lizonaplane

I have heard that a lot of people's tastes change after surgery, so I was told not to stock up on anything, because even if you like it now, you might hate it after surgery. I bought an assortment to have around after surgery, so I can try different things, like different flavors of bone broth, flavored low sugar drinks, protein water, different types of protein shakes, etc.

I think the type of pill makes a big difference in weight gain. Pills that have several different levels of hormones throughout the month may be worse, and are also worse if you have migraines or PMDD. At least that was what I was told. I've been taking birth control pills continuous cycling (I don't take the sugar pills) for more than a decade so I never get my period at all because I would get terrible mood issues (I have bipolar disorder), migraines, nausea, cramps, etc when I got my period. I am so terrified of having to stop the pill for surgery. I am considering getting an IUD when I stop the pill. I'm not at risk of pregnancy because I don't have sex, but I hate having my period.

I did online dating a lot many years ago. I got one very good relationship out of it. We eventually stopped dating, but we're still very close (I'm visiting him this weekend - it's complicated). After that guy and I broke up I met another guy and we went out for about a month until he broke up with me because he wasn't attracted to my body type - and that was after I had just lost 100 lbs. I was devastated. Of course, we're still friends, and I met some wonderful people through him. I don't know where people meet if not online. I work from home, I don't go to religious services, and I'm no longer in college. I'm definitely not going to hang out in bars, since I don't drink and I can't hear a darned thing in loud places. Maybe after I lose weight if I'm feeling secure enough I'll try online dating again, but I still am very picky. I am happy with my complicated relationship with my ex-boyfriend (the one I'm visiting) except that he doesn't like to travel and that's my passion.

Good luck! I agree with @catwoman7 Back to basics. You can do it!

If you can eat nuts, those are great, unless you would eat too many of them. I buy pistachios in the shell so it takes longer to eat them. You can buy individual small packs. Also, you can buy protein drinks that don't have to be refrigerated until they are opened. Same with protein water. So you would only have to keep the open one in the cooler. Also, you can stop at places like 7-11 and they have cheese and eggs and protein drinks all available (I'm pre-surgery still, but when I travel I stop there for my breakfast protein drink). You can also keep some meat snacks (like cured sausages) at room temp. Tomatoes can stay out for a few days if they're not sliced, so grape or cherry tomatoes would work (not sure if you can eat those yet?). Maybe protein chips? I haven't tried those, but I know some people like them.

I'm in Boston, so ours is indoors, but it's cold anyway. Like you said, it's okay once you get started, although in the winter it can be pretty chilly to get yourself in there! It's usually empty, but it's so small that if there's even one other person in it you can't really use it. You sort of have to swim diagonally to swim laps, and even then, you really can't build up any speed. There's a YMCA not too far from me, and I have taken a swim aerobics class there, but it seems like I'm more likely to use the pool that's right in my building. Especially since the Y is pretty pricy!

Do you eat high protein/low carb or the types of foods you were eating before surgery? Not sure what that was... Do you do strength training? What sorts of exercises do you enjoy? Thanks!

I'm curious too because I always have slept on my stomach. I haven't had surgery yet.

Your PCP may or may not have much experience with weight loss surgery. What about your endocrinologist? I doubt very much that they would not check your blood sugar before sending you home without your insulin and other meds, as @RickM said. But talk to your surgery center about what your PCP said and your concerns, but don't cancel your surgery. Even if you can't immediately go off your meds, there are lots of other health benefits to surgery and you might in time be able to go off the meds. The goal in life isn't to have the fewest pills; it's to live the best life, with or without pills. I take about 18 pills a day, none of which I will be able to stop after surgery because they are for a condition that is not caused by my weight. (The meds cause weight gain, but that's another issue.) I am still having surgery, because it affects my quality of life to be so heavy, and is going to lead to other health problems down the road.

I love to swim, but the pool in my building is still closed due to COVID. To be honest, I didn't use it that much when it was open because it's tiny and really cold. However, I recently went on vacation and swam almost every day and I realized how much I missed it. I think they are opening the pool soon and I'm going to try to swim again, at least until my surgery, then I'll have to wait until my wounds heal.

@catwoman7 You should consider TSA pre-check. It's only like $75 for 5 years and you don't have to go through the backscatter machine. Also it takes so much less time! You just go through the regular metal detector. (My brother has a 14 inch titanium rod in his spine and that doesn't set it off.)

Definitely consider seeing a therapist to figure out why you are snacking. on protein bars and granola. These sugary things really don't have a place in the post-op diet so soon after surgery. Go back to the information your surgery center provided you with. What does the diet look like? It should be protein (from lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, cheese, light greek yogurt, etc - not protein bars which are basically candy) and some vegetables. Definitely not granola! And make sure you're getting all your water in; that can be a distraction when you want to snack.

