Lizaboo

MissPoodle, I want to thank you again for sharing your doctor's recommendation to alternate bites of vegetable and Protein. It is making it so much easier to get protein down without feeling nauseous! Thanks again!

3 hours ago, Kimmie K said:

One thing you might be experiencing with the metallic taste in your mouth could be ketosis. NOT ketoacidosis (that's completely different). Anyone that follows a ketogenic diet knows this taste all too well. When you restrict carbs in your diet, at the very least 3-4 days, you'll enter into a low level of ketosis which causes that metallic taste and sometimes bad breath that just won't go away. Early ketosis can make you feel crap especially if you're restricting just enough carbs to make you flip flop from burning fat vs. burning glucose. The best thing you can do is get some electrolytes into your system. That will allow the metallic taste to subside. This can be found in liquid form. I trust a brand called Hi-Lyte or Lite-Show (find on Amazon). Just mix it with anything. Hope you get some relief.

This is a great point! It does taste awful. I hate to say something as basic as trying to chew sugar-free gum, but it really does help while this is going on.

4 hours ago, Vegasurvivor said:

If there was ever a post/thread that should be closed, this is definitely the one. Beating a dead horse over and over.

The OP already responded. The original post was a RANT. She said that twice. When she said "can't go to the ER ,I've got kids' she meant nobodys got time for that when you have four kids. That's where the response came that we get that as Moms. Nothing was meant against Dads. OP did not mean she was against getting medical attention and so many people started unfair posts back at her. Some posts were harsh when all she was looking for was support. Nice things like "suck it up. You made the decision, ect". We could respond to everyone's post that way actually. Close down the sight and just day suck it up.

OP probably left the sight. One other poster did for sure. Me, I do the usual here, most of the time I choose not to post for fear of backlash, being bullied and all the negative comments. But it's OK, the veterans run the sight. They stick together, have to have the last word, and are always right. That's the way I see it. Didn't take long to figure out. AND I have the right to my own opinion.

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Vegas, at no time did I have an issue with the OP. Perhaps you should re-read my posts. This is why people tend to become so unneccessarily enflamed. I sympathize with her, because working in healthcare, I know that it IS difficult for parents to bring children in when they need help. But in this case, this would be when I would suggest an exception. As someone with dehydration issues and a crap surgeon, I wish her the best.

I do, however, disagree with the "as a mom" comment. And will continue to disagree with it. For reasons clearly stated. And that is as a mom myself. Let's stop using it as a catch all, I'm better than everyone else, including Dads excuse.

Now, enough.

On 11/7/2018 at 1:56 PM, Anglkrys2 said:

Everyone can just stop talking about me now. I still have major complications and both drs are like “that’s ur issue” ..”no that’s ur issue”... got to love being passed around and no one helping! You don’t know me to past judgment on me! You don’t know the complications I have. I was venting...it’s over! Let it go! I’m glad all your surgeons are awesome! Mine suck!!

Goodness. All caught up now. Things got wild! My surgeons also sucked. I had to go around them to my main PCP, who basically called them and forced them to IV me. The surgical idiots couldn't seem to understand I was dehydrated. Total nightmare. The next step for me would have been ER. It sounds like you're trying to do what you can. Definately try rocking the sugar free popsicles. Those have worked well for me when nothing else did, even Water. Sugar free Jello? Sometimes I could tolerate one flavor (orange) when it seemed like bothing else worked.

Also, when I couldn't tolerate cold water, room temp worked. Some days, I still wonder if doing this surgery was the right choice for me as well, but it is getting better. I hope it does for you too.

On 11/6/2018 at 12:49 PM, TX4everLinds said:

Only moms get it. Sorry guys. Also I know that so soon after surgery can be very overwhelming. I also think you are factually correct but not communicating in a helpful way. Not everyone’s recovery is the same and not everyone has the same support at home. Probably would’ve been better to sit this one out than be critical. Just sayin.

I'm a little late to this game- but let me just say as a fellow mom that nothing offends me more than "only moms get it." What a crock- and totally offensive to numerous other people. Starting with Dads. Let's avoid using that line ever again, please.

I understand not wanting to drag 4 kids to the ER, and working in healthcare, I appreciate the OP's thoughts. But for anyone else reading this, find a neighbor, a friend, or drag them along if you are that dehydrated. Please get help. I was dehydrated, I almost passed out twice in the shower. It's awful. Don't take risks with your help. This is the moment you yell at your kids to learn to sit on their butts because Mom is sick and you get the help you need. You drag strollers. You do what you have to do.

