Djmohr

To @ point, you could have developed a staff infection just from scratching it. I would make an appointment and get in to be seen as a. They can get that cleared up before it becomes a real problem for you. Trust me, I have had a staff infection if that is what it is and ended up in the hospital for 3 days to be treated with IV antibiotics. Mine got out of control and crept up my leg and arm very rapidly. I learned then that everyone carries a bit of staff around with them and it can become serious if not treated. Best to get it checked out. Good luck!

I am one of those people that have never been a huge meat eater but I do eat some. I drink a premier Protein shake every morning, it has 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. I also eat cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, protein enriched granola, salads with different Proteins on them, beef jerkey, nuts, vegetables and fruits. If I ate Beans that would be another valuable protein resource. I stick to healthy meats and quality vegetables and I don't get hungry. It is when you eat too many empty calorie carbs when you get hungry. The pouch test is absolutely the way to go to get back on track. I would suggest giving it another try. Good luck to you!

Don't let one person drag you down, there will be many more non believers or people thinking you will fail. What matters most is that you believe and do everything possible to succeed. I should tell you not to bank on the bypass causing you to dump. I can eat anything I want just in smaller amount and there are many others who can on this site as well. There are ways to eat around your bypass so you do need to be aware of what draws you to those foods. It's ok to have something once in a while but getting rid of your sugar addiction is necessary to be successful. The good news is, the pre op diet and several weeks of liquids post surgery will help you break that sugar habit. Also, almost everyone has their favorite food funerals before they go through this surgery. For me, that was Pasta and sweets. Keep your head up and just remember you are the one that can control your success. ☺️

I take a multi Vitamin daily, 2 calcium citrates with D3 per day, Vitamin D daily, B12 - once weekly, 10,000 mg Biotin I have been told I do not need to take Iron. I have had labs done twice and everything has been excellent

Congratulations! I wish you a safe and speedy recovery.

Premier Protein has 30 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar. It is a recommended protein supplement by bariatric centers of excellence. The beautiful thing is you only have to drink one shake instead of 3 to get 30grams. Also they taste very good. They are not gritty and don't have that protein taste.

Congratulations!

I went to recovery for 2 hours and then to a regular room. I was out of bed within 1 hour of getting to my room walking and using the bathroom. No ICU for me

@@ishmaellisa You are welcome. Good luck, I hope things improve for you!

Oatmeal was on my list of approved foods at the puréed stage. I added Protein to it. I don't eat it regularly only because I get tired of the same things. I do like a light yogurt with protein granola in it. You can find some good granolas out there that taste great and have low sugar and over 10 grams of protein. Unfortunately I cannot do eggs so I find other things.

@@LipstickLady, LOL! This post was like a train wreck, I simply had to look. Cute kitty!

At 8 weeks I was told that I should be completely healed and I felt like it as well. I did follow the eating plan though 100 percent leading up to it. Even after 8 weeks I was able to eat soft foods but had to chew really really well and take it slow. I remember this because I went to Las Vegas for 10 days and had to eat out the whole time. The only two Proteins I could tolerate was chicken and fish. I hope you feel better soon.

I would have had no problem on a long car ride even one week later. Assuming there are no complications you should be just fine. The most important thing will be to stay hydrated. At that stage Water is the most important thing and if you don't drink enough of it you can get sick really fast. And of course get out and stretch every once in a while. Enjoy your vacation....

Is your family supportive of your surgery? I know this is really hard but you can do it and will certainly have to to be successful. My husband is very supportive and in the beginning would not eat around me at all. Now of course 7 months later he eats so much crap and then asks for me help to stop him. I then become the nag and that is not fair to me. Instead I simply say, you will stop when you have another episode that takes you to the ER. That usually gets him to quit. I have had to learn how to say no for myself and insist we go somewhere to eat where I can eat as well. And have Protein Snacks in the house for me like cheese, jerkey, nuts and of course fruit. That means no fast food garbage. I know that it bothers him sometimes but he realizes it is the best thing for him too. If we end up at a fast food place, about the only thing I will touch is a salad with protein on it. Sorry but there is no magical solution, you have to help them understand this is about your life. Just say no!

Are you drinking a cup of milk between meals? It really helps me. Or have a little cheese or nuts. For some reason those little Snacks carry me over to the next meal and then I am not starving and don't overeat. Milk is the best solution, it fills your tummy, provides good Protein and Calcium. Sometimes I just need something.

