pintsizedmallrat

I've lost 75 pounds in a little under 4 months--I have some minor excess skin on my neck and under my arms so far. I had a LOT of excess weight around my chin, neck, and shoulders (I feel like I have a neck for the first time in years!). It's already starting to tighten up as my initial dramatic weight loss has started to slow and my skin can catch up. I want to lose 40 more so it'll be interesting to see what happens over the next year or so. I'm 39 and my weight gain was very gradual over a period of about 20 years, so I hadn't been at my "high weight" for very long, maybe 3-5 years, for background.

I had this problem between the two and three month mark--mine was caused by a combination of acid reflux and some food intolerances that have since seemingly resolved themselves already. It's really important to talk to your treatment team; the suggestions and adjustments mine prescribed to me helped a LOT.

I really like the OWYN pre-made shakes. I agree with the others here that I don't care too much for powdered protein; it's inconvenient and they always seem to mix up weird.

Is this normal? I got a period (a pretty heavy one) about a week after my surgery in September and since then, nothing. I'm 39, I'm not on any kind of hormonal birth control (and not sexually active so I'm NOT pregnant). I've never been formally diagnosed with PCOS but it's been suspected. My mother went through menopause really young (early 40s). I don't have any children. For the first few months following my surgery, between some new food sensitivities and just general adjustment, I had problems getting enough food in my system (I was running on maybe 200 calories a day because it was all I could comfortably ingest). I wonder if that has something to do with it but now that issue has been largely resolved and I'm up toward 600 a day and hitting my protein goals most of the time (and able to get all my vitamins down too!) so I thought this would have been resolved by now but nope! I wouldn't be heartbroken if I found out I was going through menopause already, but I just wanted to ask the brain trust if anyone else had this experience or not?

No, pure nicotine is not a carcinogen. There are many carcinogenic compounds in tobacco but nicotine, in and of itself, is no more harmful than caffeine. Using vapor products, which are not burned, is intended to be a harm reduction tool for adults to end their addiction to combustible tobacco cigarettes by replacing the nicotine and the overall feel of inhaling and exhaling it. Is it a good idea to do forever? No. However, I was able to quit my 10 year cigarette habit with the help of vaping. While I know this is not the case everywhere, my surgeon was actually ok with me continuing to use my vapor device as long as I did not take back up with combustible cigarettes. Ironically, the abdominal pain after surgery helped me cut down on my intake a great deal and I've nearly quit just as a matter of course.

I pretty much had the same results with these, I think they stayed down for about five minutes before I was running to the bathroom. I've started using the "fruit chew" ones that are like a starburst (like Sanchesp618 mentioned), and they're much more palatable. I havent gotten sick on them once, and also take the calcium citrate that are the same sort of texture.

I am 3 1/2 months out, I don't eat any bariatric or protein infused prepared foods and I have been consistently hitting my protein goals. I eat a lot of cottage cheese and marinated grilled chicken among other things. It can be done but it involves planning and it helps if you know how to cook so things don't get boring.

It absolutely will get better! My first month or two felt like hell and there were moments I regretted having the procedure but now at three months I finally feel like myself again and have gotten that burst of energy that comes with not carrying around the 76 pounds I've lost anymore! Hang in there, be strong!

These are just a few things I've found I can eat in the last month or so...I'm 3 1/2 months post-op -meatballs and marinara appetizer from Fazolis -soups from Panera -shrimp or salmon bowl from Long John Silvers, no rice or the grilled shrimp or salmon a la carte -chicken power bowl from Taco Bell, no rice -side of refried beans from Taco Bell -grilled trout meal from Cracker Barrel with green beans (if you ask they will sell you a half order with only one piece of fish and one side instead of two and two...which I still think I got four meals out of!) -Whopper Jr, no bun, Burger King -Sonic will put everything from inside a breakfast burrito in a cup for you, ask for it with no tots.

