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Hello, well I am doing a bit better, I was able to get my central feeding tube out in November. I'm stilling struggling with most foods, but i'm slowly getting there.. I can do about 400 or less calories a day, i get about half my protein and water goals daily. Doc said i was doing ok.. I have to take a hand full of stomach meds 3-4 times a day or help my stomach push the food though and ones so i don't throw up. said thing is, my weigh isn't dropping like i thought it would. but hopefully down the road it will change. I happy to hear that you're doing well. Keep up the good work.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others. I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me: Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season. Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person. Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items. Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one! I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

Wow four weeks! I thought the three I did sucked, I feel for you. Just keep telling yourself one more hour, one more day towards getting the healthy thinner body you want, need and deserve! My husband did the same thing for me..lol still does. Just remember you CAN do this, its just a small blip on your new journey and the results will be worth it. I added no sodium clear broth packets to my fatty liver reduction diet which helped, it was "hot soup" with flavor and 5 calories and was helping with water intake. Could have as much as I wanted and it wasn't plain water or another protein drink! https://www.amazon.com/Hormel-Chicken-Bouillon-Sodium-Packets/dp/B0077DMWO0/ref=sr_1_5_pp?crid=2OTVXLTYW0OD9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lQfKYERXvAhUropfp5TcloiXDN09ZoegzxDIPbqvPsdG2SFel1Y2bZSDa-edU5IODMVLcTFZN7J_gN1J76UWRJ5alR_86je9RVJ7FT5B8fLCIu-Gu7R1P9CR4QwfZLXQSmYDC2T6w1YEIitQSLjlj6dtcWr9e9jsWqXzvU0vEStk6z7EO14TcHw9L8V52hbuymxrnf7R0fRn-6u0Hfi7Zg6T2nbJ6hPrQT4cjccBJc3kbDGnNXGQ3wuSN1klYubiT2jVe3qUR5qmQ2XYpBGvIOL9iJQXcem-L96snZm7jSE._KgKbU2PA1ogwJ3vncdpxEFEDsXdAL0MfVmhXtWkCx8&dib_tag=se&keywords=kosher+chicken+bouillon&qid=1708370322&sprefix=Kosher+chicken+%2Caps%2C260&sr=8-5

You've stumped me. The other options would be an intestinal obstruction or maybe a peptic ulcer? Although, with some diminished signs and symptoms after changing your probiotics - which can cause gas build up etc.. Did this all start when you started originally taking these? Good luck, let us know when you see the specialists and that you're okay!

If the doctor or dietician gave you a minimum amount of protein per day, 3 protein shakes should meet that. Did they give you any nausea or reflux meds? If they didn't, that could be a possibility of why you can't get it down. It's all definitely a new learning curve. I had gastric bypass on the 7th. I thought water would be more of an issue. I do feel full after drinking but it doesn't last long. Just a matter of finding your sweet spot. Since I've started puree'/soft food. I do feel more hungry than I did on just liquids. But, After a couple bites from a cup of food I have to stop and usually wait. It takes me 45 minutes or so to eat a cup a food. A lot to get used to. Wish you the best, hang in there. It will get better.

If it helps, I was told by my dietician (and have heard/read in multiple other sources) that the liquid/solid rule doesn't kick in until you progress beyond full liquids. If you are struggling to get in water and protein, I know they say to focus on water first. Your body has more stores of protein than water. But also, consider getting a protein water, which you can generally count for both. As for the difficulty with mood right now, it's to be expected. It's a hard adjustment, and would be even if your meds weren't causing more issues. It's okay to know you made the right choice for yourself rationally, but to question it emotionally at the same time.

I understand fully what your saying. I was shocked too at how much less pain the surgery was compared to my gallbladder. I didn't really have too much anxiety, as I did excitement and finally had it done. when I came to in recovery I had to wait for a room to open, so I was there for a couple hours and my nurse was wonderful!! she was so kind and got me extra pillows and talked with me the whole time. All the staff was wonderful through the night and the next for going home I was home by I believe, 10:30 am. Why did they say you cant have soup or pudding more than once a day ? I can have soup just have to have it cream and strained before having it, I wonder why they stated that. I am sorry that they said that. I feel hungry all the time too, I am just trying to get fluids in and get at least one protein drink in a day at this point. I don't want to push it. I find It hard when my kids are making food not to just taste it to make sure it taste alright lol , but so far I have been good. I have slipped and took a very very small bite of some chicken wing dip and just made sure I chewed it really well. I sat okay. So I was glad. I really hope that you are able to get your medicine soon. I am on my own medicine and glad that I have it through this , I don't think that I would make without it.

