Seastars

I'm pleased to report that I've finally joined the Clean Colon Club. Hopefully weight loss will soon follow.

It's crazy how different all the post-op diets are! Yup, my clinic wants us to get 4 shakes in per day - yet two friends of mine weren't allowed ANY shakes for the first two post-OP weeks.

Thanks, guys. I did email my doctor yesterday about the Constipation and am waiting to hear back. Maybe there's ten pounds of sludge in my gut to explain my stall - ha ha, a girl can dream!

Jessjames, I got really lucky - nothing that I did, just random luck - in terms of no nausea. And after the first couple of days I could take "real" sips/gulps instead if fearful baby sips. So, I can down an 8oz Protein shake in five minutes. No adverse effects other than tummy gurgles. 4 of those shakes daily (which is my dietician' request) plus a couple of bowls of broth (with unflavored Protein added) or Jello gets me over 100 grams.

I hope I'm not stretching my sleeve with so much Fluid (more than 4oz at a time). Hopefully these just pass on through instead of staying in the sleeve like the upcoming purees and real food will.

Anyway, with no nausea problem, I can focus my anxiety on lack of weight loss, and whether I'll ever have a bowel movement (sigh).

Thank you for the support, kmorri!

Day 8 post op. I'm done with liquids, I need something different. Suggestions

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sugar-free Jello with unflavored Protein mixed in

Sugar-free Popsicles

Plain Greek yogurt with Protein Powder mixed in

chewable Vitamin supplements

That's fantastic! Congrats!

I know the stomach swelling can last for a few weeks, but I was hoping to see some movement on the scale by now. :/. I've been getting in 100g Protein, 64oz Water and 2 miles walking each day, and my calories are between 400-800. I dropped a pound around day 4 but regained it. Could drinking salty broth have kept me retaining water, so weight loss doesn't show? My clothes fit the same (because if that probably-swollen stomach). When did you start losing weight after surgery?

Eyowza! Congrats on such hard work - the payoff is beautiful!

Maggie, you are my new best friend!

I totally agree with you on sneaking in unflavored Protein. Pre-op, I'd add half a scoop to lentils, chilis and Soups - basically anyplace you'd add nutritional yeast (except popcorn which I didn't try). Post-op I've been adding it to broth and strained miso Soup, as well as to sugar free Jello. I also like adding flavored nectar powder to plain Greek yogurt and mixing.

I'd love to see a line of savory Protein powders like Nacho cheese, Curry, Ranch/Onion, Roast Turkey. Added to plain yogurt or even soy milk, they could be a nice change from sweet protein shakes!

Now you've got me hungry for another shake!

I love the idea of savory flavors of Protein Powder. I'm only 6 days post-op and I'm weary of all these sweet options :-P

Someone you know might possibly have been googling today for 1960s-housewife-molded-Gelatin recipes. I'm thinking, Knox unflavored Gelatin powder, unflavored protein powder, and some salty fish/chicken/veggie broth? Jello mold in shape of a fish optional.

Me too! I was just coming here to gripe about it. Apparently the swelling and Fluid retention way not go down fully until about week 3.

Until then, while my belly still jiggles so much, I think I'll slip on cycling shorts (under a loose skirt) to hold it in when I walk. My lowest incision is next to my navel, so as long as the shorts don't come up that high they shouldn't rub against the incisions.

Welcome to the soon-to-be-skinny club, cln39! So glad to hear you are up and moving!

ShelterDog, I may buy some unflavored Knox Gelatin and make broth Jello - with extra unflavored Protein Powder. Might resemble real food better than these sweet shakes.< /p>

Bwahaha, YES!

I get Protein Shakes for now, though, in fact goal is to down 4 of them daily in addition to 64oz no-cal liquids.

But the shakes don't come in Nacho cheese and don't crunch, doggonit!

Big luck, Carolyn! Hope it all goes smoothly and you are walking and sipping by this afternoon!

What is a FUPA lol?

Fat upper pubic area - that dangling kangaroo pouch, so attractive. And jiggly.

I totally agree with you on sneaking in unflavored Protein. Pre-op, I'd add half a scoop to lentils, chilis and Soups - basically anyplace you'd add nutritional yeast (except popcorn which I didn't try). Post-op I've been adding it to broth and strained miso Soup, as well as to sugar free Jello. I also like adding flavored nectar powder to plain Greek yogurt and mixing.

I'd love to see a line of savory Protein powders like Nacho cheese, Curry, Ranch/Onion, Roast Turkey. Added to plain yogurt or even soy milk, they could be a nice change from sweet protein shakes!

