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Showing results for 'three week stall'.
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So unmotivated to do anything, but frustrated that I'm not doing anything!!!
Bypass2Freedom replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Just to echo what @SpartanMaker has said in developing a habit - I only started going to the gym a few months back, after pressuring and guilting myself into not going to the gym since the start of my weight loss journey. I just started with going once a week, doing a short full-body workout, and then from there I sort of just fell into it once I realised my body was capable, and I wasn't in pain with it! I think my brain was putting it off so much because I was relating it back to my experiences with exercise when I was 100+ lbs heavier! Needless to say, it was painful and I hated it. Just take baby steps, and find what works for you, even just a short walk to clear your head (which may help with the mental health too), and go from there. Wishing you all the best ❤️ You have smashed it so far, you will smash this too! -
I've hit a stall 9 months out. I'm not worried, though. My fitness levels continue to improve and I have nearly accomplished my pre-surgery goal of learning to scuba dive! One dive left to complete to get my PADI card 🐠
I was able to go for a 10K/6mile hike in the mountains two days ago just for the fun of it. In the before days, I might have attempted this, but it would have taken me 7 or 8 hours to complete and I would have been exhausted and in pain for the next two days. Taking my time with breaks for snacks and water, I was finished with my wee jaunt in only 4 hours 😎 and really got to enjoy photographing some insects, fungi, and turtles.
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Well I did it!! It was an hour and a half long and by the end my legs and arms were shaking and I was all sweaty unlike the rest of the class because it was a workout for me but I had fun. The instructor came up to me afterwards and said that I was actually quite flexible for a first timer. I’m pretty sure she was just being encouraging but it was still nice. Next week there is an cardio/ strength class I want to do and of course yoga again. They both meet twice a week but I will see how I do after the first set. May need a few days to recover. lol
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Maybe some newbies will benefit from this answer, too....
ms.sss replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
i use the weight i was on my first day of my 2 week pre-op diet (235 lbs which happened to be my highest weight recorded). p.s. my weight when i had my very first consultation 2 years prior to that was lower...i think it was like 220 or something. there is a statistic where you can input your weight on day of surgery, but it's just not included in the summary under your name in the side bar.... @Alex Brecher...maybe we can include "weight on surgery day" in the side bar info? -
Hey bari family ❤️ I know body dysmorphia is something that is really common in this community, and I did expect it of course, but I am really feeling it at the moment. To preface my feelings I am about to describe, I am PMS-ing so I know a lot of this is probably exacerbated by that! Either way, I have had such a noticable influx of people complimenting me on my weight loss at work this week - it seemed that there was no one mentioning it at all, and now every day this week I have had people come up to me and say/ask things like: "what is your big secret?", "you look amazing", "you're a skinny minny" etc. It hasn't been anything that I have taken offence to at all, but it has come during a week where I have felt so down about my appearance. I'd say this is the first time post-surgery where I have been looking in the mirror and just seen the 'old' me - I genuinely cannot see any loss, even though the scales & my clothes are telling me different. It is so saddening, normal, but sad. Anyway, that is my little reflection done with! What sorts of things did others do to get past this?
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Congratulations on making your decision to take your life back. Only those who are obese truely understand how limiting and challenging it is as well as its impact on you psychologically and emotionally. There are a number of reasons why people undergo a revision from sleeve to bypass: they develop GERD, weight regain, don’t lose as much as they hoped. Don’t know the rate of this occurring. Doesn’t mean this will happen to yiu.I know people who have had a revision on this forum and people who haven’t. Personally I have three friends with a sleeve all between 4 & almost 7 years out and no revisions. I ‘m 5.5 yrs out with my sleeve and am happy with it & my younger brother just had one done. But we’re all different & the surgeries work in different ways to different people. Sometimes surgeons will recommend bypass over sleeve because of the weight their patient has to lose, weight loss and gain history, pre-existing conditions (like GERD, etc.), etc. Are you able to ask why the surgeon/clinic is encouraging you down the path of a sleeve rather than bypass as this is less common (more common to recommend bypass over sleeve). My cyclical side wonders if it’s because a sleeve is a less complicated surgery, takes less time to perform and sometimes doesn’t require an overnight hospital stay. So do they want you to have a sleeve because it’s less demanding on their services. Ultimately it should be your decision as to which surgery you get. Have a look at some of the you tube videos by Dr Matthew Weiner (pound of cure) & Dr John Pilcher. They cover many topics so you’ll need to work through quite a list (great resources for you post surgery) & will have some on the differences and benefits of the different surgeries. All the best.
