BlondePatriotInCDA

1 hour ago, Clementine40 said:

Thank you!

I hope it helped...

2 hours ago, Spinoza said:

I agree with the others - I found warm liquids miles easier to drink a few weeks post op. Glad you're finding your groove OP - so much adjusting to do along the way but it's so worth it!

It just goes to show everyone is different, warm Water makes me nauseated. I prefer (as does my stomach) either hot or cold drinks!

I don want to contradict your surgeons office, but I will say what I do and what my pamphlet states they gave me: most (not all) state 3oz of Protein, approx 1/4 to 1/2 cup non starch veggies and 2 tablespoons of starchy veggies...or close to this give or take. It also depends on if you're male or female. On average at 3-6 months out 800 calories ( until I start maintenance that's all I get a day) - again depending on male or female.

I've included a picture out of my program book...again there are different programs out there. I hope this helps some...At 8 months out I eat no more than 800 calories a day based on the pictures you see.

5 hours ago, ms.sss said:

aaaahhhh ok...

put this way, i'll have to say i did notice some unexpected body composition changes in the year immediately following rapid weight loss:

- went from looking deathly skeletor-ish (gaunt and drawn and frail looking) to pretty healthy looking despite weighing less now than those skeleton days.

- my hair is actually thicker and "healthier" and even slightly curlier than even before surgery (which was a very welcome surprise after all that Hair loss from months 4-6 post op omg)

- i don't get pimples anymore. like ever.

- those weird dark little bumps on my upper arms are gone.

- when i do any sort of sustained exercise it's immediately noticeable. for instance if i do like 30 situps or 60 bicep curls i look shredded right after. no joke.

- my dentist says my gums have receeded faster than expected since the weight loss (dunno if this is related or a coincidence??)

- despite probably being the most "fit" i have ever been since my 20's, i still feel unbelievably weak compared to my heaviest days. i swear i can't open jars anymore nor can i carry multiple bags or groceries at once like i used to.

- i used to be bottom heavy (hips/butt was my widest part) now i am top heavy (shoulders/back are my widest part).

- i no longer have armpit hair ...but this is likely due to my arm lift? so i never have to shave there...which has the side benefit of the skin lightening up in that area...no more dark armpits for me! yay!

- i have no ass. like zero. looking at me directly from behind is semi-normal looking, but from a side view, its a straight line from the base of my neck to my knees.

- the hump on the back of my neck is gone

- not sure if this is related to my overall weakness, or because i just do wat more stuff now, or im just getting old, or a combination of it all, but i get injured ALOT. multiple sprains, torn ligaments, torn muscles, pinched nerves, tendonitis like everywhere, abdominal hernia, bruised ribs, carpel tunnel, ingrown toenails, omg. ive had more doctors/physio appts in the last 5 years than i've had in my entire life. times 2.

ok...this post is getting too long. gonna stop now lol

"despite probably being the most "fit" i have ever been since my 20's, i still feel unbelievably weak compared to my heaviest days. i swear i can't open jars anymore nor can i carry multiple bags or groceries at once like i used to."

THIS!!! Why? I work out, weights etc..but darn I'm so weak..I too can't open jars...bag packages to save my life, wth is up with that??

I also have injuries galore and boy am I clumsy! Your post made me laugh because I'm right there with you and understand all too well! Plus the side view of no butt..yeah perfect description, again the same for me...its kinda sad... No butt anymore..I used to have the perfect peach... Put on some weight...lost some weight and POOF! Gone!

Yes, its fairly common! Try taking smaller sips and space it out a bit more. If it continues I'd contact your bariatric surgeons office and see what they have to say. Also, before WLS did Water do this? Water always made me a bit nauseated, so I add flavor which helps.

Good luck, I hope you this is your only bump on your journey!

8 hours ago, ms.sss said:

got a picture?

Agreed, impossible to even hazard a guess since its to vague..sorry.

