JenKS84

Yes. I think it's leftover from intubation. It took a good week for my sinuses to feel normal. The blood thinners don't help a nose bleed either. If it's a chronic issue post op, let your support team know.

I'm sorry you're feeling some blues. I've experienced just a little. I have more anger about not being able to gulp Water or drink and eat now..
I agree with others that our hormones are trying to regulate again and it is ALWAYS worth talking to your care team or professional.
I don't know if this helps at all but I've been open to friends and coworkers why I have been out or MIA. The support and optimism from them has been really surprising! I assumed the stigma behind WLS would have more negativity. I know not all have the same experience but having encouragement from the most random coworkers has been really nice and helped me to solidify this decision and continue to share.
I'm at the end of 3rd week post op. I post once or twice a week in my Facebook to give a post op update. After all, friends and family are nosy 🙂 but it's easier than the texts asking how I am. I have not shared any photos yet. I'm wanting to see more change before I do that.
I wish you luck! I'm thankful you shared with us. We're all in this together!

You'll know a lot closer to then what you can and can't eat. Some people can't eat steak, because it's too dry. Some people can't eat Pasta or bread because it expands too much in their pouch. Everyone is different.
I will say this, though... you're likely not to be able to come anywhere close to eating an entire three-course Italian meal. If you don't speak Italian, you might want to take a little card with you that says something like Mi hanno operato allo stomaco e non posso mangiare molto. Per favore, mi serva piccole porzioni.

Rocking forward and back like a rocking chair or even in a rocking chair can help. Also, gasx. I promise, it will go away!

I think it's good to do the pros and cons. I just had surgery a week ago and I'm hungry mentally but my body is in ketosis. I'm not very hungry from my stomach telling me. I'm definitely still healing and know it could change.
I don't like veggies either. I'm going to be trying an Atkins/keto diet once I'm able to eat some normal things. Idk if I'll be able to binge again. I can see myself trying but depending on the surgery, it's for life. I'll just be uncomfortable but my weight will be in a healthier place.
37 yr in Kansas. Started journey at 320, 6 months preoperative diet for insurance, surgery was 10/6 and I'm at 276.

Met with my post op team yesterday and they've set me back on the right path. I've been pushing the limits way too much. It's so hard.

Rocking forward and back like a rocking chair or even in a rocking chair can help. Also, gasx. I promise, it will go away!

Hi everyone, I need some support and advice because I feel like I am failing so bad right now and I am so frustrated. I am almost three months post op. I lost 20lbs On my own before surgery. My surgeon was very strict and I only could have Proteins shakes and Water. I hated the Protein Shakes and ended up just having water a lot of the time. Especially after surgery, with a liquid diet I had mostly water. My surgeon wasn’t concerned. However, right after my surgery I lost a lot of weight really fast. The first month I lost about 30 pounds. It started slowing down the second month when I started eating especially. Second month I lost about 14 pounds. However about halfway through the month I started slowing down and hit plateaus. In the third month I have lost only 5 pounds. Is this normal? I went from 320 and am now at 250 or so. I have lost inches in the last months so I know SOMETHING is happening. But I feel like a failure and my surgeon absolutely is no help. I am realizing I haven’t got any if the support I need from him. He wants me to eat once a day, and I have never been able to do that aside from maybe day one of eating. My body is hungrier than that. It has gone from two a day total to two or three times a day with a snack. This seems on par with everything I’ve read but my surgeons words and requirements are really triggering my sense of failure. Paired with my extreme stalls the shame and guilt is intense. I work out 2-3 times a week pretty intensely and know m I’m building muscle. I also was struggling to drink all my water until last week. My foods consist of mostly cheese, meats, and veggies. I had crackers when I was sick the second month as well as a food two other times with minimal amounts of flour. I believe I am in ketosis all of the time and have not gotten out of it. I can eat 1-1.9 oz a day. Sometimes I eat until I’m full, but I’ve only had 3 or so times I’ve ate until I was past full. I’m definitely high anxiety on this and I know that is part of the issue. Anxiety causes stress which can hold weight but also make me want to eat more. Any thoughts?

That is good...I'm doing better after talking to my dietician and only trying one new soft food a day. Tried yogurt and that went good...then did some scrambled eggs....just taking it slow.

Hi Bluesupef04,
I am sorry that you are frustrated and feel like you are failing. Congratulations on your weight loss, it sounds like you lost around 70 pounds, that's awesome. You are absolutely not failing. I am also almost 3 months out. The weight seems to come off fast on pre op diet and the first month after the surgery. From what I understand average loss can be about 10 pounds a month for the first few months after surgery. Some lose more & some less. Stalls are also common for many WLS patients.
I am sorry that you feel like your doctor isn't being helpful. I was surprised to read that he suggested eating once a day. Have you also been working with a nutritionist? You may want to meet with one to help you see if there is anything you can do with your food plan to help.
I wish you luck moving forward & hope you achieve your weight loss goals.