The more you lose and run into people who haven't seen you in a while the more those really crazy compliments come. I actually have had people stare at me for Avery long extended time and say I cannot believe you great you look. I actually think for some, they are shocked by the transformation. My stepdad has a new girlfriend and she hasn't seen me for 4 months. I have lost a total of 101lbs now. When she saw me,her mouth literally hung open and she told me how great I looked for over 5 minutes. For some reason I will always say, I am getting there. She then asked "you are not going to continue to lose are you" Of course my big mouth responds yes, I am still short of a healthy weight. I would like to lose another 40 to 50lbs. Her response: "Oh my god, I better start losing weight, I must look like a real cow next to you." I think she meant it as a compliment but I was offended by it. Mostly because I can only imagine what she thought when I weighed 310. By the way, she is a little overweight but certainly not obese by any means. I am still not very good at responding. I think because I am not yet at my personal goal and I there is still part of my brain wondering if I can get there. How weird is that! I will say I try to take every comment as a compliment and I usually try not to care about what people think.

Good luck to both of you! It sounds like your pre op weight loss is going well.

Welcome Paula and congratulations! I am glad to hear you made it through the process and are now on the road to recovery. Which surgery did you end up doing? I am guessing bypass given your history of reflux/Gerd.

Yes, it is completely normal. The best thing you can do is go slow and try one new thing at a time. Make sure you chew like crazy and everything will be ok. You learn to eat again by trial and error. Once you get going the fear will subside. Good luck!

@@leana123@live.com, I am so happy that you have made the decision to take care of yourself now. You are very young and have the opportunity to get your health back on track now before things get worse with your spine. I am 51 and had I known that I would be successful with WLS I would have done this 15 years ago and saved my spine. Next week I will have a 3 level cervical fusion with a 1 level Corpectomy done. I had a lumbar fusion done in 2001 so I know what I am in for and not looking forward to it. Gastric bypass was the best thing I have ever done for myself! I am down over 100 lbs in just 7.5 months with only another 45 to go. I feel absolutely fantastic! Next week I will have my spine surgery and I am bound and determined not to let it set me back. As far as being an RN goes, the reality is you have been taking care of others and focused on them all this time. God bless our nurses! Now it is time for you to focus on becoming a healthier new you! You are very young and have many more years and many more patients who will need you to be healthy. This is your time. I wish you all the best with your upcoming WLS. Please let me know if there is anything you need or questions you have. Take care of yourself!

@@CanyonBaby, Thanks so much for the update. Just know that we are all thinking about you and Dave and praying that this treatment provides the cure. God bless you both and your families!

Ok, this is really horrible to admit because I never was a big eater and I felt like such a pig afterward. My downfall was pie! I love pie! I am a great pie maker but rarely made it because I knew what would happen. My husband went away for the weekend a couple years ago and I was very bored. I decided to make a deep dish apple pie from scratch. Well I could barely wait for that pie to cool, I sliced a rather large piece and ate it. It was absolutely delicious! About an hour later I just had to have another piece. And shortly after that another piece. I ate that whole damn thing by the end of the day! A whole stinking pie! I felt like the biggest slob ever. To say the least I never made pie again when my husband was gone for fear I would eat the whole thing in one day. I remember being very ashamed that I had done that. Now, I am very happy if I snag one little bite of someone else's. It satisfies me and I am done. Usually it is too sweet and I do not bake them at home anymore. Thank goodness!

@@ishmaellisa, Also you should be getting a minimum of 1 gram of Protein for every inch you are tall. For me I am 70 inches tall, I must get at least 70 grams of protein every day. I usually shoot for 75 to 90 and hit it every day and was finally able to get all my protein at about week 4. The swelling starts to go down and it gives you more room for that protein. Good luck!

@@ishmaellisa, Thanks for sharing more info with us. From what you have described, you are not getting enough Protein and eating too many carbs. That in itself will cause you to stall. No matter how hard it is, you must focus on getting your protein in or you are actually going to get very sick. Protein is important for healing as well as weight loss. I would suggest trying a few different Protein shakes until you find the one that you like. I had trouble myself with whey protein and so my surgeon told me to switch to Premier Protein ready made shakes. They are delicious and I swear you don't get that nasty protein powder taste or grit. Each shake has 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. chocolate is the best flavor but they also have strawberries and cream as well as vanilla. You can find them at SAMs and costco in bulk or Walgreens has them in smaller packs. Drink them cold and shake them. In addition you are eating a lot of carbs. Mashed potatoes, gravy and fruit are basically all carbs. That will stall you as well. Try yogurt, cottage cheese, Beans for soft foods. If you are allowed true soft foods try chicken and fish. You should be having 2 bites of protein rich foods for every 1 bite of soft vegetables and maybe some canned soft fruit. Then of course you really should be getting a minimum of 64 oz. of Water. All of these things will help you get past this. Did your doctor give you a bariatric diet to follow? If so, they are trying to help you get the most out of your surgery. The first several months you should lose very quickly and then I promise it slows down so you need to take advantage now. Good luck!

So sorry! I remember what that is like. I itched like crazy for a while but I promise it will go away.