When ever I would read crazy posts about what people were eating right after surgery I thought it must be trolls. Surely their surgeon would send them with some specific diet instructions. Today at my 1 week post op nutrition class, one guy (who had the same surgeon as me so I know he got a million handouts and talks about what and when to eat) told everyone what he had been eating (keep in mind should have been Clear liquids only), the NUT's jaw dropped. In fact she went and called the surgeon to come over and meet him before class was out.

They might be real people...with decent surgeons... mind blown.

I am slow to move to full/semi liquid stage that I could have started a few days ago as my sleeve is still tempermental. Tomorrow I will start 1/2 ounce of Greek yogurt... maybe.

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CSawesome, I think I was retaining Water for sure. I seem to be back on track at a 0.5-1 pound loss per day. I just LOVE sodium lol.

Whoops: another username edit. My bad.

Edited April 8, 201610 yr by oneeightybysummer

Of course, on a TMI note I should also add that I just finished my cycle a couple days ago. In hindsight, that might have added to my Water retention.

I actually have a friend who had bypass the same day as her husband. On the way home from the hospital she made him stop at KFC. She "only" had mashed potatoes and gravy. 5 min later he was pulling over for her to puke. When they got home she opened a can of Coke and took several slugs. And promptly thew up. 8 years later she still eats total crap and vomits nearly every day...... 'sigh'......

So yes, there really are crazy people out there, they aren't all trolls.

Question....did she lose weight?

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Yep. Down to a size 6/7. She doesn't eat much but when she does its all carbs and fat. Like if we go to a restaurant, I will pick all the Protein off the plate and she will eat all the bread and chips.....even the fried skin or breading I peel off. On horseback rides I take Protein Bars and she takes packets of cheese and crackers. She's a cookieholic. She drinks Coke. Mashed potatoes with pools of butter are a staple for her.

But yes, thanks to her malabsorption and daily puking, she is a "successful" WLS patient. If she does gain weight she literally will stop eating for 4-5 days. Of course she's malnourished and one of the most unhealthy people I know. Has been hospitalized for various Vitamin deficiency issues and has a lot of muscle cramping from electrolyte imbalances. Her immune system sucks, has chronic MRSA and occasional fungal infections. Won't take her supplements because she forgets and won't eat healthy because she doesn't like the taste of anything that's healthy for her. So despite being thin, she will likely still die young.

Jeez, Kindle -- what a depressing WLS story about your friend who's had a bypass. But it's useful as a negative model of self care.

Of course, self care is about so much more than weight control. None of us does self care perfectly. And we all will die eventually. But self care is ultimately about showing respect for ourselves, including our bodies.

Learning to care better for myself (in my senior years) has been at the core of my own WLS journey. It's truly embarrassing that it took me so long to get to the point where I am ready to do this work.

I think that hitting bottom health-wise about three years ago helped me finally find and engage my power to do this work.

BTW, my recent success has nothing to do with me being perfect. But it does have something to do with having more compassion for myself than I used to have.

Totally agree @VSGAnn2014. I'm not a fanatic about my health, but I am definitely more aware of the long term effects of what I choose to do to my body. It's no longer about instant gratification (which was actually my motto in my 20's and 30's).

And yes, I've had nothing but poor role models for my WLS journey. Besides her, her husband, while much healthier, has gained back a lot of his weight. He's still way ahead of where he started, but still not what I would ultimately be OK with for myself. And he's very proud of the fact he "taught" his pouch to tolerate carbonation so he can still drink beer. Another friend who had lapband and initially inspired me to look at WLS has gained most of her weight back and she maintains a very unhealthy diet as well. Psychologically she may be the least successful. She actually gets an unfill before her mom visits so she can gorge on comfort food rather than deal with their relationship. Another friend with bypass never stopped smoking. Despite losing most of her excess weight she is still taking heart Meds and they are looking at putting her on supplemental oxygen.

Lots of bad examples, but I learned from their mistakes even if they didn't. The ironic thing is I have suicidal thoughts every day. It's coming up on a bad time of year, my counselor is pulling double shifts and I actually surrendered my guns to a friend for now. But if I am going to live, I at least want to be healthy and feel good while I'm around. Crazy shit, huh?!

My only theory was he must just be eating a bite at a time all day long to get it all in. And have a sleeve of steel.

I can't imagine my sleeve is a diva, she gets mad if I sip my broth too fast.

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Haha I think mine will be a diva too. Lol hilarious!

Dawnie_doo

I will say that right now I have a pretty strong sleeve (3 weeks out) and think I could eat more than my diet allows. I am only on soft foods and stick religiously to my diet, however I don't seem to have trouble with different foods like other people do at this stage so I wonder if he just has a really strong sleeve.

Now before surgery at a pre-opt appointment I asked my surgeon if anyone of his patients have ever died from the surgery and he said he only lost one patient after gastric bypass. He said the day she was released from the hospital she drove through McDonalds and ate a big mac. After that I have been too scared to even consider cheating.

