Indymom

Slider foods are foods that don't fill your sleeve . . . you can eat a lot more of them because they tend to "slide" right through. From what I've read here some carbs (like white breads) can be slider foods for some people. Ice cream and candy are likely sliders because they melt. Not sure what else as I'm newly post-op.

Whew! I'm hoping my acid subsides when I give up the decaf coffee . . . I am definitely not trying anything spicy yet . . . I am released to solids in 7 weeks so that's when I plan to give it a try.

I have dissolvable sutures and steri-strips on my incisions. The steri-strips still haven't come off (I'm on day 8) and I can still see the sutures. I'm guessing mine are likely to stick around a little longer. They do itch, though.

My doc recommends no caffeine ever, but grudgingly admits most people can have it about 6 months out with no tolerance issues. I have been trying to do decaf with my protein shakes and my reflux is nightmarish. I'm going to quit the decaf for now altogether and go a different route with my protein. I make decaf sweet tea at home with splenda so hopefully that will sit well with my sleeve.

I've never had reflux/acid issues (other than the really obvious like when I've eaten a burrito with hot sauce at 3 a.m.). I'm on carafate (I think for 30 days) and on omeprazole for at least a year. I thought I felt a pang of hunger today when I was about 4 hours since b-fast and my protein. Is it possible that 5 days out I'd feel a bit of hunger, or is it likely acid? I'm really trying to listen to my body but I'm not really sure I'd know the signs of acid overproduction even if I had them.

I'm pretty sure it's acid, since I posted this the reflux has kicked up a storm. It's miserable - my throat and mouth constantly has this nasty bitter taste, my tongue is all white and icky . . . I talked to the nurse today and she wants me to add an omeprazole 20 mg at night and also said I can take a Pepcid midday if I want. I'm hoping this works!

Every food plan is different, mine allowed me to have soft reduced-fat cheese, refried beans and cottage cheese at day 4 . . . but I've seen others on clears for 10 days.

Your nutritionist said to eat 8 oz at every meal one week out from surgery? That can't be accurate, most post-op can eat at best 2 oz at a sitting.

Bumping . . . someone who's eating 'real food' tell me if you're able to eat spicy food?!?

The Nectar lemon tea is pretty good - I mixed with water tonight and it was OK if I didn't sniff before drinking . I am going to try with decaf iced tea tomorrow to see if the flavor is a little better. I made sure it was REALLY cold.

Awesome NSV! I haven't worn a belt in so long . . . that's one of my mini-goals . . . to be thin enough to be comfy in a TUCKED-IN shirt with a belt!! No more mumu shirts for me!

Sounds like you're doing great! Thanks for updating!!

Us All-Stars are rockin' it! I updated my ticker to 18 lbs down since 8/10/11. I really won't believe it until I see it on the doc's scale, but my first follow-up visit with the nutritionist isn't until 9/8 so I'm just crossing my fingers that my home scale is pretty close to theirs. I'm one week out and feeling GREAT! I tolerated the surgery pretty well, just trying to adapt to my eating/drinking/protein schedule now while back at work. If any pre-ops are interested here's what my daily pill/protein/food regiment looks like (note my doc allows mushies like cottage cheese and refried Beans earlier than some): 8 a.m. - Protein w/decaf coffee; morning meds 8:30 a.m. - Calcium crystals mixed with Powerade between 9-9:30 - Breakfast - 1 oz cottage cheese, 1 oz greek-style yogurt 10 minute walk 11:30-ish - noon meds (including multivitamin) 12:30-ish - lunch - 1 oz refried beans, 1 oz string cheese 10 minute walk 4:00-ish - afternoon meds (including multivitamin) 5:30-ish - dinner - 2 oz bean Soup 8:00-ish - protein (today I had a Syntrax nectar lemon tea - not bad) 9:00ish - calcium crystals/powerade 9:30-ish - bedtime meds I think today I hit 68 grams of protein and 79 oz of water/fluids (my protein counts towards my fluid) I can't wait to get most of my protein from meat but I will keep plugging away until then.

The only 'last supper' type meal I had was a steak dinner 2 nights before surgery, because my meal plan doesn't allow red meat for 18 months.

I'm like Nurselisa - I had surgery 8/10 and my first day working (from home) was 8/15. I got so restless and stir-crazy at home, I went back to the office yesterday and everything went great. It is a little harder to follow my 'schedule' so I printed it out and kept it close to my PC at work so I could make sure I was on track.

PPI=proton pump inhibitor. It's a medication to reduce acid in the stomach (and reduce reflux). Prevacid, Prilosec (generic is omeprazole), Nexium, Protonix are the main brands. Some are OTC and others you can get prescribed.

Are you tracking your food? You may want to use an online tracker to track your eating and exercise. That way, if you have good losses one week you'll know what you did to accomplish it. Good luck!

Fantastic! Congrats to her! I got on my scale this morning at the one-week mark and it said I'd lost 18 lbs. I didn't believe that was possible but I guess it is . . . here I go to update my ticker!

$17K for one month of COBRA sounds ridiculous, are you sure that's what it says? Are you sure it's not $1700?

Dang my doctor/nutritionist is strict. 3 days clears . . . 1 month 'modified solids' (mostly full liquids but he includes cottage cheese, soft cheese, refried beans). Then another 1 month purees where I can add in meat and some soft veggies and pureed fruit. Then I move into regular solid foods but certain things don't get introduced until later (like raw veggies 3-4 months out, etc.).

Great job! I'm also a little nervous about going out with work friends, we usually go to a Mexican restaurant and I know it's going to kill me to avoid the chips/salsa. However, I know I can have refried beans with a drizzle of queso and I'm looking forward to that.

I pretty much got the same nutrition guidelines as the RNYs from my surgeon. I'm hoping, though, at my first month follow-up visit that he clears me for 'real' food sooner than is on my schedule. I think I can have corn beginning month 3.

I might consider trying this. I could drink decaf with milk all day long in lieu of nasty protein drinks. I'm already sick of 'em!

I'm just at the beginning stages of my weight loss but based upon my build, I definitely anticipate this being an issue for me as well. I don't know that I'd be able to deal with a tummy tuck, I just don't like surgery in general. I don't have any aspirations of parading around in a skimpy bikini - for me, I just want to be comfortable in my own skin. I'm sure I'll eventually keep the Spanx people in business!

I've tried to do lots of walking to keep my mind off food. So far it's working and I know it's good for my weight loss and recovery!