The single incident of dumping syndrome I've had was banana baby food about 3 weeks after my surgery--and I didn't know that's what it was at the time because I have a sleeve and I thought dumping only happened to bypass patients...but I fainted in the bathroom after having made a mad dash due to "urgency". My SO called an ambulance and I ended up in the ER, and it was there after they consulted with my surgeon's office that they told me it was likely dumping syndrome. That was the first time I had sugar after my procedure and I've since been able to eat limited amounts of other fruits (I'm 3 1/2 months post-op now), but I had to proceed with caution when introducing them.

That's a good dietitian. My fiance went to one associated with his primary care doctor who tried to sell him Shakeology during their visit. Needless to say he didn't go back and filed a complaint.

I've used it, I don't care for it, I usually stick with monk fruit or Splenda

It has to be toasted because drying it out a bit makes it less likely to swell up in your stomach and make it difficult to digest. I've had one piece of toast since I started soft foods and it just didnt do a whole lot for me, but you can have it. I'd be careful with any whole wheat bread with seeds or nuts in it though because those typically aren't allowed on the soft foods diet.

Don't a lot of the Herbalife products contain things beyond protein like stimulants, laxatives, etc? Also keep in mind by using their products you are supporting their "multi level marketing" business model that many people consider to be predatory.

I'll be honest I don't know---I can't emphasize enough this whole debacle has wreaked such havoc on my system (nearly making it impossible to eat or even drink fluids sometimes) that I'm really, really not looking to begin experimenting on how close I can get to the edge before I begin having problems. There have been times I have felt like I was wasting away vs losing weight--there have been days I haven't even broken 100 calories because of the discomfort and I felt sick, weak, and loopy. The good news is that since I eliminated dairy, whatever component of it is bothering me, I feel better than I have since 3 weeks after my surgery, so for now, anything milk-based is a full embargo. That is my personal decision based on the fact I'm just enjoying getting back to not feeling afraid everything I put in my mouth is going to hurt me. I'm sure it won't be that much of an impediment, there are lots of vegan sources of protein out there and at this point eating isn't really supposed to be fun. Tuna has been enjoyable and comfortable to eat and I think I may expand it into my breakfast regimen.

I would not have purchased them any time in the near future. For the next few months, eating and consuming quality medically-correct protein is as much a medical function as taking my vitamins and showering.

I'm two months out and three small "gulps" seems to be my limit, but I can take those sets of three gulps pretty close together now.

With scrambled eggs it's important that they be softer than you probably ate them before--every time I've eaten a little piece of them that have come from a restaurant off my SO's plate, they've gotten "stuck" because they're too dense no matter how much I chew them, which can make you feel off in a lot of ways including feeling disoriented or loopy.

What do they taste like?

I've had shoulder pain on and off since my surgery and a lot of it is because the dimensions of my neck/shoulders have changed and my body hasn't adjusted to my "new" shape in terms of how I position myself when I sleep (I was one of those people that didn't really have a neck before and now I do, and I don't think my body's muscle memory knows that yet.)

Your opinion on the way water tastes may change after your surgery--I was not a big "plain" water drinker prior to my surgery and drank a lot of Mio/Propel/etc and now all those things taste horrible to me and I just want water.

re: bony butts...I ended up having to get one of those memory foam cushions with the cutout for the tailbone. I even just got a new car with REALLY comfy seats, and I drive pretty long distances and I still have to use the cushion on long drives because my tailbone is out and proud, apparently.

Monster makes a few flavors in their "recovery" line that aren't carbonated and have like 10 calories in the entire can. They also make those big Gatorade-like "Hydro Monster" drinks, but be aware only one flavor is zero sugar and the others have a similar sugar and calorie count to a full-octane Gatorade so watch the labels.

That sounds like a good idea, maybe even with some salsa later when I'm allowed to eat that.

I'm only doing what I was instructed to do by my surgeon's office. So far it has prevented problems for me so I am going to continue to do it. I've had so many issues getting enough food in my system until now that I'm really not looking to rock the boat by doing anything contrary to their instructions.