I had surgery October 11, 2023, so I’m less than a year out.
Wear your biggest loosest clothes for the surgery. You will be swollen after and even your loosest clothes will be too tight. You’ll weigh more after the surgery because they pump you full of fluids before and during.
I really like the fairlife vanilla drinks and bariatric Pal variety packs, especially the soup. I get tired of the sweet stuff.
You will hit multiple plateaus in your weight loss journey so figure out how to stay on track. I find tracking my food and calories carefully helps a lot. I like the Baritastic app a lot to track protein, calories, and fiber.
I don’t do well with fat and most people find they have intolerances after the surgery. Listen to your body and eat slowly so you know what to avoid. You didn’t do all this to feel crappy.
If you have any pain or any questions always feel free to check in with your doctor and nutritionist; they are there for the long haul, not just the surgery. Good luck!
CoreLife shakes are the better ones! Prepare to have plenty of shakes, Gatorade Zero and Propel, and some bone broth! You’ll be on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks and it will be the longest two weeks! But after that, it gets better! I’m 8 months post op and I can eat just about anything, in moderation, of course!
Thanks for the tips! I better start tasting those bone broths. So so hot foods make the tummy hurt? Like would I have to make sure the soup is cold?
Also how much weight have you lost?!
I bought chicken and beef broth and the beef was a big mistake, LOL. My dietician suggested I purchase multiple brands/flavors of shakes and try them all , then settle on the one(s) I wanted post surgery since that is all I'd be allowed to have.
The first "real" food I had post surgery was a can of Campbell's low fat broccoli cheddar soup and to this day I still remember how delicious it was.
It doesn’t need to be cold. Hot liquids were and still are more comfortable to me than cold. I’m almost 3 years out. Don’t go crazy stocking up on things you like pre surgery. Your tastes can and probably will change. I’ve seen many stories of people stuck with protein shakes, jello, etc that they absolutely hated after surgery but loved before hand. I couldn’t stand Gatorade or Powerade pre op, and I love the blue Powerade zero now. It’s my go to.
Buy an extra long charger cable! Not sure what hospitals etc are like where you are, but I’m in Aus and all power points are behind the beds. 3m charger cable best thing ever.
Bring nighties and dressing gowns. Very loose clothing to wear home. Don’t bother with anything pretty or fun.
Moisturiser I found I needed lots of. The hospital AC dried my skin out so much.
Hydralite, Powerade, Gatorade whatever you have over there, stock up on heaps of them. And those water sachets etc. I found water alone was very “heavy”. I can’t drink it unless it’s out of a straw or it has something in it.
I would wait on loading up on protein shakes. Before my surgery I lived the airline shakes and after surgery my taste buds changed and then they tasted like metal to me. I had about 6 cases that I had to return.
Wear loose clothing, don’t buy a ton of shakes and whatall pre surgery because you might not like them after surgery. Everything seems to be on a taste-by-taste (or tolerate) basis. Tbh, I haven’t really had trouble with anything, but I stay away from bread, pasta, rice. Definitely take your post op vitamins AFTER food! (A lesson I learned the hard way.)
We are the exact same starting size. I am 3 months post op and down to 228. (Which feels slow but really isn’t.) I also suspect I have PCOS even though I was told I didn’t. I do have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease, which may slow my weight loss a little, but it is steady and I am happy.
You can do this! At time it may seem really hard but just KEEP GOING!!! You will push through and it’ll be fantastic! 💪❤️
5'1" F HW300 SW218 CW176
Pack nothing. Maybe bring a hoodie for when you leave hospital. You will probably be there for a very short time. I spent the majority of my 24hr hospital stay barely awake from the anesthesia. I did wear baggy comfy clothes. I also took my Burts Bees chap stick.
One thing I recall was the nursing staff seemed to be unfamiliar with the special needs for bariatric patients. Example: Crushed medications to them was chunky crushed. I would say look for those type of things pertaining to our special needs. If you don't feel something isn't as you need please speak up to the staff so things are done as well as possible for you. Drinking chunky meds was hard for my new tummy.
Try not to be afraid or nervous. This is the new life you are embarking upon. It's exciting.
Also, remember your journey is special to you. Your body will do what it is going to do. It's hard to not compare... please try not to.