I think 4 weeks of liquid shakes only is a bit excessive. I was told by my surgeon that I could only drink 3 shakes a day for 2 weeks, but when I did my research on liver shrinkage, what I found was that the goal was deplete carbs. And you can do that with things other than protein shakes. Like actual protein. So I asked my surgeon why I couldn't just eat chicken breast and eggs all day, every day. He explained that it wouldn't be nutritionally balanced enough, plus after the surgery, my stomach wouldn't be able to handle solid foods for weeks so it was good "practice". I took all of that under consideration, as well as discussions I read about other people's pre-op diets, and went a bit rogue. I would choke down 2 shakes a day (instead of 3), then eat chicken + non-starchy veggies for dinner. I also drank low-sodium broths frequently because I REALLY don't like sweet things. During the last ~5 days of the diet, I switched to recommended 3 shakes per day to get in that "practice" the surgeon talked about. That slower transition was so much easier for me than going cold turkey. I'm 2 months post-op now and down 42 lbs so I guess it's working. Not saying you should rebel like I did, but you should at least ask your surgeon to explain his reasoning and maybe bring up some of the above points. See how he reacts.

I had a two week liquid only diet, that included sugar free popsicles, jello, milk for my decaf coffee, and protein shakes. It was brutal for days 1-4, then it got easier and I felt better. I did get resentful, I even posted about my liver better be freaking delicate by surgery day. Apparently it was bikini ready so that helps. I'm now almost 7 weeks post op and I can say that that time was harder than it is now. At that time, I knew my stomach could hold a lot of food, I just wasn't allowed to eat it. Now I know my stomach can't hold a lot and I'm good with that. My meals now are satisfying and I'm able to eat a few different things at one meal which makes it much more interesting. When it got bad I let myself feel crappy about it for a few minutes, then used some breathing exercises to calm and slow, and just found something else to do. This time will pass, maybe make a counter that lists the days in liquid diet vs the days to surgery, somehow that made it go better for me. I wish you all the best, this is hard but worth it.

Apparently they called the first week of the pre surgery shake diet hell week at my surgeon’s office. There’s a lot of withdrawal symptoms associated with it (sugar, carbs, caffeine). Your cravings go crazy - you always want more the things you can’t have. Your emotions are all over the place which often makes you want to comfort yourself with food. On & on. Round & round. I was vey relieved I was placed on keto for the pre surgery diet. I had done the shake diet before. Two shakes & one small portion meal of steamed vegetables & plain cooked protein. Did it for 8 weeks & then again for 6 weeks a couple of years later as another diet I was trying. It ain’t easy even with one meal. Check with your dietician regarding swapping out a shake for a broth/soup. Some companies do offer them as well as shakes but they’re still going to be low calorie & go through you quickly being liquids. You’ve got this. You can do it.

Had surgery on 14th. My anxiety was insane during Pre op worrying about what is coming aftersurgery and i had to lie on a tiny stretcher for 3hrs before going in. Pain conrtol was terrible after surgery and i didn't get relief til i got to my room and on dilaudid. Then the first day was great and relatively pain-free and stress-free. I insisted on the overnight because I knew with my anxiety it would give me a good Kickstart to recovery. Went home next day and I still took some hydrocodone that day but didn't take any more after that. I couldn't believe that these incisions hurt less than my gallbladder and a colon resection so recovering from the surgery pain is fast compared to other laparoscopic surgeries I've had Struggling really hard with the eating. I can't seem to figure out how you can get all the protein you need and all the water you need in a day when you have to pause between meals like you do and you can only drink so many ounces an hour. My Cravings are huge. I was really hoping I wouldn't feel hungry anymore but I feel like I feel hungry all the time. I was psyched to get to the full liquid diet only to find out that I couldn't have cream soup or pudding more than once a day. Have to mix protein powder in with everything I'm definitely going through my doubts about why I did this. I mean I know why but looking at food and realizing I can't just reach over and take a little bite of something is really hard. I am adhering to the diet because I don't want to be sick but I feel like I might be drinking too much through the protein meals or water because I seem to get that full feeling quickly after just a sip but then it releases itself through burps I'm also psychologically in a bad place because my psychiatrist did not change one of my meds over from extended release to normal release and so this weekend has been really rough and I can't call him till tomorrow. I am definitely very low about all of this right now

See this is where I go back to the “if you didn’t ask for an opinion or advise- please don’t offer it”. I admit I have a pet peeve when people bash others over the head with their personal beliefs. If that’s how they feel wonderful it’s not an option for them- but I’m not them and didn’t ask for their approval. I’ll say you handled it better than I would have. I think I’d have went one of two directions. Laughed at their idiocy or verbally lashed out. Either way doubtful any lightbulbs would have went on.

