Questions

I'm 5 weeks out today and satisfied with my progress.....almost 30 lbs. down.  Eating is a bit of problem and I'm wondering:

1.  Do you ever feel hungry?  I don't feel hungry and only eat to get my protein in.

2.  Does food ever taste good again?  I've not found any food that really hits the spot or tastes really good.

3.  I tend to get a pain in the chest, especially when eating chicken.  I'm thinking it is from eating too fast.  Sometimes it lingers for hours. 

4.  Is it normal to eat a few bites (like half a deviled egg) and be full?

Yesterday I started writing down what I eat/drink so I can track my protein and water.

yes all of that is normal and that is why you have to do protein drinks there is no way that you can get enough protein from what you are eating. 1/2 a egg wont get it. and no i never feel hungry even two years out. I know a lot of people do but i dont. I have to force myself to eat and i still cant eat very much at once. so i get my protein from protein drinks and try to eat as much as possible for the calorie part of it. I know your doctor says eat to get your protein but no more than you are eating you arent getting it. and wont. and then you have to factor in that not all of the protein that you are putting in counts as the full amount ....some say half some say three forths some say a forth. but what ever it is it isnt the full amount that is what the malasorbtion is. the gut doesnt know the difference between portein, carbs or calories.or fat so ??????
there are other things to eat beside chicken, try tuna with a tiny bit of REAL MAYO in it. or veinna sausages they are high in protein.
the pain in the chest could be from anything and or all of the above.
Hope some of this helped.

Jan, I knew you would have answers.  What kind of protein drinks are you using?  The dietician telling me I should be eating 3 meals a day, 2 oz. of protein each meal and one protein drink a day made me think I wasn't progressing like I should, but the dietician has never had the procedure.  She is tall and very thin. 

This morning I fixed a scrambled egg with about an oz. of cheese.  Could only eat half but my dogs loved the leftover.  I'm not forcing myself to eat once I feel full. 

Last night I had Chicken Salad, maybe 2 tablespoons, and it went down fine.  Pre-Op I loved chicken so I keep trying it.  Ground beef goes down well.  It may not be Chili weather but I'm going to make some.  I didn't like Vienna sausages before but maybe I'll try them.  Hubby will eat them if I don't like.  When I first joined WWs in the 70', you had to had 5 fish meals a week so I pretty much got my fill of tuna.  I do need to try it again and in a much smaller quantity than the 5 oz. required then.

Crackers go down really well too.  I made Spinach Artichoke Dip and a spoonful is plenty.  I made it with low fat cheese.

Hi Jo

Oh my gosh, to be able to eat chicken! I can't eat that until 8 weeks. I have found that low fat cottage cheese taste good and cream of potatoe soup is excellent. I can't eat anything that is sweet  tasting. Yuck!!!! sugar free anything, taste like someone put gallons of sweet stuff in it...
Juice is tasting better, but plain water is starting to taste bad. Can't drink anything unless it is ice cold..
I hope my taste change a little because I want crystal lite so bad. I think I could get in all my fluids in if I could drink that but so far I can only get in about 35 oz of fluid but I am working on it daily. 
Getting about 70-75 grams of protein drinks. 
I do feel hungry sometimes but as soon as I eat a few bites I am full. I haven't had the pain in my chest yet but I am not allowed to eat very much. Thursday I can add tuna, luncheon meats(Deli shaved) seafood, tofu and cheese. At least that will give me a little more to choose from.
I am having trouble not drinking before and after. I get so thirsty....well that is how my world is going. I like it when you post because we are so close together that I can see where you are at and know that I am doing things right..lol...

BTW what kind of calicum are you taking, I know to take calicum citrate but I can't find one that I can take. The pills are to big and it seem that all I do all day is take pills, the chewable are horrible and I can't choke them down. Is there a liquid we can take....







 

Beverly there is some pills that citracal makes that are Calcium Peteets (sp) calcium citrate and they are small enough that you can swollow them.

It is so strange the different rules each doctor has.  Starting the second month I can have pretty much anything I can eat.  Plain was great pre-op but I could hardly stand it post-op.  The last 2 weeks I've able to drink it as long as it is ice cold.  Any drinks have to be ice cold.  I know I'm not getting in the 64 oz. a day but I'm getting closer.  Not drinking with a meal is so hard.  I too get so thirsty. 

I'm having trouble with the calcium.  I take Walgreen's or Walmart's brand of calcium citrate with vitaimin D.  I've choked more than once on the table.  Breaking it in half helps.  I mistakenly bought the chewable and it's even worse, so big and nasty tasting. 

I'm sure Jan will have some advice on the calcium.