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Well surgery was a success on the 26th!! I'm 5 days post op today! I just want to say that head hunger is a real thing, how did u guys get past this stage?? I have been on liquids since the 23rd and it's been a struggle for real, I thought after it would be easier because I don't actually feel hungry but physically I don't feel hungry it's just the mental aspect that gets me... I'm ready for these few weeks to fly by so I can begin to eat regularly again.

I think that's the website I was just on - I found a recipe for unstuffed cabbage rolls I'm going to try. I'll go slowly; not trying to push my stomach, but I know these two weeks of purees are supposed to help me get on the path to eating more variety so I guess I've got to jump in sometime!

Walking outside is not a very good option right now as the temperatures are over 35-45 degrees (middle east tings) but "winter" is around the corner so I'll be happy to do outside walks then! Tbh I am not idle during the day but like I can do more for sure. I try to not ask for help (nanny or son) and just should it myself to get in some extra steps.. but I really wanna push myself to do the treadmill 3x a week. I love how u sleep in ur workout clothes hahaha! It will work for me to workout in the mornings before I start work on the 16th then it will have to be after work. I totally know what u mean about being more energetic after workouts. It does make u feel great! I will do it!

Yea. I’m almost 6 weeks. Post SADI but I’m revised from sleeve and it’s pretty much the same. It goes from constipation to loose stool and back again. Takes a while to figure out what combo of fiber, stool softeners and laxitives work best for you. The protein, vitamins, and lack of adequate fiber in your diet as well as pain meds and I believe even the anesthesia take a toll for a while. I am still on two stool softeners a day and soluble fiber plus I was low on magnesium so I’m taking that which also helps with Bowel function. I am trying to wean off the stool softeners now since I am eating a bit more fiber and the NP said to cut back one dose at a time and to do a few days taking it every other day before cutting it out. Just in case anyone else wondered how to do that. I tried to just cut out one dose and ended up needing a laxative. Hopefully her way works.

I honestly don’t think them smart scales are super accurate. I’ve seen a few people on here say they got DEXA scans and that their scale was not the same. That being said. They do warn that we will lose muscle and that’s why it’s important to start with some strength building as soon as we are cleared to do so. About the stall, some people do actually gain a little. Usually it’s followed by a quick drop of that gain- plus some. I think it’s your body trying to hang onto every single calorie it gets because it thinks it’s starving. Sorta has to recalibrate for a short time and then you should be back on the downward trend. If my google search is correct 1kg is only 2.2 pounds. Honestly you could see that fluctuation any day. Doesn’t even have to be a stall. Could be your body retaining water or your bowels are full or you weighed at a differnt time of day. Virtually anything can cause that. That’s why they say it’s best to not weigh daily. I know it’s hard not to and I’m guilty of it too but we really do just cause ourselves unnecessary stress by doing it. When I had my sleeve my daily loss fluctuated several times by a couple of pounds. Even 3 or 4 a couple times because I weighed daily. But I did only record my weight once a week and that made it way easier to see the overall downward trend.

HI! Thank you so much!!! I started with walking around 2-3 postop, 20-30min and just built up to working out from home with light 5lbs weights. I follow Sydney Cummings or Juice and Toya work out videos. I would alternate 1 day upper body, 1 day lower body, ect...Then I would walk for 1 hour one day a week. Then I joined the gym when I was comfortable with the weights and that's when I really saw results. That was around 8-9 week post op. I cut down to 20min cardio and 30min strength training still alternating and still having 1hour walking days. Now that I am at my weight that I want to be at and not wanting to bulk up anymore just shred and tighten up my loose skin that I can possibly tighten up, I do 4 weight days 2 upper body, 2 lower body body with 30 min of cardio (usually treadmill at 12-13.5 incline and 3.3-3.7 speed) then 2 days I focus only on Cardio HIIT workouts. Now I do all my own workouts just from researching online and building my own workouts. I think they work? LOL I feel good afterwards, and my body composition is changing so I am rolling with it LOL I focus on high protein like over 100g, carbs I kept around 60g and fat around 20g. I have been fortunate where the weight came off pretty quickly, right now I am eating around 1400 cal 150g of protein 80-90g carbs and 25-30g fat. I am not actively trying to lose anymore, I want to more so maintain but I am still losing, so I am waiting till that figures itself out. LOL

