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I was March 19th, and honestly after 2 weeks of (really disgusting) pre-op shakes, everything on the full liquid diet feels amazing in comparison. Try switching up some of your liquids maybe? Don't be afraid to throw the rest of the portions of things like soup in the freezer so you can get more variety in. You can always use them up later when making purees, etc. (I fantasize about the puree stage at least twice a day LOL)

You are just going through the tough part now. You will get through this and be happier and healthier for it. You say it’s especially bad when you take your Cipro. According to Dr google Cipro can be taken with or without food but I wonder if the 500mg is just too much on your empty stomach? Maybe you can take a smaller dose spread out or something. If it’s really bad it may be worth a call to your doctor. Definitely if you actually do vomit it up. Be certain you are getting your fluids. If not. Dehydration will definitely make you feel nauseous. If that’s the case contact your team to see if they can arrange for fluids. Your can just go to the ER but my team was able to arrange for me to get them at the hospital building but in another part of hospital than emergency.

I’m 6 days post op i’m feeling fine when it comes to the pain, i was in the hospital for less than two days and have been resting at home. But the only thing i do is sleep, i don’t wanna eat anything cause my throat just does this gurgling sound, i feel weak, tired, and dizzy especially when i take my medicine i feel super full, this morning i almost vomited because of the medicine (cipro 500mg) i’ve lost 7 kilos by far Will i ever feel better? Will i ever eat again and actually enjoy the thought of eating food?

I was able to talk to my team. They would like me at 2-4TBSP per meal, so it was a mistake / misspeak. They also said that the discharge paperwork is a little more forgiving but they try to have me start slow and work up so that I have room to eat more later. The discharge paperwork is the “max” I can have is what they explained. I have been doing a lot better and was able to transition to purées. Tomorrow I get to introduce soft foods and I’ll be there for like 3 weeks but ultimately I feel decent. the only other issue I have been having now is a sharp pain that doubles me over in my right side. It was coming and going but this is the third day of bad pain. I have a call in to the on call team now to see if I need to head to the hospital.

I lost 70+ lbs. before I had my surgery. I've been eating healthy for a while now. But, it starting going into overdrive back in October. As of my weight today I've lost 25 pounds since my surgery. I had a 10 day stall and started to worry a bit because it was the time between my surgery and when I started soft foods. My surgeon and Dietician told me that would happen. I expected it, but it still had me second guessing at the time. One thing I've taken from all of the stories everyone has, nobody loses the same. I keep that in mind and then realize I'm only 7 weeks post op. I try to walk a 1-2 miles at least two days a week or more. I would like to walk more, but I have a torn meniscus that's going to require a full knee replacement (bone on bone). So, I'm limited without being in a lot of pain. On the days I don't walk, I use my rowing machine or I do some resistance training with a band or light weights. Thanks for your advice and story of what you've been through. I hope you're able to get where you want to be and I wish you the best!

My surgeon has had me taking Pepcid A/C twice a day since surgery. I don’t have a set time that I take it. I’ve noticed a burning after some foods so I take it then. I had a Nissan wrap before this surgery for my acid reflux and they had to take it down to do my bypass. I do notice problems after I eat some of the harder to digest foods like meats.

For me, I stalled often, but lost pretty steady. I didn't have weeks long stalls. I would stall for 4-5 days, then lose about a pound a day for 3-4 days, then stall again. This was my norm from the start. I still averaged about 10lbs a month. I'm not sure how or why I lost like this. I do know I wasn't super restrictive in what I ate, just how much I ate of certain things, like bread, sweets, or favorite eats. Though, for some, completely staying away from temptation foods is a must. Having control over what you eat is the key to making this work. And giving yourself grace for the meal, or day, that wasn't the best eating choices. Use this losing time to learn control over food (in a healthy way), learn a new way of eating, learn to get your body moving in some form or fashion (I walk, clean my house, and do life), and learn to be in tune with your body in every area and nurture what it's asking (food (be reasonable), movement, rest, spiritual ECT). Everything I've mentioned, my nutritionist, surgeon, and therapist are on board with and support. I'm not trying to be weird with sharing my journey, but that's what I did/do.

I've been trying to eat food to get my protein in without relying on protein shakes. I don't mind them, but food is more filling. I haven't tried steak yet. I've grilled chicken breast and tried it in the Instapot and I can get about half of it down. It fills me up fast, mainly the reason I've been sticking with the grounds meats.

