CharliBee

I'd be pleased as punch for sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes .. even that is too much carb for me according to the nutritionist. not even sugar free applesauce. it just seems a bit much, especially since i'm supposed to stay on this all Protein as little carbs as humanly possible (no veg or fruit) until my next appt in mid-may. I remember the first time I could have anything other than liquid after surgery .. It was heaven for me, as well. And I'm still glad that I can eat what I can on this crap diet, but seriously, variety is the spice of life and veggies are good for you. That's what I've been told for my whole life.

Yeah, that was the "atkins-esque" part, I know atkins gives room for carbs from veggies. fruit juice isn't my number one choice, typically either, but I'll tell you right about now I'd slap someone for a cup of Minute Maid Kids+ Orange Juice (it's the yummiest for me and it's got Calcium, Vitamin A, B, C, D). I know!!! Believe me I know! According to the nutritionist there's not enough acid built up in the pouch to break veg down. This doesn't make sense to me, there's enough to break down meat but not veg?

I've been following my nutritionist's rules since mid-February, pre-op and post-op. I had surgery nearly a month ago (a few days short of 4 weeks). I have been on an atkins-esque diet, high Protein and as few carbs as humanly possible. First 2 weeks post-op was liquid only, nothing thicker than a strained cream-of-something Soup - carb limitations then, as well. I went from liquids only to soft, moist, lean Proteins - again, no carbs. In all of the literature I read pre-op, nothing said I'd be so severely carb restricted. I'd managed to figure out how to make, eat and enjoy a balanced meal. But, now I feel I'm being told to forget everything about balance, just eat meat. Meat, meat and more meat! I miss vegetables and fruit and bread and rice and Pasta. I miss tasting things that don't taste like meat. My poll questions are me trying to figure out where other people are and if this total carb restriction is normal (someone should have told me, I'd have certainly taken it into consideration) or if my nutritionist just hates carbs. At this point is it normal to be this irritated with the process, or am I just being ultra-sensitive? Does the idea of eating (since what you can't eat outweighs what you can eat) piss you off? I've, seemingly, gone from emotional eating to emotional starving, sort of. I have had serious moments of refusing to eat simply because I didn't want anything that I could eat within the restrictions. Does anyone else's nutritionist insist on no veggies and no fruit, not even juice? Help! I think I'm losing it here! PS: when I say no carbs, that includes the liquid/soft foods phase: no mashed potatoes (which I saw in everything I was required to read before surgery) and no applesauce. Not even baby food because of the carb content.

My name is Charli, I'm 32 and I joined this community in November 2010, but never really became involved. So, this will be my belated first post/introduction. I had Lap-Band surgery on March 7, 2011. I'm healing nicely and generally don't have much pain. My one biggest problem has been the post-op diet, but I'm managing. My room mate has been encouraging me to become active on the site to find community and support from people who've been on this path, since she can only help so much having never been in my shoes. Certainly I have a local support group, but as I'm also painfully shy, it's much easier for me to open up and connect online. So, there's that. Don't really know what else to say here, so umm .. Hi! Charli