RTL1234

My husband has always been into protein because he lifts and works out. So I’ve tried quite a few. For pre made, the only ones I can tolerate are fairlife. They have the least “protein” taste and texture. For powders, I like GNC lean shake. I used to like the lean shake burn but I don’t do any caffeine now. The chocolate is the best flavor (IMO), the cookies and cream has a great taste but has like little chunks of chocolate or something and I dislike that texture. My husband is always bringing home samples from GNC. Before covid they would scoop them into little containers but I don’t know how they do them now. As for unflavored....I use Isopure Unflavored Protein to use in food. Ricotta bake, protein pudding, refried beans (I’m in purée stage). It is so fine that it blends very well and doesn’t leave it gritty. I don’t think I could do it in water, it’s unflavored but it isn’t tasteless so I need something to mask it!

Thank you so much! I’m hoping I do lol. The last thing I want is an empty gaping hole to fill with food. LOL! I realize it’s crazy the things I think, or we think, but it just seems so unrealistic or unattainable maybe is a better word. I keep telling myself I WILL DO THIS!

That’s awesome!! Sorry you hit your first stall! Glad it didn’t last too long for you! I like to weigh everyday but right now I’ve decided once a week only for a while.

Hugs! I totally understand this feeling. It’s so hard. I think it’s great you can recognize it and are able to pinpoint it, write it down, and process through it. That’s a huge deal! I’m trying to do the same. I feel like I’ve never been able to feel what full feels like. Does that make sense? I feel like before, when I over ate or binged, I felt hungry then sick. No inbetween. So I’m trying to figure out what that feels like, but I can’t seem to figure it out. Anyone else feel this way? Right now I eat within my guidelines, usually a bit less just because I feel like food sits heavy and I don’t like that feeling. But then I’m like is that what full feels like? Ugh. SMH.

Oh my goodness! I hope that never happens again!! That’s awful. And terrifying.

Yikes! I’m glad you are okay! What made you go there, was it like bad pain? So scary!

I think that’s great!!! You are chugging right along!

I was cracking up you said you farted lol. I am like a teenager when it comes to farts. Glad it made you feel better though!!! 🤣🤣🤣

I felt the same way! The first few days, all I could think about was what the heck did I do?! It gets better!!! I promise! Just keep pushing through! Try your best to get your water and protein in and if you can’t, well that’s fine. I didn’t either, and I posted about it and people said the same things to me. Just do the best you can and this too shall pass! hope you start to feel better soon!

I’m glad you were able to check in with them! What is stage 3? Soft foods? my surgery was 12/22. I’m doing great! Purées are boring and I’m ready to move on to food I can chew. That’s at 4 weeks for me. I’m down 34 lbs since ore op and happy about that!

Mine focused on both. They don’t count calories, though I do but it is not the program focus. They want you to eat while, unprocessed foods. They say for every meal (once out of the purée phase and I can’t wait lol), to eat a protein and a plant.

Definitely bring it up to the doctor. Are you a diabetic? 72 really isn’t though, unless you are uncontrolled and used to being high. Then a 72 could give you low symptoms like dizziness. I have been off my insulin pump since surgery because I’m not really getting in any nutrition, to try to prevent my lows. They do still happen though. I’ve been having about one low a day which for me is anything less than 65. I usually can feel it coming on before my sensor goes off and alarms me. Once I hit the 40’s I feel pretty bad! However a few sips of full strength Gatorade will bring me back up which is what my endo has me doing for now. Good luck!!! Let us know what the doctor says!

I’m 2 weeks out tomorrow and still burping a lot too. Especially after eating purées. It like bubbles up, like I feel like I can feel it bubble all the way from my tummy, then I have a second where I think oh **** it is throw up, and then it’s not just lots of saliva and a burp. I don’t know. I feel like I’m weird. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣🤣

MIL - IBS-D sounds awful!!! Maybe regularity will be in your life soon! Lol! ANewJourney - I’m glad you made that other post. It made me feel good to feel like I’m not alone! My water goes through fine too. It almost feels wrong or something.

I did mine during grad school also. Thankfully though I’ve been on break. I think if I didn’t have kids, I would have only needed a couple days and could lay/sit in the bed and do homework/class. Especially since grad school is like 3944782 papers and 4848272 discussion boards. Lol.

Yes on the diarrhea 😢. I was like oh I’m going to be constipated...nope. Quite the opposite! It has gotten better though once I started purées.

