natalie_christin

I had surgery on September 17… I made it through all of my post op levels and now I'm on regular food. While I have a problem switching the mindset from eating low-fat to not worry about fat and just carbs– Which just blows my mind… I'm still trying to be pragmatic and pay special attention to what I'm eating. I did take care of Protein first. But the problem is, I stopped losing weight and now I've even gained a couple of pounds. I don't know if this is just due to a back up intentionally – sorry not trying to be crude, I'm not sure how else to convey that… Or if it's because of my steroid shots and rheumatoid medicine… I really wish I had more help with my dietitian. I'm trying to do the right thing on both sides of the fence. I'm staying away from carbs and I'm sticking to chicken or fish.... I know this isn't going to be an easy battle but I wish I had more guidance when it comes to all of this. I'm sorry, I'm not intending to complain, I just felt like I'm out there flailing around ever since surgery. I already knew that I had severe rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis as well as other chronic pain conditions and nerve damage on my spine and abdominal wall but just also found out I have psoriatic arthritis too. It just adds to the bunch LOL Blessings, Nat

Hi Gamergirl – I'm glad you started page for people with autoimmune disorders but when I went to the lake, it was different then the normal threads/pages… I couldn't see a way to post and it didn't look like there were any bows to begin with. I would appreciate any guidance you willing to offer. Do you think that they would consider opening one under the special circumstances thread or something like that? I don't know exactly what it's called but I can find it.

I stopped taking it too…. I was advised to stop taking it preop so I never started again. I have to go see my gynecologist next week so, I guess that's one of the questions I should be asking. I'm also not on my birth control pills – that was another thing they want to meet a stop preop i'm not sure if that will affect any weight gain or Water retention or anything of that nature… I'm on a relatively low dose one. But I can definitely feel the sis coming on and feeling them burst. It's not as bad or I should say frequent when I'm on my meds. What are y'all's experience with them?

I appreciate everyone's feedback… I'm very limited when it comes to funds and it's not possible for me just to go to other nutritionists because I can't afford it frankly. They let me see this nutritionist at a reduced rate… The weird thing is with this surgery and the diet after is, every doctor is different. It's kind of crazy that way. Just like the Atkins bars – I'm super surprised that they were pushing them but they had so much sugar in them. And they tried to tell me that it wasn't about the carbs that it said on the back that it was about the net carbs – well if it's that way, I could eat just about anything LOL… My plan for right now is to do iQ guys are suggesting – protein first and veggies second. I try to do my best if we happen to have to go out to eat. I try to make better/wiser decisions about where we go what I have. I've always try to be on the healthy side to begin with but I always focused on low-fat instead of low-carb. That's the thing that it's Ge give me is that I'm so used to focusing on eating low-fat that The dietitian telling me to have a high-fat item just blows my mind. For example, she said if I happen to have a salad to use for fat ranch? I don't get that what's wrong with balsamic vinaigrette or something on the healthier side? What kind of foods do you guys eat? Do you have any recipes that you might want to share with the group at all? I've got a great salmon marinade if anybody's interested… I just thought if we exchanged ideas that might help us I'll be a little bit more successful. I'm also trying to work on the exercise thing. I have multiple medical conditions and have severe chronic pain all the time. It's kicking my butt right now but I'm hoping to get on track and be able to go and exercise. That's the key to me getting better. Well, I'll never get better but the weight doesn't help at all. Thanks for everybody's ideas and I hope we continue to share some.

You made me laugh and smile – sometimes we have to do we have to do. I'm glad that you got what you needed out of it. Postop was a very hard time for me to navigate through – I don't or should I didn't feel like I had much support when it came from the doctors office. It was almost like I was rushed and I rushed out. I believe my doctor had really good intentions but they just started their new practice – they've been apart of two others in the past 10 years but it just seemed like it was a runaway train and I couldn't get where I should have been. I'm still finding my way but I think we will all be searching one way or another to find our way. Hopefully we can all work together here and help support one another :-)

