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Update* for anyone else that may deal with this same issue.

So after dealing with high copper levels for about a year, it finally became a concern after finding out I was pregnant (nothing to do with the high levels but more of a concern for the baby) I have done multiple blood tests all coming back high & now a 24 hour urine test that came back at a normal level. The ONLY thing I have changed in the last month in my diet aside from taking prenatal Vitamins, is I stopped drinking an herbal life tea. I'm sure they aren't done monitoring this but I think the tea I was drinking had a significant effect. Even though I was checking the product and nothing appeared to be a red flag, it's about the only thing I can think of that could have been causing this issue.

Thank you for the responses! Sometimes brainstorming with others helps me narrow down what could be the answer.

I somewhat have issues with my Iron, so I think maybe that could be part of it and they're just going hand in hand. But right now it seems like my iron is just fine. I'm starting to think maybe my home Water could possibly be playing a factor in this too. I really appreciate your input on this!

I'm a year and a half post-op & have been experiencing high copper levels for about a year now. My doctors just keep checking my bloodwork every few months and when it comes back high, they just tell me they will check back in a few months. Has anyone else experienced high copper levels? This is starting to stress me out thinking if I just keep letting them let it go it's going to cause me some issues down the road.

6 hours ago, SuziDavis said:

I broke my stall and broke 100 Lbs! I'm so excited to be at this point!

Thats so awesome! congrats!!!

That's awesome ladies, congrats! I'm sitting at 85 lbs down right now. I stall out a lot but try not to beat myself up over it. My weight doesn't go up, so I consider it a win. I'm working out, and eating right and I feel like I have formed a healthy relationship with food & exercise. If you're looking for some at-home workouts I recommend Kayla Itsines' workouts. You can just search them on Pinterest for free and it all can be done at home. I have used this body guide on and off for years and I always have had success with it.

It will grow back. I get your frustrations I ran into the same issue. the sides of my head were noticeably thin to me. Now I'm almost more frustrated with all the baby hairs sticking out of my head 😂

38 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

I had actually never had it but tried it today and it’s quite tasty and only 200 calories for the cup with 16 grams of Protein. I got the kids meal so I could get yogurt with it instead of the usual options.

It's one of my favorite Soups there. I lived off it for lunches in the winter months. High in Protein and super tasty!

I am! I feel like I have a better relationship with food and exercise all around which was the most important end result for me, Eating for fuel and exercising for my mental health. A lot happier in my own skin.

How's the pre-op diet going? The weekend may be the hardest part but everyone is different.

30 minutes ago, Vsg gal said:

I’m sorry I meant to say I saw your profile lol. Wow 8 months in! I’m so happy for you! You’re a strong woman. It’s so hard and it’s just my first day lol. Any advice you can give me? Did you have to go through the same preop diet? I know everyone is different. Mine is strict liquids for two weeks 😥

It's all a mental game. Keep yourself distracted as much as possible. Now is a good time to get things organized and cleaned around your home before surgery. Clean out your fridge & cabinets as much as possible to get rid of any temptations. Mine was slightly more forgiving but honestly, I stuck with the liquids more because it was just more convenient. Write down your WHY's and put them on your fridge and pantry to help keep you focused. Journaling is another good way to keep distracted. You got this! It will all be worth a few days of struggle.

Thanks! It's crazy to think I had surgery 8 months ago, seems like a week the time has gone by so quickly. Wearing clothes you want instead of what you have to is such an amazing feeling. You'll get there before ya know it!

Welcome! Congratulations on your surgery date. What are you looking most forward to with your weight loss?

I started my journey in January 2022, between all the appointments and getting approved for insurance my surgery date was August 2, 2022. The 2-week liquid diet wasn't too difficult up until day 10 ish I started to get a little over it, especially on the day of my birthday. I drank a lot of Protein Shakes (fair-life chocolate is still my favorite to this day) and ate a lot of applesauce, berries, sugar-free pudding, and Panera Soup broth along with V8 & grilled veggie kabobs. I lost about 13 lbs on the liquid diet but aside from weight loss, the main goal is to shrink your liver.