Glad to see everyone is chugging along!! MIL - Do you have the same name on IG? I surf the hashtags over there and I was like that’s gotta be the same person lol. I don’t have a WLS IG so I don’t really do too much over there. No one knows I had surgery except some of my work and friends. My job at the hospital is like high school so I’m sure everyone will know in no time. 🙄🙄 ANewJourney - I hope the rash clears up soon! And the itchies! That’s the worst! I’ve been very itchy around my incisions, and the glue is peeling off which they said would be gone by my month appt. Isn’t it nice just to take normal drinks of something?! Lol! I know I have no energy to go back to my job right now and I am very grateful to have a month off, but I am going crazy in the house with the kids. Especially not being able to pick my toddler up. It so aggravating. It’s so cold but I may bundle everyone up and just go to the park and walk slow. They said walking was okay after 2 weeks and I’m only 2 days away from that so I’m just ready. Change of scenery.

Like others, my protein goal is 60g. Today is only my second day of purées but I got in 24g. The nutritionist instructed me to try to eat “mini” meals every 3 hours, and a protein shake in between to help increase it. They are 30g but I don’t hardly drink the entire thing. I tried to eat the every 3 hours but I can’t really tolerate more than 1-1.5 oz. I made some refried bean purée and ricotta bake, added some Isopure unflavored protein powder to up the protein count. I tried to eat an egg today but only ate about 1/4 because it just felt weird and stuck in there. Though I had egg salad purée and did okay. Any suggestions? Am I missing something? I feel like 60g is a big target and I’m not even close to hitting.

I’m starting to tolerate more and have been getting closer to goals! I appreciate all the suggestions! Weirdly, I tolerated a scrambled egg just fine. Ate half, toddler ate the other half. Then the next day I tried a over medium egg which is my favorite with runny yolks! Did NOT sit well at all. I didn’t throw up but I felt soooo sick. Has anyone else found things that are the same thing but prepared different ways that you can’t tolerate?

First ... I agree with others, always check with your surgeon! Second... a post op cough can be normal because of the ET tube (breathing tube) they put in. It causes some slight inflammation and can exacerbate secretion production. I think I would be more concerned if you were out of breath. Use your incentive spirometer (hopefully you got one!!). Pain makes us take tiny little breaths and consequently our lungs don’t get to expand like they should. The IS helps us achieve those goals. Each day will get better! And by a week out you should be taking deep breaths easily! Your cough should also disappear. Going back to the first point though, you can always call and see what they say! D watch out for a fever, coughing up mucus that is deep yellow/green, unable to tolerate short walks because you’re out of breath. Good luck!!! Hope you feel better!

Checking in! How is everyone doing?! Hopefully well! Today I "meal" prepped some more purees. Egg salad, chicken salad (which I'm usually not a fan of but it tasted so good lol), and buffalo chicken dip puree. I've been eating between 1.5-2oz each meal. Today has only been 2x, its just one of those days I just don't feel like eating much though I've gotten protein with the shake too.

I’m so sorry you are going through this. It is so difficult to hear someone treat you so poorly. You are trying to prioritize your health and different culture or not, he doesn’t have to be a d**k. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It makes me sad for you. Take the opportunity to better yourself. My husband was unsure of surgery at first, but supported my decision and has since been awesome and encouraging. I wish this for you! Rely on those extended family members to help continue to support you. Just remember the way he has been this entire time, when you are crushing your goals. 💪🏼

I think that is such a hard question to answer since it’s very dependent on the person. I am a nurse, bedside in a hospital that works 12’s. I had surgery on 12/22, I took four weeks off. I’m grateful to have the saved time off. I am getting a little stir crazy but I know the physical demands of my job prevent me from going back. I’m also kind of glad to avoid covid and other illness patients while I feel like I’m at a compromised immune state. (That could be just all in my head but it’s how I feel lol). I assume I would feel the same with germy kids lol. Could you take off an extra week after spring break?

Mine was outpatient. I was there about 6.5 hours total. They did have criteria you needed to meet to go home. You had to be up and walking, go tinkle, and have your pain under control. I was glad to go home the same day. It was at a surgical center, they do have overnight if you would need to stay for any reason but I did fine and was glad to come home!

This makes me feel so much better lol. Like I’m trying but man it’s so hard. I’m glad to see so many said don’t fret about it at this stage. Today I got in 55, I drank one 30g shake inbetween my “meals” and two 6 oz glasses of fairlife milk. So that really is what got me so close. I feel like I’ve just had too much though. I don’t know it’s not that I had to much in one sitting I just feel bloated and icky.