BlondePatriotInCDA

"Food porn" I feel so dirty after seeing those pictures! 😋

Welcome to the other side! My BP dropped so quickly after my surgery I passed out in the bathroom and woke up looking at the tiled wall wondering wth with a cut on my head and knees and the nurses scrambling! Surgery really messes with BP! Good luck on your healthy journey.

I personally would do as your surgeon recommended. Perhaps they want you to increase your overall calorie intake at 6 months? Mine at 6 months is 800 so close to yours, there is documentation that the body does go into starvation mode and will stall out and hold onto what weight there is for "self preservation" darn bodies don't understand we're trying to become healthier! That being said, a stall is a stall and not much can be done other than wait it out and have faith in the journey. Although, I understand your frustration!

Good morning! I have my 6 month check up next month (its gone quickly) and I'm too impatient to wait 6 weeks to get an answer, so I decided to consult the mass of experience on these forums. My question is this: When were you allowed to start taking capsules again? I'm tired of spending $90+ each month on chewable multivitamins, chewable calcium and chewable iron supplements! Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom!

Same on heart rate! In fact I thought it was hypersensitivity to the few carbs I was having. My bariatric team had me wear a glucose meter for two weeks because of it. I wonder why the heart does this? At second thought I felt maybe it was due to different stomach placement with in the thoracic cavity and I was just noticing it beating "as normal" and perhaps it always beats that fast, but my heart on average beats 68bpm. When I checked when full it raised to 90bpm. I'm glad someone else experiences this as well!

Shhhhhhh but someone mentioned on another post about the quitting smokng weight gain..do what you have to do even if it means cough cough putting extra weight in your pockets, bra where ever it won't show for your weigh in to offset your quitting weight gain...This way, you only show a loss. Not that I'm saying cheat the system, but they want you to quit knowing it might put weight on and can eliminate your surgery chances. This way no stressing and you can concentrate on eating healthy and getting healthy! Either the above or exercise a lot , eat very low cal and drink Lots of water and hope it works! Good luck.

Oh I forgot to mention the Teriyaki.. It is delightful! Tbo..I have yet to have a bad sauce by that company yet! You're welcome! Its not gourmet, but its quick, easy and filling and lasts for several meals.

Victory? I don't know if this technically qualifies as a victory but, my butt and tailbone hurts from lack of fat padding to sit on! Ahhh and horror of horrors I had an xray..and could see the outline shadow of all my loose skin.. Not a pretty victory..but one the less. Add to those two..sitting lower in the car...I feel like a kid driving my parents car! 😜

I use either a crockpot or a tall pan (it takes no more than 15 mins) it makes several weeks worth, I freeze half! The beans is where I get 90+% of my carbs 😕 but it gives me my fiber so its a trade off. Fiber is carbs. 1 large package ground turkey 1 large can kidney beans 1 large can chili beans in chili sauce 2 cans mushrooms I occasionally mix in with each bowl after cooking banana peppers. 3/4 jar of G. Huges sauce either the Thai chili sauce (its sweeter) or their BBQ sauce. Brown the turkey drain, mix in beans, mushrooms and sauce. That's it. I Iove sauces and G. Huges has tons; yum yum sauce tastes like chic filet sauce, Polynesian sauce, several bbq flavors to change it up, chili Thai is sweet kinda like Chinese plum sauce and numerous others. All very low calories and low carb - no sugars ... They sell quickly so I always buy several when I see them!

