bitingcat

You asked me to come visit your thread, so here I am :-D First off, I *love* the surprise sneak attack on Nurse Nasty at the disciplinary meeting! Way to advocate for fellow WLS patients! Bonus points getting it done while still recovering. And do you nurses really ever stop? My great aunt is 94 this year and was reading the doctors and nurses the riot act in my dad's cancer ward this spring. She was a nurse for decades and still doesn't let anyone give her guff. (She also doesn't let them stop her from dancing on the bar counter or walking through the living room naked when company's over, but those are entirely different issues.) Glad to hear they're making progress figuring out what's going on - what a blessing that you know what to ask for and how to get it! And the bacterial infection dx is interesting since your post-op timing is similar to my ear/face/lymph/neck infection that's proving so hard to kick. (But then I also have a history of auto-immune problems and random body parts swelling up and threatening to fall off.) I'll end by telling you what my honey always says when I tell him about my cursed friends' latest medical escapades: "Put the creepy glowing idol down and back slowly away..."

Wow, Judygrim - a size 10? That's awesome! And it's so good of you ladies to write and help keep my spirits up :-) Knowing I'm not the only one with all the allergies is amazing - isn't it fun to have people say, "Are you really allergic to that or do you just not like it?" like you're a recalcitrant 6 year old? I'm still mostly eating the meat, but I can skip the carbs without buying two Entrees :-D Lynkaosgood, a "series of unfortunate events" is probably the perfect title :-) Even I haven't been attacked by a dog - just, you know, horses, roosters, camels, um, and a capybara got a little frisky with me once. It just sounds so incredible when you link it all together. But seriously, thank you all so much! Winter in Seattle has arrived - and the six other weeks of the year are just not enough to make up for all the damp and gloom. So I truly appreciate the commiseration. And recreatingcate, your titanium leg sounds awesome! I have a friend with new bionic boot/walking assist devices, but not the leg. She might have a titanium hip, though, now that I think about it. Don't give up on that bikini worthy backside, though! If we've lived through all of these ridiculously improbable events, a sunny beach in the Med could totally happen! (She says, as a person who has never even managed to rock a one piece. And would probably get kidnapped by pirates or chased by a tsunami a half minute after setting out.)

I am truly thankful for this surgery :-) Even though I'm struggling with post-op and pre-existing health problems, it's my hope that I'll be able to get back my energy and health so that I can serve the way I need to :-) May the blessing of health and strength be us all.

Variety? I really liked hot bone broth (fairly high in protein) and would get different flavors or have my husband doctor it up and strain it. chicken bone broth simmered with a Parmesan rind; beef bone broth with a spoon of miso paste stirred in after heating (bonus probiotics); or some of the flavors like chicken and ginger, maybe with a splash of soy. He'd put it in a thermos for me and I'd just work on drinking a couple of ounces at a time for hours. If I was having a hard time with Protein, he'd add extra Gelatin to the Soup. I should have seen if the Pho place could have sent plain broth... I also liked the ... Sleepytime Peach Tea, maybe? I think it was Celestial Seasoning. It was chamomile and peach, with a little mint that soothed the stomach. No protein, but good for staying hydrated. Hot liquids were a lot easier in my stomach, though I also threw in a teaspoon of collagen powder sometimes. If you're low on calories (and it's not a gateway drug, I mean food) you can always add a quarter teaspoon of raw honey. I also liked the Syntrax nectar fruit flavors, really watered down. They're just so much thinner than most Protein shakes and more like flavored Water. I also really liked the Ultima Replenisher (stevia sweetened/no cal) electrolyte powder for getting hydrated, and would sometimes add a scoop of the Syntrax Medical Unflavored. As I improved, I added Greek yogurt with a few drops of flavored stevia (couldn't stand it that way before) and kefir, sweetened the same way. Jello was great for mouthfeel, and Eggface has great recipe where she combines it with Greek yogurt for a creamy, jello salad kind of thing. You can mix Protein Powder straight into Greek yogurt (I think I used a Nectar fruit flavor) but it was a little thick/weird. Eggface also tells you how to mix SF pudding into protein powder to get it to set up. (Seriously, her website is bomb and she has a whole section on liquids and purées.) But yeah, an hour at a time and weeks of doing nothing but eating, drinking, and moving around to get rid of gas. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I know you've got your hands full trying to up your Protein and pursue a malpractice suit. (Don't neglect your Vitamins, either.) But I'd like to second the pool suggestion. Before you dismiss it out of hand, I have PTTD - basically, the tendon in my right foot is overstretched and tearing. Overdoing it can literally destroy my ankle. I have to wear an orthotic boot, so walk - walk - walk is right out for me, too. I've been doing small hand weights and an exercise ring while seated, but it's nowhere near as good as the pool. Seriously - my PT is *amazing* and came up with a ton of exercises I can do in the pool to build up my ankle, core, and other trouble areas. Squats, heel raises, front and side kicks, arm exercises with a kick board - and all specifically modified not hurt my ankle. I think my incisions have finally healed to the point where I can start up again. (Though I'll probably have someone drive me for a while since I'm still puny.) Seriously consider starting PT before knee surgery - weight loss and joint strengthening could do a world of good and make your surgery way more successful. Right now my orthopedic surgeon is discussing *three* separate, highly invasive surgeries on my ankle, but agreed to let me try PT for a couple more months. With sufficient weight loss and strength building, there's a good chance I can avoid at least one of them - God willing, all three. I'm a little over 3 weeks post op, so I guess it's time to get motivated! And start going back to my PT Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

