5 and a half weeks out!

Hello everyone! Besides a viral infection this week, I have been doing very well with my incision healing. I just need to get back on to my protein and vitamin goals. Drinking my fluids is no longer an issue - yeah me! I do have some questions though. I've gone to the Library on this site but I don't see any current posts on what I'm looking for so I'll try asking all of you! What types of foods can you absolutely not tolerate? Can you eat popcorn? Pizza (thin crust cheese of course!)? Any problems with ice cream? Chinese? Mexican? Fat Free Tortilla Chips with Salsa? etc. Fill me in on things that really have affected you either in good or bad ways...I'd love to hear how everyone reacts to different foods post-op. Thanks all and have a great weekend!!! Hugs, Jen

Jen, glad to hear you are getting all that fluid in. Since I haven't had surgery yet, I can't tell you from experience but I can give you my opinion from reading 1000s of posts on the main board. I've read that some people can tolerate popcorn (which is surprising) but then others warned about not eating the hard kernel part so it doesn't get stuck. Pizza- many people eat the toppings but the crust is pretty chewy plus it's a lot of bad carbs. Chinese food has a lot of sugar in it since most has sauce of some sort. Also you want to be aware of MSG in case you are sensitive to it. Mexican....seems like most people just eat the refried beans with cheese. Again flour tortillas are pretty useless carbs. Remember that carbs will make you crave more and more carbs so try to stick to only the good carbs- fruits and veggies. Boring, I know. I can tell you from being on Atkins for so long that it takes some practice to learn to eat mostly proteins. Going out to restaurants is pretty much a waste of money unless you can find a buffet where you can choose your own foods. It always seemed like such a waste of money since the bread and potatoes seem to make up most of the meal. You might want to put this question on the main board since the Iowa board is so slow. I'm sure there will be lots of people there who can give you their experiences. take care, Leslie

I really appreciate your feedback Leslie! I am getting very disappointed with some of the comments made on the Iowa board lately. It seems to be very frustrating for "newbies". I was told that carbs, persay, weren't the enemies. Yeah! I need to eat high protein foods that have lower fat. I've heard mixed things about chinese and mexican. I think you're right with the added sugars in Chinese. I did find 98% Fat free tortillas that are very good with fat free cream cheese and crab rolled up. I just try to get a conversation going on this board, as you're right, it does seem to be very slow lately. I'm scared of going to the main board!!! I've never been there!! Thanks again, Jen

My first thought is .... Why are you wanting to eat most of those things again??? This surgery is only a tool and we have to change our lifestyle and eating habits for it to be successful in the long run. Most of what you mentioned should not be on your mind any more. Find healthy foods to eat and you will be successful. Let go of the popcorn, ice cream, chips an salsa.... forever. They will be your enemies. Mary

Mary, I'm very disappointed with this advice. I am curious as to what others have learned during their journey. It is very healthy to have fat free tortilla chips and salsa...according to MY surgeon. I really don't appreciate this "advice" as my surgeon told me to always ALWAYS ask questions. How wrong can that be? I did not say that these things were on my mind. They are questions that are asked of me by people who don't know and neither do I. Being only 5 weeks out and down 44 pounds, I think I'm doing everything I'm supposed to. Maybe people don't come to the Iowa board because of the harsh treatment they're given when questions are asked.

Jen, go for it and just go and visit that main board. I have learned so much just from reading the posts and everyone is so supportive over there. There are at least 3 pages of new posts a day and I just pick the ones that interest me. You're right in that carbs aren't the enemy here but because your pouch is so small, you can't afford to fill it with bad carbs....i.e. the white stuff like bread and potatoes. Since you are supposed to start with protein first, most of the time, you shouldn't have much room left for carbs. Again, I'm just telling you what I've read and I've read alot.. Something I've found out is that when I "allow" myself to eat carbs like low-carb tortillas or bread, pretty soon all my meals are again centered around the carbs like sandwiches and burritos. Are you allowed to eat whatever you want now? Are you drinking protein shakes? Did you find one that you like? I'm hoping my tastes don't change a whole lot because I don't have any trouble with the shakes now. I really do suggest you go to the main board and ask lots of questions. You will get lots of answers plus spend some time reading the posts. I know that everyone's journey will be different so it's good to get lots of different experiences. This is my last chance to be "normal" so I want as much information as I can get. HUGS, Leslie

Hi Jen, I am 4 months out. Dr G was my surgeon. I am glad to hear you are progressing right along. I may be the 'odd man out' with my thinking, but I can not think about the foods you listed, and any others, as being 'forever forbidden'. I just make the choice to not eat them. I have had pizza, once or twice a month as a treat. Topping only, and then I nibble the crunchy edge. I have had Chinese, shrimp. Very filling, and sat well. Just last Saturday I tried popcorn. I am not a big popcorn fan to begin with, but it sounded good and went down well with no problems. Ice cream does not appeal to me, but I was not a big fan of that pre op. I have not tried any. I have had a tiny piece of a meat and bean burrito. Again, no problem with that. Salsa is a wonderful thing. Mix it with a little cream cheese or sour cream for some protein. I did try some tortilla chips, but prefer my salsa dip on a spoon. I make a big effort to stay away from 'the carbs', as they do trigger a BIG chocolate craving. I have had maybe 8 pieces of whole wheat toast since surgery. I do eat wheat thins or wheat crackers when I need a 'crunch'. We had a picnic for Mothers Day. I ate 2 BBQ potato chips with my "meal", (which was beefburgers, baked beans, tater salad) Was 2 enough? Yes. Did it ruin my use of my 'tool'? No. Did it allow me to feel control over my food? Yes. I ate 4 peanut M&M's once, then told Angie at my 3 month check up. My my my.........she wasn't happy, to say the least. BUT I have not had 'real' candy since then. I have a bag of SF in the freezer, when the urge hits. I sort of eat what I am 'hungry' for (even though I still do not have hunger pangs). I do not eat, or 'graze' all day long, either. I get my protein in, and my fluids. I have lost 85 lbs since Jan 10th. I have not had a plateau (knock wood), nor am I experiencing the dreaded hair loss (knock wood again). So far, so good. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. Again, I think the thought of 'forbidden foods' would be detrimental for ME. My mother makes the most awesome fudge. She makes it like twice a year in the fall and winter. (usually after the 'first snow of the season'). She has not made any since my surgery. Am I going to have a tiny bite when she makes it next winter? Damn straight. I say that now, but who knows down the road. But knowing I CAN, IF I CHOOSE', is power enough over the demons. As I said, I may be the odd man out here, and I will probably be flamed for this, but it is what works for ME. It is all about choice, and believing in yourself. big hug Sheila

