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Hello! Thank you for posting here as well! I'm scheduled to have my 'virgin SADI/sleeve' on Monday morning and I was SO happy to read your post so I could get a realistic idea of what my life will be like post-surgery. I hadn't gotten much feedback yet on what to expect after a couple of years and had only read that the malabsorption would diminish after 18 months. Your experience seems to match up with that pretty closely. I've got the same three week diet guidelines to follow post-op; do you remember any particular foods that gave you trouble as you were adjusting to life post-op initially? Or do you have any suggestions on what to start with in the soft food week? For the liquid diet I've almost entirely relied on shakes and a few helpings of sugar free jello. Today I got some zero sugar yogurt and added that, and had a sugar free popsicle. I know that I'll have to be eating / drinking room temperature for at least the first week if I remember right.

Yet another holiday post 😅 My bariatric nurse has given me the go-ahead to try a small amount of alcohol whilst I am on holiday next week - I will be 4 months post-op on the 14th when I fly out! She has suggested trying a white wine as they tend to be dry and therefore low in sugar. Any other recommendations - such as type of alcohol, and how to go about trying it again etc ❤️

Not that uncommon and comparatively not more strict. There are variations between surgeons and surgeries with many of these things. Sometimes it’s also related to you, your health, how much weight you have to lose, your relationship with food, etc, Not being allowed carbonated drinks is common. The differences arise in length of time of this avoidance and then whether you can tolerate it. Also you may be allowed sparkling water that you let go flat a bit but not sodas. Same with alcohol avoidance but there are three main reasons often behind this. One is concern for addiction transfer which can occur after weight loss surgery. Secondly, alcohol is calorie dense and offers no nutrients which are vital while we are losing and eating small portions and lastly it will slow your metabolism & dehydrate you. Again some surgeons just put a time frame on it but it does depend on your surgery too. Caffeine is another thing that is allowed by some surgeons and not by others and again there can be differences in for how long you should avoid it. Deconstructing meals is not a forever thing. Certainly while losing, focussing on eating the protein component of your meal first is very important. If you are able after you’ve eaten the protein in your meal. you then can eat your vegetables then any carbs you are allowed. (There were many times I could only eat my protein at a meal and nothing else.) This is because of the small portions we can eat initially & the necessity of getting that protein in to meet your protein goals. It does make tracking your food much easier too. When you near your goal, and are eating larger portions, it’s not as important to eat your protein first but you must continue to hit your protein goals forever so it will be something of which you are aware when you’re eating. In saying that I often ate soups, stews & casserole type dishes, omelettes, etc. which combined protein & vegetables while losing but not every meal and not every day. Actually not allowing protein shakes is also not uncommon. For example, in the UK, many aren’t allowed protein shakes in the pre surgery diet (they drink milk instead). Protein shakes aren’t the sole source of protein & nutrients in that first stage after surgery. Bone broths, consommés and cream soups are also options. Thank goodness too because after surgery those protein shakes can be disgusting. I found them unpleasantly grainy and crazy sweet & struggled to drink one a day. Best advice is to follow your plan while you are losing.However, if you find it difficult to tolerate your food options or to reach your goals ask for alternatives that will allow you to still meet protein goals & other nutrient requirements within any calorie guidelines you are given. How and what you eat once your weight has stabilised is up to you, what you’ve learnt about your eating and relationship with food and if it allows you to maintain a lower and healthier weight & lifestyle.

My best advice is to be prepared to put yourself first for around a month. It didn’t take that long for the pain to get better but it does take a little while to get your stamina back and get into a groove with all the vitamins, protein and water and then each of the stages are a little adjustment. Take your time and allow your body the rest that it needs and prioritize yourself and your recovery for the time you need. The good news is that you should also see a pretty big drop on the scale as in your measurements. Which leads to my second suggestion which is to take photos and measurements as well as recording your weight beginning preop. They will help keep you motivated later down The road when the scale stalls. The third thing I would suggest is to check out an App that allows you to record your progress. The Baritastic App lets you record everything from food and water to vitamins, exercise, measurements, weight, and even your bowel movements which will become something that you think about more than ever post surgery haha 😆 and it is fairly easy to figure out. I wish I had started before my preop or my surgery. Also, make sure that you have whatever stool softeners, laxatives or soluble fiber your team suggests on hand and begin whatever preventative measures they set for you immediately post op. When you are in the hospital don’t hesitate to tell them if you are in pain. And Walk ALOT. Especially if you are in pain. It doesn’t matter how fast you go, it’s just the movement. I promise you that passing gas is your biggest goal in terms of relieving pain and the walking helps with that.