I feel the same. I was explaining to my partner that it's just liquid that doesn't even touch the sides. On top of that all the shakes are sweet, not savory, so it just feels like I'm having rubbish sweet shakes and nothing else. Sleep is the only time I feel okay because I don't feel the hunger as much. I just feel like I'm struggling on day 3 never mind another 25 days. I think maybe writing down the positives/reasons I'm doing it when I feel like I can't do it anymore or I'm tempted might be a good way to go. To remind myself. I think I'm going to weigh myself once a week to just see the scale down a little. Any weight loss is positive reinforcement. Thank you for sharing, it really helps!

Sleeve in 2017 to revision Gastric Bypass Aug 2023 - Update Hi All! I can't believe how fast time has gone! I will be going to my 6 mth check up tomorrow 2/20/24. Everything is a lot better! As of today I am 173lbs, I'll update my ticker it's still at 183. I am able to eat more varieties that I cook at home. Can't tolerate beef to well but I was never a big red meat person. I am still on the fence with salads/raw vegs though I can tolerate raw onions and tomatoes. I CANNOT eat take out! Purchased chinese for my son as he was going back to college... tried a little and was bringing it back up the rest of the night! If I eat out it has to be at a place that actually cooks food like salmon, veggies, no added anything. Food prepared at home is MUCH beter because you know what's in it. I am not doing too well with my multi because I purchased capsules that I open to put in my protein smoothies (Unjury Vanilla) which I don't take every day anymore. I just purchase the multi-vitamin patch from the bariatric store, I'll update you on that later My food is mostly a diet consistency of pescatarian due to the low cal/high protein and the ease of my system digesting the food. I would occassionally eat chicken as well (ground, poached breast etc), turkey hardly ever because the meat is not as soft as chicken. My veggies are fine steamed, some legumes & beans (occasional), as far as grains or potatoes etc I try to not do carbs at all or keep them at a bare minimum (jasmine or basati brown rice) with an occasional meal...I've really gotten into sweet potatoes as I didn't eat them a lot before. Swelling is gone, skin is good, and I can visually see the difference in pounds and inches loss especially from a side view lol. I still have work to do (vitamins, eat more, move more) and I am working on it. BTW!!!! I am back in the health & wellness field as I start my new position next week. I took a pause last summer. Now as I am on my health journey I'll be helping my patients with weight loss and adopting healthier lifestyles. My goal is to lose 13 more lbs and as you all know after running so long and you can see the finish line in sight....your legs get weary and that last sprint is the hardest. It is good to move from "morbidly obese", to "obese", to now "overweight"...do you guys feel the same? Let me know how you all are doing!

@newbegining2024 Hi All! I can't believe how fast time has gone! I will be going to my 6 mth check up tomorrow 2/20/24. Everything is a lot better! As of today I am 173lbs, I'll update my ticker it's still at 183. I am able to eat more varieties that I cook at home. Can't tolerate beef to well but I was never a big red meat person. I am still on the fence with salads/raw vegs though I can tolerate raw onions and tomatoes. I am not doing too well with my multi because I purchased capsules that I open to put in my smoothies which I don't take every day anymore. I just purchase the multi-vitamin pack from the bariatric store, I'll update you on that later My food is mostly a diet consistency of pescatarian due to the low cal/high protein and the ease of my system digesting the food. I would occassionally eat chicken as well (ground, poached breast etc), turkey hardly ever because the meat is not as soft as chicken. My veggies are fine steamed, some legumes & beans (occasional), as far as grains or potatoes etc I try to not do carbs at all or keep them at a bare minimum with an occasional meal...I've really gotten into sweet potatoes as I didn't eat them a lot before. Swelling is gone, skin is good, and I can visually see the difference in pounds and inches loss especially from a side view lol. I still have work to do (vitamins, eat more) and I am working on it. BTW!!!! I am back in the health & wellness field as I start my new position next week. I took a pause last summer. Now as I am on my health journey I'll be helping my patients with weight loss and adopting healthier lifestyles. My goal is to lose 13 more lbs and as you all know after running so long and you can see the finish line in sight....your legs get weary and that last sprint is the hardest. Let me know how you all are doing! (this will be posted in a new thread as well)

I was definitely a deviled eggs person!! They are so easy to pack in a snack box with some cheese, deli meat, and when safe, some cucumber and cherry tomatoes! I think I did pickles until I was cleared for raw food. I did not do chicken well unless it was chicken thighs in a sauce. I ate mild thai curries, shredded pork bbq with a no-sugar sauce, salisbury steak, turkey in gravy, meatloaf, pho with no noodles, just the meat and veggies, deviled eggs, tuna, swordfish, etc... Honestly by week 8 I was cleared for most foods so I ate whatever, within reason, protein first, then a little veggies, maybe a bite of starch if I had room. Lots of whole foods, as little processed food as possible. My fat requirements are higher than most people so I was more generous with the cheese and eggs than someone else might be. I ate a fair bit of deli meat at first because it was soft and easy to eat in small portions. Poached meat would be good too.