I'm apparently more anal retentive than everyone else who's responded so far, but most are in maintenance so they can and have learned what works for them. My daily intake is very structured because I really don't like cooking or trying to figure out what to eat. Plus, unfortunately I'm a slow loser. Breakfast: Either I have 1/2 cup high protein overnight oats made with Fairlife Core Power milk (42g protein) but only use half of the bottle so 21g for a total number of 30g +- or 2 low fat turkey bacon slices and 1/2 bottle of my fairlife protein milk 30 mins later, either meal with a half cup of coffee 30 mins beforehand. Lunch: 1/2 c homemade turkey chili with 2 tablespoons Fage Greek yogurt 14g+- protein total or Pacifica organic soup 1/2 cup Dinner: Either the turkey chili again with added 1 tablespoon cheese on a low carb high protein tortillas or 3oz chicken (20g protein) cut into cubes with G.Huges chili Thai dipping sauce (low carb - 2 carbs, low calorie - 5) 2 small florets broccoli, 1 tablespoon skim cheese and Fage Greek yogurt on a low carb high protein (7grams) tortilla 32+- total grams protein Snack: 1 no sugar added fudgecicle (40 calories) or 1 tablespoon no sugar added chocolate chips (70 calories) or a fiesta string cheese (70 calories) or Homemade "brownie batter" or "chocolate chip cookie dough" protein balls (neither really taste like the title says, but its what they're calling them on the recipes 😋 This works out to: 80 grams protein 800 calories 50 net carbs 19 grams sugars Fat 16 - 28g Boring I know, but as I said if I think about what I want to eat to much..its not healthy foods or foods I'm allowed to have 6 months in. I'm trying to eat to live not live to eat.. So I keep it regimented so I know where I stand. As far as exercise I was walking 3 miles a day with light weight training..but I'm having hip abductors and hip flexor issues now plus my bum hurts (I never contemplated before surgery losing weight would make sitting/bum hurt) so I'm starting PT on Monday so the exercise has stopped for now.

Agreed. You posted here to ask for advice and more information is needed!

I agree, the drinking and eating is time consuming. Take at least a week. Take what you can, you'll be glad you did. Remember its a major surgery either removing a portion of an organ or restructuring your digestive tract - either way its a serious surgery.

This if difficult to answer/compare. There are to many variables: 1. Type of surgery 2. How over weight someone is, 3. How surgery went 4. Type of job/work you have 5. How quick to recover 6. Pain management I say all this because it's different for each of us. I did well with surgery and was out the next day, very little surgery pain BUT my entire abdomen was a solid black bruise, so putting a seatbelt on to drive was impossible and it became only painful when I drove. My bruising lasted 45 days! I have two friends who had WLS, one went back in 2 weeks (the earliest her doctor would release her to go back) and another 7 days (although she said she wished she'd taken longer off - she was exhausted, sore and constipated). So, there's really no way to tell until you have surgery.

Any update on how you're feeling or a diagnosis yet?

Is the prescription sent after your team of Telehealth doctors consult with you, or do you have to go to your own doctor and pharmacies with a prescription? Are insurance companies contacted by your Telehealth team to advocate for your patients or is that left up to the customers?

Congratulations! Quite a personal achievement, be proud of your accomplishment!

You need to ask yourself; would "I" have eaten more fries, hamburger etc., before surgery than I did this time? If the answer is "yes" than there is no need to beat yourself up over this. The surgery is working as intended both physically and mentally. 1. You ate poorly = you feel poorly + 2. You ate what you shouldn't have and you're aware you did and felt guilty for it and did a self correction! + = surgery working as intended! I do understand the "slippery slope" feelings, we all feel that if we "cheat," but its not going to happen if you're aware it exists and put on the breaks. We're human and things we used to eat taste good, we can't live a entire life depriving ourselves, an occasional small side track off our track to better healthy eating will happen - just so it doesn't become an every day thing its fine!

Happy birthday early!