I've been able to eat ground meat (ground chicken, turkey & some Bison) fairly easy. Three ounces of meat with a few bites of veggies and I start feeling full. I take 20-30 minutes to eat with a lot of chewing. I've been sick a hand full of times since I've started soft foods. Mostly from eating too fast or taking one bite to much. Good to hear that you were able to eat without getting sick.

We eat out a lot since my partner works a very time intense job, we have no kids, and I'm still recovering from some serious health issues that cause a ton of fatigue. I generally aim for the same things at a restaurant that I would cook at home--healthy proteins, lighter sauces/marinades, sides that are low carb veggies instead of starches, and I always tell the waiters no chips/no bread, because if it isn't even brought to the table, we can't eat it! Hahaha! I've found that a lot of places will work with you to modify what you are ordering if you let them know you have special dietary needs. At my favorite breakfast place they make me a modified kids plate (one egg, one sausage, and fresh fruit) when I don't feel like having leftovers from a full size omelet. At my favorite pho place they replace the noodles with veggies. At Mexican places I tend to order fajitas with no tortillas, beans, or rice (my stomach does not play nice with beans or I would eat those!), or if I don't want leftovers, a side salad and steal some of my partner's protein. Steakhouses are VERY easy as long as you tell them to keep the bread. Two veggie sides and a lean steak usually means several meals at home later! Our local taco place will make you any taco in a lettuce leaf, or in a bowl instead of a tortilla. Thai places almost always will hold the rice and give me extra veggies if I ask when I order a curry. Sashimi is an easy alternative to sushi that avoids rice and I just ask for a side of avocado so I can still have the tuna and avocado combination I love so much! Smoked chicken or pork from the bbq places is great for several meals and they always have green beans or collard greens. And there's a Peruvian chicken place close by whose chicken I like much better than the supermarket and they make salads with fresh vinaigrettes instead of cream dressings. If we are traveling we tend to eat at some sort of chain restaurant that has their nutritional info online so I can hit my macros without worrying too much. The best advice I can give for eating out is to try and get ahold of the menu ahead of time so you can find a few options without feeling rushed in the moment when the waitress wants your order. And ask for a to-go container when they bring your food so you can put away all but the portion you would usually eat. Dieters tend to do this anyway, but our dietician suggested it to a woman who goes out to eat daily for business meetings so she wouldn't feel self-conscious about having so much food left on her plate in front of clients. When you put away your food before you start eating, people tend to forget you did and you can still stash away any last bits if you don't want to leave them behind after you eat. ❤️

Most days are ok providing I’m willing to prepare with protein ‘enriched’ products before going to work - I hate having to force in 20gm s of protein before bed.. I’m on soft food stage but I don’t think I’m doing this as well as I can still relying on protein powders and pre packaged drinks instead of sourcing it from food so I guess I’m still on that steep learning curve haha. basically currently I’m a non cook ( a great pre-heater though) but bestie made me all these nutritious home made soups that got me through up until now - I’ve still some in the freezer but I just can’t look at them the same at the moment ( kind of like Optifast…. I’ve reached THAT point. im reading this really cool book which I got from eBay called Ultimate Gastric Sleeve Success which is where I found out about this forum ( lists website address in book) by Dr Duc c Vuong which has all these activities to do - so now I’ve got to decided if I can learn to cook 👩‍🍳 haha that’s why I married my husband lol

I don’t count carbs or calories. I just focus on protein and water. The SIPS/SADI is a malabsorption surgery. What you eat goes through your system “faster” than other surgeries. I have not had any issues with dumping syndrome. I usually have 1 bm a day . If I do eat something that may be fried or higher carb I do get gas, which is unpleasant smelling. Lol. So I focus on high protein foods, at least 60 grams a day.

Thank you so much. oh how I really hope I am like you and it’s easier to make healthy choices at 7 months. Post sleeve my hunger came roaring back and I had already started to eat small portions of less than healthy foods because calorie wise they were okay in small portions before but with that hunger I ate more or more often and you see how that ended up. I do have two questions off the top of my head. Other than the really scary medical stuff my biggest fear are the bathroom issues (diarrhea and smelly gas). A couple DS people have said that it’s mostly just if you eat bad though. If you don’t mind me asking Is that the case for you? Also, I am trying to work out what the macros will be so I can get started now. Currently I’m trying to keep carbs below 40 but I have no clue what fat, sugar and calories I would be allowed. What are your macro requirements now. Ooh and finally when you look at carbs on the back of the package do you have to count total carbs or just the net carbs which are much lower?