I'm so sorry you're struggling. I know it must be extremely frustrating and scary to be at this point with so little support from your surgeon. I think weight loss normally slows significantly after the first couple of months, exactly when depends on each persons body, so don't be alarmed that you aren't losing at the same rate you did in month 1. However, I'm honestly shocked to hear that your surgeon recommends only one meal a day. I know that programs vary widely, but nearly all suggest several small meals a day by the 3 month mark. I had VSG, so my guidelines are a little different, but my surgeon recommends 4-6 2-4oz meals a day for RNY patients at the 3 month mark. Does your program have a registered dietician you can work with, instead of the surgeon? If not, could you find an independent one or maybe have your PCP refer you? If that's not an option, there are a ton of really great bariatric dieticians that do 1:1 coaching; you might want to look into that. In the interim, maybe try experimenting with a couple small meals a day. Focus on getting in Proteins first, then high quality veggies/complex carbs.
It may also be worth getting set up with a counselor. WLS is a HUGE life change and having some extra support can make all the difference in the world. The surgery is a tool, not a magic fix, and we are only as successful as our ability to USE that tool. So much of it is mental that it can feel overwhelming, and having a resource to help you work through the internal pieces of it can be a game changer.
Best of luck to you! I know its exhausting, but you're doing a great job!

The possibility of tearing staples at this stage is pretty low. According to what my Surgeon said and what I have read through all my research, the staples will leak, if they are going to leak in the first 7-10 days after surgery. He sent me in for a barium Xray to watch the radioactive Fluid go down my throat, into my stomach and ensure none was leaking out of the staples. After this point, you are pretty much in good shape. The tissue is growing over the staples and will seal itself.
The first week or so is going to be challenging as you get into more solid foods. The key is definately slow, slow, slow. and as you get into regular food that requires chewing, chew 20-30 times, put your fork down and wait a minute or so between swallowing and starting the process again. If you go too fast it will feel like it is getting stuck in your espophagus. It should take at least 30 minutes to eat your food when you start eating solid foods. Take your time. You will know if you ate too fast because it will feel like something is stuck in your throat and will hurt. Vomiting can happen at this point. It is not pleasant....but slow down and it will not happen.

I love my spanx! I havent needed to really size down. However I can breathe in them now and put them on ALOT easier than I did a few month ago. It might be time to size down soon though but I'll wait until they go on sale! They are $175 now and I bought them for $90 last December.

I did talk to my dietitian today and she said it was totally normal and what I'm feeling is the nerves healing and my body adjusting. She said it was better that I was overly concerned about what I ate versus not being concerned and aware of what I was eating. She advised just cause it says I can start soft foods doesn't mean I have to if I don't feel ready...just take it slow.

I had the BPD-DS on October 6th. So far, so good. I think my weigh in on surgery date was 293. Today, I weighed in at 276.
It's hard for me to notice the physical changes because I feel like a bum and have been wearing lounge clothes. I thought I noticed some changes in my jawline this AM but not sure.
I am struggling to stay interested in the week 2 diet. I think I'm getting between 48 oz and 64 oz of liquids.

I am definitely going to talk with a bariatric therapist. It can sometimes be isolating, so I wasn’t even thinking about that. I do have that resource in my program ❤️

Good morning! This is my first post here, but I have been "lurking" for a while. 😊
I had my RNY 3/17/2021 (HW 367, SW 349) and did GREAT for the first 3 months (down to 292.6). Around month 4 I noticed I could eat much more and when boredom hit, I would munch on Snacks. I started eating "around" my surgery. Slider foods mostly. I hit my Protein goals and Water goals daily, but I have realized that I am a stress and emotional eater. In my program, we have a doctor, nutritionist, and a surgeon. I spoke with the nutritionist and the doctor about my habits and how I caused my own stalls. They were quite understanding and even offered to start a medication to control the appetite. (I work 2 jobs and I am a single mother, so I was using food to soothe myself when things were rough.) At my 6 month post-op appointment with my surgeon (279.8) I was hit with accusations of not wanting it bad enough and was told being stressed should make me lose weight, etc. Ugh! At the end of the appointment, he told me he believes in me and it frustrates him when patients aren't losing what he expects. So of course, I went home and did what I knew to do - I ate everything I could without getting sick. I woke up having lost 2 pounds. 🤦‍♀️
As angry as I was with my surgeon, he had changed something in me. He was wrong. I want it bad enough. I just don't know how to cope with stress well. I have always used food to self-medicate, to Celebrate, to cope with life. I took up smoking and when I quit, the weight piled on. Today I am 263 pounds. I am 6 1/2 months post op. I am tracking every atom of food I consume again. I am drinking a gallon to a gallon and a half of water every day. I am walking more than ever. When I see him in 5 1/2 months, I want to be at goal. His goal for me is 200 pounds. My personal goal is 167. I did not need the medication to jump-start my weight loss again. I needed to be angry. I say this to say that I was not being honest with myself and when someone was honest with me, I became defensive. I still have days when I eat like crap or days when I don't want to walk. Such is life. I am fighting this food addiction with all my might and I really have my mean old surgeon to thank for the kick in the pants. ❤️

