Syomaphyx Post Op #1

Ok...I had my first post op appointment yesterday with Dr. Shikora.  I think I lost about 6-7 lbs (not sure because I was weighing in EVERYWHERE and I'm not sure what I was the morning of the procedure.  I am to stay on Stage 3 food (creamed soups, protein shakes, cottage cheese, soft boiled egg) for another week then I can go to stage 4.  I told him I had no pain and no nausea.  I even think I can tell when it's time to stop eating (even soup) so as to not eat too much.  I am dealing with a lot of head hunger, but trying to slow down and actually analyze if it is true hunger or maybe an emotional thing.  I'm also on some level missing chewing!!!  I have to try to remember to eat mindfully even if I'm having soup...I just ate a cup of clam chowder and realized I may be full by starting another cup of broth.  I put down the broth and put the cover on and will try to be much more mindful.  I'll probably have a boiled egg later or cottage cheese and then 2 fudgsicles (sugar free) later on.  All in all, he said I essentially have my gastric bypass back and  I think I believe him!!  I'm actually feeling full after a small amount of food.  I will get back to the gym again on Monday and begin my journey again in earnest. For anyone who is truly ready to get their gastric bypass back then so far this is the right procedure in my opinion.  I'm not addressing the cost, only the result and I know I'm only a week out, but so far I think it was the best thing for me.  I'll keep posting.  Next visit is on March 20th. Shalom

YOU'VE INSPIRED ME TO GET MY PRE-OP RESECHEDULED AND TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS PROCEEDURE. I THINK WE ALL HAVE THIS FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN BUT YOU HAVE TRULY BEEN A PIONEER FOR US ALL AND AN INSPIRATION  I MIGHT ADD. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MY GB POUCH BACK AND  TO LOSE 6-7 POUNDS IN ONE WEEK WOULD BE WONDERFUL. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. SHARON

You know what Sharon? Some people will always be sceptics and some people will always be positive.  This is the right procedure for the person who isn't looking for something to do the job for them.  This, like any other weight loss event is merely a help or tool as I've read to help you manage and do the job yourself.  I think I looked at my gastric bypass (back in 1982) as a cure...and when I got to 200lbs and looked good I figured I was cured and good to go.  When the weight stated to creep back on I really didn't have the understanding of all the dynamics that could have helped me keep it off.  I've lived all of my adult life morbidly obese and never even gave any possible revision another thought.  Well, I am now ready to take responsibility for my own actions and take any help I can get from Stomaphyx and work with it.  I am motivated to work with it!!! I wish you the best and will continue to post...and will look forward to your posts as well. Sue

Sue - You really are an inspiration to all of us who are willing to fight to get back on track with whatever means are at our disposal.  The key word you used is "motivated".  I think if we are motivated to change the course of our post-op life, we will focus on whatever changes we need to make to achieve a positive result from our procedure (whether StomaphyX, RESTORe or Rose).  I personally look forward to your posts.  I can't wait until I am post-op from my RESTORe procedure (2/28) and I can begin posting of my successes along with you and others. Keep posting... Betsy

Thanks Betsy!!  I am continually fighting in my head!!  I watch the food channel and want everything I see (probably should watch something else!).  My head still looks at the savory morsels and thinks I can eat it.  I just heated up some left over mashed potato for my husband and I took about 6 bites of it and then pushed it away and handed it to him.  That behavior has to stop as it is the exact behavior that got me into trouble.  That is grazing and it cannot continue!!  Not to mention the fact that I'm not allowed to eat mashed potato yet!  Of course this  Stomaphyx I think is supposed to be ideal for people who only have 50lbs or so to lose, but I will be the exception...I am sure about that!! Another problem is that because I feel physically good and literally do not feel as though I had anything done, (you KNOW when you've had surgery) I sometimes forget (if that makes any sense at all) and am only reminded when I stop and think about it or when I feel a little restriction.  I am continually having to work on this...keep me in your prayers! Sue

