lizzyshade

Could you please give me an example of your full day soft food diet menu? Also what kinds of things did you take for lunch at work? I really need some good menu ideas because I've never cooked a lot & when I did it was boxed food that I now need to avoid. Part of this journey for me is going to be learning how to cook, sounds dumb but I just didn't learn it growing up & now I want to change that. Any menu ideas would be great, thanks.

So glad for you, hope it continues to go well!

I don't track calories, I measure ounces starting with 1 & worked my way to 2 over 1st 2 weeks post op. I eat every 3 hours & drink fluids in between. Cream soups have worked best for me @ first single cup o cream chicken made with chicken stock (has extra protein), then others I could blend. Tomato/beef based has been too strong so far. Bathing, after wounds completely heal, but @ least 6 wks I was told. In Oregon, here though anytime.

I can't ever seem to do things the easy way, yesterday I went to dinner with my husband and ordered cream chicken soup. While we were talking, I was spooning in soup until I realized that the last swallow did not feel right. I overate for the first time since my sleeve. I probably ate 3.5 oz before I realized what I had done and up till then the most I've ate is 2 oz at one time. I was in so much discomfort, full to almost pain for a few hours. I bought some plastic 2 oz cups today and from now on I'm going to take those with me and pre-measure my food. Today was another learning lesson, my husband & son got fresh strawberry milkshakes on our way to a Father's Day dinner and I decided to have some, probably had 1.5 oz. Within a half hour of getting to the party, I felt flushed, sweaty, had twisting gas pain, and finally diarrhea. Classic dumping syndrome. So this weekend has been about learning lessons the hard way.

US sleeve with insurance. Started process in January & had sleeve May 22. Longer time than some due to extra tests required during process. My great friend had hers start to finish in 2 months with no extras. I'm not opposed to Mexico, but I would do my research and have a solid plan in place for aftercare at home. Good luck no matter where you decide!

I haven't been able to tolerate anything tomato based yet, my sleeve is just too sensitive. I hope it works for you though. Eggs with a bit of cheese have been great, but mostly I still eat cream soups & yogurt. I wish you the best, this does seem to be a battle of trial & error.

I can't ever seem to do things the easy way, yesterday I went to dinner with my husband and ordered cream chicken soup. While we were talking, I was spooning in soup until I realized that the last swallow did not feel right. I overate for the first time since my sleeve. I probably ate 3.5 oz before I realized what I had done and up till then the most I've ate is 2 oz at one time. I was in so much discomfort, full to almost pain for a few hours. I bought some plastic 2 oz cups today and from now on I'm going to take those with me and pre-measure my food. Today was another learning lesson, my husband & son got fresh strawberry milkshakes on our way to a Father's Day dinner and I decided to have some, probably had 1.5 oz. Within a half hour of getting to the party, I felt flushed, sweaty, had twisting gas pain, and finally diarrhea. Classic dumping syndrome. So this weekend has been about learning lessons the hard way.

No, I'm not, probably another 2 weeks for me. My surgery was 5/22 and I had some complications after that have kept me home. Things are getting better, but it's a slow progression for me. I was on a milk & protein powder diet for 21 days prior to surgery. It's hard but you can do it. Great luck to you!

I took my first walk today! A big step for me. I felt like I was at the starting line and am determined to win the race. Maybe baby steps at first, but positive steps forward nonetheless!

It's not weird, this is a long journey and you have dreams attached to it that make this a very important decision. Heart attacks are scary, but you did not actually experience the trauma of it, so it probably seems unreal. I pray you are healthy enough to have the surgery on time and that it will be a great success!

I'm on short term disability and it has been great. I did it backwards though, used my PTO for two weeks, had some complications and then applied for it. Doing it before-hand would have been much better. I have six weeks off if I need them and if I go back part time, they will cover the other half while I work my way back to full-time. It is a great relief of my mind too, I am protected at work, still have an income, and just have to focus on getting well and strong. I'd recommend you plan for 3 weeks, so you will be on puree and feeling stronger. You can always go back early if 2 is enough for you. Good luck!

I'm so excited for you and you look great! Congratulations! Thank you for sharing, I needed your inspiration tonight.

Sleep has been an issue for me too, I started taking benadryl this week an hour before bed & that has helped some. As for waking up with green stuff, are you taking prilosec or something like it? If you are, are you taking it before bed?

With fingertip pain I might be concerned about your oxygen level. If you are panicking, make sure you are breathing deep & slow so you get enough O2. Have you checked your blood sugar level? Please call your doctor & I pray you are better soon.

My husband offered to help with my protein intake too. LOL Great post, helped me smile tonight.

My stool is very acidic yellow and my doc said it was ok, just my body relearning my new digestive process without much fiber. It should resolve as our diet evolves. Still ask your doctor for advice because we are all different.

I'm in the 3 wk stall too. Its so hard to go through all we have, eat so little, & then not see the results of our efforts on the scale. I didn't weigh today, going to pick up a tape measure tomorrow. My head knows to relax, heal, & let it happen, but dang hard anyway.

I am 3 weeks post op and still fairly weak after fighting an infecton, so I will be off an additional couple of weeks to gain strength of body and spirit. My doctor filled out my short term disability paperwork so I can take the time to heal well without the financial restraint. I'm so glad I have been paying for that benefit. I also put in for FMLA so if something comes up during the first year related to my sleeve, I will be covered at work from attendance infractions. According to my HR rep, I could of had this all in place before I was sleeved so there was less worry and more protection. I would recommend that to anyone in the process before surgery if your work allows it. I'm very thankful for all the support I have gotten through my employer.

A great inspiration, thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your success so far!

Third week post-op today, did not lose any weight since last week, but everyone says I look smaller. Can't believe I did not lose weight with the amount I am eating. Still very tired everyday and finding it hard to get back into normal daily activities. I had blood work today and the results were all normal. I'm just healing slowly and have to learn patience. I'll be off work another couple of weeks and hopefully that time will make all the difference. Getting all my fluids in has been a challenge, but one I am making a conscious effort to get down. This has been a long three weeks, hopefully the next is better.

It helps to read your replies and not feel so alone. Thank you so much for your support! I know in the long run this will all be worth it. I will make an effort to be more active too, maybe that is the key. I have always been on the go, so this slow trail is driving me crazy. Thanks again for your encouragement, it makes a difference.

Me too, I live in Oregon so it will be great to support local business!

You are a great inspiration, congratulations on your success. I'm 17 days post-op and there has not been a day that has been easy yet. I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end, so I look for stories like yours to keep me focused on the end game! Thanks and way to go!

I'm a list person too, in making mine it helps me feel organized and that helps me feel more in control. Having this surgery is a very out of control feeling all the way through. I am 17 days post-op and still it is a roller-coaster ride. Keep your lists because it is a great outlet for us, but after written try to let the worry about them go. I'm excited for you and hope everything goes quickly and well!

One thing I I figured out so far through this process is, there is no normal. It seems to be very different for us all. Although when I have something come up, I still get on here and ask that question too, it's good to have this outlet so we don't feel so alone. For me I always feel full so I'm having a hard time eating enough, but I keep working at it. I do have what I call head hunger, where I can imagine food, taste, smell, the experience, but so far nothing seems appeal when it gets to my mouth or stomach. If you can't tell if you are full, just be conscious of how much you are eating, so you don't harm yourself while your sleeve is healing. I hope you find the balance that works for you and a healthy recovery.