Today marks 6 months since my gastric bypass surgery! It's also almost exactly one year since I attended the orientation class at the weight loss center that was the first step in beginning the surgical program. I came home after the class and took a "before" photo. I had just weighed in at my highest weight ever. I was on blood pressure meds and my A1c put me in the prediabetic danger zone. My joints ached every morning. My 50th birthday was looming and I felt so old. The day after that photo, I started making changes to my diet. I lost 13 lbs from August until early February. I lost an additional 13 lbs on my 2-week liquid diet. I had my surgery on February 21 and since then, I've lost another 45lbs, for a total of 71 lbs down! My blood pressure is normal, and so is my A1c. The aches and pains are gone, and I'm hitting my 10k step goal several days each week. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm improving steadily. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was this weight. It had to have been when I was around 22 years old. Like pretty much everyone says, my only regret is not doing this sooner.

Such good advice above. I so love this forum. 😍 OP I hope you can judge yourself less and forgive yourself a few lapses - you are human, as are the rest of us. You have done the best thing you could for your health and have gone to enormous trouble (and expense?) to do it! We ALL have slips and do things that we know aren't good for us. If we can look back and analyse why we did what we did then sometimes that can help us avoid the same mistakes in future. I am 3 years post sleeve and I carry protein-based snacks wherever I go - usually nuts or seeds in little packs that I can carry in my bag. If I am hungry (and I do get fierce hunger at quite short notice a couple of hours after eating) and I'm in danger of eating something I shouldn't, then I will eat those. I know they will help stop me eating the rubbish that my head wants but my body doesn't need. It works a bit for me so I hope will help you. I never leave home without them. In addition I have stock phrases to 'explain' (not that I have to but - yunno) why I am not indulging in the delicious sugary fatty rubbish along with everyone else. I learned those phrases here. Oh I ate before I came! I'm just not hungry right now. I'm doing strict keto so I'm avoiding sugar at the minute. And so on. IME people completely lose interest if you say 'a thing', LOL. I wish you the best of luck. You've stumbled a little this week, that's OK, it's a marathon not a sprint. I hope you can use some of the resources suggested above. It's hard. It's hard every day, even after WLS. Take one day at a time and be kind to yourself. We are all here for you.

I had a revision surgery from sleeve to SADI a week ago today and I am a little concerned about how fast I am losing. Between the pre op diet and now I have lost 26 pounds. I think 14 pounds Pre Surgery and 12 this week. What’s odd is that the surgeon warned me that with it being a revision my loss would be quite a bit slower than with a virgin surgery and I don’t think I lost quite this fast with my sleeve. Obviously I want to lose And the faster the better so long as it’s still healthy. I have my first post op tomorrow and I plan to ask the NP but I am just curious to hear what others here have experienced. Maybe I’m worrying too soon. It could be that everyone loses this quick this early out regardless of vigin surgery or revision. It’s just something on my mind and I’m curious about what others experience has been with revision surgeries. Did you lose pretty quickly the first week as well?

I suppose anything is possible, but dumping after that little amount (6 g in the whole serving, and of that, you only had three tiny bites of it) seems really unlikely. I'm not sure what was going on there. Maybe some new sensitivity to something in the combo - maybe even one of the vegetables? I know niacin (a B vitamin) can make some people flush (at least the supplements can - not sure if it's in food). I'll do some research on this - you've got my curiosity up. I'm starting to research this - some food additives can cause some people to flush - there are almost certainly food additives in the teriyaki sauce (although again, you ate very little - but then again, if you're hypersensitive to some additive, then maybe?). (I'll keep looking) This article lists several possibilities (when I click on it, it jumps to just one section of the article - but check out the whole thing - there's more in here specific to flushing after eating): https://dermnetnz.org/topics/flushing#:~:text=Flushing associated with eating is,parotid gland injury or surgery.