Hello Vets, I've been having increased burping and I'm almost 5Yrs post op. Its been fairly smooth sailing so far in terms of complications (only limited ones not worth mentioning). Now I'm burping uncontrollably. I do not have any any heartburn "typical" symptoms. I'm taking Pantoprazole along with just starting on Carafate. I did not have any GERD prior to surgery however Dr. Aceves told me that I had a hiatal hernia that he fixed during sleeve surgery even though I had no idea I had it. I'm told I may possibly need a revision sleeve to bypass which I do NOT want to do but the new surgeon doctor (I was operated on by Dr. Aceves so I can't see him about this unfortunately, may he RIP... ) told me I may have a "kink in my sleeve". Apparently sometimes they put a stitch or two in to keep the sleeve from floating around. My sleeve was not stitched into place to keep it from flopping around so I guess it may have a kink. I'm supposed to get an endoscopy scheduled in the next few weeks with a GI and the (new) surgeon doc wants to be present to see what she's working with. Has anyone ever had this happen this far after surgery? Confused and concerned...

I had a gastric bypass about 6 years old. Fast forward to today. I was recently hospitalized with severe anemia (hemoglobin 5.2). I had to have emergency blood transfusions. I'm still receiving weekly IV-iron infusions (8 weeks). I am also deficient in several nutrients despite taking my bariatric vitamins. My bariatric surgeon figured out the reason for the anemia. Two ulcers detected by an EGD (upper scope). I was slowly bleeding out. At one point, my family thought I was falling asleep... when I was really passing out. Anemia hurts. Your whole body aches. Recovery is slow... the fatigue is unreal but I'll get there.

Well if you’re only eating one salad every two days and buying another on the third you are probably eating too little calories and your body is in starvation mode which sometimes you can actually gain. BUT, if you were to eat THAT same salad a couple of times a day and had breakfast too you would probably be eating too many calories to lose. Salad is very deceiving. They can actually have more calories than a bacon cheeseburger meal if you just add the good tasting stuff without measuring and counting and nutrition wise you aren’t getting a whole lot of what you need in a tiny portion of one salad as prepared. If I was you I would talk to a dietician about what choices are healthier options and how much protein you need. What you’re eating even though it’s a salad which sounds good is not the most nutritious option. First start by measuring and tracking what you’re having in an app. You would be surprised what you learn about what you eat by doing that. Most prepared salads have more than a serving of things like full fat cheese and croutons and the dressing packets they give you is far more than one serving as well. it sounds kinda silly but if you bring home your favorite salad and take the time to deconstruct it just once you can measure each thing and figure out exactly what’s in it (assuming they make it the same way each time). It’s always best to make your salad at home if possible so you can use lean or reduced fat protein and lower calorie dressings and choose healthier toppings but if you have to get it while your out you can use less of the dressing and ask for them to go light on the cheese and skip the croutons. Also, opt for grilled chicken and if possible ask for an extra fillet of chicken or two and add that to your leftover lettuce for your next meals. I do that at chic fila all the time. I make two meals out of a salad by getting a second fillet of chicken and making a grilled chicken Cesar salad with my leftover lettuce. But your focus will always need to be protein first since you do have a tiny stomach. Ask your doctor your personal goal but You should get probably be getting around 3-4oz of lean protein a meal and then fruit and veggies and then the lettuce is a filler if you have room. I prefer to bring my salad home so I can take off all the toppings and add just a tiny bit of lettuce and put that into a container. I prefer the toppings to the lettuce anyways. Also a good way to use less dressing is to mix any salad in a bowl like you would do ceaser salad and you get a bit on all the lettuce using less than you would if you just pour it over. And try to avoid the sodas like mentioned above. If you must eat and don’t enjoy water, try to find a drink mix that you like and keep a box of drink packets in your car to grab when you go in. Order water and mix in your drink packet. It’s way less calories and it’s cheaper. Note that the drink packets do have artificial sweeteners and there is evidence they aren’t the best for you either so plain water is best but they do have some made with stevia which my dietician says is the best option if I must have them. Tru lemon is one of the better ones. So many of us think we are making good choices when we are eating a salad or soup but they are not all created equal. And just eating a tiny portion of a less nutritious food isn’t the best option because you may lose weight this way but you’re not getting all the vitamins and protein your body needs. If you don’t get enough protein you may actually just be losing muscle mass and as we get older that is really hard to build back up. If you aren’t doing strength training this can be really bad. Measuring and putting things Into the Baritastic app and really looking at how much protein is In something and how much fat and carbs are in there as well as added sugars has really helped me to learn what foods are more nutritious choices. I think my protein goal with my sleeve was 60 grams minimum and with the SADI revision it is 90 grams. I was told that protein was the very most important thing but you also need to get fruits and veggies for the vitamins. And check your labs regularly to make sure you are getting what you need. I hope this helps.

