More questions..... Thank you for your time

First off let me say a HUGE THANK YOU to my new friends who have (and will reply), It is one thing to read this stuff, but another to have specific questions answered!!!! 1. I have been looking for protein online, at bariatriceating.com any other sites, or stores that you can go to?? 2. How long did you guys wait to go back to work, Dr. Jones said he has people go back in a week, it just depends on the person and motivation 3. I hear alot about protein, protein, protein, are'nt eggs a good source, I have'nt read anywhere that it is ok to eat them, or do they do something funny to you 4. ***SORRY*** BM"S do they change that much, more, less, 5. Skin elastisity (sp?) is there a good lotion that will help with this 6. Vitamins what is the best time, one good multi or b-12, and multi and so on Thats ALL i can think of right now, if there is anything else that you think I should know or that you guys wanted to know that I havent thought of all info is greatly appreciated!!!

Hi, there! Congratulations on your date! Here are some answers based on my own experience, within the 3-1/2 weeks since surgery. Others' comments, and your personal findings, may vary. 1. The dietitians at Ochsner approve of a product called Juven, available at most Rite-Aid stores and at juven.com. It's not really protein, but it recombines in your body to become protein. It comes in orange and grape flavors. Orange tastes like Gatorade, and the grape, IMO, is nasty. You can find a wide variety of protein supplements at any GNC or Vitamin Shoppe, or you can try Unjury, available at unjury.com and other online sources. One thing I like is to keep a jar of Any Whey unflavored powder, which I mix into soups, because I get sick of sweet protein shakes. Beyond that, it's a matter of personal taste and what your preferences are. 2. I was back at work in a week. My job consisted of mostly going to meetings and talking to people, with a good bit of walking around the VA, all of which was fine for one week out. One issue, though, is that you might not be cleared to drive if you're still on pain meds. I was off of those two days after surgery because I was determined to go to work, since it was my last week anyway. 3. My dietitian OK'ed eggs at two weeks out. Some practices allow you to try them even sooner. Personally, I hate eggs and haven't eaten them since I was a teen, so I don't give them much thought. 4. BM's, wow. Let's see. It took me a couple days to have one. I was on clear liquids for a week post-op, and during that time, they were completely watery. BTW, they stink to high heck (I think it might have to do with leftover blood in the bowels from surgery). Since starting soft foods, I only have them every other day or so, and that's with the help of 30cc's of Milk of Magnesia. 5. Deferred to others who know more about this. 6. I use Sundown Superman complete vitamins, twice a day. Every other day I use Nature's Bounty sublingual B-12 drops. It's a very medicine-y tasting liquid that you drop under your tongue, leave there 30 sec., and then swallow. Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!

!. I use GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein, avaialble at GNC stores nationwide, and a good, complete protein, comes in alot of different flavors. 2. I don't work, so I don't know, but I was feeling pretty frisky after about 3 weeks, I had a nagging pain in my upper left side, where they put in the camera so they can see. Doc said it was normal. 3. Yes, eggs are a good source of protein. I could not eat hard boiled until recently, but scrambled in a little pan spray was fine. 4. Yes, at first they are quite runny. Now, they are pretty normal, most of the time, however, I only go about every other day. 5. I don't know of one. 6. I use Bariatric Advantage because that is what my surgeon wants me to take. They are very good and are chewable, which is what they recommend for us after surgery because of the absorbstion problem. www.bariatricadvantage.com Hope this helps!! Cindee

1. I buy my protien at walmart, it's cheap and good and good amount of protien per serving. My dietician reccommended I take something that has at least 20 grams of protein per serving. The one I buy is Body Fortress, they have vanilla and chocolate. I buy both. Also, at smoothie king, I buy the gladiator, but it's expensive. I bought vanilla and chocolate there. They also have strawberry, but I don't care for it. 2. I was able to return to work on one week post op. Actually my surgery was on a monday and by friday I traveled two hours to lake charles to visit some family and I was fine. However, I did like to take A LOT of naps for like the first month after surgery. 3. Yes, eggs do have protein...I had to be on a liquid diet for the first six weeks after surgery, so I didn't start soft food until then. I did eat eggs. I heard some people say they can't digest them anymore after surgery, but me personally....i could. I prefer a scrambled egg with some cheese...double dose of protein!!! 4........girl.....let me tell ya!!!! LOL my bm's have certainly changed. I used to go about 2 to 3 times a day. Now I'm lucky if i go 2 to 3 times a week. 5. Skin.....gross gross gross....is what i can say about mine! I use avon products, mainly because i sell avon. I haven't found any miracle cream for the body yet. However for the face, avon has a reasonably priced cream that has worked for me. Its dramatic face and neck firming cream, like i said, i noticed a difference for myself. And for eye cream i use anew ultimate transforming lift eye cream, i personally think it works. but that is a bit more costly but does go on sale. for the body i use lift and tuck body shaper cream and cellulite cream. but without a doubt, once i'm done losing, i'll need plastic surgery!!! 6. The first 6 weeks, i had flinstones chewables; after that for the next two months i went to prenatal, then went to centrum complete with minerals. that is still the vitamin i take now. i also take b12 2500 mg a day. it's just one pill. you should meet with a nutriionist/dietician and they will be able to help you with a lot of these questions....i love mine, she was the bomb!!! Good Luck