Talked with surgeon Monday 8/26. Asked all kinds of questions about restriction and hunger. He assures me I won't be hungry and he uses a 40 bougie so not like some with 30-36. I just hoping I can get thru the 1st week post op.

I don't think I ate anything that made me sick post op, except for sugar (I am sure it is a form of dumping). At 10+ months post op I eat everything, and by everything I mean I can eat everything and feel fine, my portions are much smaller of course. I eat tacos, burgers, sushi, noodles, pizza and even dessert but in smaller amounts. I eat out 2-3 times a week. Here are some things I follow that help me eat what I feel for in moderation: - I do not drink my calories, other than an oat/almond flat white, all my drinks are calorie free. I do not drink alcohol nor sugary drinks. I drink water, diet soda and coffee and that's about it. - I limit deep fried food, I almost always opt for grilled/air fried/baked. If there's a portion of fries and I really want some, I will have one or two and stop. - I prioritize protein 90% of the time. On weekdays I always start with my protein, then my veggies THEN a tiny bit of carbs if I have space (most of the time there is not much space left). When I'm out for a nice dinner or I've ordered in I will eat my order the way it is and will not pick the protein first, so if I've ordered a burger I will eat it as it, or if it is sushi i will eat that and not worry about protein first, but that is only a couple times a week. - I make tweaks and substitute when taste isn't compromised. I love my big mac tacos but I don't want to be eating 200+ calories from a tortilla, so I substitute that with a mission low carb because I really can't taste the difference, or it's negligible. I also substitute wheat toast for protein toast (still occasionally eat sourdough because I love it and can taste the difference). I also opt for low fat milk/dairy/meats when I can, but I will not substitute cheddar for a low fat version for example because MELTED CHEDDAR 🤤 - I eat carbs in tiny amounts. So if I'm snacking and picked up a cookie, I will eat a bit of it or half at most. If it is a slice of cake I make sure it is tiny or I will eat half the slice, if it's ice cream it is half a scoop. I can't tolerate much of sugar and it makes me ill but I will taste/try. And it has to be WORTH IT. I will not eat something for the sake of eating it, I should really want to try/eat it, and if it ends up not being good, I will not continue eating it. - I workout a lot, I lift, I run, I do Pilates, I cycle and close my steps. I stay active. If you can control your portions and refrain from the "all or nothing mindset" it is very possible to eat what you like and maintain your results, at the end of the day it's calories in vs calories out. Also, my moto is that life is too short to be living miserably (I love food LOL). I will however say that I recommend that you hit maintenance first before exploring with the above. I was VERY strict during weight loss and ate 100% clean.

Thank you @FifiLux, @ShoppGirland @Bypass2Freedom 🥰 I managed to shove a cotton bud up my nose (hate the sneezing and ‘scratchy’ feeling at the back of my throat 🤢) and I’m now clear of Covid - hurray! Hubby is still in its thrall though: headache, sick, generally feeling out of sorts. Amazing how it hits people differently 🤷‍♀️ 3lbs of my gain off this morning - thank you water weight! Just over 2lbs more to go and I will be back on track. This morning I went through my underwear and nightwear drawers and binned lots. All the too big and/or tatty items have gone. I do have some really nice things that I’ve not worn due to sizing so hopefully I will be wearing that at some point in the near future. I am enjoying getting on top of things once again as I think I really lost my way for quite a while. All down to a lack of interest in pretty much everything I think. No gym this week but hope to get back to it next week when hubby feels better. I have missed it and my knees are definitely stiffer for not going. I’m on with the circulation booster in the meantime, just to get the blood flowing in my lower legs. Can definitely feel a bit of the autumn chill now ☹️ I received an email from M&S saying it’s Christmas food stuff is now available to order and it feels quite strange not to be bothering with any of it because I don’t know where I will be on my WLS journey. All that stress, gone!! 🥳 Has anyone done the LRD over Christmas, just out of interest? As it stands, I’m not bothered if I have to do it then, be nice to have a festive season where I actually lose weight 😉

Thanks it’s in the centre above the belly button feels more like indigestion. Nurse asked to keep an eye if no additional symptoms and go to er if it worsens sne thought I may have eaten something that didn’t agree with me. I have nuggets and shrimps both air fried since few weeks but could be

New week new things that I grieve ... pre-menstruation hunger and menstruation hunger needs to be further talked about in the bariatric community.