The Pacific Bone broth has ... 9 grams of Protein per cup? My honey doctored some up by boiling a Parmesan rind in it; some with a little miso paste; and some with a little soy sauce. He then strained it all thoroughly and kept me me supplied with the thermoses of it the first week. I sipped on it like tea for fluids and protein throughout the day. I also ate popsicles, Jello, and chamomile/peach/mint tea, but I think the broth did the most good. If nothing else, the warm was nice on my sleeve. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I guess it's less weird for me since I have about a million food allergies . I've been the crazy woman who pulls three types of Snacks out of her purse for years, hence the packets of Protein powder, turkey meat sticks, protein bars, and little packets of almond butter or shelf stable olives. I'm less than a week post-op, so who knows what's going to work for me long term. Let me know what works for you ladies - it's not a trip without an emergency snack bag Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Consider finding a good therapist for *you*. Being afraid of surgery risks or change is one thing; openly preferring a specific body type and suggesting he will reject you if you deviate from his wishes is dangerously close to saying, "I prefer victims I can control." He either cares about you or he doesn't - your weight shouldn't change that. I have an awesome husband now, but I waded through my share of users and losers to get here. I wish I had gotten help figuring them out sooner. You can do this Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Any luck finding a better shake? I'm post-op now, too and glad I'm not adding lactose to the grumbly mix. I'm drinking a lot of bone broth and minty herb tea, taking a probiotic, and limiting my Protein powder to whey protein isolate. Also keeping the Gas-x and Maalox nearby. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Depends on your personal tastes. Some places sell samples of different flavors - I'm planning on doing that soon. I think the Fuzzy Navel mixes okay with plain Water in a shaker cup, though if I make it too strong I get that sugar-free sno-cone syrup vibe. Just a little diluted, it reminds me of ... Tang? Or Orange Julius? I really like the vanilla with almond milk, but I could almost certainly manage it with water and ice. Everyone's tastes are so subjective, though. Mybariatricpantry.com has samples of the nectar, the Matrix, and I think the Click? I also really liked the Chike iced coffee Protein as a pre-op, though I haven't tried it again since surgery. I had to travel back and forth to rural East Texas a lot pre-op. My dad had pancreatic cancer and those packets kept me on track through all the flights, family meals, and hospital stays. I hope you have a great trip! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Hmmm. You know, some men really like to solve problems. How would he take you saying, "Hey, I know this diet is crazy and I'm having a hard time coming up with things to do together that aren't food related. I really want to spend time together. Can you help me come up with some new ideas?" It might have worked with my dad, who wasn't a bad guy, just utterly tactless and clueless about dieting. With an extreme aversion to change and being out of control that always brought out his inner a-hole. (7 Vietnam tours and extreme PTSD, so we cut him slack.) Asking for his divine guidance usually helped him deal with the transition and gain some objectivity. Then, he'd work his fanny off to help you. Of course if your guy blows off a genuine request for his assistance with a problem, then it's probably time for couples counseling. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Boxed bone broth comes in a bunch of flavors (like lemongrass), doesn't taste too bad and has a surprising amount of Protein. My honey boiled a Parmesan rind and a clove of garlic into some plain, then strained it really well and stirred in some hydrolized collagen powder for extra protein. It was surprisingly tasty and easy to drink. I did fairly well the first couple of days, but now it's getting harder. Possibly because one of our beloved cats escaped from the house and we can't find him. Probably doesn't help I cut back on pain meds. Let's see. I've been using the Ultima stevia sweetened electrolyte packets in my Water - when my electrolyte levels are off, everything tastes nasty. I've also liked iced herbal teas with chamomile and mint. I've also had protein Jello and the SF popsicles. My surgeon is having me steer clear of Multivitamins for another week so they don't upset my stomach. As for Premier, I think that one has lactose, right? Which is to say I can sort of tolerate it usually, but not at all right now as a post op. Consider trying lactose free for a few week? And/or being liberal with the Gas-x strips and Probiotics. I usually tolerate the Syntrax nectar fairly well; I mix it with water or almond milk and thin it down. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I don't have any kind of official hormone dx except "jacked". Several years ago started having cripplingly heavy periods. Found awesome hormone doctor, discovered I had no testosterone, very low progesterone, and was swimming in estrogen. Started natural hormones and have been mostly functional since. I get tested every three months and we make micro-adjustments. I went off all hormones a couple of months ago and it was *horrible*. So, back on the hormones and it calmed down again. And then I started the pre-op diet. My surgeon just wanted low carb, so I decided to go straight into ketosis - I even started a week early to try and get the hang of it. Diet went well, but period hit like a ton of bricks. I was so anemic from blood loss I could barely walk up the stairs. I was tanking Iron like a crazy person trying to be ready for surgery. The Keto bloggers claim this is your body basically doing a giant fat related estrogen dump. (Some also call it "Shark Week" and claim it's not unusual when you first go into low carb ketosis.) Their theory is that fat is full of estrogen; you're now burning tons of fat; hence your body is now swimming in excess estrogen and messing everything up. Is there any truth to this? I have no idea. In my case, my estrogen levels had been falling off (I'm 45) and spiked right back up again last month. So my hormone doc is going to keep testing and adjusting to try and keep things reasonable. I was only sleeved a few days ago, so we'll see how it goes. Consider going to see your hormone doctor, if you have one, or discuss it with your surgical team. Everyone says your hormones will be crazy after surgery, but it's good to have a plan in case things don't settle down on their own. My niece was like you - heavy periods eventually turning into ruptured cysts - and they must have had her on four or five types of birth control before they found one that helped. Don't be afraid to push people to find something that works for you and your new body Good luck! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