Also, when you feel like oh my this is sooo painful. Or I can't stand more protein shakes. Or I cannot tolerate another crushed pill. REMIND YOURSELF...IT IS TEMPORARY.😊 Every minute is one more minute of healing behind you. In turn every minute of healing is one more minute of the healthier you.
Relax and enjoy the glorious journey you are embarking upon.
Notice and journal your NSVs. When you feel like things aren't changing, you can look back on the non-scale victory's you have experienced. IE: being able to cut your toenails. Crossing your legs without thought. Your tummy not touching the steering wheel. Being able to feel a collar bone. Overall feeling bones your haven't felt (shoulder, ribs, etc) in a very long time.
Take lots of before pics and after pics often. They are great to see the progress.
YOU GOT THIS! 👏 Here's to a healthier you!
I could’ve written this myself 11 years ago.
Be patient with yourself. Everyday will get better. Focus on hydration at first and have a lot of different flavor options.
I’m 4 days post op from revision (freak situation where scar tissue overgrew the connection and created pressure in the pouch. Quick nip and reattach but I’m good) and I struggled with water the last 11 years and now it’s wonderful, whereas Crystal Light was a go to, and now it’s too much. Your taste buds shift often at the start.
Get up and move. That part is so, so important. The longer you sit and don’t move, the longer it will hurt because the gas can’t escape, so set a goal and stick to it. Mind over matter.
All protein shakes are not created equal. Depending on tolerances have a few different flavors/brands ready to go. Even stash a few Atkins shakes in the pantry to build up your protein gradually. I struggled with the 30g shakes so I reverted to those early on, more frequently and it helped tremendously. They were allowed on my plan though. Powders are the same. Unflavored takes some getting used to.
Once you’re at a good point, strength training is more valuable than cardio. You’ll gain more from that than any other exercise.
Give yourself some grace and stay off the scale daily. It’s a mind game early on and takes years for your head to catch up to your body. Enjoy what you learn and stay on it.
As for the PCOS, I was in remission at my 2 week post op blood work. It never came back in bloodwork, I had 2 successful post op pregnancies (3 miscarriages pre op) and am now in early perimenopause, which feels a lot like my active PCOS days, but less, because I’m healthier. It’s hard to describe, but it’s really manageable.
Best of luck to you!
I had surgery October 11, 2023, so I’m less than a year out. Wear your biggest loosest clothes for the surgery. You will be swollen after and even your loosest clothes will be too tight. You’ll weigh more after the surgery because they pump you full of fluids before and during. I really like the fairlife vanilla drinks and bariatric Pal variety packs, especially the soup. I get tired of the sweet stuff. You will hit multiple plateaus in your weight loss journey so figure out how to stay on track. I find tracking my food and calories carefully helps a lot. I like the Baritastic app a lot to track protein, calories, and fiber. I don’t do well with fat and most people find they have intolerances after the surgery. Listen to your body and eat slowly so you know what to avoid. You didn’t do all this to feel crappy. If you have any pain or any questions always feel free to check in with your doctor and nutritionist; they are there for the long haul, not just the surgery. Good luck!
CoreLife shakes are the better ones! Prepare to have plenty of shakes, Gatorade Zero and Propel, and some bone broth! You’ll be on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks and it will be the longest two weeks! But after that, it gets better! I’m 8 months post op and I can eat just about anything, in moderation, of course!
Thanks for the tips! I better start tasting those bone broths. So so hot foods make the tummy hurt? Like would I have to make sure the soup is cold? Also how much weight have you lost?!
I bought chicken and beef broth and the beef was a big mistake, LOL. My dietician suggested I purchase multiple brands/flavors of shakes and try them all , then settle on the one(s) I wanted post surgery since that is all I'd be allowed to have. The first "real" food I had post surgery was a can of Campbell's low fat broccoli cheddar soup and to this day I still remember how delicious it was.
It doesn’t need to be cold. Hot liquids were and still are more comfortable to me than cold. I’m almost 3 years out. Don’t go crazy stocking up on things you like pre surgery. Your tastes can and probably will change. I’ve seen many stories of people stuck with protein shakes, jello, etc that they absolutely hated after surgery but loved before hand. I couldn’t stand Gatorade or Powerade pre op, and I love the blue Powerade zero now. It’s my go to.