8 hours ago, summerseeker said:

My butt hurt real bad for about 18 months then poof the pain disappeared and has never returned. Hope yours does too

Ahhh I hope so!! <fingers crossed>

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

Something I didn’t expect were the changes to body composition post op (not the planned body modifications of plastic surgery) I was surprised to see that my body didn’t look the same each year post op. How and where I carried weight fluctuated each year.

How so?

6 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

The one thing I have encountered that I didn’t expect was how difficult it is to get pain relief. I have had two female procedures done that they typically have you take like 4 otc NSAIDs before and after but Since I wasn’t allowed to have them I was told it really wasn’t necessary anyways and just to tough it out. I contacted my surgeons office who said I was far enough out I could take the NSAIDs post sleeve on these rare occasion with food and my Omeprazole. I survived without pain relief afterwards but I was just led to believe that drs would be more accommodating than I experienced.

Also I had sciatic pain and panicked a little when it recurred two more times right in a row and my dr did not want to give me any pain meds The third time when it was pretty bad I asked for something and He acted like I was an addict or something and actually told me he couldn’t treat me anymore. This kinda worked out because I like the NP I see now much better but I’ve not had any issues where I need pain meds with her so I guess we shall see what happens if I ever need them again. I understand that doctors have to be careful but I had been his patient for over 5 years and never asked for anything like that before my sleeve. Honestly it was all kinda weird. It did made me worry if I ever had a chronic issue like arthritis or something that you usually treat with NSAIDS what I would do. I guess a pain management clinic would help. Or maybe there are different meds. I honestly don’t know.

Wow, what a horrible experience for you! I'm sorry you went through all that. Hopefully you're doing better now.?

Its amazing when you start putting things together despite knowing WLS is life changing - it is in more ways than we can imagine. Thank you for sharing!

Good afternoon all! I just was thinking of all the surprises I've experienced since WLS...and I wanted to ask others what's surprised them about their weight loss/surgery journey that they weren't told by their bariatric team?!

I'll go first:

1. All the aches and pains in my hips and butt. My butt hurts now when I sit since I'm missing my butt padding! Also, since losing weight my posture and gait have changed so now I'm in PT for hip abductor pain.

2. The ever increasing and changing locations of skin irritation. The skin now droops in places I wasn't told to expect and I get red irritation under my butt creases from over lap - sorry for the unpleasant visual!

3. I've shrunk..so driving I now need extra padding to be at my former "sitting height" I feel like a kid driving my parents car now.

4. I've had to buy new glasses, mine were stretched out from digging into my fat head 😋 and now they keep falling off when I look down.

5. I've had to buy new shoes, all my old shoes no longer fit. They just flop around. I was expecting new clothing..not shoes.

6. I feel more clumsy and weak despite working out. My manual dexterity is horrible now.

7. I still feel hunger 😔

These are just a few of the changes I've experienced that my bariatric team never mentioned. Do you have any to add that can take the surprise out of it for people just starting their WLS journey?! I eagerly await your responses!

Good afternoon all! I just was thinking of all the surprises I've experienced since WLS...and I wanted to ask others what's surprised them about their weight loss/surgery journey that they weren't told by their bariatric team?!

I'll go first:

1. All the aches and pains in my hips and butt. My butt hurts now when I sit since I'm missing my butt padding! Also, since losing weight my posture and gait have changed so now I'm in PT for hip abductor pain.

2. The ever increasing and changing locations of skin irritation. The skin now droops in places I wasn't told to expect and I get red irritation under my butt creases from over lap - sorry for the unpleasant visual!

3. I've shrunk..so driving I now need extra padding to be at my former "sitting height" I feel like a kid driving my parents car now.

4. I've had to buy new glasses, mine were stretched out from digging into my fat head 😋 and now they keep falling off when I look down.

5. I've had to buy new shoes, all my old shoes no longer fit. They just flop around. I was expecting new clothing..not shoes.