Day of Surgery I was scheduled to be there at 7 am and surgery at 9 am. I didn't go back till about 2 pm. My hospital stay wasn't bad at all. I actually was able to get around just fine with very little pain the entire stay. Getting in liquids was quite difficult but when you have nothing else to do watching the clock and drinking your liquids wasn't really that bad in the grand scheme of things. I only stayed one night and was discharged by 11 am the next day.

First week home I was completely drained, and starving. Especially those first couple of days. I basically stuck to everything I had on my liquid diet aside from the berries and veggies. I got around just fine with very little help from my daughter. I was down about another 10 lbs in the first 2 weeks.

3 months out I was "only" 30lbs down from my surgery weight. I was really disappointed at the time but now looking back Averaging 10 lbs a month is pretty healthy. By that time I was eating pretty normally in the sense I wasn't as restricted. Exercising regularly. Had taken a week's trip to Disney World and had my energy back. On the downside, I got sick often. meat of any kind never sat well with me or anything Tomato based. I would end up purging often. I also had a lot of issues with Constipation. I became slightly reliant on ducolax (would take every other day to avoid being bound up). I was very reliant on Protein shakes, Water, and v8. I remember thinking at one point if I knew it would be that bad Idk if I would have gone through with the surgery because I was so miserable (but so glad I did).

6 months out I was 45.9 lbs down from my surgery weight. I was low on Iron and high on copper (pretty abnormal about the copper and they think there was a possibility that was inaccurate). I was completely drained and was blaming it on the cold and the weather, not really thinking my Iron was a possibility for how I was feeling. I didn't talk to my doctors about it sooner and I wish I would have. I was still sick often. Meat of any kind still not sitting well with me or anything tomato based. The doctors were kind of unhelpful and just kept encouraging me to keep trying, which was kind of frustrating because I felt like I wasn't being heard for the first time. My issues with constipation weren't as often and was only taking ducolax about 1 or twice a week compared to the months before. I became a lot less reliant on liquids.

8 months out I'm 55lbs down from my surgery weight. 83 lbs down from my highest. I work out 5 times a week and my eating has been dang near spot on, with a few occasional indulgences. If I feel drained I know it's because I missed a few nights in a row of my iron. I can eat pretty normal without the sick feeling but it still happens every once in a while. Constipation is super rare

I feel like I hit a lot more stalls than probably most. Eating and physical activity def. go hand in hand and It can be really frustrating. Consistency is your best friend. Between logging your meals, protein & water intake & some sort of physical activity you'll get where you want. I don't think you will ever be fully prepared for what's ahead of you after surgery. I did the research for months to prepare myself and feel like it still wasn't enough.

I feel so much more confident now, Clothes fit great. No worries about fitting into booths at restaurants or seats on roller coasters or seat belts on airplanes. I love to put on clothes that once couldn't fit and now are way too big on me. It helps me remember how far I've come even if the scale is disappointing. The biggest compliment I love to get these days isn't how great I look, but how happy I look. I get being nervous, we were all in the same storm as you just different boats. But rolling into that surgery room was the best decision I could have made. I feel like I got my life back.

Having no energy is normal. I felt like it took me a few months to regain my energy back. Protein and Iron are going to factor into that. I'm sure you will have bloodwork soon and hopefully, your doctor can recommend some changes to help with that.

Welcome! What kind of info are you looking for? Nerves are normal, It's a big decision to make.

First off, I'm so sorry for your loss.

2nd, don't psyche yourself out on the 2 weeks pre-op diet. Just remind yourself of your whys. Towards the end of the two weeks of course it gets harder and you want to cave but let the surgery be your motivation.

As summerseeker said, I was one that only told a small circle about my surgery. My main reason was that I didn't want to be talked out of it. No one understands your struggles like you do.

I also agree about not starting it too soon and recommend the fair life shakes. The chocolate ones are my favorite and 7 months out I still enjoy them.

Happens to me a lot. I noticed it's usually on the days I'm lacking in some area. Sometimes I feel like my stomach is so empty but I just find foods that I know are gonna satisfy me. Applesauce and yogurt have been my go to's.

16 hours ago, tranquil_chaos said:

Hi Everyone! I don't post often, but I keep up reading this thread! I had my major goal reached this morning and I don't have anyone other than my partner to share this news with...but I reached ONEderland this morning! I can't believe it!

