So I’ve just been for a check-up with my surgeon’s offsider. My continued issues with low blood pressure and now poor liver function, high inflammation levels & general weakness are raising red flags. Add to this I’m still losing weight (54.1kgs this morning) even though I’m trying to eat more & more regularly. Plus I’m still losing lots of hair (even my eyebrows are thinning now so I’m having my brows microbladed on Monday). She’s made me an urgent appointment with the surgeon for next week suggesting that he may need to stretch my stomach so I can eat more & get in more nutrients. Yikes ?.

I am eating a little more at each sitting and tend to graze all afternoon slowly eating combinations of fruit, cheese, high protein yogurt smoothies or protein bars. I eat until I feel full. Sometimes I’m just not hungry so I eat to a routine (3 meals & afternoon snacks) to ensure I get in my protein & other nutrients every day & always protein first.

I even stopped my exercise program (loose description - I hate exercising so I’m not devastated) because I’m still losing weight - couldn’t afford to burn off the calories.

Has anyone had to have their stomach stretched by their surgeon? What do they do? Has anymore has these problems? I don’t want to put on weight again.

Thanks @Zoomzoom. The relaxing if the restriction sounds promising. It might help with the tightness I get when I go out to eat. Think I get anxious about finding something to eat on the menu, wait staff questioning left over food, my slow eating when everyone else is finished.

PS: Just noticed I wrote I get a max of 75g protein on a good day - that should have been 65g (fat fingers). I wasn’t hungry last night but forced myself to eat a small protein bar. It was a new flavour banana & salted caramel. It was delicious. I glanced at the protein content: 21g. I look again thinking that can’t be right. I squint & hold the wrapper this way & that only to discover it said 2.1g. Extremely disappointed. Moral is check the nutrients on everything even brands you trust.

16 hours ago, Arabesque said:

It was a new flavour banana & salted caramel. It was delicious. I glanced at the protein content: 21g. I look again thinking that can’t be right. I squint & hold the wrapper this way & that only to discover it said 2.1g.

There is a simple rule when it comes to a protein bar: if it's delicious it can't be protein only, lol.

8 minutes ago, summerset said:

There is a simple rule when it comes to a protein bar: if it's delicious it can't be protein only, lol.

Quest Rocky Road bar is the only one I found that breaks this rule ?

My husband ordered a box of mixed quest bars like two years ago or so. He found at least some of them palatable (but he didn't use the word "delicious" and didn't order them again, lol).

I thought they all tasted vile, like being artificial sweetener only, even though I tried the microwave trick.

5 minutes ago, summerset said:

My husband ordered a box of mixed Quest bars like two years ago or so. He found at least some of them palatable (but he didn't use the word "delicious" and didn't order them again, lol).

I thought they all tasted vile, like being artificial sweetener only, even though I tried the microwave trick.

I only like the one type

Did you microwave it?

I also have issues with my liver enzymes. Interestingly they have always been high in all the blood tests for the past 15 or so years. I think most doctors just thought that I was either an alcoholic or drug addict in denial. Since my rny my physician is now monitoring them carefully and has done heaps of extra tests. I have managed to put him off doing a biopsy at this stage.

Your BMI is normal , you don’t need to gain weight. It may happen at some stage in the future but you don’t want to do it deliberately at this point.

I requested a DEXA scan . It showed that the levels in my hip and spine are at osteopenia levels.I don’t know if this is because of the surgery or if it is just normal for age. Most people in Aus don’t get scanned unless they have had a break by which stage it is a bit late. Pretty ironic considering the TV ad campaign they had recently about looking after your bones. My Dr prescribed a prolix injection twice per year. I had to get it done as a private script as I do not qualify to be covered on the PBS but I figured it was worth it. There was a weekly meds option which would have been cheaper but it sounds as though it’s hard to take and it was doubtful that it would be absorbed correctly, there is also an annual infusion option.

I do believe the pouch can be stretched. If anyone watched that recent episode of this new season of My 600 Lb. Life, there was one woman that had the sleeve, only made it to 300 lbs and was on the show again to get a revision, because she ate her way back up to 600 plus pounds. When he did the revision, he said the first sleeve procedure she had was completely undone. And her revision was hard because she had tons of scar tissue. We totally can undo what we've done. That fact always frightens me and makes me remember to measure my portions, whenever possible.

After 5 years of being sleeved? I had my sleeve checked last week and "no stretch." However, I have learned how to eat around my sleeve. Things that could go through easily and not cause as much GERD. Knowing that, I have stopped. After my last procedure I eat less and healthier. I have lost almost 20 pounds in just over a month.

21 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Thanks @Zoomzoom. The relaxing if the restriction sounds promising. It might help with the tightness I get when I go out to eat. Think I get anxious about finding something to eat on the menu, wait staff questioning left over food, my slow eating when everyone else is finished.

PS: Just noticed I wrote I get a max of 75g Protein on a good day - that should have been 65g (fat fingers). I wasn’t hungry last night but forced myself to eat a small Protein Bar. It was a new flavour banana & salted caramel. It was delicious. I glanced at the protein content: 21g. I look again thinking that can’t be right. I squint & hold the wrapper this way & that only to discover it said 2.1g. Extremely disappointed. Moral is check the nutrients on everything even brands you trust.

Pure protein chocolate deluxe is delicious! 3 carbs 21 protein and 180 calories

21 hours ago, summerset said:

There is a simple rule when it comes to a protein bar: if it's delicious it can't be protein only, lol.

My friend calls them "dirt bars".

Normally this brand has about 11g of protein in a 40g bar. Some flavours are a little less, some a little more. This particular flavour is very low. The other bar I eat has 20g of protein in a 60g bar but I find if I eat more than half a bar my throat gets gluggy. Just proves you have to check those nutrient panels on everything... with your glasses on lol.

Very fond of getting a second opinion... especially when it comes to anything surgery related. Add the fact that you’re not underweight and meeting nutrition goals. Sounds like a good reason not to have a bariatric surgeon and a nutritionist treat anomalies with the cliver.