I have a Surgery Date-NOW QUESTIONS!

I have a surgery date...April 29th. I am going to stay with the Doctor I have and take the advice I was given and just jump threw the hoops! I am very excited to get to the loosing side of life. I have a few questions.

 

1. I don’t ever see anyone write about eating natural peanut butter or cottage cheese or yogurt for their protein. How come? How about soft boiled eggs?

 

2. Is everyone that has Gastric Bypass bothered by bloating and gas afterwards?

 

3. Are most people very tired the second and third week after surgery? I plan on walking everyday from day 1. Is that realistic?

 

4. I take a XR prescription medication is that going to be ok?

 

5. Do I continue taking vitamins from day one like I am now?

Thank you for all the help!

 

Kathy

 

Well it's been a long time since I was a "newbie" but lets see what I remember... 1. I ate natural P.B. in the beginning...but traded up for a more solid protein (to stay more full) once I could. I will still eat p.b. every now and then for a treat with an apple or something. Cottage cheese was and still is a staple. I use it intead of salad dressing alot on salads. Eggs...I eat 2-3 EVERY day in any form. That is going to be up to what you prefer. 2. OMG...YES!!! you figure out what caues it and change your diet accordingly or live with it. EVERYONE is different on this I think. What causes it for me may not bother you one bit...go figure. Carbs are my nemesis...too much and I'm UNBEARABLE!!LOL 3.My surgeon had us up and walking from day one...be realistic and realize you may not go far at first but keep it up!!! You also have to do other forms of exercise i.e. weight training to really get the most bang for your exercise buck...cardio will only take you sooo far. GREAT ATTITUDE!!! 4. I have no dea what that even is...check with your surgeon 5. I took liquid vits from the day I got home and graduated quickly to regular pill form. Keep you blood work checked and adjust as needed...this is SUPER important!!!! Hope this helps...keep coming for support it really does help. I hope you have an "in-person" support system through your surgeon as well it really kept me on the straight and narrow. BIG HUGS and SKINNY WISHES!!! Deanna K

You are awsome! thank you so much Deanna. You look beautiful too! Big Hugs back to you and skinny dreams for now! Kathy

Kathy,  Glad you have a date.  Time will go by so fast for you and before you know it you will be on the losing side.   I too eat Peanut butter occ.   I eat cottage cheese probably 3 times a week as it is easy to carry to work, and Yogurt, Dannon light and fit carb control vanilla with a few almonds in it, is usually my night time snack.  It takes awhile after surgery to do the almonds though.  I put the yogurt in the freezer for about 1 to 1.5 hours then mix it up with the almonds and it is ALMOST like ice cream.  I do eggs occ. too and could do more often.  I cannot eat them scrambled however, even though that was my favorite before WLS. I do not have bloating and no more gas than prior to WLS. I was tired after surgery.  I went back to work after three weeks and only worked 1/2 days as I was so tired but then I was 57 years old which, if younger might not be so bad. Walking is great---if taking your dog with you just don't trip over him like I did.  No harm, just embarrassing as I could not get up by my self.  I will never forget that.  Now I can get up easily!!   Good luck.  I am scheduled for plastic surgery on the 8th of April and will see how tired that makes me.  I am planning on 4 to 6 weeks off this time but probably won't need that much.  Julia

1. I don’t ever see anyone write about eating natural peanut butter or cottage cheese or yogurt for their protein. How come? How about soft boiled eggs?  Do you read "Eatin Good in the Neighborhood" on the main board?  Many of us mention eating these things.  I eat cottage cheese nearly every day.  If I eat peanut butter, it is Adam's Natural.  I eat Nancy's plain non-fat yogurt and I often eat eggs.  Soft boiled are my favorite.

 

 

 

2. Is everyone that has Gastric Bypass bothered by bloating and gas afterwards?  It depends on what I eat.  Some things will cause gas.  Most things don't.  Refind carbs are a good way to get gassy.

 

 

 

3. Are most people very tired the second and third week after surgery? I plan on walking everyday from day 1. Is that realistic?  I was tired for probably four to five weeks after surgery, but I walked every single day anyway.  I still do.

 

 

 

4. I take a XR prescription medication is that going to be ok?  Don't know about this one, you'll have to ask your surgeon.

 

 

 

5. Do I continue taking vitamins from day one like I am now?  I continued the vitamins and added a few others.  Again, check with your surgeon. Linda

 

 

Yay!!! So excited for you! To answer some of your questions: 1. I use regular peanut butter once in a while. I just make sure there is no added sugar. I still love extra crunchy Jiff on apples though...bad I know but in moderation and not very often as a treat it's ok, for me. I don't particulary like eggs so I don't eat them so much. I LOVE yogurt and eat it everyday, just be careful of the sugar content. I like Danon light&fit zero plus in peach. Yogurt will have some natural sugars to it being a milk product and if there is fruit added. I just am careful. Sometimes I like Fage with sugarfree jam mixed in or a splenda packet and some fresh fruit. Love cottage cheese and ricotta, especially in the early stages. I still eat a lot of soft food as my pouch is pretty finicky, but that seems to get easier every day too. 2. oh yeah...ditto what everyone else said.  3. I was pretty tired for about 6 weeks and occasionally off and on now (6mo out) HOWEVER I still feel better on my worst day now than I did on my best day before this amazing surgery. I find I really have to make sleep a priority. 4. You will need to switch. An XR- or extended release medication will not be in your intestinal tract/stomach long enough to release extended doses. This may change later on, but at least the first year or so it's not likely you will hold on to it long enough to absorb. It also depends on "why" it is extended release. Some pills that are XR are that way because of how the stomach acid/enzymes break it down. You will now have less or none of those. Best bet, talk with your surgeon/NP. 5. Yep! I started a month before my surgery taking the vitamins as I would post-op and eating the way I would post-op. This was not MD required I just did it and I think it really made the transition easier. You are going to do so well hon!! YAY!!!!

1.  I've tried all except cottage cheese just because i don't like it.  I've read on here from others who have tried them all and have had no issues.  So it's safe to say you can probably still eat them post-op. 2.  For me, I had alot of bloating and gas the first week... as my body started to purge the gas from surgery, it definately got better.  If my meals are more protein than anything else, the gas is nominal.  However, if I eat anything that's high in carbs, the gas will come out both ends :)  I purchased some chewable cherry flavored gas-x... they have been my friend. 3.  I was super tired week 1, and now in week 2 I feel great... walking helps.  I think its very much up to the individual on how quickly they recover from the anesthesia and surgery itself. 4.  I never took any extended release meds, but odds are if they're pill form, your surgeon will prescribe you an alternative.   5.  Vitamins everyday.... for life...

Good luck on your surgery.