Daisee68

I would call the GI Dr that did your first dilation. Skip the bariatric surgeon altogether

People are starting to question if I am the same person. I still have 50ish pounds to lose so I'm not sure I want to do it just yet??

I did read another post on here that someone did have it come back after many months so I think it is possible. I can't remember who said it though.

The 3rd week was a rough week for me too but it gets better. Make sure you're taking vitamins (including B12) and getting protein and fluids and just be patient.???? Promise it gets better and will totally be worth it!!

I found the benefiber made mine worse.

The few people I know personally are examples of "what not to do". I am so blessed to have found this site and the wonderful people here. They are my role models - @@Djmohr, @@Elode, @@Babbs, @@Inner Surfer Girl, and a few others I know I am forgetting right now. Truly wouldn't have gotten this far without you! And PS I stumbled on this site thanks to google search for something so regardless of the drama a while back about a certain person complaining their posts could be searched, I am forever grateful that the posts were searchable or I never would have gotten here!!

Definitely include some broths. I loved Swanson's Mexican Tortilla Soup broth. A little spicy so needs to be watered down a little. For shakes, one of my favorites was Orange Crush powder (like the sticks of Crystal Light) mixed with vanilla Protein powder (I LOVE Precision Engineered whey Protein Isolate vanilla) and 2 oz of fat free milk with 4 to 6 oz of Water and few ice cubes (or you can skip the milk and just use water). Tastes a bit like Orange Julius. After about 6 weeks post-op, I added in a very small bit of banana (like 1 oz or about 1/4th of medium banana). My other favorite shake is PB2 and chocolate powder. Also, once you can have pudding or yogurt, boost their protein with 1/2 scoop of Protein Powder (vanilla powder with Dannon Light & Fit Greek strawberry Cheesecake is really good). You can also use sugar free syrups (by Torani for example). Or mix in small bit of pudding mix. Here is a link to some good ones -

No blasting but have you considered seeing a therapist? Mine has been of huge help to me and I likely would have followed the same path without her forcing me to deal with food issues.

@@RDub - very interesting!

@@BENNYB - Thanks. I am actually 5 1/2 months out so I don't think it is surgery related. I have an eye dr appt Wednesday. Maybe I'm just old!

OK this is driving me crazy too. I thought the blurry vision was just from looking at my phone too much but now I am really struggling to see my computer at work. I don't have a patch for nausea and am not on blood pressure med and my diabetes is now in remission Wonder if this is just a coincidence or is related to the surgery somehow?

Just emailed you. Only twice but 2ND Dr said he felt like it could have all been done the first time. I just think some drs are more conservative than others (which frankly was fine with me. I prefer conservative.)

Yep me too. Right after surgery I even drank pickle juice to help with hydration because I wasn't always drinking enough. They are high is salt so you have to watch that and you have to get protein in but otherwise I don't see why you can't have them - eventually anyway

You can boost the protein by adding some vanilla or unflavored protein powder to it. I generally use about half a scoop. I know you can't tolerate the shakes but the powder might work if you haven't tried that.

I had one (and thanks to @JamesMarusek for suggesting it when I was in the ER having not held down food or water for 4 days.). The EGD is super easy and super fast. I was asleep maybe 10 minutes. There was such a small opening at the bottom of my stomach she nearly went able ringer the tube through. But she did and they us a balloon to dilate it. First Dr dilated to a 9mm and then went to a GI specialist the next week who expanded it to 15mm opening . I felt better immediately! My first Dr required liquid for a week but searching around here, most drs aren't that conservative and most went back to regular diet right away. I took a lot if Zofran and FYI OT makes constipation worse so be sure you are taking at least a stool softener if not laxatives. So yes, take heart. It does get better and is a quick fix! Best wishes and let us know tomorrow how you are doing.

Oh girl. Your just too early. You will likely be fine further out.

I can sometimes tolerate chicken but it seems to depend on how it is prepared and honestly can depend from time to time. I can eat rotisserie chicken warm but cold, I cannot seem to tolerate. Having said that I used it to shred up and put it in chicken salad (which is cold) and that seems to be fine. Mostly it just has to be really moist - so if cold, must be mixed with something. If warm, it seems to be okay. I didn't tolerate it early on though so I agree if you give it a couple of weeks and try again you might be ok. @@dusky goddess - how far out are you?

