Ongoing food and pooh issues

Help!  I'm a two-time WLS failure.  I have a long history of food addiction and sometimes wonder if I'll ever find my bottom.  I had surgery 11/22/2010 at 264.  At the one-year point I had only lost 66 pounds.  Then I developed an anal fissure and quickly went down to 165.  It took about 3 months for the fissure to heal.  After it healed I started eating again.  I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to put the brakes on.  I went back up to 195. 

I have had diarrhea every day for about 7 months.  I have 1 or 2 good food days and lose a few pounds, then I have bad food days and gain them back. In addition to my weight gain and chronic diarrhea, I have low potassium, protein, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc.  I DO want to be healthy.  I DO want to reap the benefits of this surgery.  I had to pay a $15,000 co-pay.   I decided to go back to Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous it helps me if I am accountable to someone.

This is my food plan:

B: 1 oz. oats, 8 oz. greek yogurt, 1 piece of fruit

L: 4 oz. protein, 2 oz. grain, 6 oz. cooked vegetable, 1 piece of fruit

D: 4 oz. protein, 6 oz. cooked vegetable, 6 oz. salad, 2 T fat

I have been following this food plan for 4 days.  I am pleased to be out of the flour and sugar.  I went from diarrhea to constipation in 4 days!  I DO NOT WANT TO BE CONSTIPATED.  I AM TIRED OF MY ASS HURTING.  I was on percocet last year with my fissure and did not even get constipated. 

I do want FA to work for me.  I am so TIRED of losing and gaining weight.  I would rather weigh 195 for the rest of my life than lose weight only to regain it one more time.   I know I need more protein.  I think my sponsor will alter my food plan to accommodate my surgery.  I was going to ask if I could add 1 or 2 protein shakes per day.  What do you think?

What is my best bet for dealing with the constipation?  Should I take pills or is there a food I should request to add to the food plan? 

Thanks for reading this long email and thank you for your help!

dawn

I am only 5 months out.  This is not a plan for a DSr!  Protein first then everything else.  This is our Mantra (as boring as it is)!

 B. Take out the oats.  Add a breakfast meat like Bacon or Sausage or a Protein shake or a Protein Coffee.

L.  Take out the grain, take out 6oz of cooked vegi and take out the fruit.  Increase the protein to 6oz and then a couple of bites of a veggie.

D Increase the protein, salad is fine increase the fat on the salad

Where are your snacks?  You should have something every couple of hours.  Add the protein shakes, add some trail mix.  EAT!  Nut butters - Peanut or Almond.

I hope this helps! 

I'm sure the vets will pipe in with more suggestions than me... 

Hoping I commend you for recognizing you have an issue with food and seeking help. Now is the time to stop beating yourself up about your past behavior focus on today and making better eating choices and take it one step at a time. If you stumble or have a bad day don't beat yourself up about it just recognize that tommorow is a new day and a day to make better food choices. Continue seeking therapy for your food addictions and don't worry about what the scale says. As you make better food choices your body will show it with weight loss. Good luck to you.

Thank you for your compassion and empathy.  I tend to have empathy for others, but not myself.

dawn

Hi Dawn

Some one already told you that you need to eat high protein, If you need to stick something on your Fridge with the words

"PROTEIN FIRST ALWAYS"

but your supplements are just as important as your protein. You need to take daily at least

2,000mg Calcium Citrate,

1000 Magnesium Citrate

25,000 IU Vitamin A dry, Palmitate, 

50,000 IU Vitamin D3 dry, 

If you are low on potassium you need a Rx from the doctor for potassium, you can"t buy any high enough OTC

Zinc and Copper

Your protein should come up if you drink protein drink/shakes daily and eat plenty of protein every day. 

B-50 or B-100 complex.

5000 Vitamin B12 (sublingual works great).

All supplements are so important, you really can't slack on that, your health goes down the toilet with out them.

If you google Vitalady you can get some real help and advise from her. Many of us get our vitamins there because at the local Pharmacy they don't normally carry any of the supplement we need. Your intestine is not normal anymore, you need to supplement accordingly.

Good Luck

Hi Dawn!  I don't know where you got your food advice/diet but that's not for you.  You don't need to eat this way and as a DSer, you will be in trouble long term following this diet.  Forget low fat.  You need full fat everything.  Fat is like free food.  You don't absorb it.  You are constipated because you are not eating enough fat.

We need to avoid sugar.  Sugar of all kinds including grains and fruit.  It's bread, pasta, rice, and sweets that are bad for us.

Here's a sample DS diet for a day.

B three eggs with cheese, cooked with butter.  6 strips of bacon

S greek yogurt, full fat, low sugar.

L tuna salad, nuts, cheese 

S cheese and sausage cubes

D rib eye steak and three bites of green beans

S SF pudding, more yogurt, or cheese.  Nuts are always good too.

I'm glad you are seeking help for your food addiction.  The DS is probably the best surgery for you because we can eat and there is always something to eat that's good for you.  You just need to always eat protein foods.  I guarantee you a week or so on my diet above will end your bathroom issues, give you spectacular weight loss, and you will start feeling better.

The problem with this constipation is that you're not getting enough fat in your diet....or protein if you're going by the scale.  Fat will help things move through your digestive system, and you need to realize that you are malabsorbing 80% of the fat you consume.  Add butter, add sauces, add gravy to your meats.  This will go against anything they teach you at any diet plan, but its what your body needs.  

When you look at your plate, eat all of your protein items first > then the veggies > then save a bite or two for whatever you want, be it rice, pasta, bread, or even chocolate cake....but its only the last couple of bites before you're full so you don't get into any trouble.  Add more protein snacks to your day, too, for I don't see your day adding up to 100g of protein there, which is your daily minimum.  Don't sweat the calories, for high protein makes high calories.

another food that is high in protein is crab legs and you can load them up with butter.  Yummm.   Nuts like pumpkin seeds are very high in protein too.  keep watch of the bites, vites and exercites posts on here and you will learn lots.  Barb

As a former FA and OA weigh and measure person I think that the no flour, no sugar and a committed food plan are great ideas that can work within both the 12 steps and being a DSer.  Planning your food and committing it to a sponsor and then being accountable for it are excellent ideas for a food addict.  They should understand your surgery requirements and allow you to vary from the normal eating plan to accommodate lots of protein.  It's also knowing what your trigger foods are and staying away from them completely.  Rarely are they protein but more likely carb related.  Is that true for you?  I know it is for me.  In fact reading your post hits a spot in my heart that I know I probably need to follow a similar path.  You will definitely want to address your deficiencies as these can make you feel crappy which leads to less willpower to follow a diet.  I hope you find peace and happiness. 

Cheers,

Cathy

I think you're spot on.  I need the structure of the FA program, but with a DS food plan.  Do you know anyone in FA who has had a DS?  There are a lot of folks who have had gastric bypass, but I haven't come across any DS'ers.

dawn