This week I was reminded that many of you out there are just beginning your journey with weight loss. I was reading on one of the many groups on Facebook where a lady had just had her surgery and was asking questions.
1) How long will the gas pain last
2) Sipping is monotonous
3) Broth and liquids are nasty
4) What if I just take a taste of real food
5) I feel so tired
6) My strength is low and I need to go back to work
7) Will my hair fall out
8) I don’t want anyone to know I’m losing weight
I know there are more but we will start with this few.
The gas pain is real. Some of you will have really painful gas like Jennifer did. I did not have nearly as much, but I am a mover, I wiggle and jiggle, and walk a lot so it moved through me pretty fast. I putt putted along, and still do (that is one of the after effects). Gas moves through with reckless abandon...don’t be upset, it is your body moving waste products out of the cells and into the bowel to be removed, this is just what you want to happen. If you are having constipation issues early on, talk to your Doctor and he will give you the best answer on how to handle that. I did not and do not have constipation issues.
Now for the “gotta run” issue, that is going to happen and you should always think ahead. Sometimes I would feel like I was going to explode with gas only to find out it was the bowel dumping! Yes, some sleevers do dump and we need to understand that early on it is a normal process but after we get on solid food if it continues to happen it can be from sugar, lactose, or other issues. If you are having problems with dumping call your Doctor immediately. This is also common with the RnY and the duodenal switch.
Sip, Sip, Sip, was what my Doctor told me to do! With the Lap-band I was told to use a straw, with the Sleeve I was told not to use a straw! I did not use a straw till I was six months out. It supposedly brings in more air to the stomach….I don’t know, I was told the same thing about using the straw for less air, so whatever your Doctor recommends, I would suggest following his directions. He makes that choice on his experiences with lots of patients. I have only myself to use as the guide line, so I followed his advice. I do know that I had to experiment with lots of different flavors: Crystal light, Kool aid, and Mio were a few I used. To me if it was super sweet, I did not like it. Crystal Light became my go-to, and they add flavors pretty often. Also I drink decaf tea and coffee, so that was not an issue. But if I had to give up regular coffee and soda, and go on liquids all at the same time, I would have gone nuts. I was off caffeine for several years, and had not had soda in at least 15 years before the surgery, so I know I would have been struggling a lot if I had not got off of those early on.
Drinking broth and liquids for long periods is really yuck in a cup. If you haven’t seen the first episode of the our show, you might want to review that. In it we give some ideas for making the "yuck" a little more palatable. There are several kinds of herb mixtures available for seasoning - they do not add substance to the liquid, and are easy to strain out, so look through the offerings at your local supermarkets and see what you can find. I like the garlic parsley for chicken broth and the Mediterranean for a change. There were also some in the reduced salt products but I just did not like them very well.
I still cannot tolerate milk, whey, or soy in protein shakes. It is very expensive to buy a large container of shake mix, to only discover you can’t drink it. The health food shop in our small town does carry trial size of some of their offerings. I recommend if you live in a metro area, visit several health food shops and ask for samples, if they are available, and the trial sizes so that you can try without spending big bucks. You can also find some companies online such as Unjury, Bariatric Advantage, and
If you are on liquids or pureed foods do not! DO NOT! take a bite of solid food and think you can swallow it and not have a problem. It will happen! I have talked to too many people that just wanted a bite of steak, vegetables, chicken, cake, WHATEVER!!!! Don’t do it!! I can cause harm to your new tummy that you don’t want to have to deal with!! Pain, cramping, and worst of all you might just bust a staple and start a leak!!! That is something YOU don’t want to happen.
Follow the directions, do the liquids for exactly the days your Doctor says, do the same with pureed and then take it easy on real food, start out slow, well cooked chicken, fish and vegetables, don’t jump in and think you can eat barbecue ribs or grilled steak you just aren’t ready for that work up to it take your time, you have a life time to re discover those foods.
Feeling tired? Well, you just had major surgery! Even if it was laparoscopically it was major, and 6 weeks is the recovery time. During this time you should be starting to take vitamins. If you can’t tolerate the pills, you can get liquids and they are tasty! Remember to take them and they will definitely give you a boost. Also protein is the most important! Carbs give you a spurt of energy but protein gives you the long term boost. Count the grams of Protein and then you will feel much better. I know I get downright grumpy and out of sorts if I don’t get 60 grams minimum of protein a day.
If you are in a hurry to go back to work and your don’t feel like your energy is back where it needs to be, double check your protein count if it is 60 - 80 grams of protien and you are taking your supplements then by all means talk to your Doctor. He may want to add B12 or some other supplement to your diet. They usually do blood test at 6 months to check A , B12, calcium and D so ask they might need to do it early on you.
Will your hair fall out? Probably some of it. Some people have lots of hair loss, I did with the Lap-band and again after the sleeve but not as bad as some. There are lots of products to “Help” but I think diet and supplements worked for me. If you see large clumps coming out there again your Doctor needs to know and he will check to see if anything else is going on.
I hear people say, “I don’t want anyone to know I’ve had surgery”. That is all well and good, but some of you loose so fast that people are going to think you have a serious malady, and real friends are going to be concerned. I personally feel it is my mission in life to let people know there is a way to live without being obese! I am so proud of my daughter that she is a new person on the outside, and has let her real personality come out with her new body. I see myself as a new person, and I love being who I am physically. You have to handle your challenge the way you feel is best for you. BUT if anyone who has not had bariatric surgery thinks it is the “EASY WAY” to lose weight they have another think coming. IT is not the easy way, we struggle every day to eat enough, but not to much.
To get protein and not over do the carbs... We will always struggle….that is why we were obese in the first place...we have to come to terms with our bodies and see ourselves in a new mirror. I have met so many people online and see their changes and the stumbling blocks that they put in their own way sometimes and I just want to say to all of you...you have made a positive choice for your own health and well being, if you lose a friend because they can’t lose weight or they make fun of you, then find a new friend, one who understands and supports you. My daughter has faced these challenges with some overweight friends that continue to sabotage her ability to eat, or should I say her desire to eat some things. I told her it is better to not have a friend than to have one that wants to hurt you. I know from experience what those people can do to your self esteem. I remember when I decided to get the lap-band, my husband’s good buddy, told him that I was looking for a new man! How ridiculous I just got him house trained why would I want a new one!. But that is the thinking of people who are afraid to take control of their future and their health.
I don’t know if I have answered your questions but I hope that I have helped one person by writing about my experiences. If you have any questions or would just like to comment please do and either Jennifer or myself will do our best to help out. Always remember whatever or whoever you get your advice from it is always better to check with your Doctor if it is a medical question, we can only tell you what happened to us, they can check to make sure your are healthy.
*Sue*
I LOVE this post! I really think Mom hit the nail on the head with this one! What do you think?
Here's this week's meal plan! This week I get to start re-introducing foods I eliminated last week Which one is causing all the fuss?? We shall see!
<3 Jen <3
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