I went back to work after 7 days....10 hours/day on my feet, squatting, bending, lifting, etc. the key for me was hydration, carbs and keeping my calories up (pretty sure I was around 800 - 1000 calories by 6 weeks). I was still on liquids at that point, so I Added fruit to my protein shakes and sipped them all day long. Eventually added in snacks like Greek yogurt, string cheese, quest bars, peanut butter, cottage cheese, and eventually veggies as my food transitions allowed.

OMG! I was so weak the first three months, and I'm still very tired....

I agree, therapy would be a great idea. Typically it's covered by insurance. You're doing a great job, but someone to help you with the mental issues would be priceless.

Hang in there, of course we're only human. Wondering if I've done the right thing, is a daily issue with me. I loved my food, now I can't even face it and that to me is so scary.
What if I can't eat anymore? What if I eat unhealthy again? Lots of questions go through my head.
As I'm sure you too have many. Come on here, read a few posts and you can see that nearly all go through these feelings.
We can achieve this journey, together.

Always best to seek help for these issues. Wishing you continued success!

I have been on and off w/ my isopure drinks, trimo drinks which all have protein eating chicken tuna fish steak all protein and as for veggies i have been using cauliflower for potatos so your mind thinks yo u have veg and yet potato form .. and or there is a organic califlower that is looks like rice its head of the cali chopped looks like rice so good added right seasons w/ the meats and simple but good just some thoughts when you want potatos or rice what i use instead and little little carbs no sugars or under 5 at least

Well done on your success so far. It can be a hard battle and kudos to you for recognising that. Much continued success :-)

Picard,

I've been in therapy for 3.5 years now -- even before my WLS. It's been incredibly helpful for me. I wish you could find a GOOD therapist with whom you clicked who could help you deal with your own inner demons. It's my very personal opinion that much about our "weight problems" have to do with things that aren't obviously related to our weight or eating. But somehow we combined those issues with food / lifestyle and ... whoops! Lifelong weight problems!

One of the famous sayings around the WLS community is: "They operate on your stomach, not on your brain."

Therapy addresses the "brain" part, which obviously is also about feelings. And obsessions and compulsions and habits and dependency and codependency and ....

Again IMHO, the goal here isn't to LOSE weight. It's to change our lifestyles and lead healthy lives for as long as we live.

Very best wishes to you.

Couldn't agree more. BTW, my insurance (and many) cover a therapist post surgery. I've started to see someone who works with bariatric patients and is great at understanding the frustrations, pitfalls, etc. IMHO, we all need to do head work to get in sync with our new reality.

I'm with Ann on this one. I think a lot of people are totally against carbs but good carbs are amazing. I'm just 4 weeks out so I can understand how it is tough to fit things in your sleeve and from what I've read it's protein first then veggies... so many veggies have the good carbs and avoiding white stuff is highly recommended. I think from what I've read it is also really normal to go back to work and feel wiped out and fall into bed very early. Early nights should never be underestimated. Planning is also something I think about carefully, it's easy at the moment because I can't eat much but I always have food prepped in the past. Prep for the week and you can't go wrong I think. I'm considering all of the stuff like always making sure i get enough protein and water and eat every 3 hours and take my vitamins. It's all about health for me and i want to be as healthy and vibrant as possible. I don't know if my ramblings are useful to you. I think it's just time too. In the last few days I have really had a couple of good energetic days. i've also had some awfully tired ones. I do hope you start to feel more energy soon and you get past the hump. Best wishes.

All of the above and vitamins. Especially B12.

Actually ... CARBS!

Seriously -- carbs are energy foods. What you want, however, are carbs that are "healthy" (not non-nutritious, overly processed crap carbs). Some examples include:

Greek yogurt (yes, there are carbs in that high-protein food, too)

Fruit -- think apples, berries for starters

Whole grains -- high-protein, high-fiber, whole grain bread, brown rice, etc.

Colored veggies -- green beans, peppers, tomatoes, pretty much all the colored veggies you can think of

Try not to drink your veggie and fruit calories. The fiber in the foods themselves will do you good in many ways.

That's my input.

Best wishes!

I agree, smaller meals more often, and be sure to get in your minimum protein and liquids. Water bottle at your desk? Fridge for you protein shakes? You should be getting your energy back by now, but we're all different. Plus you are probably able to eat most all foods now, so that should help. Good luck!

Make sure you're keeping hydrated, that's very important at this stage. Also, keep your proteins available as you might have to eat some smaller meals during the day to keep up the energy.
Getting enough sleep is important, but that's obvious, even though there's a direct correlation between losing the weight and getting enough sleep.

It's a challenge and trial & error, but lots of patients state the same thing as you about their energy level once they get back to work. Just remember, get the hydration and proteins in during the day. Continued success!