Question...what has been the hardest thing to deal with post op?

[Trying2getthere 1]

Craving for food I can't eat, not being able to eat like I was pre-opt (not over eating), and the strange noises my body make after drinking something

[jess9395 5,448]

@@Fiddleman I can soooooo relate!!! What r u doing to address it? I run and bike and do yoga and have my first appt with a personal trainer this week. I've been seeing a chiropractor and doing the exercises he gave me and it's helping some, but it's still a struggle! Anything more I could be doing?

I do a lot of body weight exercises, which forces good posture in the back. Yoga helps. t squats work really well to correct the upper back scapula issues, shoulders and connecting muscles. Taking the kinks out of the spine with a foam rollar feels really good. Also stretching backwards over a chair or couch helps. It is not easy. 2 years since I have reached goal and I am still working on the back muscle inflammation resulting from serious spine issues in a way where it is not constantly uncomfortable. However, I am happy to say I have made lots of improvement where my back is starting to have the natural muscular curvature of a healthy male. There are so many small supporting muscles in the back the require strengthening for all the muscular systems in the back to balance out. Another trick I discovered: This may sound a little quirky, but it also like to stand in a stairway with two rales, stretch my arms out in a y above my head and lean into the stairwell, letting gravity collapse my spine downward. This stretches and cracks everything in my back from gravity. Oh, but it works so well. My problems may be worse than yours because I have two sections of my spine that have degenerated, causing discs to mingle and mangle. Even though I am 38 my dr said I have a spine of a 60 year old. For a while, was hoping these issues would heal, but it looks like that is not going to happen. I have a lot of inflammation daily that I try and manage. I try and self treat when ever I can to relieve the discomfort doing some kind of stretch or another throughout the day. Anyone know of a perm way to fix this type of degeneration in the spine? My PCP said essentially he can help manage symptoms, but wasn't mentioning anything about surgery except last ditch effort. I found NSAIDs do not really help as much as I had hoped they would so stopped taking them a few months back; it is better to just self adjust and get rid of the misalignment that causes pain. I am pretty resourceful in this way.

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like my chiropractor is on the right track--has me doing the foam roller stuff and wall squats two ways (arms down and then overhead). Will probably add weights to those. Just going much slower than I'd like...I think my posture makes me look old and I wonder how much of it is my boobs being lower and throwing off my center of balance but I suppose you don't have that issue and still have the back problems!I am going to increase my yoga and I have been doing something similar to your stairway thing, but placing my arms on a high countertop and then hanging down head between my outstretched arms. Would try the stairwell but we are a single story!Guess it's a matter of keeping on keeping on! NSAIDS don't do much for me either. If anyone else has any tips, please share!

[gottagonow 82]

This may be a strange response and I know all mean well, but I don't need a pep talk. I find the hardest part of this is that I'm a bariatric patient. I'm not ashamed but it's now a major surgery I have to account for (first one) and I like just being regular. When I'm out and about, nobody's thinking about how I got to my weight...I just like being a regular and regular sized woman. The bariatric part gets old to me with new docs and considerations (women the pill pretty much stopped working for me, so next stop gyn announcement). That's the hardest part it's been for me to get used to. Again, I accept that as my journey.

[haleytrim 244]

Hey Linda from Florida, I was wondering about liquid Vitamins myself. Have you tried them and if so are there any that are recommended?

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Source of Life liquid Gold (bought on Amazon) i what I used. Recommended by a pharmacist friend who is 87 and looks far healthier than me. He said it was all I needed. It has 100 mcg. Biotin, but I took additional Biotin for the hair (still lost hair). I have added I compared the ingredients to Bariatric Advantage Multivitamins I bought, and Source of Life had more Vitamins by far. Two teaspoons a day, and a 30 oz. bottle lasted about 3 months. I think you can look at the supplement facts online and compare.

[swtpea637 33]

Linda from FL ..where abouts are you in FL? would love to have a FL buddy .....I'm in orlando

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Linda from FL ..where abouts are you in FL? would love to have a FL buddy .....I'm in orlando

Helloooooo down in Orlando, I am in Jacksonville. I will lead and guide you any way I can! My husband and I were sleeved the end of November 2013, and are doing great. He has lost 100 lbs in 8 months and is fabulous. I am also great. We have never had a problem with the stomach/sleeve, never been sick, never thrown up, and would do it again in the snap of a finger. How can I lead you! We are 67 years old and life has changed 100% for the better.

[mi75 1,235]

hey Linda thanks for the great Vitamin tip! i'm doing a Twin Lab chewable right now and it's GROSS. going to try your suggestion when these are gone!

for ME, the hardest thing post op is training my eyes/brain to understand how much my stomach will REALLY hold and not overfilling my plate at mealtimes. this may sound silly, but pre op i could easily eat two FULL or three FULL plates of most meals.

now i can have 3-4 tbsp of the meal entirely and i'm full. i have found myself at work lunches taking things that i can't even attempt to eat and it's sort of embarrassing to be taking so 'much'. i am taking MUCH smaller quantities than i used to, but they're still more than i can eat. i'm getting better at it, and today at a work lunch did pretty good and only had to throw out a small bit that i couldn't eat...

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Trust me mi75, that at about 6 months I quit losing. I was 220 lbs, close to you. I cannot exercise except swim. Follow your diet. My husband is still losing, but not me. The honeymoon phase is over for me but I look and feel wonderful so I am happy. If I eat too much (not really overeating) I feel miserable. So I still have help in making sure I do not overeat. Best wishes and keep up the good work. Linda

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Linda, I may move to Florida so you can be MY coach.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Ann, what a compliment. I feel so worthless, really. But tell me any way I can help. I am a loving woman, wife, grandmother.

Linda, I may move to Florida so you can be MY coach.

Edited July 31, 2014 by LindafromFlorida

[gottagonow 82]

hey Linda thanks for the great Vitamin tip! i'm doing a Twin Lab chewable right now and it's GROSS. going to try your suggestion when these are gone!

for ME, the hardest thing post op is training my eyes/brain to understand how much my stomach will REALLY hold and not overfilling my plate at mealtimes. this may sound silly, but pre op i could easily eat two FULL or three FULL plates of most meals.

now i can have 3-4 tbsp of the meal entirely and i'm full. i have found myself at work lunches taking things that i can't even attempt to eat and it's sort of embarrassing to be taking so 'much'. i am taking MUCH smaller quantities than i used to, but they're still more than i can eat. i'm getting better at it, and today at a work lunch did pretty good and only had to throw out a small bit that i couldn't eat...

I definitely struggle with knowing how much to put on my plate. It's usually too much b/c just a few bites does the trick. And even though I know that, it's still an issue.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Linda, just keep posting -- about the good, the bad, the losses, the wins, the challenges, the NSVs.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

You all keep talking LOL, about your wins, losses and challenges!

[tiredmama 137]

Hardest for me is adopting a regular exercise routine- it's something I just don't enjoy and that makes fitting it in to my super busy life even harder. I have tried every kind of exercise under the sun and the best I have found is some activities I can tolerate/don't dread (walking, gentle yoga, Water aerobics) but there's nothing physical I seem to actually enjoy or look forward to.