OMG I share the same fear. I know two people that passed away after a bypass. Smh but who knows what they did to bring about complications. It wasn't right away, but it surely happened.

I'm pre op and trust me, I may cry my way through it, but I'm sticking to their instructions!

Dawnie_doo

There's an baffling equation that some WLS patients make that, post-op, eating off-program is the same as "cheating" on a diet.

I cannot comprehend how some WLS patients don't appreciate the significant difference between "going on another diet" and having recently had 85% of your stomach excised and the remaining bits stapled together -- and what could happen if they stress those stapled-together bits.

Yet, somehow, some patients still take that risk.

This will sound heartless ... but this kind of behavior is why the Darwin Award was created.

This is why I strongly believe that the counseling should continue after the surgery. If I run into those emotional issues after my surgery I'm definitely going back to the lady that did my pre op evaluation.

Dawnie_doo

@@Kindle ... I probably shouldn't be laughing at your last post, but I am.

IMHO, your appreciation of the dark humor that lurks in all our lives does offer a healthy perspective.

Yeah, life sometimes sucks. But as the Buddhists say, it's not about resisting the pain, but embracing all of life, which includes pain.

How great it is that life also includes some other things.

As always, sending you big hugs.

P.S. BTW, you weren't kidding -- you really DO have some negative WLS role models! But we gotta go with what we're given.

I can see the points of everyone in this thread. I think those who shared the dangers of not following the post op nutrition plan were doing so out of care and concern, albeit, in a blunt and direct manner. The seriousness of dying to these surgeries is a reality! Either complications will arise, or one could be back in their doctor's office a couple years later because they regained the weight. I've seen it happen, the deaths, and the unsuccessful surgeries! It's nothing to play with!

Yet and still, the best way to reach others is with a caring heart. Let's be sensitive to the words that we use. I'm sure we all have had a moment where we were offended because someone "could've said it better". I applaud everyone who embarks on this journey, struggles and all! It's truly a difficult and trying experience. It will test every strength that you thought you had!

Be encouraged everyone! To those who are successful, congrats! To those still struggling, I get it, and my heart is with you. Reconsider counseling if you must, but PLEASE be healthy! Your life depends on it! Be blessed everyone!

Dawnie_doo

I will say that right now I have a pretty strong sleeve (3 weeks out) and think I could eat more than my diet allows. I am only on soft foods and stick religiously to my diet, however I don't seem to have trouble with different foods like other people do at this stage so I wonder if he just has a really strong sleeve.

Now before surgery at a pre-opt appointment I asked my surgeon if anyone of his patients have ever died from the surgery and he said he only lost one patient after gastric bypass. He said the day she was released from the hospital she drove through McDonalds and ate a big mac. After that I have been too scared to even consider cheating.

My nut said they had someone like that. Right after they were discharged the person went to McDonald and immediately had to come back to the hospital.

There's an baffling equation that some WLS patients make that, post-op, eating off-program is the same as "cheating" on a diet.

I cannot comprehend how some WLS patients don't appreciate the significant difference between "going on another diet" and having recently had 85% of your stomach excised and the remaining bits stapled together -- and what could happen if they stress those stapled-together bits.

Yet, somehow, some patients still take that risk.

This will sound heartless ... but this kind of behavior is why the Darwin Award was created.

This is why I strongly believe that the counseling should continue after the surgery. If I run into those emotional issues after my surgery I'm definitely going back to the lady that did my pre op evaluation.

Dawnie_doo

I agree with your statement. 10 weeks after surgery I was back in my Psych office. Of course having a 4 week stale might cause anyone to go back. I was not emotionally handling it well. The Dr told me 41 grams of Protein. The Non Surgeon's Bariatric Nut I found and paid out of pocket for told me to up my protein to 80 to 100. I started doing that on Tuesday and have lost 5 pounds. Stall is finally over.

This back and forth banner about whose feelings get hurt over how someone responds to a post reminds of exactly why I occasionally tell a newcomer that opinions and tact will vary, but we mean well.

This back and forth banner about whose feelings get hurt over how someone responds to a post reminds of exactly why I occasionally tell a newcomer that opinions and tact will vary, but we mean well.

That is the problem with non face to face verbal communication, the meanings can be misinterpreted since people can not see the visual expressions or hear the way it was it expressed.

I have seen in other posts (not referring to this thread) the posts are interpreted spot on and in other cases, even with emoticons, people are way off base and incorrectly respond back like total a$$holes.

@@Kindle, my heart and prayers go out to you during this rough time. I am so glad you are seeing your therapist. I have suffered with suicidal thoughts since 2006, sometimes they come back full force, but as you know there are many ways to beat them back into submission! I have enjoyed your posts over the past few months, you are an inspiration ​!