That's so exciting! congrats! hoping to be there by Christmas 🤞

3 minutes ago, I Am Enough! said:

I'm good with an accountability check-in on Sundays. I have a different workout program that I complete that also includes yoga, VR Super Natural workouts, snow side-walk shoveling (LOL!), and personal trainer time. I think each person should write out what works for them and then hold themselves accountable on our Sunday posts. Did I TRULY make 10K steps for six days? Maybe not, but how many days did I reach my goal? We want this to be positive and uplifting as opposed to listing out what I did not get done. Being kind to ourselves is the utmost importance!

So perhaps my routine could look something like this:

Sunday - Rest day

Monday Goal - 15 min treadmill, Body Groove Dancing 30 min, 15 min yoga stretch, mindful meditation

Tuesday Goal - 15 min treadmill, Personal Trainer (1 hour), 35 min treadmill, mindful meditation

Wednesday Goal - 10 min Les Mills upper body stretch, 30 min VR workout, Svelte workout, mindful meditation

Thursday Goal - 15 min treadmill, Personal Trainer (1 hour), 35 min treadmill, mindful meditation

Friday Goal - 15 min yoga stretch, Body Groove Dancing 30 min, QiQuong Yoga, mindful meditation

Saturday Goal - 30 min bike, Body Groove Dancing 30 min, 10 min Les Mills upper body stretch, mindful meditation

Each one of us will have a different plan for what we want to accomplish, and we can check in on Sunday and review what we were able to get accomplished!

Love that!

49 minutes ago, I Am Enough! said:

Hmmm.... seems like none of us have a similar fitness tracker or app that we use. Perhaps it is where we choose a day once a week to add our exercise minutes and share what we are doing in our workouts. Everyone is at a different stage and will be doing different kinds of challenges. Some prefer walking, others want to do strength training. Maybe we can create an accountability group and check in here on this forum instead. Totally open to other suggestions!

Do we want to start an open Forum here or a private one? I can get it going and we can "start" Sunday. Maybe account for

5 days a week workout min

can only miss one weekend day

10k steps at least 6 days a week

Any other options are welcome of course. That just seems to be the base of what my PT gives me every time. Check-ins on Sundays &/or Monday's. I know it would be hard for me to get on daily personally.

20 minutes ago, LibbyAbby said:

I am open to joining an accountability group. It's cold and I don't even want to go for walks. I think it would be helpful to motivate each other. I would like to start some weight training because I've heard it can help some with loose skin. My batwings are getting really bad and now other parts are getting super jiggly. At least when I was heavier the jiggle was firmer. Now it is just all loose like Jello that hasn't set properly. Don't even get my started on my boobs...

Girl same here! I just started doing a little weight training, i kept fighting PT cause they just wanted me walking and I was finally like well I'm doing it so you can either help me or Idk what to tell you.

20 hours ago, I Am Enough! said:

Hey August Buddies! I'm looking to see if anyone is interested in being an Exercise Accountability Buddy. I have been exercising but not enough to be consistent, and I need more motivation. Does anyone have the FitBit app and might want to try sharing fitness and exercise plans?

I have a Samsung galaxy watch but not a Fitbit. But I'm in if a group wants to be started to push each other!

On 12/30/2020 at 3:30 PM, LaoDaBeirut said:

Are you putting forth the best version of you? Like are dressing well? I suggest taking new pictures and really try to look your best.

Also women on dating sites have tons of opportunities so don't feel bad if they disappear. Usually the attention is overwhelming.

Wayyy late to the party but I 2nd this completely. There are a lot of women out there that prefer their guys "thicker than a snicker" but A well-kept man is def. something I look for. I think I can speak for many women out there and just personal experience in the dating world, Men take terrible pictures and sometimes come across as sloppy no matter the size. Pictures online are the first impression, personality is a lot but if you look like you probably have poor hygiene it's hard for me to look past that. Also, the attention can most definitely be overwhelming. I'm guilty of doing the vanishing act.

I have the same issue. My Protein mostly comes from Protein Shakes and I slowly eat 1st Phorm protein sticks (20g). I've never been able to successfully keep down meat since surgery Aug 2 but I still try every day. I'm hoping eventually something I'll keep down.

I personally didn't feel like I needed help with my bites as much as making sure I chew thoroughly & slowly in between.

Congratulations, This new tool can really be life-changing and it looks like you have really experienced that!