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I had a sleeve 3/9/2021. I was a lower BMI and on meds so the surgeon thought it was a good idea for me. I lost from 235 to 168 pretty quick, stalled there for a few months and then started gaining. For the start with the sleeve it felt like more of a diet. The only thing that made it a bit more successful was the fact that I didn’t have hunger for a while but as soon as it came back, so did the weight. I went back to the surgeon at 258 this time and he said that obesity is very complex and the sleeve is just not enough of a metabolic change for some people. I revised to the SADI 8/7/2024 and at three months post op I have lost 60 pounds with about 40 left to reach my secret goal. From day one I have known that this is different this time. I am able to actually enjoy some of the healthy recipes I am trying. I am making stuff from scratch and I have energy and motivation to exercise. Don’t get me wrong. I would love to binge watch my favorite show while eating a pizza but exercise also makes me feel great when I’m done and the healthy food doesn’t taste terrible so the healthy choices are a lot easier this time. For me, recovery was a breeze with the sleeve. I asked them the moment I woke up to take me off of pain meds, and I went home the next day forgetting at one point that I even had surgery. This was because I did not have any gas pains the first time around. After the SADI, however, I did have very significant gas pains and spent five days in the hospital because I could not get off of the pain medication that they did not want to send me home on. Once I finally was able to pass gas a few times, iI was fine, went home and did not need any more pain meds, other than Tylenol. It sounds like you already went through the worst gas pain so I can’t imagine the recovery being much harder for you. It’s the same basic thing the same laparoscopic incisions. Feel like you’ve done 1000 crunches. Take the second to go from sitting to standing or sitting to lying down but once you’re up, it’s not so bad. My doctor did not operate on the stomach, some do re-sleeve it, but he felt that resleeving carried more risk than it was worth in terms of additional weight loss. I was pretty nervous about that to be honest, but I am back to my pretty normal portions already but that’s not an issue because I am eating 100% clean this time. One thing with the SADI is, it’s fairly new in medical community time frame. I have seen a lot of specialist from different fields and not one has ever heard of the SADI. I always have to tell them it’s a modified duodenal switch and they get it. So your doctors may not be aware of it meaning you really need to understand the surgery yourself to make sure that you ask the right questions for future care. Another obstacle for me has been that the nutritionist in my area at least are pretty much worthless when it comes to the SADI. I have been fortunate enough that the nurse practitioner helped me work out my macros by viewing my Fitness app and my food log app and I have worked out something that is working for me. Aside from that, I could not be happier with my choice. I was told I could do SADI or Bypass revision. My surgeon did a gastric emptying study, endoscopy, and a barium swallow test to make sure everything was OK with my sleeve and to see what I was a candidate for. He ended up leaving it up to me because either would’ve worked, but he advised that the weight loss statistically is a little more and more durable with the SADI revision. it is pretty normal to be nervous at this point in your journey, but statistically this is a relatively safe procedure and honestly, the risk are far less than the risks of all the other diseases and conditions that will pop up eventually if you don’t do anything. I hope this helps. And good luck on your surgery.
