ShoppGirl

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?

19 hours ago, Star1234 said:

I had a full blood count done 2 weeks ago and everything came back fine , I have a Vitamin b jab booked for 2 weeks time

If you are due for Vitamin b that could be your culprit. I have a family member who has low B12 naturally and when she is nearly due for her injection it zaps her energy big time. Could be because your body is recovering from surgery too your noticing it sooner? I guess you will know soon enough if that has anything to do with it. If not, it’s also possible it has nothing at all to do with your surgery. In which case a call to your PCP may be in order. I hope You figure it out real soon.

Wow. It’s amazing that your work has healthy options. I can see where it’s kinda hard to measure things at work though. Just a thought if you are measuring by volume. Amazon sells containers that I find handy when I’m eating healthy to pack my Snacks that you may be able to use now to measure your lunch. Mine are made by easy lunch boxes and these have four square sections (they sell one that’s bigger also but I usually tend to grab the one with 4) basically they make homemade lunchables. I just measured witb Water and each section holds 1/2 cup if you fill it to the line (not overflowing). So half way would be 1/4 cup

Maybe you can use or transfer your lunch to a container like this and that way you will have a better idea of how much you are eating?? It’s kinda Like having four measuring cups without having to use an actual measuring cup or a bunch of containers. Plus, you will likely love them later if you need to pack healthy snacks anyways. The ones I got are $11.99 for four and they come in handy to pack smaller portions of fruit, cheese, veggies, lunch meat, Jerky, nuts, etc for snacks on the run.

On 3/26/2024 at 6:31 PM, Clueless_girl said:

I'm almost 4 months post from the ds so I'm no means an expert, but I've been sensitive/intolerant to gluten for the last like 7 yrs so I can chime in about food restrictions. Having to find substitutions for food you know and love is ROUGH, more so when you're sick or recovering. I've had problems with nausea, abdominal pain, and Vitamin deficiency during my recovery so my dietician is still having me focus on Protein with a little soft cooked, non-starchy vegetables (I really miss eating fruit). I have ADHD so eating the same thing for more than like 2 meals is almost impossible.

However, there are a lot of other people who are dealing with low carb and bariatric diets so finding suggestions and recipes isn't hard. Unfortunately that also means it takes a lot of research and trial and error to find what works for you specifically. There are a lot of different alternatives for gluten free/low carb/no sugar/etc. products available online that are a bit pricey, but might also be a good option for what you want/crave too.

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m sorry to hear you are struggling a bit but glad you are tolorating at least some real foods and getting your Protein in. I am trying low carb recipes each day and have found a few that are good for me. I just have to sift through the super high fat ones that I’m guessing won’t be ideal post op. I won’t get into specifics since you are limited in what you’re eating right now. I’m kinda shocked that you are still dealing with nausea and abdominal pain at four months. I know everyone’s body is differnt but Do they act like that is common for recovery? Is the Vitamin deficiency related to the surgery?

I was going to suggest it was maybe the amount of time he expected you to be under. They try to keep that minimal. It sounds like you are doing great. And you’re half way there!!. Great job on the pre op diet.

Congratulations!! I am glad you had such a great team and that like you said you were still in hospital. I shiver when I think of if it was me and I was home I may not have even noticed my BP was up. If they specifically told me to take it every two hours, maybe but if not…

Anyways, it sounds like you found a little gem of a team over there and I’m sure your sharing will be helpful to so many. I think for my revision I may ask to go ahead and stay the extra night if they give me the option now.

I just wonder why they don’t have recovery houses for surgeries other than cosmetic. I assume they check things such as your vitals and make sure you follow all your post op instructions to the tee. That would be good option if you were still in a great deal of pain and lived alone or just live worn someone who has to work most of the day. Or they would have probably reported your BP to your excellent team and he would have requested they brought you back to hosptial.

That and visiting nurses. I have had them come to my home for both “cosmetic” procedures I’ve had but never have they mentioned them for the others. Maybe you just have to ask? ignore me, my mind is just wandering. lol. Congratulations again on your goal. I’m so very happy for you!! For that and that all the surgery stuff is behind you.

Talk to your surgeons office. Something may be off in your labs. Low B12 is one thing that can cause low energy really quick but you don’t want to guess and take extra. I’m sure there are a handful of things that could be causing it. Don’t suffer trying to figure it out on your own. Get some labs done and your team should be able to tell you exactly what you need.