dsmith_rn

I'm not sure why you would want to be a part of this group of you're not a nurse. Are you maybe a nursing student?

Turns out they have this fabulous-looking crab salad here at the ballpark (not the fake stuff, either!). I love San Francisco!!! Too bad I can't go near the famous Garlic Fries...those will have to remain a fond memory.

No reason you can't have roasted chicken... Just purée it with a little broth, stock, or gravy.

Poaching is a great way to cook any meat and keep it moist. So is using a slow cooker. I like to poach meats in chicken stock or wine or both. Add some herbs while cooking for more flavor. Salmon or tilapia could be served with a mango or tomato salsa to keep it moist. Last night I made a pot roast in the crock pot. I seasoned it with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, seared both sides in a hot Iron skillet to lock in the juices, and put it in the crock pot with a little white wine. I spread a can of cream of chicken Soup on the meat, sprinkled a packet of onion soup mix on it, then layered a sliced onion on top. Cooked for 6 hours on low, then added a box of sliced fresh mushrooms and a bag of frozen peas and carrots and cooked for another hour. It was so yummy and very very moist, making its own "gravy" while it cooked. I put some of the meat and gravy in my magic bullet and pulverized it. It was delicious. I served it with steamed cauliflower I covered in a homemade cheese sauce, then threw in the oven with some buttered bread crumbs on top. The cauliflower was soft enough I could puree it with my teeth (I chewed it very well, but you could use a blender too) so I had a couple tablespoons of it with my roast beef and my sleeve liked it just fine... My family (who was afraid they would never get to eat "normal" food again) was thrilled! A stewed chicken or chicken and dumplings would work ... Just think about using a tender cut of meat (breasts are the toughest part of the chicken) and the real key is keeping it MOIST! Hope that helps. ...

It just occurred to me that I can pack a couple of Protein bars and shakes in my purse "just in case" I can't find anything I can eat on our trip. I ordered a box of Premier Protein Crunch Bars from Amazon in mint chocolate and man are they good! They don't taste like a protein bar! I can only eat 1/3 of one bar at a time and I chew it up very fine, but that's OK. They are so yummy I can't wait to try their other flavors.

We are going to San Francisco on Tuesday and Wednesday to watch the Giants play both days. Getting a hotel room with free Breakfast, I should be able to find something edible. I'm a little nervous (at 2.5 weeks post op) about what I will eat while we are gone for so long. I know they have excellent clam chowder at the ballpark (pretty sure the clams will be too tough for my tummy, will have to weed them out), aside from that I guess I will have to look around and choose carefully. All the walking will be good for me. I wonder how many calories per hour one can burn while cheering for their team? I'm a pretty avid fan!

The hair loss occurs somewhere between 3-6 months out, so it's possible you may still experience it (though I hope not). I am told by my surgeon, his nurse, the WLS psychologist, the NUT, and my dermatologist ALL that the hair loss cannot be prevented. No amount of protein or Biotin or anything else can reverse what happens to your hair follicles during anesthesia. Luckily, it will grow back.

I didn't tell my coworkers either, just my supervisor. It's my own business and I don't need negatives from people who don't understand. This is NOT the "easy way out." The easy way would be if they could invent a surgery that could cure head hunger and allow you to eat whatever you want, however much you want, not exercise, and still lose weight. No such luck! I am 2 weeks post op now and I feel as if I could probably do 12 hours, but I'm taking another week (3 weeks total). My doc said 2 weeks is sufficient but was willing to give me that extra week at my request and I'm glad because I just barely started puréed foods today. I am still learning about my new baby stomach and I don't want to have any "incidents" at work! Welcome to the site and to this thread. Good luck, and keep in touch! You're welcome to send me a private message if you like.

FYI there is no way to prevent the hair loss. I saw my dermatologist yesterday. The anesthesia puts a good portion of your hair follicles to sleep. Me and my hair stylist both noticed my hair hasn't grown AT ALL in the last 2 weeks since my surgery (no gray roots showing). In a few months all the hair that was in that stage at surgery will fall out. Nothing can be done about that. But it will grow back. In the meantime I'm taking extra Biotin, using a hair-strengthening shampoo I got from the dermatologist, and if it gets bad I'll use Rogaine and/or get some hair extensions until my hair grows back in.

91lb in 4.5 months. ... WOW! Congratulations!!!!!!!!