@@AngryViking - Just made this Buffalo chicken salad today. SO good! Exactly what I needed! I love buffalo flavored stuff! I have been craving the chicken salad I used to make but it has nuts and grapes in it which I can't quite tolerate yet. This was a good (but different) substitute. Thanks! Now to try out some of the other recipes on here. Keep 'em coming!

I never cooked before surgery. I mean I could but I rarely did unless it was for a holiday. I truly hate cooking just for one because I wasn't crazy about left-overs. I am finding post-op though that I really need to try to cook more. When I am just grabbing convenience food, I tend to stand in front of the fridge and think "hmm what sounds good?" Yea that is an old school habit and slippery slope for me, so just this week I realized I need to have some more things prepared. So, today I made buffalo chicken salad (ok that's not really cooking but preparing), Magic Crust Quiches in mini-muffins (thanks to @beachgal) and am going to make some sort of chicken, marinara, cheese, veggie stuff tonight and put in individual servings for dinner this week. If I make any more than these 3 things, I won't be able to finish it.

I saw my therapist every week for the first 4 months and have now switched to every other week. She says eventually we will switch to once a month for at least 2 years post-op to be sure to stay on top of any maintenance issues. I visit with (phone call) my NUT once every 4 to 5 weeks but am able to email her and get quick response if needed (though at 5 1/2 months post-op this more urgent need for contact has slowed down if not stopped). My surgeons office had 10 day post-op follow-up, then at 1 month then 3 months post-op then 6 months post-op. Not sure if the visit after 6 months is at 9 months or waits until 1 year. I have been in contact with them on other occasions up to about 3 months post-op for some complications (Stricture). They (including the surgeons) were extremely and amazingly available. My clinic did not have an exercise physiologist but I sure wish they had. I think that would be a great addition to any bariatric team. I am going to a personal trainer who has no clue about WLS and am really frustrated with the nutritional "advice" she keeps trying to give me. I just ignore that part.

@@Babbs - Good to know! Thanks!

Ok silly thing to be excited about I guess but at 5 1/2 months post-op, I have not even ventured towards a piece of bread out of fear of it "sticking". Honestly I know I can live without it, but I really needed a way to get my carbs and Fiber up a little and mostly have really struggled with Breakfast choices as I am savory / salty craving person and not a sweets person. ANYWAY, I bought Cobblestone Flatbread Rounds 100% Whole Wheat and they are very thin. I toasted only 1/2 of the "round" which was 50 calories, 10g carb, 2.5g Protein and topped it with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge and 1 oz of deli turkey. I took tiny bites but so far so good! Probably need to up the protein by adding some more turkey or something, but so nice to have an alternative for breakfast! And nice to know it could be used for so many things like a mini pizza crust maybe? Mostly I am happy I braved into trying something new without fear that was satisfying!

Mine was 1 week of "liquids" including shakes and getting at least 60 g of Protein per day. So I had 3 shakes and then a LOT of broth and sugar free popsicles and Water and Powerade Zero. The last day was "clear liquids" so I used Isopure drinks. UGH! They were awful! But I got through the day. I lost 12 pounds that week but then gained coming out of the hospital and it took me a week until that went away and I was back to square one.

I see this is an old post but oddly it is something I have been thinking about lately. I have chronic kidney stones and have to have them broken up occasionally if they get too big instead of passing. Anyway these machines that break up the stones (called lithotripsy) are only at a few locations around. I always had to go to the only one that could hold over 300 pounds. One time the nurse scheduled me for the other location and I went for per-op and I was 3 pounds over so they denied me the procedure. She wasn't even sympathetic. Just "nope. Can't do it". I was mortified. I cried and cried. But did it change me? Nope. Well I just realized this week that at my new weight that will never happen again. I will never have to ask about the weight limit on an MRI table or lithotriosy table again! I haven't flown since I've lost but I am excited to do so. I still have a huge bottom half so the seat won't be comfortable (seriously who do they build those damn seats for?!) But at least maybe I won't have to have the seatbelt extender. I mourn the life I have let pass me by while worrying about how I looked or where I could fit. I pray this will always keep me fearful of regain and on track.

Wow! You look amazing!! Congrats!! Great work!