Hi guys!

Wanted to do a roll call and see how all the July firecrackers are doing????? Lets continue to support each other and everyone should check in!

I"m great....trying to get in 60 grams of protein a day without drinking protein crap....how are you all?

Tracy (bema bound) surgery the 21st

I'm here! I am now 12 days post op. I am now starting to feel human again. I am focusing on staying hydrated and have started mushies. I had a rough first week...but am a lot better now. I have no desire for food and force it in to try and gain strength. How is everyone else? :-)

I'm here! I'm 9 days post op! I feel really good. I have so much energy now...I am amazed. I don't want to take naps anymore. My tummy is still a little sore and man oh man is it itchy!!!! I've been eating about 4 times a day. I haven't seemed to have any problems with any of the soft foods I have been eating. I even had a little cornbread mixed in crumbled and wet and mushy with my blended beef stew and still no problems. I've been very careful so far to stop eating when I feel full. Man...is it weird that 1 or 2 onces of food can make you full. I've been drinking a lot of tea. Watermelon slushies from Sonic helped me make it through the first week post op. If it hadn't been for those I don't know what I would have done. I'd really like to hear what everyone else is eating. So far...I'm eating

cottage cheese...chewed really well

Blenderized beef stew

Potato Soup and chicken tortilla soup from Walmart Deli..very thin...and chunks very mushy

Junk food is really easy to go down...I've had a couple packets of fun size M&M's

An egg over easy with shredded cheese melted on top

My husbands refried Beans from his taco bueno meal.

Whenever I get wooshie headed I try to eat more Protein...like cottage cheese....sometimes I resort to a protein bullet....BLECK!!!!

I lost about 15 lbs and now...I think since starting "real" food....I have stalled out and gone back up a few pounds. Which I think is mostly from (TMI alert) not eating enough to actually poop on a regular basis. Think the weight just builds up in there. LOL I'm frustrated by the scale not moving....but trying to realize....I'm hardly eating and it will eventually have to start going again. I did measure myself the other night. So, I'll have more to go on. You guys need to give me more details on how things are going for you. I'm dying to vacuum! weird I know...but gotta wait at least til friday. I've been walking....going on strolls at night with hubby. Can't wait to hear from you all! Carmen

Tracy, How are you getting that 60 grams protein in?

Hi guys!

Wanted to do a roll call and see how all the July firecrackers are doing????? Lets continue to support each other and everyone should check in!

I"m great....trying to get in 60 grams of protein a day without drinking protein crap....how are you all?

Tracy (bema bound) surgery the 21st

Im a week and a few days out.. almost 2 weeks.. I am feeling like i could eat more than i thought. I was having 5 small meals.. but i may have to change it to 4 not sure.. I have been losing consistently..despite me thinking i am eating too much. I need to remember not to eat and drink at the same time. i have forgotten and taken a sip of something and then freaked out because i did.. lol.. This is all new and I have realized i need to really learn to listen to my body.. and continue the process.. and today i am trying to have more liquids and Protein.. having a hard time with the powder Isopure.. (i hate the after taste)..

Thanks for your posts.. they have been very helpful.

Hi Carmen,

I will be 3 weeks out on Thurs. So I eat egg and chees for breakfast.....soup and crackers for lunch........fish and potatoe for dinner and greek yogurt or cottage cheese at nite.....of course I switch things up and this is not everyday. But I got on Livingstrong.com....my plate section. Then I track what I eat and if I need a boost of protein I will drink a muscle milk or something...but my goal everyday is not to drink the protein shake crap! My big challenge is to eat those chewable calcium 3 times a day....from the pit! When have you all been told we don't have to crush pills or take vitamins and such in chewable form? Help...I hate chewables! Tracy w

My oh my. Miss Carmen - good to hear you are doing ok. A new Sonic is going in 2 blocks from me...I hope it opens by Sep 1!!!! Thanks for that tip. I hate cottage cheese but I love eggs and scrambled w/cheese. Did you buy canned beef stew and blend? I took some chiken breasts, cooked on the stove for 40 minutes with a can of cream of celery soup and then pureed it in my Ninja. I put it in tiny muffin/tart tins - froze it - bagged it --froze them and they are ready for consumption!! I bought EOS and Atkins shakes (they are ok over ice) or frozen - but what do you drink most of the time-Water? GemintheRough and I are both scheduled for Sep 2 and of course there was some pretty icky blogging today on the Forum about Dr. Almanza. Kind of scary. Never-the-less I am scheduled and come heck or high Protein - I'm going!

Keep the posts up. I'm following every word! Reb

Hi all!

I had my surgery July 20th and will be 3 weeks out on Wednesday. I've been doing pretty well with my Protein intake (70 grams daily) but am still struggling to get all 64 oz. of Water in a day. I've been completely stalled since a couple days after week one and have even gained the 2 pounds back I lost in week two. I think there's a lot of factors contributing to my stall including my period, constipation, and of course just the shock of surgery. My two week post-op appointment was today and they said I was doing very well and just to add a Fiber supplement in daily and to start exercising. Trying to stay optimistic!

Pre-Op testing: 264

Day of Surgery: 251

Week 1: 240.2

Week 2: 238.4

I also did my measurements on week 2 and have lost 6 inches. Not too shabby!

Hey Garden Diva! I hope all turns out well...with Dr. Almanza. There are always going to be a few bad things happen....you just have to look at the good.

I'm stalled out like you Leah. Trying not to get frustrated. I didn't think this would happen to me. I'm usually a pretty fast loser when I stop eating like this.....but I am also contributing it to not pooping enough and adding in REAL food.

