I dread going back to my Job after surgery

[meganannie 0]

I've worked at Denny's for over a year now and I've worked in other restaurants as well.I grew up eating Denny's with my grandparents and its always been a comfort.I absolutely love working in the food service realm.I love cooking,serving,hosting it sucks sometimes but at the end of the day I love it! Well...Loved it.I can't imagine how I'm gonna be able to work much longer there- I mean when my parents cook its absolute torture everything smells so good but at least for the most part its relatively healthier than a restaurant and I'll be able to have solid foods in 7-8 weeks.At Denny's though everything has margarine,sugar and fat even the chicken is grilled in margarine.I don't think i'd have enough self control being around that kinda food all the time.Employees can get free soda while they work and the occasional prank call to-go order leaves food up for grabs.Maybe my opinion will change as my healing and journey progresses but as of right now I'm quite nervous.Majority of the food there will likely cause any bariatric patient dumping syndrome. Not even the salads are safe with the fat and sugar content in the dressings and the most Protein packed things are made with margarine which is not measured out.I know I could not eat anything there but when you work nights like I do you rarely wanna go home and cook something not to mention sometimes its so busy you can't even eat and 4-5 hours with not eating is a no bueno coming from my surgeon.At this point it just seems extremely risky.

[catwoman7 10,858]

first of all, only about 30% of bypass patients dump. If you're getting the sleeve instead, then the percentage of dumpers is way less than that (not sure of it - but it's not common in sleevers).

secondly, a lot of us have no appetite or hunger for several weeks - or even months - after surgery.

so suffice it to say, you MIGHT be fine to continue to work. I had pretty much zero interest in food for the first five months after surgery.

I just looked at Denny's menu (I haven't been there in probably 20 years), and yea - there's almost nothing on there that's safe or anything I'd eat (I can't tolerate really fatty meals anymore - not only do they bother my stomach, I just think they're gross). The scrambled eggs and the salmon would be OK - but keep in mind a lot of people can't tolerate eggs for the first few weeks out of surgery (I never had issues with them, though), and you wouldn't be able to eat salmon until you're cleared to eat solid foods.

hopefully if you stay at Denny's, the management will let you take your own food to work. That would solve it. I would hope that since you'd have a medical reason, they'd be fine with that.

[kcuster83 1,502]

You will be able to handle it or get used to it.

Can you make your own food or bring your own food? Then you can make something that fits your plan.

PS: Dennys food is SOOOO greasy now. I ordered scrambled eggs and there was literally a puddle of butter on my plate. I sopped it up with a napkin and ate it anyway. Luckily it didn't make me sick but I am over it. I remember going to dennys in the past but I don't remember everything being so greasy.

Best of luck to you!

[catwoman7 10,858]

41 minutes ago, kcuster83 said:

You will be able to handle it or get used to it.

Can you make your own food or bring your own food? Then you can make something that fits your plan.

PS: Dennys food is SOOOO greasy now. I ordered scrambled eggs and there was literally a puddle of butter on my plate. I sopped it up with a napkin and ate it anyway. Luckily it didn't make me sick but I am over it. I remember going to dennys in the past but I don't remember everything being so greasy.

Best of luck to you!

OK - scratch what I said above about the scrambled eggs. Too bad - they're almost the only thing on the menu I thought I would actually eat...but not if they're swimming in butter! What's the point of that, anyway? Sheesh.

[SleeveToBypass2023 1,814]

12 hours ago, kcuster83 said:

You will be able to handle it or get used to it.

Can you make your own food or bring your own food? Then you can make something that fits your plan.

PS: Dennys food is SOOOO greasy now. I ordered scrambled eggs and there was literally a puddle of butter on my plate. I sopped it up with a napkin and ate it anyway. Luckily it didn't make me sick but I am over it. I remember going to dennys in the past but I don't remember everything being so greasy.

Best of luck to you!

Ok ew. That's just nasty. I used to love Denny's. Haven't been since surgery, but I'm not in any big hurry now lol

[ShoppGirl 3,355]

Perhaps they would let you keep a bottle of better dressing there so that you can eat salads at least if you can’t bring your own meals entirely. (And maybe a ziplock with sOme lean Protein to add to a salad). Or if your friends with who is cooking maybe they will cook it with the spray instead of using oils?? I know when I worked at a retirement community in the restaurant they bent the rules a little making certain to end up with an extra chicken breast since that’s all I really liked On the menu. That was years ago though and I was tiny tiny so of course everyone wanted to make sure I ate something back then. lol. Bringing food would probably be the easiest solution if they will let you. Regardless of where you go whether it’s work or play you will likely have to bring food with you the majority of the time in order to stay on track so it’s not a bad habit to get into. Depending on your usage, You may consider investing in a really good cooler if they won’t let you keep it in The fridge. I bought a yeti cooler post surgery and they are not cheap but it’s amazing. Keeps stuff cold with ice for days and for hours with just ice packs- in the car in the summer even!! The only issue I have are the size choices. I got the smallest actual cooler. The hopper I think and it’s still kinda big for a short outing but for drinks and food for the day it would probably be perfect. Regardless it easily fits bottled Water standing up which is not a given with coolers. I keep a ziplock filled with crystal light packets in my purse and carry my water any time I leave the house which has probably paid for the cooler by now (I’m over a year and a half out though).

Edited December 23, 2022 by ShoppGirl

[meganannie 0]

On 12/22/2022 at 7:59 AM, catwoman7 said:

first of all, only about 30% of bypass patients dump. If you're getting the sleeve instead, then the percentage of dumpers is way less than that (not sure of it - but it's not common in sleevers).

secondly, a lot of us have no appetite or hunger for several weeks - or even months - after surgery.

so suffice it to say, you MIGHT be fine to continue to work. I had pretty much zero interest in food for the first five months after surgery.

