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You have just had major abdominal surgery, the body has to take a lot of resources to heal from that and some of the meds we are given can affect us for weeks after. Then you have to take into account that you lost a nice chunk of weight very rapidly, causing hormones to be released into your body that are not normally that high. This impacts mood a LOT for some people, myself included. Think of it like having PMS/PMDD from hell. Irritability is very common, higher emotionality as well, sometimes depression too. Major surgery can also trigger depression and in men depression most exhibits itself as anger. Talk to your wife and GP about this. If it continues to be an issue you might want to try a medication to even things out for while you are losing... I hate when people say they feel bad for eating around me. Eat your damned food!! LOL I'm not a child, I can handle my feels about it. It is nice when people are willing to eat (at least partly) what I'm eating so I feel like a part of the gathering instead of the one in the corner with a kiddie meal, but even if no one wants to join me, I don't need pity. I need empathy and time spent with the ones I love that doesn't involve food! Or that involves food without people feeling bad for their own food. I'm not here to food shame anyone. Are you tracking your meals in Baritastic?? If not, I highly recommend you do. It helps you keep track of your routine daily food and you can see what your macros look like and get an idea for when you have room to indulge a little and when you need to stay on the straight and narrow. Sleeve surgery is a purely restrictive procedure, which means it relies heavily on dietary restriction to help you lose the weight. You have to work with it to help it accomplish this. Make sure your first focus is WATER, then protein, at least 60 grams or whatever your dietician suggests, then some healthy carbs if you have room, and then if you still have room, a bite or two of a starch or something indulgent. You shouldn't have much room for straying right now. And you may need to talk to someone about the food struggle because the food you are eating right now IS "real food" and will need to become the foundation of your eating from here on out to be able to maintain the results you get from the sleeve's weight loss. I don't say this to guilt you at all, my indulgence is dark chocolate, always has been. But the DS requires me to adhere to a low carb diet, so I get a bite of chocolate in the evening after I've hit all my goals for the day! Hence the app tracking things. LOL Be kind to yourself, you are going through some huge changes, we all are, and our bodies are under a lot of stress. What it needs most is kindness and nurturing right now, not shame and guilt. ❤️

Well I had my gastric bypass on the 29th and I got home yesterday. The first day and a half was rough, painful and I was full of doubts. Now that I am home I am good. I am keeping water, jello and protein Gatorade down. I am going to try some broth and yogurt today. Now trying to figure out this Christmas stuff for 3 boys.

I know those Reese’s animal crackers VERY well. Maybe try to find a chocolate peanut butter protein shake? We’re still learning so don’t beat yourself up. If you can I recommend keeping your foods separate for a while so you don’t have to see their snacks. I keep my kids snacks in the closed pantry and put my drinks/protein shakes on a shelf.

I'm a little different because I had the bypass (8.5 years ago), but I started out at almost 400 lbs, so weight-wise, we were in similar starting positions. The first year seems like a huge life change, but sitting here years out, the only thing that's different is that I average about 1600 calories a day rather than 3000+. When I go out to eat, I eat maybe half the entree and take the rest home in a to-go box (or sometimes I'll get something like an appetizer or soup rather than an entree if I'm not that hungry). Other than that...??? Oh - I take vitamins regularly now. But other than that, not that much different. But again, the first year or so - yes. But you'll be doing quite a bit of prep work before that. For example, my insurance required me to do a six-month diet with a registered dietitian, and she kind of eased me into the type of diet I'd be following after surgery. She had me eating 2300 kcal/cay (which now would seem like a ton - like Thanksgiving day - but at the time seemed like a diet - although enough calories to be at least tolerable). She also had me gradually decrease my carb intake and increase my protein intake. I focused on healthy foods (although I ate a pretty healthy diet even BEFORE surgery, I just ate way too much). She had me start taking a multivitamin every day and getting some exercise about 3x a week. My surgeon also didn't want us drinking caffeinated beverages for the first six months after surgery (although some surgeons are fine with caffeine), so she also had me gradually decrease my caffeine intake. So basically, I was as prepared as I could be before they rolled me into surgery. I don't have PCOS and have never had a hysterectomy, so I can't address that, but I know WLS patients who've had both. Hopefully someone will respond to you on that.