6. I feel more clumsy and weak despite working out. My manual dexterity is horrible now.

7. I still feel hunger 😔

These are just a few of the changes I've experienced that my bariatric team never mentioned. Do you have any to add that can take the surprise out of it for people just starting their WLS journey?! I eagerly await your responses!

On 3/6/2023 at 8:07 AM, kla7403 said:

So what is a bariatric plan friendly way to drink decaff coffee? So before getting myself weaned off caffeine I enjoyed cold brew coffee with vanilla Creamer. My surgeon does not allow caffeine after surgery (or at least for awhile). So I have already got myself drinking Decaf cold brew with a splash of sugar free creamer. What does everyone drink in their coffee that is bariatric plan friendly? Also yes I know everyones plan is different but Id like to hear ideas.

I put heavy cream in - old Keto diet habit and I don't eat enough fats as it is, then I add my Protein powder and my digestive resistant maltodextrin. That's it! If I want more flavor, I use my "chocolate flavored" nespresso blend coffee..not any chocolate added its just the flavor of these particular Beans and I froth my heavy cream.

Also, make sure your coffee is truly Decaf, most have some. Look for those that are Water processed they contain the least amount of caffeine grams!

On 4/2/2024 at 6:18 PM, stizza216 said:

Good Evening All!

I am almost 3 years postop from my Duodenal Switch w/ Biliopancreatic Diversion. It has been a long 3 years but it has been worth all of the effort I have put into this. I recently had to have emergency surgery to fix a wall hernia/bowel obstruction and something with my mesentery. I am scheduled for my Excess skin removal on July 8th 2024. I am excited and I am proud of myself for all of this hard work. Its not easy with this surgery and anyone who has gone through it or is about to, remember one day at a time and YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Congratulations! Its always nice to see hard work that pays off. Good luck on your skin removal surgery! I'm hoping one day to do the same if I can afford it, although my doctor has already started a paper trail to help (she had WLS so understands)!

4 hours ago, Rose perez said:

HI everyone, i would like to know what you guys prefer as a form of exercise? walking or running ? and why ?

I walk. A family friend, who just happens to be a world renowned orthopedic surgeon told me years ago "whatever you do for exercise don't run." He stated that its horrible for your joints (after all its how he makes his money) and for health benefits walking is better over all. He said the calorie burn isn't that much higher running and if you walk at a quick pace you receive the same benefits without the wear and tear and your body will thank you when you're older.

So, its what I do!

48 minutes ago, LindsayT said:

Ugh... The hunger is coming back. What can I do?!!!

I unfortunately only spent a few months following surgery without being overly hungry, but after about the three month mark it came back with a vengeance, so I decided to do some research. I now consume Non digestive or Resistant meladextrin. Its a corn Fiber that your body can't digest so; no calories, good fiber and Probiotics purported to help with the following:

Resistant maltodextrin is believed to enhance gut health by [19, 29, 30]:

• Promoting the growth of good gut bacteria
• Improving stool weight, consistency, and bowel movements

According to some researchers, resistant maltodextrin has potential against obesity, diabetes, and heart disease because, in various studies, it has [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39]:

• Reduced belly fat and body weight
• Decreased food intake
• Increased satiety hormones (glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY)
• Lowered the production of the “hunger” hormone (ghrelin)
• Reduced blood sugar levels and insulin resistance
• Blocking the growth of cancer cells and tumors ** hasn't been proven**
• Decreasing endotoxins, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers (TNF-a, IFN gamma, MDA)
• Increasing protective antibodies and anti-inflammatory substances (IgA, butyrate, IL-10)

• In clinical studies of over 200 people, resistant maltodextrin enhanced the growth of good gut bacteria, including [19, 29, 44, 47, 48]:

• Bifidobacterium
• Ruminococcus
• Eubacterium
• Lactobacillus
• Lachnospiraceae
• Bacteroides
• Holdemania
• Faecalibacterium
• As a resistant starch, this type of maltodextrin will help keep your blood sugar level stable after meals. In a meta-analysis of over 900 people, resistant maltodextrin blocked the increase of blood sugar after meals (postprandial glycemia) [37].
• resistant maltodextrin decreased blood glucose and insulin levels. It increased a weight-loss Protein called adiponectin that blocks glucose production.

