Did The Op Without A Nutritionist,help

[momx29503 0]

I am an American expat in Amman, Jordan. I had my surgery here in Sept. 05. There is no support here. I didn't recieve any info. I got the info in Arabic, but I can only read basic words - cat, dog, etc.. I feel like I haven't gotten the proper care like I would have in the US.

In the hospital, a good one, I was given ROOM TEMPERATURE ORANGE juice to drink. There was nothing after that.

I just have a hard time here with food, etc.. There isn't any selection of sugar free, etc.. here in Amman. And, if I can find something, I'ts too expensive. Jordan is one of the, if not the, most expensive place in the ME. I try to stock up on things when we go to Dubai or when I visit my mother in the States.

I wish you success with your band. I haven't been successful. I lost only lost 15 kg and gained it all back. It's a daily struggle with NO help.

[momx29503 0]

An example of expensive - can of Slimfast at Walmart is about $6 at my mother's in Alabama. A can of Slimfast in Amman, Jordan is roughly $20. And if you find it at the store today there is a BIG chance it won't be there next week.

[IndioGirl55 32]

MomX

Sorry that you are so alone in a forigen country - and in the ME - aren't you scared - all we see here is the crazy bombings... I would love to visit that area of the world - but doubt I would ever get there due to the violence that we see on t.v.

Can't you order stuff off the internet???

Banders rules 60 grms of Protein daily (1 oz = 7 grms) 64 oz Water - Protein 1st - then veggies - and starches last if you have room.

You are to eat low fat - surgar fee - I don't know what the typical diet would be in Jordan - but bet it includes meats/fish - veggies and starches -

Breakfast - 1 cup oatmeal / egg / yogurt & fruit

lunch - salad - lite dressing - meat - veggies - fish

dinner - same as lunch execpt if you can add a little starch - rice Pasta or potatoes - what ever your band will allow.

Have you had a fill?? do you have any one who can go with you and translate...

Well I gotta get back to work - good luck - stay safe:wink2:

[momx29503 0]

Hm.... It was a joint decision for me to come here with the kids. I reside here and my DH lives in the US. We switched countries, haha It's nice for the kids to know their family here and learn a new culture. Living in the region, we've had the opportunity to travel to many places and seen things that some people only read about in books. My kids have swam in the Dead Sea, been to the Great Pyramids, Petra, seen Roman ruins, travelled around Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Paris, France.

While I am in the "middle" of everything - roughly 8 hr drive from Baghdad, 1 1/2 or so from Beirut, just under an hour from the West Bank, and about 1 15min from Gaza. As an American, I've never felt afraid for my safety. There are many Americans here, working at the Embassy or married to Arabs.

Jordan is a safe place. In regards to the TV, they are going to only show the "Bad" things, regarding the ME. But, that's Iraq, etc.. Not Jordan. I am more worried about getting food poisoning than being bombed. haha

You should make a trip here. You'll be surprised. Everyone is hospitable, speaks some level of English. etc.. You'd like the Dead Sea, Petra, Jerash, etc. They have liquor stores, nightclubs, Applebees, Fuddruckers, Bennigans, Burger King, Hardees, KFC, McDonalds, TGI Fridays, pizza Hut, and Dominos. Heck, I took the kids to ChuckECheese in Saudi Arabia, of all places. In Dubai, there is a Dairy Queen in the airport.

But, it is expensive. There is a 16% tax here. I could order stuff through Safeway, but there's a $15 fee just to order, then the price of the product, then the charge for weight. That could get expensive.

I appreciate your tips and advice regarding the band. I just haven't recieved the follow up care that I would/could have received if I had the surgery in the States. I've had 2 fills and 1 unfill. Thanks.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hm.... It was a joint decision for me to come here with the kids. I reside here and my DH lives in the US. We switched countries, haha It's nice for the kids to know their family here and learn a new culture. Living in the region, we've had the opportunity to travel to many places and seen things that some people only read about in books. My kids have swam in the Dead Sea, been to the Great Pyramids, Petra, seen Roman ruins, travelled around Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Paris, France.

While I am in the "middle" of everything - roughly 8 hr drive from Baghdad, 1 1/2 or so from Beirut, just under an hour from the West Bank, and about 1 15min from Gaza. As an American, I've never felt afraid for my safety. There are many Americans here, working at the Embassy or married to Arabs.

Jordan is a safe place. In regards to the TV, they are going to only show the "Bad" things, regarding the ME. But, that's Iraq, etc.. Not Jordan. I am more worried about getting food poisoning than being bombed. haha

You should make a trip here. You'll be surprised. Everyone is hospitable, speaks some level of English. etc.. You'd like the Dead Sea, Petra, Jerash, etc. They have liquor stores, nightclubs, Applebees, Fuddruckers, Bennigans, Burger King, Hardees, KFC, McDonalds, TGI Fridays, pizza Hut, and Dominos. Heck, I took the kids to ChuckECheese in Saudi Arabia, of all places. In Dubai, there is a Dairy Queen in the airport.