8 hours ago, MissPoodle said:

I'm nearly 8 weeks out and i feel that things have only just started to settle down. I saw my nutritionist/ dietitian and my surgeon last week and it went well. I told them how i was struggling to get in all my Protein and also how i wasn't able to eat anything else because i was so full. She suggested that i have a bite of Protein then a bite of vegies and keep alternating like that rather than just fill up on protein. It has made the world of difference to me...I'm not sure why! I'm eating more and a larger variety and the protein foods aren't becoming stuck or causing reflux. And I'm not as bored. Not sure if this helps but it was definitely the right advice for me. I'm still struggling with slowing down my eating though!!

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MissPoodle, that sounds like a great idea. I'm so full just trying to get any protein in! I'll give that a shot. Sounds like you have a great group there. It is hqrd not to feel full all the time. Honestly, there are times I have to remind myself to eat an actual meal- with trying to get Water and Protein Drinks in, usually I already feel pretty full!

I know, this will all settle down for us.

On 11/9/2018 at 3:32 PM, MissPoodle said:

I definitely have different responses to the same foods on different days...and they taste differently too. I don't vomit but can get reflux. I also can't do dense meat or eggs.

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We seem to all be at very different points. I'm at seven weeks out. Able to eat chicken and beef in Soups, green Beans, cooked carrots and applesauce- that type of thing. But nothing tomato-y (pasta sauce, salsa, ketchup, bbq) seems to work well, so sauces are tough. I tried finely cut moist and well chewed meatloaf today and it was nausea extreme.

What I'm most worried about is that I'm only eating less than an ounce of anything other than applesauce or plain Soup, and that's less than two ounces. Is that okay? My NUT is totally useless.

On 10/28/2018 at 4:15 PM, MissPoodle said:

One thing I'm learning from this group is that we all struggle with the eating after our surgery and we are all so different. I guess i think that we should all have been given guidelines by our nutritionists/dietitians that have some basic principles. These should be fairly basic....our bodies need Protein, Water, some carbs and fat and Vitamins and minerals. If we aim for basic targets I'm thinking we'll be ok.
I know these targets are hard to reach right now but we are still babies when it comes to this journey.
Right now Fluid is the number one priority then Protein.< br /> And this is hard! Frustr8 you have had a very difficult journey....harder than most...and none of it is your fault. It's harder for you to hit these targets right now but it will happen...they won't leave you like this.
Then you can start hitting the bullseye!!
You've got this...i pray it all gets sorted soon for you

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MissPoodle, I will agree with you. I actually canceled my appointment with my nutritionists. They are worthless, quite frankly. According to their chart, I should be in the second week of four eating english muffins, toast, chicken, fish, ham, etc. I'm currently eating broth with tiny bits of shredded chicken. I had sugar-free jell-o for lunch and am still mainly in puree with very slow foray into soft. I had to learn what to do from on here and another group. They only want you to drink milk, absolutely no Protein Shakes or supplements, even though I am lactose intolerant and even the alternates were making me sick. I finally just had to go on Syntrax myself and bari-wise Soup broth to get in the protein.

My main doctor has a great nutritionist she is setting me up with for the future. It looks like some plans I have since been reading are very good at saying step carefully through the soft stage, starting slowly and moving carefully. I think a lot of programs could benefit from suggestions on how to future modify their programs from past patients.

15 hours ago, MMME said:

Me too. I tried a scrambled egg for Breakfast. Big mistake! It came right back up I have managed to keep Soup and all bran down. And last night I tried some tinned peaches.

I was going to try a scrambled egg with salsa today. I'm rethinking that now. LOL! Since the great chicken misadventure, I went back to oatmeal, mashed potatoes, applesauce, and Soups. I've put some shredded low sodium ham in cream of potato Soup, and had shredded chicken in chicken tortilla soup. Some vegetable beef soup where I've chewed and eaten the small bits. But it's definately slow going. I think it's safe to say I'm a little scared of angering the very petite beast.

34 minutes ago, mousecat88 said:

Wow. My doc told me never to eat any bread again!

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Yep. bread is my snack Buddy, so I had already planned to be a bad patient and ignore that. Not to mention, I had been concerned after reading reports from three different places, including the National Institute of Health, that said bread could really be a sticky food and bind you up. both that and Yale did not recommend it for a minimum of three months after surgery.

But my best friend and I ( who has her surgery coming up) have both been noticing that some of their things don’t really mesh with what a lot of other programs do. They also strictly forbid any Protein Shakes, drinks or powders.

