ddeldridge

My doctor's office gave us some instruction in advanced. Please excuse any typos, I am going to retype what I was given. I will try to scan the Bypass/Sleeve Soft Diet sheets that I was given later if anyone needs.
Here's a sample menu for pureed diet:
PUREED DIET - SUGGESTIONS AND EXAMPLES
Breakfast
1/4 cup high Protein cooked Cereal
1/4 cup pureed low sodium/low fat meat
1 chewable sugar-free complete Vitamin
Snack
1/2 cup pureed fruit
lunch
1/4 cup cottage cheese (lowfat)
1/4 cup pureed fruit
snack
1 cup High Protein shake
dinner
1/2 cup mashed potatoes with low fat gravy
1/2 cup broth
1 chewable sugar free complete Vitamin
snack
1 sugar-free fudgiscle
This sample menu provides approximately 80 grams of Protein and 885 caloires - SIP Water throughout the day
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High Protein Pureed Diet recipes
Cheeseburger
3 oz. lean chicken or turkey
1 slice fat-free cheese
2 tbs.p warm beef broth
1/2 hamburger bun
Cook meat and drain fat. Add all ingredients except broth to blender and puree on high. Gradually add broth to desired consistency
Yield 1 serving
Calories 309
Protein 27.0 grams
Chicken Stew
1 Cup chicken, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup rice, cooked
1/4 cup mixed vegetables, cooked
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
Blend together
Yield 3 servings
Calories (per serving) 120
Protein (per serving) 15.0 grams
Fish
4oz. Whitefish fillet
4 tsp. nonfat tarter sauce
Warm skim milk (as needed)
Cook fish by baking or broiling. Place fish and nonfat tarter sauce in blender. Puree on high speed. Gradually add milk to make mashed potato consistency.
Yield: 2 servings
Calories (per serving) 116
Protein (per serving) 15.0 grams
French Toast
1 slice frozen French Toast
"I can't believe it's not butter!" spray
3 tbsp. warm sugar-free Syrup
Warm french toast according to package. Spray with I can't believe it's not butter. Cut into quarters. Place all ingredients in blender. Puree on high until smooth consistency is achieved.
Yield 1 serving
Calories: 171
Protein 4.0 grams
Grilled Cheese
1 slice whole wheat/high Fiber bread
2 slices fat-free American cheese
I can't believe its not butter spray
3 tbsp warm skim milk
Heat non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray one side of bread with I can't believe it's not butter side down on pan, top with cheese and heat until cheese melts and bread is toasted brown. Fold sandwich in half and cut into four pieces. Place in blender and puree on high, adding milk until smooth. Adjust the amount of milk used for thicker or thinner consistency.
Yield 1 serving
Calories 146
Protein: 12.0 grams
High Protein Breakfast Shake
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 small banana
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
Mix all ingredients together in blender
Yield 1 serving
Calories 125 per serving
Protein 12.0 grams per serving
High Protein Mashed Potatoes
2 tbsp mashed potato mix
1/2 cup hot skim milk
2 tbsp. nonfat dry milk
Mix nonfat dry mil with skim milk and heat to a boil. Add mashed potato mix. Mix well with a wire wisk. Mix thickens as it stands
Use Butter buds or fat-free gravy to add flavor
Yield 1 serving
Calories 148
Protein 10.0 grams
Chicken/Fish/Turkey
4oz meat cooked
6 tbsp. low fat gravy
Chop meat into small pieces, blend on high speed, gradually adding gravy until desired consistency
Yield 2 servings
Calories (per serving) 126
Protein (per serving) 16.0 grams
Tuna salad
1 6 oz. can light tuna in spring Water, drained
2 tbsp. fat-free Miracle Whip
1tsp mustard
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. celery salt
Add all ingredients to blender. Puree on high until smooth. Refrigerate
Note: May substitute canned chicken for tuna
Yield: 3 servings
Calories (per serving): 60
Protein (per serving) 11.0 grams

. Heading in in about 10 minutes!!! So far so good!! Eeekkk!
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I add it to my sugar free pudding, broth, Vitamin Water, Decaf tea, etc.
DS surgery 12/14/2016

Everyone is different. Your pain level will vary from mine. I have used Tylenol once since surgery and I was off the pain meds within 4-6 hours of the actual surgery.