• 3) Obesity

  In several clinical studies of over 300 overweight people, resistant maltodextrin reduced body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat. In one 12-week clinical study of 30 people with metabolic syndrome, it decreased waist circumference and belly fat [31, 55, 35].

  In clinical studies of over 160 overweight men, resistant maltodextrin decreased feelings of hunger, increased satiety, and reduced and food intake. In another study on 32 healthy people, it decreased levels of the “hunger” hormone (ghrelin), lowered feelings of hunger and improved satiety [31, 32, 33, 34].

  In rats, resistant maltodextrin reduced body weight, belly fat, and suppressed excess food intake [56, 6, 50

I found numerous research studies that pretty much said the same things above..so I figured I'd give it a try. It has no flavor and desolved completely so I just add it to my Water plus it has no calories and helps regulate Ghrelin (hunger hormone). It really seems to help! I just make sure its non GMO etc etc.

Perhaps it can help you, I figured it couldn't hurt and I do feel less hungry...still by try but less.

On 4/3/2024 at 5:36 PM, jparadigm said:

Week 3

Puree diet sucks.

I may need to seek counseling as I didn't realize my relationship with food, or lack thereof, is this out of control. Maybe it's not a food addiction? Maybe I don't try hard enough? I lack control and I know it will affect me long-term. I convince myself that I'm trying, but am I really? I'm supposed to be eating/drinking plenty of Protein. 64oz of fluids per day, but I'm not. I have absolutely NO motivation to get out of bed or the control to not snack on foods I'm not even ready to properly digest. I keep telling myself I'm chewing enough so it's "basically pureed" before I swallow. I could literally be furthest from the truth. Wth is wrong with me? I did SO good for my pre-op diet. I was very militant, even drank more fluids than I was supposed to. I also lost more weight than my doctor asked me to. What happened? I'm hungry, what seems like, all the time. I was warned I may not like sweet things and even salty foods could throw me off. If anything, I'm craving those two like never before. I've been cheating with food already...drinking around 35oz of fluids per day, on a good day. I'm so tired all day all the time.

End rant...

I hope I'm not the only one here who is suffering from stagnancy and lack of control.

I will become stronger. I have faith in myself. It's just right now I'm at a loss.

Its all about muscle memory, you've eaten a certain way far longer than your "militant" way. Plus, eating very strict structured ways isn't easy to maintain - be easy on yourself. Being constantly vigilant can't be done, our brains aren't able to maintain that at all times, slip ups occur. You need to retrain yourself, which is what the prediet is supposed to start you doing - changing your muscle memory and making new ones, but it took years to develop your old bad habits, it will take some time to reprogram yourself!

I eat very structured and pretty much the same food all the time and boy does my mind rebel! Its human nature to want what we can't have and to want a variety that tastes good (no matter how many times my dietician says celery and faux noodles taste good - they don't! Take that Jennifer!)

You know what and how you should be eating, instead of berating yourself leading to self anger and hatred of the "failures" take baby steps. You know you've done it before!

I still don't get my required H20 in and I'm six months PO. Just don't compare yourself to others on here that say they do get all their requirements in, you do what you can do. Its too daunting looking at going from a small amount to I'll do my full required Water ounces tomorrow. Looking at the full amount knowing you haven't done it - sets you up for being angry at yourself. Just add a few more ounces each day than you did the last day, same for Protein goals. Celebrate each addition as a victory!