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Revision Surgery
Virginia collier replied to SAH's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
That’s what I’m in the process of doing right now it’s going from the sleeve to a bypass. I have three more months of nutrition classes and then I’ll be having my surgery. -
Food Before and After Photos
Tomo replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I'm post post post menopausal lol and I still have serious cravings for about a week. My appetite goes sky high, I feel like a bottomless pit during those times. Our bodies continue to go through hormonal changes even without a menstrual cycle. To manage this, I use a period tracker to stay prepared for these fluctuations. -
2 weeks post op with minimum restriction and present hunger
Lisa Gilkison replied to KaterinaC's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I am 1 week 9 days out. When I first came home, I felt so hungry several times. I was thinking, this is my life now. I'm always going to have a growly stomach. But then I read somewhere that our stomach still needs to learn our new signals for hunger. Also, we have head hunger. Our brain has to learn the new signals as well. So, I am keeping the prescribed diet until my body can learn to communicate. In addition, some of those hunger signals could be thirst signals. So, making sure I drink enough water does help. -
How long did it usually take you guys to get your results? It's only been 3 days and I'm already nervous as heck. I was going to wait at least a week before calling the bariatric clinic to see if they have my results yet but... yeah... nervous.
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Hi everyone 🩷 I’m considering having revision surgery and have an appointment with my doctor next week. I’d love to hear some of your experiences with revision surgery, the process and road to your actual surgery date, post op experience - anything you’re willing to share ☺️… soo lay it on me ! The good, the great, the bad, and the ugly! I lost about a 100 lbs and kept it off for about 4 years but since having a baby 2 years ago I’ve really been struggling with my weight again. TIA 🩷
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- Revision surgery
- Gastricbypass
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Food Before and After Photos
ms.sss replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
all the chocolate-peanut butter talk last week got me all excited and i finally dragged myself to grocery to get the ingredients ( 70% dark chocolate chips and peanuts-which i ground to diy peanut butter + some diy confectioners sugar as well) whipped up these sad looking cups but oh so yum...i'm with @Lilia_90 ...dark chocolate for-evah! yeah i ran out of chocolate so one cup was topless lololzzzz ate one...approx 105 cals. -
August Surgery buddies
ShoppGirl replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thank you so much. I am actually feeling a bit more positive this morning. I stepped on the scale and I dropped over two pounds to finally get into “onederland”which I kinda hoped was going to happen sometime next week but had assumed that wouldn’t happen with no activity. Well 199.6 but still under 200. So maybe that’s a sign that I need to just stay positive and that I can still handle this. -
3 months post op sleeve and since last two weeks digestion is off & on for the same food Somedays chicken slides smoothly others it sits heavy in the stomach - this off & on has come around in the last two weeks, earlier was smooth Concerned if this is normal - nurse says to just monitor
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August Surgery buddies
draikaina8503 replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hey all, I'll catch up on reading soon. It's been a rough few weeks. I caught a stomach bug last week and thought I was gonna die. And yesterday I woke up with a runny nose and muscles aches, same today. The fatigue seems to be worse these last two weeks too, but I'm guessing that's because my immune system got shot. But that is why I've not been around, I've literally been wanting to die. It has taken everything in me to be able to push through work and classwork before I pass out for hours on end. Just wanted to give you an update. 0/10 recommend on getting a stomach bug after gastric surgery. -
14 weeks post op no weight loss
Hiddenroses replied to Cat2336's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
You must be so incredibly frustrated! Which type of surgery did you get, the sleeve or the bypass? I'm at about 7 weeks post op from getting the sleeve + intestinal revision and my calorie consumption ranges from 500-700/day, with my carb intake less than 35/day and a protein goal of 60/day with fluids of at least 48oz/day. I agree with others - it seems like a good idea, regardless of any advice you get from this forum, to revisit your surgeon. That said, I do believe you hit the nail on the head for one with the alcohol, and secondly I'd ask how many of your calories are coming from carbs. It's ok to include carbs in your diet, but really, this early, unless you are very physically active there isn't cause for many of them. At this stage it's typical to eat no more than 1/2cup - 1 cup of total food per meal, three times a day (or spaced out into 4 meals if needed). That's including your protein, which as someone else said should be the first thing you eat. Another thing about alcohol - it tends to cause dehydration - so you'd need to be consuming even MORE water throughout the day to compensate for that, just like caffeine. If you aren't hitting your hydration goal (PLUS, because of alcohol) then your body will struggle to convert your stored fat into energy, which is what causes most of the weight