Thank you for this! I definitely needed to read this point of view. I was sleeved on 12/20. I had a few rough days with trying to get my liquids in. I also think I am "mourning" food. I had a meltdown and am slowing picking myself back up. I know with each passing day, it will get better.
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Thank you for this! I definitely needed to read this point of view. I was sleeved on 12/20. I had a few rough days with trying to get my liquids in. I also think I am "mourning" food. I had a meltdown and am slowing picking myself back up. I know with each passing day, it will get better.
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@@theantichick Well said! Or well written anyway. I am quoting one line you wrote:
"They are not representative of most people, and should not be used as the example other people follow."
Remember, no one is completely useless. At the very least, they can serve as a bad example.

A friend of mine recently used those same words to describe her experience after her recent sleeve. It WILL get better. it's like basic training in the army. It's hell the first couple of weeks, it's a head game, but each day gets better .

Thank you for this! I definitely needed to read this point of view. I was sleeved on 12/20. I had a few rough days with trying to get my liquids in. I also think I am "mourning" food. I had a meltdown and am slowing picking myself back up. I know with each passing day, it will get better.
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It gets better. Your new sleeve is having to learn how to handle fluids (and later food). If you think about it, the stomach used to be a big balloon... once past the opening, there was plenty of space for it to just go wherever. Now think about pouring Fluid down a beaker in the science lab, or in a funnel... it's going down a narrow tube. Early on, I found that any sip I took, it was like there was a huge bubble trapped, and it was VERY uncomfortable right in the center of my chest, until the liquid kinda seeped down around it, or I was able to burp. But the more I sipped, the smaller the bubble seemed to get, as if the sleeve figured out what to do with it. As days and then weeks passed, I was even able to take larger and larger sips without invoking the same discomfort. I can drink Water almost normally now at a little over 4 months out without discomfort, and thicker fluids like Protein shakes or milk I just have to take a little slower.

Today is the day!!! Surgery at 1130!! Make room for me on the bench!!
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I am 25 years old, a registered nurse working on med/surg bariatric unit, and have been overweight since adolescence. For four years I have wanted to get the sleeve done, but my parents insurance was a no go. This year I started working in a hospital with great insurance and just had my first appointment with the surgeon today! My surgery will be in Febuary as long as everything goes as planned. I have Aetna and have to make it 90days, no weight gain, psych eval, an upper GI study(just Xrays with contrast), and three nutritionist visits. I'm at my highest weight of 375 right now and my BP is periodically high. In January, I'm going on a cruise so that's why we're pushing it to February. I am beyond excited and ready to push through all of this!

Finally got approved for 100% after writing my appeal letter to insurance. I'm scheduled for Nov. 22. It's the only time I could fit it into my work schedule. Having all kinds of emotions. Excited to finally doing something that won't yo-yo on me. Worried about the surgery. Scared I'll gain it back after I lose it. But my head is right. Going to work hard on this.
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Wow where has the time gone. I started this crazy journey of mine in March at 401 lbs. I had surgery August 22, 2016 at 351 lbs. 6 weeks later I am 301 lbs. Total of 100 lbs and 50 since surgery. I haven't been able to eat a lot maybe two bites and that's a wrap. Each day is getting better and I wouldn't change a thing. Hope everyone is doing AWESOME!!!! God Bless.