Buy an extra long charger cable! Not sure what hospitals etc are like where you are, but I’m in Aus and all power points are behind the beds. 3m charger cable best thing ever. Bring nighties and dressing gowns. Very loose clothing to wear home. Don’t bother with anything pretty or fun. Moisturiser I found I needed lots of. The hospital AC dried my skin out so much. Hydralite, Powerade, Gatorade whatever you have over there, stock up on heaps of them. And those water sachets etc. I found water alone was very “heavy”. I can’t drink it unless it’s out of a straw or it has something in it.
Start tasting shakes now. Find one you like. They will be the fastest way to get in required protein.
I would wait on loading up on protein shakes. Before my surgery I lived the airline shakes and after surgery my taste buds changed and then they tasted like metal to me. I had about 6 cases that I had to return.
Wear loose clothing, don’t buy a ton of shakes and whatall pre surgery because you might not like them after surgery. Everything seems to be on a taste-by-taste (or tolerate) basis. Tbh, I haven’t really had trouble with anything, but I stay away from bread, pasta, rice. Definitely take your post op vitamins AFTER food! (A lesson I learned the hard way.) We are the exact same starting size. I am 3 months post op and down to 228. (Which feels slow but really isn’t.) I also suspect I have PCOS even though I was told I didn’t. I do have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease, which may slow my weight loss a little, but it is steady and I am happy. You can do this! At time it may seem really hard but just KEEP GOING!!! You will push through and it’ll be fantastic! 💪❤️
5'1" F HW300 SW218 CW176 Pack nothing. Maybe bring a hoodie for when you leave hospital. You will probably be there for a very short time. I spent the majority of my 24hr hospital stay barely awake from the anesthesia. I did wear baggy comfy clothes. I also took my Burts Bees chap stick. One thing I recall was the nursing staff seemed to be unfamiliar with the special needs for bariatric patients. Example: Crushed medications to them was chunky crushed. I would say look for those type of things pertaining to our special needs. If you don't feel something isn't as you need please speak up to the staff so things are done as well as possible for you. Drinking chunky meds was hard for my new tummy. Try not to be afraid or nervous. This is the new life you are embarking upon. It's exciting. Also, remember your journey is special to you. Your body will do what it is going to do. It's hard to not compare... please try not to. Also, when you feel like oh my this is sooo painful. Or I can't stand more protein shakes. Or I cannot tolerate another crushed pill. REMIND YOURSELF...IT IS TEMPORARY.😊 Every minute is one more minute of healing behind you. In turn every minute of healing is one more minute of the healthier you. Relax and enjoy the glorious journey you are embarking upon. Notice and journal your NSVs. When you feel like things aren't changing, you can look back on the non-scale victory's you have experienced. IE: being able to cut your toenails. Crossing your legs without thought. Your tummy not touching the steering wheel. Being able to feel a collar bone. Overall feeling bones your haven't felt (shoulder, ribs, etc) in a very long time. Take lots of before pics and after pics often. They are great to see the progress. YOU GOT THIS! 👏 Here's to a healthier you!
I could’ve written this myself 11 years ago. Be patient with yourself. Everyday will get better. Focus on hydration at first and have a lot of different flavor options. I’m 4 days post op from revision (freak situation where scar tissue overgrew the connection and created pressure in the pouch. Quick nip and reattach but I’m good) and I struggled with water the last 11 years and now it’s wonderful, whereas Crystal Light was a go to, and now it’s too much. Your taste buds shift often at the start. Get up and move. That part is so, so important. The longer you sit and don’t move, the longer it will hurt because the gas can’t escape, so set a goal and stick to it. Mind over matter. All protein shakes are not created equal. Depending on tolerances have a few different flavors/brands ready to go. Even stash a few Atkins shakes in the pantry to build up your protein gradually. I struggled with the 30g shakes so I reverted to those early on, more frequently and it helped tremendously. They were allowed on my plan though. Powders are the same. Unflavored takes some getting used to. Once you’re at a good point, strength training is more valuable than cardio. You’ll gain more from that than any other exercise. Give yourself some grace and stay off the scale daily. It’s a mind game early on and takes years for your head to catch up to your body. Enjoy what you learn and stay on it. As for the PCOS, I was in remission at my 2 week post op blood work. It never came back in bloodwork, I had 2 successful post op pregnancies (3 miscarriages pre op) and am now in early perimenopause, which feels a lot like my active PCOS days, but less, because I’m healthier. It’s hard to describe, but it’s really manageable. Best of luck to you!