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NickelChip

Gastric Bypass Patients
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Everything posted by NickelChip

  1. NickelChip

    Ibuprofen 1 Yr Post Op

    I saw this Swedish study linked to the one you posted: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35595650/ They found that continuous use of NSAIDs in bypass patients for 30+ days was a significant risk for ulcers, but temporary use was not. Additionally, they found no association between NSAID exposure and peptic ulcers in sleeve patients. So it seems you might be right about the extreme use of caution (to avoid being sued). Not to say anyone should disregard medical advice, but it does help to put the risk into perspective.
  2. I've recently started squeezing one fresh lemon for my salad and adding a dash of pink salt and several shakes of a Tuscan herb blend. I'm not missing the dressing, and I appreciate I can use enough lemon juice to actually coat all my veggies. The herb blend really delivers on flavor. Since I'm pre-op, my salads are pretty massive, and 31g of dressing for a bowl the size of a serving bowl is laughable.
  3. It's wicked expensive, but Ka'Chava protein shakes are sweetened with coconut flower nectar, which does add a bit of sugar but within the guidelines I was given (I was told no more than 10g sugar per serving, and calories no higher than 10x the grams of protein, so ). I haven't tried it yet but did order a bag. I've also ordered a sample pack of Truvani protein powder flavors to try. Those are sweetened with monk fruit, and also on the pricey side, but made without artificial ingredients which appeals to me. I've been trying so hard for the past several months to clean up my nutrition and get rid of artificial stuff, so it pains me to think I will be spending months drinking shakes filled with artificial junk.
  4. I got a little bag of samples when I saw the nutritionist last week. Turns out I much prefer the Celebrate 45 Tropical Twist vitamins to the Bariatric Fusion orange flavor, so I've placed an order for those and the sweet treat assortment of calcium soft chews, which were almost dangerously tasty. The Unjury chicken soup was better than the other brand I tried, but not enough to buy it. And their vanilla shake was vile. I just can't do artificial sweeteners, and probably not vanilla unless I add something to it to mask the flavor. The aftertaste was so strong and I had a vague impression of drinking baby formula. So far the only ones I've really liked have been the orange and peach flavored Syntrax Nectar Naturals, so I'm going to get two vegan fruit flavored options in case I have trouble with whey after.

  5. That's awesome! 26 years ago I think I was still just under 200 lbs. A couple years later, I crossed that mark and came close once but have never seen the other side of it since. When I see that 199 finally come up on the scale, I think I will cry. You must feel like a whole new person.
  6. Ugh. It sounds like you would basically have to turn eating into your full-time job to reach the daily goals if you can only go a bite or two at a time.
  7. Is there anything specific that you think is stopping you from reaching the goals? Would a clear protein drink help you kill two birds with one stone?
  8. NickelChip

    Has your Relationship changed?

    So I haven't had surgery yet, but I do have some relationship advice for you based on my own life experience. My ex and I used to have that same nightly ritual of putting the kids to bed and then filling up bowls of ice cream, candy, or whatever other junk food was on hand and watching TV together before bed. It got to a point where that was the only thing we really did together, and when I would want to make healthier changes (it was always me who would suggest it) he would go along but then always act like I was the" mom" who would or wouldn't give him permission to "cheat" with dessert on any given night. It was such a stressful thing when I already was trying so hard to stop myself from giving in. But the TV and snack routine would always win out in the end. Not saying this was the reason the marriage failed, but I sure wish looking back that we had found other, healthier activities we both enjoyed than just watching TV and eating. Even on weekends it would be like "What do you want to do?" and the answer was always, "I don't know, but we could go out for dinner, I guess." I think if you can come up with ideas now that allow you to spend time together in more fulfilling ways (I mean, when you watch TV, you're really not interacting as much as you think), you'll end up a lot happier as well as more successful in kicking the old habits for good. Go for walks together, explore new places on weekends, or try learning ballroom dance from YouTube videos in your living room at night.
  9. NickelChip

    6 months in…

    Wow! You look fantastic, and as distressing as I know the hair loss must be, you can't tell at all from the photo. What an amazing transformation. Congratulations!
  10. NickelChip

    How to get all my protein in?