So, I'm one week postop and I have been very good for the most part when it comes to not eating anything but Jell-O or chicken broth. Today I got to start cream type soups – cream and mushroom, Cream of chicken – that sort of thing. I forgot until now that I was also allowed to go back on my protein checks. I don't know if I'm going to pay for this but, I hoping that I won't. I don't know if any of you live around Central to South Texas but there's a restaurant here called Bill Miller's – people typically like their fried chicken or brisket or things of that nature. I couldn't obviously get any of that but when my father got some chicken, -where would I… I got a couple of small slices of roasted turkey. I didn't anticipate eating both slices but, I made sure that I cut them up small and shoot them about 1 million times before swallowing. I did eat 2 tablespoons of mushroom soup to go along with it just in case but, I really felt like I needed protein. For the past week or so I felt dizzy and sometimes I had to catch myself to avoid falling. I understand the importance of following the diet and being strict about it but, I feel like I tried to make a good choice for the situation. Any thoughts?

Thank you all... I really appreciate it

I don't know quite how to explain this. There have been a few occasions now where I feel like I am "eating air" – I'm not sure how else to describe it but, when I sit down to eat, it's almost as if my body needs to release the air or I can't actually eat. I am 3 1/2 weeks postop and am eating soft foods now… It's like I have to burp several times and it's difficult to do that. I never burp or I have never had to before. I don't know that makes any sense at all… Does anybody else had this type of experience? Where you have air that needs to escape your stomach or what have you? Thanks for anybody's help or input, Natalie

They just told me that it was harder for the body to digest and if they wanted to make it easier for the new stomach to heal and to tolerate things. I was allowed to have almond milk pre-op but not post.

Wow – it seems a lot of you guys are allowed to have it with almond milk. My dog won't allow it. I have to make some sequestrate Water but, I am allowed to add extract to them. I have vanilla extract, coconut, and strawberry. I have different flavors of Chike as well. I have tried making them into ice pops – I had put my coffee cup in the freezer – it had my Chike in it and it's I pulled it out hours later and it was frozen solid and I let it thaw for just a little bit and ended up making it into a slushy. It went down pretty well that way… I definitely have to have a cold or doesn't go down very well. But I'm having a great deal of trouble getting in the amount of Protein I'm supposed to get in. I'm three weeks postop and I'm supposed to have two shakes a day but, i'm lucky if I can get one end. I know it's bad and I should be trying to get the other end but, I'm just not hungry… Natalie

Still in the hospital but I'm hoping that I'll get let go today. I've been here for four days now. They still have me on oxygen for some odd reason. I've never had problems in my lungs before. As far as my new stomach, iT acts really weird. I believe I passed the gas stage but I'm still having trouble eating enough. The nurses have missed took my evening/not eating incorrectly. I had some really good nurses and some really bad ones. There are some that have actually gone through one of the three procedures themselves and it would be amazing to connect with them as they've been through it or in some cases are still going through it. I guess we'll see what happens.

I don't know if anyone is interested in any of this, but I thought I would throw it out there. One of the things that I am planning on working on or I am trying to work on I should say is meditating and trying to raise my energy level up. I don't know if it will help or make a difference, But, there is a lots of information showing that an individual state of mind and mindset really affects their ability to rebound from surgeries. I believe in the possibilities of alternative healing. So, my goal is to try to meditate every day if it all possible and to really try to work on my attitude and things that nature. I am unfortunately one of those individuals that always has the side effects from his surgery or I'm always in that 1% of individuals that experience something that is not the norm. I found out earlier this year that I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and it helps to explain why my immune system is not always that great… So, it may be not helpful or it may not do anything but, I figured taking this road as an option doesn't hurt. I have gone through so much medically and Honestly I am scared to death of having another surgery just because of everything I've gone through. I'm willing to do it because I see a light at the end of the tunnel but I'm just hoping that the light is extremely bright and not filled with a bunch of problems. So like I said, I don't know if anyone is interested or is of the mindset that changing our energy or where we are throughout this process, makes a difference, but I thought that I would least throw it out there and see if anyone is interested in discussing it.

Thank you for your thoughts – I really need to just get started and get into the process – I hope I can get into it and really apply myself.

Lol- good watchful eyes :-) I just sort of jumped on the bandwagon and assumed. I guess I just put my foot my mouth… LOL