HHMM. I still take Advil... Tylenol does not work for me. But I must say that I only take Advil once in a while. most of the pain meds I take for my Migraines are prescription.
I was very, very selective in who knew about my surgery, because I don't need that type of toxic environment. I'm very sorry you're dealing with that bunch of jackwagons.
@@Nikki Monroe@@Nickkibear24 - Best of luck to both of you with your upcoming surgeries!
I am a little over 3 months out and remember all too well that I overbought in preparation. I second @@10nsStar's suggestion on not gettting too much beforehand as taste can change and I've read that from many on this site. Mine sure did and I wasted some product. I am also a vegetarian so I won't be listing meats.
That being said, for Clear liquids I had several different things to flavor Water (flavor drops, crystal light, flavored herbal teas, lemons etc) and since I like them cold, more ice trays. Also for clear stage you can have broths, which can feel really healing on the tummy (and if you are motivated can add unflavored Protein powder - I used unjury which I think is only online). Of course there is sugar free popscicles, Jello etc. I also drank G2 which is diet gatorade
Full liquids - all of the above and:
soups - strain if need be
Protein shakes (I like premade better like premeir but also made some nectar ones when I wanted fruit - fuzzy navel is good)
milk (high Protein ones like fairlife)
Puree/soft foods - you can puree most anything but I didn't and stuck to soft foods:
yougurt - esp greek
scrambled eggs
ricotta cheese bake (from world according to eggface - a good resource)
cottage cheese
Beans
sugar free pudding
oatmeal - I added Protein Powder
There are some good recipes on the internet - I mentioned the World According to Eggface, which is a great one.
Congratulations and good luck!
Don't over buy. What taste good one day you might gag at the next. I purchased a bunch of Soups that I never even opened because they never sounded good. broth, Protein Shakes, jello( I made mine one pre-made I bought made me not eat Jello for several days.). Popcicles. Everything else try a little bit at a time. InjuryChicken is one of my favorites.
For the liquid phase I used pre-made shakes like GNC Lean and Muscle Milk Light. I also kept greek yogurt close by. Honestly, I had no interest in anything those first few weeks after surgery. I sipped my beverages and tasted a little pureed turkey on Thanksgiving and that was it. I never actually pureed anything. I made food that was soft and mashed it up really good. Vegetarian chili was one of my favorites and had a decent amount of Protein. I rarely ever use the pre-made shakes anymore. I do make my own with 8 oz milk, 5oz tub of cannon light and fit yogurt, and a handful of berries which makes a great shake.
Good luck to all with their surgeries!
Hi there -
Congratulations both of you on your upcoming surgeries. Mine was on May 26, 2015, so I am still pretty new to this. I found that having some broth, and Jello and sugar free popsicles helped me when I got home. Warm felt better than cold at first for some reason. Make sure you have a supply of whatever Vitamins and Calcium supplements you will need per your docs. I had some Protein shakes for when I went to all liquid versus clear. I like the Jay Robb and also the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury, but there are lots of other good ones out there.
I was told that once you are approved by your insurance company that you can not go back to being denied because you lost weight. Surgeons tend to want you to be as small as possible so that they have more room to move around in during surgery. Once you are approved, don't worry about it. Lose the weight of you can. If will only make your journey easier on you to get to your goal. I would talk to your doctors office for confirmation. Good luck!
@Bufflehead "plus gas-x is worthless when it comes to surgical gas anyway, since gas-x works on natural gas in the digestive tract, and surgical gas is CO2 floating around outside your digestive tract."
Thank you for posting this as I never could visualize how gas-x could work in this situation. You answered the question I never asked!!
Nonfat plain Greek yogurt and some sugar free Torani syrups to flavor it.
Don't need to get too much of any one thing because you will only be having a couple tablespoons at a time of anything.
I stocked up on sweet things, and then post-op found that I wanted more savory things. So I had a bunch of sugar free home made custard (which was really good except I just didn't want anything sweet) and chocolate pudding that never got eaten!
DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.
How do I embed the weight loss ticker? There are many ticker generators you can use, but the majority of us use TickerFactory.com or MyFitnessPal.com – Once you create your ticker, embed the code into your signature via your “Settings”
*Adding* liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein Drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc… NOTHING CAFFEINATED
When can I have coffee/soda/tea? Decaf coffee is typically OK about 30days post-op. Decaf tea is OK starting with your clear liquid diet. Soda is typically never OK, with the reasons varying from the carbonation causing painful gas to the carbonation stretching your sleeve. Regardless of the reasoning, it's generally a good idea to avoid sodas entirely, or to consume them in extreme moderation.
