Domika03

It's hosted by St Joseph's hospital, in conjunction with Kaiser. Anyone can attend. My surgeon was Dr Farah Hussein. The next meeting is Wednesday, April 30th. We have a great group of people there now. BTW, I'm in Westminster.

Hi everyone, I might be interested in leading / hosting a group (North Denver). Currently, I attend a support group that meets once a month at the Good Samaritan Hospital / Kaiser Permanente Rock Creek facility off of 287 in Lafayette. However, it starts early (4:30pm) & I feel can be tough for some to attend. I'm definitely out-going, personable, and most importantly, a big advocate for helping / supporting people in our weight loss journey. This is a life-long journey, and let's face it, encouragement & moral support is huge! I'm quite comfortable leading discussions as I co-lead team projects as a Kaizen facilitator at my job. I would certainly consider any training that would help me become a better group leader. Who knows, I might have a career change? Alex, as interest increases & things get more organized, please consider me for the North Denver area. Warm Regards, Fran

I didn't know she had WLS surgery either. Amazing to see how our faces look so different, let alone our bodies, of course. Thanks for sharing!

I did a copy & paste of my soft foods. Not everyone's is the same, so you might want to y your Dr's office first. But, this is what I ate from Weeks 3 - 6. Hope it helps DAILY GOALS: 500 calories per day  3 meals eaten over 20-30 minutes each (1/4-1/2 cup a meal)  Drink 64 ounces (8 glasses) of Fluid per day  Protein intake: 15 grams a meal / 45 grams a day Below is a list of low-fat protein food choices for this stage. We do not recommend any non-protein foods unless you are able to eat 45 grams of protein each day. Start with ¼ cup and if you are full stop eating. Remember to always eat your protein first. Estimated Foods (1/4 cup) Protein (grams) Canned turkey in Water 16 Low fat cheese, block 15 Baked fish 14 Canned chicken in water 13 Canned tuna in water 10 Tofu, extra firm 10 Canned ham in water 9 Sliced deli meats 9 Cottage cheese 8 Ricotta cheese 8 Shredded cheese 7 Egg substitutes or egg whites 6 Canned turkey chili 4 Smooth Peanut Butter, natural (1 Tablespoon) 4 Canned Beans, mashed 3 Bean Soup 3 　 Condiments: mustard, ketchup, low-fat or fat-free mayo or salad dressings are okay.

PS In case I didn't say it enough, fluids are important but it IS normal to have that full feeling. Have as much as you can, as slowly as you can, as often as you can. Walk around the house if you're not already walking around outside. It all helps. My Dr's office told me that, at your stage, it's hard to get it all the Protein in because you're still early in healing & just can't eat/drink enough. Don't worry about that. Do what you can. Don't panic., One step at a time. It will come.

I know this is difficult, but try to stay focused on your goal. You don't want to take a chance & hurt yourself during recovery. The first few weeks are vital to your recovery. You just had major surgery on your tummy & it needs time to heal. With that said, what you're feeling is VERY normal. It can get quite frustrating, especially in the beginning, but it DOES get better. I also struggled with getting enough fluids in, even to this day sometimes. So, at this stage, try a variety of liquids / soft foods such as the following. This was my follow up days 8 - 21. Please ask your Dr's office if this is OK for you at this point, especially since you had complications: Milk-skim, 1% or 2 % Soy beverages Fruit juices without the pulp (low-sugar versions) Plain sugar free Gelatin Creamed Soups – blended very well so no chunks are present (these tend to be higher in calories, so watch the content; use low-fat or fat-free versions) Chunky soups – put in the blender and thin out with liquid (broth or water) (Use the meat and veggie types, not pastas or rice varieties.) Drinkable yogurt without fruit chunks Blended fruit smoothies Carnation Instant Breakfast Ice milk Popsicles made from sugar-free juices Egg custard – thin V-8 juice Sugar-free hot cocoa Aktins® Advantage shakes Slim-Fast®Low-Carb Shakes 100% whey Protein powder Applesauce Water Propel Ice chips flavored water Broth (chicken or Beef) Sugar-free Jell-O Sugar-free Popsicles Crystal Light, Sugar-free Tang **5*Cyrstal Light Stwbry / Lemonade is my savior to this day*** Mild tea (no cinnamon), green teas Low-sugar apple juice or cranberry juice Fruit ices (without chunks of fruit) Sugar-free Kool-Aid Whatever you do, be VERY careful. Again, you are still healing & while you probably feel great, your tummy needs this time. I promise it WILL get better. Hang in there & keep blogging on here. It helps to vent

What you're feeling is VERY normal. Just take one step / phase at a time & one day at a time. I also use MyfitnessPal.com to keep me accountable & keep track of my food. It's very helpful. Stay focused & follow your plan. Nutrition is crutial & so are the fluids we need. You can do it!

