Getting-used-to-new-me

Yes! I'd like to start a veggie garden with one section of that square-foot gardening plan.

Yes! And hiking!

Thanks for that!

Yeah! That's what I'm looking for, great ideas!

I hear you! I'm trying to think of things to do, like new hobbies, to fill the time I used to spend on food and eating. Any ideas?

Thanks Birthsjourney!

Thanks Ghopeful! Prayers truly make the difference! I feel a lot better today and have some of my ruddy complexion back. The hospital staff say I've passed a lot of old blood during the night. And that I look much better, instead of looking like a yellow cadaver as I did yesterday.

Thanks Greenize. I hope so too.

Thanks for the reply Amy. I'm on several meds still. They think the bleeds started at my RNY surgery on 12/10/13, then were exacerbated by my Plavix. Ill be of Plavix from now on. I hope no one else has complications.

Has anyone had slow bleeding from pouch stoma? I'm in the hospital now. Had an upper GI. And they cauterized the bleeders. I should be released tomorrow.

That list sounds similar to mine. I'm on week 2 post op RNY on Dec 30. I've considered puréeing everything in our house, but have only actually puréed Mac n Cheese with tuna ( wasn't bad tasted like cheese wiz) eating mashed and gravy, applesauce unsweetened, loads of Fage Greek yogurt with Splenda , broths, Powerade Zero, a Laughing cow cheese triangle per day, and I think I have issues with some sugar substitutes. It seems like I can drink normally, no huge issues there. Weird stuff: Crystal Light was way too sweet after surgery, couldn't stand the smells from the cleaning persons products in hospital. Yes, it sounds familiar. I have just tried Greek yogurt, and if I work at it, I can almost imagine it as soft ice cream! My main thing right now is focusing on eating no more than a teaspoon at a time and waiting to see if that's too much--my pouch tells me loud and clear when that happens! The pain is the worst! I have to always remember to be totally conscious of everything I put in my mouth now.

Strangely, plain water tastes bad to me now. I can't even handle small amounts without a little lemon juice or something.

You can get the trackers from your account window. The editing of the tracker properties is a little clunky. Let me know if you need more help.

Welcome! I think it's hard for all of us. I have to remember to be conscious of everything i put in my mouth. That's a totally new concept for me.

For what it's worth, I have multiple alarms set on my phone to remind me to eat and drink. I need them. Without them I've forgotten to eat and drink unless I see someone else eating or drinking.

I think we all struggle. We were good eaters pre-surgery after all. But the limits of the pouch keep us on track. I can't take sweets anymore either. Or water, strangely. But I found a little lemon juice in my water bottle makes it more palatable. My NUT says most of us can't handle sweets, even crystal light, except in diluted quantities. She says it's our bodies trying to protect us from "dumping syndrome". I've found that sour things are easier to handle, like that little bit of lemon juice.

Yes, that's about all I can handle too of the new stuff I've experimented with. Anything bigger SCARES me. It's like my head hunger says "Yes!" And my body says if you do, I'll really make you pay!

Now is that the eraser that's usually on a pencil, or a pink pearl, or really a chalk or whiteboard eraser?

Glad to help! We're all in this new life together.

I agree! Eat what your tummy likes. I experiment like this: I try a level teaspoon of something and wait for five minutes or more. If no pain, I'll try another level teaspoon. It's the pain and nausea that determine what and how much I eat. Pureed foods in small amounts are what I tolerate right now.

Thanks for the protein info!

It might be the difference between men's and women's muscle mass. My dumbbell routine is with lighter weights than I'm used to. I'll try to increase it when I'm able. My NUT and ARNP told me to get enough protein and I think I am. With the protein shakes and the protein in my pureed foods I think I'm getting over 60 grams per day.

I know it's boring, but have you tried running/jogging in place on a cushion or mini-trampoline? It's so boring on my treadmill, that I made a desk. It's really just a shelf board across the arms of the treadmill and some foam insulation pieces above that, so I can put my laptop on top and make posts to this forum as I walk. I can also watch videos, and play games while I walk. I think if I didn't have this, I'd set up some cushions or a mini-tramp in front of the TV.

How about exercise? I know, it's like a four-letter-word. But I was told by my surgeon's NUT and ARNP that I'm supposed to get in 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 days per week, and can do weights too, just not power lifting until I'm about six months past surgery. Before surgery they gave me a bunch of stretches and light exercises to do, like ankle pumps, until I could get on to "real" cardio. So I started at one minute on my treadmill and advanced it a minute a day until I got some aerobic capacity back. I've been working up to the 30 minutes--I'm at 25 minutes, 2.5 mph, 4% incline on my treadmill. And I'm sweating like crazy! I'm also doing an upper body routine with 10 pound dumbbells. Anyone else?

I get the pain and nausea and cold sweats. That's my signal that I've swallowed too much or too fast. It's like a speed governor in a truck--no matter how much you stomp the gas pedal, you can't go any faster.