On 10/15/2018 at 3:43 PM, mousecat88 said:

I just watched a required video course for my surgery and it said if I have any food intolerance (upset stomach, something sticking, etc) to go back to full liquid for 24 hours to allow everything to settle down. My post-op manual also says I should be on soft foods by week 3. 1 week liquid, 1 week puree, then soft foods, introducing one new food per day. Should be eating anything by 6 months.

Mine says soft foods starting at week four, with a calendar to follow for the month. That has toast, english muffins, chicken, turkey and ham along with other stuff. chicken was the first day for lunch, and it got stuck. Sigh. So one just never knows.

Currently I'm back to gentler foods and taking it easy. Every group is different.

2 minutes ago, Frustr8 said:

I try to surely wait until I have peed, pooed, not downloaded any amount of luquids, since solids are still a go-to for me, wear minimal or no clothes, certainly. no shoes and v then step on scales and PRAY REAL HARD that a good loss will show up!👈😛👉

Frustr8, you make me laugh! 😂😂 (Although I always check my pockets, so I know what you're saying....)

On 10/18/2018 at 10:43 AM, shoregirl75 said:

I hope we both start losing again so! Hopefully this is just a small bump in the road. I try to stay positive. I guess i am just having a bad day. I did find this article that made me feel a little better about the 3 week stall.

https://www.mybariatricdietitian.com/mbd-blog/the-3-week-stall-after-weight-loss-surgery

Have faith! I was reading this too, and when I popped on this morning after five days, there went three pounds! We just have to get over those bumps in the road.

4 hours ago, gbjourney6 said:

I’m 3 weeks out and still have issues with both. I try to suck on ice for the Water and Protein I try cottage cheese, some type of meat for lunch or dinner, eggs and shakes too. You will get there.

Do you puree your eggs? I'm hitting four weeks out and heading into soft foods. I'm a bit iffy on leaving the food processor behind.

I really struggled with the Water and Protein, still do a bit. But I was so nauseous I couldn't force anything in, my daughter had to help me out of the shower one day, I was about to faint. My BP was skyrocketing, barely going potty. Finally my PCP stepped in and put their foot down with the bariatric group and ordered them to put me on a Fluid IV because I was so dehydrated. It made a huge difference!

1 hour ago, John Kitsu said:

I had surgery around the time you did and plain white chicken meat is a bit tough for me too. My doc told me to stay away from turkey which is even more fibrous and dry.

If forced I could chew down chicken thigh meat, especially if it is simmered in sauce or cooked with a bit of butter/fat to help it slide. Minced or ground chicken is fantastic though and I have no problem with that. I've had in the form of Chinese Chicken and Egg Drop Flower Soup, Chicken Bolognese (w/o the pasta), and tsukune (Japanese ginger chicken meatball skewers).

My doc said there really is no rush, it's not a race, in fact more problems are caused by people pushing themselves too hard. Even though they would like me to follow a 5-week plan to normal foods, he told me realistically there is no concern unless I can't get to that point by 3 months, which is the end of November.

I would also say—and I am mostly saying this to remind myself—when you feel that lump-in-chest feeling—don't eat or drink for a while. Give it more than the 30 mins. Act like the meal ended and go about your day before ingesting anything else. That should stop the vomiting and let your system process whatever you just ate.

Best of luck!

Thanks, John Kitsu. That is good to know, especially since turkey was on their calendar for lunch today. LOL. Oh dear. It sounds like all of my grocery shopping I just did won't do me much good now.

I really am appreciating everyone's feedback a great deal. It sounds like you are all finding some wonderful methods and your coordinators have had some great suggestions. Thank you for helping!!

On 9/29/2018 at 6:44 AM, Jingle123423 said:

My husband went to the store, where they have hot, prepared Soups and got chicken noodle Soup, heavy on the broth. I then strained it. It tasted 1000X better than canned broth. I actually enjoyed it. Try that.

Our local sandwich chain was a star. They always serve 3-4 Soups a day, and I would call ahead to check and see what they had. Vegetable beef for some reason was my favorite. They would pack me up a bowl of the broth to go that I could reheat for a few meals.

6 hours ago, elcee said:

Who?

I lost 60 pounds from May 10 to September 24th, before my surgery. So I don't think there's any reason he couldn't have lost that weight if he wasn't working very hard and very committed to his goal. I think the hard work for him will be keeping it off. But I wish him the best.

1 minute ago, Frustr8 said:

try some fat-free gravy and or a little diet margarine the next time, things go better with a lubrication.

LOL, I had a feeling that did not help the situation either!! Good thought, Frustr8. I will definately pick some up before making an attempt next time.