I'm so relieved to see that I'm not the only one flagging here and there. I was doing great up until about midway through last week, going on my walks and trying not to look at the scale because I REALLY wanted to see it tick from just above 300 down into the 290s - finally I weighed in and was SO frustrated that I sat at like, 301 for several days. I'm still there now, too. Another thing - I had bought a pair of size 22 jeans and they fit great so I bought a couple pairs of size 24 I found at a thrift store and was heartbroken when they didn't fit! I'm coaching myself as to the reality that the size 22 I'd bought were super wide leg all the way up vs the ones from the thrift store that were more 'fitted' - being the reason they didn't go up over my thighs. I can see the 'bat wings' on my arms, constantly am having to shift my rings around, and am losing in my back/bum area but my thighs are still my problem. I looked up some exercises I have been trying to do to promote a strong core and hopefully reduce visible belly fat/ excess skin in the thighs and arms, but I backed off some on my exercise over the weekend for sure. Per my Fitbit my average is still high, but I feel awful if I don't get in at least 5k steps per day now. I know I'm getting ready to start my period any day so HOPEFULLY after this comes and goes my weight will have another significant drop. @Justarwaxx and @ShoppGirl - You are both doing so great! It's always nice to pop back on here and see your updates

I was expected to start the vitamins from day 1 post op. They were disgusting chewable ones and I couldn't keep them down (due to complications from my surgery) so I had to wait a month, then started different capsule ones which were fine but two weeks later had to stop when I had to go back into hospital and was put on a feeding tube. Have been back on the capsule ones since finally discharged from hospital.

Hey there, I know exactly how you feel! But before I forget, happy birthday mine was a few weeks ago and pretty much did the same thing with the cake lol. I can only eat about 2 to 3 ounces. And I’m not gonna force my stomach to eat more. I used to love MyFitnessPal, but my nutritionist has recommended an app called ate. So I’ve been using that for now.

@Mspretty86 I am satisfied! I want to work on shaping my body and getting strong. Then hoping that the boobs will make me look curvier. I am a small A where Victoria Secret told me I am an A but I still have gaps because I am all skin LOL I am ready to be a full DD. I am doing my breast aug 3 weeks before I hit a year (I know I know its a no no) but my surgeon only wants maintenance. and the date is perfect since my hubs is taking off to be my caregiver and it happens to be the same time as the kids winter break so I could not pass up the timing. but I am so ready to wear a bikini, tank tops and all the shirts because I look like a teenage boy right now LOL

Everyone’s post op plan is different. At five weeks I was on soft foods post SADI revision but it’s important to follow the plan your surgeon set for you. It goes by pretty fast. You will be able to eat again soon. For soups, if you get a good soup and strain it (like from a restaurant) that can be a little treat because the broth is more flavorful even if you can’t have the noodles. If you are on soft but just can’t have the noodles, try having just the broth with the veggies (celery can cause some people issues, though so be mindful of that). Honestly the longer you can go without having processed carbs the better. Carbs make you crave more carbs (or that’s how it works for many people anyways).

My bariatric team and GP both suggested it when I hit a three month stall and was becoming discouraged and angry. I was prescribed Ozempic and it broke my stall the first week! I've lost 10lbs in one month so my stall is over. I stuck to my "diet" plan the entire time so some might just say it was nothing more than my stall finally ending, who knows? I receive the compounded version with B12 and its $120.00 a month without using my insurance (I didn't want to go through the hassle of pre authorization). So, its a possible option for you. I've had no side effects as of yet, I'm starting on my second month with a higher dose so I can't speak on the head cadence beat of the drum to EAT yet, perhaps its diminished a bit and my hunger has quieted. Your best bet is talk to your doctor they'll know what's best for you and it can't hurt to ask. I hope this helps. Good luck!