But, it is expensive. There is a 16% tax here. I could order stuff through Safeway, but there's a $15 fee just to order, then the price of the product, then the charge for weight. That could get expensive.

I appreciate your tips and advice regarding the band. I just haven't recieved the follow up care that I would/could have received if I had the surgery in the States. I've had 2 fills and 1 unfill. Thanks.

Well you know how the News is and how stupid all us American's are - we lump all of those places together - I am glad you are safe :glare:

Sounds very Americanize - just like the caribean -

Order some books - on nutrition - that should help -visit here - there is always tons of info -

[momx29503 0]

Hahahaha My family and my mother's friends lump the whole region together. My fav was back when the typhoon/cyclone thing hit Oman. I live in Amman. My mother kept calling me asking about the weather. Her friends called her to check on me. My aunt called her. They thought I was in the storm. Hahaha I said, "Mother, Oman is a country, Amman is a city. The two places are no where near each other." The only large body of Water near me is the dead sea, I don't think much is going to happen there. :glare:

It's very Americanized here. There are a lot of different nationalities here as well.

[Jachut 487]

I had one consultation with a dietician a week after my op and that has been it - that was for very clear guidelines on my post op regime and how to transition onto regular food. The surgeon does not counsel me on nutrition or exercise, he's there to take care of the band, answer any questions, but he's not a nutritionist. He's a surgeon. He can refer me on to anyone I need if I want help though and of course he can answer most straightforward questions.

I really feel you have to become self sufficient in this process anyway. You cant have someone hold your hand for the rest of your life, you have to become knowledgeable about food and nutrition and exercise (if you arent already, most overweight people KNOW what they should be doing) becuase afterall, you're the one that is going to ahve to manage this for the rest of your life.

[GayleTX 1]

Don't feel like you've been cheated by not getting a Nut. Most of the veteran bandsters (and I've been on line with them for over 2 years nwo) say they've gotten better guidance on line than they ever did with their surgeon or Nut either one. Surgeons are surgeons and most Nuts are not registered dieticians......the Nut duties are just their 'assignment' in the doc's office. And even licensed dieticans don't the specifics of our needs.....we are still experimental rats in this brave new world.

Many doctors and nuts (and the #%%$ infomercials!!) tell banded people to 'eat like they always did....just eat less" and you'll lose weight. Well, it just ain't so! And even if you did lose weight that way it still would not be a healthy way to eat.......we didn't get fat eating healthy or we would never have gotten to the point of needing wls. Post-op life requires a change in our habits.....the surgery just makes it easier to be compliant to the new way of living and eating.

Most of the successful bandsters I know....and there are many of them....eat by the same guidelines as the RNY post-ops eat. And their weight loss and their health improvement are just as impressive as the RNY's. We may lose a little slower but we can get there by following the rules:

The guidelines for RNY's are pretty simple:

*80-100 grams of Protein per day (forever!!) Always eat your Protein first.

And you'll probably need to use protein supplements to reach that goal because our pouches are small. This maintains muscle mass and keeps your hair healthy and increases your metabolism. Even a normal person (non-wls) needs 9 grams of protein per 25 lbs. of ideal body weight...and we need more.

*Less than 30-40 carbs per day. And those must be the good carbs (veggies, Beans, etc) NOT the evil white carbs (starches such as rice, Pasta, rice, corn, potatoes, sugars). Once you get your body detoxed from the carbs, the cravings will almost disappear and you won't 'suffer' and feel deprived. (I never would have believed that but it's true!!)

*At least 64 oz water/tea per day. No drinking with meals or for one hour afterward (it washes the food out of the pouch and makes you hungry much sooner than necessary).

*Take a good Vitamin, get your exercise, get your fills when you need them (the band gets looser as the fat melts from around your stomach).

One thing that has helped me learn food values is posting my food intake every day on fitday.com (some people use thedailyplate.com or sparkpeople. com, etc).......it is a wonderful tool to keep you aware of what you are doing every day, gives you reports over periods of time, and it wonderful to see that little line on the weight graph going down, down, down!!! Even after 2 years I still post my food every day.....if it goes in my mouth, it goes on fitday.

Find some good protein supps you love, get creative with them - they'll take the place of Desserts, treats, lattes, etc; research wls recipes and keep good food in your pantry at all times.

You have a great tool and if our minds and hearts cooperate with it, we can be successful.....we can be LOSERS!!