FatPharm

On 5/18/2017 at 10:42 PM, NewChiGirl said:

Were any of you ladies on your period during surgery? Got mine today and my day is Tuesday. My hospital has you completely naked under the gown, wonder how this will go down with the catheter and all.

I got mine the day after surgery. I knew to bring supplies. They said it's very common for women to get their period around surgery due to the stress. No big deal. They will give you whatever you need.

Here's the thing-If you have a sleeve and get severe reflux, you can always revise to the bypass. Once you get the bypass, there is no going back. I have a history of reflux and still got the sleeve. He also repaired a hiatal hernia, which may have been contributing to reflux. I had my sleeve done with a 40 French bougie size and resection (stapling) started at 6cm from my pylorus to hopefully lessen my chances of problems.

I had 2 ounces (little medicine cups) of watered down refried Beans today, which are part of my Stage 2 diet. My plan doesn't say to Water them down, but they were pretty thick, so it seemed like a good idea. I made sure to take small amounts and even chewed up any tiny bean pieces. I noticed a heavy feeling in my back rather than in my sleeve. Is this normal? I am 13 days out.

12 minutes ago, Introversion said:

I was cleared by my surgeon's aftercare team to perform 'real' exercise (a.k.a. moderate to vigorous intensity) at six weeks out.

However, I did not resume exercise until approximately three months out. I started with a walk/jog routine. Less than two years later I run an average of 30 miles per week.

Wow! That's awesome!

Just wondering when I'll be able to do something like an hour long Zumba class. I'm still sore in a few of my incisions and my energy isn't 100%.

3 minutes ago, blizair09 said:

I use the full fat version of everything as I eat a low carb/high protein/high healthy fat diet (and have since 6 months pre-op), but Daisy also has a reduced fat product. There is a strawberry version of the preserves with no seeds (I think they call it strawberry jam). I have never had issues with the seeds (I don't even notice them to be honest). I introduced the preserves when I was able to introduce cottage cheese to my diet (which I believe, on my plan, was at 3 weeks post-op).

I did Keto for a long time pre-op and even before I thought about bariatric surgery. My program is different, I guess, in that we don't do purees or full liquids and move onto soft foods like cottage cheese and yogurt, etc. on day 10. We are allowed chicken salad, even. She said to start with Greek yogurt, which I did.

Just now, blizair09 said:

I eat Daisy brand. Try it with the preserves. You still get the curd effect, but it is quite good. (And 13 grams of Protein in 4 ounces!) And if strawberry isn't your thing, Smuckers has a variety of sugar free flavors.

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to work up the courage to try it. LOL. I like strawberry just fine. Would the preserves be an issue at 10 days out? Not sure if there are seeds if they'd be an issue. Is the Daisy you're referring to the full fat version or a reduced fat one?

31 minutes ago, blizair09 said:

And a tip on the cottage cheese -- mix 4 oz of cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon of sugar-free strawberry preserves. It is amazing. I have it twice a day -- first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It accounts for 12 of my 20 carbs per day. That's how much I like it!

I wish I could learn to like cottage cheese. I'm not a big cheese person and those little curds...I don't know. I was looking at the cottage cheeses in Wegmans yesterday. Maybe I will try it. Any brand suggestions?

11 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Hot sauce is no calories, so go crazy. Just make sure you are taking a PPI and antacid.

I don't eat Salsa, doesn't interest me, can't help you there.

An entire brand of calorie free Condiments https://www.waldenfarms.com/

They are all just flavoring, xanthum gum and Water.

Best sugar free BBQ Sauce I have ever had, http://www.netrition.com/guys_bbq_sauce.html You can't even tell the difference.

I second the Guy's BBQ sauce and the Walden Farms. I didn't like Walden Farms salad dressings, but the chocolate sauce, caramel and pancake Syrup are on point.

44 minutes ago, sc09 said:

Every now and then I will get a sharp pain in my upper abdomen. Anyone else had this and if so did you find out what it was. It doesn't happen when eating for drinking. It woke me up last night doing it.

When was your surgery? I had gas pains like that in the hospital and for a few days after coming home. They only lasted a few seconds each, but were super annoying and slightly scary.

I want refried Beans badly. I'm allowed to start my soft foods today. Will have Greek yogurt for Breakfast. Not really wanting that for all 3 "meals," I don't think.

On 5/9/2017 at 2:31 PM, Honeybee17 said:

I'm 2 weeks out and wondering if anyone else had ever gone through the "regret" phase? I hope nobody criticizes me. I just want to know if this is common our of I'm alone. If you can't help me, pleaser don't comment anything negative or nasty. I don't want to feel worse. I don't know if it's because I miss eating like I used to or miss eating certain foods. Anyone ever go through this and if so, does the feeling go away?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using BariatricPal mobile app

I had buyer's remorse BADLY while I was still in the hospital. I would see people eating food or drinking iced coffee, etc. and was thinking, "What have I done?" I was silently bargaining to change places in life with ANYONE who I came across, such as hospital workers, etc. Rather comical. I haven't really been regretful since I got home and started seeing results and feeling more normal, less gas pain, not claustrophobic hooked up to IVs and monitors, etc. I still have soreness in my belly button incision and the large incision where they pulled out the stomach remnant.

11 hours ago, Redmaxx said:

The thing that really made me upset is the whole, "You are still a diabetic." I know my A1C says I am a pre-diabetic but damn. I went from 1500 mg metformin and two different types of insulin a day to 250 mg of Metformin twice a day.