Sue, I DID have major surgery and still have head hunger issues soooooooo.......you are battling the very normal "back on track" deamon that we all face!  You CAN do it!  So can I!  ...>But, don't beat yourself up over 6 tastes of mashed potatoes.  They are a soft food and probably o.k......I'm sure there are oodles of other things that would have been a better choice but .....do you think you would have had that going on if you didn't have mashed potatoes in front of you?  I mean, do you think your hubby cn warm up his own mashed potatoes while you're on this strict eating plan?   I know we want our families to enjoy their normal food plans but I don't think we necessarily have to participate in it!  ....  I told my college son who still lives with us that he is welcome to a protein drink whenever I"m making one or that he can have grilled fish with me whenever I'm cooking some but if he wants brownies, pasta, etc. then he's on his own. Keep at it!  90% perfect is a positive recipe for success!

Thanks Joyce,    So you think this is 'normal'?  I'm glad to know that because I don't ever want to get complacent and I think I have at times.  To have to be constantly on my A game and aware of everything that goes in my mouth, to have to analyze each time I want to eat whether I'm hungry or not etc. etc. is frankly EXHAUSTING!  But it seems that this is what it is.  I have a real problem at night.  Watch TV and constantly run out for a bite of something...ate about 3 oz cheese last night.  How do I stop this??   On some level I just need to close my mind to this option.  After my snack I just need to say 'no' to anything else.  How do you deal with this? Sue

"After my snack I just need to say 'no' to anything else.  How do you deal with this?" Hi Sue! I have found that from the beginning of time ....or at least 5 plus years ago (pre-WLS#1), I have done my very very best when I have planned ahead.  That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to write out ahead of time, each and every morsel or gulp that enters my mouth and then check it off with a perfect calorie/protein and carb count at the end of the day (though my over-the-top personality has done that at times!)......It basically means that on grocery days, I hunt for healthy protein options and low glycemic fresh fruit and veggies.  I'm stocked up during the week so that I can pack healthy for work, nibble healthy in the car, and return home knowing that healthy options are waiting!   I have a crazy busy life and so I have kind of simplified things as of late.  I plan to have fish on Tues, Friday and sometimes Saturday as well.  I plan on grilled chicken on Monday and on Wednesday I have an omellte of some type.  Thursdays are mexcian night and that usually means a yummy salad or a low-carb quesadilla done very crsipy or something along those lines.  I just have the pattern in my brain now and if I don't have the stuff at home then I don't have any issues with ordering from a restaurant and picking dinner up on the way home.  My hubby doesn't tolerate chicken since his WLS so we don't always have the same meals.  It's not a biggy for us.  We're more about eating to satisfy our individual needs and eating together than eating the "same". Analyzing each bite is indeed a pain but I think it's something we signed up for at some point when we realized we had a disease called morbid obesity!  Heart patients, diabetic patients and cancer patient's have to watch their nutrition as well.  I think we sell ourselves short when we think the weight loss surgery is going to cure everything and make us "normal"!  It definitely makes us healthy but I've always thought of myself as being in "remission" and the flare up is just waiting to tackle my body! Darn food Deamon anyway!  We can slay him!!!!  (course food Deamons are male, right?)

Thanks so much for that Joyce!!  I think I am going through a sort of rebellion...I want the results AND the food.  I am re-committing myself which is something I may need to do on an hourly basis.  I really have done well today...protein shake for morning, went to Bed Bath and Beyond after Church to buy a new blender and my husband says, "Boy, what are we going to do for lunch?  I'll feel kind of guilty eating in front of you!"  So I said, "Yeah, you should!!!  We can go home and have lunch."  He says, "Well what do we have at home?"  Well, I explained about ALL the food we had at home and in the end we went to Panera and I had Black Bean Soup!!  My husband is a wonderful and supportive, caring person, but it was kind of funny that this time I was the strong one when it came to food!I find that I do better during the week at work, and have a harder time on the weekends since that was always REWARD time and of course the reward was always food.  I will go on to the gym in the morning if there is no ice or snow tonight. Thanks so much! Sue