Yeah, I thought about having food funerals. But I don't want to gain weight because that will just be more to lose after surgery. And I don't know how to relax JUST A BIT! I'm a black or white thinker so I can either control my diet completely or not at all. I'm allowing 1400 calories a day, but I honestly am just not hungry to eat more. I think I could try eating more calorie dense but healthy foods like nuts and cheese. Maybe go up to 1500-1600 calories.

There is a lot here. I'm glad you're doing better. Exercise is really good for your mood! I'm glad it's working for you! And losing weight does make us feel ill at ease in our new bodies. I remember when I lost 100 lbs years ago I didn't feel like me anymore... I couldn't figure out how to dress myself, I didn't know how to sit anymore, or how to hold myself... everything was just wrong. I just heard a podcast about this. It's from Australia, but I can't remember the name of it. Anyway, you're so right that most of the work is emotional. Good for you that you're facing it head on!

I had understood that the weight they use is the start of the pre-op diet, which won't start for a few months yet. This is all what I've done on my own trying to change my habits. Anyway, they haven't seen me in the office to get a "verified" weight due to COVID.

In addition, gastric bypass can mess with the way the meds are absorbed, so talk to your surgeon and have them discuss with your psychiatrist to see if your meds need to be adjusted to compensate for that. I have bipolar disorder and the surgeon and my psychopharmacologist both recommended sleeve over bypass for this reason. But I agree with @catwoman7 that it could just be hormones. Either way, definitely talk with your surgery center and get help if you're feeling depressed.

I also made all the changes at once. I always do everything whole hog. I'm not a gradual person!

You can also consider going to Mexico to have it done for about $5000. It's not something I would do, but many many people do it. Medical tourism is a huge industry. Or you can self-pay in the US, if that's something you can afford. Just find out from your insurance company if you would have to pay for any follow up if there were complications. Like if you developed a leak in the staple line and needed another surgery, would you have to pay for that, or would insurance cover it.

Erin Branscom has a YouTube channel (My Level 10 Life) and also a private (paid) Facebook group that's very supportive and there are lots of recipes, meal plans, and food prep tips. On the Facebook group there is also a weekly Zoom chat. I'm really enjoying it, although I haven't actually tried any of the recipes yet. Some of the food prep tips and maybe some of the recipes are available on the YouTube channel. She has lots of videos documenting her whole process. I don't agree with everything she says (she's big into essential oils and hates "chemicals"), but the Facebook group has been wonderfully supportive.

With a measuring cup! Like a quarter cup is 2oz by volume.

I know it feels hard now, but they've been telling me the time will fly by. I started this process at the end of January and I will probably have my surgery in July or August because of the insurance requirements and backlog of surgeries due to covid. In the meantime, I've been trying to "walk the walk" and lose some weight now. At least it gives me something to focus on. I also spend way too much time on these boards heh heh heh.

I initially thought I had to lose weight for my insurance and I was really freaked out, but it turns out they don't require it; but I'm still going to lose as much as I can now, because then it's just less I have to lose after surgery. I'm not totally carb-phobic - I often eat steel-cut oatmeal with a banana and unflavored protein powder for breakfast. I'm not a big rice, pasta, or potato fan, except for risotto and french fries, which I don't eat too often now. I used to make dishes that were low in protein and higher in carbs, and I've just reversed it, and honestly, it was a lot easier than I expected. One thing that has helped me is to have veggies (cucumbers, red/orange/yellow bell peppers, etc) washed and chopped ready for snacking in the fridge so I don't eat something higher in calories like cheese or chocolate or chips (I don't have much chips or chocolate in the house, but I have a little bit left). I often eat the veggies plain, but sometimes I get bored with plain veggies and add tzatziki (you could use hummus too!). Also, I found that adding artificially sweetened drinks like Starburst No Sugar Packets (found at walgreens, walmart, and dollar stores - basically Crystal LIght) satisfy my sweet tooth. It also helps me when I THINK I'm hungry but I'm really thirsty and I am sick to death of water.

I think it was for the time immediately after surgery, not for the rest of your life.

I weigh all my food. It takes just a few seconds and it really makes a huge difference in your calorie counts. If you're off by one tablespoon (15g) on your salad dressing that's 70 calories. An extra oz of cheese is 115 calories. It's adds up so quickly! I also agree with a previous poster about using smaller plates. I have heard though that after surgery we're supposed to be using volume measurements, not weight, because of the size of the stomach. That's going to give me serious anxiety!

One thing no one has mentioned is about your question about losing weight without the surgery: I can lose weight really easily, but I can't keep it off. WLS resets your "metabolic set point" so it's easier to keep the weight off, though many people regain some weight. I've previously lost 50 and 100 lbs, but both times gained almost all of it back within a few years. I'm having surgery to give myself a better chance to keep weight off.