Lastly, I never had the honeymoon period people talk about, my hunger came back quick (and no it wasn't "mind hunger" despite what ppl told me). I seldom feel full, I just eat the mandated size limits and stick to it knowing I'll just have to be hungry. Is it tough? Heck yeah, but I tell myself being hungry is better than being fat and I didn't go through all this to not do it.

Remember, we are all different and walk our own paths on this journey - you just have to walk yours as best you can from day to day, take baby steps before you run! Try different food combos on your pureed phase to keep it interesting, count your liquids in your Soups and Protein Drinks - they count and add up. Add Protein Powder to everything like I do to get your protein in. You've got this!

On 2/22/2011 at 10:37 AM, ozzy22 said:

I still don't understand why they tell us you're not allowed to have chewing gum post-op. I am 5 days post-op and would REALLY love a piece but I'm not sure what it will do. I mean obviously I won't swallow it or anything. I just want to chew it. Anyone post-op that chews gum??

It causes gas bubbles, you chew..you produce saliva, you swallow saliva with air - you get air bubbles in your new smaller stomach taking up valuable room for nutrients. Plus, you're healing - air in your stomach can when you add liquid and food cause pressure on your sutures when you're trying to heal! Add to this that when you produce saliva you start to produce stomach acids for digestion, this acid and enzymes can cause heart burn and ever ulcers.

One reason for having to wait 30 minutes to drink after eating or not consume liquids while eating is to prevent the diluting of digestive enzymes. These enzymes are vital to the process of digestion. Watering down the enzymes will disrupt the process and can cause problems like acidity and heartburn damaging your throat and stomach. If the enzymes are watered down - less broken down food - less nutrients are absorbed.

Also, liquid added to your new stomach (sorry I refuse to call it a "pouch"), causes food to flow through the stomach quicker than your stomach nerves can trigger the " full" feeling". It also causes the stomach to empty quicker leading to less absorption of nutrients and possibly eating more because the full perception isn't achieved. At least this is how it was explained to me. As you are always going to have (hopefully) a smaller stomach and the need for as many of the nutrients you eat to be fully absorbed - waiting to drink should be a lifetime practice. Although, sometimes I find it difficult to stick to this as well!

5 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

yep - I think a lot of us how are a few years out can relate to this. I, too, thought I'd conquered all this. It's a lifelong battle.

Exactly this. A lot of Baritastic patients go into this thinking its a "diet" its not! Its a new LIFETIME way of eating. It is nothing more than nourishment to keep your body healthy. "Diets" are meant to be a temporary way to lose weight, bariatric surgery is a permanent way to eat.

I'll try and heed your words of warning!

5 minutes ago, ORFranP86 said:

I am 3 weeks Po and I initially lost 20 pounds but I haven’t loss a single pound in a week! I am following the diet, exercising everyday. I’m getting discouraged

Look in the forum search bar for "3 week stall." Its very normal and common to stall out right where you are in the program. There are hundreds of posts covering this, hopefully knowing this will help.

7 minutes ago, BrandiBird said:

I did have my one year labs, and everything was in a normal range! I was very happy with that.

It could be a change. I am wondering if I should go back to utilizing some of the Protein Drinks that I drank so much of in the beginning, because they were always sweet in flavor. I'm thinking maybe I got used to having that sweetness and now that I don't drink them as often, I'm wanting something sweet? The idea of making them into ice cream is genius!

I do think a lot of it is mind hunger. Sometimes I'm hungry (usually in the late afternoon before dinner), but a lot of times I just want something sweet after a meal. Eating fruit can work for me, depending on the fruit, and it has a lot more Vitamins and Fiber than a "sweet", so I tend to feel satisfied if I'm actually hungry. I'm not against having sweets for treats, but it's just become almost an every day craving that I feel like I have to battle it out. I am worried about the slippery slope, though.

I think I'll try the Protein ice cream. Especially nearing summertime, that will be super nice to have. Thank you!