I would argue that you are no longer diabetic, you're prediabetic. There is nothing masking the diabetes, correct? That is a pretty low dose of metformin. Do you eat carbs or are you strict low carb? Did you dislike the Lipitor? I understand the concern with statins, especially muscle pain. Coenzyme Q-10 helps relieve the statin induced muscle pain. I believe that statins work not by lowering cholesterol, but by lowering systemic inflammation, which leads to heart disease, etc.

11 hours ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Burning a lot of fat can make your Cholesterol artificially high. Mine is high but my Dr understands why and isn't putting me on meds for it.

This. The liver mobilizes fat into the bloodstream, which can show up as elevated cholesterol.

9 hours ago, Jrgirl72 said:

Help! I am 15 years postop reux n y. My memory is horrible, tired all the time, starting to gain again (20 lbs), shakey and weak. Whats going on?

I second having the Vitamin levels checked and also your electrolytes and blood sugar.

9 hours ago, 3boysmama said:

Has anyone found something to mix crushed pills in that will NOT make me gag? I'm not especially sensitive, but I'm having a hard time with this...

Why do you have to crush your pills? Is that a gastric bypass thing? I didn't believe my Nurse Practitioner at first until I tried it, but sleevers can swallow pills whole. I'm a pharmacist and we usually recommend applesauce or pudding.

19 hours ago, Beautifuldisaster2 said:

I am looking for 18/20 jeans and t-shirts. I am willing to pay.

I also have shirts. What style are you looking for? Short sleeve t shirt style? Long sleeve? Work attire?

19 hours ago, Beautifuldisaster2 said:

I am looking for 18/20 jeans and t-shirts. I am willing to pay.

I have a couple pair. What inseam? I wear the short 30" inseam. I have at least 2 pair of Old Navy recent style slightly stretchy jeans. I'm pretty sure they have the tummy control in them. One is 20 short and the other is I believe 18 short. I can look up the specific style and send you pics if interested.

I was advised by the nutritionist to start with Greek yogurt. My program doesn't do purees at all. Just clear liquid/protein shakes straight to stage 2 soft food with 3 "meals" a day. What was you first soft food and how did you do with it? Did it go down well?

On 5/9/2017 at 10:25 AM, Navigating the Wilderness said:

Thank you, this is soooooo true.

Look, if you want to try new food, by all means go for it, but forcing yourself to eat things you do not like isn't a recipe for long-term success.

Point taken. I meant trying things and perhaps learning to like them. I used to think I didn't like yogurt. I kept trying and retrying and mixing it with cinnamon, etc. and now I like it.

4 minutes ago, 1poundatatime said:

I don't force myself to eat things I don't like, but I do think it's worth trying new things! Especially since it doesn't sound like you've had them recently.

We live on the west coast of Canada and have a freezer full of wild salmon and halibut. Both are delicious. A tasty and simple way to cook salmon is to spread some mayo on top and season with dill. Bake until flakey (but still moist, dry fish is no good!). My kids inhale it!

You're right. I haven't had fish since I was a kid, so I'm sure there are many kinds I haven't had, ever. And I LOVE dill!

19 minutes ago, Sosewsue61 said:

I wish I lived closer to the gulf sometimes, when we rent a condo for vacation we always scout a fish market - I love grouper, trigger fish, pompano

<sigh> I have to be content to get what I can in the freezer case.

Pic of trigger fish, has a sweet taste

Now that looks good. I don't want anything with a fishy taste or smell.

1 hour ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

Tilapia is pretty much the worst fish you can buy.

If you don't like fish, the strong fish flavor and scent of Cod is going to turn you off.

Perch bakes perfectly and is a good place to start.

Everything tastes good with enough butter.

The first 3 months post-op I basically ate nothing but baked fish. So yeah if you can enjoy fish, fish is a really good way to go. Easy to digest, lots of Protein, low calories.

Just don't try to force yourself into things you don't like you will just feel miserable and deprived and that isn't how you want to feel.

I agree butter makes everything way better. I just don't know if I can tolerate it yet or if I'm even "allowed." Were you allowed butter at 10 days post op? My program only allows the fake spray butter. I also found out that my stage 2 doesn't do purees, just mushy foods.

6 minutes ago, Brandeis said:

If you want a really MILD fish, I'd try some tilapia; it's the chicken of the sea, doesn't taste very fishy at all, and you can prepare it in many similar flavor profiles to the way you do chicken! If you want to be a bit more daring, I'd say go for some salmon; many people who don't like "fish" still like salmon, in my experience. It's very one of a kind!

Personally, I buy the sodium-free marinades at the grocery store (teriyaki is great!) and I just pour it on the fish, then pop it in the over. I don't have times etc on my mind, but if you just google you can find those easily enough!

Thank you! I had tilapia on my working mental list, along with a few others. My husband and kids like salmon, but the looks and smell turn me off, so I've never tried it. Maybe someday I will try it blackened.

1 minute ago, Brandeis said:

My prefs have changed some, but mostly in the direction of NOT liking things I used to like; there's nothing I used to hate that I really love now. There are a ton of cheeses I used to enjoy, that are too stinky for me now. And a lot of chicken is rough on my tum, and basically things that make me feel gross after I eat them -- well, they now just flat out taste bad to me.

But you should DEFINITELY at least try things! I have to say that fish is one of the easiest things for me to digest, now...it's really great.

That's why I was hoping I could start liking fish. My main Proteins are usually chicken breast, steak and pork chops, and I know those may be an issue at first after the surgery and possibly even later on. Do you have any suggestions for which fish to try and how to prepare it?