Berry78

Get a kitchen scale. 3 meals and 1 snack. 4oz protein + 4oz nonstarchy veg + 2 oz starchy veg at each meal + 1 teaspoon butter or oil on veggies Snack can be 1-2 oz nuts or seeds. Walk 3-5 miles a day, weightlifting 2-3 times a week.

When I arrived at the San Diego airport, and went out front to await the drive to the hospital, there was a van from another bariatric surgery company that arrived with postop patients. 2 patients were dropped off in order to fly home. They both moved so slowly and gingerly, hunched over, gripping their abdomens. They sat as soon as they could.. after walking about 20ft. I thought to myself Holy ****, what have I signed up for?! That will be me in 5 days. How wrong I was! No one would have been able to tell I had surgery when I flew home. My husband was shocked at how well I was doing when he picked me up from the airport. Everyone has a different journey, but some are lucky! I didn't even have trouble putting on my compression stockings for the flight home. (Was worried about that).

Juan is amazing! I didn't really catch the names from the guys at the hospital (problem of being discombobulated from surgery), but they are equally good!

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Sorry, wasn't thinking about dumping. So true...

Preop things were 1000 times worse than postop with hunger of any sort (for me).

Well, as with everything, if you eat 1/2 of a large melon, not such a good choice, but if it is a small piece (4-6oz), I'm sure it's fine. You can CHOOSE to eat off the higher side. Because then you know it is a food that you need to be careful of. It's eating everything without awareness that gets you into trouble.

The swollen abdomen can last for quite a while. I'm 8 weeks out and my bruising has finally faded for the most part. The swelling went down a while ago. Maybe 4 weeks out.

I've seen several posts where people are diagnosed with low potassium post op. After reviewing my own meals, I realized my own consumption is 1/3 the recommended daily amount. So, I did some research. In the general population, low potassium is almost non existent. Potassium is found in virtually all food groups. The problem in the bariatric population is that all food consumption is cut down dramatically. The recommended daily consumption is around 4500mg. The minimum daily consumption is thought to be between 1500mg and 2000mg. Consuming less than the minimum will likely result in a deficiency, which could even be lethal (heart rhythm problems). My own consumption is around 1500-1700mg, which concerns me. So, where can I boost my potassium? Potatoes have a ton, but I couldn't add one, as I don't have room... and don't want the extra calories/carbs. To make a long story short.. coconut water. 1 8oz cup has about 500mg of potassium (depending on brand). Yes, each cup has 11g of carbohydrate, but coconut water has HALF the calories/potassium ratio of potatoes.. and coconut water scores a 3 on the glycemic index. That is no typo. A THREE! I can put a cup of it into my morning spinach/fruit smoothie, boosting my potassium to acceptable levels for only 45 extra calories. Win/win. I do need to add.. potassium can be dangerous if overdone... especially consuming a lot in a short period of time. Don't drink more than a quart of coconut water a day, and spread it out. Not more than a cup every 3 hours.

Thanks, Rick. I drank V8 before surgery, but didn't even think of it now Interesting thing.. I got my sodium down to about equal to my potassium, so there is that

Mine have 283mg, which isn't really anything. Because it is rare for people to not get enough, and it's possible to get too much, multivitamins typically don't address that nutrient in any substantial way.

Let's hope they can figure out how to get it to go back down! You poor thing! Hope you get sorted soon!

Ideally there will be a BM by 5 days post op, and at least every 3 days thereafter. Even if you're not eating, the body still makes waste. If that waste stays in there for multiple days, it will start putrifying, getting reabsorbed, and drying out. In short: nothing good. I did an enema every two days for the 2nd and 3rd weeks post op until I could get fiber on board. This is not harmful for just a few weeks, but impaction IS very harmful. I visited a gastroenterologist my 3rd week post op, and told them about the enemas. They were just fine with it, they just wanted to make sure I was GOING. Now, there is a difference between doing this for 2-3 weeks, and doing it for months. It is good to move to dietary management, fiber supplements, and the like. Even milk of magnesia, miralax, and smooth move tea shouldn't be used forever. But that's something that should be discussed with your doc.

Sounds like bypass is a good choice For the most part, bypass complications are managable, as long as you are willing to take care of yourself for a lifetime. It's when people stop paying attention to their vitamins etc. that things go sideways. You'll do great!

I know, it can be a tough choice! Is your surgeon willing to do the sleeve, or are you just deciding whether to get another procedure at all?

Whey protein is complete and easily digestible. If you need to avoid it, you're looking for vegan friendly protein powders. I haven't tried any myself.

Leaks typically happen in the first 8 weeks. There are other long term concerns.. strictures, ulcers, and deficiencies.

I've added a spinach and fruit smoothie to my diet. I don't have to take anything anymore! (2oz spinach, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup berries, coconut water).

I've really been thinking about this. The # on the scale means nothing to me. For health, the female waist measurement (around the belly button) should be under 35 inches. This is a jean size 14 or smaller. I was once a size 8, but a size 10 or 12 is good too. If I get to size 14, I'll evaluate what is going on then.

You might want to get some blood work done to see if you are short on something.

Yes! Homemade will be much better than canned too!

Shaw Summers seems great! Congrats!

It is important to understand what happens inside the body when you eat... especially carbs. Basically, you eat a fast-absorbing carb (simple carb, like table sugar), and it hits the blood stream quickly. The sugar in your blood goes up, too high. The body sends insulin out to force the sugar into the cells, because too much sugar in the blood is dangerous, but it is safe in the cells. But now the body might have sent too much insulin, and now your blood sugar is low. Normally adrenaline kicks in about this time to go release some sugar back into the blood. But for some people this mechanism is damaged, so the blood sugar drops and the body can't increase it on its own. So, you have to eat more carbohydrate. The way to fix this vicious cycle is to always eat carbs with protein and fat which slows their entry into the bloodstream, and concentrate on eating complex carbs that also enter more slowly. This is what the glycemic index is about. The lower the #, the slower the sugars hit the bloodstream. Anyone with poor blood sugar control should only consume carbs #54 and less. (As a starting point. Individual results vary).

The DS is usually used on those with a BMI of 50+. Personally I would be very concerned about the lifetime malabsorption. You have 60+ years ahead of you in which you'll need to pay utmost attention to your nutrition Every. Single. Day. The sleeve is much more forgiving. And the sleeve leaves room for conversion later if something isn't right. Your BMI is about the same as mine, and I've been having good luck so far. (8 weeks out) Good luck!