65 and over

[toler48 120]

@@HealthyJudy

Have you thought of trying the Aloe Vera juice I mentioned before? It might help, and can't hurt.

I sure hope you are right. I didn't have a 6 month diet to go on, just 4 months of weight check in. If Medicare doesn't cover it, I'm out of luck.

I have my final NUT visit and final weigh in on Aug 6th, then they will submit for approval. When approval comes through I start all the pre-surgery testing.

Hope things "work out" for you

[reallyrosy 161]

Healthy,judy. ..i,did try the aloe vera juice and find it totally vile...even mixed with flavored drinks. I'll stick with acacia Fiber, ground flax seeds, probiotoc chewable from bluebonnet, 14 walnut halves. I mix nuts seed and powder with yoghurt in a.m. 20 min later, I'm good.

[Bubbletoes 124]

I am two months out today and I'm still on that ugly Constipation wagon. I've tried everything short of a stick of dynamite and I am not a happy camper. I take benefiber and 3 stool softeners every day, milk of magnesia 2-3 times a week, I've added ground flax seed, many veggies and a few fruits to my diet, I eat prunes and when I finally can't stand it I rely on a Dulcolax suppository for relief. If I'm lucky I "go" once a week. There has to be a better way! I've lost 45 lbs and I feel so much better already but this problem is really a downer. My NUT says add more fruits and veggies and Beans to my diet which I've done, but until my innards start cooperating, I feel like I'm doomed!

(Yes, I tried the aloe Vera juice... Can't stomach it. I've tried everything!). Thank goodness I work from home because this problem is not one I'd deal with well at the office! ????

[lmm300missouri 95]

I'm sixty but feel apart of your group. Would love a wls buddy! Surgery in August

[Cococat 119]

No one has mentioned the amount of exercise that one gets or does not get as an element of Constipation. At our age and weight, moving can be painful. But you must move around. If you have access to a pool, that helps in movement exercises. I hate the thought of exercise and sweating, so the pool is for me. I also had an "adventure" in constipation and ended up in the ER. Bad doctor there. He had no idea what he was dealing with. Ignorant b@$+@&d. Carbs constipate me. Wheat products especially. bread is an absolute killer. I am still tempted to cheat by those little devils in carbs! I have bouts with constipation but I do not let it go for long before getting heavily into stewed prunes and oranges (combination). I put Miralax into my drinking Water. My doctor and Nutritionist recommend it. It has no taste and you cannot detect it. On other boards, the youngsters brag about how much they exercise and run. Bla. Bla. Bla. Well folks, I waddle. When I don't waddle, I limp and waddle. I am an old fart, and have to be a bit more conservative on my exercise so I won't fall down, braek something and complicate things more. We all have been there. But I am down 60 pounds since Sept of last year. My knees love me. Remember, 60 is the new 40. We CAN do it!

[Lady1putt 24]

Tolar- hey there....what a scary story!!!! Hope you are feeling better!

When are you finished with all your pre-op steps???

Seems like you have worked so hard and stayed the course to

move forward to surgery!!! You have certainly done everything according to the book and followed the rules to the letter!!!! I am so very proud and excited for you!!!! Let us know so we can all cheer you on!

Smiles, Linda

[HealthyJudy 53]

As soon as I find her email address I am going to ask my nutritionist if I can try ground flax seed, Miralax and prunes. All the other things don't work. MOM usually works but I don't want to take it often -- maybe 2x a week would be okay. Fluid intake is geting harder now that I'm adding food and can't drink for 15 before, 30 during and 30 afterwards. Two times a day means eliminating 2.5 hours of drinking. But this will all get worked out. I must say that it is discouraging to hear that many of yuo are stil dealing iwth Constipation a year or more post surgery. I was hoping it was a temporary thing. Anyway, with the help of MOM, medicine, and 3 stool softeners yesterday I finally went -- so now I'm okay for the next 2 days LOL!!!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Here are some things that have helped me:

* Probiotic capsule (seemed to change things up nicely for me)

* (don't laugh) When you can handle an apple with skin, try eating one a day. Sound familiar?

* Water. Should be obvious. Might not be obvious.

Over time (I'm 11 months post-op) the Constipation issues may take care of themselves, as they have for me. I'm 6 pounds below goal (now at 144 pounds), and I can simply move so much more without any pain at all. That helps everything tremendously.

BTW, I haven't taken any Aleve for over a year. My knees do not hurt nearly as much as they did when I took two a day, which I did for decades. Thank goodness I'm finally off of that crap! The only meds I take now are: Thyroid Rx, Ranitidine 40 mg (2X/day), a probiotic capsule, a vitamin/mineral (Centrum chewable), a Vitamin D chocolate truffle chewable (mm-mm!). That's it.

Happy camper here.

[HealthyJudy 53]

Hi Ann

What a wonderful post to read! Being at 144 must feel so incredible! I started out higher than you and know I will be thrilled if (when) I get below 150. Congratulations.