Now you've got me hungry for another shake!

Go Cin39 ! Come back and report in!

Biggi, I get you. I had my pout about lack of real food yesterday (i posted it on another thread; click on my profile and then activity to see it). Combo of head hunger, self-pity and not enough fat grams I think. I chowed some Jello and Popsicles so I could at least have some texture, and LOTS of broth for flavor. Also I'm reminding myself that this deprivation is very short-term - in 11 days I can have soft foods/puréed.

Are most of you all on Facebook? If you are comfortable with it, I could create a private event and invite you all which would make it easy to see who could come and who couldn't. Maybe we can make this a monthly thing!

I think right now we have Seastar, kadie777, me, and possibly Tommy Joe and ACJordan. Am I missing anyone?

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That sounds great, Camber! I like the potluck/recipe idea too (we're on real foods around week 5 or 6 I think). We could also have the first person at the table make a table tent that says "GreenSleeves" (Northwest sleevers, get it?) to help later arrivals find the group.

I'm glad the weather's so nice. It's making it easier to walk outside. Relatedly: my FUPA jiggles a lot when I walk. There were even a couple of sharp pains yesterday. Searching around on this site, it seems like that's pretty common, and some folks use a "belly binder" to help reduce jiggling. I hadn't even heard of this before my site search. Has anybody tried this? Seems like it might exacerbate incision soreness, but I'm tempted. (I will ask my doc, too.)

Thank you all for this thread. It helps tremendously to know others are going through this same journey (complete with inhaling others' meal aromas!). I've always felt like dieting phases could be shared but that the hard, unsuccessful work of maintenance and true changing of habits, was entirely alone (and did I mention unsuccessful?). I love having friends with the same concerns, questions and tips as we share the journey to better health!

I should probably ask my dietician about it tomorrow. Her materials give goals (for each day of the first two weeks) of 48-64 oz Water (or other noncaloric fluid) and 3-4 Protein Shakes (about 200 calories and 30 grams Protein each). If we hit those we can have sugar-free Jello, SF pudding, broth Soups or plain greek yogurt in small amounts. And then in a summary section it says that will get us to about 700-900 calories [i misremembered, it's not 1000] and 100+ grams of Protein daily.

I think she will tell me to ignore the calorie count, and just stick to counting Water ounces and protein grams.

So, how many calories are you guys getting in? I'm making my Water and prrotein goals - with effort - but today (post-op Day 4) is the first day I've exceeded 400 cals. I'm supposed to hit about 1000. No way can sugar-free Jello, popsicles and broth get me to 1000!

If I don't show up at Panera on July 16, follow the trail of giant toothmarks along the highway back to Seattle. You may find me eating skyscrapers. I'll bet they crunch like chicken bones.

Not coincidentally, I'm ready for an award for almost making it through another day surviving on freakin' liquids. I did some errands to get away from my kitchen. But did you know that office supply stores have mesmerizing food aisles? How about Petco - those frosted doggy treats look delicious, but I'd even settle for some kangaroo jerkey from the checkout temptations shelf.

I'm not technically hungry, I know I know, but this sure feels like another crash diet and I am OVER IT already!

So, the low-cal crankiness has apparently set in at my house. How are you guys doin'?

Your last two sentences just fast-forwarded me through a year of counseling, I think. Thank you!

Mid-afternoon in Fed Way works fine for me - I'm excited to meet you guys! I have a slight preference for Panera because they likely have wifi, so my teen could hang in a rear booth with her Kindle. And it might be nice if there's a walking trail nearby for those who feel adventurous afterwards. But really, it's all good.

I'm bizarrely happy that we're going to a restaurant. This won't be easy for me, so I'm glad I'll be with people who "get it"!

I love this topic!

I was a huge liar to myself. "It doesn't matter that I'm obese because I'm fit - I exercise much more than the thin people I know." "I very rarely eat junk food, so I'm not at risk for diabetes." "The carbs I eat don't count because it's all whole grains, Beans and fruit/veg." "If I just focused more I could lose all this weight and finally keep it off." "I'm a grownup who knows how to eat; I don't need a dietician." "I can be happy or thin/dieting, but not both." "It's profeminist for me not to care about my weight." "I'm not addicted to food." "I'm not as obese as the Biggest Loser cast so I don't need to lose weight." "I can do sports just as effectively fat as thin." "There's nothing I can do about becoming thin so I may as well give up." "My doctor told me I don't need to lose weight, so he must be right."

All LIES!