OnMyWay1956

Why can't the food manufacture companies make frozen mixed vegetables WITHOUT PEPPERS?!?!? It seems that every frozen meal, vegetables, premade dinners, almost every meal I see in the freezer section has either red, yellow, green, or some form of hot spicy pepper in it. I know it's better to make your own foods and not eat the frozen dinners, but there are sometimes days that you just don't feel like cooking. I LOVE mixed vegetables, and frozen dinners are becoming healthier as the years go by. I just hope the one of these years they will understand that not everyone likes peppers. Couldn't they put the peppers in a small condiment bag to be added to the meal if someone wants peppers? I purchased a package of Green Giant frozen broccoli and carrots in light seasoned sauce. I thought that it would be good to have in between meals or even with a meal. I put it in the microwave to cook and about 4 minutes after I started cooking it, I started smelling the very strong smell of peppers. I checked the box and it didn't say anything about peppers being inside with the broccoli. Please make more frozen foods without peppers. Anyone can add them to the meal, but it sure is hard to pick them out one by one when you don't like them.

Can't find the update anywhere. I would like to get back into posting and keeping track of my stats, but have looked and can't find where to do this. Can someone direct me to the right link for updating?

Thanks that did it!!!

Are you tracking the foods that you are eating? You may be getting to many carbs in your diet. If you are having your period (for the whole month???) that could very well be the reason. I would get to a doctor and find out why you are having your period all month and get that under control first. Does you bariatric doctor know about you having your period? I would make sure that they are aware of it since you could be anemic losing that amount of blood. Please see your doctor and get that under control before your surgery...

OK so its the holidays and now they are over. Every year I miss my family more since I can't spend time with them. They live in a different state and its always been a struggle for me since it was my decision to move. I have lived here since 1997 but I had my sister here when I moved, so not so hard. Now my closest family member is about 5 hours away (my daughter). I am married to a very loving man for 18 years, but not so big on holidays. OK enough background. I had surgery on 9/16/20 after 3 cancellations over the last year. So I had plenty of education about what to expect and lots of time to think about it. I thought I was very ready and would breeze right through recovery. Boy was I wrong!! I don't regret having the surgery, but really thought that it will be easy afterwards. I'm mostly referring to emotional preparing. The first two months of controlled eating is fine. Sure you can't wait to add in other foods and get bored, but when you add in the other foods is when the challenge starts. I thought I was so prepared to face those foods and felt so strong that I wouldn't go back to the old ways, but I am still struggling with those cravings. I was convinced that I would be one of those that would have the cravings disappear, like some do, but it isn't working that way for me. I can't get myself into this new way of life and am challenged every day with what I KNOW is right vs what my mind is telling me to do. I wake up every morning with a great attitude and track my breakfast, but the rest of my day just falls apart....no tracking, eating whatever and whenever, trying to tell my hands to listen to what my brain is telling them, but it just doesn't work. Every day I go to bed in tears because I know that I messed up again. I am going to seek a good counselor to help me with this, because I do want it to work and I want to be healthy. But please, if you are going to have surgery, and think you know how it will be, don't be so sure of yourself and make sure you don't think that you know how it will be. Get some very good counseling before your surgery. I wish I would have gone every week for 3-4 months before my surgery. Also, don't think you should over indulge everything that you think you won't get to eat after surgery, before you have your surgery. You will be able to eat most of what you have been eating, just not as much. And it will be cooked healthier. Start that way of eating prior to your surgery so you will be in the habit of eating that way after the first 2 months of controlled eating after your surgery. If I had it to do over, that is what I would do. Right now, my old way of eating is taking away the glory that I wanted after my surgery. Please, please, please don't fall into the eating style that got you to where is needed this surgery. It's going to take me a while to get back on track.....

I have a very sensitive stomach. I am almost 6 months post op and am still having trouble eating non ground up meats and most vegetables, so I have a lot of trouble getting my protein. Just like most of you, I have tried about every protein drink and powder on the market. I came across Pre Protein 20 Mango flavor ( I know, I don't like mango either) but the way I drink this you don't even taste the mango. One serving is one ounce and gives me 20 grams of protein. I was having trouble getting my water quota in for the day also, so I took one ounce of this protein liquid (very thick liquid, almost like Karo syrup), 29 ounces of water (one sport top Arrowhead water bottle), one envelope of Crystal Light (I use all different flavors to keep a variety of flavors and don't get bored), and shake till blended. Then a get my 24 ounce water container (or whatever size you use) and fill it with ice cubes. Pour the water mix over the ice cubes and shake it up. My thermos keeps it cold all day and the 29 ounces of water, with the ice cubes makes about 35 ounces of water. Do this twice a day or whatever you need to make your protein allowance. Since I have been doing this, I haven't had any stomach issues with water or protein and I have been getting the daily allowance of water and protein. One bottle costs about 20.00 and is 16 ounces so around 16 servings. This has been the cheapest way to get my protein. I buy mine directly from the Preprotein.com website. They have a special on right now where you can get three 16 ounce bottles for 39.99. They charge a flat rate of 7.00 shipping and send out the same day ordered. 1- 3 day delivery. The best deal I have found. --------------------------------------------------------- Homemade protein water 1 oz Pre Protein Liquid 29 oz water 1 envelope Crystal light powder Shake till blended and pour over ice cubes. I use lots of ice to dilute the water mixture since it comes out pretty strong tasting.