No flame here, Sheila! I think you are looking at food the right way. We all know what happens when we are told you may not have something. You immediately want it. That's one of the reasons diets didn't work for me. If a food was forbidden, it was what I wanted the most and I usually ended up eating it anyway and too much. We have to learn to eat with moderation & be sensible in our choices. Will that fudge ruin you? Of course not. But then you are not going to be eating it everyday. Will a few chips hurt? I hope not as I have a real hunger for them & yes, I'll grab a handful ocassionally, sometimes more than a handful! Sometimes I believe that the staff go a bit overboard. I think I mentioned before that I visited Jane in the hospital when she had her surgery. We were talking about food & I mentioned that I had eaten a couple bites of cake the weekend before at my son's wedding, the first cake since my surgery 4 months earlier. We decided that we probably would eventually eat desserts occassionally and it would be OK if we didn't make a habit of it. Just then Sherri, the co-director of the program, walked by the room & heard our conversation. She wasn't happy with us & told us that those foods should never be a part of our diets ever again. We let her tell us that but after she left we still felt that no one can totally stay away from those foods & if we are careful it would not hurt us to have some occassionally. I still feel that way & yes, I do eat dessert once in awhile. Jen, the foods you mentioned are are not bad for you if eaten in moderation. Popcorn is an excellent snack if you find a need to eat a snack. It's a good source of fiber & you can eat a surprisingly large amount. Angie said I could eat it & at only about 3 months or so. Just stay away from the "old maids." My problem is that I like butter on mine. Dang! The one food you mentioned that I cannot eat is ice cream. I don't normally dump but that does it for me. I really wanted a Dairy Queen awhile back so I stopped & got a small cone & ate half of it. It was good but not as good as I remembered. Actually I thought it tasted like frozen whipped cream. About a half hour later I was regretting it & felt nasty for an hour or so and I was at work. Not going to do that again. So Sheila & Jen, keep up the good work. Be sensible, make wise choices, enjoy your new lives! Dixie

Well silly me...I replied to Sheila under your response Dixie! I really feel better hearing this all from you too. I was told people always dump on ice cream so I'm staying away for a long time! I'm really scared to dump. I've heard it compared to a near death experience and after this infection this week - no thank you! Popcorn is an excellent snack for fiber and I was always told that it was better than chips so when I'm healed that is something that I will try. I just don't believe that you should stay away from something forever. That's not necessarily improving the quality of your life. Actually last night I was kind of sad. My husband is a Frito fanatic and as thin as a rail and he was eating Frito's in bed!!!!! Yes!!! Just the smell of them was making me nuts. Finally I told him that it kind of made me sad when he eats things like that in front of me sometimes. (Especially in our bed, which I hate anyway!) He was very good to put them away and he apologized. I don't want him to feel bad for eating stuff he likes to eat in front of me, just sometimes it makes me sad. All in all I know I'll try different things down the road. I love to hear how people further out have experienced different foods and it is okay if these things are on my mind. It's better than before when I thought of food and what I would have to eat next ALL THE TIME. Thank you so much for your feedback and support!!! Big hugs, Jen

Thank you so much Sheila! You make me feel so much better knowing that it is okay to think in the long run as to what we may be able to eat. I was told by Dr G and Angie that this is all about portion control. Eating the right foods and occassionally some of the not so right foods is okay. Lynne told me that people don't dump from chocolate as much as they do from ice cream. I know to stay away from that for a long time! When my family gets together every Sunday for dinner, they have different things and to know that I can have a bite of my mom's parmasean chicken or her Shang-Hi chicken is really great. My PCP also told me that it is all about portion control and that anything is okay in moderation. I'm only 30 years old with a 2 year old and I know that I don't want her to be "deprived" of what other kids eat but I also don't want her to become one of the obesity issues we see with our nation's young kids today. My step-daughter has a weight problem and she's only 7. Luckily I got her to LOVE fruit instead of what her other mom feeds her...junk food! She constantly brings home McDonalds or sugar snacks and I think it can be so hard to re-train her to the right kinds of foods when she gets back. AND I think 85 pounds is AWESOME!!!!! Way to go!!! My brother comes home from L.A. in July and last time he saw me, I was at my heaviest, 263. I want to surprise him and be under 200. I'm at 218 right now so I really think I can do it! Again, thank you so much for your feedback...I really appreciate it!!! Hugs, Jen