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The being weak and need to gain some back - I can relate.
The trend is to drop really low and stay there. But not too low to cause health - energy issues.
And gaining or eating to gain can be though. Really tough. But you know your body and you know what you need to be healthy.
It helped me to get body fat % tested. Knowing that at 150, BMI or 26.4 my body fat % is 20% was significant.
When I dropped to 135, and some docs did not understood why I asked them to help me stop losing, since my BMI was just shy of 24. Only showing them full body DEXA scan that show body fat % at 9% (very unhealthy for any women) made some of them realized that something was not OK. And it helped me to eat more (mental thing) to gain up to 145 lbs. Even putting on just 10 lbs allows me to get some buffer if I get sick.
As you probably know - getting a stomach virus of food poisoning can roll us down 5-6 lbs in just a few days.
Are you sure 115 is high enough for you? Just checking.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
There are a lot of shakes sweetened with Stevia.
About time proteins are one of them, there is some MRM natural proteins with just stevia. there is some with monk fruits extract.
Or unflavored. then you can adjust as you want.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
Good morning!
I have my consult on Wednesday this week! So excited!!! I'm seeing a lot of post surgery foods that are sugar free, and I'm wondering if any of you found any alternatives for them. I am unable to use aspartame, splenda, sweet and low and the other chemical sweeteners as they give me migraines.
I currently use Stevia or small amounts of honey if I need a sweetener. I also use Swerve for baking.
Thank you all so much!!
I appreciate the time you all take to respond to my posts!
Cristie
It just dawned on me today is the 8th year since I had my surgery. I'm still weighing in at 115 sometimes down 2 pounds sometimes up but I jump back in and adjust my food intake.
It's been a long road and at times I regretted it. I'm being honest because my general health went through hell. My resistance was extremely low and I was constantly fighting off colds and fatigue. I was weighing in at 110
and wasn't feeling good so with my Doctor's ok I gained 3 pounds then 2 more. As each year went by I was gaining strength and making sure to eat as much protein as necessary. I decided against any plastics because I didn't want to go through another rough recovery. I'm almost 60 now and my bikini days are over in my opinion. I don't miss eating for entertainment like I did and I honestly don't think of food every second of the day. I'm happy to be able to play with my Grandkids and my dog without stopping to rest. My husband had the surgery 3 years ago and he's doing phenomenal. He's off all his meds as am I ,it's wonderful seeing him so active. My son is near his 1st Anniversary and I couldn't be prouder. He lost 159 pounds and is in great shape and health. This certainly was a life changing experience but now I wouldn't trade it for anything. I speak with those who are interested in the surgery but I don't sugarcoat it. It takes a lot of mental energy to be successful. Congratulations to those on this journey regardless of being an old timer or newbie. Happy Healthy You!
Thank you everyone. I guess i realize that i was probably mentally rushing my self. i also realized last night that for some reason i though i was bout to start my 4th week on Monday not my third. thank you for all the advice on the liquids. the snow cone and tea ideas sound great an i think i might try that. have to crush my ice in a blender though but should still work just fine.
Here's a thread with more tips for meeting your fluid needs.
https://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/6040762/Tips-for-inc reasing-fluid-intake/
Obviously, take your medical team's advice over anything I say, but here are my suggestions:
You don't have to worry too much about nutrition or meeting protein requirements the first six weeks or so. You're not going to get malnourished that quickly. But if you don't get enough fluids in you will be in trouble! A normal stomach holds a bit of fluid in reserve, but after WLS that reserve is gone, so we can get dehydrated very quickly. So your job now is to focus on the fluids. Once you can eat a bit more, you can start thinking about protein. A half a protein shake is fine for the moment.
You might experiment with different temperatures of water. Some people can tolerate hot or warm water better, others can tolerate cold water. Experiment with adding different things to water. Personally, I find adding a touch of acidity to water makes it feel less bulky in my stomach, so a little citrus fruit, or tea, works well for me. Try putting a tea bag in a bottle of water, and leaving it in the fridge for a few hours, and you have a lovely drink. Some teas that I find soothing for digestion are ginger (try lemon ginger!), any kind of mint, and chamomile. But really, any tea that you enjoy will probably help settle your stomach. Frozen sugar free pops are good too.
Also, I want to point out that one common symptom of dehydration is nausea. So if you're feeling a bit queasy, you can focus on taking frequent sips instead of gulps. Keep a close eye on your hydration, and call your medical team if you suspect a problem.
At two weeks out, I was on liquids only. Nothing like applesauce or banana. I drank a protein shake a day, some broth, sugarfree jello, and an ounce of water every ten minutes while awake. After two weeks, I was allowed applesauce, but I only ate about a teaspoon at a meal. I could also have pureed meats, but never ate more than about a tablespoon.
By three months, I was allowed to add salad and tender cuts of meat. Beef filet and chicken thighs and very flaky fish. By six months, I was able to eat almost any food, even very well toasted bread.
The reason we lose rapidly during the first months after surgery is because we are not eating much and our bodies are burning stored fat instead. Believe it or not, you will soon miss these days when you only want a tiny amount of food.
Your body will heal and you will be able to eat again. Just give yourself time.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
It may be that your body will fight with you to get to that lower weight. Some bounce back from the lowest weight is normal according to many surgeons. Not to say that the lower weight is impossible but you may find it will be a lot of effort and fight to get and stay there compared to a few pounds higher, (so you may have a weight range you need to consider rather than a number on the scale per se).
I would be more concerned if they haven't at least had the nutritionist come in and assess your current weight. Do you know what your BMI is or your healthy weight range? How tall are you? Beyond a bariatric lab panel, (which a primary can do), my surgeon's office has the PA's come in and then the nutritionist before he comes in. He trains future bariatric surgeons so although it can feel frustrating I understand the drill. Have any of the bariatric care team or your other providers mentioned if your current weight is healthy for you?
