5 weeks out

I am 5 weeks out today. I feel like this has been a struggle for me. I dont get in all my vitimins and proteins like I should. I dont beat myself up to bad over that as it seems a lot of people dont get theirs in either. I dont go back to the middle of Aug so I have no idea how my labs are or will be.

I have absoultly hated the liquid and now I am on to the purred diet, which sounds even more gross to me, so I have been living off of my vits and protein drinks with a very little bit of food here and there.(mostly soft vegetables) I am just trying to hang in there for 3 more weeks till I can start eating full foods again. I really want a salad with some grilled chicken.

Anyway, I am down 37 pounds, so given my lack of getting everything in like I should I have no idea if thats good or bad.

Just thought I would give everyone an update since I dont post alot anymore.

(((KIM)))  DO YOU REMEMBER IN YOUR NUTR.CLASS THE DIETICIAN SAYING THAT THE FIRST FEW WEEKS FOLLOWING SURGERY THAT IT IS HARD TO GET ALL OF YOUR VITAMINS/PROTEIN/FLUIDS IN? (MY CLASS WAS 6/17/08) AND THAT IS WHAT THEY TOLD US.  BUT THEY DID SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT  FOOD/SUBSTANCE TO GET IN FIRST  WAS THAT PROTEIN.  PLUS FLUIDS SO YOU DONT DEHYDRATE.
PRAY AND ASK GOD TO SUSTAIN YOUR BODY WITH ALL THE NUTRIENTS THAT IT NEEDS WHILE YOU ADAPTING....

HOW DO YOU FEEL PHYSICALLY?

I DONT HAVE MY SURG UNTIL 8/12 SO I CAN NOT RELATE TO YOUR STRUGGLE PERSONALLY, AND I MAY BE IN THE SAME POSITION OF TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING IN .. BUT I WANTED TO JUST SEND YOU AN ENCOURAGING WORD....STAY POSITIVE, AND LOOK UP!

GOD BLESS.

Don't worry bout labs.. Usually they don't check them until 12 months out anyways. Just keep on pushing on. Eventually your pouch and tummy will cooperate.

Good to hear from you Kim!  I've been wondering how you are doing.  I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble getting my vitamins in.  I'm doing pretty good with the protein, but the vitamins and calcium are a struggle for me.  I am doing (a little) better with them now that I am on the pureed diet stage because I will take my vitamin right before I eat and that gets the yucky taste out of my mouth.

I also absolutely hated the liquid stage, but now that I'm in the pureed stage I am starting to feel almost normal again.  I ate part of an egg the other day and thought it was the best egg I've ever had in my entire life.  I didn't puree it in the blender, I just chewed and chewed it until I knew it would be okay.

I hope you can find some food that sounds good to you.  My NUT got onto me about not eating 3 meals a day because it messes up metabolism.  She also said that by now I should be getting in all my vitamins, so I am trying really hard to do that (but still haven't had a day where I get everything in).  I figure I am meeting my fluid requirements, and protein requirements, so if I don't quite get everything else in then it shouldn't be the end of the world.

Your weight loss sounds really good to me.  (Better than mine!!)  Hope things get a little easier for you soon!
Melissa

Kim,

I hated the beginning too.  I lived on beans throughout the stage you're in.  I actually craved them!  Think soups...bean soup with finely chopped ham ( I used my pampered chef chopper and chopped the crap out of it), same with potato soup.  I'd put lots of 2% cheese in it to melt and smoosh everything all up.  It really tasted good.  Get you some bullion cubes and whack the fire out of some chicken or turkey breast and moisten it up with the bullion.  Make sure it's little bitty bites because this is the stage I started having a lot of trouble with meat.  I'd get sick each time I ate it (still do sometimes) because I didn't get it small enough.  Egg salad is good with lowfat mayo.  Deviled eggs.  Eggs with cheese.  I still have an aversion to eggs but I know they're good for me.  My throat clamps shut and won't let me swallow them!  It was the same way when I was pg with my daughter.  Guess I wasn't meant to eat eggs. 

I hope this helps some.  Hang in there.  It's gets better and easier.  I still eat a lot of beans though.

Blessings,
Jacqui

Kim,

Big hugs!!! You've done very well this far, and you'll get through this stage. 

I'll be totally honest here...as I was honest with the dietician at my one month check up.  I did not puree a damn thing.  The thought of eating pureed meat was enough to make me hurl, so I didn't do it.  I ate about 1/3 of a scrambled egg each morning for breakfast, lunch was tuna mashed with mayo and dill relish, and dinner was diced chicken or pork chop.  I cut it up really small, like I did when my girls were babies, and chewed it very well.  I never had a smidge of trouble, and it helped mentally...I felt like I was eating again! I don't think I had a salad until closer to two months out, and boy was that yummy!!

Getting your protein and liquids in is most important right now, and the vitamins will come.  Do you have a routine established for getting in your supplements? Even now I struggle taking the Carafate...I honestly forget a lot of the time.  I try to get 1-2 doses (out of 4) in each day, and I take the Prilosec before I brush my teeth.  Chewable vitamins, I take those at breakfast with my girls...we "toast" with our vits and say 'cheers!' and that ritual helps.  Calcium...I do 2 after lunch and 2 after dinner, and some days I forget, but I take those as soon as I remember.

Good luck, and keep posting!!! Miss seeing you around the boards!
Amy

Kim, I wouldn't worry to much about getting things in right now. You are still fresh out of surgery and they really don't expect you to get everything in. Your weight loss is doing well and I wouldn't worry about that either. When I was on pureed foods I later found out that you can have soft baked fish too. Just make sure you flake it really good. I ate a lot of beans too. I wanted to chew so bad so I did eat some scrambled eggs with cheese. that was sooo good to me. I got some canned soup and pureed it and that was good. I like the split pea the *******so didn't add as much water and that helped to make it thicker. As for the labs I had mine done every 3 months starting with my 3rd month out. Just try to get a bit more water down everyday. Even if it is just a ounce or 2 more each day. Just remember progress and not perfection.

Kim,
Great to hear from you.  I have to Agree with Amy.   I didn't do the puree stage either.  I just cut things up very small and chewed and chewed and chewed... ha ha I have not had one problem!!  the Vitamins and calcium are the hard part but it will come.  Your doing GREAT!!! Keep up the good work....