2 weeks post op- ???

I can't believe that it was only two weeks ago today that I joined the losing side!! I came through surgery well- I did lose my gall bladder in the process (I wonder how much that weighed??) I am still pretty tired and not sleeping the best- my back is sore from sleeping on it all the time. I am usally a side or tummy sleeper- but that's not happening yet. I go back to the doc tomorrow and hope to get to start eating again. I am on day 29 of clear liquids (yeeks- I am craving cottage cheese!!) I am happy to report that I have lost almost 40 lbs since the first of August! I have another week off from work- so will take it easy for the next few days. Any advice from those who have gone before me?? How about trying new foods, vitimins, etc. I am a bit worried about finding an iron pill I can swallow. Any suggestions?? Thanks for all of your support prior to and during surgery. Chris

You'll probably be crushing your pills for awhile. Not fun but you don't want to get a pill stuck. That makes Dr G very unhappy to be called to the ER to remove the pesky little things. As soon as I could, I started cutting them into pieces. You can get a pill splitter at Walmart for $2-3. Well worth the money. You can buy Iron that are small & round; not hard to swallow. Get sublingual B12. Just one more that you don't have to swallow. Just put it under your tongue. And finally get chewable Vitamin C & Calcium, at least for now. Don't buy the fancy expensive vitamins made for gastric bypass patients like Vista Vitamins. Dr G especially doesn't like you to take them. They are lacking in some of the important vitamins. You can buy chewable multivitamins. They also sell ones like gummy bears. Not bad tasting & you think you're eating candy. Cottage cheese will taste like heaven! I still love it. Same goes for Blue Bunny yogurt (no sugar added). Remember that some foods may not go down well at first, even though they are on the list you got from the dietician. Try them again in a few days. They may work then. You'll be sleeping on your side in a few days, I imagine. I remember my back hurting so much I didn't sleep very much those first weeks. Good luck. Dixie

Dixie- Thanks so much for the good advice!! I will try them all. Chris

Hiya Chris...sounds like you are off too a great start!!! I too had trouble sleeping at first and heck I still do, but you'll be able to sleep on your side/tummy soon so hang in there! As for the vitamins I take 2 easy to swallow prenatal vitamins a day, 1 in the am and 1 before bed, and I buy the chocolate calciam chews, its like having a piece of candy, they come in all different flavors, I take 2 a day. You should be able to have your cottage cheese soon and I agree with Dixie you'll love it...so enjoy! Keep up the good work!!! Love, Janet Schmidt 247/145/135?

Janet- Thanks for the info- I will give them a try. Chris

Chris ~~ welcome to the losing side. I use the Slow FE Iron pills which are really little and round. I don't think I ever cut mine, but as Dixie mentioned Dr. G is a fanatic about cutting them. I take one at night along with 2 chewable vit C. The last brand I got came in different tropical flavors. They still are a little like eating a sweet tart. Also, when I first was able to sleep on my side I used a pillow in front of me for support ~~ kind of like when you're PG. I could hold it against me as I got into position and then use it to "lean" against. Hope that helps -- it gets easier as you go. Best of luck. Janie

Chris, Congrats on getting to the losing side! It sounds like you have gotten some good advice from fellow patients. I can't imagine a clear liquid diet for that long, but each surgeon has different requirements and it really seems to give you all a great beginning weight loss! I remember after my liquid diets, just wanting to chew something. It could have been leather for all I cared, I just wanted to chew! Have you tried sugar free popsicles yet? I love Blue Bunny s/f bomb pops. They count as liquid, too. YUMMY. About vitamins, I also use the s/f calcium chews. They taste like a tootsie roll! One unusually stressful day at work last spring, I dipped the chews into peanut butter. HOw pitiful is that! (Times like that would explain why I continue to see a psychologist for eating issues.) Anyway, welcome to this side of a wonderful journey. Enjoy the ride and just wait, it won't be long before your hips are hurting because you are sleeping on your side and there is so much LESS cushion! God bless, Andrea