help from other april post ops

my weight is fluctuating ten pounds. I am unable to walk at this time due to a calcium spur. I am seeing a podiatrist. I have picked up two bad habits and that is saltine crackers and chips and salsa, and it seems I can eat a lot of these two. Also, I still can't eat any meat as 4/26/04/ Need some advice. Still drinking Isopure drink. Thanks, Brenda

Hi Brenda, Sorry you are having such a tough time. Hope you get the spur worked out soon. I hear they can be very painful. As far as sabotage food. I got stuck on bread for a few days...I finally threw all bread products out (bagels, hawaiin sweet bread, biscuits, etc). I felt bad waisting the food...but lead us not into temptation. As far as meat goes...can you eat beans (I get little of refried beans and put cheese on it...yum), eggs, cottage cheese, shrimp, canned or pouched fish (I love the salmon). These are all excellent sources of protien that might fill you tummy up more and keep you from empty carbs! I wish you luck! Rachel

I too have heal spurs but will NOT have them surgically removed and I also have two knees that need replacing (spurs, tears, torn miniscus osteoarthritis). I wear tennis shoes all the time which seems to help. My Dr. advised me to get into a water aerobics program or swim as the pressure will be relieved off of my joints and my feet. You might want to try the swimming. They actually say the exercise is great! I also know what you mean about meat. I tried the other day at the casinos and wow was that a big mistake. I puked my guts up. I'll keep trying though. If you read some of my other post you will also see how I struggled with 5lbs back and forth for 4 weeks. I finally dropped that plus some. I'm sure the same thing will happen for you. Best of luck on your journey! 339/268 Open RNY- Distal 4/12/04

Why can't you eat meat? I've been eating it without problems since my 6 week visit. I eat a few crackers a day with peanut butter (no sugar) but for meals I stick to real food. I like the low-carb wraps from Arby's or Subway or the roasted twister wrap from KFC. I work ALOT so it's something to get on the run that I can eat (a quarter of at a time). All of those things let you feel like you're getting the bread but are much lower in carbs and easier to digest. Hope that helps... Olivia

I have been having some of the same problems. There are still so many things I cannot eat. Chicken, fish, tortilla, or any kind of bread product. I eat an awful lot of chili, as I can eat red meat, but it's so frustrating for me to feel like I am restricted to the same foods everyday. Maybe it's a feeling of safety---that I know it won't make me I look at all of these people eating regular foods, and I don't feel like I will ever be able to enjoy chicken again.

Brenda, I sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. Yeah, I am one of those that hasn't had any problems...I haven't even dumped...yet. One of the things that helped me besides the long...long...transition into regular food (9 weeks) is that when I started to eat meat...I made sure it was very, very moist. So much so that I would have a little bit of roasted chicken...diced very small and would add a lot of gravy to it...to almost soup consistency. I already knew I tolerated creamy soups. So slowly I changed the ratio increasing the chicken and reducing the amount of gravy. Using this method I have added almost all my favorite meats back to my diet. I still do better with ground meats. The only problem I have is not getting enough protein so much so I got the okay to add back in one protein drink a day which has got me back into the 60g arena. Hope this helps, -50

Hi Josie - just hijacking to say hello. It was so great seeing you that I'm hoping for a get-together soon. I'm the same still - able to eat all meat and most fish - actually, I take that back, I had some mahi mahi one night that was too dry to eat. Now - I would make a salad out of it. String cheese is also a good pal. And you can take it anywhere. Ruth

Hi Brenda. I have done what Josie has done. I can eat meat if it is very moist. Hamburger in spaghetti sauce is one of my favorites. A BBQ'd hamburger just doesn't go down well at all. I find I am drinking my protein drinks at work in the morning and at noon, then eating real food for my other meals. My weight is going down pretty slowly, but I also have other health issues to deal with, so I am just grateful it is going down. Take care! Peggy

Brenda I too am having problems with some meats (chicken and pork) and I just can't seem to get down any bread at all it just taste nasty to me but I really never was a big bread eater. I do eat saltine crackers and with cheese on them. I also drink the Isopure protein drinks. For me I have to get down 71g of protein a day. I drink an Isopure drink (40g) 2 1/2 cups of milk (20g) and then I eat cheese or cottage cheese or fish or some of a protein bar or I also found these great beef sticks at Smoothie King that taste so good. They have 13g of protein per 1.5 oz stick and 2g of fat. They come in regular, bbq and I think terriyaki flavors at 1.99 a stick. They are made with beef and ostrich meat. I also found at Smoothie King some protein bars they are called Lean Body Gold to me they taste like a snickers candy bar. I was very suprised that they actually tasted good since most of the protein bars that I have tried taste like protein to me. They have 30g of protein per bar and the bars are big so I have to eat half at one time and half at another time during the day. I was not getting in all of my protein and my Doctor told me that my hair would fall out and never grow back so you can believe I am pushing myself to get in all of my protein now. It is real hard because I am so full all the time now it is sickening.