You're welcome! There are thousands of icreami Protein recipes out there, so its always a new taste/flavor! Just keep in mind it takes 24 hours to make so you need to plan ahead and just keep it ahead of a craving. I also recommend the Greek yogurt bars, 13-16 grams of protein, no sugar added and the same calories as well..Greek yogurt!

Good luck!

Did you have your one year labs? How were your blood sugar results? Sometimes new cravings are the result of body dynamics changing and its trying to get your attention.

There has been research that has shown cravings can change every seven years. For me I used to crave sweets, now (before surgery as well) it was salty crunchy snacks...perhaps its just a change for you. When I do crave sweets I have a Greek yogurt "mint chip ice cream" pop which is about 90 calories, or a sugar free fudgcicle - 60 calories, or a tablespoon of no sugar added dark chocolate chips - 60 calories. I also purchased an icreami and make ice cream out of Protein Drinks to get that sweet itch taken care of!

Cravings are both what people on these forums call "mind hunger" and/or they can also be triggered by what your body is needing. Either way its still annoying when you're watching what you eat. I personally have never found "eat a piece of fruit" to work for me, plus fruit has just as much sugar as some treats so its not really doing you any favors ( other than possibly healthier) so if I'm craving a "sweet" I have one of the things I mentioned above. I figure I've given up so much as it is and also gained a healthier body that I would rather have a healthier sweet option opposed to being harassed by a craving. 😋 As long as you keep it healthier and minimal - no harm unless you're worried about the "slippery slope". I personally just tell myself I've been through so much now - why f*** it up now? This keeps me on the straight and narrow path.

Good luck and if you need to - ask your dietician about it. I hope this helps some. I know some ppl will suggest drinking more Water, exercise when feeling these craving etc. none of which have worked for me..but give them a try they might for you!

On 4/9/2022 at 8:10 AM, Happy Stylist said:

Did you stay over night at the hospital or did you go home the same day? I'm thinking if going home same day. But not sure if that's the best thing to do. I have a high tolerance for pain. But I know WLS pain might be different.

I stayed one night and I'm glad I did, I went into the bathroom, used the toilet and was busy tying my gown back up - my gown (had come lose), when next thing I knew I was waking up on the floor looking at the wall tile! Apparently my blood pressure dropped extremely low causing me to pass out. I cracked my head and my knee requiring an X-Ray and CAT scan of my head...Had I gone home it could have been bad, at the very least a trip via ambulance back to the hospital. I'd stay at least overnight just to make sure all is well, it would be beneficial if you can afford it.

8 hours ago, AmberFL said:

I HATE meal prepping yet I do it every weekend..reluctantly 😂

I work full time, finishing my bachelors full time, 3 kids. Seriously cooking at the end of the day is the last thing I wanna do LOL i do have chicken in the freezer that I’ll air fry with some veggies. Make the family something easy that’s usually fattening. My dietician went MIA till the end of the year, I called my bariatric office and have yet to get a call back. So yay me 😮‍💨

Be the squeaky wheel..keep calling your dieticians office until you get a call back, show up in person or contact your insurance company and tell them the office isn't fulfilling their medical obligation to you which was part of your requirements for your surgery. Explain you've done your part and you expect them to fulfill theirs! If they can't offer you a dietician at your normal office have them recommended one or ask your insurance company for a replacement. I don't know if you had to, but I had to sign a "contract" with my Bariatric team stating I'd follow the plan, attend all my appointments etc.. They're required to fulfill their end as well.

If there's one thing I've learned about healthcare; YOU have to be the annoying squeaky wheel, your own pushy advocate to get the care you deserve.

On 11/30/2020 at 7:03 AM, njlimmer said:

I'm nowhere close to surgery, but what about those baby type crackers that basically dissolve? Someone on YouTube recommended them, but I'm not sure if they'd be allowed or if it'd too many carbs, or whatever. I'm curious for when I get to the stage.

Too many carbs and empty calories unfortunately.