Are you consistently taking your vitamins? What about iron? I felt extremely exhausted until I started my iron supplements although I wasn’t anemic or anything, on the lower side of iron reserves. Also, make sure to take your multivitamin and omega 3 daily as they really made a difference in how I felt. I used to literally feel dizzy as soon as I’ve gotten up. I also eat every 1.5 hours if I’m not busy. I would also suggest upping your carb intake slowly because carbs make all the difference in our energy levels. I really hope you find your sweet spot, but also don’t fight it too much! I wish you the best ♥️

Some nights I definitely struggle. I have been pretty low on energy; I'm usually getting my protein and am taking all of my vitamins. I know that my goal of 64 oz a day of fluids has been flagging, though, honestly. I'm drinking a lot of Gatorade zero but plain water has not been tasting good, even filtered, unless it is REALLY cold. I mean, from a bottle in the fridge then poured over ice. I feel like it got harder as I moved into phase 3 of trying to eat more real food as opposed to drinking most of my meals. I do know that I was told to expect different back pain as I lost weight, and I feel like maybe the magnesium has activated my digestion so much that it sometimes keeps me awake? It isn't really pain, but more like gas pressure. Not sure if that part is SADI exclusive. Sorry I've been so silent lately, I have been skimming and still hope to respond to a few more posts.

What about a mouth spray? I take a D3K2 as a mouth spray in winter when my vitamin D levels drop (the regular blood tests identified the seasonal drop). It doesn’t real taste of anything and you simply squirt it under your tongue. I buy Bioceuticals but I don’t think they’re in the UK but there are other brands that make mouth sprays. Even if you can reduce how many capsules you have to swallow will help. And yes look fur capsules and not those huge, dry horse tablet ones. Check with your team about what vitamins you need to take @Chatterboxdea. Different surgeries have different vitamin requirements & ask when you should begin them. Plus your blood tests will inform what you may be lacking in so you don’t take more than you need which can have side effects (and can be expensive). For example I had a sleeve. Didn’t need to start taking supplements until the surgery and only took a multivitamin and briefly a vitamin D. My surgeon advised I could stop the D at about month 3 or 4 and then the multi at about 8 months.

soooo question:...why do you think you need to be in the 1500-1700 range if you are maintaining fine in the 1800-2000 range? logic would dictate that you would lose weight given your current exercise regimen if you dropped cals...are you looking to lose more weight? or maybe decrease activity levels? if so, then yeah dropping down a few hundred cals would do the trick. but if not, then why try to fix something that ain't broke? I am a good 7 inches shorter than you and i maintain with 2300 cals a day...been at this level for about a year, and my weight has hovered around the same number +/- 3lbs the entire time. i don't count nor manage macros anymore, but a quick glance at MFP show that i'm well over 150g of net carbs every day this week and protein about 80g more or less; as for exercise, from what i've read from your posts we are probably about the same activity expenditure range. you wont "ruin everything" if you keep on top of things and watch whats happening (which sounds like what you are already doing), if you do that you would have plenty of time to adjust and make changes before it all goes to shite. you're doing great! keep it up

