I am almost 3 weeks post op and this week I've encountered a new problem. Afternoon I eat, I get extremely tired. I can lay down and take a nap if I ewe rent at work. I'm taking my vitamins and doing most of what I'm supposed to... I don't understand why this is effecting me this way all of a sudden. Any ideas, helps?

Xxxafternoon... AFTER I eat... Any meal... Love auto correct...

It goes away. At 3 weeks you should still for the most part be on liquids or pureed foods, right?

I have found this to be true if I eat too much. Still true today. Try eating less more often. Just have two bites and stop. 20 minutes later, have another two bites. See if that makes a difference.

I have found this to be true if I eat too much. Still true today. Try eating less more often. Just have two bites and stop. 20 minutes later, have another two bites. See if that makes a difference.

Struggling with getting my eating/drinking balanced here (eating here being soup/yougert/cream of wheat/etc). I would love to do what you are suggesting, it's dang hard to "eat" for me. But then how do you balance the drinking? If you can't drink 30b4/30after....I am having a heck of a time. If I ate a couple of bites every 20 mins when would I drink?

I was so proud of myself getting in all my Water Sunday and as soon as a started "eating" it got much harder!

I'm at the puréed foods stage. My nutritionist doesn't want me to graze all day... rather to make designated eating times that are the same every day... I do take about 30 minutes to eat my 1/4 C meal... I'm also finding that I don't feel very good after eating... Sometimes to the point of being nauceas... This has been just plain hard!!! I'm sure the time will come when I get over the humps...

I have found this to be true if I eat too much. Still true today. Try eating less more often. Just have two bites and stop. 20 minutes later, have another two bites. See if that makes a difference.

Struggling with getting my eating/drinking balanced here (eating here being soup/yougert/cream of wheat/etc). I would love to do what you are suggesting, it's dang hard to "eat" for me. But then how do you balance the drinking? If you can't drink 30b4/30after....I am having a heck of a time. If I ate a couple of bites every 20 mins when would I drink?

I was so proud of myself getting in all my Water Sunday and as soon as a started "eating" it got much harder!

You are right. That was confusing. Let me clarify.

Let's say I take my lunch at 11:30. I would have ensured I had at least 20 oz of water by 11:00 because I am so good with that.

So, let's say I have 3 sliced ham with cream cheese wraps. I'll take one out of the fridge and take a bite. Chew it ridiculously putting it down after my first bite. For the ham I use, this roll will take about 4 bites. Takes me about 10 minutes to eat it. 20 minutes later, I head back to the fridge and grab another one AS LONG AS I AM NOT REMOTELY FEELING FULL. (or whatever my new definition of full is) So, I repeat the process. Yes, it does mean I am usually eating at my desk, but that is fine, for me. Continue to repeat this process until you BEGIN to feel the restriction. Doesn't matter if you are half way through one of the ham rolls, STOP! Just because there is food in front of us doesn't mean we have to eat it.

I know ... that was a new one for me, too.

30 minutes later, resume drinking.

On the rare occasion I go out with co-workers for lunch, the process isn't much different. If I am not sharing my surgery with others, if I am asked, I say I am just not that hungry right now but will probably have another bite when we are back at the office. I've been doing this for well over 2 years and it really isn't a big deal. I thought it would be at first, but then I discovered it really isn't all about me.

We're learning new habits here. It is a good thing. I love the fact that I don't have to or want to power down food the way I used to.

Edited December 11, 201312 yr by PdxMan

PdxMan... You seem to have it all down just right... I feel like I'm at the bottom of the learning curve and am struggling to get any of it right!!! Sometimes I wonder if it'll ever get easier... And then I read posts of those of you that have already battled it out and won and think I might just get there... Thank you fort asking the time to offer suggestions and advise... It's much needed...

Pdxman I can understand your eating pattern and wish I had the ability to use time like that at work but I don't. I have a 30 min lunch break and that includes the walking back and forth to my job location so really I have 25 min to eat lunch. My breaks are 10 min each. I'm at work at 5:30am with break at 8:45. Lunch at 11:45 and breaks at 2:30 & 4:30 off work at 6:00 pm. I'm having trouble planning my protein. Cannot leave my job location to eat and cannot have a drink on the job. Any insight you have would be wonderful for me..

PdxMan... You seem to have it all down just right... I feel like I'm at the bottom of the learning curve and am struggling to get any of it right!!! Sometimes I wonder if it'll ever get easier... And then I read posts of those of you that have already battled it out and won and think I might just get there... Thank you fort asking the time to offer suggestions and advise... It's much needed...

I do not have it down by any means. I would be fooling only myself if I thought I did. I am constantly learning. What works for me one week, won't work for me the next. I think the bottom line is we have to experiment. Stop thinking in absolutes.

