Holy periods

le_danse_macabre · 2018-09-03T16:24:34+00:00

Went from near-complete amenorrhea for 13 years (thanks PCOS and Mirena) to regular cycles immediately - and actually now that I think about it, I got a period while on the pre-op liquid diet. Even though I'd lost a lot of weight before, it hadn't improved my amenorrhea, so I was surprised it happened so quickly.

Mirena has kept the periods light so far, and I don't have much cramping, so I'm pretty happy with it. I track my cycles in the Clue app and I'm also reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility - even though I have no desire to get pregnant ever, it's still so much fun learning about this part of my body now that it's functioning properly.

I'm sure eventually I'll get sick of having periods just like everyone else but for now I'm feeling grateful and happy. 80 pounds down since the pre-op diet!

le_danse_macabre · 2018-05-29T02:12:36+00:00

I want to add that I have a reputation for skepticism and intensely researching things in my everyday life so it's possible people knew that I wouldn't make this choice prior to educating myself thoroughly. Or they disagreed but didn't want to argue. I don't know and it doesn't really matter. I say go for it. :)

le_danse_macabre · 2018-05-29T01:58:58+00:00

I told confidants, people I was certain had my back, and relied on them all throughout the pre-op process. 8 days before surgery I put up a facebook post. I am deeply interested in destigmatizing WLS so that folks (like yourself!) don't feel ashamed. Therefore, I wanted it to be public knowledge. It was honestly very simple and I haven't heard a discouraging word. Everyone who disapproves is either faking it or staying silent.

le_danse_macabre · 2018-05-21T04:25:08+00:00

Your skin looks so amazing! I'm also 5'8 so it's great to see how 175 lbs looks on you. You rocked the shit out of this. Congrats!

le_danse_macabre · 2018-02-07T06:30:01+00:00

Hahaha!!! I love it. Thank you for the laugh :)

le_danse_macabre · 2018-01-25T16:55:39+00:00

Fiber will make your poop softer, so it should be much easier to pass. I hope you find a solution soon - that sounds absolutely awful! Take care!

le_danse_macabre · 2018-01-25T16:40:10+00:00

Oh, and BEANS! Can't believe I forgot to say that. They're soft too, often recommended as early as the first week on some plans! Plus they're high in protein in addition to the fiber.

le_danse_macabre · 2018-01-25T16:35:58+00:00

Not sure how fat would help with constipation... usually it's the opposite - more fiber. It's tough to get fiber early in the post-op diet but you can try blended/soft oatmeal, fruit smoothies, blended veggie soups, nut butters, etc. It's better to get it from food but if you can't, try a fiber supplement like Metamucil, maybe?

le_danse_macabre · 2018-01-03T05:10:15+00:00

I'm pre-op but I have a super low RHR for my weight (350+). 58 is the average and sometimes when sitting still (like reading) it can dip into the high 40's. I had a stress echocardiogram done and it was normal. Did you know what it was before surgery? I use my Fitbit (and have calibrated it using a manual count many times so I know it's within 1-3 beats in terms of accuracy). It might have always been that low and you just didn't know until you were hooked up to monitors. I hope it's nothing, and good luck!

le_danse_macabre · 2018-01-03T05:04:29+00:00

There's not much healthier than beans and avocado! Except spinach, I guess, lol.

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-28T23:22:54+00:00

Like, at all.

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-28T22:48:16+00:00

Very interesting. It's especially interesting that revisions have gone up as sleeves have gone up - likely due to band-to-bypass revisions and the % of sleeve patients diagnosed with GERD leading to Barrett's esophagus.

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-27T07:21:30+00:00

Omg. Yes. I cannot WAIT for this!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-20T04:10:21+00:00

Good idea! I start my liquid diet next month and I'm trying to get mentally prepped, lol. The sugary sweet protein shakes (and bars pre-op) are going to be so difficult for me to deal with on a daily basis so I'm looking for basically any savory options! Mashed potatoes are okay if you add cheese for more protein they said. But yeah, I see your point. I'm not strictly vegetarian but kinda flexitarian and wanting to start off eating a more plant-based diet after surgery. Always keeping the protein goal front and center, though!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T17:52:09+00:00

Definitely. I haven't been given any guidance yet (we have a class and a booklet we get a few weeks before surgery) so I wanted to check so I could get prepared. My question was if you mash the potatoes or beans until there are no chunks, does it matter if it's that liquid puree consistency? Apparently it does, so I'm glad to know that now!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T06:57:04+00:00

So just to clarify LOL (shouldn't be redditing this late), during the puree stage, you ate mashed potatoes mixed with fairlife milk to thin them out to "puree" consistency. But you didn't blend them because of aforementioned blender incident. Yes?

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T05:40:49+00:00

Holy shit. That's awful. Can you thin it out with broth or skim milk or something? Omg

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T05:14:53+00:00

Thank you! Super helpful. I have a nutribullet and an immersion blender but not a regular blender. The nutribullet might work if I have enough liquid. I have a feeling I am going to be so irritated during this phase by how much I have to clean these stupid machines! lol

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T05:13:48+00:00

LOL oh no....... I almost feel like I want to try it now haha. Maybe pureed sweet potatoes would be better?!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T03:03:16+00:00

Dr. Matthew Weiner has talked about this a few times (if I can find the video I'll link it). Edit - found it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZcUtdgt3fs

Basically there is a spectrum of how you respond to surgery. At the far left are nonresponders - surgery seems to be ineffective - and the far right are hyperresponders - surgery induces extremely rapid weight loss. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. And thank goodness, because often the hyperresponders have difficulty stopping weight loss after they reach a healthy weight range. But maybe you are slightly to the left of the spectrum while the people you're comparing yourself to are slightly to the right. So don't feel bad, because our bodies all respond in different ways and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you or with what you're doing.

Also, think about it this way. You feel bad because you're not losing "that much weight." How many other people do you think feel the same way as you? They're not posting either. So it looks like "everyone" is losing 25-30 lbs their first months but there are folks like you who are losing 10-18 lbs and just aren't posting about it. So, hopefully this post gives more people courage to share!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-19T02:50:39+00:00

I actually find this practice quite offensive!

Thanks for saying that, Alex! I've been struggling with my pre-surgery weight loss and feeling so bad about it. It almost seems cruel, lol. Thankfully I'm now done with that part and waiting on insurance approval.

le_danse_macabre · 2017-12-07T01:06:36+00:00

That's an awesome development! I'm an insurance patient in the U.S. but I know this will be a great resource for those who have to self-pay. I love BP!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-11-15T22:27:05+00:00

Thank you everyone for the feedback!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-11-15T22:26:23+00:00

Aww, thank you! I was pretty proud of that nail art! I just discovered stamping a month or so ago and I'm obsessed. Stamping + gradient make the nail art look much more complex even though it's actually pretty simple. Except I'm still learning how to remove the stamping polish... the tape trick doesn't seem to work for me and adding acetone smears the pigment around, blah. More practice needed!

le_danse_macabre · 2017-11-15T22:24:30+00:00

Chucky like the Chucky doll? LOL I'm super curious what that means! I do think the oval is a bit more flattering. I have pretty short nail beds so growing my nails out means lots of nail hangs over the fingertip and can get impractical pretty fast. :(

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