No problem! Hopefully we'll both get to feeling better Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yup. Hiatal hernia repair = significant shoulder and upper chest pain. It was hard to do the breathing tube exercises because full inhale was so painful. They told me it isn't at all unusual to get that kind of referred pain with the hernia repair. The painkillers they gave me for the sleeve didn't help either that, so they gave me a Valium prescription to "relax" my muscles. It helped some the first two nights, but so did waking around, a heat pad, and a little shoulder rub from my honey. Stopped everything but Tylenol on day three - I can't stand feeling groggy. Can still feel it when I breathe deep and am still sleeping propped up on pillow, but it's getting better. I'm about to go microwave another heat bag, though at this point my stitches hurt more. Hope you get to feeling better soon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Also sleeved September 28th . I did okay with fluids at the surgical center, but feel way gassier in the stomach today. I keep accidentally inhaling air no matter how gently I sip my Water. So, Gas-x strips. Not really enjoying water; yesterday I drank bone broth and a watered down, no-cal, stevia sweetened electrolyte drink. I seemed to do better with those. Also, I've had a few sugar-free popsicles, homemade Jello, and some very mild herb tea. Warm liquids and semi-solids seem easier to get down without going gassy, Today I added a thinned out Protein shake. Basically a wide variety of liquid type items. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Ayah - I meant to say "parasite" instead of "paradise". Drugged up posts... I just thought it was hilarious the surgeon was coming up with such ridiculous stories. I explained I'd only told my kids (13/16) about the hernia repair part of the surgery because I hadn't wanted them to worry too much. The 13 year old loves medicine and I was all, "Hey - want to see my cool scars? Go fetch my Water..." The 16 year old has an anxiety disorder, so it's more like, "Hurry up with those dishes or I'll show you my horrifying scars!" And yup, those are my cats wearing their best, "You look tasty," look. They keep coming to see me and walk around on my belly to make sure I'm okay They're helpful like that. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Well, not food or dog related because I was just sleeved yesterday, but the surgeon, my husband I were joking about what we could tell people. The surgeon was all, "Come up with something ridiculous! OMG - I don't have any idea how I lost all this weight! I just started bathing in egg whites everyday and, bam!" Followed by a discussion of whether you could start a run on egg whites and would a legion of cranky plumbers come after Option 2 was a rare tropical paradise. "Yes," I replied, "maybe I picked it up when I lived in Micronesia a million years ago. The lack of sun in Seattle finally killed it off, and all the weight it brought died off, too." Not hilarious, but it lightened things up before surgery. No dogs in my house, but my cats are Siberians - even if I could get past the metric ton of fur, they have awfully big teeth and claws. OTOH, they are jumpers and have giant thighs like a rabbit. I often wonder how the breed made it through those cold Russian winters. Was cat thigh Soup a thing? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