    Here is my suggestion for a natural breakfast smoothie with around 25g protein, which does not rely on protein powder and can be made dairy-free: 1/2 c Greek yogurt or soft tofu (about 10g protein) 1 Tbsp hemp seeds (3g protein) 12 oz milk or soy milk (12g protein) 2-3 oz frozen spinach (gets you some veggies!) 4-5 oz your frozen fruits (tastes yummy!) Blend, blend, blend, and you're done. I'm pre-op but this is what I have been having every morning for the past month or so, along with a big lunch salad with chick peas, black beans, and salmon in it. I like that smoothies don't require a lot of thinking and have no added sugar or anything artificial. Personally, I add a scoop of whey for an additional 21g protein, so if your nutritionist is cool with that, I highly recommend it. You could do pea protein if you can't do dairy. I honestly don't see many ways to reach those goals given the restrictions you've been given and how little you can eat right now, so definitely talk to the nutritionist for a reality check on those numbers!
  11. I'm almost afraid if I try it, it will taste too good. Have you tried that sipping broth yet? I'm intrigued. The pho and tomato ones sound like they could be delightful in the winter. I'm trying to ween myself to one cup of tea per day to reduce my caffeine but it's a challenge in the cold weather because tea is so warm and cozy.
  12. I haven't had this happen, but would you be able to try Syntrax Nectar Naturals? They are stevia and monk fruit sweetened and don't taste terrible. I've tried the orange flavor so far and the closest I can come to describing it is Tang. Just make sure you try the ones that are labeled specifically as "naturals" and not the other ones that are also called "Nectar" because those have artificial sweeteners.
  13. How I have I gone this many years without knowing cream of bacon soup is a thing?
  14. Wow, I'm so glad all of those scary conditions were discovered in time! I think you're right that sometimes you go through things that at the moment you think suck and may be asking why me, but the number of times those situations lead to important and good changes makes you realize there was a reason for it.
  15. Completed my second appointment with the psychologist and he says we're all good. 2 weeks to go until my appointment with the nutritionist, and then three weeks after that I meet with her again plus the surgeon. Crossing fingers for a November surgery.

  16. I looked it up and it wasn't too crazy. Her link in the video is to Amazon in Canada, but in the US store it was under $70. Not exactly an impulse buy price, but I may keep my eye on it and a few others like it for a good deal around Black Friday.
  17. This was a very useful video, but now I want to buy a fancy scale!
  18. My order of protein powder from Syntrax arrived today and this is so much better than the chicken soup! I bought the Syntrax Nectar Naturals in orange, peach, chocolate, and fruit punch. Just tried the orange and it's lovely. Very refreshing over ice. The flavor is decent, not thick like a lot of the drinks, and I like that the ingredients are more natural than some other brands. This one is a keeper.

  19. I did a lot of yard work today and my muscles were sore, so I thought maybe I should try the protein powder I ordered the other day. I've ordered several flavors, but the one I tried was chicken soup. It is safe to say it will not be my favorite flavor. But I did manage to make it without lumps with the aid of my little travel blender!

  20. Immersion day at Mt Auburn was three days ago and I'm excited to get this ball rolling. I have my required appointments set up through mid-October and tomorrow I need to call my PCP to make sure referrals have been submitted. I've ordered some protein powders to taste test and one bottle of bariatric vitamins to get started. My preliminary lab work has been done.  Reading through all the material I was given, I've identified quite a few areas that will need work for long term success. I've chosen two for right now: planning my eating and tracking my fluids.

    Starting tomorrow, I've set reminders on my phone to have breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and evening snack at regular intervals every day. And I've ordered a large water bottle to keep next to me while I work. I find I don't drink a lot of water, but I like unsweetened hibiscus and rooibos iced tea, so I'll be trying to drink that. I've got a paper habit tracker to help me see how I do. Starting small. I usually set too many goals and then I go overboard for a week or two before falling apart completely and giving up on everything. 

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