FOOD NOW

I was on You Tube looking at some videos a friend directed me to - nothing to do with weight loss or surgery - but I saw there were also some videos done by weight loss surgery post-op people so I clicked over.  Guess those Internet cookies do hook people in...

Anyway.  there was a young woman talking about her experience 12 weeks out from surgery. She sounded very sad and I can relate.  While it is exciting to lose weight at such a fast pace, to hear the compliments from others - having your world turned upside down is difficult.  For many people, food is a pleasure.  Planning meals, cooking and eating is a big part of our lives. Those of us who indulge in too much food have a set of problems that people who can enjoy without going overboard don't have.

One of the little talked about effects of weight loss surgery is that you not only lose your appetite, you lose your enjoyment.  Things taste different, things you liked to eat not only don't taste the same they make you feel bad when you eat them.  And I am not talking about indulgences - I mean things like eggs or yogurt or chicken.

The young woman in the video was sad about this, worried that it wouldn't change back and she wouldn't achieve her dream of becoming a chef because of it. I worry , too.  I struggle to get the 800 calories a day I am supposed to be eating.  Most days I don't.  It is hard to eat when you feel bad and nothing tastes right. 

I went to the movies the other night and took a chance on a small bag of popcorn. I felt pleasure in food for the first time in 10 weeks.  It tasted good.  I nibbled slowly and made it through almost half the bag in the 3 hours I sat there.  I am not "supposed to" be eating carbs - but  it was worth bending the rules to know I could feel that pleasure again. Then yesterday I was cutting up a pineapple and I ate 3 chunks of it - oh, my.  It was so good. 

So the old pleasure is there to be had - right now not in the protein foods I need to be focused on, but it's there waiting for me to be healed and healthy again.

LOTS TO CELEBRATE

I was reading around on the weight loss surgery sites over the weekend.  It is amazing how many people who have had surgery in the past 3 months and how differently they are doing.  Somehow I missed that when I was researching the process. 

One woman wrote about how much pain she still has after a month - I had none after a week.  Another wrote out her daily food log and after 3 weeks she is eating practically normally - including beef ribs.  A bite of beef puts my stomach into a knot and I am 8 weeks out.  I noticed a post from someone about how great brie cheese is - well, I loved it going down but the "back end" was anything but great!

I am just happy that I have made it through the holiday season - made wonderful meals for my family and ate at the table with them.  We dined out and I ate my little portions without it being a big deal.  I still made cookies and desserts and, my favorite,  "Monkey Bread" without eating any of it. 

I have lost 65 pounds since September, I am into some 1X  clothes and practically everything I was wearing in September has been taken in or donated away.  My body looks alarmingly different and I hope that exercise will help tighten and lift things.  I need to buy new Spanks because my current pair are too big.  And new bras because I can't fill in the ones I have!

While my husband considers it a waste to go out to celebrate New Years because I can't drink or eat much - I know there is a lot worth celebrating for my health and my looks and the benefits to both in the year ahead.

BEFORE AND NOW PHOTOS!

December 2011

December 2012

6 WEEKS POST-OP REPORT

I recovered from my stomach upset over Thanksgiving, only to have it happen again, milder, the next week.  All the doctor can say is that it's healing and touchy. 

The guidelines given to me for what to add to my diet at what time period are out the window.  The very things listed to eat, they now say are hard on a healing stomach. Like yogurt, moist chicken and ground meats and eggs.  Eggs still upset my stomach, even when stirred into soup to make "Egg Drop Soup" which seems to be a big favorite for most post -ops. I just keep trying them every 3-4 days; get an upset stomach, rest it and then try again.

Don't know why I am having this trouble.  I have never had stomach issues with food, but my new stomach is a sensitive little thing.  I am monitoring my food on Sparkpeople and when I see I am low on calories and protein I bump it up.  Surprisingly, I can't tolerate protein smoothies, etc., but I can get down the Protein Hot Chocolate.  Not too sweet and the heat helps.

I seem to be a bit better day by day so I ordered some more "bariatric foods" which have the higher protein I need to help be get to the point that I can eat unprocessed foods for all my nutrition.  I tried to start the vitamin regimen this weekend but threw-up - twice.  So I am hoping the chewables I am taking will get me by until I can get onto the heavier doses.

By the way, I am down 35 pounds since surgery.  Seems like a lot - but it also seems like it should be more considering how little I am eating!!

GIVE IT A REST

It's been a bumpy ride for the past month.  My healing stomach is not happy about most things I put in it and suddenly the day before Thanksgiving it decided it didn't want ANYTHING in it.

Doctors advice - just give it a rest.  So 24 hours with nothing - yes, on Thanksgiving - and then sips of tea and juice for 24 hours then try some chicken broth.  So far those 3 things are the only things that don't make my stomach cramp.  But I keep trying clear and blended soft things.  Am I worried about my lack of protein and nutrition in general?  Yes.  Can I do anything about the state of my stomach?  No. Got to give it time.

If I believed in a higher power that wished to teach me a lesson, I would say this is one of humility.  I went into this with an attitude that I would just sail through the recovery steps.  Clearly not happening!  So I must back myself off my expectations and do what I can. There is no point in forcing anything in this process and if I am the oddball that can't eat an egg or tolerate protein drinks 4+ weeks out, I need to find what I can tolerate and eat until then.

What I am doing is walking more, and using some small hand weights for upper body strength training.  I am working pretty much full time again. 

TURNING THE CORNER - POST-OP DAY 13

Okay now.  I feel like I may just make it after all.  First of all, I had managed to misunderstand the instructions about taking the antacid medicine and should have started it right away.  Oops.  The first time I took it I felt terrible, but now that I have taken it for 4 days - well, it may be the reason I feel so much better, or it may be because it is just 4 more days into the healing process.

Today is the first day I have managed all of my fluid and 46 oz of protein.  Whoo-hoo.  I would still rather not eat at all, but I am doing it.  In a couple of days I will try adding in some of the whey protein again.

DS POST-OP DAY 11

As I mentioned in my last post, there is very little to be found online about these first post-op weeks - and now I know why. 

First of all, please believe me when I say I have got all the information and support I could possibly use.  A nutritionist, support groups and literature.  The reality is:  this is a battle each post-op person has to go through.  I know that, I just don't like it.  I am used to sailing through things that are difficult for others. The surgeon said lose 20 pounds in a month - I did it.  I was the post-op champ in the hospital, cheering on the patients who were struggling. I simply just did not expect this starting to eat thing would be so hard.

The one thing that goes down easily and feels ok in my stomach is Malt-O-Meal cereal. Oh, and Bean with Bacon soup is good, too.  Just can't puree it - nope.  Gag city.  Just chew, chew, chew. The whole - just make tasty food and put it in the blender thing - nope. Not working for me.

Every variation of protein drink I have tried has disagreed with me.  Too sweet or weird taste and stomach upset. Everything I have tried adding the unflavored protein powder to has turned out awful.  Now clearly, this is an issue with my taste buds because some of these things tasted fine before surgery.  That's why I tried so many things - to be prepared.

The number one thing I am concerned about is that I am not getting my protein needs met.  I'm about ready to snort lines of protein powder. Since that is probably not the answer, I am just going to have to gag down the protein drinks.  I am going to stick with the non-dairy stuff again and see if my stomach settles down.  I keep reading that lactose becomes problematic for people and maybe that is one of the issues. I hope that changes on the log run because of the predominance of whey protein on the market, not to mention in my pantry.