What do you hate most post WLS?

Hell, this is easy.  ALL THE ABOVE. Baseballs, gas, cravings, portions, no water at meals, gym trips.  Its a whole new lifestyle.  The amounts, types of food isnt to hard.  The fluids, exercise are now routine.  This plan would drop lbs regardless of WLS.  Its the pouch that reminds me of the difference between Diet guilt and WLS pain.  I screw up I get pain real simple.  Those after affects go with WLS.  They do provide solutions for handling these after affects.
Good luck
suggest keeping a ball plunger handy

My BMs were always loose following WLS until I gave up junk and became abstinate from simple carbs and junk food.  Now I get constipated and have the difficult BMs.  I'm losing weight and feeling good but while I had a stall for a couple weeks I ordered the South Beach Diet Supercharged.  Well, I can only do the regular South Beach Diet and I'm going right to Phase 2 since I no longer have any of my old cravings.

The only problem I forsee is the advice of eating a lot of vegetables.  I was just getting used to eating salads when I found out I have atrial fibrilation.  Greens generally affect the coumadin levels,  Lettuce is ok but I know I need more variety.  So, now I have to go over the recommended veggies and legumes for the South Beach Diet and see how they stack up against my preferred list of foods with low or moderate levels of vitamin K.

You need not fear a relapse as long as you keep working your post op program.  If you feel yourself starting to slip in the future, then buy a copy of the Beck's Diet Solution in the workbook form.  I've talked about my success with it so I just refer people to look at my Latest Posts to learn more.

I was mystified when I went to a support group meeting some months before my surgery and a guy who was a little over a year out told me to invest in a good plunger.  He didn't explain and I didn't ask.  Now I know what he meant.  Yeah, this is hard (literally) and I am now taking 2 generic Colace every night and I'm considering adding Benefiber at the advice of my Dr's office.  Things are better with the Colace, but I still only have a BM every 2-3 days and I still have to keep the Prep H handy because I never know how it's going to affect me.  It doesn't help that I sit at a desk most of the day.  So, yeah, this part sucks but there are so many benefits that I would still do it all over again.  And, like some others have posted, I also fear relapse.  I suppose that's because nothing else has ever worked for me.  I just need to get rid of that thinking and focus on changing my lifestyle and my thinking.

I started Fish Oil/ Flax Seed Oil tablets about a month ago.  I have been told we do not absorb much of the oil, but it does help to lubericate things up and makes everything much softer.  I took two a day (morning and eve) at first and now that things are easier, I am only taking one a day.

Good Luck,

Jim

HELLO.... The  GAS!!!!!!!!!

There's not a whole lot I hate.  My BMs are close to normal or slightly on the loose side.  My diet is pretty vegetable and protein heavy, so I attribute this developing world water here as a bigger contributor to the consistency of my BM.

The gas hasn't been a problem.  I've always been a little gassy.  Just now I can out-fart my brother and my father.  And I've never had a laundry emergency letting one rip.  I might just be lucky.

I welcome the fact that I can no longer be wreckless with food.  That was kind of the problem in the first place.  I am able to eat sweets, but limit their intake more toward what a normal person eats (maybe a couple of pieces, not a couple of bags.)

I love living a very active lifestyle.  I never workout, I just live in a way that requires a lot of physical work and walking.  I spend a lot of my time outdoors on the beach or climbing mountains.  The best workouts are the ones that don't feel like them.

One of the few things I dislike is that I became lactose intolerant.  Painfully so.  Sometimes, all I want is a tall, cold glass of strawberry milk or the occassional hot fudge Sunday.  And soy milk I don't see as an option.  That **** is so gross, I'd rather deal with the pain.

Other than that, I'm pretty damn happy.  Like earlier today when I hiked up to the top of the mountain near where I live and looked down toward the beaches and blue waters of Subic Bay, I realize that life now is too good for me to want to hate anything.

Chris

Like most everybody, I'm dealing with the BM issue. I swear, the last one had a periscope!!!
The food issues and clothing and all the rest were left out of the glossy surgery brochure but I'm down 100 pounds and for that, it's been a pretty fair trade.
One thing I've noticed that I haven't heard mentioned is the change in my self-image. I was a Type A, self confident, alpha male before and I find myself thinking about my reduced size as somehow reducing my overall stature. I was always "the Big Guy" to friends and family and now, that's not who I am anymore. Just having trouble figuring out how to deal with this new phase. At least I can expect to deal with the new me for a lot more years than I had reason to expect before.

Jim

The drawbacks of life post WLS is almost non existant when compared to the benefits.  I really miss pasta, more so than the sweets (I can meet my sweet tooth easily thanks to fruit and splenda).  Two bites of pasta and my pouch if full and it just does not settle well.  It is just not worth it.

I fear gaining weight also.  There are some days that I really have to fight the urge to graze.  I know how easily it would be to return to my old habits.  Meal time is easy, the pouch works and I am satisfied very easily.  I look back and realize how much of a food addict I was before this surgery.  I eat the foods I choose now, no longer mindless eating, no longer grazing on unhealthy foods.  Like people addicted to drugs or alcohol, I will only be in remission for the rest of my life.  I know I will have times where I fall off track, but the secret will be to get back on track right away.

Jim

I've actually be having dreams where I eat to much, like one night I dreamt I ate a half a pizza. It's been happening more and more lately.

I find it uncomfortable to eat certain foods so I guess that's the only real problem I have. That and not drinking while I eat.

OK boys, thought I'd weigh in here.  I was 3 years post-op last Friday, maintaining a weight of 200 to 205.  I work out 4 to 5 times a week.  I basically eat an very strict Atkins diet, lots of beef, chicken, fish, seafood, cheese, eggs, milk, nuts, protein, protein, protein.  I never eat vegetables or fruit, maybe a little Cesar salad now and then.  I eat 6 small meals a day, half of them about 4 ozs. and half of them about 8 oz's.  I drink one or two protein shakes a day.  My daily protein intake is about 150 grams.  I drink plenty of fluids and coffee all day.  I take all my vitamins and supplements religiously, and have my labs completed and have a follow up with my surgeon yearly.

I too experienced the same bowel issues expressed here, but not so much anymore.  Just par for the  course I guess.  I am finally getting to the point where I dont see myself as the fat guy anymore, and my self-esteem has grown tremendously.  I have in fact become a very vain person, but as Al Pacino said in "The Devils Advocate"...."Vanity, my favorite sin".  That and scotch.

Relaspse is a fear for me as well, but I know that if I stick to my program, I cant go wrong.  What I hate most about post-op is my ongoing problem with hernias.  I've had 3 surgeries post-op, and now have another.  My surgeon and I have discussed abdominal reconstruction.  I have an appointment to see a plastic surgeon the end of the month for a consultation.  He would perform the reconstruction with my regular surgeon at Cleveland Clinic here in SoFlo.  I have high hopes that this my take care of my problem once and for all.  I'll let you guys know how it goes.  I know that this is a major operation and the recovery time will be long and hard.  But I am willing to go through it.

So thats my 2 cents.  Good luck to all you guys and keep the faith and fight the fight.  I know I am a much better person today then I was 3 years ago, both physically and mentally.

John