Tgarden

Hi there! Yes, your doc should be able to take care of it during your bypass procedure. When I had lap band put in several years ago I had a hiatal hernia repaired during that surgery, and I had another one repaired this time during bypass. makes healing take a little longer, but you'll be no worse for the wear!

I also see a difference! Congratulations and keep it up lady!!

Hi everyone! I have been meaning to update, but haven't made time to sit down and do it it. I guess it is a good sign that I have been busy, huh? Today I am a little more than 5 weeks post-op, and there are times now that I forget I even had bypass surgery. Physically I feel almost normal. My only physical complaint would be headaches. I try every day to drink as much Water as I can, but I know I need to do more. I have a big water jug that I try to drink 2 of every day, but don't seem to make it. I find myself so concerned about not drinking for 30 minutes after I eat, then before I know it two hours have passed!! I am able to take bigger sips lately, so that is helping. I am taking the following vitamins; 2 multi, 1 Calcium, 1 Iron, 1 B12, 1 Biotin. All chewable except the biotin which I dissolve in water at bedtime. The Vitamin regimen is a bit tedious, but I know how important it is to get it all in. I will add an Omega 3 at some point soon. Haven't had to take any laxatives or Milk of Magnesia except for once about two weeks post-op. I also still struggle with low energy, although that is getting better. I cleaned out part of my garage today and repotted a large plant, and still felt good afterwards. I have been walking some, but need to make it a regular part of my weekly routine. My doc said he didn't want me doing any weights for the first year, which surprised me. He said the focus should just be on burning as many calories as possible so lots of cardio. I can already feel my arms getting flabbier, so I might do some resistance work on my arms to keep from flying away!! I am down 35 pounds, and all of my clothes are loose. I could definitely stand to buy the next size down of jeans, but since the weather is warming up, I get to enjoy getting into capris and shorts that haven't fit in awhile. Such a nice feeling to just be comfortable in my own clothes. My mom says she really notices that my face is thinning out. I am slowly trying new soft foods, and (knock on wood) have not had a single problem with being sick or anything getting "stuck". I am so aware of ingredients now, and because of that have not experienced dumping either. I do have, on occasion, a slightly nauseated feeling after I eat. It is nothing serious, but makes me wonder if it is a lactose sensitivity. I know this is possibe after surgery, so I'm just keeping my eye on it. Foods I eat at this stage are fried eggs, tuna salad, egg salad, crunchy crackers with hummus, sliced cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken fajita meat, Pasta with sauce, and all of my pureed friends like mashed potatoes and applesauce. Today I also ate a Protein bar, and it is the most "solid" thing I have had yet. So far so good, and I ate it this morning. I'm taking it very slow through the food progressions. Hope everyone else is doing well!

Berlynn, the foods you mentioned above are NOT on the pureed list! Be super careful. Purees are like baby food. Not liquid, but no chunks of anything! Things like cottage cheese would be on soft foods. I think hummus is ok for purees.

Hey there lisavz! For egg salad, just hardboil several eggs. I usually use 4. Once cooled, grate them into a bowl with a cheese grater. Add light or ff may until creamy to your liking, then add about 2 T curry powder. Stir it all up and it is a great source of protein! I'm sure you could also add Protein powder for an extra boost. As for the spaghetti, I actually used whole wheat elbows for my "spaghetti" this time. I don't regular spaghetti noodles would be a good idea right now, but I could be wrong. I overcooked the Pasta so it was nice and soft. I used an organic pasta sauce with no sugar, and ready-made low sodium, light meatballs from my grocery store. Lots of protein! My nutritionist said this was ok on the transitional phase to soft foods, but I'm sure pasta of all kinds will be limited once I am on a regular food intake.

Thanks so much for these ideas! They have been very helpful. This week I have had tuna with mayo, oatmeal, the soupy part of a chicken pot pie, and several purees that I'm not ready to give up. I made egg salad last night that I plan to eat on for several lunches. I also actually ate some spaghetti and meatballs for lunch yesterday, but not vvery much. I took it to work as leftovers, and had tiny bites of the meatballs mixed in with a lot of sauce. Ate super slow, and had no problems. It was so nice to have real food!! Gave me hope that things are healing well and I should be able to progress through these phases ok, as long as I take it slow. I also try to add Protein powder when I know I won't be able to detect it. I have developed a blech sensation whenever I smell or barely taste the stuff. I'm usually not a very sensitive eater, but for some reason it is not sitting well with me. Thankful for many other protein options that have opened up!!

