amylynns

So glad I came across this. I too thought I was nuts. Mine is hip pain though. Wakes me up several times during the night. And we recently bought a VERY expensive bed that I was loving because it relieves any pressure points. So I was sleeping pain free. Then I lose 43 pounds and I'm in more pain than I was when I was pregnant with bad hips. Not really sure how to relieve the pain. I'm typically a side sleeper but have had to keep going to my back because of the pain when I lay on my hips.

@Luna222--Yep, that's the right tilapia! :-) I add a can of cream of chicken or cream of "something" in with the chicken breasts if I do them in the crockpot. Makes them nice and moist. :-)

Oh girl---that would make me crazy too if people were questioning what I'm eating, or implying I ate something wrong!! I haven't had that happen. I get, "You poor thing." But I don't want people to feel bad for me, this was my choice and like you said, it's like learning how to eat all over again.

My PA kept saying to treat my pouch like a 6 month old baby. If you wouldn't feed it to a 6 month old, don't eat it. Thank goodness I'm finally past that stage!

I had to go back to pureed for about a week and that was HORRID! But once they did the scope and upper GI and gave me the all clear that nothing was wrong, I was so happy when my NUT suggested I try the next stage.

Tonight for dinner I had steamed carrots and thin salami wrapped around mozzarella cheese. (2 of these) No nausea, just full. :-)

What a great post!! Thank you! I've recently gone from pureed stage to "real food." Loving that I can eat more of a variety now!!

These are all great ideas for us newbies! I can't eat some of it yet, but will definitely use these ideas soon!

When you all say you eat tilapia, what do you buy? Like the fresh frozen filets? Not the box of vankamps or whatever that brand is lol? I never liked fish except for frozen breaded fish sticks doused in ketchup when I was really little lol. I need to try big girl food now! I did try some chicken and broccoli from the Chinese take out last night, and THAT chicken settled just fine...I had no problems at all with any of it. Ugh. I hate this :-/ when I get in my nauseous/dumping if it's even dumping phase, I get so emotional and I cry my eyes out. My poor bf gets most of it lol. I start cursing at myself for having this surgery and it just feels soooo hopeless. Do you guys get like that?? It messes with my head! Then I will pace or sit down and rock myself like I'm crazy lol and then 20 min later I'm feeling ok, and laughing at myself. Omg I think I've lost my marbles!

I buy the frozen filets. They're in a bag, and then in individual sealed bags inside. So you can make just one at a time. You can thaw one out ahead of time, or I just put it in a bowl of warm Water and it defrosts in a few minutes. I get just plain filets, no "sauce" or anything. Tilapia is a nice, mild fish. I just spray it with olive oil (using a pampered chef oil spritzer ) and then put either a lemon pepper seasoning or an "every day" Mrs. Dash's seasoning. I bake it at about 350 for a good 20-25 minutes. I like it really done, LOL.

If I do chicken breasts, I get the boneless, skinless breasts from the meat counter at the store and then bake it slowly, or put it in the crock pot. Then it's nice and tender. I usually season it with garlic salt/pepper.

I have gotten emotional a lot too! It has been better since I've been able to eat a little more variety though. But I kept thinking, "Am I EVER going to be able to eat without getting sick?" And for me, once I'm sick, I really, really don't want to eat anything else or drink....so then I get behind on my fluids---can't take my Vitamins because I haven't eaten, etc. So just a downhill spiral.

I know the roller coaster of emotions you're feeling. I feel like I don't even know myself. I don't recognize this shrinking body, it's like it's happening too quickly, even though that's what I hoped and dreamed of happening!?

I hope in time our emotions calm down!

@emsgirl114--Your childhood sounds very interesting!!

I love the family atmosphere I'm picturing.

I'm so glad your mom ended up being a great support for you!! It really helps to have someone helping you during the rough days!!

My mom called or stopped every day I was home to see if I needed anything, or just to hug me.