It's nice to see I'm not the only one Nepenthe44 to break down the science for them and yes that when you do they view it as noncompliance and being difficult. I've even had it suggested that if there's not enough time in my day - wake up and drink a few sips during the night. Science states we as humans require uninterrupted sleep more than those few sips of water. So Nepenthe44 I hate to agree because there will be those that say they really do care, but I do, what people fail to remember is the dieticians are doing a job, one most likely they've never personally experienced for themselves; being a bariatric patient vs. nutritional counseling for bariatric patients having never experienced bariatric struggles. I finally suggested the next time she had the stomach flu and was nauseated and exhausted - wanting to vomit picking up a glass and start drinking water and to make sure to get her 80 grams +- of protein in and getting down 60+ ounces of water, she finally "understood." What is a requirement on paper doesn't always equate to what actually works for people much less a bariatric patient. Its all theory. A body is set up that when you need water lo and behold you feel thirsty! I realize the nutritional requirements for the human body per weight/sex are all fairly similar but the comparisons/suggestions for likes/wants vs needs on food replacements isn't even close E.g. heart of palm noodles vs Thai noodles - in NO way are they taste comparable. So to suggest when I say I miss Thai noodles - heart of palm noodles as a replacement is absurd. That's like suggesting when I say I want a hamburger to replace it with a 3oz of fish - not equal! I didn't say "I miss protein"! They don't understand the struggle and since its their job, not a family member or a true friend they really don't "care." Lastly, I realize they are trying to help and its their job to help me achieve my goals in a healthy way (for those who are thinking this as they read this), but in reality they don't really have a personal investment in my success. I do as they suggest, for the most part, but I also decide what goals are obtainable realistically and which aren't based on consumption quantity vs. time in my day vs. work schedule vs. my employers needs.

Have you completed a food time log vs. when the pain comes on? I'd also compare times with what types of food, perhaps you've developed a food allergy or a systemic adverse reaction to a type of compound such as starch or even excess proteins. A food log with times of both eating and pain onset might help diagnose the complaint since they've done all the standard dx scans.. Add to the log moods (for hormonal shifts) along with tracking macros in detail. Sometimes people develop adverse reactions to fiber as well. Have you added anything new to your diet? Lastly, track where the pain is centralized; upper quadrant, lower..right/left etc. as well as type of pain; shooting, sharp etc. Time of the month and BM's as well. The more you can track the more you can help the doctors determine what is contributing to your pain. Good luck! Let us know what you find out.

Don't take me wrong, I'll take any weight loss as good. That's what I was trying to convey as long as its going down its a win..am I happy I'm one of the slower losers, no, but its still a loss! Hence the "(sigh) slow or not..its a downward trend. 😀" Thanks Arabesque for the words of encouragement none the less! 😃

Yeah, men have it easier since muscle burns calories faster and they genetically have more muscle! I understand the "hoping" you'd be different and would lose like he did...its still early for you. Just stick to the program and it will come off! Good luck on your journey..soon enough you'll be looking in the mirror and seeing the new you and putting too loose clothing on soon enough!

Same. I also get the hic ups sometimes. They don't tell you its not a "normal" pre surgery full feeling, they should so we know what to expect. Then again most haven't gone through it who are dieticians/doctors. I just switched doctors (my old doctor decided to be inpatient only) and my new GP had bariatric surgery in 2019 (said she normally doesn't share personal info but figured it would be helpful) and she agreed, most of the bariatric journey isn't with practitioners who understand.

They should do this for all bariatric patients! It brings it home seeing it yourself!

Yes! In fact, my entire weight loss since surgery has been slooooow. I don't recommend kicking the scale - it hurts 😋 I even talked to my bariatric "team" who just didn't seem concerned. It only added to my anger..to go through all this to lose 4" lbs a month 3 months in and still at 6 months! Where did my honeymoon period go?? Only 80 lbs since starting the pre surgery weight loss portion... 80 lbs in 9 months, that's less than 10 each month! 😠 So yeah, I understand your frustration. I at this point wouldn't be to worried, you retain lots of fluids for several weeks following surgery, plus the standard response you'll read on here is the "your body is going through a lot and could be doing a self check reset reevaluating" at this point. I'd give it at least a month and as long as you're hitting nutritional goals and nothing feels off you'll be fine - (sigh) slow or not..its a downward trend. 😀