The odds of losing weight and keeping it off as a morbidly obese person vs an obese person are even lower, by the way. Scarily low. Some doctors say that it's verging on impossible to lose and maintain significant weight loss once you surpass a certain BMI. The odds of losing significant weight and keeping it off after surgery are WAYYYY higher. Not to mention, if you gain your weight back after surgery, you still have all the tools you had before you started gaining it back: your surgically altered stomach, the new habits and tastes you've acquired, and the knowledge your obtained about eating healthfully during the surgery and weightloss phase. The same is not true for people who lose and gain without surgery.
If you feel that you could do this on your own, more power to you! I mean that without sarcasm. Go ahead and try to do it again on your own. But do you really see a significant, sustained loss if you go that way? Ask yourself honestly, and answer yourself honestly. Until you know this is what you want to do and you're really ready and committed to it, you're better off trying on your own anyway. This surgery, the requirements leading up to it, and the huge lifestyle and habit changes that come after it are for life and they are enormous, and no one who is not completely sure they want it and completely committed should take it on. You'll know when you're ready. Maybe you already know and you're just afraid, as we all were. Only you can know. I wish you nothing but health and happiness.

Only 5% of people who do it in their own can maintain that loss. Not great odds but maybe you could be one of them. Why haven't you changed your eating habits and exercised before - or if you did - what were the results? I gave up pretending I could do it myself.

I think people believe that having weight loss surgery is a one time magic cure that will fix all problems for life. It is not. You have to use the surgery as a tool to change your habits. I only eat about 6 ounces of food per meal, which is not a lot, but you could pack a lot of carbs and calories in to 6 ounces if you wanted to. For example, for 6 ounces I could eat 12 oreos for around 250 carbs. Or I could eat 3 ounces of chicken and 3 ounces of veggies for 5-10 carbs depending on the choice of vegetable. An hour after eating the oreos, I will crave more oreos. An hour after eating a healthy meal, I will still be full and have no cravings. But still, I only ate 6 ounces either way.
It is possible to stretch your sleeve, and you should definitely be aware of not forcing yourself to eat more than you should, but the bigger issue is food choice. And just as a side note, I am not picking on oreos. I love those stupid things! But everything in moderation.
On another note, I have not gained any weight back. Not even a pound. It takes constant work, but it can be done.

Bariatric Dietitian Elizabeth Anderson is no stranger to the faux-pas. She's put her foot in her mouth on more than one occasion.
In her unending Quest for improvement, she may have found a solution for navigating the thin line between compliments and criticism.


Lara loves it when people comment on her weight loss. She’s 6 months out from surgery and she’s on top of the world. She admits she gets a little ‘high’ from the positive attention of family, coworkers and even strangers. If someone doesn’t mention her new look, she feels a little irritated. Why haven’t they noticed??
Melissa wishes you would mind your own freakin’ business. She’s three months out from surgery. She considers her weight loss private and wishes everyone would just stop making a fuss over it; it’s embarrassing. For Melissa, it really boils down to this: did she really look so awful BEFORE surgery?
Where do you fall on the spectrum?
I’ll bet there are as many different preferences here as there are people who’ve had WLS.
As a provider, this is a dilemma. Obviously rapid and dramatic weight loss is hard to ignore. My natural inclination is to gush and hug.
But the ‘Melissas’ out there do not want my hero-confetti parade.
Recently, I learned about a new strategy for this conundrum-- thanks to the experts the 13th annual Bariatric Summit in Nashville.
One of the psychologists who’s also a dietitian suggested we all ditch the ‘You look GREAT!’ greeting for our WLS clients.
Why? Because it can lead some people to feel their value/worth/success is rooted in their appearance and weight.
Looking slim? You’ll surely be regaled with, “Fabulous!” and “You look awesome!”
But what if you’ve regained some weight? Are you suddenly less interesting? A failure? Invisible?
And what if people perceive the comment like Melissa, as sort of a velvet hammer or thinly veiled insult, “Thank God she finally did something about her weight.”
I’m not new to this planet people; I know what you’re saying. Yes, our society does put the focus on external appearance. I’m just declaring that I’m joining the movement recognizing the remarkable human inside the body.
And here’s another good reason to hit the pause button on our mouths. Ever been congratulated on a pregnancy that is in essence a poor fitting garment? I have.
While it’s awkward and painful there’s another side to that coin.
Think of all the folks among us--in your own town, that’ve lost a noticeable amount of weight because they’re undergoing chemo or just lost a parent or spouse?
I'm pretty sure they don't want to be told how fantastic they look.
So from here on out, when I see a client for the first time in a few months, I’m going to greet them and take in their energy vibe.
If they’re glowing, I’ll remark that it looks like things are going well and ask if I’m on target.
If they seem down, I’ll remind them how smart they are to stay in touch with a loving support system through the highs and lows after surgery.
I invite you to join me. After all, we’re simply acknowledging what we already know-- our appearance is only the gift wrapping our (presents!) brings to the universe.

