SleeveToBypass2023

So update: I found a therapist and had my first session with her. It was good, but I have to be completely honest with her, which is hard. I can find ways to justify my thoughts and behaviors, but not with her. I started using MyFitnessPal. I was told it would be helpful, but it just freaks me out more. I see 900 calories and panic and cut my food in half or substitute things so what I eat is lower in calories. I've been staying around 20-30ish carbs a day, 80ish grams of proteins per day, and 20ish fats per day. I was told by my surgeon's office not to worry about counting calories at all, but here I am...counting them anyway. Now that I'm using that app, it's really messing with me more. I don't know what to do, but I really think I'm going to stop using that app. I think it's more for those who are needing help staying accountable and not eating too much or eating the wrong things, and not for those of us not eating at the levels we're supposed to because the idea of doing that freaks us out.

I told my boss and my mom and that's it (not counting my husband, of course). I told other people about 2 weeks after the surgery.

I don't have monthly follow ups. I had my 2 week in the office, then the 1 month on the phone, my 3 month will be on the phone, my 6 month will be in the office, and my 1 year will be on the phone. I asked if I could come in the office and not do phone check ins and they said no, that they do it over the phone. And I asked if I could at least have check ins more often and they said no, that it isn't necessary. So I'm kind of on my own to monitor my weight. And as much as I want to limit how often I weigh, I find myself still weighing too often.

Both of these have caffeine and 30g of protein, and actually taste REALLY good: https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Life-Fairlife-Nutrition-Protein/dp/B09HPH4M7M https://www.walmart.com/ip/Premier-Protein-Shake-Caf-Latte-30g-Protein-11-Fl-Oz-12-Ct/579385346

THIS I don't recommend lol Not everyone could get away with it, so it's best not to assume you can. Stick to the diet as best you can (I had 2 weeks all liquid pre op diet, so I feel your pain) and if you need to cheat, do it the way @liveaboard15 did, with healthy choices.

I gave up diet soda. I literally went through a 2 liter a day. Not kidding. I'm SURE that contributed to the misery of my pre op diet. BUT...at 2 1/2 months post op...I still haven't had any soda at all. I get my caffeine from the Fairlife coffee protein shake I have in the morning (caffeine and protein...YUM lol).

Oh man, I'm so sorry. What kind of pre op diet were you on? I was on a 2 week all liquid diet. It was BRUTAL, but I wanted to make sure the surgery happened. Is your doctor willing to try again?

I talked to my surgeon's office and they said as long as they are ground up, it's fine to have both. There's so many health benefits to them, and there's A LOT of fiber in them, so I've started incorporating them in my breakfast and lunch (typically chia in the morning and flax in the afternoon). Just trying to do this right, you know? The healthier the better.

The scale hasn't moved in about 8 days. I haven't gained this time, which I'm very happy about, but I haven't lost either. I fluctuate between the same 2 pounds (between 343 - 341). I have PCOS, and I was told that will make it harder and take longer to actually lose the weight and keep it off. But it's REALLY frustrating and annoying. It's harder to lose the weight now than it was when I was just doing keto. I read that we're not supposed to do keto after bariatric surgery, but MAN it's tempting!!! I know this will pass, I know this is normal, but I HATE that it's normal. I'm 2 1/2 months out from surgery, so I'm not surprised I'm getting hit again. But UGH!!!!!

My apologies. I meant to add that I'm looking into the ones that are already ground up, not whole seeds.

Can you have both together, or is it better to have them at different times/days? I knows there's some really good benefits with both, and I want to start incorporating them in my diet. But I can't really find anything that tells me if you can have them together or not.

I was told 30 days, but I have BCBS and mine was approved in 48 hours. But it varies by insurance companies and if they have anything additional they decide they need.

You may also want a chewable biotin supplement since the recommended dose is 5000 and the multi vitamins typically only have 1000. You also may need a D3 supplement depending on how much the multi vitamin has (I was told I needed 3000 but my multi only had 1000).

Just goes to show you how everyone is different lol I do well on 18mg normally and only needed the boost the first month after surgery. If I were to do 45mg now, I would have horrible constipation and nausea.

THIS!!!! This needs to become a thing. How can we make this a thing?????

