Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Recommended Posts

I'm four days away from my gastric bypass surgery! Since I'm a nurse (with experience as a pre and post op bariatric patients) my anxiety about the procedure itself is fairly low. Honestly, I was more terrified when I had oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth lol The nutritional component and meal progression is second nature as I have preached it so many times to our patients. I work for the federal government and have been blessed with great health insurance so getting approval was a breeze (my provider submitted my info on a Monday morning and received the approval by early afternoon the same day). I am taking 5 weeks off to recover, time to go through the progression and some "me time". (which includes welcoming my 2nd granddaughter at the end of February).

My concern lies with the fact that as a nurse, I work the craziest bizarre hours and how I can consistently coordinate the correct "good habits" while at work. My hours typically are 3:30pm to 8am (yes 16 hours evening into the next morning) and 11:30 to midnight (12 hours). I would love some feedback from other healthcare peeps who deal with the 24/7 demand in our field while maintaining adequate nutrition, exercise and keeping a schedule while at work, even when distractions or "train wreck" situations comes up on the job. My boss has been great and when I return I believe I'll mostly work 12 hours shifts (which will be a godsend so I can have enough sleep) but any advice on how to avoid falling back into the normal "pitfalls" that nursing can foster? Nurses literally are the worst snackers, vending machine finding, "let's order out" people ever!!!

Thanks in advance!

Jacki

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ynotiniowa said:

I'm four days away from my gastric bypass surgery! Since I'm a nurse (with experience as a pre and post op bariatric patients) my anxiety about the procedure itself is fairly low. Honestly, I was more terrified when I had oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth lol The nutritional component and meal progression is second nature as I have preached it so many times to our patients. I work for the federal government and have been blessed with great health insurance so getting approval was a breeze (my provider submitted my info on a Monday morning and received the approval by early afternoon the same day). I am taking 5 weeks off to recover, time to go through the progression and some "me time". (which includes welcoming my 2nd granddaughter at the end of February).

My concern lies with the fact that as a nurse, I work the craziest bizarre hours and how I can consistently coordinate the correct "good habits" while at work. My hours typically are 3:30pm to 8am (yes 16 hours evening into the next morning) and 11:30 to midnight (12 hours). I would love some feedback from other healthcare peeps who deal with the 24/7 demand in our field while maintaining adequate nutrition, exercise and keeping a schedule while at work, even when distractions or "train wreck" situations comes up on the job. My boss has been great and when I return I believe I'll mostly work 12 hours shifts (which will be a godsend so I can have enough sleep) but any advice on how to avoid falling back into the normal "pitfalls" that nursing can foster? Nurses literally are the worst snackers, vending machine finding, "let's order out" people ever!!!

Thanks in advance!

Jacki

Hello Welcome to the forum. You seem to have everything sewn up and are ready to go. I would suggest you have a look in the heading ' food before and After' especially posts by @Starwarsandcupcakes This lady does meal prep on steroids. She has given me loads of meal ideas and new foods that I have never heard of. I think she may be a nurse too. Good luck and hope to see more of your posts in the future

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ynotiniowa said:

Nurses literally are the worst snackers, vending machine finding, "let's order out" people ever!!!

I don't have any advice for you since I worked a very regular schedule at the time (I'm not in health care - I'm a retired librarian), but the comment about vending machines in hospitals made me laugh. I had two of my plastic surgeries in Chicago. After the second one, I slept most of the day but was wide awake - and starving - around 8:00 pm. It was too late to order food from the cafeteria, so I sent my husband out to the nurses' station to see if they had some kind of snacky thing I could eat. They didn't - so they told him to go down to the basement vending machines. He came back and asked me what I wanted out of the vending machine, since that was our only option. Stumped, I said something at least semi-healthy (since I was very aware of the kind of crap vending machines are normally stocked with), I finally suggested something like a pack of Peanut Butter crackers or one of those little bags of peanuts. He came back up a few minutes later and said they didn't have either of those things - just chips and candy bars. WTF? In a HOSPITAL? Luckily, I remembered there was a Walgreens down the street, so I sent him over there to pick up a couple of Protein Bars. So anyway, yea - sometimes there isn't much available during odd times - even at a hospital!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm in IT which has crazy hours far too often. There have been multiple occasions when I went to work Monday morning and didn't leave the office until Saturday evening.

I honestly didn't worry about exercise, though when I lost enough weight I did run quite a but. I found it mentally refreshing and it was a great start to the day.

Everything about food in our situations is all about planning ahead:

1) I prepared a week of work meals and have them packaged ready to grab and go. Make things you will really enjoy so that between your meal will win over anything at work. One of my favorite foods is Mongolian BBQ which I get from the local restaurant, which I can split easily into 4 meals. It was a great lunch on 'those' days;

2) If Snacks are on your plan, handle them the same was as meals. My plan didn't include snacks so this was not an issue for me;

3) Eating out wasn't a problem food-wise as there's always something on the menu that would fit into my plan and I'd still exercise Portion Control. Leaving food on the plate is not the end of the world. If it's really good I'd get the left-overs to-go and eat it again for the next meal (or three);

4) Ordering out can be a bit tougher if your not ordering for yourself. If the food ordered can fit into your plan then portion control is the order of the day again. If the food doesn't fit into your plan then you don't have to eat the communal meal, just eat the meal your brought and socialize.