My husband's boss loves his sleeve. He didn't really talk about it (though wls was assumed) until my husband asked if he could work from home a few days to help me with my surgery. Then he turned into a fount of support BTW, I'm totally the whole food, home made, hippy eater (mmm - delicious hippies...) But I'm 45 now, and my body's starting to fall apart to the point where I can't hike or bike. Which is why I'm here. Good luck finding what works best for you! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

C-section restrictions are similar, and my moose of a son was under three when I had his sister. He was dangerously affectionate and wanted to be held non-stop . So post c-section, I was lucky enough to have family help out while I slept (the grandmas really stepped up, playing, cooking and cleaning while I was down). I also trained my son to crawl up on the couch beside me and kept a basket of board books, little toys, activities, and a few kid Snacks. That way we could spent time together without me overexerting myself. And use that older kid! My seven year old niece came home with me from the hospital for a couple of days, and was amazing with fetching Water, bringing diaper changing materials, and getting prepared food out of the fridge for her and her cousin. That was the first 2+ weeks. But couldn't lift anything heavier than the baby for another month. Fortunately by then my little moose was used to the fact that he just had to walk and could only sit next to me. I also managed to set up a couple of mini-changing stations around the house so I didn't have to lift too much. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Some of the powders also come in little, individual packets which I prefer when crossing the border - Canada likes things in their original packaging. I took a handful of the nectar packets; a shaker bottle; a couple of Protein bars; and some shelf stable turkey meat sticks during my last trip to Vancouver. I often had a partial shake before going out to help me make good choices . Consider bringing a snack and Water bottle for the plane, too. And you can always search online for what's currently allowed. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I also like the Syntrax - both the Fuzzy Navel and the ... vanilla something, which I mix with unsweetened almond milk (lactose intolerant). The Eggface website has tons of good ideas for doctoring shakes and making things like jello-yogurt fluff and Protein powder ice cream. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Newly post-op, but I told my husband I can't do a liquid or puréed diet *and* be around delicious smelling forbidden food. So he and the kids are working out meal plans they can cook together, or the kids can make themselves. Of course he also has weight to lose (no surgery); agreed we needed a family diet overhaul; and has had six months to get used to the low carb, high Protein stuff I've been cooking and trying to adapt to their tastes. He's mostly stopped bringing home junk food; part of that's to keep it from being snarffed down by ravenous teens and the other half is to keep me from injuring myself or the person who brought that stuff home . But he knew I had a lot of food allergies from the beginning, so he's used to me not eating the food he wants. Hopefully when I hit solids, we can go back to pick-and-choose Mexi bowls (separate Beans, rice, meat, etc.,) or Mediterranean platter (hummus, ground lamb patties, roasted cauliflower, etc.,) and finds ways to eat together as a family again. Gotta get back to my bone broth... Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Not sure which diet you're on, but super low carb can result in "Keto flu". I don't have a fat restriction on my pre-op diet and found that good fats + grey Celtic sea salt really helped me. Like, coconut oil and a pinch of salt in my shake. Or just a grass-fed burger with no bun. My headaches got better when I flipped into full ketosis around day 4. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

If you only have to be low carb (and don't have a fat restriction) look at some of the Keto blogs. I started a week early and was practically mainlining fat to get me off the carbs. I was right on the carb border most of the first week. But I discovered a Keto faux pancake recipe using eggs + reduced fat cream cheese and that a little melted coconut oil really helps that protein shake stick. And by week two I'd flipped into ketosis and found it to be easier. Also discovered that the Nectar protein packets are zero carb and awesome to keep in your purse. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App