Ashlegal

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/dumping-syndrome-causes-foods-treatments

I followed my Surgeon and NUT's plan to a T. My plan never included pureed food and by day ten I was allowed soft Proteins which included salmon, tuna, other flaky fish, turkey and chicken. I just made sure that whatever Protein I was eating was super moist, chewed really well and only small bites were taken.

I have had Salmon in many forms since surgery. Out of the can with lemon, salt, pepper and a spicy mustard. Fresh put in tinfoil and baked til cooked. Smoked, thinly sliced, mixed with capers, cream cheese and smeared on Wheat Thins (just a few) and grilled with olive oil, lemon with a few sprigs of Asparagus. I even made a low-carb Salmon Patty then drizzled with garlic Aioli sauce. And my favorite is with baked salmon, flaked over zoodles with sesame oil and white sesame seeds. Yummo!

I don't like any Gatorade or Powerade type drinks. They all taste like watered down salty Kool-Aid. Ick! I have been drinking a lot of the following: Sobe Life Water. Especially the Fuji Apple Pear. It is so good! A friend on here recommended it. http://www.sobe.com/#!/product/index/category/4 Hint Water. The cucumber, watermelon, lime and peach are yummy! https://www.drinkhint.com/#?offset=0&limit=40 Herbal de-caf teas. Especially peach or raspberry flavored. http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/herbal/country-peach-passion-herbal-tea I drink most everything from a 24 ounce cup with lid and straw. I do straws, some don't, I get more Fluid in with a straw then I do without. Personal preference. I drink two 24 and half ounce cups of liquid, eight ounces of Fairlife Milk and have no trouble getting in all my required fluids in daily.

Always grab from the back, the freshest, further out date is rotated to the back. Any perishables and some non-perishables are stocked with the newest date to the back and the closest date up front. Buy smaller sizes, quantities and you'll have to alter how many times a week you shop. I don't mind grocery shopping. Either does my husband. I have a little more of a challenging situation as I have to shop for not only MY needs but those of my family. My family has broken our grocery needs up into two categories. One category my husband maintains and the other I am responsible for. The change didn't happen over night and in some ways were are still learning. I unfortunately throw too many leftovers away weekly. It is definitely a learning lesson and comes with practice.

I'm sure there are those that have but there are also individuals who didn't lose enough and woke up with an incomplete surgery. The preoperative diet is as much about getting control of your eating habits as it is shrinking the liver.

I some medical issues that were never linked to my obesity. Those "issues" have required pain management and I'll be lucky if I can make it to 50 and not be in a wheelchair (or at least need a walker to get around). With the management of my pain I am taking a semi-powerful narcotic and I have noticed after surgery it is not as effective. Prior to surgery I had asked (repeatedly) if any adjustments to my meds were needed after surgery. Not my PCP, my PM, my Surgeon or my Rheum had any concerns with MOST of the meds I was taking. A few adjustments were needed but my pain meds went untouched. Today I mentioned the issue of effectiveness to my PM and she said "it is possible, let me do some research." Okay, that's nice but in the meantime I am kinda in a lot of pain. Actually no, not kinda am in a lot of pain. There is a thin line in the Pain Management community between getting the meds you need and asking for more, or stronger or something different. I don't cross that line even though I am a legit patient. So I left her office and wondered, "has anyone else in WLS community experienced something similar?"

I have the opposite issue. I am losing inches and in six weeks have gone from a tight 24 to a nice fitting 20 and even some 18's. But, the scale is barely moving. Ugh!

I started walking a mile five days post-op. I started Yoga for beginners three weeks post-op and this week I will start Water aerobics, I am currently six weeks post-op. Every plan is different.

The only powders that I have enjoyed or the Syntrax Sweets. Syntrax has a huge variety of flavors, ranging from chocolate, to fuzzy navel and even an ice tea w/lemon flavor. I order mine from Amazon as it is just easier that way. I blend my in a little nutri-bullet with ice, unsweetened almond milk, a pump or two of SF Torani syrup and plain greek yogurt. It ends up feeling more like a treat and less like a requirement.

@@viaasskick It isn't rude. You assign a tone of voice when you are reading the comments left. I don't want anyone to fail at WLS and if that means I don't sugar coat how hard the process is, or how dedicated you need to be or how challenging the journey is, then so be it. This is a HUGE decision one that is so much more than just losing weight. It is a radical change in a person's life, it is a total turn around from where they have been for many, many years and it never gets easy, just easier. The program is designed to a. see how dedicated you are to your WLS success, b. prepare you for the dramatic change that occurs, c. give you invaluable resources and d.) keep you focused on your goals. Without it you are setting yourself up for a hard difficult road that will ultimately end in failure. This is not an EASY solution to a problem. This is not a cure all, a quick fix, a magical means to get skinny. It is going to be one of the most difficult decisions you have ever made for yourself and it deserves everything you have. You have to throw yourself into this decision with all your heart, all your mind and all your body. It is all or nothing.

