Globetrotter

I don't smoke, thank goodness, and I am going to email my surg right now to see if taking aspirin will help. thanx!

The carbs are definitely coming from my boxed soups. I try to get low carb low sodium etc. etc. but they still sneak in there. I'm about to start my 3rd week post-op and am on Brown Cow Greek Yogurt which has 23 (!!) grams of protein per serving. A serving is 8 oz. so i just thin it out with a little water and some SF torani syrup and turn it into a 10 oz. shake.

HaHa, I would have cut her where it REALLY hurts - her wallet. I would have stood up and told her that her verbal incontinence had just cost her quite a bit of money and that it would continue to cost her as I will be spreading the word about her behavior!!!

Ooh Tiff I think my favorite combo is the last one you mentioned, I could just see a white cotton shirt with lots of jangly necklaces. =) I can't wait to rejoin the fashion world, I haven't been able to really participate since about 1998 - a lot of catching up to do!

I used to live in high heels in high school, sandals boots loafers, everything! It's been a decade since I have worn high heels with any comfort or degree of safety. What will you wear those with Tiff? I'm having to reintroduce myself to fashion.

Alas, walking round the shops for me would require full body armor and a protective detail so that's out. Also it is 125 degrees on a daily basis so the walking bit is also out unless it is in the air conditioned gym. Perhaps though I can keep a set of tension bands or dumbells at my desk and do quick reps every so often ...

My acid comes regardless, as soon as something gets swallowed an acid attack at the base of my throat follows. It can be tea, cold water, tepid water, protein shake, broth, very painful acid attack follows. I take the anti-spasm pill the doc gave me plus a tagamet and it seems to help. Does this ever go away? scary.

Eloquently put, have you seen Food Inc.?

Janester, yes I am concerned about the sitting-at-desk dillemma; I am in the office 12 hours a day and unless I come into the office at the crack of dawn it will be difficult to squeeze in time for a workout. Sitting at that desk will not be conducive to reaching goal or for toning the muscles. Hrmm.

I really really REALLY want an heirloom tomato. If I pick out all the seeds and cut it up, can it be considered a soft food? PLEASE?!

I get hiccups regardless of eating or not. I am 2 weeks post op and I get painful hiccups randomly, whether I am sipping a liquid, eating a mushy, or doing nothing at all.

Jane, so what was the client's reaction?

So I went to my surgeon for a 2 wk check up because I won't be available at the 3rd wk mark and really it was 12 days. I was weighed and discovered ... that I had lost 20 pounds!!!! 20 pounds!!!! In 12 days!! The last time I lost 20 pounds it took 4 months! I'm excited!

These are all interesting suggestions but ... I just started mushy softs and frankly, the idea of eating "food" is terrifing for me right now, I don't know why. I guess I just feel "safe" with the soups and protein shakes and powders. Maybe eating real food reminds me of when I used to eat food in my former life and maybe it's a subconcious fear of returning to bad habits ... besides, I'm having awful acid/spasm pains these days, they come on the same time every afternoon regardless of it I've eaten or not.

ARGH, thanks guys but, any way you slice it (ha ha) I just shouldn't eat a tomato for another couple of weeks. Problem is, by then I will be out of the country and by the time I come back I will have missed the heirloom tomato season. =( I've tried to introduce: split pea soup, a taste of clam chowder, french onion soup, a scrambled egg, and now the ricotta bake. Am I on the right track for mushies/softs? Any more ideas for that category?

Thanks everybody, I was so thrilled in the surgeon's office. He had a rather pleased smile on his face too and when I mentioned that I couldn't begin to make it to his low calorie daily goal for me (600) he nodded his head approvingly saying, "I make those sleeves pretty tight". My energy is definitely dependent on whether I hit my protein goal however, very noticeable. I've moved from fulls to softs and although I did so with the nut's blessing, I think I'm going to go back to fulls, as I am having painful spasm/acid episodes when I swallow, not a happy feeling. So I weighed in the surg's office at 12 days out. The next time I have access to a scale won't be till maybe Aug 10, exactly two weeks after the first scale experience. I don't want to get complacent and assume it will always be that awesome, dilligence dilligence dilligence!! =) (But still ... 20 pounds?!?!!) :tongue_smilie:

Ouchie people!! Now that I am on full liquids/mushies/soft foods, I am having horrible spasms and my medication which melts under the tongue doesn't seem to be doing anything, help!

Except, this isn't just happening now that I'm on mushy/soft food. It's ben happening since I went on full liquids; strained soups, tomato soup, etc. My first soft food was french onion soup, my second was a scrambled egg and I only ate half. The spasms seem to come on strongest in the afternoon.

Hi all, I am 12 days out and something I have noticed since shortly after the surgery is that my heart is always beating really quickly, even at rest. I've always has a slow steady measured beat and now it's like a mouse's. If I do something remotely taxing, like lift a not-at-all-heavy bag into the car, my heartbeat takes off like I'm running a race. It's kinda freaking me out. Comments?

Would I be able to incorporate some unflavored protein powder before I bake it? Would the powders bake well? Because it's only about 5 grams protein per serving this way and if I add the powder I could get 10 grams per serving.

As you may know I have been struggling with the dreaded horrors of protein powders this first week post-op. Struggle no more! I have finally found the combination that works and that is so tasty it would be happily slurped by a non sleeved person. 1 packet beef boullion protein powder - 15g's 1 can french onion soup - 2g's 6oz low sodium beef broth - 2g's I strained out the onions from the french onion, heated the liquids, then added them to the powder, et voila: 10 ounces of a tasty satisfying broth with 19 g's of protein. It took over an hour to sip it all but for once that time was a pleasure and not a cruelty. yay! I will be cleaning out the shelves at the grocery tomorrow for french onion!

I don't remember much of anything from the first 3 days post-op.

I know what you mean Sunshine. I'm barely moving from clears to full liquids and I had the same emotion. My surgeon wants me to take in 600 cals a day and now that I'm experimenting with fulls I'm able to get past 400 for the first time since surgery. Just getting close to 600 brought up all kinds of fat-girl-who-never-lost-alot-of-weight anxieties and issues. I mean, that's nuts - 600 calories isn't enough to keep a gerbil alive so there was no need for anxiety but, there it was. You didn't fall off any horse of any kind, you ate as prescribed - so did I, we have to remember that it is O - K. :tongue_smilie:

See, that's what I was afraid of. I'm averaging more than 40 carbs a day, even as I struggle with meeting quota for liquids and Protein. I sip continuously from 9AM to 9PM and STILL do not manage to make quota. I'm 12 days out.

Well I've moved on to half-n-half, clears and fulls. I've quasi-solved the issues of the a$$ powders: russian goat yogurt. At 11g's of protein and only 4 carbs for a 6 oz serving it is great on its own, because of the sharp sour strong taste I can't taste anything put into it. So that, plus some tomato soup, plus a scoop of "unflavored" protein and I've got a 14 oz drinkable with 39g's of protein and it's delish! There are many reasons why I can't wait for solids and among those reasons is the belief - I hope not a false one- that it will be easier to get to protein goal on a daily basis. JudyM - Have you tried really really sharp flavored cheeses and yogurts to satisfy your craving? Some seriously stinky cheese or some goat yogurt might do the trick.