1 hour ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

All food progression is usually listed "as tolerated". The food lists are suggestions. Start with the softest food at each level and work toward the more solid foods. chicken should be at the tail end of your progression. For most programs, chicken is not on the soft food stage at all unless it is ground. No need to freak out, just go much more slowly and you'll do fine.

Your program isn' crazy. Even though your soft foods include bread and toast, you're 8 weeks out. My program was soft foods at 4 weeks. So some of the differences are more about the timing than the actual foods. Right now, from experience, you know that you're not ready for chicken, yet. Try again in a week or so. (And if chicken didn't work, beef and pork are unlikely to work at this stage, either. You may be able to handle ground meats or sausages, though.) Good luck!

Thank you so much. They gave us a calendar that actually has us starting both the breads and meats at the beginning of soft foods. So puree at 3 weeks then starting this today, with chicken as the lunch. I was a little off schedule today, hence chicken at dinner.

I will pick and choose out of the options and go back to this later, like you said.

Thank you so much!

So today was my first day on soft food. I had oatmeal earlier, no problem. Tonight I tried rotisserie chicken. Chewed for at least 30 bites, very fine, took at least half an hour. It feels a little stuck in the chest area. About a half an hour later, drank some Water, and then a few moments later vomited some up.

I still feel like some is a bit stuck. Should I be really freaked out? Our menu plan says just eat the chicken plain, but then they also say to eat bread, toast and english muffins at this stage, and to avoid Protein Shakes at all costs in any stage. We think they're a bit crazy. Should I have put some sort of sauce or something on the chicken to help moisten?? It looks from other posts that a lot of other groups don't do plain meat? ?

6 hours ago, MissPoodle said:

I get sick and even some heartburn!!

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Me too!

6 hours ago, MMME said:

I'm so glad it's not just me who cannot tolerate the Protein Drinks. Just the thought of drinking that gluggy thick shake makes me nauseous. I'm buying high Protein yogurt and still drinking Sustagen Hospital formula for Breakfast so I get at least 30g Protein a day. I think tomorrow I should be able to go to soft foods. Yay!! I am so looking forward to an egg with some mayo mashed up. And a small tin of tuna with some mayo for dinner instead of cream of wheat or pureed vegetables. Mind you, I've made some really tasty Soups for the thickened liquids stage.

I'm so glad to hear someone else say they are struggling with protein too. (Although I'm so sorry to hear you are also having difficulty). At this point I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that my stomach will accept the idea of pureed scrambled egg- I'm giving that a go tonight for the first time as I begin this puree stage. She has tentatively okayed applesauce and mashed potatoes.

What Soups have worked well for you?

17 minutes ago, RnYBeyhive said:

@MissPoodle, what happens when you drink the Protein Shakes? I just outright gag..can’t do it. I was fine preop😞

That's the exact problem I have. They literally make me sick. Sigh. Even the Protein broth. I can do BariWise protein hot chocolate. Thank heaven.

21 minutes ago, MissPoodle said:

I've noticed i fatigue really easily. I csn manage a small walk with my dogs but get puffed walking up the stairs!
I'm back at work today for half a day and glad I'll be sitting down for most of it.
As far as food goes, had porridge this morning mixed with Protein Powder and soy milk and managed 1/2 cup very slowly.
Am 4 weeks post op tomorrow and go from soft food diet back on to normal diet...i feel this is a huge milestone.
I'm still struggling to get all Protein and fluids in...having to get 60g protein and 1.5 to 2 litres fluid...without the protein powder i couldn't possibly do it.
Tried tuna yesterday with low fat Mayonnaise and no problem.
Unfortunately now I'm not tolerating the Protein Drinks as well...it's disappointing as it was such an easy way to increase my protein intake.


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I'm right there with you. The Protein Shakes make me nauseous. I'm fighting just to get 20 of protein in a day. I'm lactose intolerant and even lactose free milks are bad, so those don't help. Lukewarm Water I can manage, but water is a challenge to get in.

I can handle sugar free Jello and popsicles, chicken and vegetable beef broth. Tried Idaho Mashed potatoes today- finally something that's okay. And applesauce. That's about it. But every day I'm trying to get a little more water in!!

8 hours ago, H2neal said:

12 hours ago, planochick said:

I was much better at hospital. Since being home severe pain on lower left which he said was normal because that’s where most of the work was done. I was expecting to bounce back faster but this one has been rough. How are y’all doing?

I am a bit restless as well. So sore. Feel like been kicked in the guts. And it hurts through to my back. But I did just pass some gas. That I am excited for.

Well done! It's crazy it feels like such an accomplishment, but it really does, doesn't it? I told my teenager, all excited, and she just looked at me like..."Oh, Mom-" LOL