wannalise

Thanks so much! I don't know how much of a trooper I am, I got in a fight with some mashed potatoes on Sunday and started to bawl! It took me a few minutes to realize just how ridiculous my reaction was. But the support on these boards has been such an important lifeline to me.

You really are in the rough spot. I remember not being able to swallow Water but thinking about tacos. I think there is the obvious addiction part, and then that whole human nature thing of knowing we can't have something makes it seem even more desirable. It will take a few weeks of really being careful with your new tummy, but soon you can add things in and thats when the learning has really started with me. This little stretch you're on though is just a brief endurance race. You can do it. And if you get mad or frustrated feel free to vent or PM me. I understand all too well what grieving an unhealthy relationship with food is like. Somedays I'm still doing it.

You rock! You look so great!!!! I am speechless, congratulations on your success!

Sassie who is your surgeon in UT? I am doing my post op w/Dr. Cottam's office.

I had a slow start and took one solid week off, and wished that when I did go back I would have done it on a part time basis, or atleast given myself that opportunity as a just in case.

Mini, My game plan is to put a plan out there and then at the end of the week report on how I've done. Thanks lady!!!!

Okay Mini! Thank you. Here we go. Here is my plan for the rest of April: M-F: Walk 30 minutes 11am daily on Riverwalk trail w/ clients. Three days weekly-play! I wanna do things like toss the frisbee around, play golf, toss softball, go to batting cages, and find other things that are physically active, but that I like doing!

Yes! Maybe some accountability would be great.

Can I get in on the butt kicking? Meaning will someone kick mine? I didn't feel good the first three weeks and felt justified (kind of) in not starting a program, but I feel really good now and every day think its gonna happen. Yikes!!! I need to get this area down too or the long term won't happen, scary!

Good good! I'm so glad you have a drill sargeant. It really will help you. I am so excited to watch your journey!!!

Hey Sassie, A fellow Utah girl!!!! Guess what? The first few weeks before and after the surgery will feel very selfish. You will try to think of other things, but this really does get pretty all consuming. But then at the two week or four week mark (different for all of us) something switches. I feel energetic, finally! And for years those compulsive food thoughts that got in my way physically, emotionally, and spiritually are fading. I think I will dodge the diabetes bullet, I will be able to teach my kids how to have healthy relationships with food. Two years ago this month my boyfriends Mom died a horrible diabetes related death at age sixty. They miss her terribly, and her years of illness, suffering, and early death were all avoidable. This will be rough, but lady you are the mother of 5, you will be able to do it! You have all of us here and it sounds like a sweet hubby who are supporting you and want you to be able to fully become the person you were meant to be. Good luck!!!! Anna

I adore your story!!!! Well now you have a built in support system with your step-mom. That is too funny! Pureed phase is a tricky one. Hope all continues to go well for you and how exciting to be out of the 400's that is big progress in such a short time. Good for you!!!!

I absolutely did the first few weeks. And I am typically a stellar sleeper. It came back around and I am feeling much better!

