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FLGrammy

Gastric Sleeve Patients
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Posts posted by FLGrammy

  11. Posted

    Hi. I'm hoping someone can advise. I'm still waiting for my very first appointment with the dietician at the START of the gastric sleeve process but there is quite a while to wait apparently as they're short on dieticians. Sigh.

    So in the meantime, it's just me and google....and you guys.

    As well as the weight that kept piling on over the years, I've also developed diverticulitis in the last 18 months (bitty bits of food getting stuck in colon, getting inflamed then infected), and in the last few months it turns out that I'm riddled with candida (yeast infection). Happy Days. :/

    Both of these require careful changes to my diet (on top of my high protein/low carb changes for the future gastric sleeve).

    For the candida, I'm reading fairly stock standard low carbs but also NO GRAIN AT ALL. Many Beans are out too because of how the tummy needs to work harder breaking down whatever it is. ... I'm still reading. Extremely limited on fruits because of the natural sugars. Certain vegetables that are still lower carb but off the list for candida. OK. I figure I can work all that into my life. ......but.....

    For the diverticulitis, it's all about high FIBRE. It needs the Beans. It needs the grain foods but the right ones. The absolute bugger that I've been up against since last year is that with diverticulitis is that I'm meant to avoid seeds, nuts, whole grain, skins of fruits ........basically things that end up getting trapped in my colon.

    So that really messes with my high Protein and high FIBRE fixes in my diet. I'm so confused. I realise this is a problem for a professional to help me untangle and I will patiently wait my turn to see the dietician.

    My question for you all IS related to this post. I promise. ;) My fibre content of my food has since been whittled down to "poo powder".....the lovely term I give to the metamusils of this world. .....the powder that we mix with liquids and drink to add bulk to our poo so we can poo better. Apparently (says doctor) it's safe to use and won't teach the bowel bad habits like getting lazy. I'm now taking it twice every day and seriously considering upping it to 3 times. Ugh.

    Here is THE QUESTION.

    If I have the gastric sleeve and my stomach will be that much smaller with all the careful increasing of consistency that will be required. ...WILL my tiny tummy be able to drink the poo powder in the volumes that I'll need, while still keeping the Protein high enough?

    I'm really concerned that my diverticulitis will cause me problems. It's not just about getting uncomfortably constipated. If I don't poo, I get intense pain from infection because it hasn't moved through fast enough.

    Any experience or advice would be very much appreciated.

    Thanks .

    Change

    Sent from my GT-I9300T using the BariatricPal App

    OMG, I too suffered years with diverticulitis before my sleeve surgery in 2014. I have to say searching this site was not as helpful as one would think, lots of information on Constipation but not much on our condition. I will give my story.

    I was hospitalized three times since my first attack in 2002 and dealing with too many bouts counts of the lovely drug cocktail required when that pain hits. One of the first things my research of gastric procedures told me was constipation would be an issue and was one of the first questions I asked my surgeon. He was adamant that this would not be an issue and weightloss, eating less and healthier would help. I also was concerned about Water and fiber intake, if I didn't drink a gallon of Water daily, I would feel it in my gut immediately. I was self pay and after my first appointment the surgery was scheduled quite quickly, no nutritionist appointment was needed just the blood work, EKG and approvals from my lungs specialist and GP. Surgery went well, I was home in two days and on my way to the new me, water was rough at first but didn't seem a problem since the first few weeks were mostly liquid/pureed protein and yogurt. By the time I returned to work two and a half weeks out, I was drinking my 64 oz of water and eating soft foods/thick Soups and back to walking 3 miles a day (exercise before surgery also helped keep things moving) The next evening I started having abdominal pain, it was not like the pain I was use to from my diver attacks, by 10:30pm I was concerned about a leak or stricture so I called my surgeon who personal called me back and advised me to go directly to the ER. Luckily the hospital near my home is where my surgery was preformed so they often see gastric patients. By this time I was on several pain and they could not give me anything on the off chance surgery would be needed. After several tests, scans and xrayso, I was admitted with a severe diverticulitis attack, I was hospitalized for a full week. This was not fun since the I was not originally admitted to the gastric floor and theyear attempted to feed me a full high fiber diet, yeah sure, I was in tears and begging for just yogurt of course the brought me sugar filled Yoplait which I could not stomach at all. I was moved to the gastric floor and my husband was allowed to bring me plain Greek yogurt, something I have always eaten and between that and the scrambled eggs and Soup, I made it through and was sent home with instructions to include a daily stool softener. At my six week check-in I asked my surgeon what could be done and whether surgery for the diverticulitis was an option (my gastro had advised when he saw me in hospital this might an option) he advised it was and agreed to preform a left hemi-colectimy. I had the additional surgery in January 2015, this required a 5day stay on the bariatric floor, I was already down 65lbs so recovery seemed a little faster, I was back to eating solids, drinking 64+oz of water, walking and of course pooping by the time I was released. This surgery required six weeks off from work, which I took even though I felt like I could return after three (I do computer work).

    Today I am over 1 1/2 year out and I have reached my goal weight and seem to be on my way to losing more. I have lost over 100#. I can eat almost anything except corn and popcorn as my new belly and intestinal tract don't like them. I follow my sleeve protocol, no fluids 30 minutes before or after meals, only 3 meals a day, 60-80 grams of protein daily, protein first followed by veggies and whole grains. I have a high fiber breakfast daily, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup fiber buds and 1 tsp fiber supplement. If have always been regular so if I go one day without movement I will add a stool softener or occasionally senna. I walk every day after lunch and dinner for at least 45 minutes, and my water intake is back up to almost a gallon a day.

    I know my story is not typical, but it sounds like yours story is starting out on a similar note. If I had to do it over again I definitely would, I am much healthier now. I went from a size 22 to a 6, no more sleep apena, no more pre-diabetes, no more blood pressure meds. Both these surgery procedures require a lifetime of change and it has not been easy, but the end results are worth it.

    Please feel free to ask me any questions and good luck with you journey.

    Sent from my SM-G930T using the BariatricPal App

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