EmzBee

Hey all, Thought I'd pop in for a little sanctuary and support. My entire country is shattered. My FB feed is inundated with heartbreak, and it's so overwhelming after having such a crappy week myself (I've finally managed to keep down small amounts of food after 4-5 solid days of regurgitating pretty much everything). I went to a wedding yesterday, and my emotions are all over the place. One minute I'm crying at a cute couple and their beautiful vows, the next I'm sobbing as reports of the Christchurch victims start to trickle in. I used to live in Christchurch. My husband and I were there right through the earthquakes, It's just devastating to have something of this magnitude happen blocks from where we used to hang out with our friends. If anyone has any practical tips, tricks, or self-care/comfort recipes suitable for a sensitive soft food tummy... Advice would be greatly appreciated and actioned - I plan to make a list, and prioritize ticking as much off it as I can over the next couple of days. Sending you all positivity in this time of grief and contemplation.

Hey awesome Feb buddies! Is anyone having problems with throwing up/regurgitating food? I'm 3 and a half weeks post-op, and I admit I've eaten a few things that aren't considered 'soft foods' and have occasionally been rewarded with vomiting, which is fair enough. But today's been different... I haven't been able to keep many solids down at all. I did try slightly spicy foods, so maybe that's it? I had two bites of canned thai tuna for lunch along with a piece of cheese, and then tried some Cajun chicken soup... nope, both weren't gonna stay down. Ironically, the thing that has stayed down is a handful of well-chewed peanuts. Still okay-ish on liquids - I've probably had 30oz or so, though I did also regurgitate some powerade zero, too. Hoping to get more liquids in tonight (I don't fancy lying down right now!) but really struggling to want to swallow anything because it kinda feels like I've swallowed a rock 😞

I'm in the same boat, Sheri. Lost 1 pound last week (Week 3) but still lost a few cm... but I think I might be sitting at 250 for a while. I mean, all up I've lost 50 pounds! I think my body's probably in shock [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thinking of you my lovely friend! [emoji4] Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app

I suck at keeping up with the forums, but I had to share... I cried today. I made it into a size 20 pair of jeans!!! Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app

week 2 down, and with it 8 whole pounds! I'm now 251. Sorry I'm struggling to keep up with everyone. Nevertheless, sending you all my love and support! [emoji4] Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm currently experiencing my first real down period since surgery (about 11 days ago). It's midday, and the best I've been able to do is grab a water bottle and slowly sip away at it in bed. I'm struggling, because my usual depression routine is to lie in bed until I stop thinking obsessive thoughts about self-harm (I haven't participated in that for a few years now, but the thoughts are still as strong as ever) and replace those thoughts with obsessive thinking around what food will give me enough motivation to get out of bed. So, I need to find a better "how to get out of this slump" strategy that doesn't rely on trips to the dairy or ordering in pizza... Any suggestions appreciated! (But know my capacity for anything is limited... so has to be something small and manageable). Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app

I was vegetarian before surgery, so I think I'm having trouble with the high meat high dairy protein lifestyle. I was hoping to phase back in to vegetarianism, low-lacto after about 6 weeks or so, but man, the thought of pureed meat is really making me feel blugh. Guess I should try that ricotta bake everyone keeps talking about!

Bugger, I'm only getting about 40-50g of protein in per day... guess I should try and up my game.

I have 2 2cm ones, one directly above my bellybutton and one about 2 inches to the left of that one. Yes! There's plenty of time to break out the togs, hehe! 🙂

Not a week -- First photo was around 6th Dec, my first pre-op meeting with my surgeon, so there's about a 20kg/40pound difference between the photos. Not too worried about size but more gravity!!! I may well get an augmentation if & when we can afford it.

Hi hi! Fellow post-ops (and pre-ops who know already) What are your specific protein/calorie goals? I find I have nausea if I consume anything over 500cals. Yesterday I had 300, walked 7K steps and felt great... Day before I had 600 and felt pretty gross. I don't have any protein goal guidelines (I'll email my dietitian, see what she says) but I was wondering how my post-op cals/protein stacks up against others' experiences. There's so much trial and error in figuring out Tiny Tummy Tim... I'm just, like, 'new-mother nervous' that I'm not doing right by him.

