Post Op Rants ~ details may be offensive to the senstive types

If you are reading this then hopefully you are prepared for honesty...
because that's what I am dishing out tonight.

I had RNY on 2/25 and sadly I cannot eat most meat... chicken, pork, ham, and salmon... forget about it. I chew and chew and chew. Then I get the foamies, start praying that it will pass and after a few minutes I go to the restroom to "feed" the toilet. No retching just open mouth and out it slides...just like a bird feeding its chicks. Sorry its gross I know. I will talk to Dr. at next appt. but until then I will just abstain from most meats. I can eat shrimp and scrambled eggs (sometime the eggs bother me too) This concerns me as I never had eating disorders but this seems like it could become one... and I never want that for myself or my wee daughter who watches me like a hawk.

 I feel like I have stopped losing as I have been hovering around 234 - 232 for almost two weeks. I drink my protein, water and exercise and no really weight lose. I guess its normal but it is frustrating to me. I haven't measured myself since pre-surgery so I could be losing inches at the moment but I could also just be in a true stall. All my clothes are baggy but not quite as much as I thought with a 32lbs weight lose. At my 6 week visit my doctor said I was doing great and keep up the good work... I haven't dropped a pound since then. I only weight in once a week and try not to obsess over the scale but honestly I don't want to see 230 something come Wednesday. I just want to keep dropping those pounds.

Lastly, I have had horrible constipation... At one point (almost 10 days without a movement) I seriously considered driving to the ER... but after taking a hot bath and then "reading until my legs and feet went numb" things moved alittle. I don't ever want to feel that uncomfortable and that much pain again. I was already taking colace twice a day. So after getting a few additional ideas from the web, I went to the store after work yesterday to take matters into my own hands. I bought prunes, ex-lax (chocolate and tablets), low sodium V8, and Bene-Fiber. Needless to say I took a large variety of these items yesterday(2 beneFiber tablets on the way home from the store; 2 prunes, and two chocolate ex-lax pieces before evening workout; one glass of V8 mixed with unflavored protein for dinner and then two tablets of the maximum strength ex-lax at bedtime) hopeful of some urges last night... nothing. Then this morning I drank my normal cup of decaf coffee at work and the grumbling started... then finally relief. Things continued most of the day, it never got out of hand but I work close to the restroom. I really don't want to resort to taking that much stuff every few days. I know I way over did it and need to try one thing at a time to figure out what would work for the best outcome on a regular basis. Again, my doctor was not overly concerned when I talked to him about this at my last appt.

Sorry you all had to endure this rant but I maybe you guys can relate in some way.

I can relate with the constipation issue! I ended up having to do a mineral oil enema followed by milk of magnesia to clear it out. Since that day, I've been taking Benefibre every day!! I don't want to go through that again!!

I can relate to the vomiting and what not. I have a good and bad days, they (surgeon) even believed I had a stricture. Until I had to go back and do liquids for 2 days to settle my pouch, now fingers crossed I can ham, and I have now tried chicken. However I still cannot eat salmon, or tuna, why who know's! I can relate to the feeding of the toilet! I can relate as well to the eating disorder and how you feel it could become one. I talked to my husband about the same thoughts. I felt like it was so easy, to just throw it up... before it wasn't. I must mention that I do not do that either on purpose, but when i did get the feeling something was stuck or just not sitting right, i would make myself vomite, to get over the pain, foamies, and neaseau a lot faster. Constipation has started to be an issue since I started my iron supplement, because I am now iron deficient! I take miralax daily, I have been just given the go a head to add yet another stool softner like benifiber to my diet. I have been on a plateau and the frustrations are nuts. I just wanna rip my hair out at times. My first one lasted 4 weeks, I am now on 6 days, with this one!

I to can relate, my surgery was Feb. 23 so Monday was two months out. I can't eat much meat, I get the foamies, haven't lost much in the past two weeks. I am down 30 lbs. I get constipated to. I am told this will all get better. Today for the first time I ate pot roast about two oz. with one tiny potato and carrot. It was wonderful. I had a shake for breakfest and then the post roast because the soup I made for lunch didn't go down well. For snack Ihad a little watermellon. Tonight for snack I will have 3 saltines with cheese. As far as constipation is concered I now take 3 colace at night and in my shake in the morning I put two heaping teaspoons of benefiber and I go every two days. It hurts but not as bad as it was. Try to eat some fruit. I go to my doc tomorrow so I will see what he has to say. Good LUck and don't worry it will get better.
Gail

I have had problems with constipation too I know try to eat special k cereal a couple times a week for breakfast. This seems to help also green beans work too. The only meat i can not eat is ham. tried it twice and got very nassues Sorry cant spell lol..

Do you eat enough?  I got my loss moving by making sure my calorie intake is at least at the minimum my nutrition plan is designed to provide.  Its a chore but has been worth the work. 

The meat thing is frustrating me too (no constipation) but ground meats and processed meats like cold cuts and sausages are more palatable.   Most meat leaves me so uncomfortably full that drinking water an hour later is hard.  It has killed my appetite.  I've been suspected of anorexic behavior (developing an aversion to food as the nurse put it) but that is so off base. 

I am dying to just enjoy my small meals as I thought I would.  Instead every other bite goes discretely into the napkin.  Makes dining with others very hard.

My weight loss was slow to stalled from day one.  I've got it moving by modifying my diet myself .  After my last discussion with the nurse, nutritionist and surgeon led to and hour with the psychologist I don't bring it up anymore.  Instead I count protein grams as my doctor requires but also calories and carbs. 

The nutritionist plan is 800-900 calories and my surgeon says I should eat up to 1000.  I make sure I eat a minimum of 800 even if I use supplements to get there. I was averaging 450-600 before I asked what it should be.  I can't eat the 3-5 oz protein per meal required so I have 1-2 oz when I can tolerate it and vegetables are usually no problem.  My meals total 3 oz on average. 

I still like to eat so shakes alone won't do.  Atkins protein bars meet all the nutritional guidelines I'm supposed to be following (high protein, very low carb) though not on my diet.  I get half my nutrition from protein powders and the bars.  I can't meet my protein goals without them.  I much rather eat the prescribed meals, but until I can  this is satisfying and healthy and I'm finally loosing. 

I hope your nutritionist can help you with some workable solutions.  Also check out  bariatric friendly recipes on www.chefdave.org.  At a support group meeting I tasted two items I've had trouble with previously and each went down ok.  I keep trying...