15 months out from bypass and still need advice

[tray]

its not the feeling of fullness thats the problem, its the pain and the feeling sick when i eat protein, or other certain foods. i too, when i was a pre opper ,would of said the same things as you, yes were told its a tool, yes were told its only going to help you lose 50% of your weight, but until you have the op and experience the actual feeling of the pain, im sorry to say, but you really dont understand. the pain can make you feel like your having a heart attack, and it can sometimes take hours for the stuck feeling to go away,
it does depress you, when you want to sit down to eat a well balanced meal, and then after 2 spoonfuls, that dreaded feeling appears, so then you give up, and in about an hour, your hungry, so rather than go and eat something that might hurt you, or make you feel sick, you tend to eat what is known as a slider food that will easily go down, just so you have had something to eat.
i dont regret having it done as the health benefits of having the op out weighed the benefits of being so obese, all i regret is that im one of the ones that has seemed to struggle all the way,

so my advice to all pre oppers, is really go into this op with an open mind, as you really do not know what to expect, or how your body will cope with this op, until you have actually had it x

 

[liggielass]

well said but, try and find healthier options to eat xxxxxxxxx

 

[witchingmoon]

I a pre opper so don't know what your going through myself. When talking to some friends who have had the op I was told that faggots are good to eat as they are soft.

 

[Nightwitch]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but surely you had the bypass so you would feel full on a small amount of food and lose weight. If you decide that you don't want to eat a small amount and feel full, but choose to eat crap and ice cream, it's not the hospital where the surgery was done that's to blame! You were obviously told this was a tool. If you were doing what you were told, and had no restriction, then you could blame the op. If not I think you have to look a little closer to home.

Even tho we want the feeling of fullness we still have to get in a certain amount of protein each day and if you are unable to get that in your meals because it makes you feel sick if it gets stuck (which REALLY isn't a nice feeling and can take quite a while to go away) then it makes it so much harder.
Post op to prevent losing muscle while the weight drops you are supposed to take in at least 60grams of protein a day...in small meals that isn't easy but you have to find a way, for some of us it is easier than others. I know i have been very lucky compared to some of the problems i have read about on here, but you never know how your body is going to react as we are all different, so what works for one will not neccessarily work for another.

Best of luck to all in their journeys

 

[Kath in Buxton]

I'm one week post op and yesterday only managed about half the recommended protein. Still on liquids, so don't really know how to get anymore protein in at this stage.
I do sympathize with other people who are struggling to get their protein in, and I'm terrified of being in a similar position when I get to that stage of my eating plan. Even pre-op I was under no illusion that this would be an easy thing to achieve. But I suppose we should bear in mind that meat isn't the only source of protein. Obviously milk, eggs and cheese contain some too. As does Quorn, and I believe Soya mince and other vegetarian options.
Once I'm on solids I'm going to try a really good variety until I find what I can tolerate.

But, I have to say, no one should be slated or blamed, or told that they're not using their pouch properly. As individuals we are all different and therefore will all react differently to new foods that we introduce ourselves to. And it could even be the case that just because we can't tolerate a chicken breast, or a slice of roast meat now, that we will react the same way in the future.

 

[xxsarahxx]

if feeling full on protein was the only problem, we'd be very happy bunnies.......it's alot more than that though and nothing can prepare you for how difficult it can be at times post op.

 

[sydenham]

Hi

I had my bypass in 2008. In my experience the bypass will help you drop the 'bulk weight'. That's the bit that comes off really quickly.

I dropped 50kg in the first year so I must have had a lot!

After that is when the hard work begins and that's what they don't tell you pre-op. You effectively have to diet and exercise like anyone else in order to get to a desired weight and like any other diet and exercise plan your body will fight you all the way.

I'm down to 89kg but not for want of trying and this is my third time at this weight. I gym 5 days a week and am relatively careful about what I eat but bounce between 92kg and 97kg which is where my body is most comfortable.

I'm fortunate (or unfortunate depending on how you view it) as I can eat anything and a normal portion of food 3 times a day.

I rarely get dumping, unless I pig out, and the only thing I cannot tolerate is a certain brand of ice-cream for some unknown reason.

My advice is to conquer your issues with food. If you don't you will continue to struggle, bypass or not.

Keep going, make it a lifestyle change and persevere. The benefits at the end are fantastic.

Thank you for your post and I really admire your strength and perseverance. I wish I could conquer my issues with food but how is that done? I paid for my surgery and feel that I have let myself down and wasted a large amount of money. My surgery never left me feeling any different. I have never dumped and I can eat and drink anything and in quantities equal to non WLS people. The only thing that ever happens is if I eat or drink too quickly and I will get a pain that is most uncomfortable and a foam is produced (sorry) and sometimes a little food comes back up, this is rare though.

Its a shame that a WL op couldn't have been invented that physically made it impossible to over eat.!! The problem is the "Head Hunger" that everyone talks about is the most powerful feeling that made us all fat in the first place but that feeling never goes for so many and life is still a struggle following the surgery. I hate to sound so negative but I honestly believe that I am not alone.
Suzanne
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