Hi Billie: Congratulations on getting your date. 1. As for protein, I love the Protein Delite that I get at bariatriceating. I have read that you can get it at some GNC stores, but the ones closest to me don't carry it. I'll be travelling to NC next month, so I'll be checking out GNC while I'm there so hopefully I can save on shipping. 2. I was out of work for 5 weeks. My doctor cleared me to go back at 4 weeks, but I wasn't ready. I had open rny and I work in a deli and that it involves a lot of lifting, so I really couldn't go back sooner. Just had my TT today and now I expect to be out for another 4-6 weeks because of the lifing restrictions. 3. Eggs have about 6 grams of protein each, which doesn't really seem like much to me. I had trouble with eggs in the beginning, but I can eat them fine now. However, I really prefer my raisin bran for breakfast. Once you add in the milk it has more protein. 4. BM's were messed up for the 3 months after surgery. My surgeons diet restrictions were clear liquids and then full liquids for the first month, then pureed the next month, followed by soft-texture foods. Constipation was a big problem during these phases. I didn't straighten out till I went back on a regular diet. Now, I only get constipation occasionally, but like one of the other posters said, I used to go a couple of times a day and now it might be every other day. 5. I haven't heard of anything for skin elasticity. Just that the younger you are, the more elastic your skin is. 6. I take 2 Flintstone vitamins a day. Even though they have iron, I need to take an iron supplement also. I get a b-12 shot once a month. I also take 4 calcium tablets a day. I found chewable calcium citrate at the commissary where I shop. Cathy

Cathy!!!! Hey, haven't seen you around for a while. We moved to DeRidder, so I'm not at the commissary much anymore. Congrat's on the TT. Does it hurt much? I know I'm going to need one, but am already scared of the pain. Guess my memory bank from RNY is still kicking in...........whew, that was one ordeal to recover from! I hope you are doing well............let us know. Hugs, Kendra

Kendra: I was a lurker for a while because my modem went kaput and I just would give OH a glance now and then when I used my son's computer to check my email. I knew I hadn't seen you around the commissary in a while. Now I won't be back there for another month unless I get my daughter to drive me out there to go shopping. So far this tummy tuck is a breeze. I know it is only day 2, but I am amazed at how well I feel and how little pain there is. I didn't have any muscle repair, so that is probably the main reason I don't have a lot of pain. I remember the pain from the rny and it's nothing like it. I don't have any problems getting in and out of bed like I did with the bypass, so I didn't have to sleep in the recliner. The only thing that bugs me is the drains. Dr. Shapiro didn't use them, so I've never had to deal with them before. I posted over on the plasitic surgery forum to see how the other gals kept them out of the way. Even the drive back from Shreveport went a whole lot better than I thought it would. The only rough part was Hwy 117, but even that wasn't too bad. If it continues like this (and keep your fingers crossed that it will) I'll feel guilty for having to take 4 weeks off from work. Congrats on the new house. Cathy

Cathy, Thank you so much for the reply!!!

Hi Billie, Welcome to the board, you are almost a neighbor to me..... I had my surgery a little over 8 months ago and am doing great. You will be so thrilled...here are my answers to your questions. 1. At first I had a hard time with the protein and was only able to do sugar free Carnation instant breakfast, I mixed it with non-fat dried milk. I did this for about two weeks and then I found 100% whey protein at GNC. I tried the caramal chocolate. It had 20 grams of protein per serving. I tried the chocolate but didn't like it as well. I also get the Nectar brand at the Drug Emporium on Kings Hwy (right down from the duck pond). I love the Carribean cooler and the lemonaide. I can't do milk based in hot weather.....I also get most of my protein now from food. 2. At the time of my surgery I didn't work, so I can't help you with this. Sorry. I did great the first two weeks but my third and fourth week I was very weak and tired feeling. I also had a major surgery 4 weeks prior to my weight loss surgery. I know that didn't help with the healing. 3. Eggs are a great source of protein but early on some people have trouble. I know people that can't tolerate them at all and they are months and years out. I have had no problems with them. I am lucky to be able to eat one per sitting. 4. I seem to be much more regular. I am talking same time everyday. They are different but no big deal. 5. Don't know about a lotion. I sure hope to have a tummy tuck next spring and a boob job. Just got to figure out the finances.... 6. I take my multivitamin in the morning with a sublingual b12. Calcium is at night before bed. If you have any questions feel free to email me. It is always nice to see someone that is close to Shreveport post. Hugs, Jodi

Hi Billie........good luck on your journey. I don't think I can offer any more info than others have, but here goes: 1) I get my protein from GNC, mostly. I really don't like the powders, I seem to always be able, well...........to "feel" the powder in the drink.......maybe I'm just weird. GNC sells a liquid protein that is quick tart, but it's 20g for 3tbls and I mix it with juice to go down smoother. It's okay, for a supplement. 2)Sorry, don't work........I'm about to start Grad School, but I am a mom and my baby was only 16 mos when I had the surgery. It was open RNY and it took a good month to really feel somewhat like a mom again, and almost two months before I wasn't just pooped out every time I turned around. 3)Eggs are weird for me.........I had a rough time with them at first, even scrambled eggs. I eat them occasionally now, but always with a lot of cheese mixed in....higher if protein, but also higher in fat. 4) I'm still fighting some BM issues 6 mos out..........so, can't help you here. 5) It sags, no way around it..........saving for that TT!!!!!!!!! 6) I take two flinstone's chewables, one in the morning, one at night. I take a sublingual B-12 once a week, and a calcium supplement everyday. I also take some liquide herbs for my hair and nails, and also some liquid vegetable protein. Doctor's occasionally raise their eyebrows at this, but I feel good and so far, it doesn't seem to hurting anything. I also think you should know that everyone is different. It took me a few months to figure this out. There are things that work for others that won't work for you at all. Some people can eat all sorts of things without a problem and some are very limited. It really becomes a journey of trail and error after your surgery. You try something, if it agrees, you add it to your "I can have" list and if it disagrees, you leave it alone for a while and try it a few months later. It may work then. Some can eat sugar without a problem and some dump terribly. You really won't know how your own body is going to act until you "walk the walk" so to speak. I hope this info helps............good luck. Kendra