3 Months tomorrow

Hello, I have only posted here one time and got a lot of REALLY bad fedback so I stopped posting here. But, I am 3 months out tomorrow and have been reading some of what you all are eating and things like that. My surgeon here in AL told me that since I had SSOO many complications bascically to eat whatever stayed down and not worry about the fat or the calories. Here's the question. Shoudl I worry about the fat and the calories? I am eating nuts (cashews, peanuts, and pistachios) to get the protein in becasue i don't like eggs and cheese is bothering me after surgery. I am also eating chicken or fish. Liek take yesterday for dinner I had the insides out of a pork eggroll (2 bites and 1 cupg of sizzling rice soup and 1/2 a piece of sesame beef) am I eating too much? Also, I was told to not drink any liquids with meals, but I can't...I have to take a little sip here and there and because of that I can finish a meal. If you have ANY advise I would love to hear it. Thanks Noelle

I would guess you are not eating enough. I'm sorry you got bad advice from us. We'll try to do better, but we are all at the same stage in our journeys, so we don't know all the answers. The best we can do is support one another. I love pistachio's and try to do them or peanuts once a day for snack. I was told not to drink for 30 minutes after, but every now and then I will take a baby sip, just to wash something down. We are human afterall. Debbie -50

Hi Noelle, I think if the worst thing you do is drink water with meals you are a success. I know there is a new book out by a Dr. Simpson and the one thing he say is that drinking during meals is ok. Since almost every doctor has his/her own opinion that you have to do what works best for you. Keep up the good work. Donna

I think it sounds like you're doing fine. I love cashews and eat them often as a snack...like peanuts too, but they don't like me; I'm allergic. I'm no surgeon (and he's your authority) but just the other day, I ate 1/2 a shrimp egg roll, a cup of egg drop soup and a couple bites of my husband's Kung Pao Chicken, so I'd say you're doing fine. Generally I try to avoid drinks with meals, but if something is really dry and I need a sip, I go ahead. I just don't guzzle it down fast enough to wash all of the food out of the pouch. I think you're doing great! Julie

Noelle, an important piece of information that I found for this surgery is located at: www.gastricbypassfamily.com/PouchRules.html if you can't click on it and go, copy and paste into address bar besides that I am going to copy a section of another person's post that was submitted on the Michigan message board a while back, hope these things help you: Foods after surgery Clear broth- chicken and beef Crystal light, flavored water, koolaid sf, V8 Cream of wheat- malt o meal ,Carnation Instant breakfast- sf, oatmeal Fudgesicles- sf , Popsicles- sf, Root Beer Ice-cube-sicles Protein breakfast balls (homemade) Jello- sf Cottage cheese-low fat Eggs- any style or egg beaters (hard broiled, deviled eggs, omelet with cheese made with one egg) ~Also cinnamon on scramble eggs is THE BEST!! Snow cones- sf Pancake (with peanut butter) Tofu Cheese quesadilla (low-carb tortilla) Instant mashed potatoes *or homemade add minced garlic)- KFC mashed potato w/ gravy Baked potato- NO SKIN Pudding- sf (add fruit) Yogurt- sf (Walmart has blue bunny yogurt sf with splenda) Decaf tea Soups (cream of chicken strained, tomato or egg drop) Crackers (add peanut butter, cream cheese or soft cheese) Chili- made low fat or Wendy's chili Refried beans w/ cheese (Taco Bell pinto and cheese) Apple sauce- (add cinnamon) Tuna in spring water- (tuna creations) Salmon in a can or Salmon steaks Veggie burger Milk Splenda Cheese- hard, soft or string cheese (melt a plate of cheese in micro and add season) Salad- ff dressing Brie cheese Chick peas- add to a salad or homemade hummus? Veggies- Well cooked NO SKIN....melt cheese on them and season? ~ First preheat oven to 475. (Make sure preheated all the way). Cut into chunks, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, and zucchini, whatever. Place on cookie sheet, cover veggies with a little spray like olive oil or Pam, add LOTS of fresh minced garlic on it, season with salt and paper. COVER WITH FOIL. Take tray out of oven, let sit with foil on it for 20 more minutes. Then enjoy them!! They are so great. Just like the restaurant veggies, soft and tasty. Peanut butter, cream cheese, cheese spread Pickles Bacon- very crispy Toast- (½ piece with peanut butter, sf jam or cream cheese) Ice cream- sf Bread- whole wheat or whole grain Meat- (marinate to make moist and tender or boil chicken) Stir fry- with meat or shrimp; add veggies, soy sauce or teriyaki sauce? Rotisserie chicken- take off skin (can make several meals from one chick) Pepperoni- (crispy add a little cheese) Cottage cheese (add fruit) Cool whip Salisbury steak Roast beef (about 2 oz meat with Swiss cheese melted) Zucchini chips (Homemade) Crab or lobster meat Oatmeal Pork Skins, Cheezits, tortilla chips, popcorn, thin pretzel sticks Cashews, nut, fruit nut mix, pistachios, Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (homemade or buy) Celery (add cream cheese or peanut butter) Carrot sticks with ranch dressing Beef jerky (teriyaki) or turkey jerky Fish- salmon or Orange roughy Shrimp (about 4 pieces is a whole meal) ~can put to skewer and add fresh veggie, zucchini, onion, mush, cherry tomato, ect marinate, add season cook on grill Artichoke dips-low fat- (spinach artichoke the best) Smoothie with fruit Pure Delite Bar (as a snack ...from Walmart) Turkey Mignon (Sam's club) Pickles, olives Frui****ermelon, cantaloupe, baked apples, strawberries, grapes (fruit salad) Yams Chicken or tuna salad Seasoning- use any BBQ sauce-(must be sf) Tabasco sauce, soy sauce Wine or beer Beef and cheddar (Arby's - sandwich with no bun, they will put in a bowl) Sandwiches- can make sandwich at home whole wheat bread (some fast food sandwiches, no bun) Breton sesame crackers-low carb Hummus-(roasted garlic yummy) feel free to print or add to this list as needed

