Tiara's Thread

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Don't be afraid to listen to your body and step back for a few days if needed.

Yes!! So glad you did that! I've decided to keep eating soups, but now I can puree them instead of strain them. My body has reacted badly to a number of the things I've tried in the puree stage, like avocado, ricotta with tomato sauce, refried beans, etc... It only likes eggs (sometimes), yogurt, and weirdly, fish. LOL I had swordfish the other day and wanted to lick the plate. This is so bizarre because I'm not a fish fan. But my tastebuds have changed and along with not being able to taste sweet spices, apparently I've developed a liking for mild, freshly cooked fish. My partner is so delighted with this they can't stand it.

Here is another choice, soft fresh mozzarella I could handle the vinegar and oil at week 3

Thanks for this!! I put some fresh mozzarella in my food box delivery for the week! I love it and it is so mild I assume it'll sit easy. I may hold off on the vinegar for a while though, my stomach hated the acidity from the tomatoes so it might not do well with the acidity of vinegar for a bit.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Ohhhh, and I solved the electrolyte issue. I ordered electrolyte pills with low magnesium but they still sent me to the bathroom! So I got mad and went and got a bottle of pure potassium. No tummy issues and no leg cramps! So I'll just stick with this. I'm sure I'm getting enough electrolytes through other things now. But this does make me worry about starting my multi-vitamin...

 

[southernlady]

Ohhhh, and I solved the electrolyte issue. I ordered electrolyte pills with low magnesium but they still sent me to the bathroom! So I got mad and went and got a bottle of pure potassium. No tummy issues and no leg cramps! So I'll just stick with this. I'm sure I'm getting enough electrolytes through other things now. But this does make me worry about starting my multi-vitamin...

Be very careful doing pure potassium without a doctor’s prescription. I use Propel electrolyte water additives.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Be very careful doing pure potassium without a doctor’s prescription. I use Propel electrolyte water additives.

Yeah, I tried the Propel powders and the bottled form, neither have enough potassium to stop the leg cramps unfortunately. My potassium always runs on the low side so I think supplementing it with a dose similar to the powders I was using should be fine, but I'll have my doctor check it next time I see her to be sure. Thanks for the warning!

 

[southernlady]

Yeah, I tried the Propel powders and the bottled form, neither have enough potassium to stop the leg cramps unfortunately. My potassium always runs on the low side so I think supplementing it with a dose similar to the powders I was using should be fine, but I'll have my doctor check it next time I see her to be sure. Thanks for the warning!

We can easily overdose. And too much is as dangerous as not enough. That’s one we never address on our own. We always get our medical doctor involved. Send your PCP a message about your cramps explaining you’ve tried adding foods and electrolyte waters that have not helped.

 

[galaxygrrl]

I forgot how awesome this board is for newbie is. It's so wonderful to see everyone help someone on the scariest part of this journey

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

We can easily overdose. And too much is as dangerous as not enough. That’s one we never address on our own. We always get our medical doctor involved. Send your PCP a message about your cramps explaining you’ve tried adding foods and electrolyte waters that have not helped.

Thanks for being concerned! I emailed the surgeon about it. He said to take the supplement every day for a week, then he'll order labs of potassium and magnesium next week to be sure it isn't going too high!

I also had my nutrition class today, now I can eat soft foods!! YAY!!

 

[southernlady]

Thanks for being concerned! I emailed the surgeon about it. He said to take the supplement every day for a week, then he'll order labs of potassium and magnesium next week to be sure it isn't going too high!

I also had my nutrition class today, now I can eat soft foods!! YAY!!

Okay, good.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

I had labs done and the potassium is barely above the minimum level, so it is safe for me to supplement it! But the surgeon checked my Anion Gap and said it didn't look like I was in ketosis. I was feeling bad that day so I'm not surprised, but I couldn't figure out how I'd ended up out of ketosis since my log said I was at 37 grams of carbs. Well under the 50 carb limit. I thought maybe my body just needs to be lower?? He suggested I might be getting hidden carbs in something like shakes or vitamins. And OMG it was the vitamins!! They have us doing the stupid chewables for the first few months and those things are loaded with carbs! I think they are all up like 15-20 carbs per day! I had just started taking them at 4 weeks out... So yeah, vitamins sabotaged me! I'm switching to the pill form early. I'm sorry but I prefer to eat my carbs rather than get them in vile tasting chewable vitamins... And if I can take my meds in pill form I don't see why I can't take my vitamins in pill form too!

He also suggested I check my ketones with a urine strip in the morning to make sure I'm in ketosis even though they aren't the most accurate. So I have been and everything looks fine. I've also had my carbs well below 30 which is bloody hard, but the scale moved so that must have been what triggered my stall.

