Welcome all ye Sophomores! This is our thread! The thread about nothing--and everything. Let's discuss it all! Let's share all our sophomore experiences, our angst, our struggles, our suggestions--let's talk about life! Let's become friends! You can be on any kind of food plan, do any kind of exercise or not, be gay or straight, engage in cardio or not--you just have to be in the "tweener" stage post WLS. This is where we let it all hang out. And who knows...if maybe we have a thread with a meelion posts, they Alex will give us our own forum!

Sophomores RULE!!!!

hehe

I had a follow-up with the surgeon yesterday and left feeling hopeless and doomed to failure, again. He was happy to see the wide range of foods I've been able to eat since the revision to bypass, but I told him I was concerned that I didn't feel any restriction at all, even on dense proteins. He said my restriction is gone - period. That when they did the revision, the pouch just empties into the intestine, the food doesn't stay in the pouch at all. He said that its different for a bypass on a "virgin" stomach, they should have restriction, but I won't. I wish I hadn't had the revision surgery. He said, well, with the bypass, you still can't process carbs, they'll go right through you. So I had to tell him that, at least so far, I don't dump on anything, not carbs, not fats, not simple sugars. I'm screwed once my appetite comes back. My tool is gone and I'm utterly devastated.

I had a follow-up with the surgeon yesterday and left feeling hopeless and doomed to failure, again. He was happy to see the wide range of foods I've been able to eat since the revision to bypass, but I told him I was concerned that I didn't feel any restriction at all, even on dense Proteins. He said my restriction is gone - period. That when they did the revision, the pouch just empties into the intestine, the food doesn't stay in the pouch at all. He said that its different for a bypass on a "virgin" stomach, they should have restriction, but I won't. I wish I hadn't had the revision surgery. He said, well, with the bypass, you still can't process carbs, they'll go right through you. So I had to tell him that, at least so far, I don't dump on anything, not carbs, not fats, not simple sugars. I'm screwed once my appetite comes back. My tool is gone and I'm utterly devastated.

I'm a revision too and likewise I don't really have restriction. Maybe if I eat a whole lot of dry chicken at once I will feel it back up into my oesophagus and that's a little unpleasant, but otherwise nope. But what I have been feeling is pleasantly satiated after half an hour of eating good quality protein. So I have to force myself to eat the smaller quantity knowing the satisfaction *will come* its just not immediate. Its hard work but its doable.

I do have dumping and squits from sugary and fatty food but it's not like one square of chocolate will have me heaving. The dumping can be linked to how much intestine they bypassed. Maybe they were conservative with you.

But even without the super virgin stomach benefits, you do still have a tool at your disposal, it's just that maybe you won't have a traditional honeymoon. You may have to live like how a Vet does but be a bit strict with yourself. Think of it this way, you won't get the regain shock that first timers who had a fabulously easy honeymoon do, coz ya been there, done that!

42 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

I had a follow-up with the surgeon yesterday and left feeling hopeless and doomed to failure, again. He was happy to see the wide range of foods I've been able to eat since the revision to bypass, but I told him I was concerned that I didn't feel any restriction at all, even on dense Proteins. He said my restriction is gone - period. That when they did the revision, the pouch just empties into the intestine, the food doesn't stay in the pouch at all. He said that its different for a bypass on a "virgin" stomach, they should have restriction, but I won't. I wish I hadn't had the revision surgery. He said, well, with the bypass, you still can't process carbs, they'll go right through you. So I had to tell him that, at least so far, I don't dump on anything, not carbs, not fats, not simple sugars. I'm screwed once my appetite comes back. My tool is gone and I'm utterly devastated.

Gosh darnit! I had no idea revisions don't have the same kind of restriction. In a way, that just sounds cray. Cuz you still have to make a stoma and the stoma is what you make it. Right? Some have a bigger stoma (me) and others have a little-er one...It is an open system, but all bypasses are open systems. And my RD said that the pouch doesn't really stretch, but usually the stoma is the part that stretches.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this and are disappointed. It's scary to think of the future. I totally get it. We will just have to form a club!!! Maybe our own thread (yes another one) of "Really Big Eaters" or "No Restrictions" lol or whatever. And we can help remind each other that just because we CAN eat such and such, doesn't mean we should or that its in our best interests.

I'm honestly (as much as I stray) trying to remind myself of this and use IF to help me form new behaviors since I only have a few more months in the technical honeymoon period. It honestly is working. I'm much better now than I was! You will be too hon!!!! I just know it!

One thing to know though...stick to your quantity and err on the small side of servings. I'm having to go back to 1/2c-1c of food again and it's difficult. LOL!

23 minutes ago, ummyasmin said:

I'm a revision too and likewise I don't really have restriction. Maybe if I eat a whole lot of dry chicken at once I will feel it back up into my oesophagus and that's a little unpleasant, but otherwise nope. But what I have been feeling is pleasantly satiated after half an hour of eating good quality Protein. So I have to force myself to eat the smaller quantity knowing the satisfaction *will come* its just not immediate. Its hard work but its doable.

I do have dumping and squits from sugary and fatty food but it's not like one square of chocolate will have me heaving. The dumping can be linked to how much intestine they bypassed. Maybe they were conservative with you.