Welcome to December everyone. Things physically have been going great in terms of little to no pain and virtually no nausea. I have been having back pain I can’t really explain. Mentally it’s been more of a challenge. My wife and my PCP both asked me the other day what was wrong because I wasn’t acting like myself. People assume I don’t want to do social stuff that involves food and say they feel bad for eating around me. I was getting on myself for eating too much real food now that some options are available to me. Just feel a bit of a mess right now.

Thank you, sadly most of my visits have been virtual because I live so far away from my dr office, so samples are not given 😒 hopefully post op they will give me some. I will check out the syntrx line as I have seen others. Most of the “name” drinks have been suggested not required. It was also suggested that I get unflavored protein powder since tastes change and it is the best to mix with just water or flavored water to get my protein in. I am actually sitting here getting my stuff ordered as I write this. I am a bit closer but I think I will feel better once I get my vitamins and drink in the house thank you for the help

Thanks for the advice guys! I'm already doing all those things. I get 60-90 grams of protein a day (I'm a DS patient so my protein requirement is higher), I am getting all my water in daily, I'm walking when I can, and doing anything physical that is safe for this stage of my healing. Truly, there is nothing I can do to break the stall. Stalls break when they are ready. This is my body recalibrating. It is discouraging but I'm trying to be patient. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the body needs down time to rest and recover and recalibrate so we can move forward. The best thing I can do right now is stay the course so I don't give it anything new to have to adjust to! LOL I'm one month post op today!! So happy with that. My healing is going well. I'm still nauseous on and off, especially in the morning, but other than that I feel good. My incisions are almost invisible already. No more soreness in the muscles of my abdomen. I still can't lift much yet but I'm being very careful about that because I don't want a hernia. I can sleep on my side again. I'm getting the hang of estimating what portions of what foods I can eat without measuring cups. I still think anything resembling chicken breast is vile and dry and a concrete block in my tummy. But I can get all different sorts of protein drinks in now when I need them!! Aaaand my partner bought us an espresso machine for Christmas so I can have my favorite espresso drinks decaf with my high protein Fairlife milk!! That's true love man...

Yeeessss... I am 4 weeks post op and have been at a stall for almost 2 weeks. In fact, just to be insulting, I gained 3 lbs. 😐 I know it is the 3 week stall, but man it is discouraging and it makes you scared that the weight loss won't start again. I'm trying hard to ignore the scale for a few weeks, stick to my plan, and trust my body to do its thing when it is ready. It has had a LOT of stress to deal with. Major surgery takes a ton of body resources to heal from. So I'm focusing on protein, hydration, and getting some walking in. I can't really do anything else. It'll break when it breaks. I only let myself get on the scale once a week to keep from fixating. It is hard, but worth it for my mental health. LOL

That's the exact pre-op diet I had! Are you required to use a particular shake or can you use any type? I had to use either Premier Protein or Bariatric Advantage for my pre-op, but I could use anything post op. I agree with the others, samples are your friend. BariatricPal has a fair number of brands you can get samples of. You can get the samples of protein broths from Unjury. Make sure you get some clear drink samples like the Syntrax Nectar line, as I found those MUCH easier to get down post surgery. The milk based ones felt too heavy for a while. My favorite of those are the Fuzzy Navel and the tropical one I can never recall the name of. You can pick up the ready made Premier Protein drinks at places like Walmart and Target in 4 packs so it isn't a huge commitment to flavors. I like the Cafe Latte ones (if you are allowed caffeine), Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Roll, and Vanilla the best. They are all good mixed with coffee (or in my case, decaf because I can't have caffeine for 6 months).