Nope, can't beat yourself up for "cheating." It happens, you recognized it, and now you're back on the wagon again. You're right, we are human. We make mistakes & as long as we learn from, we're moving in the right direction. Best of luck. I have no doubts you will be successful in this WLS journey!

Three months ago today I had my band removed & revised to the gastric sleeve. In my opinion, the best decision I ever made! I kinda wish I had gone with the sleeve back in 2012, but... live & learn... While I had experience with nutrition from my band days, I'm finding the sleeve a whole new experience. A good one at that. I'm much more mindful about what I eat these days, although, I won't lie, I will munch on chips or something "unhealthy" from time to time. Why? Just because it's there, quick & easy. Old habits die hard people. I've learned what my body can handle & not handle. For example, I don't seem to tolerate starches very well, nor should I really. I've pretty much left bread, pasta & rice in my past. I might have a nibble here or there, but it'll be a rare occurrence. The crazy part is that those were probably my biggest weakness back when I was over weight. I was definitely a major carboholic! I'm happy to say that, thankfully, I really don't crave them. I do eat La Tortilla low carb tortillas sometimes as they have 12g of fiber, 80 calories, 8 g of protein and 18 carbs. For the most part, I try to look for foods that are lower in sugar & higher in protein. Not always successful, but I feel this is a work in progress. I'm learning a lot about myself, my cravings, what makes me tick, etc... I enjoy cooking so looking for healthier alternatives is actually fun for me. I know, I know. I actually plan our family menu about a month in advance. Yup, a month in advance. And no, we don't follow it to a tee, because let's face it. life happens. But, it helps keeps us somewhat organized & we all know that pre-planning is vital to our WLS success. My advice to the newbies out there (come on, you know you want to hear it, LOL): Remember that, regardless of which WLS you had (by-pass, sleeve, band...), it's only a tool. YOU are in control. YOU have the power to be successful, or not successful Be sure to follow your surgeons orders. They know what they're doing. I know we may not always agree with them, because we're impatient & just want the weight to come off, but they do have our best interest in mind. Don't just "hear" what they're saying to you, but take the time to really "listen" and understand why they're saying it. NOTE: We are all different. What works for one person may not work for another. This is a great forum to get suggestions from, but most of us are not licensed in the medical / bariatric field, so know that we're only offering suggestions & that only your Dr can give you the best advice for your situation. Plan your food ahead of time. OK, maybe not a month in advance, but definitely a day in advance. This will help you avoid bad choices. Always keep a snack handy when you're out. Something as simple as a protein bar, cheese stick...etc... Be sure to drink your fluids. I've personally struggled with getting all my fluids in on a daily basis, but it makes a difference. Find what works for you. I find that if I don't drink enough, I get light-headed & dizzy, AND run into issues with not having BM's. It's important we drink enough. Exercise: Most of us don't really enjoy this a lot. But, it's really vital to helping you with your weight loss. Oh, I'm sure you'll still lose weight if you don't do any exercise. But, um, have you seen what 50, 75, 100+ pounds of FLAB looks like? It's not pretty people. Besides, it's the healthy way to go. It'll keep your heart pumping, your muscles working nicely, keep your brain happy, and that flab not so flabby. Some people will opt to have tummy tucks & lifts, and that's OK. Now that I'm on maintenance, my next personal goal will be to...you guessed it, exercise! It's time to tone & firm up my legs & arms. Think I'll go on my recumbent bike every day again. I'll start out slowly & try to just work my way up. Looking healthy is great, but feeling it is even better! Wishing everyone continued success! PS - I've got a friend scheduled to have the sleeve on the 29th & I am soooo excited for her. I know where she's at emotionally & physically, and I look forward to helping her with the best moral support I can offer

While 10 oz seems like a lot in 1 sitting (especially at 2 1/2 weeks), for the most part, soup is liquid, so I wouldn't worry too much about the amount you had. Remember to pace yourself, and eat slowly. Make sure you're getting all your fluids too. Be sure to track all your meals. If you continue to remain concerned, contact your NUT or surgeon. They might be able to make suggestions to help you out. I'm 3 months out, and can eat about 3-4 ounces of Protein and a few bites of veggies (something like spinach). I'd say 1/2 to 1 cup of food in volume, and I feel full. I do have Snacks in between meals, though I was told not to eat anything unless I was actually hungry. I try to make it a healthy snack (Protein Bar, cheese, yogurt...). I no longer eat bread, rice or Pasta because that swells in my stomach and I don't like the full feeling. Hang in there. This is very much a roller coaster-ride of emotions. It does get easier / it goes get better