But even without the super virgin stomach benefits, you do still have a tool at your disposal, it's just that maybe you won't have a traditional honeymoon. You may have to live like how a Vet does but be a bit strict with yourself. Think of it this way, you won't get the regain shock that first timers who had a fabulously easy honeymoon do, coz ya been there, done that!

Great advice girl!!!

OK, you guys just have to explain this to me: why would anyone do wls that didn't provide restriction? If I were any freaking good at controlling my portions I wouldn't have been obese in the first place.

1 minute ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

OK, you guys just have to explain this to me: why would anyone do wls that didn't provide restriction? If I were any freaking good at controlling my portions I wouldn't have been obese in the first place.

Well, I didn't plan on not having restriction! I thought I was only gonna be able to eat like a 1/2c of food and feel "full". But some people's tummys stretch more than others (more rugae), some have bigger stomas, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I still eat way less than I could before surgery (unless it's crap--then I can eat the same amount), but it's not as little as say @sillykitty eats or that you ate as a VSGer.

18 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Well, I didn't plan on not having restriction! I thought I was only gonna be able to eat like a 1/2c of food and feel "full". But some people's tummys stretch more than others (more rugae), some have bigger stomas, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I still eat way less than I could before surgery (unless it's crap--then I can eat the same amount), but it's not as little as say @sillykitty eats or that you ate as a VSGer.

I miss my string bean! I feel utterly out of control. Now I understand regain, it didn't make sense to me before unless you were making really poor choices.

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by Orchids&Dragons

2 minutes ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

I miss my string bean! I feel utterly out of control

What's tough for you, cuz of your esophagus thing, you have to drink with your meal...and that's just like making food move through faster.

For me, the things that were working before the esophagus inflammation thing was very dry meats (like dry chicken boob) + al dente veggies. I could eat a cup of food theoretically and not be hangry afterwards--or hungry 2 hours later. But if I drink while eatin-all bets are off.

How much do you drink with your meal?

2 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

I had a follow-up with the surgeon yesterday and left feeling hopeless and doomed to failure, again. He was happy to see the wide range of foods I've been able to eat since the revision to bypass, but I told him I was concerned that I didn't feel any restriction at all, even on dense Proteins. He said my restriction is gone - period. That when they did the revision, the pouch just empties into the intestine, the food doesn't stay in the pouch at all. He said that its different for a bypass on a "virgin" stomach, they should have restriction, but I won't. I wish I hadn't had the revision surgery. He said, well, with the bypass, you still can't process carbs, they'll go right through you. So I had to tell him that, at least so far, I don't dump on anything, not carbs, not fats, not simple sugars. I'm screwed once my appetite comes back. My tool is gone and I'm utterly devastated.

YOU. ARE. THE. TOOL.

and not in a condescending way

your next set of goals are health and maintenance, work every single lesson and cheat code you can for that. Surgery was just one part of it. A jump start. You can totally do this! FOR LIFE!!! We believe it and support you fully!!!!

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

3 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

OK, you guys just have to explain this to me: why would anyone do wls that didn't provide restriction? If I were any freaking good at controlling my portions I wouldn't have been obese in the first place.

I don't really have much restriction, y'all. I get the very most eating dense protein and very hard vegetables. Other than that, in order to control portions I pick foods I get bored chewing. High density low calorie, so I can cheat with protein cookies ?, etc. etc. And of course... Intermittent Fasting. Can't over eat IF your eating window is limited.

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by GreenTealael

1 hour ago, FluffyChix said:

How much do you drink with your meal?

I don't any more most of the time. I sometimes forget since I'm retraining myself.

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by Orchids&Dragons

19 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

. Can't over eat IF your eating window is limited.

Yes, I'm thinking this is the way I'll have to go once I'm a bit further out.

Just now, Orchids&Dragons said:

I don't any more most of the time. I sometimes forget since I'm rereading myself.

Oh, yay!!! That's fabulous!!! Congrats girlie!!!

So the other thing you might get is as you heal, you might develop a better sense of fullness. I did! Especially if you have any "whirly, swirly, twirly, candy cane forest" experiences in your esophagus as you swallow and food takes its own sweet time meandering down! Work hard to identify that feeling and cement it into your brain as one of your "stop" signals. Even if you could continue eating and aren't quite to feeling "done."

Also, if you haven't already, you should think about stopping your meat lube. Meat lube = slider for me.

Also, if you don't just barely al dente your veg, you should. You also should keep about 85% of your food simple and separate. Meat. Done. Veggies. Done. The other 15% can be casseroles, stews, etc. The separate, dry, dense food is calorically sparse but more nutritionally dense and can give a better satiety than the hold-me-delicious-shenanigans of casserole and cheesy gooey stuff. IMHO...

In a way, that just sounds cray. Cuz you still have to make a stoma and the stoma is what you make it. Right?

IKR!! I wonder if it's because those nerves at the top of the stomach are already stretched so they don't respond to restriction feelings or sommit. If I'm not careful I can happily eat the same size plate of food as I serve my hubby [emoji22][emoji848][emoji849]

YOU. ARE. THE. TOOL.

This is so true