I'm sorry. I haven't suffered any constipation; I am six weeks post-op and even taking daily meds that contribute to bowl problems, I don't suffer. I have heard a million different ideas from posters on here and another forum I frequent. Many have their own "regiment" of stool softeners, Miralax, tea, juice, Fiber supplements and making sure you are getting PLENTY of fluids.

I am six weeks post-op and do eat in a similar fashion. My surgeon, my NUT and my PCP tell me it is better for me to be in the habit of eating Protein dense foods throughout the day than to try to lump all my needs into three meals. I get between 50-60 grams of protein in a day and between 600-800 calories in daily. I seem to be losing and I agree with the idea that this journey is not a sprint. I am too totally comfortable with losing the weight slower than maybe average. I feel confident in my personal plan and it is nice to hear that someone else is on the same page. @@transporter85 I was two weeks out and thought I would never get to a normal place with food. I thought it would always be a demanding chore that may or may not end in some sort of punishment. It gets better and when it does the chore becomes staying the course with good eating habits.

Imagine waking up in a ton of pain, in the hospital, feeling like crap and being told by the surgeon, "unfortunately your liver was too big to complete the surgery, we are going to have to try again when you lose more weight." So there you are poked, prodded, dehydrated, tired, sick, in pain and not on your way to a new you. That is what happens when people don't lose the required weight, that is happens when they don't have all that stupid information, support or resources. Good luck with that.

In the mornings Breakfast comes in two stages. First stage is four ounces of 2% Fairlife Milk. I keep a couple of coffee mugs in the freezer and they keep my milk cold as I sip on the milk. Even slightly less than ice cold milk is yuck! When the rest of the family is waking up, needing breakfast, coffee, lunches made and what not; I usually have some form of egg (usually lightly scrambled) with some shredded cheese, a little hot sauce and a few small bites of Turkey sausage (or Turkey bacon). I stay pretty full from about 6-10 between the milk, the eggs and the turkey. By ten I'm starting to feel hungry and will then snack on either a cheese stick, a Babybel or Tillamook cheese snack. At lunch (between 12-1) I will have a Laughing Cow cheese wedge, spread over two thin slices of either turkey or chicken from my local deli. I usually dip them in Spicy Mustard. I don't ever need more than that but sometimes I will eat another half cheese stick. Sometimes I have shrimp (steamed from home) dipped in homemade cocktail sauce or chicken salad from my grocer. Sometimes I will eat the chicken (or egg or tuna) salad with a few Wheat Thins. By three or three thirty I will have a Greek Yogurt. I aim for no more than 10 grams of sugar, no less than 12 grams of Protein and no more than 100 calories. This gives me lots of options. Chobani Simply 100, Dannon Light and Fit, Oikos Triple Zero. Some flavors work well with PB2 powder (Jiffy makes one that has equal nutritional value) and with that I can up my protein intake from 12 to 16 or 17 grams of protein. dinner is always varied but centers around lean Proteins and well cooked non-starchy veggies (green Beans, asparagus, zucchini, squash). Last night I roasted a whole chicken in my dutch oven, had a slice of that with a quarter of mashed sweet potato and a few fresh (steamed) green beans with lemon and pepper. My nutritional goals are at this time to consume no more than 50 grams of carbs, 600-800 calories, 20 grams of sugar and at least 50 grams of protein. I have steadily lost 2-5 pounds a week since surgery, I have never been constipated, thrown up or lethargic. This works for me, it may not work for anyone else but my surgeon, my PCP and my NUT are happy with my plan.

I have a few friends/family members who have had surgery 10+ years ago and the biggest complication any of them have dealt with is vitamin/nutrient deficiency. This is not uncommon but is closely related to the individual's lack of proper care post-op. People grow lax and more comfortable with their diets therefore they are not as stringent on taking their Vitamins, eating the right foods and getting their labs checked regularly.