In other news, I got so irritated with the Ortho surgeon's office jerking me around that I scheduled an appointment with another doctor in a different practice for a second opinion. And boy did he have an opinion!! He thinks my rotator cuff tear is maybe 50%, but is more concerned that my joint looks unstable (the other doctor thought this was just my position during the MRI but this guy says it's quite dramatic on the MRI images and I do have hyper mobile joints). It is not completely out of the joint to the point of dislocation, but enough out of alignment to be causing pain. He also thinks I have a SLAP tear, which is a tear in the labrum of the shoulder socket, and that my bicep is pulling on it and needs to be detached and anchored elsewhere.

He did a much more extensive exam that actually elicited the exact pain I feel. He wants an MRI with contrast this time to try and confirm the diagnosis but they can't get me in until January 3rd. He said the other doctor has a good reputation so he doesn't doubt his assessment, he just thinks there is more going on in my shoulder than just the rotator cuff tear and if we don't get a clear picture of it all we risk repairing something that doesn't actually stop the pain, and I'll end up needing a second surgery, which I do NOT want to do!! Measure twice, cut once...

 

[JackieOnLine]

oh, boy, I hope they figure out exactly what is needed with your shoulder, it sounds complicated and painful.

glad you got off of the stupid chewable vitamins!

 

[southernlady]

He did a much more extensive exam that actually elicited the exact pain I feel. He wants an MRI with contrast this time to try and confirm the diagnosis but they can't get me in until January 3rd. He said the other doctor has a good reputation so he doesn't doubt his assessment, he just thinks there is more going on in my shoulder than just the rotator cuff tear and if we don't get a clear picture of it all we risk repairing something that doesn't actually stop the pain, and I'll end up needing a second surgery, which I do NOT want to do!! Measure twice, cut once...

I wish more surgeons thought that way. We’d have far more DS surgeries being done.

 

[ShrinkingMyTiara]

Honey, I'm hooooome!! I missed you guys! We went on a road trip for the holidays down to see my family and that was an adventure. Every time we drive through Atlanta I hate it more than the time before.... Road tripping was easy food wise, I just packed protein snacks and shakes and it was no issue. Once I was there I just kept a snack or two in my bag and if 3 hours rolled around and no one was ready to eat, I just ate a snack or raided the fridge! Fluids were a little harder but I kept on top of them. I discovered I can drink out of hard straws so my family and friends gave me Starbucks cups and a pretty glass cup and metal straws for the holiday. Then my best friend got me this epic BruMate that transforms from a shaker bottle to a water bottle to a cup with a straw! It'll be awesome for the gym. The funny thing is I got her hydration themed things too, our brains were clearly on the same wavelength.

Weight wise the scale continues to be a little bitch. I have been losing and gaining the same 2-4 lbs for a month. I'm in ketosis so it isn't that. I'm assuming it must be a stall of some sort? So I decided to banish the scale for a while. Yesterday though I got out my tape measure to take my month 2 measurements and holy moly people, I've lost 26 inches since surgery!!! 26 inches!! I've lost 8 inches alone off my chest cry and 6 inches off my waist!! My hips only lost 2 inches, but that's not a surprise, that apron belly/hip situation is always a hold out. Still, I guess this is why my underwear are falling down even though my pants still fit. LOL I am so excited about that. I didn't take month 1 measurements because I didn't think it had changed much. But 26 inches gone in 8 weeks is incredible man...

I'll forgive the fact that I'm still only 28 lbs down. I do hope I lose another 8-10 lbs before I hit the 3 month mark, just so I can feel I've got room around my goal weight. But I've just concluded I'm on the slower end of losing compared to others. I'm still happy with the loss, I've never been able to lose this much on my own or with medication!

I've decided it is time to start upping my activity level. My goal is to increase my steps by 1,000 every week or two until I get to 10,000 steps. Right now I'm at 2,000-2,500 per day, which is a big increase vs my average last year of about 1,000 steps a day! But it amazes me. I can walk and not get tired! My feet get tired but other than that I feel like I could keep walking! It is such a freeing feeling. My partner says I'm going to have to start going to the gym in our building since walking laps around the apartment won't be enough to get in the larger number of steps. I have a gym phobia. So this will take some doing. To celebrate losing 25% of my weight and to encourage gym visits, I've ordered a few funny sarcastic gym tanks and sweatshirts, as sarcasm always helps things. LOL I'm really grateful my partner is so supportive. At my sister's house we ended up making a bet---if I hit goal weight first, we get a week at the beach or anywhere else I want to go! If they hit goal first, we go to NYC for a week! It'll be fun to see how low we both get...

 

[southernlady]

But 26 inches gone in 8 weeks is incredible man...

That is SO awesome

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'll forgive the fact that I'm still only 28 lbs down. I do hope I lose another 8-10 lbs before I hit the 3 month mark

you really need to (continue to) focus on all those inches lost: that's what matters.

you are doing awesome! and I think it's a great idea to put the scale away now and then.

 

[galaxygrrl]

Congrats! So, you know, the 10,000-step thing is a myth. It's a made-up number, not connected to health. So, it might be better just to pick a distance. My target is 5 miles a day. Or if the step thing is working for you, just stick with it. Whatever works for you.