TRAVELRN

Congratulations it sure does feel great!!

Increased which alarms me

I’ve been struggling with maintenance lately (last couple of months) not able to reset the “mindless” eating trend I see slowing creeping back. I feel like I have to eat something every 2-3 hours. Whether it’s carrots or some string cheese. I’ve had an increase in stress lately as well. I keep track on the scale too much now too. Ugh ….

I know right? this is more like a Meal Replacement than anything. So sad I drank one of these every day it was available. I don't even go to starbucks anymore since I was sleeved. I don't really miss it. I have my coffee still and I do pumpkin kcups and sugar free Creamer measured out. I dont miss it at all.

I know right? this is more like a Meal Replacement than anything. So sad I drank one of these every day it was available. I don't even go to starbucks anymore since I was sleeved. I don't really miss it. I have my coffee still and I do pumpkin kcups and sugar free Creamer measured out. I dont miss it at all.

Thank you. I have made an appointment to speak with the dietician. I’ve also tracked everything I eat so I can print it out and have it on hand. My surgeon wasn’t upset but he was obviously not pleased that I had only lost 7 lbs at my two week follow up. It’s all very new and confusing to me to say the least. Currently I am just making sure I hit my Protein, but I am very conscious about carbs out of habit. I’m thinking maybe I need to increase those a bit. Again thank you

Thank you @Jeanne. I will. Today I’m better emotionally. I was just completely overwhelmed yesterday that the scale didn’t move again. It’s been a few weeks with no change. I’m trying to focus on NSV as someone told me yesterday. It’s been hard but I’m determined to stay positive and see it through.

I was doing keto to loose weight prior to surgery. Since surgery I have been following the diet as ordered. I haven’t deviated once. Even with the pre-op diet I only lost 7 pounds. Mine wasn’t liquid and I could have one salad a day with fat free dressing. I was just discouraged today bc the scales isn’t moving and I have my 6 week follow up coming up. At my 2 week, the doctor seems surprised that I had only lost 7 pounds. Everyone has been so encouraging. It was what I needed today. I will continue doing what I am suppose to do and find other things to focus on besides the scale. TY

I was sleeved June of 2013….this is me ten years later!

Hi there!! The goal of this is to decrease the size of your liver. This is very important for the surgeon to have the liver recede to avoid complications. Use this time to focus on your eating habits, why you eat and keep a journal. If you are stressed, anxious etc. This helped me down the road. I am a grazer and I never paid attention to what I ate. I wanted it I ate it. Period! Take the time you have pre op to learn about your bad eating, use the tools available to you (Meal plan! stick to it to a T!!!!!). We are at various stages of our weight loss journey on here and I found during my preop period that I had to focus on MY journey and where I was at in the process. You really need to slow things down and take it one day at a time. Set yourself up for success by using the tools that you are given, and take your own "will" out of the drivers seat. The surgery is only one part of the journey. The rest is on you and what you do each day to maintain your body. You can't go back to the same eating habits you had prior and expect to lose weight. Its very much a conscious effort on your part. Enjoy the journey and understand this is the first step to a new life. Its mind over matter at this point.

You will likely not use a lot of what you are buying. Just follow the meal plan your dietician has given you after surgery. A lot of those "electrolyte" Water items have tons of sugar. Get into the habit of reading labels. Get with your dietician to find out what your numbers are going to be. For example what is the total grams of suger PER DAY to target. While you are prepping for your surgery start logging in your food into an app or diary of sorts. Speak to you dietician about the macros (calories, total fat, carbs, sugars etc) you need to focus on and practice do this. I bout a bunch of stuff I ended up given to a food bank because 1. the site of it made me nauseated (your reaction to food changes after surgery) 2. I stocked up on popsicles because I am not very good with water. glad I did that.

I don't have issues with my GERD any longer since getting the sleeve. Understand this is my experience and everyone's is different. Your surgeon is experienced in this surgery, has seen other patients similar to you and your medical history and what works best over all. If you follow your meal plan and your dietician's meal plan your GERD should be fine. I can't stress enough keeping in contact with your physician's office after your surgery and reporting anything that is concerning to you. You and your doctor should have a plan for your meds immediately after surgery. Write down your questions and talk to you surgeon or his nurse about your specific needs.

