ThanaK

Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m a little over 3 months post op. I’ve had a good and smooth experience so far. Except until recently. In the last few days I’ve started to experience pressure in the upper stomach area, just below the bra line area. At first, I thought it was caused by something I ate that didn’t agree with me or digest well such as raw vegetables, which seem to be a bit a problem for me still. But 3 days later I’m still feeling the pressure. I wouldn’t say I feel a lot of pain or nausea . It’s mostly pressure and discomfort that I feel that comes and goes in that area and not necessarily after I eat. I just feel uncomfortable. I’m a side sleeper and even that position is uncomfortable. Even though I’ve been on solid food for awhile now, I’ve reverted to soft foods and soups since I’ve experienced these symptoms because I don’t want to aggravate my symptoms. But it hasn’t gotten any better. Do you think this is a stricture? What symptoms did you experience before they discovered the stricture? Should I be worried? Should I reach out to my health care team? Thank you!

I’m about 8 weeks post op with slow steady weight loss. Now that I’m relatively healed and I’m almost eating normal foods again it’s time to thinking ahead to goal weight. I’d like to get to a healthy goal weight. I’ve been overweight most of my adult life so I don’t really know what that is having never really experienced it. Should I be thinking of BMI? Healthy BMI for my age looks like a very low weight for my height and body frame. For those of you who have lost the weight already, how did you know that you had reached your goal? Was it how you felt? How you looked? Looking for some guidance as I navigate my weight loss journey! Thanks.

When I started this question/thread, I wasn’t sure how many replies I was going to get. I am pleasantly surprised and grateful for all your contributions and thoughtful advice. Thank you!

My experience is very similar. I even had the same Surgery date...Mar 29. I echo the same sentiments. There seems to be varying degrees of guidance post op. I had my surgery in Canada, and by your forum name my guess is you did as well? I’m grateful that I have had lots of support pre and post op from the medical team. This is week 8 for me as well. I’m in between soft food stage and “rest of your life” stage. I’m slowly adding more and more things to foods I can now tolerate list. Like you, the focus has been on high quality protein and not calories per se. I try getting in 60 to 80 grams of protein a day splitting it up in 3 meals and 1 to 2 snacks, never going over more than 1 cup of food total along with choice of grain and fruit/veg at each meal. Good luck with the rest of your weight loss journey.

I’ve noticed a lot of focus on comparing of weight loss on this forum. In a recent follow up appointment with my clinic, I asked if I’m losing what is expected. She said that they never comment about the amount loss but only that you are losing. It makes sense since all of us are at different starting points and at different BMIs. Also, I wouldn’t recommend weighing yourself everyday. Pick a day and time and weigh yourself once a week. You don’t want to obsess with the number on the scale. You should focus more on how you feel each day.

Congrats on the weight loss. My surgery date was March 29. I’m down 15 since then. It’s slow , steady and consistent. With regards to the acid reflux, I was prescribed upon discharge Prevacid for 3 months post op to deal with the stomach acid. I take one before breakfast and one before dinner. I have had constipation too. My doc doesn’t want me to rely on Senokot which was prescribed the first few weeks. My dietition recommended Psyllium Husks which is the active ingredient in Metamucil. Psyllium Husk powder is a lot cheaper and does the same thing. I take 1 teaspoon every morning. You can stir it in water or blend it in some apple sauce, which what I do. So far it seems to do the trick. It may take 2 days before it kicks in. Hope that helps.

Hi all After a month of presurgery/Optifast diet, 2 weeks post op gastric bypass full fluids and finishing 2 weeks of puréed in a week, I’m looking to get a break from cooking and would like some healthy takeout choices while in the soft food stage. Any advice?

According to my Bariatric program I was required to do 2 weeks full fluids post op followed by 2 weeks puréed. I have one more week to go at the puréed stage before soft food. The first 2 weeks I had 1/2 cup of cream of wheat thinned out with milk for breakfast with protein drink( Premium Nutrition) . Lunch and dinner were both broths or soups ( 1/2 cup) with either unflavoured protein powder added or I would supplement at least one protein drink. Once I got to the puréed stage I would only incorporate one protein drink to supplement the protein I was already getting from food. Breakfast is still cream of wheat but I add 1 tbsp of unsweetened apple sauce and I also have a soft poached egg. Lunch is usually 2-3 tbsps of tuna or salmon puréed with 2 tsp of light mayo or 2-3tbsps of puréed cottage cheese. Dinner is 2-3 tbsp puréed chicken, 2 tbsp of mashed potato and 2 tbsp of puréed peas or carrots. I’ll have a protein drink as a snack between lunch and dinner. 2-3 tbsps of 1% Yoghurt is also snack option. You can also continue to do broths and soups at this stage or alternate with puréed food. The most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated and get in all your protein (60-80grams). I fill a 2L bottle with water everyday and sip throughout the day, making sure it’s empty by the end of the day. I’m not at the soft food stage yet but looking forward to getting off of puréed. You are allowed decaf coffee or decaf tea or sugar free drinks as long as they are not carbonated. Anyway, hope that helps.