You can get other Premier Protein flavors at places like Target!! If I want a ready to drink protein I go with Premier Protein purely for convenience and the fact I can keep a variety in my fridge. I usually try to find it at Target until I've vetted a flavor, then I stalk Amazon and Walmart for sales. Fairlife's chocolate shake is fine but sometimes sends me to the bathroom for reasons I don't understand. If I'm at home and doing a mix I like the Syntrax Fuzzy Navel and their tropical flavor. You can get samples of different flavors through BariatricPal's shop. I also like the Mike & Ike Sour Watermelon from MyProtein. You can often get it on a good sale! I don't like the cherry though for some odd reason. I like the Pro-Cal shakes but only mixed with milk. Otherwise I just use unflavored protein (GenePro and no I don't count it as 33grams like it says it is equivalent to, I only count it as the 11 grams on the nutrition label!!). I hated Unjury and sadly everyone else recommended it so much I bought full size containers of the soups untasted and now post op I am kicking myself because I can't stomach any of it. LOL If you can have caffeine Chike is pretty good mixed with milk too! You can get samples of those from BariatricPal as well. SAMPLES ARE YOUR FRIEND!!

I tried the fairlife strawberry banana & it taste like medicine. I’m familiar with premier protein but never seen any other flavors besides vanilla & chocolate at BJ’s … where did you buy the other flavors??

I'm like Vicky, I began using Premier Protein drinks before surgery and have stuck with them after surgery. I like Isopure and G-Zero protein powders for a change up in my water.

I've very much liked the Syntrax brand, especially the Nectar Naturals peach flavor. I don't like vanilla in any brand and I'm only so-so on chocolate, so I like trying unusual options. I recently purchased the 15 variety sampler so I can try a bunch, plus have single-serve packets available to throw in my purse when I'm out and about. I especially like the fruit flavors right now. I keep trying to find a soup that I like, but I think I'll end up doing unflavored protein in broth because most of the powdered ones have been underwhelming. Of course, who knows what I will like afterward.

I begin my 2 week liquid diet in 10 days, I want to try different shakes beforehand so I can see what I like & so I don’t get bored or just stuck with the same flavor for 2 weeks. please comment protein shakes you would highly recommend to try, Ready made protein shakes or powder !

Totally understandable, and 6 weeks of liquids is a long time to plan for. I only have 2 days of liquids pre-op and 2 weeks post-op. Are you allowed soft dairy during that time? I can have yogurt, ricotta, and sugar free pudding, plus strained cream soups. Although I don't like creamed soups, so not sure I'll bother with that option. But I know what you mean about salt in the pre-made broth. If I had room in my freezer, I would make a bunch of it. Just remember, almost everything you need can be purchased locally after surgery. You really only need a few days' worth. And if you have a nutritionist in your program, you can probably get some samples, too. Honestly, I think I've bought as many things as I have (and probably won't need) because I've had my date since early October and buying protein shakes and vitamins has been a way to ease my impatience while I wait!

I currently am experiencing this. Food makes me sick smelling it or tasting something. Everything feels heavy in my stomach. Ive had to avoid meat most times cuz it makes me gag. Been eating beans and broccoli to get protein in or tofu. Fruit,cheese, and bread has been my lifesaver if I need to get food in that I know wont make me feel heavy as heck.

Yeah I bought a couple of 10 packs of Propels packets. I am going to get a chicken this weekend and start making some broth to freeze into portions. I looked at all the options for broth and it is loaded with salt ,which I am not a fan of, so I figure it is just best to make myself. I am sitting down now going over what I do and don’t need to actually order to cover 6 weeks of liquid diet (3 preop and 3postop) I think I am just feeling overwhelmed at what feels like the last minute now.

One of the things I just got over the weekend was the 15 flavor variety pack of Syntrax Nectar Protein Powder that they sell here on the BariatricPal site's store. I figured that was a good way to have a lot of options on hand, plus the packs can be tossed in my bag if I'm out for the day, just in case.