I remember waking up in the hospital and thought to myself "WTF did I do to myself" that feeling was only fleeting as I focused on one thing at a time. Use the time to learn about your eating triggers and cues. They will help you down the road. Today I would do it again no question, I feel fantastic, off blood pressure meds feel a million times better. Its a day to day thing still for me and I don't worry about tomorrow, just living in the moment and understanding much more about myself than ever. Its amazing once your focus on yourself and your health the things you never paid much attention to.

Hi there!! The goal of this is to decrease the size of your liver. This is very important for the surgeon to have the liver recede to avoid complications. Use this time to focus on your eating habits, why you eat and keep a journal. If you are stressed, anxious etc. This helped me down the road. I am a grazer and I never paid attention to what I ate. I wanted it I ate it. Period! Take the time you have pre op to learn about your bad eating, use the tools available to you (Meal plan! stick to it to a T!!!!!). We are at various stages of our weight loss journey on here and I found during my preop period that I had to focus on MY journey and where I was at in the process. You really need to slow things down and take it one day at a time. Set yourself up for success by using the tools that you are given, and take your own "will" out of the drivers seat. The surgery is only one part of the journey. The rest is on you and what you do each day to maintain your body. You can't go back to the same eating habits you had prior and expect to lose weight. Its very much a conscious effort on your part. Enjoy the journey and understand this is the first step to a new life. Its mind over matter at this point.

congrats!!! Keep your focus on your meal plan. A lot of us are at different stages so becareful of the advice you get. If you have questions write them down and get with your doctor. Maintain a good relationship with your dietician!

Hi there!
Congratulations on 7 weeks!! You didnt say what it was you ate other than "only good things". :) I personally followed my meal plan to the letter and still do almost two years out. But that is what I needed to do for myself. 7 weeks is not a long time, but there are a couple of things that you couldve been doing.
1. eating too fast. This is an ongoing challenge for myself. My jobs have always been such that time meal breaks were pretty much non existent and as a nurse we usually "ate on the fly". This is a bad habit from bootcamp and beyond that I work faithfully to control. Its not easy but I put a bite in my mouth, put my fork down and concentrate on chewing the food in my mouth to the consistency it needs to be for my pouch.
2. drinking too soon after eating. I have gotten good at this, I don't drink anything an hour after I eat, even now. In my preop class this was shown to me and it has stuck with me. If you have ever "forgotten" and drank after or during a meal once, you tend to not want to repeat that process again. LOL
https://youtube.com/shorts/oNdeGkkwqlw?feature=share
3. not paying attention to the cues your body gives you when you are full or eating more than 1/4 cup (example). Or if you are eating veggies not cooking them.
4. check your macros with your dietician. That seems to be a lot of carbs.
Relax!! Stick to your meal plan and touch base regularly with your Reg. Dietician.

You will likely not use a lot of what you are buying. Just follow the meal plan your dietician has given you after surgery. A lot of those "electrolyte" Water items have tons of sugar. Get into the habit of reading labels. Get with your dietician to find out what your numbers are going to be. For example what is the total grams of suger PER DAY to target. While you are prepping for your surgery start logging in your food into an app or diary of sorts. Speak to you dietician about the macros (calories, total fat, carbs, sugars etc) you need to focus on and practice do this. I bout a bunch of stuff I ended up given to a food bank because 1. the site of it made me nauseated (your reaction to food changes after surgery) 2. I stocked up on popsicles because I am not very good with water. glad I did that.

Your team are your go to here because we all have very different surgeons with totally different ideas on what we should be eating at any given part of this surgery. No two plans are the same
Once you are on real foods as to soft foods and your restriction kicks in, then you will have a better idea what your intake will be. Protein will fill you { BTW you are doing great with the amount of protein you can manage ]
If your team has given you no guide lines then do not worry. I was told to do what I could. Protein first, Veg second and carb last if there is room. Your carb intake looks fine to me, its a tiny amount. Do not use any other persons plan to the minutest detail. They may have to restrict their carb intake but you may be free to taste them.