Hi EsojLabina.
The liver shrinking diet is hard, no doubt about that! I don't think anyone breezes through it without at least a few days of wishing the weeks away. Try distracting yourself - do some DIY, engage in a hobby, go for walks - anything to take your mind off food.
Do you mean you're thinking you won't be able to eat like before? Because that is actually true. The upside is your body won't want to eat like before post-bypass, and that's the biggest tool to help change your mindset around food. But honestly, changing your mindset about food needs to begin pre-surgery, and if you have a complex relationship with food like binge-eating disorder or emotional eating, then you really need to see a bariatric psychologist to get on top of that, or the issues will follow you post surgery, and can manifest as depression.

I’m single too & will start dating again after I’ve lost a certain amount of weight. I have definitely considered all the things you’ve said. Good Lingerie for me has always been a help. Pretty teddy that covers the stomach

Egg salad, canned chicken salad, seafood salad (made with that fake k-rab that I think is called surimi). All with light mayo. Cooked non-gassy vegetables (green beans!). Not-refried Beans (my recipe below).

NOT-REFRIED BEANS
1 cup (200 g) dry pinto beans (or whatever dry bean you like)
1/3 medium onion, peeled, not necessary to cut up
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic
2 bay leaves or 1 avocado leaf
Salt and (optional) Knorr "suiza" (chicken bouillon powder)
1 jalapeño
1/3 medium onion, peeled and chunked
1 tsp oil

1. Soak the beans in Water to cover by a few inches overnight.
2. Drain the beans, then put them in a pot (I have a clay pot but any heavy pot that retains heat will work) with the 1/3 onion, the garlic, the dry leaves, and salt or suiza. Cover with water by a good 2-3 inches (5-7 cm).
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 2 hours until the beans are nice and tender.
4. Poke a hole in the jalapeño with a knife (so it won't explode) and fry it and the second onion third in the oil until softened. Cut the top off the fried jalapeño (take out the seeds if you don't like spicy or if seeds aren't allowed).
5. Blend the beans, the jalapeño, the fried onion, and enough of the bean broth to make a purée the consistency that you want. Save the bean broth separately, because the purée will set up overnight and you can thin it with tasty bean broth instead of just water.
The entire recipe is 773 cal, 42.6g Protein, 133.7g carbs, 7.5g fat. It is easily 8 bariatric servings.

Plain Greek yogurt mixed with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Or butternut squash puree with a dash of curry powder. (I really love squash.)

check the blog "The World According to Eggface". She's a long-time vet and is very active in the bariatric community. AND...she loves to cook. She has recipes on her site for every stage.

Im sort of the opposite. I truly disliked cooking pre-op. It was just a chore.
Now i love it. And everything about it (shopping, planning, researching, plating…as well as smelling, looking, watching others eat, watching cooking shows, lol)
For the first year and a bit I didn’t even eat anything I cooked for the fam. And honestly it didn’t bother me in the “missing out” sense one bit.
After a while, in maintenance, i would eat a bit of what i made for them, but i still prefer cooking/baking over actually eating it.
Im more of a salad person…the fam is not.

I am two months post-RNY.
To echo what other people have said, the surgery did not change my love of cooking. It probably increased my love of cooking for others. I am married with four kids and my in-laws often join us for dinner. I focus on cooking foods for them that I can handle eating in small portions. I am looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving next month, even though I will only be eating a small plate of it. And I still experiment with recipes and foods that I have not cooked before (been learning how to cook seafood better since my stomach handles it well and it is high Protein, low calorie).
You will still get a lot of joy from a perfectly executed recipe, you just won't eat as much of it.

I had a similar worry, so know you aren't alone. I'm 2 yr 6 months post rny. Maintaining goal. I am a culinary grad, certified dietary manager. I'm always in a kitchen.
I found my experience and love of cooking to be a great tool in my continued success. Sometimes it is hard for me to cook for myself because i eat such small amounts and some foods aren't accepted by my pouch.. it can be frustrating to cook something and not be able to eat it at times. But I came up with some great recipes and I continue to innovate. I even made some money selling Protein bars! Be patient with yourself and accept some foods might be different to you. This journey changes your relationship with food. My tastes continue to change but I'm along for the ride and loving my new life.