Thank you all so much. You all have helped. I was feeling very badly this morning and now I feel better. I'm just afraid that somehow I will screw all this up. Normally, if it CAN be screwed up I will do it. I've lost over 50 lbs and am very happy with that just another 125 to go...1/3 of the way down!!!

Congratulations on your weight loss. I think the journey at times can be difficult especially finding foods that agree with our tummies and we like. I have become an avid eater of shrimp and fish tacos .... The shrimp ones are made with cabbage normally and the fish ones with lettuce. Very yummy. I found the more moist the food is the easier it is for me to eat and feel OK afterwards. I don't drink water with my meals, but always keep a glass close by in case I need a sip or two. As long as you aren't drinking fluids but just taking a sip or two you should be OK. Drinking during meals can force the food into your intestional track sooner and could also cause dumping because it was forced thru. Also the longer it stays in your tummy, the greater chance you have of absorbing the nutritients I've been told. Mary

Hi Noelle- Everyone is so different, as are our health care providers. It sounds like you're eating much like my dietitian suggests. The final answer does have to come from your own surgeon and nutritionist though...even though that is an exasperating answer, isn't it? I wonder if I'll ever be able to eat as much as the rest of you say you are. I had such a lot of pain when I first started eating pureed food (3rd week out), that I went thru an MRI, CAT scan, Upper GI, and, finally, an endoscopy...only to find out that my pouch only holds 1/2 ounce and eating very much or very quickly will cause me pain. So simple an answer and so difficult to deal with...I eat with a 3 minute timer (turning it over with each bite and wait till it's empty before the next bite), tiny bowl and spoon, chew everything at least 30 times per bite, rarely drink anything with meals, eat 1/8 to 1/4 cup of food each meal, and 6 meals per day. I can eat most things just fine...as long as I follow this routine. What a drag! But it works for me. Best wishes, Rusty 244/184/155

Hi Noelle! I read your post and it doesn't sound like you are eating too much to me. I have nuts atleast once a day myself for the protein. I must confess that once in a while I may take a sip or two of water to ease my stomach while I am eating. So far I have been able to eat anything I've tried. I haven't tested the swee****ers yet. I'm too busy trying to lose the weight. Congrats on your over 50 pounds weight loss. You must be doing something right. Thanks for the encouragment you gave me the other day also. We all need to support, encourage, and pray for each other. My doc always says, "if it don't hurt, then ok".