You may want to clarify pre-op vs post-op targets. I've been given two separate handouts. The lists are similar but a little bit different in terms of what is allowed. I've never personally heard of a pre-op limit on how much protein shake to drink in each sitting, but that doesn't mean your surgeon doesn't do things different. Post-op, you'll probably be lucky to get in a full 5oz early on, but that's a different story. Right now I'm on day 11 of my 14 day pre-op diet and I have been having 3 shakes per day plus sugar free liquids and popsicles. My shakes are made from powder, 2 scoops to 8oz of water. My targets were simply to get 60-80 oz of protein per day and 64 oz minimum of water. It wasn't on the handout, but when I asked my doctor, he said try to stay under 1000 calories per day. Definitely worth a quick call to your surgeon's office.

Were you able to drink the protein shake in one sitting? I was buy stopped because I think my surgeon wants us to drink up to 5oz per sitting . Am I missing something?

I'm scheduled for sleeve surgery in three days, and I'm experiencing serious cold feet. I'm a 44-year-old male, 5'9" tall, weighing 270 pounds. I've struggled with yo-yo dieting for over 21 years, with my highest weight being 280 pounds and my lowest 198 pounds. I've had success with intermittent fasting and restricted calorie intake, but I've regained the weight. I suffer from mild sleep apnea, which causes heavy snoring and comes with its challenges. Thankfully, I don't have any other health problems, and I take medication that contributes to weight gain, though I doubt they'd make me fatter the 270 pounds than I am now; they just make it harder to lose weight. I'm feeling uncertain about the necessity of the surgery since I'm not extremely heavy and overall healthy. I'm also worried about only being able to eat small quantities in one sitting, and the idea of changing my body scares me. Yet Im also excited to get this option available

Update: 10 days after surgery. The one thing you should do if you're not doing is taking stool softener. Yesterday was NOT fun. Even taking MiraLAX everyday, I hadn't gone #2 in two days. Yesterday, I couldn't go and was hurting from not going. After an enema and trying to free the compaction myself, I had to go to the ER in order to get it free. After being violated and a large enema later, I was freed from the beast. Never had an issue like that in my life. I've been getting 64 oz of water or more a day. I went ahead an started the soft foods, because the ER Doctor said I was only intaking protein and not getting fiber that allows better bowel movements. Be sure to get in water and take stool softner. Constipation isn't fun, being compacted is something I hope never happens again.

I made silky edamame soup today, but added chicken breast for extra protein. It was like one of the fancy restaurant soup! If you are interested, Google the name of the soup and try it out. I didn’t have much ingredients at home, I only used sesame oil, edamame, shallots, chicken broth, chicken breast and sour cream. Turn out great. I have the small bowl in the pictures, the bigger one is for my family. They enjoyed it also. Some of the restaurants I been to add bacon bite on the bottom of the soup. And maybe I will do that for my family next time.

same! I am on soft foods as well, and I found that if I eat the soft chicken or turkey. I eat 1oz I feel so satisfied for a long time too. So I think incorporating those protein rich foods will help us.

What are your go to foods / snacks to buy on the bariatric pal website??? Im 2 months post op I really have little to no appetite. But with head hunger Im dying to have coffee & a muffin but want to stay away from high carbs. Sick of protein shakes just need some new things to try. Living off sugar free jello, pudding & 2 pieces of air fried chicken tenderloin. Every other day Is everything on the website ok to eat after Vsg ?

TPN is Parenteral Nutrition. It is nutrition through an IV. There are also forms of nutrition that can be given through the stomach. I agree that focusing on hydration and sleep are important for you at the moment, but you can't totally ignore protein at this point. You are 6 weeks out, not 1 week out. Right now you really SHOULD be relying on protein shakes! Shakes count towards your fluid goals and will give you enough nutrition to combat the fatigue and weakness that comes from not eating enough. Most patients rely on protein shakes for the first 6 months after surgery to help them get enough protein in. I'm 3.5 months post op and I eat just fine, but I still need a shake in the morning to get 120 grams of protein a day! At the stage you are at, you should be drinking some protein shake every hour in addition to your water/electrolytes, so you keep a steady supply of nutrition up. Of course you can and should try eating too, as the nausea eases eating will be easier. But shakes will actually help your hydration goal, not hinder it. ❤️

Does anyone have porphyria? Specifically , acute intermittent porphyria. My doctor is testing me for this genetic condition. What's interesting is one of the triggers is low calorie high protein diet. I was reading for people who have it, it can lay dormant until triggered. It seems like , looking back through my life, I had flares. But whatever is going on now, is not fun.