Hi! I am struggling with the same thing as many of you!! I'm month post op and waiting for the day when I have all of this energy everyone talks about.

It is always so nice to hear the positive things you have to reflect on! I am about to do a jeans downsize myself and am super excited about it! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your week.

Don't lose hope! Your body isn't even finished healing yet, and you have so many victories coming your way. Focus on one good thing a day and the rest will come.

Welcome, and congratulations on taking a huge step towards a healthier you! I enjoyed reading your story and your past struggles. You will find a lot of support here. My first 10 days post opp were not a wall in the park, but I promise things do get better. Hang in there and don't loss sight of the reasons you choose this surgery. Baby steps each day. Blessings to you!

I am almost 4 weeks out, and knock on wood have not had anything related to dumping!! As far as Protein, I know I need to get some more in, but like someone else on here said, there is only so much sweet, artificially made protein a person can consume!!! I have found that the Pure Protein drinks sit best with me. 23 g protein, and they come in an aluminum bottle in a 4 pack. I get them at my grocery store. As far as yogurt, I started off with the Yoplait light, and they have some good flavors that sat really well with me. Then I noticed that the Chobani Greek yogurts have almost the same sugars and carbs with NO artificial anything, so I switched to them. So nice to not taste that sickly aftertaste that everything sugar free seems to have! The activia greek is also good and goes down well with me. I am on mushies right now (refried Beans, yogurt, grits, mashed potatoes, pureed casseroles, ets.) but can progress to soft foods tomorrow. I'm a little worried that I won't be able to get down anything new. I think I'll start with unflavored oatmeal and see how that sits! Blessings to you all on this journey!

Hi there! I'm sure that is very frustrating. Just wanted to let you know that you are posting in the Gastric Bypass forum, so not many people here would have advice for what you are going through. I know there is a separate page for all things Band. I hope you find the answers you are looking for there. Blessings on your road to a healthier new you!

Hi everyone! I am 3 weeks post op today, and feeling great! My doctor says that by the end of this week I should be ready to transition to soft foods. Problem is, I'm a little scared!! I have been so super careful about everything I put in my mouth, and I'm afraid I'm going to hurt something internally if I eat the wrong thing. So, any guidance from those of you who have done this transition before would be hugely appreciated! What things did you eat, how much were you able to tolerate, anything would be helpful. Also I'd love to hear what things did NOT work for you. Did certain foods cause you to vomit, or get "stuck", or just didn't sit right. Right now I'm on purees and loving refried Beans, yogurt, sf pudding, mashed potatoes, and still having a Protein drink once a day. Thank you!

In talking to a few non-WLS friends who have been a normal healthy weight for most of their lives, even their weight can go up and down by a few pounds a week. It always hovers around the same healthy number, though. So I'm thinking for all of us, our weight is going to do the same thing. If your food had a bit too much salt one day, you might see a plus one on the scale. If your system hasn't been very regular, same thing, might see a one or two pound increase. Then two days later that goes away and you see a loss. I think the important thing is to NOT weigh daily! It is so easy to become a slave to that scale. Focus on your other successes and the weight WILL come off if you are following your plan. Try on a pair of jeans that fit pre surgery. That has been my motivator this week! I can almost pull them off without unzipping them. That feels better than whatever the scale would tell me. Here's to getting over plateaus and a healthy lifestyle!!

I'm two weeks out also! The time has gone by pretty quickly. I don't see my dr. until this Friday though. The thing I am struggling with most right now is energy. Like, none. I know it will come back, but I'm ready to feel energized again! Glad those on here seem to be doing well.

mcmedic, call your nutritionist and see, or just your nurse. When I was about one week out I had to call for something else and I wanted to be sure about what I could have to eat. She told me cream Soups were just fine!!! I had to add chicken broth to make them thinner, but cream soups are included on my full liquids. It was so nice to branch out some! Just check with your dr. to be sure it is ok for you.

Yay for all of us being in the post op category now! What a long road, huh? I am two weeks post-op today, and have had no pain for the last week. My only complaint is headaches and lack of energy. I know the energy will continue to get better,, but not sure about the headaches. Going to try to boost my Fluid intake, but I can only drink so much!! My first checkup is Friday and i will hopefully get moved to purees then. Enjoying Panera Soups this week and last!!

I have heard that plateaus are a big part of this process and to expect them fairly often! I am really going to try to not live by my scale. I was weighing myself quite a bit for the first week or so post surgery, then told myself I was only going to weigh at my checkups. Haven't been on the scale since, but am loving the way my clothes are starting to feel on me.

Happy two weeks post-op April 7th people! Here's to a long life of health and happiness!