I never have heard what the reason behind the "no straw" is?? I love drinking Water from my water bottle with the straw, it just seems to be easier to drink. I've had such a hard time getting my liquids in. I've been dehydrated and needed IV fluids twice now, and I fear I'm getting that way again now... But I haven't used a straw. :-)

I have to take it for life. I also have Barrett's Esophagus, and even after RNY in October, I have some reflux. I had another scope done a few weeks ago to check things (all ok) and then also had an upper GI with a small bowel follow through last week. (all ok) He did say I have a small hiatal hernia, which is probably causing the reflux. What I don't understand is why I have the hernia still. I had one before surgery, but I would have thought that would have been repaired while doing the RNY. A question I have for the surgeon at my next check up!

Good for you! I too struggled with telling my parents. I told them 3 days before my surgery!

My mom totally understood, her and her whole side of the family is overweight. But even though my Dad has had up and down times with his weight, he's more of the mind set, "Just be active and eat less." Yeah....cuz I haven't tried that!!

I actually emailed my parents and told them. I was really chicken! And I told my Dad, even though I didn't expect him to accept it, I wanted NO judemental comments from him at all.

Much to my surprise, I got just the opposite from him. He texted me the morning of surgery, called to check on me and even came on his own to the hospital to see me. If you knew our past relationship, this was a BIG thing for him to do and it meant the world to him.

The couple weeks after surgery when I was so sick and regretting having the surgery, I was afraid to even utter those words to my parents for fear they'd say, "I told you so..." But nope, all I got was support.

It really made getting through that stage a lot easier!!

Good luck with your surgery!! It sounds like you for sure have your Dad in your corner!

I sent a pm to BronxMerci, I was not sure if anyone else had. I know I am a worrywort, but this is cause for worry.

I am SO worried as well!!! I hope she's able to respond to you to let us know she's ok. I've been thinking about her a lot.

@Beni--Awesome post Beni with lots of good info. for those coming up on that stage!!

Sorry you had to take a step back--I did the same thing and it really did help.

So this Thursday is week 7, when you'll try some chunky food again? I think I started with wheat crackers w/ hummus. I could eat 2 crackers. It's so hard to fine "that point" right before it's one bite too much! (know what I mean?)

The other thing I've been able to eat well is Arnold's Sandwich Thins with a fried egg (w/olive oil spritz) and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. I can eat 1/2- 3/4 of it. My son usually offers to eat what I can't. :-)

Last night I had the most delicious meal and ate the whole thing with no nausea. I was so excited. I had tilapia (3oz), steamed broccoli (about 1/8 cup) and a tiny baked potato (no skin) with about a 1/2 TBS of sour cream. I think that's the most I've eaten in one sitting so far.

I just want to put it out there that I bow to all of you who actually put meals in a food processor during your "puree" stage! I simply couldn't do it- yuck! Fortunately, I didn't pay a price for chewing the daylights out of things to "mouth puree" them, but yay to those of you who can eat a whole meal combined in baby food form!

I did puree my food for a good 2 weeks, but meat of any sort started making me really nauseated around 4 1/2 weeks out. The pureed food looked horrible, but tasted "alright." I was getting so sick of it that even thinking about pureed food made me sick to my stomach. My NUT told me to go ahead and try the next stage and I've been 95% great with it!! SO glad no more pureed!! I still do best with tilapia or chicken breast. And thank goodness, because those are 2 of my favorite things to eat!

Is anyone craving fresh veggies or a fresh salad??? I'm dying for cucumbers and hummus, or some nice crunchy carrots, or bell peppers or celery...I want a nice fresh salad with fresh veggies and a little grilled chicken, some cheese and honey mustard dressing. Mmm....3 months is going by way too slow!

Definitely!!!! We went to Texas Roadhouse for a birthday dinner Sunday night and that's all I wanted, was a nice green salad w/ chicken. UGH. I ordered a chicken breast, steamed veggies w/ no butter and a sweet potato, no butter. My intention was to pack up 3/4 of it right away in a to go box. Thought I'd try just 1/2 of a roll with their cinnamon butter. Well, before my meal even got there, I was sick. Started sweating and felt like I was either going to pass out or puke all over. I fanned myself with a menu and took some deep breaths. Helped a little bit, but needless to say, my meal went un-touched. I tried taking a small bit of the chicken, but the nausea was just horrid. I couldn't even stomach the thought of packing it up and taking it home! :-( Not a good evening out for me!