Thanks everyone it has helped. I am having mine done privately in the UK in 2 weeks. Really excited but just trying to get my head around what I should and shouldn’t do. yes they have said I can eat up to 850cal but maximum of 80g carbs each day. good point about having liquid before and then straight into the liquid diet, might eat more food whilst I can 😆

Honestly, your food pictures all look pretty healthy, so no notes there. I would watch out for any mindless snacking, just in case you have fallen back into a habit of popping a handful of nuts when you walk past your pantry (guilty!) or adding a lot of cream to your coffee. You know, the type of thing your brain may not even be registering. I had a friend who thought his coffee was fine because he didn't put sweetener in it, but he put a ton of half and half, along the lines of a full cup per day, or an extra 300 calories he forgot about! But other than that, plateaus are normal. I am approaching 9 months post-op and for the past 6 weeks, I have been bouncing up and down by about 2 lbs but never dropping lower than the lowest weight I hit in early October. From everything I've heard and read, it's part of the process and is pretty common the closer you get to a normal weight and the farther out you are from surgery. There are a few things you might try, though. First, increase your protein so you are at 80-100 grams instead of the minimum 60. Try to make that from real food and not a shake. You might also increase your non-starchy veggie intake, which will provide more fiber. Add in another 32oz of water each day. Go to bed an hour earlier if you can. It's counterintuitive, but increase your calories by 100 and cut back on your exercise a little to see what happens. Sometimes, your body starts to conserve too much energy because it fears starvation and giving it a little more while asking it to do a little less breaks that cycle. Also, the fact that you fit into clothing at 195 lbs that your family members wore at 30 lbs lighter suggests that some of your weight is not fat but "infrastructure." When we get very heavy, our body grows more bone and muscle to hold it, and bigger organs to carry out their functions on a larger scale. When we lose weight in a hurry, all that architecture remains in place for quite some time, adding to the number on the scale. You may look now like you did at 10, 20, or even 30 pounds lighter back in the days before you ever became obese. If you have some old photos of a time when you were the goal weight you have in mind now, try doing a side by side comparison. You might already look really close to where you are trying to be even if the scale says otherwise.

Every surgery is super scary and nobody is dumb enough to be without the jitters. We are handing ourselves over to others and we don't know who they are or what their track records may be. However in real life this surgery is one of the safest going. The surgeons and their staff are accountable to the government bodies who oversee them. Only you will know if you are ready to do this. More people than you know have bolted BUT they all said they wished they had toughed it out. It is worth it. Try and get through this week

My LRD is a 12 milk and broth diet. But I went to the latest dietician meeting with me NHS MDT and they said that from three weeks before surgery, I can do soup and yoghurt. Each NHS trust seems to have different diets. I am assuming you're not in the UK so your doctor will probably say something different. I think the general consensus is, no to low carbs, no fat, no sugar and keep it at 800 calories a day.

Hello everyone. My name is Tom and I have been a lurker for years. I had my surgery 11-22-22 at 471lbs. I weigh 214, for the moment, as I continue to lose. What a powerful tool this has proven to be! I am so blessed and thankful I couldn't possibly articulate it. With that being said, I feel I could help anyone that needs it just based on my own research for years into nutrition, fasting, and the many diet plans out there. I would be happy to give my own anecdotal experiences as well through losing the 255 lbs so far. But the point of this post is for me to lean on some of the vets of duodenal switch. I am approaching maintenance phase in around 35-40 more lbs. Does anyone do low carb in maintenance? If so what does that look like? Am I right to assume for us keto is out correct? The fat would be an issue or maybe someone has tried it? My concern when asking about low carb, for me specifically, I have protected my pouch size. I can still barely eat a few ounces of meat or whatever. I could, and may consider, actively stretching it a little when I get to maintenance, but as of right now I am not sure I could sustain on just meat once I am down to maintenance. I have Bilateral knee surgeries coming starting in Jan. I have lost all this weight in the recliner due to health issues. I am lifting, once I hit 300lbs weight, hard 4 days a week. But 0 steps for the most part. That's important because my exercise will skyrocket once I am healed from the surgeries and I will need more calories eventually. Carbs and fat are obviously the most calorie dense so.. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!

