DLCoggin

Vitamins can be hard on the pouch immediately following the surgery. I'm sure they'll add those in the not too distant future. I am surprised that they don't have you on any protein. I was on protein immediately following the surgery when I was still in the hospital and every day after I came home. I would definitely run that by your doctor. Congratulations on your surgery!!

There's approximately 7g of protein in an ounce of ground beef so you'd need to eat about 17oz a day to hit 120g of protein. Might be doable if you really like ground beef. LOL. Adding beans to your chili will help add protein as well. Since the doctor cleared you for ground beef, you might check with him/her about turkey, chicken, eggs and fish as well. All very rich sources of protein and all, with the exception of eggs, could be ground. Eggs are pretty soft just about any way you eat them! Cottage cheese and low fat or skim milk are also good sources of protein. Hummus is another good protein source but pretty high in calories. You'll be back on regular food before you know it and then the options are almost limitless!!

My comment regarding getting all of your protein was in a post-op context. If you're on a clear liquid diet immediately preceeding your surgery, protein might not be nearly as important. That's an interesting question. My surgeon required that I lose 20-25 pounds pre-op. Period. No pre-op diet of any kind. She just said lose the 20-25 pounds or else - no surgery. If you are on a pre-op diet, I hope you'll share your doctor's response with us regarding protein. Doctors vary widely in their pre-op and post-op diet requirements. It will be interesting to hear what he/she has to say regarding pre-op protein.

Not uncommon at all to not be hungry for some time following surgery. Nothing to worry about. Not getting your Protein - that's a different story. You might try getting some unflavored Protein powder. First thing in the morning, put a scoop of the powder in a small bowl. Depending on the powder, one scoop is 20g or more of protein. When you eat or drink something, put a pinch of the protein powder in. You can add it to almost anything and if it's just a pinch, you shouldn't notice the taste too much. By the end of the day you've eaten an additional 20g of protein, a pinch at a time. I sometimes wonder if doctors and others in their offices do a good job of helping folks understand the importance of protein. Unlike fats or starches, your body cannot store protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and the nine "essential amino acids" must be obtained from food - they are essential because your body cannot manufacture them. That means they have to be replenished. Every day. Carbs are king when it comes to energy but when you're on a low carb diet, your body will use protein for energy instead. Every cell in your body contains protein. Remove all of the Water in your body and 75% of what's left is - protein. Protein is critically important in the healing process following surgery. Protein is a key player in helping the body fight off bacterial and viral infections. Protein will help minimize muscle loss during rapid weight loss and will also help reduce hair loss to a minimum. Try anything you can think of until you're getting ALL of your protein in, every day. You'll be glad you did! You're gonna love the new you!!

A while back I put together a list of high Protein foods. If you post or PM me your email address I'd be glad to send it to you. Forum rules don't allow me to post the Excel file. I've sent it to dozens of folks on the forum. It's difficult to get all of your protein without some kind of supplement but hopefully you'll find some things here that will help! You also might try getting the unflavored protein powder. First thing in the morning, put a scoop of the powder in a small bowl. Depending on the powder, one scoop is 20g or more of protein. When you eat or drink something, put a pinch of the protein powder in. You can add it to almost anything and if it's just a pinch, you shouldn't notice the taste too much. By the end of the day you've eaten an additional 20g of protein, a pinch at a time. Trying anything you can think of until you're getting all of your protein in every day is well worth the effort. Unlike fat or starches, your body cannot store protein and the nine "essential" amino acids must be obtained from food - the body cannot manufacture them. That means they need to be replenished every day. It's quite important for faster healing, increased energy, reducing hair loss, preserving lean muscle tissue and protection from bacterial and viral infections. You're gonna love the new you!!

I don't think there is a single person on this forum that cannot relate to your frustration at the time the process takes but...perhaps you may have unrealistic expectations? If you read other posts on the forum, there are tons of them, I think you'll find that on the average the process takes three to six months. If you can get it all done in three months, that's really quite good. Again, we can all relate to wanting to get it done asap. But it is what it is. Stressing out over it will not likely change the timing. And changing surgeons probably will not either. Your surgeon may well be a jerk. But there are a lot of things that have to be accomplished with and by the insurance company before the surgeon can move forward. Patience is not only a virtue, it's a necessity. Pre-op and post-op.

