I'm like a sponge....

Hey everyone, I had RNY Surgery Wednesday, 12/6/06. I'm home from the hospital and recovering well. I first weighted in at 227.5 and today Sun, 12/16 I weigh 207.4. I already feel better. I guess I'm struggling with what exactly is proteins? Having a senior moment as to what to eat. I think the worst part of all this was getting my meds down. Man opening a capsule and swallowing the powder is aweful. I could use some really good ideas in that area too. I'm crushing pills and man some are so bitter. Surely someone out there has come up with a tastety way to take meds. HELP>>>HELP>>>HELP. I'm like a sponge so any help or ideas I can get is greatly appreciated. gosh , is there a book to read on all this?...Thanks, Kay

HI KAY AND WELCOME TO THE BOARD. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SURGERY AND GETTING ONTO THE LOSING SIDE. AS FAR AS THE PROTEINS GO: I SEE YOU'RE JUST TWO WEEKS OUT AND STILL AT THE PUREED STAGE, AM I RIGHT? MY SURGEON, DR. BYRNE AT MUSC AND HIS NUTRITIONAL STAFF SAY "IF YOU CAN EAT IT YOU CAN PUREE IT". WHAT EVER MY FAMILY WAS HAVING FOR DINNER I'D PUT IT IN MY MAGIC BULLET OR BLENDER AND ENJOY. SOME THINGS WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS. PROTEIN IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR NEW WAY OF LIFE. I PERSONALLY CAN NOT TOLERATE ANY PROTEIN SHAKES OR POWDERED PROTEIN ADDED TO MY FOOD, I DUMP, GO FIQURE. SO I TRY TO GET ALL MY PROTEIN IN W/ FOOD. FOR BREAKFAST I'LL HAVE AN EGG W/ A PIECE OF LOW FAT CHEESE AND A PIECE OF TURKEY BACON OR AND 8 OUNCE GLASS OF MILK W/ THE NO SUGAR ADDED CARNATION INSTANT BREAKFAST. FOR LUNCH I'LL HAVE ABOUT 3 PIECES OF DELI MEAT ROLLED ON TOP OF SOME LOW FAT CHEESE, LOW FAT CHICKEN SALAD, A 2-3 OUNCE GRILLED SKINLEES CHICKEN. (GOOD THING I LOVE CHICKEN) A COUPLE OF BOILED SHRIMP W/ COCTAIL SAUCE, EGG SALAD FOR DINNER I'LL HAVE A BROILED PORK CHOP, MORE CHICKEN, LASAGNA(EAT THE CHEESE AND MEAT AND LEAVE THE NOODLE) A PIECE OF STEAK. FISH IS A GREAT SOURCE OF PROTEIN, UNFORTUNATELY I ONLY EAT SHRIMP AND TUNAFISH (AND NOT MUCH OF THAT) DO A WEB SEARCH FOR "PROTEIN SOURCES" AND IT WILL BRING YOU TO LOTS OF SITES. I HOPE THIS HELPS AND I HAVEN'T CONFUSED YOU. BEST OF LUCK W/ YOUR NEW ADVENTURE AND START TO A NEW LIFE DONNA, SFY (southern fried yankee)

1st OFF, GO TO MY PROFILE & READ, READ, READ ... I PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO PUTTING IN USABLE INFORMATION. I'VE TITLED MOST EVERYTHING SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT SUBJECTS. BEING SO SOON AFTER SURGERY, YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR YOUR PROTEIN PRODUCTS IN PACKAGED PRODUCTS THAT YOU CAN GET FROM PLACES LIKE THE VITAMIN SHOPPE OR BARIATRICEATING.COM AMONG OTHERS. THE EASIEST ON THE POUCH RIGHT NOW ARE THE PROTEIN POWDERS THAT YOU ADD TO MILK (HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN MILK BEVERAGE DRINK FROM WAL*MART HAS WHITE, FAT FREE & CHOCOLATE), PROTEIN PUDDING & PROTEIN JELLO AS WELL AS PRE-MADE DRINKS LIKE PROTICA PROFECT WHICH HAS 25 GRAMS OF PROTEIN IN ONLY 3 OUNCES OF FLUID ... LOOK AT MY "FOOD" POST ON MY PROFILE & AT THE BOTTOM OF MY PROFILE FOR A WEB SITE. IN THE BEGINNING, I LIVED ON PROTICA PROFECT, STALLONE PROTEIN PUDDING & CREAM OF SHRIMP SOUP WITH BABY SHRIMP ADDED TO THAT. AS FOR FOOD PROTEIN, THERE ARE PLANT PROTEINS LIKE SOY & WHEY ... THEN ANIMAL PROTEINS LIKE BEEF, PORK, POULTRY, LAMB, & SEAFOOD (which seems to be easiest for most to digest after a few weeks) ALSO, YOU CAN USE EGGS, CHEESE, PEANUT BUTTER (very good for us & Diabetics) & OTHER NUTS. AGAIN, CHECK MY PROFILE REGARDING MEDICINES & PRESCRIPTIONS, BUT WE ARE NOT TO USE CAPSULES ... IF YOUR MEDS ARE CAPSULES, THEN ASK YOUR DOC TO CHANGE IT TO A TABLET FORM. ALSO, NOOOOOOOO TIME-RELEASED MEDS EVER ... WE HAVE MALABSORPTION ISSUES SO YOU WON'T ABSORB A TIME-RELEASED MED PROPERLY. IF YOU HAVE A LARGE PILL, DON'T CRU****: USE A PILL SPLITTER THAT YOU CAN GET IN ANY PHARMACY FOR A COUPLE BUCKS & SPLIT THE PILL INTO PIECES NO BIGGER THAN AN M&M, THEN SWALLOW EACH PIECE INDIVIDUALLY. IF IT SAYS "DO NOT SPLIT" THEN IT IS PROBABLY A TIME-RELEASED MED & YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR THAT YOU NO LONGER CAN TAKE THEM. REMEMBER, NOOOOOOOO APRIRIN PRODUCTS & NOOOOOO NSAIDs. YOU NEED TO HAVE A LIST OF THESE NO-NOs AT EACH OF YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICES & AT YOUR PHARMACY. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES MY PHARMACIST HAS CAUGHT A BOO-BOO & CALLED MY DOC TO GET MY MEDS CORRECTED. WE ARE NOW A DIFFERENT BREED OF HUMAN & WE NEED TO BE PRO-ACTIVE IN EDUCATING OTHERS ABOUT OUR BODY'S SPECIAL NEEDS & QUIRKS. ALSO, GET ON OPTISOURCE CHEWABLE VITAMINS FROM WALGREENS NOW ... THEY ARE SPECIALLY FORMULATED JUST FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS & GET ON SUBLINGUAL (melts under the tongue) B-12 IN HIGH DOSES DAILY. I WISH I HAD STARTED MY OPTISOURCE IN THE BEGINNING BUT I WAS ADVISED TO USE FLINTSTONES & THEY ARE JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH. GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICK