karenb4729

I'm all about mozzorella string cheese or the Babybel Mini cheeses.

I get hungry at the same intensity before surgery but, I get full much faster and on very little food.

My Dr also prescribes Actigal. I just need to be more diligent about taking it. Because I'm not allowed to swallow pills I have to open the capsule and put it in pudding... very nasty taste.

The bowel prep is nothing. I had to drink 10oz of magnesium citrate - took about 5hrs to work and it wasn't nearly as bad as the prep I did for the colonoscopy. With the bowel prep I knew I had to go and went only a few times and was cleaned out - with the colonoscopy it seemed to go on all night long.

I was also told no drinking 30 mins before and 30 mins after.

LOL - my pureed stage is 6 weeks... almost at the end of it and will start soft food next week. The refried beans have been a staple and tuna turned out to work well for me too. Frankly, mozzarella string cheese sticks have been another staple. The cheese sticks are 8g of protein each and I can do two in one sitting. I love cheese! Also, I do hummus - my Dr allows baked crackers to use to eat the pureed food like my tuna and hummus. I use Pepperidge Farms Baked Natural wheat crackers, about 5 or 6 and they chew down very nicely. Tried to do peanut butter but that is the one food that doesn't work.

Miralax works for me too - sometimes it takes more than one dose.

I have eaten a lot of refried beans while on pureed. I top it with shredded cheese and a little sour cream.

I also was required to start on my protein on day 3. I did shakes like premier protein that you can get at Costco, Pure Protein in a can that I got from Vitamin Shoppe and Unjury Protein powder. Also, I purchased the Unjury Chicken Broth which was a great change from the sweet tasting stuff. Its very important to get in that protein because it helps with your healing and it counts towards the liquid you need to get each day.

I don't pee as much as I did in the past but I think it's also because I'm not as heavy as I was and there isn't the fat pressing down on my bladder. I'm drinking about 60oz of water - then my shakes and tea. I use to wake up in the middle of the night several times to go and now I can sleep through the night but go a ton when I wake up.

I am 8 weeks out and getting 700 calories a day. I'm not counting carbs but am tracking everything I eat. I did low carb before surgery but based on my nutritionist recommendations am not doing it now. You need carbs as you exercise so you aren't losing muscle. But, my carbs come from veggies, and complex carbs - nothing "white" or refined. My protein levels are at 80g a day with a shake in the morning and one in the evening and then the rest coming from the foods I eat. My Doctor required 80g a day but the nutritionist says that everything should be pretty well healed by month 2 and its ok to get as low as 60g which is the recommended amt for women. If you get too much protein the body will turn it to fat so it's a balancing act. All in all, the surgery is successful when you make the changes that work for you.

10 days... I ended up needing Milk of Magnesia and then Miralax. I took Miralax every other day for about two weeks to just keep going but now I have no problems and have a movement every day. Just remember along with the protein to try to get in some whole grain to keep things on the move when you are able to eat.

I loved the chicken broth - it was such a great savory change from all the sweet flavored protein. I would have never made it through the first couple of weeks after surgery without it.

Well my diet progression from my Doctor is: 2 days clear, 2 weeks full liquid, 6 weeks pureed, 4 weeks soft and by month 4 I will be on regular food.

Milk of Magnesia too and then add some Miralax to your water and take it every other day to keep you going. Once I started eating some food its been much better.

nope - liquids won't stretch your sleeve. You are doing awesome getting in that much liquid!

Yep - went up 7lbs right after surgery. The good news is that it comes off pretty quickly.

I have 6 weeks of pureed. Tonight for dinner we went to Indian food and I had Paneer Tikka masala. I do a lot of cheese on the pureed - cheese sticks and the baby bel cheese as they pack a lot of protein punch. For meat - I make a tuna salad with tuna fish, light mayo, lemon juice and curry powder. I also do something similar with chicken. I toss all the ingredients into my food processor. The best food though during the pureed stage has been refried beans. Add some salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream on top and its a great meal... all 2 to 4 tablespoons.

I'm only 2 months out and hoping to avoid having a lot of hair loss. Went through chemo 20+ years ago and was on a drug that guarantees 100% hairloss except..... mine only thinned out. I'm convinced it's because my hair grows really slow. Recently got my hair cut short figuring that if I do lose some it won't be long strands and maybe, since I don't have to run a comb through long hair that maybe if I do lose some it won't be too bad.

I get hungry too so I don't think it's abnormal. The good thing is that 3oz and I'm full.

I am on puree for 6 weeks - only two more to go. Its much easier the further out you get. I do a lot of tuna fish that I put in a food processor with lemon juice, mayo, and curry powder. I also do the same with chicken. Anyway - I can eat a couple of tablespoon full with about 5 baked wheat crackers... chew well and it sits pretty well. Since I also like cheese I do mozzorella cheese sticks a lot.

The Unjury is pretty close to chicken broth - I added some green onions (didn't eat them just for flavor) and a little soy sauce. As I progressed I added in egg to make it like egg flower soup. It's the one large protein container I did buy and have gone through 2 of them.

You will want to check with your Doctor on what they require. I was only on clear liquids for the two days in the hospital and then immediatly moved to full liquids once home. My Doc required me to try to get in my protein which counts towards the liquid that I needed to get in during the day. Protein is super important while you are healing and you will get your energy back sooner. Again though - you will want to follow what your Doc requires... after all that's why you are going to him.

I am 6 weeks out and do two protein drinks a day. My Doc and Nut require 80g of protein a day. I try not to buy a big thing of protein powder only because I get bored. Amazon.com was a good source for me - Nectar cappuccino and their chocolate truffle were two of my favorites and I purchased two 12 single packs. My latest thing now is the Pure Protein drink in a can. Right after surgery I couldn't stand these but as time past I started liking them again and they aren't too sweet and go down very easily. Also, you may want to consider getting some of the Unjury chicken broth - during the first few weeks after surgery you get very tired of drinking "sweet" all the time.

Well, I have had GERD for a few years and the first couple of weeks I had to double my meds but.... I'm 6 weeks now an down to 1 pill and am pretty sure I will be off all meds by month 3.