Sandpiper

This will probably go against everything our surgeons and NUTs tell us, but my Psychiatrist told me that when our bodies are really lagging, carbs are beneficial. She was VERY clear that this doesn't mean donuts or fried foods, but a little baked potato with Molly McButter or some fat free refried beans with a little bit of cheese. She is a D.O. and she reviewed my recommendations. She agreed with everything, but continued to point out that our brains need energy to process information and that energy comes from carbs. She also recommended fruit juice popcicles at 35 cal ea. I started to add a little more carbs in my diet and now I feel better. Don't be afraid of the word CARB--it doesn't mean what it used to to us now.

I am a big fan of Unjury protein (unflavored). You can't add it to hot foods, but it has zero "weird" flavor. I use SF Carnation Instant breakfast, 1C of NF milk, 1/4 Powdered Milk & 1 scoop Unjury. = 42g Protein. I add ice too. It takes me a while to get it all down, but you knock out your fluid and get a mass dose of Protein all in one shot.

As I marked the two-week anniversary of my sleeve on my calendar, I realize how much I miss my food. All I wanted to do today was go out with my family and go have a good meal -- I wanted a hamburger and fries and a Coke. Now don't get me wrong. I know that what I have done will enable me to live a healthier life going further, but the truth is, I feel like I am mourning the loss of a good friend. I have been through all sorts of therapy and I know, and always have known, that food was my "drug-of-choice". However, nothing in my life has been provided me such unconditional love like food. Food has always been such an integral part of my life that now I struggle with how much I miss it. It never said no. It never broke my heart. It always made me happy. My mother had a gastric-bypass 20 years ago and gained all her weight back in addition to more. I don't want to do that. I want to live a healthy life full of joy. But now I struggle with what joy is when it isn't derived from food-based activities. What provides joy like a warm cake out of the oven or a nice carb-loaded dinner with family and friends? Where do I go from here?

So every Thursday night I weigh in. My SIL is a RN and she does the weighing/taping. This is my 3rd weigh in post op (tomorrow is my one month anniversary) and I only lost 1.2 lbs this week and .25 inch. Now I am expecting my period, (sorry guys), but has anyone else had this kind of a stall happen so quickly?

These threads are amazing... I am lucky to have a very supportive therapist and she and I have talked so much over the last four weeks. One of the greatest things she told me was this - all of these feelings emerging now have been stuffed for years with food. It is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed at these feelings, because our main coping mechanism is gone now. So, the question is, how to deal with it when you don't know how? The answer she gave me was to really identify where all of the sadness/depression is stemming from. When you get overwhelmed, stop and really spend some time trying to look at what is going on in your life right then that might be triggering these feelings. By identifying them, it gives you the opportunity to make choices. I usually choose to find something productive at that moment to work through the grief, like listen to music or go outside for a little walk. Either way, the long term solution is not to be afraid. We are dealing with emotions that we have never dealt with before successfully and now their back. She gave me a book called "When Food is Love" http://www.amazon.com/When-Food-Love-Exploring- Relationship/dp/0452268184/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337229267&sr=8-1 and it is helping quite a bit. Many prayers for your success....

When I was sipping, I realized that I was still breathing in too much air. So I would take a sip and let it sit in my mouth. It will make its way back and down too. Also, don't be afraid to burp. I warned my hubby and he just got over it. As far as the incisions go, don't push yourself too hard. This was major surgery and everything is going to hurt for a while. I'm 4 weeks out and the only thing that really helped me to minimize the pain was moving around. I just got up and walked up and down the hallway in my house a lot just to get movement. Trust me, you WILL feel better. Keep your head high!

try not to get behind on the fluids...i had the flu 2 weeks after my surgery and became dehydrated. I ended up going back to the hospital just to get an IV. The Dr. told me that w/the sleeve, we cannot afford to get behind because we cannot ingest the quantity of liquids we need to get back on track. If I get a little behind, I mix G2 gatorade with water and put down a glass or two so at least my body will retain some fluids. Just keep sippin!

If you like yogurt, I mix my protein powder in with my yogurt. I make my own yogurt, so it is tart. Adding the Vanilla protein powder and some pumpkin pie spice makes it taste like holiday cheesecake.

I understand what you're going through. I started putting Protein powder in other things. For instance, I love pudding. I mix Protein Powder in with pudding and eat slowly. I use the unflavored can as much as possible. I have some that I bought from costco in vanilla, but it gets a little too sweet for me. Just Google "Things to do with protein powder". You'll hit all sorts of recipes. Good job on all of the weight off...Just an FYI I figured out that a one gallon of milk weighs 4.3lbs. So if you imagine you weight loss in terms of gallons of milk strapped to your body...you have lost 8 gallons! Yay!

Don't worry, I was afraid too. However, just take one food at a time. Also, I chew like the dickens until it's paste in my mouth. I started with a scrambled egg and a teeny-weeny squirt of PAM. I just chewed each bite thoroughly. It takes me about 30 minutes to eat it and it's very satisfying to eat regular foods again. Also, I bought canned chicken at Costco and blend it with a little bit of lite-mayo. Just remember to chew, wait, chew, wait...etc.

KATIEB - you are not babying yourself. This is considered a major surgery, not minor. Please take it easy. The downside of this surgery is if you don't take care of yourself you can really be in big trouble, to include a trip back to the hospital. Remember, work is temporary, life is permanent.

Thank you all for writing. It has helped me more than you can imagine. Now that I am feeling a lot better from surgery, I know it's my old behaviors haunting me. For the first two weeks it has been about just surviving the surgery and getting better. Now it's about moving past the terrible cravings just to fill my mouth with empty carbs or sugary sweets. I have a lot of emotion about this feeling of depravity. I am not about to jeopardize my surgery or why I had it, I am just really having a hard time filling my mind with other things that distract it so that the "cravings" don't come back.

I'm sorry, but I'm a female too and I have the same thing going on. I have been struggling to get my output up because my Dr. says that this whole process is really dependent on being hydrated...

I am so glad you wrote this. I am two weeks out and I have been very sore in my back. I didn't even think about the lack of use of the abdomen muscles. Thanks!

I know what you are saying! Here's how I am getting through it...I found Protein powder at costco 100% whey made by Cytosport. It is $44 for a 6lb bag. My hubby has been adding it to all of my pudding, nestle Breakfast mix, and yogurt. It's 27g protein with almost no sugar or carbs. Also, try switching your prescription to Oxycodone. I was nauseated at the taste of Tylenol, but I just take the Oxycodone once a day and it takes out the pain pretty well. My surgery was April 20th.

Hey...I am on day six and I know how you feel. However, I talked to a friend of mine who had the RGB surgery a year ago. She was told that exercise is the best way to curb that hunger feeling because believe it or not, it's more your mind than your tummy. So, I found these yoga videos on Netflix (I use the streaming service) and they have one that is just for beginner yoga students. I have been sitting on my couch and running the breathing portion of the video for twenty minutes. All it is breathing and VERY light stretching with your arms. I make sure I get up and talk a walk around the block at least twice a day (thank God for my hubby's exercise belt). Believe me, exercise is helping me. I am down to two doses of Tylenol a day and peeing like a fiend. Just hang in there! The surgery was just the beginning. We can do this... ps. I had to have a very large hernia surgically closed at the same time my stomach was removed, so abdominal movement is challenging but it feels better.

wow@@@ try this blog: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ I am only 1 week from my surgery and I am on the full liquids diet now. She has a whole section on making protein ice cream and it has been a great addition. She has hundreds of recipes. Good luck!

Thank you so much for your efforts. I have surgery next week and this was so valuable!