Some of us just need the “extra help” that bariatric surgery can give us. I was a total food addict. Always thinking about my next meal, feeling cheated if I did not have heaping portions and eating until I felt sick. Some of us are just wired like that. It’s not just “push the plate away” or having “will power” I believe it just how we are wired, an addiction. This surgery does change your brain, I’m serious, I don’t plan my day around food and I easily choose healthy foods. I don’t crave junk and sweets. The hair loss is no joke but I knew that was going to happen. I’m 7mo post op and it has slowed down. As far as vitamins .. I take 2 chewy multivitamins and 2 calcium chews per day and a b12 every other week because my b12 level was really high. All other blood work was good. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. I wish you the best of luck on whatever journey you decide to take.

If you are having trouble sleeping, it can make any anxiety or depression so much worse. It can also create and/or magnify any physical issues you may have going on. Also, give yourself grace because you had a major surgery, which is a tool needed to change your life and your relationship with food. You didn't get here overnight and you won't get to where you want to be overnight. It takes a while for your mind and body to even out and get used to all the changes.

Can you tolerate lettuce? Do you like salad? When I had my sleeve I did a lot of chick fila. Their salads are really good and they really measure things and post the nutrition information that is actually accurate not like places that do not measure and you really don’t have any idea how many calories you are getting. Plus the crunchy toppings are on the side so you can choose to leave off if need be and they have the exact calories listed on those as well. Early out to avoid spice I got the spicy southwest salad but I asked for plain chicken breast (no seasonings) and the market salad I would get without the blue cheese. Both of these I take home and take the toppings with just a little bit of lettuce and put into a plate because it’s way too much if not. When I dine in I just do my best to eat the toppings to get the nutrition and toss the lettuce. It is a good place to go with friends because they can get what they want and I can get eat on plan. Super early out you can ask for the grilled chicken breast by itself. Panara is another place with some healthy options. I usually get the kids meal because it’s a half salad which is more than enough and you get a yogurt you can save for later instead of bread or an apple. I have often wondered if they will let you pay to double the protein though because the half salad is half the protein which very well may be plenty. I’ve just never weighed it. Panara also has food that the rest of the family could enjoy.

This is absolutely accurate for my experience as well. I had my surgery on March 11th and after a week I was able to drink more. I transition from drinking more to wanting to eat and learning how not to eat or drink too fast or too much. I am still learning to be careful about not eating too much or too fast because you will feel it in your throat and have a nauseous feeling. And perhaps, you may throw up to relieve yourself. The important lesson here is to measure your food at the prescribed portion by your physician and other instructions given.

I am a huge meal prepper. I hate doing it but I do it every weekend. So I will have to look into maybe making a big batch of chili, or something that I like and freezing. The restaurants we go to I always check the nutritional value before ordering it and I track it. We are a main stream type of food family lol these are all great suggestions thank you!! I hate to sound vain but I am really enjoying the way I look and also the amount of energy I have, I do not want to mess this up. I feel like I got a restart on my life!

Your meal looks perfect for your dietary needs. Well balanced, proportions look great! I completely understand your worry about stretching your new stomach though, afterall its how most of us became overweight (they do stretch out if you push the limits each time). Its why bariatric surgeons tell us to weigh and count calories to get us used to the visual of portion control so we don't risk stretching it out and being back to where we started. Stomachs are fairly elastic, we've probably all seen the videos of Bariatric surgeries where they remove huge stomach specimens - they didn't start out that large and our new stomachs still consist of the same Mucosal cells and muscles as it always has just reduced but with the same abilities to accommodate larger meals. Even before surgery its normally the size of a fist, but stretches out as much as 4-5 liters for food. So yes, it can still stretch out after Bariatric surgery! Keep up the great work and lucky you for having healthy options offered at work!

Well you are being such a trooper I’ll tell you. I hope you get it worked out real soon. Probably stuff you already know about the low carb if you’ve had a sensitivity to gluten. I just going to say that I learned that fajitas and Italian sausage witb peppers and onions which I like both (minus the rice of course) are relatively low carb. And cauli rice isn’t bad as long as it’s mixed in something witb flavor. Night before last I learned that crustless quiche is super easy to make and In the muffin tin it’s perfect little portions. Last night I made a low carb Italian bake that was Italian sausage with spinach and cheeses (the recipe called for mushrooms but I substituted onions). That one I’m not sure about the fat though. It wasn’t listed but for 6 servings it has two cups of mozz cheese, a quarter cup Parmesan and 16 oz of ricotta. I’m waiting to hear from my surgeon what my post op fat requirements will be and I need to work that out and see if it’s on plan. That recipe worked out to 373 calories but I didn’t calculate the fat before I tossed all the packages. Tonight I had leftovers of the Italian bake that is probably too fatty and I baked instead of cooking . I made low carb banana muffins that another poster shared with me and they are pretty yummy. They use almond flour and allulose to cut the carbs. They are surprisingly tasty. Basically I am not really a big cook and I did not experiment with healthy dishes last time around. I Just tried to commit to eating like you have to now (meat and veggies) but for life and I couldn’t do it. I got board and I found things that were within the allowed calories while the portions were small but once I could eat more they actually added up too fast. This time I’m just trying ti find at least A handful of things that are actually tasty to me that will work when I finally get back to regular foods. Something to look forward to while I’m in the weight loss stage. And it’s kinda weird but I’m not hating the cooking as much as I used to. It’s kinda like knowing that it’s actually something good for my body makes it a little less of a chore to me.