loss. An example of what my diet looks like at this stage is a single serve yogurt for breakfast (I have been getting the Aikos zero sugar or 2Good ones) - Remember no drinking 30 minutes before or after, and your meal should last at least 20-30 minutes. For lunch I might have a 'tuna melt' - which I make out of 1/3 can of tuna in water, a zero net carb small tortilla, and maybe 1/8 cup of shredded cheese or a low fat string cheese (I cook it folded over like a quesadilla) with maybe 1/8 cup of low fat cottage cheese, then for dinner a serving of one of the many bariatric recipes - there's a ricotta bake (lasagna with no noodles, basically), unstuffed cabbage rolls (Kind of like egg roll filling), or maybe chicken or tuna salad made with low fat mayo and a dab of relish with some cucumber slices/2-4 saltine crackers. I use the free Baritastic App to track my food and fluid intake. Using a tracking app increases weight loss significantly from what I've been told because you can see and understand what exactly you're putting in your body. The good news is that as far as I know, it isn't too late to backpedal and reset yourself! I'm NOT a doctor but my understanding is that if you get off track after weight loss surgery, especially this soon, one way to 'reset' is to go back on a liquid diet for a week or two, with zero-sugar jello, zero sugar pudding, and protein shakes (less than 5g of sugar each) to hit your goals. After that, work your way back up to puree foods for a week, then soft foods for a week. I strongly recommend eyeballing the nutrition information on any shake you think of buying, too, because there are some that are loaded with sugar and have as many as 22g of carbs EACH. After weight loss surgery it's also strongly discouraged to have fried food at all for the first 6 months, and after that maybe once per month. The same goes for sweets and baked goods. I hope this helps, and again - I feel like you should really follow up with your surgeon and a nutritionist! Best wishes! -
Received a call at 8.30am this morning to be told that I was discussed in last Fridays MDT meeting and was accepted for surgery 🥳🥳🥳 I was then told I would be having a ‘One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass’ - huh?? The nurse repeated herself and I was still none the wiser. She said that she would ask a specialist Bariatric nurse to call me to discuss and would send me the info out. I asked for it to be emailed, which she did. I had a read through and did some more research on the internet, just to familiarise myself with what had been suggested. It’s the mini gastric bypass. The specialist nurse rang me just after 9am and explained that it meant that my ‘pouch’ is slightly bigger then that of a Roux-en-Y bypass and there is only one connection or ‘anastomosis’ which is from the pouch to the bowel. Apparently it’s not as complex with the op taking around 1.5hours and recovery just the same as the normal bypass plus the weight loss is expected to be the same. I was recommended it because of Fibromyalgia and the chronic pain I have with RA and osteoarthritis as it would be easier for me. That made sense, thankfully! The specialist nurse said it was a relatively new procedure to the hospital which is why it wasn’t discussed in any detail at the first education session I attended a few months ago. Fair enough, I’m happy to go ahead with it. The wait is around 4-6 months - oh 😒 I was honest and said that I was concerned about losing focus while I’m waiting and gaining weight once again (we all know how easy that is) She went through everything again with me - 3 meals a day, 20/20/20, use a portion plate if I have one (I do) focus more on my protein etc. She also said that if I do begin to struggle, to contact her and they would fit me in with the dietitian to go through things with me. I felt better for her saying that. I did reiterate that I am happy to take a cancellation. She said they do get cancellations but would have to make sure that I had at least 3 weeks notice to complete the LRD. I’ll be honest and say that I’m really, really hoping that the 4-6 months is on the outside and that the surgery is sooner! I know that whatever will be will be, so just to keep on keeping on. Gym is going well, 3 visits last week and I’m hoping for 3 more this week. I’ve upped my levels and weights and I’m burning around 600-650 cals in around an hour or so workout or so my Apple Watch tells me! I can feel muscle, it just happens to be deeply buried and camouflaged with fat 😮 I tried my smaller sized gym stuff on yesterday and, while I can get it on I wouldn’t say it actually fitted, so a few more pounds to go before I would feel comfortable enough to wear it. I bought a new black trench coat from Costco at the weekend. It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve been able to fit into clothing from there so that was a nice boost. It will definitely last me a reduction of a couple of sizes too. My weight is steady at the moment but I do hope to bring it down a little bit more before I have to do the LRD. Bloods to have taken yet again on Wednesday. If my liver is off this time then they will have to think of something else. I’ve not had my weekly jabs for 7 weeks, I’ve missed my other jab for 4 weeks plus no pain relief for 4 weeks either and it’s all wearing really thin with me now. I’m finding that I’m snapping at hubby because of pain and it’s not fair. The gym is really helping my range of movement but the pain remains. We’re out for belated birthday drinks on Friday (postponed because of blood tests ) and that’s about it. I’ve decided to crack on and make a start on wrapping Christmas presents this week. Thankfully my Christmas shopping is almost finished - hurray for sales! Wishing everyone a happy week 🥰 Onwards and Downwards!