I'm sure your surgery wasn't a failure. As long as you're still on liquids your sleeve isn't going to stay full very long. My surgeon says that at this point my sleeve acts more like a funnel than a holding pouch. Liquids pretty much pass right through. When we are on solids it will be a different story. We will have to chew, chew, chew and eat slowly so we don't over-stuff the sleeve. Right now I measure everything out. My doc says 1/3 cup is my portion size right now, so I measure out 1/3 cup of Soup and heat that up. Usually within minutes of finishing (I always eat it too fast) I feel that tightness in my sleeve that tells me I'm full. I only stay full for 2 or 3 hours, but them I'll eat again. I'm told when I'm on solids I will stay full longer. Measure out your food... And try not to worry! Soon all our new "rules" will become second nature and we'll be sitting pretty on the loser's bench!

By the way, some surgeons don't have a problem with using straws. It depends on your doc. I usually do what my doc tells me, but I also use my common sense.

I think it's more of an issue as you get to the bottom of the liquid...That's when you'll be sucking and swallowing air. I drank about 25 oz of iced tea yesterday from a straw. When my tea got low I stopped using the straw. I had no issues whatsoever. I think if you feel ok now you won't have any problems.

I am 13 days out and feeling great! Being able to move to full liquids was a great improvement, but I will be happy to move on to purees tomorrow. I'm going to make a pot of homemade refried Beans (Yum!) and top some with a little salsa and a small dollop of FF greek yogurt for my first "meal." I will also do some ricotta topped with fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella in the oven, and I have some other ideas too. I refuse to let my "mushy stage" be boring. Life is too short, and sleeve space is at a premium. What I put in my mouth has to be "sleeve-worthy." Anyway I'm feeling great, almost back to normal, but taking 1 more week before returning to work to be sure my energy reserves are up. The only time I get nauseas is after I take my Vitamins and it's pretty mild. No pain unless I sneeze or move the wrong way. Yesterday I wore my "small jeans," you know, the ones that kinda fit but they're snug and a little hard to button? Well they're VERY loose now, by next week I won't be able to wear them at all. I'm amazed. And my face looks different to me. Narrower, and my cheekbones are a little more prominent! I think my face is beautiful! So weird. Also I can see the bones on my wrists sticking out! How many years has it been since I saw them? I forgot they were even there! I'm going to enjoy this ride, but it's definitely going to take some getting used to. .....

Tomorrow I start my one-day pre-op liquid diet. I have scheduled myself to work that day (I work 12-hour shifts as a nurse) so hopefully I won't notice it too much. I had Breakfast food for dinner tonight because money is tight, but I really haven't felt a need for a "last meal." I have had plenty of delicious food in my lifetime, actually more than my share, and I have no regrets about "missing" anything. I had my pre-op appointment with the surgeon today. It went very well, and I wasn't nervous at all, just excited. My anxiety level was pretty high last weekend, but I have settled in to being 95% excited and only 5% nervous. I know this is the right thing for me to do at the right time and I'm ready. I also have tremendous confidence in my surgeon. He has been a surgeon for 26 years, teaches surgeons from around the world, and his office has earned a Bariatric Center of Excellence designation which few facilities in this country have. I have also spoken to at least 10 people who he has done surgery on; they all have nothing but glowing things to say about him. We discussed my gallbladder which is full of stones, and he said he may or may not remove it on Friday, depending on what he sees when he gets in there; he will ultimately make the decision based on what is safest for me, and I have full confidence in him. The last thing he said to me before he walked out of the room was, "Let's get you healthy." Then they sent me downstairs for blood work and an EKG. He gave me my prescriptions I will need post-op (Hydrocodone for pain, Compazine for nausea, and Emeprazole for stomach acid to help my stomach heal), and he also gave me a card I can show at restaurants that will allow me to order off the kid's or senior's menu since I won't be able to eat a "normal" size portion of food anymore. I go in at 6:30 on Friday and my surgery is scheduled for 8:30am. He said when I wake up I will be on oxygen, IV fluids, and have a urinary catheter in place; also I will be on a PCA pump (that's the kind where there is a constant drip of pain meds and you can push the button to get some extra medicine if you need it). I was thankful he said that very rarely is an external drain required. They will have me walk as soon as I am good and awake. I will do lots of walking as it will speed healing and prevent complications. They will also have me start sipping small amounts of liquids as soon as I'm awake. The next morning the PCA pump goes away and they switch me to oral pain meds. When I can get out of bed by myself the urinary catheter comes out, and when I'm drinking OK my IV comes out and then I can shower. As long as I'm drinking well, my pain is under control, and I have no nausea, I will be discharged from the hospital after lunch. I will be on Clear Liquids for a week, then full liquids for 2 more weeks (including strained Soups like potato, thinned cream of wheat, applesauce, yogurt, etc.), then pureed foods,(refried Beans, ground meats, pureed veggies, etc.) for another 2 weeks before moving on to "regular" foods. No carbs (bread, pancakes, tortillas, Pasta, etc.) for 6 months as they get "gummy" in your stomach and can cause a blockage. I'll pack my little suitcase when I get home from work tomorrow; lip balm, Gas-X strips, my own pillow and satin pillowcase, lotion, deodorant, mouthwash, body wipes (not allowed to use deodorant before surgery--ick!) and facial cleansing wipes to help me feel fresh, cellphone and tablet with chargers. I'll bring my own socks and slippers, ear plugs and sleep mask to help me sleep, and a heating pad for pain. Seems like a lot of stuff for just an overnight stay, but I like to be comfortable. My fiance will be with me constantly, and though he still thinks I don't "need" the surgery he has been wonderfully supportive. He will be a big factor in my healing process, as will be my darling little Yorkie, Lyla. I feel as ready as I can possibly be, and excited to start my new life!