For a few months (mostly during late nights) I would read, read, read about WLS. I feverishly read any material I could run my eyes by or get in my hands. It all started when I went to a PCP appointment and for the first time in YEARS looked at the scale when they weighed me. I saw that number and instantly felt a lump in my throat and it felt like the world fell out from underneath me. It was a number that didn't register when I looked in the mirror or when I tried on clothes or when I hurt with every step I took. That number was a number I couldn't wrap my mind around as being that size meant I wasn't just "chubby" or "thick" or "curvy" but MORBIDLY OBESE. Then it hit me hard and clicked in my brain that everything I was dealing with emotionally, physically and mentally was related to how heavy I had grown in just over two years. Yes, a lot happened in those two years but I have been "heavy" my entire life and was officially that girl I never thought I'd be. Obese. Miserable. Anxious. Sad. Unhealthy and Insecure. I knew my only hope was drastic measures. I didn't know that those measures would be until I started researching my options, talking to my doctors, going to OA meetings and reflecting on what my weight loss goals needed to be. And while I have a list a mile long as to why I had surgery, when ever anyone asks, I simply reply "because I want to." Be proud that you know there needs to be a change. Be satisfied with yourself that you have the realization to make those changes. Be excited about the future and the endless possibilities that awaits. Be comforted in knowing you are not alone. And most importantly be patient with yourself as this road as a WLS patient is curvy, loopy, bumpy, rough and exciting.

My mamaw would make homemade peach, butter pecan and the richest vanilla to ever touch my lips. We as kids would take turns cranking the beat up old ice cream churner, rock salt would be scattered everywhere, little blisters would start to creep up on our fingers and yet we were slaves to the sugar, cream and fruit mixture. I wasn't raised in the South but I was raised by Southerners. Everything was made with artery clogging love. Even the pot of hamhock and Beans simmering on the stove for hours was meant to shorten your life span.

More than weight contributes to obtaining an insurance approval. I lost 15 pounds in nine days prior to surgery and could have lost another 20 more, my BMI was really high, I had 3 weight related comorbidities and those were bigger reasons to have surgery than just my weight. During the first six months (standard requirement) of post-op weigh ins, tests, labs and screenings, you are technically not approved for surgery. You are only following protocol required by both your doctor and insurance prior to submitting clearance. I'd look through my insurance's handbook (most are online) and find out their EXACT criteria for approval.

Between my house, my school and my office, I pass two Safeways, two Whole Foods, two Wal-Mart Super Centers, one Targer Super, three Sprouts Farmer's Markets and absolutely ZERO TJ's. Whole Foods and Sprouts are my go-to's. Followed by Safeway. All of them have a great selection of Natural/Organic meats, cheeses, dairy, Snacks, drinks, fruits, veggies, deli products, health and beauty. Plus Safeway (Vons) has an AWESOME gas reward program. Last week I saved $0.50 on gas making it a $1.49 a gallon. Woo hoo! BUT, if there was a TJ's anywhere close to my 38 mile radius commute, it would be my numbero uno go-to. Before I moved I had one within walking distance and I would make-up excuses to go mill around.

I was laying in pre-op, IV hooked up, completely naked under a hospital gown and thinking "just get up, walk away, go get some damn pancakes (or chicken fried steak, or a Denver omelette or a club sandwich or a Reuben with sweet potato fries)." I was always talking myself in and out of surgery even moments before being taking into the operating room. Some nights I would lay in bed on my back, feel my weight making it hard to breath, get comfortable, feel all the aches and pains and I'd think "this is ridiculous, I am a prisoner in my own body and I need to get out!" Then the next afternoon I'd meet with one of my BB friends and there would be a nagging "it is okay to be big and beautiful, society needs to accept me for me." I'd take a bite of whatever I was having and try to convince myself surgery was too extreme for me, I just need to exercise more and eat less. Then night would come around and the cycle would repeat itself. In the end, I had surgery and I'm not going to lie, the first week (or so) is so emotional, so overwhelming, painful, draining and abnormal; I regretted the surgery through out the day. But everyday it got a little better, a little more and more so after that and now six weeks post-op, I am so, so, so happy I made the decision to go through with surgery. And you will too.

My mother used to tell me "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

I use Amazon Prime for my Protein powders and everything else in my life I *think* I cannot live without. I placed my order on Netrition and after going a little crazy, my total was fairly cheap and flat-rate shipping was terrific! I will probably do a review of some of the items I purchased. I love reading reviews and I think they are a helpful in many, many ways!

My surgeon requested I take Omega-3's that include DHA and EPA. During the first month he suggested a liquid, well I never found one that was affordable and or convenient to travel with. After the first month he said I was allowed to move over to soft-gels but all the ones I have seen are HUGE! Same with the Calcium Citrate. Chewables are not a financially friendly means as most need you to chew 2-4 to get the base amount and I am required 1500 mg's a day. That would be 8 chews a day at 240 a month. If the average chewable cost between 15-20 bucks for 60, that alone could cost me almost $100 a month. Yikes! Any suggestions? Thoughts? Ideas? Insults?

You'll always be a diva. Just a thinner, healthier, more confident version of the one you were before.