pik

I am so sorry to hear you are having problems again. Strictures are the worst. I had a total laryngectomy because of cancer almost 8 years ago and ended up with a stricture. Now my problem was a little different because I had had radiation in the same area. They would do esophageal dilations and 2 weeks later it was restricted again. So frustrating; everything would be fine and I would be eating and it would get stuck and I would have to cough it up. Gross and embarrassing when eating with others. Ended up having a dozen dilations. Then moved to NC to be with my son and went to Duke Medical Center and they fixed it for good.
I feel for you and I will say a prayer for a speedy recovery...

Thank you!

Pik I hate to hear that you are having more problems. Hope you get better quickly!
Summer

Pik I'm so sorry you are going through all of this. You've had a tough road and you ate still always so positive in your posts. Things will get better!

I am scheduled for a bypass on 10/7 my daughter, 30 wanted to know if I was going shopping before or after surgery. I told her I wasnt sure what she meant and she went on to ask if I knew what size they were making me? Making me! Lol obviously she had the wrong idea about the surgery.

At 8 weeks post-op, I definitely had a problem eating any kind of meat. chicken and turkey were the worst. Shrimp and crab legs lost their flavor. At 16 months post-op, I am more tolerant with meats. I found eating meat in chili and Soups works well. For chicken and turkey, the secret is to put them in a pot with a bouillon cube and bring them to a boil and then cook them in low heat for several hours until they are so tender they fall apart in your fork.

I've tried it a few times and have been fine so far but I'm now about 9 months out from surgery. It took a while before I would even attempt it. However, I am trying to stay away from it and just have lean Protein but every now and then, I crave red meat.< /p>

Hi Pik,
I had a long conversation with my NUT about beef yesterday. She told me most everyone can tolerate it eventually. It may take a while for your intestinal enzimes, (disrupted by surgery) such as pepsin to function. They are not completely back in the first year past surgery. She told me it would be at least 4 months before she recommended I try beef. I think you maybe a little early. Also, she said at the beginning to place the lean beef in a food processor (ground is not fine enough) and making a little hamburger. You still have to chew it for the prescribed amount of time but it will be easier on your stomach.

Hi Pik,
I'm a year out and I can eat ground beef and tenderized skirt steaks.
I use ground white meat turkey or ground white meat chicken a lot of times instead of ground beef.
Even though I'm a year out I still have problems time to time even with foods that I haven't had a problem with before.
I think that sometimes our bodies just want to be difficult.
I would try beef again if I were you in a couple of months and see what happens then or even just one month from now.
On to another subject and that is how you are feeling? Have things calmed down for you?
Take care.

Well as of today, I am halfway to my goal. This is including my weight loss from before the surgery which was 20 or so pounds. I am also nearing the 100's, so that is exciting as well!
I was at a 2 week or so stall and have picked back up losing weight again...

Yep. I think the enjoyment of eating is what got us all here. It is a little hard for me. I was never really addicted to food, I had other issues.
It just does seem that when I eat, it does not seem like it is what I should be able to eat. I feel it is under 1/4 cup at this time and it takes me much longer than 30 minutes before I can drink anything.
This is an issue for me because I have to eat something to be able to take my medicine and then I have to wait almost an hour and a half before I can drink anything, and by then it seems like I should be eating something again.
I feel like all day long it is a job to try and eat and drink. I def don't get the amount of fluids and Protein in that I should.
I don't care about enjoying it...I am bothered that it is such a job for me!

Awesome! Congratulations! If anyone deserves an accomplishment, it's definitely you! ????????????

I'm sorry to hear that. If you love pizza like I do that's a major loss. I've had pizza several times and my experience is this. My tummy/sleeve want less than one piece. My eyes and screwy headspace want 3 pieces. I'm ok and able to stop at about 2/3's a normal slice (from a 16" pizza, for example) but its not that much fun when eating with others. I'll have to work on getting over the desire to keep up with friends.

Well as of today, I am halfway to my goal. This is including my weight loss from before the surgery which was 20 or so pounds. I am also nearing the 100's, so that is exciting as well!
I was at a 2 week or so stall and have picked back up losing weight again...

Fantastic! Keep up the good work!

No but I could swear we have the same stupid dr......

Thanks for all the good wishes and prayers! The polyps are benign! (Happy dance) . I'm so thankful!
I see my surgeon this Thursday and will see what he says about this and ramifications for surgery.

I am guilty as sin. I have eaten popcorn a few times.... I love it. I know it is empty carbs and not good for my sleeve but sometimes I have to have something like that or I will go nuts stressing over it. I try to eat fruits but I'm a tactile person and enjoy the munching that goes along with eating the popcorn. I don't recommend anyone doing it but I had to admit my guilty pleasure.

Walked my first 5k Saturday. I wasn't last. I walked the Blue Shoe walk for prostate cancer in honor of my dad who died from this cancer in 1990! It felt so amazing to do this!
Mamie60

I am so glad you were able to find it, and you are right! Right in time. I did not want that happening so I got it re-sized....

My rings are too big but still wear them, not ready to resize because I'm not at goal so we went to the jeweler to ask about those plastic bands they said they are not good for the gold and can irritate your finger so I had placer put on, they are two little bumps on the inside of the ring that keeps them in place the don't spin and you can't feel them, than when I resize they will remove them... worth the piece of mind

When you have to get your ring re-sized!!!

When a regular sized bath towel wraps around you, covering yourself and the other side of the towel!

I suspect that when you show up at the hospital for surgery, it will be a little too late for the insurance to pull the plug on the operation.
They do weigh you in the hospital. In part, it is to monitor you weight while you are there. After the operation they will put you on an I.V. and pump fluids into you. As a result you will leave the hospital with a few extra pounds than when you entered. This is Water weight that you will quickly shed after a few days.

Ok, so let me first explain the two circumstances that came together that day to create the "Litter Box Incident"....
1) when I had C. diff, my BM's consisted of a severe, painful cramp, followed by projectile, watery diarrhea approximately 5-10 seconds later. This occurred 15-20 times a day at the height of my infection. No way to either predict or prevent the chain of events.
2) I am a vet tech/partner in a mobile veterinary practice. It's just me and the vet. Our mobile unit is basically like a 25 foot RV. We took the toilet out years ago in order to convert the tiny "bathroom" into a storage closet.
Despite my preference to camp out in my own bathroom for the day, I ended up having to work. My vet had just had a hysterectomy and was laid up on her couch. One of our clients called to say she was out of pain meds for her dog that was recovering at home with a broken pelvis. I had no choice but to venture out. I made the 20 minute drive to her house without incident (whew!). But as I was getting up her pain meds, I was consumed with the tell-tale cramp. Knowing I had about 5 seconds before you know what, I grabbed a litter box out of the cupboard, dropped my drawers and squatted. I'm just glad the client didn't come in!
And who said pooping can't be fun?