"I'll NEVER be able to eat normal again!"

"I'm going to be tired THE REST OF MY LIFE!"

"I'll NEVER figure this out!"

I see this so many times. I went into this knowing that it is a work in progress and this process never ends. I am never "cured" of my addiction to food. I learn how to have a better relationship with it. But, to get where I have gotten has taken A LOT of practice, experimentation and patience. If something isn't working for me, it's OK. My body may have not progressed to that point, yet. Take a deep breath and know that I just need to either wait or modify what I am doing. What I do KNOW, though, is that I cannot do things the way I did it before. I had to make a change.

Pdxman I can understand your eating pattern and wish I had the ability to use time like that at work but I don't. I have a 30 min lunch break and that includes the walking back and forth to my job location so really I have 25 min to eat lunch. My breaks are 10 min each. I'm at work at 5:30am with break at 8:45. Lunch at 11:45 and breaks at 2:30 & 4:30 off work at 6:00 pm. I'm having trouble planning my Protein. Cannot leave my job location to eat and cannot have a drink on the job. Any insight you have would be wonderful for me..

So, you need to find what WILL work. There has to be a solution for you. I have never heard of an employer not allowing a person to have a drink. I've worked food industry, health care, education ... If you could share your exact industry or the nature as to why there is that restriction, it would help. Are you able to discuss the need to have something available with your employer?

A fanny pack with an ice pack housing some of those ham/cheese rolls is a good option. Turkey Jerky from Trader Joes was one of my standby protein go-tos. Premier RTD shakes are still a part of my routine. Just don't give up and give in to quick, processed, unhealthy options. As I continually preach, if you want things to change, then you have to make things change.

You're very right about all of it... And I can relate to many of your comments... As well as some of the other posts... I'm fortunate enough to have a cubicle of my own and have what I need and my disposal... I need to master the new 'full' sensation and you made the bell go off... When I start to feel the restriction... As I've been sitting here working on a snack... Working and reading posts... It's given me a chance to put my spoon down and think how I FEEL several minutes after a bite not just put time between them... I actually could feel done... I put the rest away and have managed not to feel terrible... A little tired but not like I need to climb under my desk and take a nap!!! I know the process is worth it... I'm just feeling a wee bit overwhelmed by the changes I either wasn't expecting or didn't know would be so hard...

Pdxman I can understand your eating pattern and wish I had the ability to use time like that at work but I don't. I have a 30 min lunch break and that includes the walking back and forth to my job location so really I have 25 min to eat lunch. My breaks are 10 min each. I'm at work at 5:30am with break at 8:45. Lunch at 11:45 and breaks at 2:30 & 4:30 off work at 6:00 pm. I'm having trouble planning my protein. Cannot leave my job location to eat and cannot have a drink on the job. Any insight you have would be wonderful for me..

I use my commute to and from work as prime drinking time. Otherwise I would never get my fluids in, because I can't just walk around work with a drink in my hand either. Also look at protein sources that you can grab and go, like a handful of nuts when you have a free second. It's difficult in the beginning, but it does get better! You listed four breaks in a day, that's four opportunities to have a protein snack - just drink some fluid before eating.

I do not have it down by any means. I would be fooling only myself if I thought I did. I am constantly learning. What works for me one week, won't work for me the next. I think the bottom line is we have to experiment. Stop thinking in absolutes. "I'll NEVER be able to eat normal again!" "I'm going to be tired THE REST OF MY LIFE!" "I'll NEVER figure this out!" I see this so many times. I went into this knowing that it is a work in progress and this process never ends. I am never "cured" of my addiction to food. I learn how to have a better relationship with it. But, to get where I have gotten has taken A LOT of practice, experimentation and patience. If something isn't working for me, it's OK. My body may have not progressed to that point, yet. Take a deep breath and know that I just need to either wait or modify what I am doing. What I do KNOW, though, is that I cannot do things the way I did it before. I had to make a change. So, you need to find what WILL work. There has to be a solution for you. I have never heard of an employer not allowing a person to have a drink. I've worked food industry, health care, education ... If you could share your exact industry or the nature as to why there is that restriction, it would help. Are you able to discuss the need to have something available with your employer? A fanny pack with an ice pack housing some of those ham/cheese rolls is a good option. Turkey Jerky from Trader Joes was one of my standby protein go-tos. Premier RTD shakes are still a part of my routine. Just don't give up and give in to quick, processed, unhealthy options. As I continually preach, if you want things to change, then you have to make things change.

I work In a food manufacturing facility. We cannot have food or drinks on the packaging area where I work because of the chance of cross contamination and pest control issues as well as housekeeping issues. I can walk to a water fountain as I'm able to, I run three machines though and it's not often I'm able to.