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Thank you @spartanmaker, @ms.sss & @DaisyChainOz. No I don’t work out as such. No gym and no running miles. Have never found any enjoyment in it at all which means I find it a struggle to do it & then I give it up. And I’ve done it all over the years. Plus I’ve been told by my retinal specialist not to do any strenuous activity which was when I gave up the 2x50 sit ups I used to do with my stretching & resistance band routines. Been doing these routines for more than two years now usually every day and even do a modified version if I’m away because I actually enjoy doing it. They include yoga moves and poses as that was the one thing I used to enjoy. Strength is pretty good. Had to buy all those new pants last year because my thighs had got larger thanks to the resistance bands & my shoulders are starting to look like I swim laps. Added a new stretch with my bands which is working on my forearms. I might end up looking like Popeye. LOL! Recently added some pulse squats to my routine as the other so called butt building things haven’t helped yet (it’s still flat and running down the back of my thighs 😁). So my metabolism should have increased at least a little over the last 2 plus years. Flexibility is good too as is bone density (had most recent scan last year). I started doing these routines because I was missing my old flexibility, to tone muscles and keep my bone density (was worried that my malabsorption may affect my calcium absorption too). Ugh, I don’t want to HAVE to add in another activity but …. Sigh! Actually bone density is becoming an issue for middle aged and older men too these days too @SpartanMaker. I know several men in their late 50s early 60s who have been diagnosed as having osteopena or osteoporosis. One was very surprised as he is an avid cyclist & thought himself very fit & healthy but cycling doesn’t help with bone density. He got tested after his wife, also a cyclist, was diagnosed & was worried. PS Buying shoes and clothing always makes me feel better @ms.sss. I bought a new dress last week & yes it made me happy (another Victoria Beckham) though I had to buy a larger size which then depressed me. It’s going to be my back up dress for my niece ‘s wedding. Waaah! PPS To add to my niece’s wedding & my 60th this year, I found out this week I have a school reunion too. Scheduling all my Botox, facial and hair appointments for the year now so I don’t look grey and wrinkled at any of them.
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@Mspretty86 I think if I lost more weight I would look frail and I want to look strong and fit. Once I get my boobies in 6 weeks I am going to be feelin' myself HAHAH!!! 😂 Thank you!! We are all winning!! I was strolling on Youtube and this guy who is a personal trainer, Trent Harrison, posted a video how we cannot always live our life in a calorie deficit, that being hungry is normal and a good thing! He has realistic foods that we can buy from a ton of places with high protein and low carb/cal. I have been really trying to dig deep- last couple of weeks I have been binging/grazing and just unmotivated for some reason, like I would still do my workouts but kept looking at the time because I wasnt feelin it or just doing an "easier" workout to say I worked out, but I snapped outta of it and back at it! Now I am feeling like myself! Try out her channel, tomorrow I am doing her glutes and I know I will be feelin it tomorrow whoowee! I used to follow Sydney Cummings- dont get me wrong she is good, but I needed something that pushed me harder and this chick does that. Lemme know what you think!!
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Let's Talk GRIEF! An ongoing thread about bariatric grief!