Yea. I just double checked my post op paperwork and from day 3 I had a protein goal of 60-80g. I did have a different surgery but I’m pretty sure it was quite similar for the sleeve as well. I could see if you had to choose between hydration and protein and your struggling to meet your fluid goal but the clear protein drinks should satisfy both. You may consider giving them a call to double check.

Today was my in-person post-op visit! I got officially cleared for full fluids. I can even have cream soups if I puree any chunks inside (like cheddar broccoli). Next week, I have a dietitian appointment and hope to be moved to soft foods. I can't wait for chicken salad and refried beans!

Definitely look into Miralax daily, or at least a few times per week. It's gentle and keeps you regular. The laxative/stool softener is really for getting things moving (later on, once you're further out)

Yesterday, I had my final appointment before my surgery date. I finally started having doubts about the whole thing and I'm relieved. Having doubts probably doesn't sound like a good thing, but it finally gave me chance to unload everything that was on my mind to the doctor. I was able to tell him that maybe I wanted the bypass instead. I've been on other forums and people seem to be really against the sleeve because long term weight loss is less than with other surgeries. But he reassured me that due to my age, no comorbidities and the fact that I'm on target with my weight loss, he still thinks this is a good surgery for me and my goals. They last time I spoke to him, he told me I wasn't sticking to the diet, and then he told me "most people lose only 3-4kg pre-surgery anyway" So why was he worrying me when I ONLY lost 5kg? But I guess he was in a better mood because he was back from holiday? 😂 Next appointment is a phone appointment where I just tell him my weight. And then the surgery weigh in and bloods before the surgery. I'm so ready for this now.

Congratulations on having the surgery and your loss. I agree with the other comments above. Don't see this is a restrictive diet as that will possibly become unsustainable thinking and lead to bringing back bad habits and what might be a cheat day becomes cheat days/weeks/months. I believe it is about finding balance and enjoyment in what you are doing, enjoy the food you are eating but obviously in smaller portions and try to make the healthier choice between fried and grilled foods etc. I also plan my grocery shopping based on what I want to cook and eat for a week and don't buy off list, that way when at home I don't have anything 'bold' to eat and I am not going to go to the shop just for a bag of popcorn (boy do I miss popcorn). I am not one who enjoys exercise and tried gyms, yoga, running, zumba before over the years but I have found over the last few months that once I start a pilates class, aqua aerobics or go for a walk that I am more relaxed so I think finding an activity you like and trying to keep to some sort of routine will help as well, for me that is paying in advance for classes, so I can't opt out

Wow! This reminder is so helpful. I'm only 4 days PostOp and I am already overwhelmed with the thought of...getting up at 5AM, to get to gym and workout, be showered and ready to for work by 8AM at minimum 4 days a week... like OMG! But you are so right, having something you enjoy doing makes it less of a "chore". I really love yoga; I mean truly love it. I remember going to classes and having the ability to do poses that were "potentially questionable" for my size and thinking how much more amazing it would feel and benefit me to do the poses at a smaller size. This goal was and remains on my list of experiences I am looking forward to. I will say, remember @Bypass2Freedom it's about healthy movement so to me... any and everything counts.

You look absolutely stunning! 🤩 I’m only two weeks postop. Can you tell me how was your experience going back to the gym and when did you see the most weight loss?