Yummmm .... Sorry, couldn't resist

It took me 4-6 weeks to really get my energy started up again. It's not a matter of how much weight you lose that gives you more energy. It really wasn't until I started eating more Protein & watching my Fluid intake that I started to feel more energetic. We're all different, with the same goal in mind > a healthier lifestyle. Stay focused, things will get better each day!

I didn't tell my co-workers at all. All I said was that I was gastro-intestinal related surgery & I needed some time off. Some people wanted more information & I just said, "it's personal."

More than likely, based on what you're telling us, it is BM related. Gas pain can be quite, well, painful. Some of the laxatives they have out there tend to make you cramp more than others. A few suggestions that might be gentler on your tummy: Drink plenty of fluids Walk around even if it's in your house. This helps with gas pains Colace pills (take 2 per day for a few days. It will definitely help) Smooth Move Tea (usually gives me a BM by the next morning) Adding flaxseed to anything warm you drink (mix it really well) On a funnier note, did you ever think you'd be talking about pooping with complete strangers? That's why this is a great web site! You can ask anything you want & people will typically be willing to help you! Good luck! Hope things go 'smoothly!"

I agree. Power Crunch is quite yummy. The vanilla flavor tastes really good, but so does the Cookies & Cream one. Very tasty in comparison to the others out there. Not as much fiber as Qwest, but definite both very tasty!

Hi Alex, I think this is an awesome idea! I joined a local support group that just started in my area, through Kaiser Permanente, and we meet the last Wednesday of every month. It started in January, and I've found it to be very helpful. It starts at 4:30pm, so I'm betting some people would love to have another meeting that starts just a little later. I love the idea of helping others going through similar journey's, and trying to support one another as best as possible. Would love to hear more about this & how I might be able to be an integral part of a Chapter in my area (North Denver). Warm Regards, Fran

Thought I would share this information in case anyone might find this helpful. I was at WalGreen's this afternoon & stumbled upon a potential new source of protein snacks. I only bought 2 items but there were 4 or 5 different snacks that seemed to have some good protein. Brand name is Kays Naturals Here's some nutritional on the 2 items I bought: Protein Chips Crispy Parmesan (just ate this after dinner & they were tasty) 1.2 oz bag Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat 2.5g Total Carb: 15g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 240g Protein Cereal Apple Cinnamon (I was thinking this might be great combined with some Greek Yogurt for breakfast) 1.2 oz Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat: 1.5g Total Carb: 19g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 150g

Yup, definitely been there / done that. I hit the floor one night (BAM), and landed right next to my doggie (who kept licking me, LOL). Anyway,for several weeks post-surgery, I felt light-headed / faint. I was told it was more than likely because I wasn't getting enough fluids in. Try your best to drink your Fluid requirements. Also, watch your Protein intake. Hang in there. It does get better.... once you start drinking more!!!

Thought I would share this information in case anyone might find this helpful. I was at WalGreen's this afternoon & stumbled upon a potential new source of Protein Snacks. I only bought 2 items but there were 4 or 5 different snacks that seemed to have some good protein. Brand name is kays Naturals Here's some nutritional on the 2 items I bought: Protein chips Crispy Parmesan (just ate this after dinner & they were tasty) 1.2 oz bag Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat 2.5g Total Carb: 15g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 240g Protein Cereal Apple Cinnamon (I was thinking this might be great combined with some Greek Yogurt for breakfast) 1.2 oz Glutten free Protein: 12g Total Fat: 1.5g Total Carb: 19g Dietary Fiber: 4g Sodium: 150g

In my case, I'm on maintenance, so not as restricted with my carb intake as others might be. I think this is reasonable overall, but it may be too much for others. Total net carbs is 11 & 14.

Sounds like you've done a lot of research. Good for you for doing that, and finding this web site. For the most part, you will really find this website & the wonderful people in here, very helpful. Ask questions, read posts & take it all in. Please keep us updated on your progress. Wishing you nothing but the best!

It's an awesome feeling & you SHOULD feel great and be proud of yourself! All your hard work is paying off. Take the time to look in the mirror, and smile!