JennyBeez replied to Mspretty86's topic in Rants & Raves
Ugh, I feel you. One of the things that irks me the most about troublesome foods is having to cut my protein short -- or getting ill and losing what little I got down. I seem to have trouble with chicken even before it's been reheated -- again, other than ground. Lately beef has been giving me problems too, other than barbacoa brisket from my local burrito place. Oh, other than jerky? I found a no sugar /sweetener added beef jerky that has given me absolutely no issues and is nicely high in protein. It takes me close to an hour to eat a 30g serving but it's helpful to stash at the office for an afternoon snack. Today, I realized I grieve dim sum. I don't know if it's the socialness, the overall experience or the food itself -- or some combination of the three. I've had some steamed Korean dumplings a few weeks ago and just didn't eat much of the dumpling wrapper itself, and have been able to eat shrimp siu mai at a Japanese restaurant. But being able to go to a dim sum restaurant and eat whatever they pass by with -- without having to interrogate them about ingredients or cooking methods -- I will miss that. -
stalling just 1 week post op
NeonRaven8919 replied to Sleeved107's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
I've had the exact same thing. Op was on the 7th of October and I lost about 8kg (18lbs) in week one, and then no budging. But that's to be expected. Are you constipated? This can also help with weight retention. So can fluids and gas post op. Just stay the course and it will drop. Taking measurements and seeing your size go down can also help to stay motivated. You can do this! -
The time has come in my journey where I have had a little weight gain - about 3lbs in 10 days. I know it is to be expected it is just a little frustrating! For reference, my typical day of eating includes some protein porridge for breakfast, a sandwich or a salad with some chicken/avocado for lunch, some soy marinated boiled eggs as a snack, and then for dinner is usually some form of meat for protein, some veg and some carbs (I'll eat the veg/protein first). I try to aim for 2.5L of water a day - usually manage anywhere from 1.5-2L if I am honest! I do drink tea & coffee, and I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, mostly doing a range of weight training, and also 20-30 mins of cardio: my go to cardio at the moment is on the treadmill, on a 12 incline, speed at 4.8-6 and walking for a set amount of time. ANYWAY - just feeling a little disheartened!!
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I wasn’t going to discuss this on these boards since I don’t want to turn the discussion away from weight loss. I figured I would talk cancer at the cancer support group and weight related stuff here, but I am quickly realizing that it’s very much intertwined. I had my revision surgery to SADI on 8/7/2024 and I felt something on my breast in the shower in September. I went to gyno, got sent to get a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound and then biopsies and it came back as cancer 11/6/2024 (about 4 months post op). A few days later I was with the breast surgeon and was told it was triple negative and it’s very aggressive so the process is a little different for me in that it’s all very fast moving but it’s pretty much the same collection of treatments for most cancer I believe. I am currently two rounds into chemotherapy and just started immunotherapy and also doing appointments for all kinds of scans and imaging as well as meeting the rest of my doctors and setting up my future treatments which will be double mastectomy, then radiation and then maybe oral chemo. Basically I have not sat down since I learned the diagnosis and I have had to learn a tremendous amount very fast to make some pretty heavy decisions very quickly to keep the ball rolling. It’s been a whirlwind From a bariatric standpoint things have been incredibly challenging. For one my appointments are all over Florida. I have a medical oncologist, a breast surgeon, a cosmetic breast surgeon, a radiation oncologist, and a second opinion oncologist and now a gynocologist in the mix but that’s pretty specific to me. So far and I have had to have imaging done at 3 different places as well since it’s all been so rushed it’s just about who can get me in the soonest and then since these places aren’t connected I have to wait around for records and discs and carry them all to each of my appointment to make sure everyone has everything I have been traveling non stop with little time to prepare things so prioritizing my nutrition and exercise has been a huge challenge just in terms of time. There are just not enough hours in the day!! Then there is the chemo, the shot that builds up your white blood cells, and the immunotherapy infusion which also take time (2-3 different appointments depending on how it works out that week) but also all of this effects my cravings and energy. First there is the fact that I have to be on steroids which we all know are the enemy of weight loss but also the fact that eating is different. I consider myself very fortunate that food doesn’t taste bad to me and nausea is not an issue like it is for so many but it’s still not the same. I crave