So it's been a couple months and I'm still struggling. But, TO ME, the struggling part is good. That may not sound like a positive to a lot of you but if I'm struggling it means my mind is still set on succeeding and not giving up or into the food. I don't want this post in any way to take away from the benefits of having the surgery. I would do it again, but be more prepared for when real food comes back in my diet. That is/was the purpose for my post. I am trying to let you know to PRACTICE eating the way that you will be eating after the liquid part of your post surgery diet is over. Then you will have a better idea of what to expect. Just remember that your stomach will be much smaller and you will not be able to eat as much at a time. That alone will help the weight come off and help you control the eating. I am still working on the type of foods that I am eating, BUT, and listen to this next part of my sentence, even though my food choices aren't the healthiest, I AM STILL LOSING WEIGHT!!!! I have a really touchy stomach that isn't allowing me to drink protein drinks, and I have been through most of them in the market. BUT I found Pre Protein 20, a liquid protein collagen. This protein I mix 1 oz. (1 oz = 20 grms of protein) with a 28 ounce bottle of water, and a pkg of Crystal Light. Dump this over a 24 ounce thermos of ice and shake. I get 56 to 60 ounces of water every day (which I was no where near that amount before) and it doesn't upset my stomach. This is the only way that I have been able to get my protein and water requirements. I will not give up on my new way of life and will continue my challenge of making this work for me. I didn't get this surgery to fail, but to become more healthy and it is working!!!! BTW- I found a great counselor but only have seen her once last week, so most of what I wrote happened prior to me seeing her. Can you see how unstoppable I am going to be now that I have some help.....LOL

Thanks for all the positive feedback and support. Its great to know that I'm not alone either. That is one thing that weighs heavy on my food issues....I feel so alone. My husband is disabled and sleeps different hours and long hours than I do. Being alone is really hard for me. I am disabled also, but I have trouble sleeping, so have many hours to myself. I have crafts to do when my hands don't hurt to much, and I have a treadmill that I am just starting to use. My left knee needs to be replaced, but I have 20 more lbs to lose before they will do that. I am a very positive person and don't dwell on the negatives very often, so when I do they are twice as heavy on me. I know that God is with me and I can get through anything in His time. I wanted to let this out and get on with my losing the lbs. It really helps to put things down on paper instead of holding them inside. Thanks again for your responses....lots of good ideas and suggestions!!!

It hasn't happened to me, but make sure your insurance company has the correct dates or they may not pay, I would be calling my Doctors office and get this answered quickly.

Happy New Year everyone!! I am looking forward to a much better new year than last year was and hope that we will get somewhere better with this Covid. I have a issue I am dealing with at night. I am not a good sleeper and haven't been for a few years, but since the surgery, I have been hungry through the night and it seems like I need to eat every 2-3 hours. I really don't like doing this. Does anyone else have this problem and, if so, how do you handle it? I try to eat yogurt, cottage cheese, and things like that, but those things can get boring and I also use them during the day. I did get some protein soups from BariatricPal store and can tolerate it, but you can sure taste the protein powder in the soups.....something that I'm not crazy about. Maybe one of you can help me out with this....

Thanks for the response........Yes I take Prevacid. You are correct about the reflux feeling like hunger, but I haven't had much reflux since my bypass. Warm drinks work well during the day for me, but I really like to stay away from to much liquid during the night. I normally have some soup before I go to bed and that helps me to get to sleep. I have tried to take Melatonin for sleep, but it doesn't do anything for me. If I could just sleep through the night, this wouldn't happen.

I guess I'm the exception here...LOL I had a lot of problems with my scars. I had a RNY done on 9/16/20 and they just were refusing to heal. Just last month I was finally able to say that there wasn't any scab on them, but they are still dark pink and have a ways to go to heal. The doctor says that they are doing good and some patients have issues, some don't. I have the kind of body that if there is a chance of problems, it WILL happen to me...LOL I had laparoscopic stomach in 1999 for reflux and those scars you can't even see. It just takes longer for some people and some people scar worse than others. I don't plan on wearing a bikini swimsuit soon, so no worries here....LOL

After 1 failed surgery and 1 cancelled surgery, I believe that the 3rd attempt is going to happen. I am excitedly nervous after the first attempted surgery my blood pressure dropped to 40/20 and my O2 went into the 60's after the anesthesia was given to me and they had to stop the surgery. That was exactly one year ago on 9/5/2019. Then I was scheduled again 3/26/2020 but we all know what happened in March (Covid), when our lives were all halted, so no surgery then. Over the last year, I have been diagnosed with a rare form of asthma and the treatment for that has been successful, my blood tests and pressures are all very stable, and I feel that my body and mind are finally ready for this to happen. I am scheduled to have my RnY on 9/16. After all this time (I have been waiting for this for 3 years) I can't believe it is actually going to happen. If you think that going on the pre-op diet once is bad, try 3 times....LOL BTW-does anyone ever cheat on the pre-op diet??? This diet sure reinforces my decision to have the surgery, so I can have a smaller stomach and less hunger to help me stay in control of my food. It is so hard to control my food, on this pre-op diet, for just two weeks. I am a Christian and have always felt that God was leading me to do this. I know that Dr Hunter is Very good and has brought me this far. He would not be doing this if he wasn't sure of the procedure. I have to be in the operating room for 6-8 hours because he has to take down my Nissin surgery before he can do my RNY. I know that God will be with the team and watching over me......