I can only tell you my own experience, although I know many others have related a similar experience. I had head hunger the first few days after surgery, but by day 4 post-op I was starting to feel some REAL hunger. That empty, growling, gnawing feeling that demands attention! I wasnt expecting it because I thought the same thing you did, that I wouldn't get hungry, or at least not for a long time. I get hungry every few hours because I'm still on full liquids. I'm hoping I will stay full longer when I'm eating solid food, I'm told by others that I will. I was disappointed about the hunger at first, but I've learned to appreciate it. It's difficult to eat when you're not hungry, it's hard to explain why, but you will understand when you reach the other side. If not for the hunger i wouldn't eat at all. I'm still learning about the strange signals my sleeve is sending me. I can still feel everything, every swallow as it goes all the way down and into my sleeve. Instead of my left abdomen, I feel my little stomach way up now just under my diaphragm, still getting used to that. I burp a lot which is common. And after I eat, "full" feels differently. I feel a tightness just under my diaphragm.... Not the same full sensation as a full stomach before. The nice part is, just a few tablespoons of Soup is enough to make me feel full for a few hours.

I don't own a scale and don't intend to buy one until I am close to goal, to monitor for small gains that could mean trouble. For now I weigh when I see my surgeon, and that's it. I know how I am. If I weigh and the numbers aren't pretty I become very easily discouraged. At that point it's easy to say "I didn't lose weight anyway, might as well have some ice cream!" I see this as a marathon, not as a sprint. What I weigh today vs. yesterday doesn't matter. What I weigh six months from now (when my WLS honeymoon period is over) DOES matter. I cannot allow day to day gains or stalls to derail me. If I don't know about them, they won't. I took all my measurements: neck, arms, bust, waist, hips, thighs, calves....I will check them again 1 month after surgery, and every month after that until goal. Muscle weighs more than fat so its a more accurate way to keep track of my progress. In the meantime I am enjoying wearing my "smaller" jeans and feeling how loose they already are!

I'll admit to some head hunger which is fairly easy to ignore, but this gnawing, growling, hollow feeling in my new sleeve??? I wasnt expecting to feel real hunger this soon after surgery, it's disheartening. I sure hope my doc will advance me to full liquids in Thursday at my post-op appointment, I think it may help with my uncomfortably rumbling tummy. Is this normal???

Once you're on full liquids it gets better. You will get full, then a few hours later you will get hungry again but just eat a pudding or some applesauce and you will be fine. I suspect this will become less of an issue as our diets advance.

In one of my WLS cookbooks, it suggests LF refried beans with cheese and salsa as a "meal" during the puree stage, if that helps any.

It's great to hear you're doing well! I had those same sensations at a week out. I feel better and better each day, to the point I feel pretty "normal" now at 11 days out. We had a very busy day yesterday visiting family and then had a BBQ at our place, we talked and laughed until my sides hurt! When it was time to eat I just took a scoop of the Beans that had been cooking all day, let them cool a little, then pureed them in my Magic Bullet and ate them with everyone else. They were tasty! I was tired at the end of the day, but it felt good to go back to "almost normal."

It's not brilliant, but I plan to shop the Goodwill store. It takes more time because you have to shift through a bunch of garbage to find the good stuff, but you can get some very nice clothes, barely-worn and sometimes even with the original sales tags still attached, dirt cheap! I will only buy a few outfits in each size as I shrink because I won't need those clothes for long, and a few sets of scrubs for work (which I can also find at Goodwill). When I'm at or near goal, I'm shopping in the NICE stores......BECAUSE I'M WORTH IT!!!