That's great @@amylynns ! Way to go! I really wish I liked fish...I might give it a try again soon, but I've never been a fish person. I used to love meat...chicken, beef, pork...loved meatloaf, meatballs, just grilled chicken w some broccoli...I can't eat any of it right now, even the smallest amount makes me nauseous. I am hoping over time it will get better though. For now tho, I'm just trying some other stuff and hoping it keeps my belly happy til I can get back to the doc!

Thanks Luna!! Talapia I can handle, not salmon yet. Tried it twice, no go. Talapia is alot milder. I have tried chicken beasts too, I can handle about 4-5 pieces and I'm full. Haven't tried beef yet.

It's good to be treating your belly careful for now. I did that for a week and a half and I'm sure it helped.

I weighed and measured this morning. Total of 35.5 inches gone and 42 total pounds! Yay!!!

I was having issues with pureed meats? But my NUT told me to try the next diet phase and it's going really really well!! So like for Breakfast I had wheat bread thins (1/2 of one) with egg and little sprinkle of cheese on it. lunch was wheat crackers with hummus. I could eat 3. dinner was talapia, cauliflower and a couple bites of boiled potato. I feel like a new person not being so nauseated! !! I still get a little nauseated if I eat even one bite too much but nothing like before. My NUT said no more Protein Shakes unless I'm low in Protein for the day but I should get what I need with food...that's the ideal plan anyway. :-)

This is my diffuser necklace. There's a little leather disc in it that you put oil on and then you can smell it all day. :-) today I have Peace & Calming oil in it. Shoot, I guess it's sideways. :-)

@Luna222--Plaquenil is another one I was on, I'd forgotten that. After Prednisone, Mobic, etc...

Yeah, I wonder if yours is something else?? I never had much swelling honestly...mine was 95% in my hands. They literally hurt every single day, even when I was on the meds. That's what I kept telling the first Dr. So he just kept trying new meds.

But there were times if I didn't get enough sleep or if I was sick, or if I'd eaten a lot of junk food (chocolate is a for sure pain trigger) ...it was literally pain in every single joint in my body, right down to my toe joints.

The Dr. at the University tested me for everything under the sun! Sent me to the endocrinology department too, and they did even more tests! I do have something auto-immune going on in my body. I have Graves Disease, which effects the thyroid (also causes joint pain) But I was able to slowly go off meds for that back in 2010 I believe. But I know food really plays a part in it all for me. The "cleaner" I eat, the better my body feels, which kind of makes sense for everyone I suppose! :-) I can't even remember all they tested me for, but I know one was celiac disease and lupus. All they could detect is the Graves Stuff.

I use Young Living Brand oils because you can ingest them. I'd use them topically also, but a lot of times I'd just make a little vegetable capsule with a concoction of oils and wow...what a difference! I have not ingested them since my surgery though. I'm sure it's still safe to, but I don't want anything making my picky little pouch angry. LOL! My main ones I use daily are, Valor, Panaway, Deep Relief, copaiba, and peppermint. I layer them, using coconut oil as a carrier oil. (just helps it go further) But for my hands I just rub it right in and I'm good!

Frankincense and Lavender are amazing for the skin! I wish I was near you, I'd come to you for skin care, LOL!

( I probably have at least 75 bottles of oil on my dresser at home, LOL--We're oil freaks at our house. )

@Beni-- I haven't done much for exercise either Beni. By the time I get home from work, there's always one of the kids that needs picked up or delivered somewhere and I'm exhausted. And it's pretty much an impossibility for me to get up any earlier to do something in the morning. I've always been an evening work out kinda gal, LOL.

Now that I have 2 good days under my belt with no nausea, I am definitely seeing an increase in energy, so my plan is to start back at the gym next week. I think my incisions are good to go swimming too. I can't wait to tone up a bit.

Doing that 15 minutes a day will really help. My NUT said the other day even little 10 minutes bursts of some activity a day is really beneficial.

I try and do extra loops around the office when I'm up and about. But I'm anxious to really work out, LOL!

Hello everyone. Big day for me. My scale this morning says

230 lbs

I started at 270 lbs that means I have lost a 1/3 of the weight I need to lose to get to my goal of 150. That's 40 lbs gone baby, bye.