Thanks you all for the feedback 👍🏼

I have all three of your nightmares. I knew all about them. I did not know I would get GERD too, I hoped to swerve it.
My hair is growing back very slowly but I have begun to love the new me in a pixie cut
My Nausea and GERD are under control - ish, I still get bad days and nights where acid wakes me
Throwing up foam is called the foamies. Eat too fast, eat too much or eat a wrong food and yep that's a pain in the a--chest until its either vomited or it works its way through my stomach.
So knowing what I know now about all that and the frequency that I get it, would I have this surgery? Hell yes, in a heartbeat. My life has changed dramatically. I feel as if I have lost 25 years. I have a life. I don't hide away anymore. I am super confident.
Now what you must decide is - if the pendulum swings your way and you get these side effects, is it time for your surgery ? You are always going to mess with your insides, you are loosing most of your stomach. For lots of us with lots of medical problems its a no brainer and last ditch effort to save our lives. This surgery is not an easy option. I hope you work it out

I have the same issues and its due to muscle wasting. I have started with doing some resistance training and have noticed a small difference. I lost over 100 lbs myself. make sure you are getting enough Protein and I would suggest Water aerobic. this will help build muscle but decrease the workload on your joints that are already taking a beating with physical labor. Speak to your nutritionist or doctor as well for the best recommendations for your specific issues.

One of the things you need to be is patient. It does not fall off over night. Now you have spoken to your surgeon you need to look at what you are eating. You didnt mention how far out you are and Water and Protein as well as PORTION go hand in hand. If you are not getting enough water and protein your body will return to starvation mode and hold on to fat. You mentioned "holding food down". If you are drinking when you are eating that is one thing you need to stop. Get a 20-30 minute timer and use it for your eating and drinking. If you are fairly new post op then you need to be taking 20 min at a minimum to eat. Then wait 20-30 min before you drink. EAT SLOW...i have always been a fast eater and large bites and this was my focus. Stay off the scale. its more defeating than it needs to be. Weigh in at your appointments only. I am a nurse and I love to research things. I found this for you to read. This indicates that bariatric surgery should be considered in helping PCOS sufferers that are struggling with obesity. I think you need to look at your patterns and habits first. Keep a diary and log your food. You will be as surprised as I was!! Be kind to yourself, this is not a race, its a life changing event that takes work and commitment. Take it one day at a time. Things like sugar free popsicles count as water too as does sugar free Jello.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538203/
There is more research that needs to be done in this area of course. But Obesity and insulin resistance feeds PCOS. In a nutshell gist of the article is "Surgery successfully mediates the regression of PCOS"

This is a great question!!! I have always been UNrealistic in my weight loss journey before my surgery so this was a concern for me. I looked over my past and tried to remember the weight where I felt good, confident as well as taking into account my age at the time of surgery and my activity level. I have some orthopedic issues that hinder my work outs and general walking. I discussed this with the therapist I spoke to before my surgery and it was agreed that my number for me was very realistic. I made my goal weight just shy of a year post op! I followed and still follow my meal plans, I do add in an "extra" here and there but its always worked into my plan and I avoid excesses. I took the time to learn what my eating triggers are and when I feel like I am going down that rabbit hole I adjust and use other non-food coping strategies. Each journey is very personal and once size does not fit all. This is something I have really became fully aware of during my journey.

Slow your eating down and do not drink with meals. 30 min before or after meals no fluids. Take a bite, put the spoon or fork down and chew that stuff up till its practically liquified. If you are dehydrated due to vomiting or dumping syndrome you need to get that straightened out so just do liquids. Protein Drinks, etc. Reset.

My sleeve surgery is scheduled for April 12, 2023. I am 5’6, 400 pounds., 60 years old. My mother and grandmother were both obese. At 16 I was 116 pounds, with undiagnosed PCOS. I had uterine cancer at 39, and had a hysterectomy. No hormone replacement as they felt it was a hormone based cancer. At 55 had a swollen thyroid removed. Each time, my weight increased. Three years ago, I had a spinal injury, which led to back fusion surgery, which caused nerve damage, and a right dropfoot. I have to use a rolling walker or cane to walk, and my back surgeon says I can’t lift more than ten pounds. I know I need this sleeve surgery, and I want to live and get healthy. But I am still nervous about doing this to my body. My surgeon says sleeve now, perhaps a revision to bypass after I have lost weight if necessary. I have five hernias which I had surgery to repair, which is why I believe he wants the sleeve first. I wonder if the potential of two surgeries is too much at my age, or just a bypass and be done with it. And I am worried about my inability to walk and exercise due to my disability. In my head I think, maybe if I just cut back on food, drink two or three Protein Drinks a day I will lose weight without surgery. After all, that seems to be what they want us to DO AFTER surgery! Any advice or sharing your journey would be so appreciated! Thank you!