something very specific. I taste it and it’s good but I eat three bites and don’t want it anymore. My refrigerator is a leftover graveyard lol. In terms of energy I am on the strongest treatment regimen the oncologist says so fatigue sorta goes with the territory. I have been walking everyday still except for the biopsy day and my chemo port surgery day and I have done my yoga when my schedule permits but I have not done my cardio class because I think I sweat too much considering how dehydrating the chemo already is. Also I can’t touch community stuff for 24 hours after chemo without possibly exposing others to the chemo drug and we use balls, bars, discs, etc. Also more recently there is the fact that I have lost about 85% of my hair and I get too hot to wear a hat. I think once I’m bald it will actually look better and I am going to try really hard to just get over that but right now I don’t look like I have cancer. It just looks like a botched hair cut to me so I’m living in hats. The good news is it’s going very fast. It started falling out last week and it’s almost gone already so by next week I think I will just be bald. Well, yesterday I did totally forget to exercise with all that I had going on and I’m feeling guilty today now that I remembered but I know that’s silly. I am just hoping that as treatment goes on I am able to keep up my exercise. All the doctors say it’s good to keep pushing myself just not too hard. Exercise and good nutrition are going to make this alot easier on me. Back to food again. Not sure if it’s just the stress of the whole situation or the fact that chemo puts you into early menopause but Thursday was a particularly bad day. My moods were erratic to say the least and I had a bunch of blood drawn after having nothing but a protein shake all day so at 7pm I was pretty much famished by the time we stopped to eat. Olive Garden was the most convenient option and I planned soup and salad but when I got in there that went out the window. I went totally off plan. Again I feel guilty but these darn steroids and all the crazy emotions are making it so much harder to make the better choices when it’s staring at me tempting me I did still get my protein for the day though if there is any good in that What’s really hard about this is that even with the pasta and bread I am actually still losing weight so for my previously obese brain it’s tempting to not just enjoy that while it lasts. But I know that the processed crap is not good for my body, especially right now. I don’t feel as good since I have not been exercising as much and I’ve been eating off plan. I don’t sleep as well at night and I seem to crave more and more junk as well as have less energy throughout the day. thankfully my program has provided to me free of charge an oncology dietician, but I am her first patient who is actively still in weight loss phase undergoing chemo. She had agreed to check in with me once a week since this is new for both of us and she seems amazing so far. She suggested that I do not lose more than two to three pounds a week which was my average before the chemo. Because the chemo has apparently sped up my metabolism she says that I need to increase calories but to add healthy ones which is extremely difficult because adding calories goes against all we just learned and over 2000 calories of healthy food is a very large volume of food that my body is just not wanting right now (I was eating around 900-1000 before this and already felt like I was eating all day. And remember that most of these meals are on the road these days so I have to eat what I can fit in a cooler or stop somewhere on the side of the highway most times. Not easy to find clean healthy food on the road. Enough stating the obvious that it’s tough, here’s what I actually have to offer so far in terms of advice. First thing when I wake up in the morning I have a protein shake which is a really good head start to the day and if I am lucky enough to still be around a couple of hours later I have a second breakfast instead of waiting until there’s time to eat on whatever adventure the day brings. That helps with the protein if I don’t have time to stop at all. Although recently the shakes haven’t gone down so well so I just wake up and have scrambled eggs with 2% cheese and whatever leftover veggies are on hand.. If I know I won’t have time for that I also have some boiled eggs In the fridge that I can eat real fast or slice up with some cheese and take on the go. I carry in my cooler a high protein yogurt drink, chomps pepperoni flavored turkey jerky and baby bell light or mozzarella sticks. It helps to put the ice pack in a ziplock with these items if you live where it gets hot. I also carry a bag with high protein snacks quest protein chips, kind minis, cliff minis, pistachio nuts, nut butter packets, quest cheddar cheese crackers, granola to add to yogurt, etc Freezer meals!! Omg. I was doing these before my diagnosis and they were super convenient then and have been a lifesaver now. I have tex med chili, chicken chili, turkey meatballs, turkey taco meat, grilled chicken, meatloaf, etc in the freezer and it’s all measured and weighed out so that I can pop in the fridge the night before or even jet defrost in microwave if need be. When I