me look like I'm a drug addict 🤣), so I don't want to go that route.

Oh but feel free to talk about the recipes/issues you're having with low carb food, it's not a trigger for me and I could always use ideas to adapt!

Well you are being such a trooper I’ll tell you. I hope you get it worked out real soon.

Probably stuff you already know about the low carb if you’ve had a sensitivity to gluten. I just going to say that I learned that fajitas and Italian sausage witb peppers and onions which I like both (minus the rice of course) are relatively low carb. And cauli rice isn’t bad as long as it’s mixed in something witb flavor.

Night before last I learned that crustless quiche is super easy to make and In the muffin tin it’s perfect little portions. Last night I made a low carb Italian bake that was Italian sausage with spinach and cheeses (the recipe called for mushrooms but I substituted onions). That one I’m not sure about the fat though. It wasn’t listed but for 6 servings it has two cups of mozz cheese, a quarter cup Parmesan and 16 oz of ricotta.

I’m waiting to hear from my surgeon what my post op fat requirements will be and I need to work that out and see if it’s on plan. That recipe worked out to 373 calories but I didn’t calculate the fat before I tossed all the packages.

Tonight I had leftovers of the Italian bake that is probably too fatty and I baked instead of cooking . I made low carb banana muffins that another poster shared with me and they are pretty yummy. They use almond flour and Allulose to cut the carbs. They are surprisingly tasty.

Basically I am not really a big cook and I did not experiment with healthy dishes last time around. I Just tried to commit to eating like you have to now (meat and veggies) but for life and I couldn’t do it. I got board and I found things that were within the allowed calories while the portions were small but once I could eat more they actually added up too fast. This time I’m just trying ti find at least A handful of things that are actually tasty to me that will work when I finally get back to regular foods. Something to look forward to while I’m in the weight loss stage. And it’s kinda weird but I’m not hating the cooking as much as I used to. It’s kinda like knowing that it’s actually something good for my body makes it a little less of a chore to me.

On 3/23/2024 at 10:27 PM, ChunkCat said:

Yes! Happy to share! It's this one: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/keto-banana-muffins-recipe/ I doubled the banana flavoring emulsion (I got mine from Amazon) and I added vanilla. None of the box mixes were low carb enough for me and I used to be a chef so I have a bias towards homemade things. 😂

I just made these and yummm. I made them according to directions except I added the vanilla you suggested but wanted to see if it was sweet enough with 1/2 cup and if I should double the banana and I will increase those next time but even as they are they are quite a little treat. And simple now that I realize it’s just mix together the dry stuff then add in the wet. I kept going back and forth on my phone to get the measurements. Anyways, pretty easy and super tasty too. thanks so much for sharing. 🙏🏼

31 minutes ago, apalm said:

I had SADI on 8/15/23. I have had wonderful results. I was a type 2 diabetic with and A1C of 9.5 at the time of surgery, two weeks post op I was taken off meds my last A1C was 4.9. “Normal”! I have lost almost 100 LBS since surgery. I was also very nervous and scared of all the “what ifs” but I was also on a fast track to “what if’s” if I did not have the surgery. I agree with the above recommendation to follow Laura Fluschee on instagram. Wonderful account for SIPS/SADI patients. Best wishes!

I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well. Congrats on your loss but even bigger congrats on the “normal” on your blood test for diabetes. That’s amazing!! May I ask if your Surgery was a virgin surgery or revision?