I finally did last week. I am scheduled for surgery for Sept 5

Found another product that is really awesome. It’s called a running belt by HAWEEL, but I got it for walking. It’s like a Fanny pack but it’s flat and has three pockets. The middle one holds you phone and the one on the left zips opens at the top and the bottom and has a mesh pocket sewn into it that drops out so you can put a bottled water in there. It has an adjustable band so it I’ll work for many sizes (although I only have maybe 4 or 5 inches to spare with it loose enough to not bug my incisions and my waist is currently 45” so I’m thinking it goes up to 50” but will go down to our goal weights). It has another pocket for like a key and some cash and it’s water resistant plus it has a reflective strip across the front for if you get stuck out when it’s dark (doesn’t go across the back though so if you plan to be out in the dark I would get a sash or vest or whatever that’s reflective). Anyways it’s only $16!! There are others on AMAZON that only fit a certain size, won’t fit a water, don’t have the reflective strip and they are like $40 which we would need a new one every couple of months. I am so thrilled with this thing. Ooh and it also has a spot where your headphones can come out if you use corded ones. This is exactly what I needed to walk all around the neighborhood. The mesh bag also has a little strap to better secure the water so it doesn’t shake if you wanted to use it to jog or run. Just thought I’d pass it along. https://a.co/d/74c2Yps

Oh I hear you. I had gone almost a year with no period and one week shy of being classed menopausal it reappeared and now has been every two weeks. I now recognise it the day before as I suddenly want to, and can, eat more, but still small by previous standards. It is a pain in the ass as I can't trust a schedule anymore and I had to go out and buy all new period underwear (old ones were thrown out as I thought I had no use for them anymore and they were now massive). Now for travelling next month I have to be prepared for what may come! I think my system is shot after all my surgery complications.

So glad things went well for you at your follow-up appointment and you can stop taking lansoprazole - hurray!! It’s amazing how much has changed for you in such a short space of time, and will continue to change for quite a while yet. I think it takes a some time to find your feet when you have undergone some transformative weight loss, plus I also think there’s an element of mourning the person you was and not being sure about the person you’re becoming. I hope you’re documenting your experience, just so you can look back on your journey when things get difficult or you get fed up. It always helps to have something to guide us when we’re feeling out of sorts, or the dreaded stall look’s never ending! Well done on your journey so far 👏👏👏

I spoke to one before I was discharged and she told me the most basic stuff 1 week clear fluids 1 week fuller fluids 4 weeks purees Then some examples of food to have during each stage. Qtys are like cup wise but no mention of calories anywhere. I am currently on full liquids so I'd have a protien shake premade or powder using almond milk or normal milk + frozen Berries Greek yogurt low fat non flavored And I made a oat and chicken chicken soup which I blended and I have q cup of it a day. I did call the dietitian today and she said just eat healthy and I am eating right No mention of calories 😭😭😭 I am literally fetching info on this website or tiktok and just going eith it with the knowledge I got.

Hello and welcome in the forum. There is a whole thread listed as Bariatric grief, its very worth a read. I had mine pre surgery. Anything with noodles was my thing. I had lots of Asian food funerals. I promise, it gets better. I eat everything I feel like except I cook it or it comes from a quality restaurant. I live in a part of the UK with out fast food places and the only one is a Dominos Pizza, I dislike the price £20, so would make it at home if that was my thing. I can eat a good amount of good icecream and some good chocolate, too much and I puke. I can eat a Magnum for instance. I eat Falafel with Tzatziki regularly and thats the first time I ever heard of it being off anyones menu. I bake it rather than fry it. I have had some Pad thai but its not really a thing for me anymore as I can eat so few noodles. I will go for Tom Yum or Tom Kha at our Fav restaurant. I can not eat anything ultra blitzed like Guacamole, shudder ... the puree stage has left a memory on my soul. I tried making it chunky but my brain will not accept it. All those slimming classes did have something to tell me after all. Being skinny is better than a bowl of the very best tasty noodles. Saying that .... if I could eat them I would, but not every meal, every day or week.