5) Keep 'emergency' food in your private area. I keep a couple Hormel Beef Stews in my desk, no refrigeration required and they keep for months, and they don't taste bad. I just looked and the Beef Stews expire in Feb of next year. I don't keep snacks but if they're on your plan keep some snacks available that fit into your plan. I don't do Protein Drinks but here at work milk is available so I also have a couple zip locks with Protein Powder, again, just in case;

Work very, very hard the first 3 months [6 is better] to stay on plan. You will get the positive reinforcement of losing weight. This is how your plan becomes normal and how you will eventually just naturally avoid things off plan.

Good luck,

Tek

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey! I’m not a nurse but a monitor tech and work 12’s. Your best bet is loads of little things starting out- Greek yogurts, eggs and cheese, string cheese, taco meat, chili, etc. condiment or mini lunch containers are great.

Take the time and walk away from the floor! You and your health are just as important as your patient. After all you’ve taken the steps to get to where you are now, don’t let others derail you by being unprepared for success when you come back.

Also, water bottle at the hydration station and a phone timer to schedule breaks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you all for the great tips and strategies! I do have my favorite Water bottle with me nonstop. Will look for snack containers ASAP. And I love those beef stew to go containers. Will stock my locker with some of those. Any other ideas for shelf stable snacks/food?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ynotiniowa said:

. Any other ideas for shelf stable snacks/food?

Moon Cheese, trail mix or nuts, Protein bars and shakes, beef Jerky, tuna packets, and nut butters for crackers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Shelf-stable snacks: Keto Cereal (no added sugar, low fat, like Catalina Crunch).

Also sipping soup-to-go (check nutrition label, Butternut Squash Soup is good) if you can microwave for 1 minute.

Mini-containers are great (4 oz. glass baby food containers, available online) for meal prepping. You can prep for the entire week and it makes it easy.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@ynotiniowa I'm a nurse working crazy hours in hospital too. Donuts, Cookies, cupcakes and candy on every counter, that's a nurse's life at work, that's why I needed bariatric surgery...lol. I went to work after 6 weeks, so I was eating regular food and it was not so obvious to others. You will survive 12-16 hr shift by eating Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, Protein cereal with Fairlife Protein Shake, tuna pouches and prepackaged small containers with protein rich/nutrition foods (chicken, turkey, chili, veges etc). Wish you good luck and success!



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

One of the most difficult challenges is probably going to be decreased levels of energy, especially with the long shifts. I’m a nurse and struggled to get through my 8 hour days on my return - although I only took 2 weeks off. Now I’m 2 months post op and can do my 8 hour days but on my 12 hour days I’m exhausted. Protein Shakes will be your best friend! It sounds like you know a lot about the recovery period but you may find it difficult to manage eating every 3 hours while also getting adequate hydration. Sometimes it takes me an hour or more to eat a yogurt due to patient care and then that’s more time taken away that I can drink fluids. One of the hardest things has been no caffeine and sugar for the energy boosts.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On 1/27/2023 at 10:46 AM, ynotiniowa said:

I'm four days away from my gastric bypass surgery! Since I'm a nurse (with experience as a pre and post op bariatric patients) my anxiety about the procedure itself is fairly low. Honestly, I was more terrified when I had oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth lol The nutritional component and meal progression is second nature as I have preached it so many times to our patients. I work for the federal government and have been blessed with great health insurance so getting approval was a breeze (my provider submitted my info on a Monday morning and received the approval by early afternoon the same day). I am taking 5 weeks off to recover, time to go through the progression and some "me time". (which includes welcoming my 2nd granddaughter at the end of February).

My concern lies with the fact that as a nurse, I work the craziest bizarre hours and how I can consistently coordinate the correct "good habits" while at work. My hours typically are 3:30pm to 8am (yes 16 hours evening into the next morning) and 11:30 to midnight (12 hours). I would love some feedback from other healthcare peeps who deal with the 24/7 demand in our field while maintaining adequate nutrition, exercise and keeping a schedule while at work, even when distractions or "train wreck" situations comes up on the job. My boss has been great and when I return I believe I'll mostly work 12 hours shifts (which will be a godsend so I can have enough sleep) but any advice on how to avoid falling back into the normal "pitfalls" that nursing can foster? Nurses literally are the worst snackers, vending machine finding, "let's order out" people ever!!!

Thanks in advance!

Jacki

Oh, I am studying to become a nurse myself, and I know how hard it is to find time and energy for yourself when you're constantly taking care of others. The tips I tried to follow are:

Plan your meals and Snacks in advance. Bring healthy food from home. Don't isolate yourself from colleagues and friends. Share your experiences and goals with them, and ask them to support you in your journey. They can help you stay motivated, and you can get professional help. In addition I used https://essays.edubirdie.com/nursing-assignment-help to reduce my academic load during this difficult time. Don't worry about what you're doing wrong or what you could have done better. Focus on your well-being and your achievements.

Edited by Gabriel Chan

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×