Well, tomorrow is a month out for me. I had a really rough start. The first two weeks were just me getting sick, the third week has been a gradual improvement. And now I feel like I am finally on my way. In hindsight there are a few things that were very specific to me that I wish I had known, and I appreciate all of you for educating me: During those first few weeks I felt more like a patient still, not someone who was headed in the direction of life change. I felt almost guilty considering my weight loss as an accomplishment, because I was throwing up all the time, not hydrated, and getting 200 calories a day max. It felt like saying thanks for a compliment after getting the flu. I think even if you are worried that you are naggy or annoying to them you need to call or email your surgeon anytime you feel unsure of what is happening. This is a risky time period and most medical offices are happier to answer questions, then deal with complications. I wish that I would have started exercising immediately. I know that I didn't feel well and wasn't super hydrated, but the mind set of knowing that you are moving just for the sake of your health does a lot for you mentally. I wish that even on the roughest days I would have atleast walked around the block once. Don't be ashamed about what this does to you emotionally. And parts of it can be a rollercoaster ride. The day that I finally came home I spent eight hours of that day pacing my hallway and took 5 hot showers in the hopes that they would relax me. I was incredibly anxious in a way I had never experienced. I was super blessed that my PCP called in an anti anxiety for me. I only had to take it three times, but in hindsight and after doing a little homework I realized: I had been having my period, was on super high doses of reglan which are known to cause severe anxiety, and still had anisthesia medication in my body. Do your best to follow all the guidelines of your surgeon and to take care of yourself, but use this board as a support, not as a means to compare your progress to others. I was so frustrated that when others were starting to work out hard core I was getting out of bed for work, then coming home, putting my jammies on and falling asleep again. I had to realize that our bodies all cope with trauma differently and it wasn't a character weakness on my part that my body needed more to recover. And today I can finally say what I have read others say, I am feeling good. I am still learning so much. I have to measure my food because I am horrible at eyeballing it, I have to set timers so I remember to drink enough fluids. And as I track my nutrition I have realized that I am far better nourished at 600-800 calories I day then I was with my daily Wendy's fix. Thanks to all of you for answering my millions of questions and for dealing with all of my frustrations. Your support has been invaluable!

Sheri that weight loss is AMAZING!!! Good for you.

So jealous!!! I lived a year in the classy Renton suburb, but would spend every weekend with my Aunt in Issaquah. In face I hope to be back in time for salmon days this fall.

Its great Kathy!!!! Its kind of a funny cycle too, the more protein you can take in the faster you heal. The more hydrated you are the sooner you can exercise. Having such a great start snowballs into having even more positive results. I say relish in it, I am finally feeling hydrated and my body feels a MILLION times better.

How exciting!!! Yay Tiffany, can't wait to hear from you. Super glad you had support and it will be interesting to see all this on video!

I think you are right and I think you just made his guidelines finally make sense to me!!!! Thank you, I was getting annoyed that there was no way I could in only 6 oz a day meet ALL those guideline! Thank you!!!!!:thumbup1:

Oh, and when I do have to do a protein shake, I sometimes will double up the protein on em (two scoops) and then just take it slow! This is just the icky crap you gotta get through.

Okay so this one took me a while to figure out, but I bought Brown Cow Greek Yogurt which is 23g protein per one cup. I think its yucky on its own, so I blended 1/2c yogurt w/ 1 Tbs of blackberry spreadable fruit and it tastes like yoplait. It is yummy. It will take you quite a while to eat if you are still this early out, but it feels better to my body to eat something that is actually food rather than eating phony protein shakes all the time. My body just was not a huge fan! Good luck!!!!

YAHOOO!!!!! That is all so exciting. What dramatic changes in what is really a short time (I'm sure there were days that felt LONG to you though.) Thanks for sharing your victory with us.

Yeah, I am doing a protein shake for breakfast and I am putting a double dose of protein in it. So that puts me at about 45g for that meal, but as I plan out my day I will hit protein goals, and be totally satisfied food wise but will max out at about 300 calories.

So....I am just adding in real foods (two days early, very naughty!) The guidelines I am trying to follow are these: 600-800- calories daily 70+g- protein daily less than 30g- carbs daily I am having this weird difficulty, to get to my calorie goal I end up eating too much fat and not enough protein, to get my protein in I only end up eating about 350 calories daily. I never thought I'd be complaining about this, but I think I need some tips on proteins that have worked well for you! Also...both my surgeon and my post op care doctor are both ADAMANT that I not eat more than 3 meals daily. Okay with all this criteria help????

If you have any control about where you eat you may be able to do chinese and get tofu, or really soft cooked veggies. Tofu is in loads of Chinese food and is masked well so you get protein but it wouldn't be yucky. Beef w/broccoli is also not high in carbs and if you could skip the beef portion it might be yummy. Sorry I don't have other ideas. Good luck!