Was a little sad tonight. Hubby said I need to cut out the slushies....I know he is right...but at this point...I say I need them for now and they stay. I only have one every other day or so. He is a drill seargent

OH yeah Reb.....I made my own beef stew. I normally make it with chunks of beef...but I used hamburger meat instead to make it easier to blend. It is yummy. Let me know if you want the recipe when your time comes.

Hi All,

I am here as well. 2 weeks out for me. It is hard to believe 2 weeks have already past.

My tummy is still a little bit sore. I wake up in the morning all refreshed and ready to go, and I start to get a little tired around 4pm. I guess I am not getting enough food in me, but I have been on the 2 week clear fluids. To be honest, I stopped on Saturday the clear fluids. I began the full fluids. This coming Saturday I am moving on to mushies.

I am trying to get my Protein in by mixing it with yogurt and sugar free pudding. For lunch today I am having cream of mushroom Soup. I am not sure how much protein I am getting a day, but I am trying to get some in. I think it will be easier once I start the mushies when my food choices will be a bit more expanded.

Has any one notices their tastes changing? I am really interested in this as I have heard that some people have experienced this. I know someone who used to drink chocolate milk pre op and now can't even stand the smell of it.

Also, I have noticed my sense of smell has been a lot more lately. I am not known to have a great sense of smell, but here lately, man, smells have been tons stronger.

Sheila

I'm one month and a week out & doing well.... My tastes have definitely changed post-op especially since I've developed a new intolerance to almost all milk products. I'm still working on getting all my protein in every day because I can only get it from food sources... BUT I've managed to lose 35lbs! *happy dance*

My surgery date was July 19th, which means that I'm 3 weeks and 1 day out. I lost 11.4 pounds on the 2 week pre-op diet plus another 15.6 since surgery. I was on full liquids for the 1st 2 weeks post op and then have been on mushies graduating to softer regular food during the past week. This week my weight loss was slower than the 1st two weeks (2.6#), but I attribute that to being totally "cleared out" when on only liquids, and now building up some solid foods that are staying in my system -- if you know what I mean!

My Dr. wanted me doing exercise from soon after surgery but I have Plantar Fasciaitis [sp?] in my left foot so my old fave of walking an hour a day isn't practical. This last week I started riding a bike mounted on a stationary trainer for 20 minutes a day. I hope to build that up to 30 minutes over the next few weeks.

At 2-week post-op visit, the nutritionist (part of the surgical practice) told me to make sure that I'm eating 63g Protein a day with a goal of 800 calories. Plus the 64 oz of Water, of course. In order to get all that protein in I've been eating 6 meals a day. The meal size ranges from about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup as I get the full signal (pain around the sternum area) differently depending upon what I'm eating. I'm getting in all the protein with real foods -- no Protein shakes as I can't even tolerate the thought of them any more! I've met the calorie goal every day (725-800 cal), water goal every day except yesterday and protein gold (as much as 80g every day except yesterday when I only got to 60.5. I'm eating: cottage cheese, eggs, low fat cheese, hamburger, poached salmon, shrimp, chicken, fat free refried Beans, apple sauce, pear sauce, and a small amount of mixed veggies (corn, eggplant, zucchini, peppers). The stuff I get fullest on the fastest has been the chicken and shrimp.

My 2-week post op visit went fine. I haven't had much real pain until last night when I felt a bit nauseous. My wounds are healing well and I'm past the itchy phase. This issue now is how to get in exercise and all of the protein/water/calories during the day.

So all in all I think things are going pretty well though I'm not 100% recovered quite yet. I'll be returning to work next Tuesday, 4 weeks post op. I didn't tell anyone what type of surgery I was having and folks from my office sent me two food gift baskets!! One Edible Arrangements chocolate dipped fruits (which looked fab), and another basket of fruits, cheeses, nuts, crackers. So my DH and Mom have been enjoying those!

WOW Everyone is doing so well!! I am a month out tomorrow and I feel amazing. I lost 11 pounds on my presurgical diet, and have now lost another 24 pounds since my surgery for a grand total of 35 pounds! I know it's probably not the best habit, but I don't count my Protein or Water. I just only eat foods that are high in protein and I drink water constantly. I can't believe how much my body has changed in such a short amount of time and I can't wait to see what the future holds for me!

PS. Does anyone else get SUPER sick if they eat something high in sugar?

I was 3 weeks out yesterday. It is still so hard to believe after waiting so long to do this. I feel pretty good, I have been doing most of my normal activities. I don't go back to work until Aug. 29th, because I am a school bus driver, but I know by then I will be ready for it. I am amazed that I have not had any problems with any of the food I have tried. I am still on purees, but I don't always puree everything, I just chew it up really well. I am finally allowed to have cheese this week, which I am excited about. I lost 15.4 lbs. preop and now I have lost 18.4 lbs. since surgery. I have only been walking, but I think I am going to get a bike soon, because I really want to start riding bike again. I don't see the surgeon until Aug. 18th, so hopefully, they'll be happy with my progress so far too. I am so happy I had this surgery.

I am a little over 2 weeks out. I am still on full liquids until tomorrow. I have my first post-op appt. I have not had any vomiting or nausea. However, I am HUNGRY. Not head hunger but real physical hunger. I am slowly learning it will not kill me. I do tire easily and have been napping at least once a day. I get 60-70g of protein in a day. I am getting about 800 calories a day. I am anxious to move onto mushies.

Khy