I’d love to hear what you’d like to add to my list….
I love poking around all those forums out there and also to anything related to Bariatric Surgery or WLS and a lot of the time I will find something that resonates with me. You know about all those “10 signs you were raised in the 70’s” and all those posts like that ? well I thought it would be fun to do a list like that about “signs you’ve had bariatric surgery” and see if it resonates with you. This list is based on my decade working with bariatric patients.
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1. Your husband head a very strange noise coming from your stomach and didn’t bat an eye.
I often get asked why a patients new pouch makes such a strange gurgling noise sometimes. Eating too quickly or taking too large bites could be the cause of it. Bariatric doctors also tell us that it could be your stomach just moving around and making noises for all to hear. As the years go by, the noises tend to subside.
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2. In the middle of August, you have a space heater located under your desk.
It has a lot to do with losing some of your “insulation” and post op bariatric patients are generally cooler than pre surgery. They use space heaters and they double up on their blankets at night. Once again, their body seems to adapt with time and the need to use double sweaters also subsides.
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3. You set your alarm to make sure to take your vitamins.
Sometimes it takes a reminder to get your vitamins into you. While bariatric vitamins are simpler than ever, setting an alarm or reminder is never a bad idea and your family might just hear that alarm and hand you your biotin !
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4. You might as well have the word PROTEIN written on your forehead as it’s always the first thing on your mind.
Protein fills you up and keeps you filled up so pass the protein. You will get the most weight loss when you focus on lean and solid protein sources over drinks and gels and bars and substitutes.
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5. Your waitress is wondering why you don’t want to drink something.
When you have a tiny tummy, how can you mix your food and drink without getting seriously full seriously quickly. Don’t fret, order a glass of water and sip on it before your meal is served.
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6. Your clothes are falling off but your still are not ready to go shopping.
Just be sure that your pants don’t fall off at work 🙂
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7. You still go to the Plus Section when shopping (out of habit).
Wrapping your mind around your new body size can be a challenge. You need to find out the true size of your body and buy clothes to fit it. The Plus Section is no longer your shopping place.
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8. You get seriously excited about the release of a new flavour of protein shake.
Premier Protein has a new chocolate mousse flavour !!!!
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9. You use bariatric lingo and abbreviations.
Example: I just had my first NSV at my CW after my WLS !! you gotta know the lingo to be a part of the club LOL.
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10. You get overjoyed at the little things such as getting a pair of boots that zip up on your calves.
To others it may not be a big deal but to you it’s something big and you are never taking it for granted again.
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All the time I hear that the biggest mistake patients have made is not having their surgery sooner. I believe that everything happens when it’s supposed to happen. I love my job because I get to listen to patients talk about their experiences with such great and deep appreciation for where they are today.
About the Author: Sheri Burke is a Nutritionist and Bariatric Coordinator at International Patient Facilitators in Tijuana and Cancun, Mexico. She has worked with bariatric surgery patients for 10 years and especially enjoys providing nutritional guidance to pre and post bariatric patients. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two teens, husband and two furry friends.
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