Flamingowatcher2023

I was the same way and, to some extent, still am. My bypass surgery was 5/24. I lived on Oikos greek yogurt for about 5 or 6 weeks because other foods, no matter how pureed (YUCK!!!) or how gently cooked, would get stuck right in the middle of my chest. I would generally do a lot of pacing and deep breathing until the pain and the danger of throwing up had passed. My doctor said it was perfectly normal and would get better with a little time. As usual, he was correct. I still can't eat most meat, though some have started going down without pain. It gets a little better each day. I rarely ever ate because I enjoyed food but more because of stress, boredom and habit. Foods I used to enjoy, like pizza, don't do it for me any more. I don't even particularly like french fries now. Never thought that would happen. I do still miss my sliced apples. I will continue to try them occassionally. Just give it time. As you heal, you will be able to enjoy a broader range of food.

I am so Anti-LAP Band. I had a Lap band in 2010. From the beginning, I told my surgeon that I was experiencing pain and it didn't feel right. He always said it was normal and got me out of his office as quickly as possible. A couple of years in, I started looking for another doctor to check it out for me. From what to me appears to be a professional disinterest in the medical community here (at least 10 years ago anyway) in following up behind a fellow doctor and likely finding a problem (can anyone say "I won't give basis for a malpractice suit against you if you do the same for me"?). I was unable to find a single gastro doctor who would see me to investigate a problem or to assure me there was no problem. No one would see me. Then I tried lying and saying I just moved to the area and needed to find a new doctor. That would fall through as soon as I was unable to provide my previous doctor's name so they could get my records. All that aside, in 2015 I was admitted to the local emergency room for extreme gastric distress. Emergency surgery was performed and the lap band was removed. From the inside of my stomach. I ended up with partial gastroparesis (my lower stomach was paralyzed). So, don't do it. Run, don't walk, as far and as fast as you can from any doctor who thinks it's a good idea. I have been told that none of the hospitals in our area will do them any more.

So - here is the real reason I stumbled into this forum tonight. Has anyone else noticed that their skin has a very bitter taste? That sounds a little weird. It's not like I go around licking my skin, but I do touch my lips with my fingers more than I realized. At first, I chalked it up to hand sanitizer and then my hand soap. But I use several different types of soap throughout the day. And I admit, I tasted my hand soaps and lotions to see if that was my problem. Nope. So, then, in addition to tasting funny(???), yesterday everything started smelling like there was coat of fuel on it. I was in my car when I first noticed it - the car is only a little over a year old - so I checked to see if the air intake was set to outside air. It would make sense. I live in a city and there are always stinky vehicles around. But, nope. It was on recirculating inside air. Then I notice it at home. I was tempted to check to make sure the pilot lights were still lit in my stove. But nope again. I have an electric stove. My next avenue to explore might be a vitamin or mineral deficiency of some sort. Please feel free to "weigh in" on the topic.

You CAN do it and you WILL do it! I spent about 4 years in the prep stage, including the year for COVID and 2 years for recovery from a badly injured leg and a switch in programs (read: Surgeon). I thought it was NEVER going to happen. All that said, I started at around 320 lbs and was down to 254 before surgery on 04/24/23. I just kept the mindset that I would be damned if they used me slacking off in the loss department as an excuse to put off the surgery one. more. time. My incentive was arthritis and fibromyalgia all over my body. Oh. And an ankle that wouldn't heal properly for 2 years - to include a large danger of losing the foot. Any weight I could get off was weight that wasn't pulling on my body. You just have to decide what your health is worth to you. Oh yeah - please don't make the same mistake I did and purchase tons of various products to eat, drink and, whatever, in anticiaption of surgery. I threw out a couple of hundreds of dollars worth of product that I found I had absolutely no interest in consuming. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

I was also traumatized by the pureed stage! So glad to know I wasn't alone. I did read a comment that said "Don't forget about cottage cheese!" I'd rather eat pureed chicken. And that ain't happening. I am just a little over 2 months out from my gastric bypass. I am still having quite a bit of trouble swallowing, quite frankly, most meats. I have had most success with very thinly shaved deli ham and turkey. I know I'm supposed to be eating 60-90 grams of protein each day, but I'm not getting it from meat. Fortunately, I love the high-protein Greek yogurt. It is saving my life right now.