Tomorrow I report to the hospital at 6 am to be sleeved. I spent time today getting a pep talk from a colleague who had the surgery a year ago. I have family support.
Now I just need to suck it up and lunge forward. Nervous but excited at the same time.
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I had my surgery on May 27, 2016. I have had a lot of complications and now live with moderate nausea as a baseline feeling and can only function when using the 6 antinausea meds I have but I am so happy I had this surgery.
I started this weight loss journey at my highest weight of 540. I was able to lose 60 pounds in the 6 months before surgery and went into surgery at 480. Now at almost 4 months post op I can almost wave goodbye to the 400's at 402! I can't wait to see that blessed 3 on the scale! I have not been this low a weight since February of 2012 ☺️ I am so thankful for the help this surgery has given me and I'm ready for my life to finally start ❤️

I am half-way through my requirements in order to be sleeved before the end of the year. But in my mind, removing 85% of my stomach is very invasive. Just curious as to why you refer to it as non-invasive? Because it's done laproscopically? Thanks.

As said above don't get caught up on the #'s because it is phenomenal that you've lost so quickly. I had my surgery 6/30 and am down 37 lbs. in that short time I've gone down 3 sizes and can wear clothes I haven't fit into in years. I'm running down my stairs, and can hop out of bed. I'm off all meds except thyroid meds. My joints don't grind, and I know it can only get better from here. food wise, you soon will be cleared to eat whatever you can tolerate. After my doctor said those words I realized he said it for a reason. I asked him if I could eat salads again. He said; yes if you can tolerate it.
So far when I go out to eat I order things I love, and eat the Protein first. And find Some things I always enjoyed are flat. Or make me nauseous. No fun it because you eat so little. New things give me my ahh moments. I can't handle ice cream. So I make mini parfait's with yogurt and berries and diced banana.
I've spent my whole life fighting obesity. 50 years on this ride is too long. And now I know this is going to work for me. A very small price to pay for these results. Proud of myself for doing this, not in the least bit sorry!
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I had the exact same thoughts as you before my surgery (November 2015). I could not fathom the possibility of losing such a large amount of weight. Now, almost 10 months later, I could not be happier that I did it. There were two things that I did not realize at first before the surgery.
First, I kept thinking about the total lbs that I had to lose, which seemed impossible. I only realized after the surgery how much better I felt every week as I lost weight. I haven't reached my goal yet, but have felt better and been able to do more things with each 25 lbs that I lost. Second, I didn't realize how much more planning I had to do when I was heavier. I couldn't walk far, so I had to wonder if I could park close enough to where I needed to be. I couldn't fit in many chairs, so I had to wonder if there would be someplace suitable to sit when I went somewhere. I couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes without back pain and breaking out into a sweat. Flying was a nightmare. All of those worries are gone now, even before I have hit my goal. I don't really think about success or failure or even a number on a scale. I just judge things based on whether I can do the things that I want or not: travel, buy clothes off of the rack, go hiking, etc.
If you take it day by day, follow the program, and keep with the exercise, it is completely worth it. It has changed my life. Best of luck to you.

Wow guys. You really are inspiring me. I woke up to all these amazing stories and suddenly I think maybe, just maybe, that'll be me next year!!! Thanks so much for all your tips. Did you all exercise? If so how many times a week? I know everyone's experience is different. Just wanting to do the most I can to lose it the quickest!!
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I started out over 400 and I am currently at 207 lbs. My sleeeve was last september