I do take a probiotic daily. I think they help with so many things. I know I don't drink enough Water - that has been a life long struggle for me and is harder now that I can't just gulp down a glass. Not sure when or even if an apple is in my future, I put in a call to NUT to see if I can add prunes.

I am so excited for you and for the future me! Isn't this wonderful!!!! Thank you and keep up the great progress -- now you get to maintain which I think is the hardest challenge of all but hopefully much easier now that we have had surgery.

Okay - going down to the refrigerator to get a drink right now!

[Bubbletoes 124]

I'm hoping to follow in your footsteps, Ann. To keep my previous post from a boring list, I left out a lot of stuff. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week for at least an hour and a half each time, and walk in my neighborhood every evening. I also take Miramax every other day. I drink my 64 oz every day plus more many days. Haven't eaten an Apple with skin yet, as Apple's aren't my favorite fruit, but I eat pears and kiwi fruit often. I took a probiotic capsule everyday before surgery because I've always had a problem, but not to this extent. I was a little nervous about taking a large capsule but I guess it's time! Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm on it!

[toler48 120]

Wow, Constipation is a bigger problem than I thought. I figured just a few people had the problem. Seems like it is universal.

I have never found a food (prunes, apples, etc) that has helped me. I could eat prunes all day and nothing would happen. I have been taking the Aloe Vera juice, mainly because the PA said it would help any issues with the stomach before, and help healing after surgery. He said it would help constipation, but, since I have never quit the Metamucil powder, I don't know for sure about that. I am going to have to be sure to ask about what else I can take after surgery for the problem.

Ladyputt1, I haven't started the pre-op testing yet. I didn't want to make any appts until after I knew I was approved. Although, guess I could make them anyway. Can always cancel. No, no, no, that is not the way to think. I WILL be approved, I will!!

I do have my heart doc appt, had to do that anyway, it's in Aug.

So far, all my doctors are behind me with support for the surgery. I have some awesome doctors too.

I've been side-lined the past month and a little more with foot problems and haven't been able to walk or work out. It's really frustrating. I see the foot doc tomorrow and sure hope he can find a solution.

Cathy

[HealthyJudy 53]

Talked to surgeons office. Their protocol at this point is no fruit, no Fiber., no miralax. She said to continue 3 stool softeners a day, my med (amitraxi or something like that), 64 oz Fluid oz.and that I could take MOM 2x week for 2 weeks and then have to cut back to 1x week. At some point in future they will add fiber but not now. I told her I ate 1/2 celery stalk and she said that is not good -- too stringy to digest. Ah well. Each surgeons protocol is so different but I really trust my surgeon so I will stick to his plan. I forgot to ask her about Smooth Move tea -- so I am going to drink it!

[toler48 120]

I've been testing Protein drinks. The best one so far is Sprouts brand whey Protein. My granddaughter and I tested some last week. Isopur=2 thumbs down. Quest=2 thumbs down. Even tried a Vegan Protein Powder, and I won't say what we both said at the time, just say nononono LOL Tried the unjury, not too bad, but the vanilla was too sweet.

I got some Muscle Milk to try.

I keep hearing that my taste buds will change, possibly, after the surgery. That is why I don't want to stock up on anything. Just trying different ones to see what I like now.

Anyone have any others that they like?

[HealthyJudy 53]

I loved the unjury chicken Soup presurgery but found it too salty afterwards. There is one other problem -- Once day my morning shake tasted so awful that I had to spill it all out. I thought maybe my vanilla Unjury had spoiled. Well when I got home that night I checked it out. Both the Unjury chicken Soup and the Unjury vanilla have similar color containers and in my bleary eyed morning rush I had added chicken soup to my lactaid and Decaf -- I do not not not recommend that combo LOL. Just glad my vanilla was still good.

When you have a day where you have room for a slightly higher calorie count the Muscle Milk banana cream is a nice change of taste.

I really like adding Swiss Miss Light to either vanilla or chocolate unjury for my evening shake. And there are so many recipes and SF syrups and even Peanut Butter powder that regardless of the Protein you use yuo get great flavors.

I've heard several people recommend Premier brand but I haven't tried it yet. I mostly use Unjury since it is easy to order online and have it delivered. I use muscle milk when I want something that is premade -- like for lunch at work.

[Cococat 119]

Hi, Toler,

I drink Premier Protein in a four-pack ready-made drinks. - 30 g of Protein - 1 g of fat - calories 160 - 11 Fluid ounces in total. I buy it at Walgreens. But I have read elsewhere that Sam's Club and Cosco have it also. I haven't checked, but I am just relating what I heard. I only like the chocolate flavor. A very finikey (sp?) friend of mine tried some and also liked it. This was recommended by my surgeon and my nutritionist. So far so good. They say to drink it cold, but I don't like anything cold, so I drink it room temp. I have heard from others that it tastes better cold. The vanilla might be good for some, especially if you like to put it in a blender with other flavored things. I am lazy and hate to forever wash the blender, so I just sip a drink out of the carton.