Excited for all of you awaiting surgery this coming week! Keep on your pre-op diet this weekend! It is super tough to do, but remember the reason you are doing it. Monday morning will be here before you know it!

tebowfan, I understand your worries. I truly feel like your doctor will know just the right procedure for you. And, from what I have read and researched, your chances are better for more weight loss with bypass than the sleeve. I know everyone is different, but statistically that is what is shown. I hope you have an approval answer very soon!

Can you all believe we are almost two weeks post op? That first week was kindof rough for me. Not regarding pain, I think I was just feeling very overwhelmed. The last few days have been so much better! Went back to work for part of the week, although I only work part time anyway. kfhf20, like you said, I didn't miss work, but it was nice to have somewhere to go! The first time I got fully ready nearly wore me out. I was really tired. I also developed thrush on my tongue, which has been a huge inconvenience. It is almost gone, thank goodness. I don't have a follow up with my surgeon until NEXT Friday, so one more week of liquids for me. Yee haw. My nurse said that as long as the Soups I have are mostly thin with tiny pieces of stuff, then that is ok. Egg drop soup has saved me the last few days, and I went and got three different kinds at Panera this afternoon. I'll eat on those for the next few days.

Congrats and welcome! I am also ready for mushies!

Well, here I am one week (and 1 day) post surgery, and boy has it been a whirlwind!! I have been totally off pain meds since Saturday, and I learned that liquid Tylenol sits like a brick in my stomach. I tried it twice, and will never do it again. I needed it just for a few aches and pains, but didn't want to take any more Rx drugs. Now i am just toughing it out, and my heating pad is my best friend at night! Tried crushing regular Tylenol and it was like eating a chemical spill. Saturday I got out of the house and it was so nice! Didn't have a bra that would fit loosely enough across that very top suture, so had to find a dress where it wasn't too noticeable that I didn't have one on. Felt like a heathen the whole time! Wore a little crop shrug with it so I was safe. Really tired that night. Sunday I got out and did just a bit more, but not too much. Felt great that morning, and not so great by evening. Had a little crying spell, super overwhelmed with everything, not feeling my best, wondering if I will ever be normal again, just wanting to sit with my family and eat Sunday dinner. I was so frustrated by the lack of liquids that were appealing, and I just sortof went downhill from there. Did a LOT of praying that evening and tried to turn all of those fears and worries over, and Monday woke up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another day. And, I did way too much on Monday. Two errands, went to work for 2 hours, tutored in the afternoon, and by the time bedtime rolled around I was hurting and so tired. I did keep my Water intake up that day, thank goodness, or I imagine I would have been in a lot worse shape. I woke up this morning (Tuesday) at around 4:00am with heartburn and a headache. Got up and took my Prilosec a few hours early with some almond milk, and went back to sleep propped up on the couch. Decided that my body is saying "Hold up sister!!" So, instead of tackling the few errands that need to be done or going to work, I have been on the couch drinking my water and getting up every once in awhile to move my body around. Nothing was so important today that I felt like I needed to put my recovery in jeopardy. I wish I could say recovery is a piece of cake, but its not. I have a high tolerance for pain, and truly haven't been in pain. There is just this strange overall feeling of blech and lightheadedness, and the question does go through my mind, "am I sure this is what I signed up for?" I have two more weeks of liquids, and it is going to take a whole lot of positive thinking to get through it and hopefully start feeling better. I want to be up and moving for my kids and husband, and I just have to make myself stop and take time for me. I think as a mom I usually end up putting everything I need on the back burner, so I am having these huge feelings of guilt. However, I KNOW there is an end in sight, and I am thankful for all of you postop people who post how great you are doing and how good you are feeling. Makes me realize that after this time of struggle and uncertainty, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't go back, so there is no point on focusing on the negative. Today I am choosing to be thankful for my family, and cozy house in which to recover, and my unwavering faith that God is in control. I wish all of you continued health and safety on your upcoming surgeries, and quick recovery to those of us on the other side.

Papagrimace, I know how you feel. Sunday evening was my weepy time. Felt overwhelmed, hungry but not hungry, dizzy because I'm sure I'm not getting enough to drink, and wondering if I would ever be able to sit down at the table and eat a normal dinner with my family. Yesterday was much better, but I overdid it and am paying for it today! Not blue today, just tired. Focusing on Water today. I know bouts of sadness are to be expected, and I'm sorry you had a rough one today. I'll pray for you and hope that tomorrow is tons better! Dont' lose sight of the reasons we all did this crazy thing. I just know it will be worth it in a few months.