BLERDgirl

Try doing a search. There are several active threads with many helpful tips. It is not uncommon to experience constipation post-op.

sorry, double post

Talk to your nutritionist. Each program has their own protocol on how to transition back to normal eating.

Try doing a search for things needed for post-op or things to take to the hospital. There are several very active threads with lots of information.

Most programs can tell you from experience what your OOP will be however, you can call your insurance company and check so there are no surprises. Also most hospitals call a few days prior to admission and alert you to any copays related to surgery. If your insurance company has a website they usually have their fee schedule included. Unless you have lots of disposable income it's best to know beforehand. A few hundred may be easy to come by, a few grand may not.

I think drinking water to feel full is better than eating and if that's the worse vice you get from this process it's fairly harmless.

It depends on your food program. I was allowed fruit. from stage one one. In stage 1 & 2 it had to be baby food consistency with no sugar added. However I also like it plain and add it to my protein drinks to increase my protein intake.

I'm a big believer in the freezer stash and food prep. It was one of the first things I learned when I began my journey to better health even before WLS. Two things lead me to this.1) I am on a fixed income. I needed to save money. 2) I am a vegetarian with multiple food allergies. I needed an inexpensive way to eat healthy without feeling as if I was eating the same thing over and over every day. On Sunday my food prep consist of: I boil 3 -6 eggs for grab to go meals and Snacks. Making a pot of a hearty grain. Usually quinoa or farro. Sometimes brown/red/black rice My meat eating friends bake or broil chicken breast and another Protein. Meals can be varied from adding seasonings and rubs to making salads to adding in a stir fry. I prep any tofu, tempeh or seitan I may use that week as well. Some people simple buy a rotisserie chicken and cut up. If you do this I advised saving the carcass to make homemade chicken stock. I make a few overnight oat meals. This is done by layering rolled oats with either greek yogurt or milk of choice with fresh fruit, nuts and seasonings including Protein Powder . The oats absorb the moisture overnight and can either be eaten cold or warmed in the microwave in the morning. Chopping up any fruit and veg that is in season: Some are put into freezer bags for the freezer stash, some are put in tupperware for snacking, salads and cooking. I never buy frozen fruit for smoothies Protein Shakes. I buy fruit from the farmer's market when in season. It's cheaper then. For example blueberries can be as cheap as $.99 a pint. I buy double, freeze half and have fresh fruit all winter long. Veg like onions can be bought sliced and diced then put into freezer bags for quick adds when cooking. In the summer when I tend to eat a lot of salads it helps to have all the fixings prepped and ready to go. You are more likely to eat salad that way. In the winter I make Soups and chili by the pot. I then freeze most of it in single serving portions. It means investing in a good set of freezer safe tupperware or lock and lock containers, but you not only save money, you avoid the the sodium and other additives you get with canned soups. Doing this means no meal takes more than 15 minutes to prepare and I don't end up spending money on take out that I don't have. My weekly prep now takes approximately 1 - 1½ hours every Sunday.

Typically the doctor's office call for this. Most have a person in charge of pre-certs. However tell the insurance rep that you are entittled to answers regarding your coverage, If they continue to refuse request a supervisor.

Yes it liquid and may not present a problem. I don't have to sip like I did at first, however I think it's a good habit to keep because you may end up also eating like that. However food won't slip through like water and can cause problems because food eaten too fast can be uncomfortable and cause slimeing or throwing up. Also the purpose of this surgery is to get us to slow down when we eat/drink, gulping goes against that.

Invest in a good thermos. One that can be easily fit into a small lunch pack. Amazon has loads of them. I use Myfitnesspal. I use MFP not only to track calories and Proteins but also macro-nutrients. I also find that wearing an activity tracker is very helpful.

@@JerseyJules - I didn't have any co-morbs either, just a very high BMI. Perhaps counseling might help at this point more than the surgery. Your attitude towards surgery is very important. You need to go into it with a positive attitude. If you aren't mentally prepared it's best to wait.

Glad they are squeezing you in. Waiting rooms can be a pain in the rear. It's one of the reasons why I actually prefer those super early OR times. Thing are less likely to get bumped or delayed. Hang in there for one more day, you're almost there!

Everyone has them. Stalls can last from a few weeks to months. Make sure you're getting in all your protein, drink your water and exercise. All you can do is follow your program until your body decides it's not starving. In the meantime look for NSV and take your measurements to compare the differences.