I take gabapentin at night to help with my restless leg syndrome. It also helps to relax me and sleep better. It comes in liquid form so it is easy to take and has a kind of minty taste to it. Until your body gets used to it, it can make you really groggy, so make sure you can get through the first week or so without driving or take it after you get to where you will be for the day.

Overall things aren't going to bad. I have started to eat some pureed foods (can't stand baby foods), so I make most of them or just eat yogurt. I can't get used to the change in the flavor of foods. It's hard to know what to eat when the taste of food has changed and I have to find the right seasoning for what I can eat. I also am having some trouble finding food that I can make smooth enough to not upset my stomach and I feel so bloated after eating. I wait the 15 minutes before I drink after I finish eating, but when I start to drink is when I feel bloated and I want to eat again. What have/did you eat during your first couple weeks after surgery? Please NO protein shakes....those are not sitting very well with my stomach and I'm tired of the taste. After I eat, it feels like I want more, but I know that my "pouch" isn't big enough to hold anymore. Next I am having trouble sleeping. I have started taking a sleeping pill, but that only takes me through about 4 hours of sleep and then I can't seem to get back to sleep. I always had trouble getting a full night sleep, but this is still a issue if not a bigger one. I can't get myself on a good schedule for my eating and drinking because of my sleep. I will be talking to my doctor today about my RLS since it seems worse or the meds aren't helping it anymore. I'm hoping the pain doctor can put me on a patch to relive my pain and RLS symptoms. I believe that I have my meds on a schedule. I used to take a insulin shot before every meal and bedtime. I now have been able to get off of them and only take a long acting insulin shot before bed about 2-3 times a week. I am pleased so far with my weight loss of 27 lbs since before surgery, but 43 with my overall journey. Right now I don't seem to be losing, but I'm sure it has to do with adding more solid food to my diet. I guess after all this long post, I am looking for some food tips, sleep tips, schedule tips and overall just knowing that I'm not alone in what I am feeling. So far...No throw ups or dumping....YEAH!!

Both of you have great ideas and I will try both of them. I just discovered a recipe site for the different stages of recovery after WLS and will be trying a few of those recipes also. https://bariatricdiet.upmc.com/

My friends have been very supportive through my WLS and I have no problem with going out to eat with them when the time comes. Was it very strange going out to eat and watch your friends eat the regular way the always did or did they cater to the way that you needed to eat and ate small meals? Were you self conscious or did they seem different? Right now it just seems like it going to feel rather strange to go out and eat for the first time....Tell me about your first time eating out after your WLS.....

I had surgery on 9/16, and am having the issues listed above. Did anyone else have these things linger this long? I got released from the hospital at 5 days because my potassium and magnesium was low so they wanted to make sure they were normal before they sent me home. Now that I am home, I can't get a balance on how many pills I have to take vs how much room I have in my stomach, I have too many pills too take and not enough room in my stomach. Any suggestions?

Thanks it will be great!!

Stage 3 is pureed foods or chew to the consistency of baby food. There is a list of foods I can choose from, which include, eggs, canned chicken, tuna, cottage cheese, baby bel cheese (chewed of course), sweet potato, etc, but you get the kinds of foods involved. I am going to go enjoy my first soft scrambled egg for breakfast in just a few minutes....YUM!!!

Same here...I have multiple health conditions and take MANY pills. For those of you who didn't have any pills to take in the first place, just stop and think about where you are heading and the road ahead of you will had a lot less pills/meds in the future because you are taking care of your health now and won't have all those health problems from being overweight in the future..... After surgery, I couldn't even take all my prescribed pills PLUS the vitamins added to them. My Surgeons nurse did a great job of getting me on a schedule that worked until I saw them, but I still couldn't get on a eat, drink, pills, repeat pattern. I am two weeks out and I still struggle with all the pills. I am stopping more and more of the prescribed meds, but also went to my RX Pharmacist and they went through my med list and told me which ones could be consumed/ordered in a chewable/liquid form. I believe that I am getting a handle on the pills now, but I am trying to reduce the number of pills. I believe as the weight comes off of me and I get healthier, I will be able to get rid of more of my prescribed meds.

On my way to the surgeons office today and to see the nutritionist. I' m not expecting a big loss since the hospital, but I do hope that I can go to stage 3 eating and get some of my semi solids back. I will see how the day goes.......