Here are some thoughts: As tp100 said, a food diary/log/journal is such a powerful tool in so many different ways. I've maintained one since Dec 7 of last year and fully intend to do so for life. I know as exactly as humanly possible what my average daily numbers have been for calories, fats, carbs, protein and more. On any given day, I know exactly where I am at for all of those values at any time of the day. If I'm a little low on protein - I know it. If I'm a little high on carbs, fats or calories - I know it. And most importantly, I can make minor adjustments to correct. Research has repeatedly shown that folks who maintain a food log or food diary lose more weight and are more successful at maintaining their goal weight. There are tons of apps out there that you can download to your phone. My Fitness Pal is highly recommended by those who use it as is Spark People. I have used Tap and Track Pro on my iPhone since last year. You have to have realistic expectations. For example, my wife and I are planning a five day Las Vegas trip in late November. I won't be going "crazy" but I fully expect my calorie intake (and all the other numbers) to increase. And I'm totally OK with that. I'll be losing two or three pounds prior to our trip and if I gain five or six pounds, it's not the end of the world. There are a number of pretty tasty chocolocate substitutes - sugar free fudgsicles, sugar free chocolate pudding, even chocolate protein shakes. You might want to try King's Cupboard Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Chunk Hot Chocolate - 61 calories per serving and delicious! My wife mixes it in her coffee. I know you've heard it before but it's all about life style changes - what I call The Prime Directive. You might find some helpful ideas in my post at http://www.rnytalk.c...rime-directive/ . Life style changes are about control, not denial. Managing hunger has also been important for me - http://www.rnytalk.c...__fromsearch__1 Once you've completed your liquid diet clense, shift your focus to protein, protein, and more protein. Try to get 100g a day. Increasing your protein will often jump start your metabolism and cause your body to start burning stored fuel. I have an Excel file of high protein grocery store and fast food menu items that I have emailed to dozens of folks on the forum. Forum rules do not allow me to post the file but if you post or PM me your email, I'd be glad to send it to you. Everyone runs into bumps in the road. All is not lost. You just need to remember your "why". And then it's just a matter of fine tuning your "how". Take a deep breath and try to relax a little. There are so many great folks on this forum and we're all here to help!! You're going to be just fine!

Big congratulations and we'll see you both the flip side!!

First meeting with my surgeon was on May 10, 2011 and surgery was on October 20, 2011. My insurance company did not require the 6 month supervised diet but by the time all of the testing was completed, surgery approved, letter of medical necessity, and general scheduling issues, that's what it turned out to be. The total time really varies all over the place. Whatever it takes, you're gonna love the new you!!

Pretty much ditto for me. Surgeon requirements vary widely so it's a good idea to stick with the information they gave you or check with your doctor for any additions. Most importantly - as Mrs. D said - get ALL of your Protein.

I never used the pump either. I'm no hero - just didn't have any pain to warrant it. I was quite surprised but hey - no point in looking that gift horse in the mouth!! My guess is that you'll probably have some gas before all is said and done. Not necessarily pain, but gas. Seems to be pretty universal. Congratulations on your surgery! You're gonna love the new you!!

Good for you Jen! Great job!!

I absolutely feel your pain Jewels!

Just emailed!

OK guys, I was so excited about this that I immediately Googled it to find out where to go with my wheel barrow and load up. Unfortunately, there are some concerns. In the Google results I noticed this - http://www.myfoxny.com/story/18071984/false-nut - from Fox News. The article is dated May 2, 2012 and states in part: "We took the pizza and some other Eat-Rite products to a certified laboratory and had them tested. The tests found the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Uno, which the label claims is 210 Calories really has 583 calories. The claim of 6 grams of fat is also bogus. Tests found 29 grams of fat. Instead of 7 grams of carbohydrates, there are 53 grams. We also tested Eat-Rite's Pizza Duo and got almost identical results, 577 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 53 grams of carbohydrates." The article mentions Lisa Lillian, author of the "Hungry Girl" series of cookbooks. I have a number of her bestselling books and they are nothing short of outstanding. The Fox article states that "She [Lillian] heard from a lot of people that they were suspicious of this pizza." So I did a little more checking and found this - http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/965. Lillian states in part: Eat Rite = Eat WRONG?! Just a friendly neighborhood HG warning -- if you happen to stumble upon pizzas or other frozen foods made by a brand called Eat Rite, be afraid. Be VERY afraid. We've heard LOTS of buzz from subscribers who are extremely skeptical of the accuracy of their nutrition labels. She goes on to say: "Consider yourself warned. We were lured in by the personal pizzas years ago but ditched them when we finally admitted to ourselves that the buttery-tasting crust and puddles of oil that formed on top of 'em meant they probably had more than the 210 - 245 calories and 3 - 5g fat printed on the labels." No one is sorrier than I am guys. Please don't shoot the messenger!

