Pepper_No_Salt

I haven't checked in in a while. I got super busy with haunt season starting and getting into the groove of working weekends. So far, everything has been going well. I haven't had any dumping, overeating, etc. I'm on regular diet now with a daily goal of 64oz of protein but I blow through that and usually hit over 100. I am still supplementing with a Fairlife either for breakfast or a snack before going to the gym. Last night was my first time eating out out (I've done Sunday breakfast but it's always an egg). We went to BJs and it's crazy how hyperaware you become of portions. In the past, we would get an app, entree, and dessert. My kids are having "sympathy pains" and have started eating smaller portions so we only got entrees. In the past, I would have gotten a burger or sandwich with fries and eaten the whole thing. I ended up getting a chicken breast dish and brought enough home to have lunch for the next two days. The weight loss has been up and down since I weigh daily right now. I won't say I've stalled because if I just looked at my Monday entries, it shows a consistent loss. This week is the first week that people have noticed and I can see a difference when I look in the mirror. I donated almost half my closet of size 18/20 items that were just too big. I'm in a size 16, almost a 14 and I went from a 2XL shirt to a large.

I have not mastered the adding of protein powder to other foods. I tried to mix Isopure in my soup last week and it got weird. Luckily I've been hitting my protein goals with food but I do supplement one Fairlife a day just to give m that extra 30g. When you get to soft food, chicken salad is a game changer. I was eating it at least once a day. Now that I'm on regular foods, I love those snack packs that are like adult lunchables. My starting goal was 64oz of protein and between the waters and Fairlife I was able to hit it pretty consistently.

This has also been my biggest struggle. I was going to the gym fairly regularly before surgery, but it's been a struggle since being cleared. For me, it's just prioritizing that time for myself. It's been getting better this week, I've gone twice, walked a lot last night, and I plan on going today!

Checking in! I'm a little over 3 weeks post op but it feels like longer! I've started making lists of what foods sit well and what absolutely doesnt. I'm doing great with eggs, turkey salad, cheese, strawberries, watermelon, and soups. I rejected chicken. I've also had trouble with my MV. It was sitting really well until one day I just got extremely ill after taking it. I don't know what the secret sauce is of taking it where it won't cause nausea. I'm thinking of changing brands. I've been able to go out to events and I'm getting better at refusing to put myself in positions where I'll have trouble with food. Yesterday my friends wanted to go to Asian Buffet, i explained I couldn't eat anything there but they were persistant. I got in the car and my daughter rolled down her window and told them all she didn't feel good. I didn't want to ruin their evening by making them choose something else, all in all I wasn't mad. It's just different. My other bari gals I'm friends with get it. Still having trouble getting all my water in. I think that will just take time. I'm at 50oz a day. I also need to priortize walking because I'm only doing that once or twice a week due to being so busy.

Happy Friday everyone! I had my 2 week follow-up with my dietitian yesterday and got my diet progression schedule! I'm officially on mashable right now. I meal-prepped some ricotta bakes and refried beans last night. I get to have eggs which I'm excited about. In two weeks I go to soft and two weeks after that I move to solids and adding meat back in. No bread/rice/pasta/alcohol for 6 months. I also got to start my vitamins which should help with my energy levels. The only thing I need to work on right now is upping my water intake and getting back into walking. I was going to the gym consistently before my surgery but I've just been so tired it's been hard to get on the treadmill.

I wanted to pop in and say life literally got better the next day. I don’t know what was going on Sunday but I was absolutely miserable. Monday was a different story. I’ve learned that I’m okay with straws. This made me so happy because I get an ick from drinking out of cups. It’s made my water intake so much easier. Yesterday I got a smoothie from Smoothie King and it was like the sun came out lol. Ive also been able to tolerate the Oikos Triple Zero. I weight everything and can eat about 3oz before I start getting the burps. Each day it gets better. I’ve gotten a bit more energy which is nice. Thursday I should get advanced to purée/soft foods!

Hey everyone! It’s been a tough couple of days. I live in a constant state of nausea from the time I wake up until I go to bed. I’m out of Zofran so I take my Phenegren every 4 hours on the clock. It’s making it ridiculously hard to even begin to figure out my fullness cues. I’m hoping it gets better and I keep telling myself I survived a whole pregnancy on a Zofran pump so I can get through a couple weeks. The lack of energy is also hard. I went out yesterday and by 4 I was yawning and people kept asking if I was okay. I almost fell asleep driving home and crashed by 10pm. It’s like I can do one chore and then I have to rest for 30 minutes. I really didn’t think about this before and now I know why people take off work until they get to regular diet. The good news is I’m losing about a pound a day, I have no pain, and my incisions are healing well. Thursday I have a dietitian appointment and get moved to puréed foods!

Today was my in-person post-op visit! I got officially cleared for full fluids. I can even have cream soups if I puree any chunks inside (like cheddar broccoli). Next week, I have a dietitian appointment and hope to be moved to soft foods. I can't wait for chicken salad and refried beans!