My NUT said that for some reason she doesn't understand, scrambled eggs are difficult to tolerate in the early-ish post-op period. She recommended hard boiled eggs mashed with some kind of liquid--like an egg salad kinda consistency. I've been craving scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa for a week (I know, weird craving, right?) so I hope my sleeve likes them. I'm going to try it next week when they are 'allowed" but I'm mentally preparing myself in case they are not.

omg I wish I really knew how to reply correctly on this site… im using my phone so it doesnt work right for me… my reply is in the middle of ur post ..im sorry Happy birthday!! Congrats on the 13lbs!!! ! Im so happy that u are doing great… .I also feel great!! ! My one probkem is that I weigh myself every day I have to stop that cause I have not lost anything in 2 days lol… ..what kind of soups are u eating cause I cant find a goid one yet. I started to drink tomato juice and its so good lolol the one thing I miss is my decaf coffee.. Im not realky sure why we cant gace coffee.. I have been doing 8oz of skim milk with a pack of sf hit chocolate which is 10 grams of protein so that is helping alittle but I sure want that coffee Thank you Rose! DO NOT weigh yourself every day--don't do it, girl! Pack your scale away in the garage or the attic!!! Our weight is going to fluctuate on a daily basis. If you have a day, or a few days, or even a week where you don't lose or even gain, it will discourage you so much, you are going to do what......go right back to food!!! This is not a sprint, sister. It's a MARATHON. We MUST take the long view on this! Our weight from day to day doesn't matter. What matters is what we weigh 6 months from now, at the end of our "honeymood period." The way I will be eating now is a permanent lifestyle change. If I stick to it, I will lose weight. I don't have to constantly weigh myself, because over time it WILL happen. I will notice my clothes getting looser. My face looks slimmer. People will start to notice. Weighing myself won't make me lose more or faster....it will just make me focus on the WRONG thing--numbers. Numbers are tricky and deceptive. As I gain more muscle mass through exercising, my weight will go up and down because muscle weighs more than fat--so what does the number on the scale mean? Nothing! I hope you took all your measurements before surgery. If not, do it now. Neck, arms, bust, waist, hips, thighs, calves. If you insist on keeping your scale handy, only weigh once a week AT MOST. And if the scale doesn't tell you what you were hoping for, check all your measurements. You may have lost fat, but gained muscle. It will show in total inches lost...here is where the numbers DO matter. I do not currently own a scale. I refuse to buy one until I am close to goal and need to monitor myself for small gains that could signal trouble. In the meantime, I will weigh when I visit my doc, and THAT'S IT. Obsessing over the scale would only serve to discourage me and hamper my progress. Does this make sense? What kind of soups am I eating? I get soups at local restaurants. Canned soup will NOT do. There is very little room for food in my sleeve right now, so whatever I put into my mouth has to taste spectacular--it has to be what I now call "sleeve-worthy". LOL Panera Bread has great soups. I ordered a bowl of tomato and roasted red pepper, and also spicy black bean to go, took them home and pureed them, and ate off them for 3 days! They were both delicious. I also had some chicken n dumpling soup from Perko's. Delicious and comforting. As far as coffee, I don't understand why you can't have decaf. I drink "Click" decaf mocha http://www.amazon.com/Click-Espresso-Protein-Drink-15-8-Ounce/dp/B007VC6TXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399403755&sr=8-1&keywords=click+decaf+mocha, it's a Protein powder with espresso in it and it's not bad. I usually drink it blended with ice like a frappe, this morning I made it hot. I have to say, I don't care for the flavor of it hot--not sure why it tastes so different just because of the temperature. Good luck....keep me updated!!!

I'm doing great. No pain problems (unless I cough, that is). No issues with my sleeve, no nausea, etc. I weighed at my post-op appt on Thursday, 6 days after surgery, and I had already lost 13 lb. My daughter and fiancé both said they can tell I've lost weight, it already shows. Wow! I'm on full liquids so eating lots of Soups, the best-tasting ones I can find in the local restaurants. I can only eat 1/3 C at a time so it better dam well taste fantastic! I puree it if necessary, and one bowl lasts me a few days. Today is my 49th birthday, and my family is genuinely distressed that they can't take me to dinner or bake me a cake. It's much harder on them than it is me, I didn't expect that. It was a gorgeous day here today and my daughter brought me flowers and balloons and a great bowl of Soup, so I had a wonderful day! Next year I will be making a small SF Protein "cake" and SF protein ice cream so my family can Celebrate with me, more for them than for me. How are YOU doing?