boogie2dope

Thank you so much! I look forward to making new friends and learning more. It's comforting to know that there is a community that I can reach out to as I navigate this new life. Hopefully I'll be able to pay it back ten-fold!

Thanks! I've been preparing for almost 2 years and now that it's happened it seems so surreal. I am so hopeful for the future!

Hey, I'm wondering what your doctor said about gummies in the early stages of recovery? I ask because I also had that idea, as the market seems saturated with gummy supplements. I was advised to stay away from gummies for the foreseeable future and do chewable tabs for my vitamins/supplements as "they break down and absorb better, and have less chance of getting stuck or obstruction."

I like your idea about planning out the recipes and meals and becoming Top Chef, . Thank you for the ingredient suggestions. My shift to puree was actually pretty well. I did my first day or two at half what they said I could, meaning instead of doing puree for each meal/snack, I did half puree and then kept one meal and one snack a full liquid. Then by the third day I knew I could tolerate it and ate puree at every meal. I made this amazing Low Fat Buffalo Chicken Dip that is out of this world, super high in protein, and low in sugar. 1/3 cup serving is about 2.5 Carbs, 5G Fat, 16G Protein. My surgeon's office and nutritionist was awesome enough to provide a list of puree recipes, but that is by far my favorite. Canned chicken breast was and still is one of my best friends b/c of my 9-11 hour work days. I actually adapted the recipe after puree week was over and now am using it for my blended/soft week. Is there a recipe section on this site? I'd be happy to share there. Where are you finding your recipes/watching your cooking videos? Just YouTube or something different?

3 days away from 4-weeks post-op and I feel like I'm doing pretty good. Did anyone else gain like 10 pounds the 1st/2nd day after surgery? My dad thought it was probably the gas they fill your insides with for laparoscopy, plus the swelling, but I thought that was just nuts! It went away after about 4-5 days and I was back down to surgery day weight but I was like, "Oh, come on, really!?!" Right now I'm on soft/blended foods like scrambled eggs, and well, a lot of scrambled eggs. The last 3 weeks I haven't really had an appetite, and that excited me. Sweet things like protein shakes were too sweet, and that excited me, b/c without a taste for them, it makes it even easier to see a future where I don't eat things that aren't healthy for me. Over the weekend, however, I found that I started to enjoy the tastes of the overly sweet tasting protein shakes again, and even have started to have some "cravings" for food that I kind of thought I wouldn't have for awhile more (cheese is a big one as I'm able to have those Laughing Cow Light wedges.) With my shift to "normal" (as tolerated) coming up this Thursday, I'm wondering to myself if I will continue to feel "cravings" increase. Has this happened to any of you this early after surgery? Having that old hunger come back in what seems like such a short period of time? Also wanted to say congrats to all the other August peeps and anyone else with an upcoming surgery date.

Hey, I actually just registered this very moment b/c I wanted to reply to you. I've been reading these boards for a few months and these people have the most valuable information, experience and research! To be completely candid, I have bipolar type 2 and anxiety, with a sprinkling of insomnia on top. I take different meds to help with all these issues, and after extensive research in the form of white papers, speaking with doctors and pharmacists, as well as my own, albeit short, experience (I'm just about 4 weeks post-op) I was only concerned about the bipolar medicine, Depakote Delayed Release 500mg tablets. I maintained my PRN anti-anxiety and insomnia meds as these are immediate release, and I can report they have worked well for me in the past few weeks since my surgery. I did get switched over to the oral liquid form of the Depakote, however; Valproic Acid Oral Solution 250mg/5ml. I have to take it 3x a day to get the dose I was getting before with the DR tabs, but I had my bloodwork done last week and my serum levels are actually higher than they were on the tabs, so I may be able to come down a bit on the dose after a few months (I want to be sure, as I know I'm still in early recovery and only time will tell.) I think you are doing the right thing by asking questions. Definitely speak with your surgeon, and prescribing physician as my surgeon didn't really have the first clue about the Bipolar med. Maybe even talk to your pharmacist if you feel comfortable with that. I made sure to have my script filled prior to my surgery date so it would be waiting at home for me after discharge. Good thing too b/c the hospital was out of the liquid form and I would have been out-of-luck. I'd be happy to talk more if you like. Hope everything goes well for you.