I started eating clean as an act of self preservation. My allergies were out of control and I spent more time fighting and recuperating from allergy attacks than out and enjoying life. I also became a fat vegetarian. It's taken me a long time but I follow really basic rules: Bring a magnifying glass with you to the market Anything that says,'light, fat free, diet' or similar is either lying or fake and heavily processed. Try to buy foods that have 10 ingredients or less and/or do not require a science degree to understand the ingredients. Avoid most foods that come in a box or a can. Frozen foods with no additives are your friend.

Week one was all protein drinks and water.

I was. I noticed there was a 2lb difference between my last follow up and my DOS weight.

My nutritionist suggested freezing it in an ice tray. You'll probably one be able to eat 1 -2 cubes at a time, and this way the soup doesn't go to waste.

I was only allowed to schedule my first pre-op with the Bariatric center after I attended the mandatory informational seminar. At my first appointment I met my team: The surgeon, the nurse, the nutritionist, and the nurse practitioner. I saw each of these at each follow up. The nurse would bring me back. She did a routine weight, temp, BP check. I then met with the nutritionist. I was given my handbook and explained that I would need to bring this every week. It had all the pre-op testing I needed listed. It also had sample diets, recommendations on Protein drinks/shake/liquids, recommendations on Protein Bars, and recommendations on Vitamins. It also had blank pages for food journaling and it was explained that this would be reviewed at each appointment. Another section had contact information listed for all team members, as well as the days and time of support group meetings. In the post-op section it had the food stages broken down by weeks, recommended foods at each stage and sample daily menus. After the nutritionist it was the Nurse Practitioner. She did my H & P (History and physical.) She took down my medical history. Did a basic physical (checked ear, throat, breathing, etc....) She gave me a questionnaire to take home and fill out that was approximately 30 pages. This would be forwarded to the psychologist for my psych eval.I was informed that most insurances either cover the psych or the nutritionist but not both and what the fees would be for each. My psych eval was covered the nutrition class was not. It was $200 out of pocket. She writes out prescriptions for all the testing I need. I was also sent for blood work. After that I met the surgeon. He reviewed the procedure. Once again explained what it entails and then double checked the info that the others had gathered. He asked if I had any questions or concerns. It was a long a long day but everything was thoroughly covered. The best thing was that I had that handbook to refer back to if I didn't remember anything and if I was still unsure, I could call the surgeon's assistant.

I would look at what foods you currently eat that you gallbladder best handles and choose the ones that are healthy and high in protein. Those are the foods you will be eating post op.

You are being too hard on yourself. There is no avg loss. As long as the scale is moving in the right direction you are doing well. Do not juice. Juicing only gives you the sugars from the veg and fruit since the Fiber is in the pulp that gets discarded. An easy veg to start with is chopped spinach. Easy on the tummy, a good source of Iron and Protein. Good to eat whether frozen or fresh. Try adding just a quarter cup with lunch or dinner. If you eat eggs, you can mix it into your eggs as well. Then branch out one veg at a time. Step away from the scale for a bit. Do not let it rule your life and make you crazy. Look for other Non-Scale Victories(NSV) take your measurements, look at how much farther you can walk, run, etc....

Are there any informational seminars in your area? I want to say yes, but like @@Sharon1964 i am not a doctor, yada, yada.

Everything is normal. My motto is that just like you have to kiss a lot of frogs until you find your Prince, you have to try a lot of shakes until you find one that suits you. Buy single serving packs or samples whereever you can. Try RTD , powders , shots and liquid Proteins. Also try yogurts (I prefer Fage 0%,) or Kefir. Once you can get in your proteins and fluids your energy level will perk right up. In the mean time make sure you are taking your Vitamins and supplements. As for the weight gain, do not worry. I bet you haven't had a BM yet either. Either way, it's early days and your body is adjusting to major surgery and an entirely new eating program. Once it realizes that you are not starving or dying it will release the calories.

Sounds like you are doing fine. Trial and error is often the way we find out whether we like something or not. You can also try refried beans (they may need to be thinned out) or hummus which you can eat cold or at room temp. Also instead of boullion which may be too concentrated try low sodium broth.

I did WW's back in my 20's and was really successful with it. Back then it was real food and the weekly meeting were really helpful if you had a good facilitator. I tried it again many year later when they had developed this points system and it was all fake,process food full of carbs/sodium and fake sugar. I am no longer a fan. I second the recommendation to try and locate a Bariatric support group in your area. Use the search feature here o r ask if you hospital provides one.