You can try lowering it to the 18 and see how things go. Too much iron can also cause pretty bad constipation. But if you aren't having any issues, then I guess go ahead and keep taking that done

If you think you're going to sleep with them, you gotta let em know ahead of time. They see you looking one way, then all of a sudden BAM, the skin monster comes out and they're like WTF??!?! If it's a serious relationship, they will understand and hopefully it won't change anything. If it's more casual, well, there's a better chance they won't like it. Just pick wisely and hope for the best. Or get skin surgery and don't deal with any of it lol My husband and I have been together for 17 years, but I'm with you. Ya just never know. I'm getting ALL the surgery once I hit goal weight. I'm working too hard to get healthy and smaller just to continue to have issues with my body and be embarrassed of it.

Thank you everyone!! I really appreciate it so much. I like the exercise I do and really don't want to change it. I may hold back on increasing anything else, though. I work up a good sweat now and feel great afterwards, so I think I'll just stay here for a while. I'm still trying to get my eating right (I eat too little and have major issues when I try to eat what I'm supposed to because I'm paranoid I'll gain weight...I found a therapist for that, so I'm starting to work on it, too). I honestly didn't know any of the things you guys mentioned about the inflammation and water retention and all that. That's why I love this forum. Thanks again!!

Actually, too much iron can cause nausea, vomiting, and turn your poop black. Not sure why anyone would tell someone who doesn't need it to take that much iron.

I take the same vitamin as @liveaboard15. The first month after surgery, I took the one with 45mg of iron because I have anemia and lost quite a bit of blood during surgery. After that, I switched to the one with 18mg of iron (which is the same amount of iron that was in my normal multivitamin that I took pre surgery) and my iron is holding steady at the lower end of normal (which is actually awesome for me, since like I said, I have anemia and always struggle with it). If you have severe anemia (mine is moderate) then you would probably want the one with 45mg of iron ongoing. Mild to moderate can do the 18, and none could do the 18 or even one without, if their doctor says it's ok (I don't recommend that unless they get enough iron from their food, but only their doc can decide that for sure).

So I noticed that when I miss 2 or 3 days of exercising (my granddaughter was just here from another state this weekend and my work out schedule kind of went by the wayside) I actually lost 4 pounds. In 3 days. But when I work out, I tend to hold on to whatever weight I'm at and fluctuate by a pound here and there. I like working out, but I'm confused why I lose more weight when I don't do it versus when I do. Anyone else experience this? My work outs are twice a day: 25-30 minutes on the treadmill on 3.5 speed and 3.5 incline 15-20 minutes on bike at resistance 13 50 stomach crunches 50 sit ups Typically I do the longer times in the morning and the shorter times at night, because by the end of the day I'm just too tired to do the same longer time that I did in the morning. Am I doing something wrong with my workouts, or does my body just not like to do it?

At Taco Bell, you can have their Power protein bowls. Either steak or chicken. You have to have them remove the cheese and rice, but you can have everything else. I LOVE them. If you have it with chicken, it's 240 calories. If you have it with steak, it's 260 calories. You can have everything else (I can't have the lettuce, tho, because it doesn't sit right in my stomach. But if you're ok with it, you can have it). You don't have to take anything else out, and it's SOOOOO good!!!!!! Oh, and you can add onions for 0 calories and jalapenos for an extra 5 calories. Anything else adds too many calories, but you can add that stuff, if you want it, and not have to worry. The stuff that comes with it already (besides the cheese and rice that has to be removed) is steak or chicken, avocado ranch sauce, tomatoes, reduced fat sour cream, guacamole, black beans, and lettuce.

I started this process at 395. On surgery day, I weighed 388. You can and will do this, and do it well. Good luck, congrats, and welcome!!!

That the stall at or around the 3 week mark, the stall you will inevitably hit is the worst mind screw there is lol And to be ready that the incision they pull the stomach out of, and the abdominal muscles around there, hurt the worst. And that getting my fluids in would be easier if I drank warm fluids and not cold ones.

Never feel bad for writing a book when venting or crying or just explaining something. I know we're just random people on an online forum, but we're always here to listen, help when we can, and support all the time. This is an amazing place to come to. Maybe post this on the bypass section and see if you get more hits there. Also, I would look for new doctors. Since the ones your husband has aren't doing anything to help him NOW, I would definitely look at new ones. I'm not sure what insurance you have, but I think you wouldn't have too much trouble changing doctors. Definitely look for a teaching hospital and go to that ER. Have everything written down (or just copy and paste everything you told us in a WORD doc and print it out) that way they have a clear understanding and time line of everything going on. Please come back and let us know how your husband is doing and how things go.