Decaf skinny latte with some cinnamon powder is my usual drink. In the summer months I like iced latte with cinnamon powder and 1 stevia.

I have struggled with weight my entire adult life. I’ve yo yo dieted...lost and gained over 100 pounds 3 times. Just before turning 50 I decided to give it another go in trying to lose the weight once and for all the traditional way with a naturopath and a personal trainer. But if that didn’t work I made a promise to myself that, I would go for the gastric bypass. It took about 2 years but I was successful with the weight loss, and once again lost 100 lbs. Unfortunately a few years later, slowly but surely the weight came back. A number of reasons precipitated that including the fact I wax dealing with a lot of stress and depression associated with getting a breast lumpectomy because of a suspicious biopsy. It was not cancer, but because of it I’m considered high risk. By then I also experienced a lot pain due to osteoarthritis of my knees. So much so that I now require a knee replacement. Unfortunately my weight would make, not only the surgery, but the recovery difficult and complicated. Not only that, I have high BP. At 54 with retirement fast approaching i felt I was running out of time before other health problems came so I decided to keep my promise of going for the surgery to give myself a chance to have a long active, healthy and adventurous retirement. Had my surgery March 29th and not looking back! I should have done it sooner but so grateful now!

My first thought was that you’re perhaps trying to be more active and/or lifting things you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t be lifting anything over 10 Ibs for 6 weeks. But if you’re following advice, perhaps some incisions are taking longer than others to heal. When my steri strips came off, after week 1, all incisions were healed with the exception of one which was slightly open and more sore. It’s closed and healed now. When you have your surgeon follow up appointment, if the pain hasn’t resolved then , bring it up. But if it’s keeping you up at night and making you uncomfortable all the time, I’d bring up now.

Just going into week 3 now too. I’m so sorry to hear this. Although so far I feel relatively fine after the gastric bypass, I’m not unfamiliar to post op complications from major surgery so I can relate. Hope you get some relief and resolution to your situation soon! 🤞

To echo what VSGJen said, I was also advised against Advil. Also against Ibuprofen, Motrin, Naprosyn and Aleve. These Meds put you at high risk for ulcers. I was advised to stick to Tylenol for pain. Perhaps risk is reduced with Sleeve. Not sure. Best check with your doc.

Sorry about your issues and discomfort. I’m currently on full fluids and my menu options includes cooked cereals such as Cream of wheat. I make sure that it’s thinned out with milk/water so its not very thick. It goes down easy.

Hi All My last post I was a few days from Gastric Bypass. Update: I’m happy to report that my Gastric Bypass on March 29, was a success. By that date I had already lost 20 lbs following my 4 week Optifast regimen. I was in hospital for 2 nights. I’ll be honest, this was the worst pain, nausea and gas pain I’ve ever experienced. And I’ve had quite a few procedures before, including a total abdominal hysterectomy. Thankfully the nursing staff were on top of it and they kept the pain & nausea meds coming. Gas pain persistent, inspite of how often I got up and walked to get rid of it. I was scheduled to be discharged by the 3rd day( March 31). By the way I felt on on the 30th I couldn’t possibly consider the thought of going of going home the next day. Nurses reassured me that, the 2nd day is always the worst day and that you’ll be surprised how much better you feel by the 3rd day. And they were right! Sometime during the night and early morning the pain lifted, and particularly gas pain moved out . Thank god! I’ve never felt so much relief in all my life! I was discharged as planned. I’m home now on full fluids and things are going well. I have been off pain meds since my discharge. I haven’t needed any. Trying to follow the sip every 15 min routine. Main focus is getting all my protein & water in everyday. Mostly doing protein shakes, cream of wheat & soup broths. Looking forward to purées which I’m supposed to start after week 2 post op.

Thanks Heather! Optifast has been ok. I don’t have any cravings and it tastes pretty good. Plus , I haven’t had to plan what my meals are this past month. I’m just bored with it to be honest.

I hope I’m in the same boat. After 1 month Optifast preop, not sure I can take just fluids that much longer. I’ll know soon enough, surgery is in 3 days, March 29th.

Really? Wow! I thought you’re supposed to be on full fluids for two weeks before soft/puréed? Glad things are progressing nicely!

I’m new to this forum. I’m scheduled for a gastric bypass March 29. I also feel scared and excited. The scared part is because I’ve had a few major surgeries in the last 10 years with post op complications. So I have a little PTSD when it comes to major surgery.