Poll for all October post-ops.... please.

My surgery was Oct 18th. I started taking all my regular meds right away. I won't start vitamins until after my 1 month checkup. Eating is really easy for me. I can eat an egg with cheese melted on it. Sandi

3 flintstones vitamins 2 calcium citrate (after the 2nd week) b-12 sublingual once per week 1 Previcid 1 celebrex I have had no issues with pills and I was told taking them was fine as long as I did it with a bit of water.

Me, too! I can't do the pureed thing. Just can't do it. Applesauce and baby food fruit is about the extent of pureed things that don't make me sick just thinking about. I have largely stuck with the "soft" stuff, but have ventured as well. I discovered, for instance, that I can eat 4 BBQ chicken wings if I chew very well and make sure I don't get any gristle or fatty skin in there. YUM!!! Also, the Swedish meatballs at Ikea are very good--I ate 1/2 meatball at a time, chewed very well, and was able to eat 2 meatballs that way with some banana baby food. Great lunch! The only thing I've had a problem with post-op so far is that once I thought I'd eat an entire packet of instant oatmeal. BAD plan. I felt icky and nauseated for about 45 minutes, but that was it. Thankfully, it was plain oatmeal with no fat or sugar, so I am not counting it as a dump. It wasn't as bad as most describe dumping. So I have yet to experience that particular hell. So far, so good, though!

Well, as I said in my original post my surgeon only sent me home with a multivitiaman and pepcid. I saw my pcp at about the 2 week point and talked a lot about vitamins. He explained to me that vitamin b-12 is the only one I should have trouble with because it is the only one actually absorbed in the stomach itself. He said the multi should take care of everything, but I will have all of my levels checked at the 6 week mark and we will go from there. I know, it sounds like I am not getting enough vitamins... but my levels will be checked soon (I am close to 4 weeks out) and if any are low I will be given supplements and a B-12 shot. Thanks for your concern! Have a great day and congratulations on your surgery! Amber -30

My surgeon said that big pills should be split or crushed, but small ones were ok. I am still taking my wellbutrin whole with no problem. It is pretty small. My surgeon was also a little more liberal on the diet. At my one week apt he told me to start trying meats like turkey and shrimp. He recomends 30gms of protein and wants you to eat it instead of drink it. I still add some unjury to a sf pudding if I am not getting enough each day. It is tollerable in the pudding. Jill

I had surgery 10/29/04, had 150cm of intestine bypassed (BMI > 50 pre-op), and I am on: chewable kid mvi 2x/day chewable calcium 2x/day 325mg iron 2x/day sublingual B12 1x/day Zantac 2x/day I can eat: 3oz yogurt or 4 BBQ chicken wings (I remove most of the skin and don't eat any of the fat/nasty bits) or 1/3 cup cottage cheese with pineapple or 1/3 cup applesauce or 1/2 packet instant plain oatmeal or instant Cream of Wheat or 3/4 jar baby food bananas and 2 small meatballs (at Ikea) or 2 soda crackers with light Laughing Cow spreadable cheese or peanut butter and light margarine or... You get the idea. So far--as of this minute (just got off the scale)--I have dropped 20#. Woo-HOOOO!!!!

Thanks for all of your wonderful responses. Congratulations to us all! It is amazing at how diverse our surgeons are. Have a great day, and keep on losing! Amber -30

10/26/04. I only take 4 Flintstone Vitamins a day. I eat 1/2 ounce per meal of lean meat and or green leafy veggies (1/2 ounce total). I feel very weak & tired although I had to go back to work on 11/24/04 The doctor doesn't allow anything else at all bu****er & crystal light. I pretty much live on Chrystal Light. I still can't drink as much as I need. My skin is dry. I have lost approx 50 pounds since 09/02/04. Surgery was 10/26/04 and the first 10 days I lost 18 pounds. Last week I only lost 1 1/2 pounds even though I was on Gator Aid diluted in half by water for 5 days & Crystal Light for 2 days because I was so sick to my stomach & threw up for 5 hours because I ate 1/2 ounce white turkey meat. The doctor said it must have been too dry and irritated my stomach. So I had to go back on the liquids. He doesnot believe in the protein shakes or anything other than Lean meats & green leafy veggies. I am very frustrated. I am tired of throwing stuff up. I had tests at the hospital last Tuesday that came back great. The nurse said my body may be trying to go into starvation mode and maybe that is why I haven't lost much more.