I just looked at Denny's menu (I haven't been there in probably 20 years), and yea - there's almost nothing on there that's safe or anything I'd eat (I can't tolerate really fatty meals anymore - not only do they bother my stomach, I just think they're gross). The scrambled eggs and the salmon would be OK - but keep in mind a lot of people can't tolerate eggs for the first few weeks out of surgery (I never had issues with them, though), and you wouldn't be able to eat salmon until you're cleared to eat solid foods.

hopefully if you stay at Denny's, the management will let you take your own food to work. That would solve it. I would hope that since you'd have a medical reason, they'd be fine with that.

I might be able to bring stuff in I'd have to ask but I know I couldn't cook there even if I wanted to (I'm an occasional cook there and they season the grills with bacon.I honestly don't think its a safe bet for me after weight loss surgery.I mean basically anything healthy has some form of grease attached from other items being cooked

[meganannie 0]

9 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

Perhaps they would let you keep a bottle of better dressing there so that you can eat salads at least if you can’t bring your own meals entirely. (And maybe a ziplock with sOme lean Protein to add to a salad). Or if your friends with who is cooking maybe they will cook it with the spray instead of using oils?? I know when I worked at a retirement community in the restaurant they bent the rules a little making certain to end up with an extra chicken breast since that’s all I really liked On the menu. That was years ago though and I was tiny tiny so of course everyone wanted to make sure I ate something back then. lol. Bringing food would probably be the easiest solution if they will let you. Regardless of where you go whether it’s work or play you will likely have to bring food with you the majority of the time in order to stay on track so it’s not a bad habit to get into. Depending on your usage, You may consider investing in a really good cooler if they won’t let you keep it in The fridge. I bought a yeti cooler post surgery and they are not cheap but it’s amazing. Keeps stuff cold with ice for days and for hours with just ice packs- in the car in the summer even!! The only issue I have are the size choices. I got the smallest actual cooler. The hopper I think and it’s still kinda big for a short outing but for drinks and food for the day it would probably be perfect. Regardless it easily fits bottled Water standing up which is not a given with coolers. I keep a ziplock filled with crystal light packets in my purse and carry my Water any time I leave the house which has probably paid for the cooler by now (I’m over a year and a half out though).

They season the grills with bacon before they cook anything so I'll try to bring stuff in and store it in the cooler.

[meganannie 0]

21 hours ago, SleeveDiva2022 said:

Ok ew. That's just nasty. I used to love Denny's. Haven't been since surgery, but I'm not in any big hurry now lol

Yeah and they season the grills with bacon before cooking anything on it.The salads are good if you bring your own dressing but be careful with the cobb because of how the Protein is grilled plus it comes with bacon and these crispy chip like things called potato sticks.The boiled egg and avacodo is nice tho.

[meganannie 0]

On 12/22/2022 at 9:58 AM, kcuster83 said:

You will be able to handle it or get used to it.

Can you make your own food or bring your own food? Then you can make something that fits your plan.

PS: Dennys food is SOOOO greasy now. I ordered scrambled eggs and there was literally a puddle of butter on my plate. I sopped it up with a napkin and ate it anyway. Luckily it didn't make me sick but I am over it. I remember going to dennys in the past but I don't remember everything being so greasy.

Best of luck to you!

I'll probably bring my own food but nothing there is safe because the grills are seasoned with bacon before anything is cooked on it

[BriarRose 432]

At first, you may not be able to eat anything. I couldn't eat salads for a long while. But mincing up some chicken breast even if it is grilled will be okay. We all have gone out to dinner or lunch. We all have faced the BBQ with hamburgers and hot dogs.... or whatever. Losing weight and maintaining it means learning to eat differently. You will NOT want to eat a whole salad, or a whole piece of chicken. Post op, I recall making myself one small chicken thigh (boneless and skinless) baked with pam and some chicken broth. I cut that up and ate it for several tiny meals over a couple days. There are small packets or tupperware for making your own dressings. Yes, tuna salad has mayo, but many of us need that "wet" quality to our food to digest it anyway. A table spoon of tuna salad when I was a few months out was a good serving ! Life is different. You will be different.

At a dozen years out of sleeve surgery, I eat maybe 2 to 3 ounces of Protein at a time. That is about half of a half chicken breast, and maybe some vegetables or whatever else I made for family or whoever. I eat two lunches to get in enough protein. You will learn what works for you. When I go out with my adult daughter we order one meal most often. I eat about 1/4 of it. She has the rest. What I am saying is that you most probably will not WANT most of the things there.

I do get the bacon thing. I don't eat pork so now that I know they season the grill with bacon.... Dennys is all together out anyway !!!!

Do your program, you will feel so healthy and at the end of the day triumphant that you made it through and were successful.

[ShoppGirl 3,355]

Are you back to work yet? How are you managing??

[meganannie 0]

On 1/2/2023 at 9:31 AM, ShoppGirl said:

Are you back to work yet? How are you managing??

I'm going back next week I think I'll be fine but I still need to get a new job anyways because the food industry does not pay very well.I'm only making 5,000 a year working there

[ShoppGirl 3,355]

23 minutes ago, meganannie said:

I'm going back next week I think I'll be fine but I still need to get a new job anyways because the food industry does not pay very well.I'm only making 5,000 a year working there

Yea if you can find something else it would certainly be easier not being around food all the time I’m sure.