Yeah, I really didn’t mean food lol. I was meaning the drinks and broth. But that is good to know so I will get for the 3 weeks preop then I can do one week at a time post. I was thinking of getting a variety of flavor protein drinks since like you said some tastes change. I have been hearing that from everyone. Preop I will do protein shakes, chicken broth, SF drink mixed and popsicles. So post op I will do chicken broth, popsicles, a small pack of unflavored protein powder to add to water, and my sugar free drink mixes(like crystal light). wow that seems so much easier. Thanks for helping me think through a kind of shopping list.

I didn't go off plan for months and months, but I know others on here who do it occasionally. I would avoid tamales during the soft food stage - but if you decide to do it, just eat the filling. Arabesque is right about the corn meal. it's not very nutritious, and your new stomach is tiny. With only being able to hold a limited amount of food, that food really should be nutritious and protein-forward. A few months down the road you'll be able to eat tamales again - but it's best to avoid that kind of thing now while you're still healing and need to focus on meeting the protein requirements.

you'll probably just be doing protein drinks and shakes the first two weeks, so I wouldn't worry about food yet. I would just get enough protein shakes/drinks for the first few days, because for many of us, our tastes change after surgery. Something you liked before surgery you might not like afterwards (e.g., I couldn't deal with sweet-flavored shakes for awhile after surgery - my sense of taste became more intense, and sweetness became intolerably sweet, at least for the first month or so. I lived on Unjury's chicken broth flavored shakes for quite awhile). So I wouldn't buy a huge tub of protein powder, for example, at this point, since if you end up hating it after surgery, that's a lot of money down the drain. Maybe just pick up (or order) a few individual packets of protein powder - or if you can have (and want) the ready-to-drink variety, just get enough bottles for the first few days.

I am 4 weeks now from surgery. I got my date of 12/27. I have been doing pre op since April but I ran into a health issue that took priority. Now that is taken care of this last stretch has gone quickly. I have a 2 week liquid with one meal a day. Then I have a 1 week liquid only up to surgery. Of course after surgery is the two week post op liquid and then adding in purée food for week three. I don’t know where to start and everything is so expensive. I have gotten some of the stuff I will need but none of it food or the Protein Drinks and shakes. That part I am actually finding rather overwhelming on what to get and how much And advice from anyone?

Yeah, I’m a stick to your plan person. There’ll be always be occasions where the food on offer doesn’t support your plan & your weightloss. You have to decide whether it’s worth it to just go for it & whether it could then become a thing to justify going off plan regularly in the future, whether you can make the best of a bad situation & carefully select the food item that’s best for you or whether you can not eat the provided food & still enjoy the social aspect of the occasion. If you decide to try one maybe just eat the filling. The corn meal dough will be filling & limit your ability to eat the important protein component & it may sit heavily in your tummy. Remember you are still healing even on the soft food stage.

Hi everyone, I had my surgery 11/14. I feel pretty good truth be told. Day 15 still on full liquids. I have struggled with some water nausea, but no problem with the full liquids until yesterday and I drank a banana shake from premier protein. It took me 3 hours total to choke it down, and then I felt full for hours, as if it wouldn't leave my stomach. I couldn't drink water, I could not swallow. I was only able to get 38 oz of liquid in yesterday total. Today I decided to go back to my Unjury protein and steer clear of premixed drinks. Anyone else have any issues with Premier? I used them before the surgery just fine. I was wondering if someone could give a sample of what their meal plan looks like for when they go into pureed. Thanks- Melissa

Soooo…. I’m a new user. I have to say the app is great in theory but it is a tad bit “clunky “ to navigate. When I went to update my profile with my date of birth the pop up came up and was all white. I could not see anything it took me a lot of trial and error to finally get my date in there. mostly it was just swiping and tapping then checking if I was right. Also I have not been able to figure out how to reply to anyone’s original post. When I go to the post from the email notifications it gives me the “reply to this post” option but not when I am in the feed and click on a post. I’m using an IPhone There are a few other things but I will play around with it for a while. My son does app work and website design so he has been helping me. I think the app needs more definition for each category >post>replies Like I said I’m new so it will take me a minute to get through the process