This certainly helps my state of mind because I have been having a hard time with food. I eat what I'm supposed to and very very slowly but I have thrown up a few times. I am back to week 2 foods because I am too scarred to eat more solid stuff. Yogurt is my best friend and broth. Will talk to the NUT today.

Awesome job Beni!!!! Whoohoo!!!

Hope you get some answers from your NUT today!!

@Luna222--When I had my lapband back in 2008 I took liquid methotrexate for RA.

It was ok with my surgeon. But I think that's a pretty mild med, not sure if it would help you? What were you taking?

I also did the injections of Humira and one other one, I can't remember the name of. The first one I had a reaction at the injection site and couldn't take it anymore and I pretty much quit the Humira on my own---I didn't see any improvement and I gained 17 pounds in the 4 months I took it.

Wanna hear the real kicker??? I had to switch rheumatologists because of insurance changes---the new one I saw was at a University Hospital, head of rheumatology. He ran a butt load of tests and said I DIDN'T HAVE, NEVER HAD RA!! So I was medicated for 7 years for it, and never had it!?

My RA factor was negative (my first rheumy said that happens sometimes) and the MRI's that the University Dr. did on my hands didn't show bone erosion. My first Dr. did 2 MRI's over the 7 years and he said it was consistent with RA damage. So WTH??!!

I stayed away from processed foods...NO artificial sweetners, using essential oils, and I am 99% pain free.

I hope you get some answers on your liver today!

And I pray your insurance will ok you to see a different Dr!! That is just insane!!!

I'm 6 weeks out and haven't thrown up, but have had a lot of issues with nausea.

But at 3 months out, if you're eating what's on your ok'd plan, you shouldn't be throwing up.

@bellabloom--So glad you were kidding! So your surgery is tomorrow? You'll do great.

I am 6 weeks out, and honestly......I couldn't "cheat" if I wanted to! My version of cheating was eating some Tomato Soup during pureed stage. My PA still wasn't happy when I told her because it just slides right through the pouch and doesn't keep you full.

BUT...I have YET to even feel hungry, so it must have kept me full enough!

This site is great for support--we won't let you lay around and drizzle nastiness into your mouth!!

See what the newbie nurse did to my poor arm when I was getting fliuds. She didn't even have it in the vein and turned the pump on, so it started pumping Fluid into my arm. I had a big bulge of fluid in there for a while. So gross.

@Luna222- I'll be curious to hear what happens with your liver. My surgeon also does not do labs until several months from now. I thought that was odd? They've run other labs, checking for infection, dehydration, etc. But not the "big labs" I call them.

I'm having Mozarella cheese wrapped in a thin piece of Prosciutto for lunch.< /p>

Bronxmerci--Keeping you in my prayers girl! Let us know when you can what happened!!

@Luna222--I was having the same problem. My Dr. had me to back to mushies for a week, so cottage cheese, yogurt, broth, juice/water--etc. I was getting so frustrated. Weak, from lack of calories, and not drinking enough Water.

Then Monday I had the long Upper GI with small bowel follow through done. That was all clear, yay! Then saw my Dr. after that--I was dehydrated again...2nd time in a week. They pumped in 2 bags. She then had the NUT call me and we chatted about foods I had been trying, and getting sick from. She asked if I'd tried hummus. I asked what I could put it on. She said a wheat cracker or wheat bread, toasted really well. I said, "Oh? I can go to Phase III foods?" She told me to double check with the Dr. but I should be able to. So I called the Dr. back and she said let's give it a try. She said maybe I was having just such an aversion to the pureed food it was making me sick. And seriously the thought of anymore pureed food makes me want to puke! LOL! So...this morning I had 1/2 of a whole wheat sandwich thin with some scrambled egg/salsa on it and a tiny sprinkle of cheese. It took me an hour to eat maybe 3/4 of it. It was delicious!! And NO NAUSEA!

Yesterday I tried the hummus on crackers too. I could only eat 3 crackers. I probably should have stopped at 2. I was uncomfortable, but not sick to my stomach.

I'm not sure what I'm having for lunch yet. But I'm so excited that Breakfast went that well!!

Also added fresh lemons to my Water. (My Dr. had told me not to yet, because of the acid, but the NUT said do it, it's fine, LOL!) It's making drinking water today much easier.

I'm weeks out and have a glimmer of hope I'll feel "better" very soon!!