I walk 45-55 minutes, 2.5-3.0 miles, at least four times a week. More if possible but never less than four. There is absolutely not the slightest doubt in my mind that it has increased my overall weight loss and reduced the time that it would have taken without the exercise. I started slowly at first, 15-20 minutes and slowly worked my way up. Maintaining the routine was initially challenging. I was shocked to discover that after a couple of months it actually became quite addictive. If I go more than a couple of days without walking, I can feel the difference not only physically but I find myself getting irritable and generally a bigger jerk than usual. LOL. My advice to everyone is to first find an exercise that you enjoy. There are lots and lots of options. If you enjoy it, then it's sustainable. If you hate it, you simply will not maintain it long term. Second, remember that you are not training for the Olympics. If you push yourself too hard, all of the joy goes out of it and again, you will not maintain it long term. I am absolutely certain that I could walk four, five, or even more miles a day. But the time requirement would be a definite strain and the physical requirement would soon become more of a burden than a pleasure. Again, not sustainable. Whatever you do, find an exercise routine that works for you. You're gonna love the new you!

Stay focused on following the protocol as close to the letter as possible, stay active, and stay away from the scales - weigh once a week, every two weeks would be even better! You're gonna love the new you!!

Just emailed!!

They had sign-in sheets at the seminars I attended and the surgeons office had a checklist in my file that they updated as things were completed. I was doing weigh-ins every couple of weeks and they reviewed the checklist with me every time I was in the office. I can't speak for others but my surgeon's office was serious about the pre-op requirements and made no bones about compliance or no surgery. Their office does not "sell" anything in the way of food or supplements. I don't see how any doctor's office could or would want to "require" that you buy anything from them.

I have not identified a single thing that I can't eat but...I try to eat healthy so there are a number of things that I used to eat pre-op that I haven't even tried to eat post-op. There isn't anything that I can't do (after recovering from the surgery) and a LOT of things that I can do now that I couldn't do before. You're gonna love the new you!!

Hi to all of you Southern Californians! I'm in South Bay - Torrance area.

Just emailed!!

The Cream of Potato is excellent pureed! I've actually pureed it after I HAD to!!

I need your email address Mags!

No pressure here! LOL OK, first let's make sure everyone understands that I am not a doctor, I do not have any medical training of any kind, and I do not work in the medical field. I'm just a plain old mere mortal that has done a fair amount of research into rny. So now that we have that clear... The question is - does gastric bypass increase the chances of death from liver failure? After several hours of research, I have not found anything even resembling a definitive answer to that question. I have looked at Mayo Clinic, the National Institute of Health, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Harvard School of Public Health, WebMD, and several others. Here's what I've found so far: None of the sources have listed death from liver failure as a known risk associated with gastric bypass. That does not mean that it doesn't happen. But it could be interpreted as an indication that the rate of occurence is either rare or, a link between gastric bypass and liver failure has not been identified. The existence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH) in folks of all ages including adolescents suffering from morbid obesity is well documented. The National Institute of Health reports a study done to determine if the presence of the disease increases complications following laparascopic gastric bypass. Their conclusion: "Despite the high prevalence of NASH among morbidly obese surgical patients, this condition was not associated with increased risk for postoperative complications." http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/21948267. Additional information on NASH can be found at http://www.digestive...ases/pubs/nash/. A study done in 2006 found that "The gastric bypass patient, therefore, may not only have higher rates of alcohol absorption, but at least in the early postoperative period, possible defects in alcohol clearance as well." The same study went on to say "Metabolic changes that occur with massive and rapid weight loss may also affect the amount of alcohol cleared by the liver via the microsomal ethanol metabolizing system. Alcohol metabolism by the microsomal ethanol metabolizing system substantially increases the risk for liver damage..." Several other sources emphasize avoiding alcohol entirely for at least six months, often referred to as the "rapid weight loss period", following gastric bypass. I know that my surgeon said absolutely no alcohol for six months following the surgery. Is it possible that the death mentioned by odiemom was a case where there was substantial and undiagnosed liver damage prior to the bypass? Maybe. Could additional damage have resulted from alcohol consumption following the gastric bypass which resulted in death. Possibly. The question is a good one and thumbs up to odiemom for bringing it to our attention. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a definitive, scientific answer - so far. I for one intend to ask my surgeon the question and I hope that others on the forum will do the same and post the information they receive from their doctors.