Gottajustdoit makes a good point... I take everything back, don't cheat. Lol. I don't have staples. I only have the 5 laparoscopic entry points (3 x 1cm, 2x 2cm near my bellybutton... the most annoying one is the one on my solar plexus that sits right on my braline). Although we're getting RNYs, the actual procedures are likely different, so don't listen to my cheating face listen to your surgeon XD

I mean, I'm supposed to be on purees still, but I went out for dinner with my husband earlier in the week and had a soft boiled egg with dried anchovies. They were salty and crunchy and delicious! (Also full of B-vitamins and omegas, so I'm thinking of getting some for home) I also made sure to take slow bites and chew chew chew them to a mush. Today, again went out with my husband for breakfast. He got scrambled eggs with a fried egg on the side for me--I would have preferred poached, but I managed to eat aaaaalmost a whole egg with a tiny bit of hollandaise sauce and cracked pepper... delish! And no dumping syndrome! (Though a freaking TEENY amount of sugar and I dump, it seems--only had it happen once so may just be a nut thing--but I'm super-careful with sugar). Cheating for us all is a slippery slope. I know that. But if you're cheating on something that fits into your dietary needs (high protein, can be mushed or chewed and broken down) and it'll make you less miserable/more satisfied to have a 'cheat' meal, then... *shrugs* Ya gotta do what you can to do your best without withdrawing from life, is all I'm saying. 🙂

Welcome, Dubchild! Man, that sounds nasty! 😞 I, too, experience the shooting left rib pain--though more sporadically. Your stomach's hiding just under there, so it doesn't surprise me that when you get up and your organs move a little you're experiencing pain. I experience the shooting pains mainly when I'm slouching, typing at the computer and then stretch to straighten my back. I think it's basically my ribcage crushing into Tiny Tummy Tim and making him uncomfortable. Fair enough, TTT. For pain getting up/down, perhaps try a heat pack? I think the reason why we notice the stabbing/shooting pains is because the pain meds really aren't built to help with them, so we're more or less on our own.

Looking good Marine! I did a couple headshots over on FB, I may as well share here, too... First photo is around about the time of my first surgeon's appointment, second is one week post. So nice to have some of that weight around my face and neck off... though (surprise, surprise) I've lost the majority of cm from around my bust... a massive 20cm and counting! Why do the boobs have to be the first to go?! Lol!

Week one update! Hard to believe that it's been a week since surgery. Wow... feels like a whole new world! NSVs for the week is I can now wear my wedding ring without pain. I'm also now the lightest I've been in 3.5years, and I'm going to my first writers meetup with a new group. I've got a little of my spark back 🙂 Down six pounds, 2.7kgs this week! And, I know it's ridiculous, but can I admit I was a little disappointed? 😲 I guess a big part of this process is the mental game... and learning to be patient. *sigh* *twiddles fingers* Guess I can't expect to be at GW after a week! 😂😅😅

Now, now, Recidivist! Don't give up on your dreams that easy! 😄

I bought it from a local company, so unfortunately I don't have the recipe 😞 But here's a list of ingredients: Chicken mince, cream, tomato puree, water, brown onion, greek yogurt, pea protein, cornflour, garlic, white sugar, canola oil, ginger, chicken stock, citrus fibre, cumin, garam masala, corriander, salt. TBH I think you could get a similar result just by using a simmer sauce and chicken mince--perhaps adding some unflavored protein for extra protein. The most protein-dense puree I have on hand is a beef mince bolognese, though--so that might be your best option over chicken for getting enough protein in at puree stage 🙂

Thanks you two -- this really helped 🙂 Turned out, I think, that I was pushing it. 82g protein and 621 calories the day before, and 50g/522cals on Wednesday. Yesterday after my first run-in with dumping syndrome I paired it back -- 46g protein and 435 cals. Surprisingly enough I felt much more comfortable/less nauseous! *slaps forehead* Typical me, trying to run before I can walk!

Congratulations! What an amazing achievement! I hope you're celebrating in style! 🙂

Have to admit, Newme, that sound HARD. Good on you for following your surgeon's instructions, though! 🙂

Well... day 5 post-surgery and I guess I should have expected that it wouldn't all be smooth sailing. It was my first night sleeping through the night last night, and I am absolutely zonked today. Decided to come off the Celecoxib because I'm not experiencing much pain (aside from the occasional stabbing pains my my tummy/left ribs that seem fairly standard) but, sheesh! The nausea! And complete and utter lack of energy! Ooch, I'm really feeling sorry for myself! It's 4pm my time and I'm just finishing up my first 500ml. I'm trying... but just every blimmin thing is an effort. How are our 13th quads doing? Are you experiencing anything similar? Anyone else suffering post-surgery? I know we've been a fairly upbeat lot, but I want to make sure that we're hearing/encouraging those who aren't lollipops and rainbows, too. (There's plenty of optimism for us all to share, hehe!)

Here I was on purees at hospital. Just water for 24hrs after surgery, then a clear vege broth for lunch, then pureed chicken and yogurt for dinner--I believe that they won't let you leave until you're tolerating puree--even just 1-2tsps. They also do the barium swallow here to check for leaks during the op. It's interesting the differences place to place!

YUM. I'm still on baby food. Here's my 50g of pureed butter chicken with 20g of protein yogurt I had for dinner last night. I finished about 3/4s and then became nauseous... Bought little 100g pottles of puree from a company here in NZ. It's been great not having to think about cooking, because cooking smells are blugh!