have time to cook I do double batches so I can keep my freezer stock replenished. I have a note in my phone notes that it titled In freezer and I just keep adding to it what I freeze and how many portions are in there so if I’m not home I can check my freezer stock. I also do a version of meal prep with chick fila as well I like their market and southwest salads (I get the market one without the blue cheese) I buy one of each with two extra chicken fillets and take them home and I make four salads out of that. I take off all the toppings with a bit of lettuce and put into a smaller container to make a market salad and do the same with the southwest. Then I put the leftover lettuce with the chicken into another container and I have fresh shredded Parmesan in snack ziplocks and ceaser dressing also in ziplocks (sorta less pleasant looking but I figure less risk if bacteria than them tiny containers which are hard to get really clean since I am immunocompromised and infection is so dangerous right now) i cut off a corner and squeeze it out like an icing bag. I just use half of the packets of dressing with the market and southwest salads and then toss the rest. I have the ziplock containers that have the twist top lids and these are easy to toss into the cooler when they do not open at all I still log my macros in Baritastic this has really been helpful for me to be honest about what I’m eating with my oncology dietician so she can keep me on track . It also lets you log your activity, weight, inches lost and set notifications for vitamins and stuff. I added a reminder to put on my fitness watch and to take my regular meds too I also carry my water with me and I set alarms again to drink. You have to wear a mask and for me that seems to make me drink like a quarter as much as I do without one so I have to have reminders again. Vitamins need alarms too. Chemo brain is a real thing and when your days is never the same it’s hard to have a routine anyways so I actually have alarms for just about everything in life right now. I made different tones for water, vitamins and appointments and I have a checklist to go over before I leave the house to make sure I did and packed everything. My friend and family also have reminders for me in their phones for the real important stuff and they call or text to make sure I haven’t forgotten. I just found out that two of the programs I belong too offer virtual yoga sessions. I haven’t tried it yet because they are at set times as well but I added them to my calendar as recurring appts just like the live one so I can attend whichever one I have time for. Someone else suggested you tube for videos but I haven’t tried that either. Yoga by the way is my only sense of calm throughout all of this so I HIGHLY recommend it. That and meditation I know that both of these sound a little fruity before you give them a good fair try and meditation takes a lot of practice before it really Did anything for me but I swear my mind runs non stop with anxiety and worry and for that one hour I’m in yoga or the few minutes I’m meditating it is at peace. It’s amazing!! So I am a little over a month into this and I’ve got a good year and a half to go if all goes well so I’m sure I will have more to add to this but I just wanted to pop In and share what my experience has been juggling a new cancer diagnosis while pretty early out from bariatric surgery. I hope this helps someone. Even if it’s less advice and more to let you know that you are not alone in the struggle.
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I agree with the others. You’re just not ready yet to eat solid foods. Your symptoms of discomfort, vomiting, hiccups, burping are evidence of that. It takes at least 6 weeks for you to heal ( all those sutures and staples holding your digestive system together) which is why we’re put on the slow, usually two week cycles, of progressing from liquids, to purées, to soft foods to regular solid foods. Even following this schedule, many have to go back a step simply because they haven’t healed enough tolerate the denser food yet. And that’s okay. You may have to do this too. There are even solid foods that some people take even longer to be able to eat without experiencing side effects. Foods like chicken breast & steak. Some foods can be too rich like eggs or they’re too dry or coarse (sauces & gravies are your friend). Your tummy is very sensitive and can react to any food (texture, flavour even smell) and this can continue for a couple of months. I used to describe my tummy as a petulant two year old who throws random tantrums. Unfortunately there’s no hard and fast rules about this. You just have to try things and see how you go simply because of our individual differences. Never give up on a food you struggle with initially though. Give it a break for a couple of weeks and then try again. Glad you’re on a PPI (sumac) which will help with the excess acid your body is still producing (it hasn’t learnt you don’t need as much yet). Will also help with the hiccups and burping. Actually many people find hiccups are a signal they’re full. Make sure you’re eating slowly (take 20-30 minutes), small bites and not eating too large a portion yet. Out of curiosity what are your portion sizes at the moment?