@draikaina8503 I got a variety pack from Amazon. I might see if I can get a just Orange-Mango case. Today I met my water and protein goals but my incision pain on the right side has been out of control. I tried to take just Tylenol today but the biggest incision has just been to much. I think I overdid it as well. Two of my adult kids live with me (20, 23) and I thought I’d only need help until Monday but this has been harder than I thought. School restarted for them and so I’ve been home alone trying to manage the dogs, take care of my rabbit and her room, one of our cats keeps escaping and I have to chase him. It’s just been exhausting. Hopefully I feel better by Saturday because I have an event I have to leave the house for and I go back to work (wfh) on Monday.

I think my least favorite part of surgery has to be these Lovenox injections. Twice a day on top of the bruising I already have is rough. I kind of broke down and advanced my diet to full fluids. They had me at clears until Thursday and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I’ve been tolerating everything so far so I had a Fairlife. I was fine. I haven’t been able to find a clear protein that I like. SEEQ is super sweet, Protein20 I only like the orange mango, I bought Isopure and tried mixing it with a flavor packet and it tasted weird. I can’t wait until I can do real food again.

Every day gets a little better. My whole day revolves around trying to hit my fluid/protein goals. I keep getting closer. I’m up to tolerating 2oz of fluid every 15 minutes. I can’t wait until I’m on full fluids after my post op on Thursday. My first stop is going to be at the store to get soups!

Good morning! I posted somewhere on this site last night but being very much on pain medication it was the wrong thread and who knows where I was! Surgery was yesterday and they sent me home in the afternoon. It was pretty rough yesterday with the gas, sore throat, etc. Today is quite a bit better. My biggest challenge right now is getting enough fluids in. I'm still trying to figure out how large of a sip is "to much". I also would give anything for a cold drink. The surgeon's office didn't give me any restrictions on ice water or even straws but I've also read it can cause stomach cramps.

I arrive at the hospital at 7:45am! For plant based shakes I use Orgain powder. I think they only come in chocolate and vanilla, so I had to mix in my own things to make other flavors like PB2, pureed strawberries, etc.

Just dropping in to say that Day 2 of pre-op diet is going better than day 1. The Unjury Martha's Chicken Soup is amazing.

Same here. Yesterday was 2 protein shakes and I could have 2 cups of soup. Today starts the two days of clear liquids before Friday. I was getting snippy last night but I just keep reminding myself that it's the diet right now. I'm looking forward to my Chicken Soup broth for lunch!

Update: We got it figured out. The hospital had cancelled it because they lost my order to schedule the surgery, I'm not completely surprised. I work on our EHR system and if anything Epic is gonna Epic. They resent the orders and almost immediatly I got my call from the pre-op nurse.😌

My surgery got cancelled. We have no idea why. I got the notification on my portal app for my health plan so I immediatly contacted my surgeon's office because they have been going forward like I still have one. I was able to check the actual surgery schedule and sure enough I'm not on it. I'm beyond angry right now. I put in to have a whole week off of work next week that while I can definetly not take off, half of my team is going out of town for a conference so I would have to reschedule for the end of this month. That also sucks because I've pushed things out to the end of the month because I knew I would be in recovery. Now I have to somehow move them back and push other things. I want to scream.

My initial surgery date was 7/26. I had just got my PA in the mail. I actually declined because I knew I wouldn't be ready in terms of time off, having everything I needed at home. My surgeon was scheduled to go on vacation and I told them I was fine waiting until he got back.

We are surgery twins! I'm getting VSG on the 16th.

I've started a collection of things in my pantry that I know I like. Chicken bone broth from a couple different places (HEB and one I found on Amazon), Fairlife shakes, Gatorade Zero, Protein20 water. I bought my vitamins and calcium chews my office wanted me to have and put them on an Amazon subscription. I'm actually getting more nervous as I get closer. My algorithm has started showing me "I regret my VSG surgery" content and it makes me doubt my decision. I have to remind myself that my immediate support group, the people I see everyday that have had this surgery are THRIVING.

When I first met with my dietitian she told me I would need to start my LSD 2 weeks prior to surgery but that it might be changing. When I had my last appointment and got my updated instructions, i don't have to start my diet until 8/13, 4 days before surgery. I have 2 days of protien shakes, broth based soup for dinner and two days of clears. I've started stockpiling things like bone broth and they had a sale on Snack Packs (sugar free pudding) at Kroger so I bought a BUNCH of those. I don't want to overbuy so I'm trying to be smart about what I get.

Checking in for August surgery buddies! I started this journey back in May after talking to a friend about her surgery. She had hers done in Mexico and I thought that was the direction I was going to be going. I met with a local surgeon and found out my insurance did cover the procedure! Since then it's been dietitian appointments, cardio clearance, psych visits, and FINALLY I was approved last week for surgery. Today I paid off my balance with the office so I can make my pre-op appointment! Some of the things I've been doing to prepare: Cutting out diet sodas. I've been switching to flavored waters like Crystal Light. Making a gym habit. I was actually going to the gym a lot but stopped until I got approved for surgery. Eating slower and smaller bites. My biggest hurdle is going to be not drinking water with my meals.

I'm really not smart because I quit smoking in 2015 but then smoked while on a camping trip in March. It took me MONTHS to finish the pack I bought and I literally smoked the last one back in June. I'm pretty sure I'm fine but wasn't the smartest thing I've done.