I don't think I'm a common case but malabsorption of vitamins is expected of all bariatric patients. I've been dealing with random abdominal pain for years, alongside the gluten sensitivity so now my surgeon is looking at removing my gall bladder. But I know a few patients will have a rough recovery like mine and IV nutrition will help them tremendously. I am able to eat and the bruising I have from every lab/blood draw is taking longer and longer to disappear (making me look like I'm a drug addict 🤣), so I don't want to go that route. Oh but feel free to talk about the recipes/issues you're having with low carb food, it's not a trigger for me and I could always use ideas to adapt!

This should be fine. It sounds like you're aware of the portion that is appropriate for you right now and making reasonable choices like leaving behind the bread. The biggest issues with restaurant foods are probably portion size and hidden calories/fat/sugar in sauces. Since you know this is part of your lifestyle to get takeout, and not something you're looking to change, I would say stay aware of the choices you make, as it will be easier to push it the further out you get. Beware of getting the fried chicken instead of grilled "just this one time" which becomes every time because it's tasty. Eating the bun because you have a little "extra room" instead of getting yourself a side salad to fill you up. Eating the million calorie sauce, which will go down way too easily, instead of substituting something healthier. If available, you might want to get the nutrition info for your favorite places to make sure what you think you are eating matches up to what you are actually eating. If you want to reduce eating out, consider doing some meal prep/batch cooking and freezing options for when you're not in the mood to cook.

Anxiety is awful. I used to stress out majorly due to my career, but even having been retired for ten years, I still have problems sleeping. I work out like an animal, now that I've lost most of my excess weight, and keep myself mentally engaged in a lot of things, but I still suffer from insomnia. My one doc, who I've used since the mid-90's, still has me on diazapam (addictive, but at some point for me, it just doesn't work so I stop and clean out) and Mirtazapine, which definitely puts me down most of the time. Only problem with the latter is that I don't wake up til 11am. Not good if I'm attempting to live a normal life. But, he's against sleeping pills and I get it. The other things, like Melatonin, just make me woozy. I'm in way better health as a result of the surgery and working out constantly. I'm consuming lots of protein through drinks plus food. I feel good. The lack of sleep can definitely ruin your day. I don't know what the current thinking is in the medical community. I trust my guy but still, it kinda sucks to have to medicate to get sleep. I'm real big on integrative medicine. Maybe there's an answer there. Dunno. Nice to see you folks!!!!

HI all! How do you navigate eating out? Life is busy I do well during the day but at night if I do not cook for the fam then its take out. I try and make good decisions. The other day we had Mexican food. I got a grilled chicken taco, added black beans, light sour cream and some guac. Put some pico de gallo on it and only ate the insides and only half, saved the other half for lunch. If we get burgers, I will only eat the meat with mustard and the lettuce and tomato. ect... I was watching a video someone posted and it was saying that the #1 failure of WLS is chasing restriction, I do not eat till I am stuffed, but I do eat till I am satisified. If I get a craving I just grab a otter pop or 2. I am not sure if I am supposed to steer clear of all this? I am losing weight and its literally melting off, so I figured this is ok.

My surgery was February 2nd. 8 weeks post-op & it's been so much more overwhelming than I thought! Food hurts going down & feels like rocks are piling up in my stomach. This is only 3-4 very small bites, well chewed, approved foods that are moist, eating slowly & no drinking water with meals. Sometimes I'm in terrible pain! Even water feels like it's backing up. My doctor scheduled me for an endoscopy Wednesday thinking I might have a stricture & possibly an ulcer. My stomach still hurts more than I thought it would in certain areas. Can anyone else relate? I thought I was very well prepared for this surgery but gosh!