When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:
Day 1-7 Clear Liquids
Day 8-14 Full liquids
Day 15-21 Purees
Day 22-50 Mushies
What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.< /p>
I'm on liquids/purees and I feel no restriction, should I be concerned that my surgery didn't work? Nope! You'll feel your restriction as you start to take in denser foods. In reality, you never want to experience that over stuffed feeling again because that means you've over stuffed your sleeve. There's much debate over whether or not you can stretch your stomach by over stuffing your sleeve, I for one am not trying to prove or disprove the theory. Best to play it safe - when you start to feel full, stop eating.
Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.
How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.
How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz
When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.
Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.
What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)
Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.
What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.
What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.
What do all these acronyms mean?
In no particular order:
WLS – Weight Loss Surgery
NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)
NUT – Nutritionist
PCP – Primary Care Physician
VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
TOM – Time of the Month
SF – Sugar Free
WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner
How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.
What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.
When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.
When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.
What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.
Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.
I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.
I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.
Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.
When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.
How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.
Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.
Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.
What is dumping syndrome? Dumping syndrome is what happens when the contents of your stomach are rapidly dumped into your small intestine. It is characterized by cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Most people that complain of dumping syndrome associate the attacks with eating a certain type of food IE sweets, carbs etc.. It generally resolves on it's own once the offending food has left the system.
What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.
What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.
I see a lot of people posting about drains - I don't have any. Should I be concerned? Drains are tubes that are temporarily placed in the abdomen that allow fluids to drain from your abdominal cavity in order to prevent infection. Not every surgeon uses them so if you don't have any, don't worry. It likely means your surgeon saw no need to place them. That being said, it doesn't mean you're immune to infection so you should still be on the lookout for fever or any areas that a red, warm to the touch, painful, swollen, or oozing any green or yellow fluids.
I had my surgery on a Thursday and went home the next day. My husband stayed home that Friday and over the weekend, and I was grateful for that! I didn't need his help getting around, but we have 2 energetic boys (ages 4 & 6), and I was in no shape to take care of them. I slept a lot due to the pain meds. By the Monday after my surgery I was just taking Tylenol and feeling more like myself, but the kids still went to daycare during the daytime so I could rest/take it easy.
First I will say, always listen to your surgeon and their team as they know what's best for you. But since you asked, this is how I did it:
Going to my WLS meetings prior to surgery, they emphasized getting into some kind of exercise routine. One of the requirements from my surgeon's office was meeting with a physical therapist to evaluate your physical capabilities as to what exercise you "could" handle. The therapist was awesome, pointing out a few limitations that I had, but more importantly, showing me what I was really capable of doing, but I had never really tried. She went over many forms of exercise and programs that were out there for me to engage in and her point finally penetrated when I heard, your surgery will be easier on you if you work on your core, as any exercise is better than nothing.
In my community I had a few options, one being a gym that I was just too self conscious to even walk through the door. And the other being Jazzercise. I joined Jazzercise 3 months prior to surgery and started going twice a week. Because of my weight and weight related physical limitations I found it hard to keep up at first, but I kept showing up, even if I just marched my way through the class, doing what I could. After about a month I noticed that I felt stronger, I started going 3 - 4 times a week. As I learned the moves I could do them better, therefore getting more out of the workout, and as crazy as it sounds I was enjoying it.
By the time it was 2 weeks prior to my surgery, exercising 3 - 4 times a week, I still had not lost one pound. But I could feel my core was getting stronger. I started my pre-op UGH diet and ramped up to 5 times a week. Yes, I had to make myself go because I was very tired, but I felt better afterward. (LOL, I didn't want to admit it, but I did feel better)
Fast forward to the day of surgery I had lost 16 lbs, my core was as strong as heck and I was so ready for this life altering event. I was up walking the evening after my surgery. By day two, I walked 2.5 miles around the surgical unit and got 50 ounces of Fluid in. Day 3 I walked even farther, drank even more and was sent home, I think they were getting dizzy from all my laps.
At my age and weight, I felt I was running out of options to a healthier me. I went to all my surgeons seminars and meetings, read everything they gave me, followed their orders. I researched and read everything I could get my hands on and I simply did the best I could.
I hope this helps.
Nikki Monroe got a reaction from Lexigurl82 in Be Honest...keeping BMI and weight the same for surgery