4 week post-op appointment

It was a busy week for me... back to work and my 4 week post-op appointment with the nurse and dietitian. 

Work was fine, I did get a little tired but it is a long shift and I kinda got used to going to bed before midnight... I don't get home now until 2am. Back for one week and now I am off until Jan 2/14, it was great t see all my co-workers and wish them a Merry Christmas.

So Tuesday was my post-op appointment (I don't see my surgeon until mid Jan... she is a busy lady).  The nurse was happy with my progress, down 15lbs from surgery, wounds look great, blood pressure perfect and I hydrated to her satisfactory.  She said that only the surgeon and clear me for exercise and I am not allowed to do anything that makes me sweat... walk, walk, walk and more walk.

The dietitian gave me the ok to start taking my vitamins... one prenatal vitamin, she said my B12 is good but my D levels are the worst she has ever seen.  She is only allowed to recommend 2000iu and asked me to make an appointment with my GP to go over my D level (according to her chart I should be taking 6000 - 8000iu).  She also told me to ask my GP about calcium.  Then we went over my food journal, here's where the lecture comes in...

She saw a protein shake... this was a no no... we get our protein from food.

No sugar added apple sauce as a snack alone... no no Michelle... we must have protein with our fruit and at every snack and meal.

My Mexican bean with chicken and cheese soup... she asked how I was able to eat this (full liquid diet).. I told her I blended it up... no no Michelle, I never told you to puree your food.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! 

Thank goodness I am on soft foods now.  We went over the recommended diet and menu and she wants me to get in more protein get it up to 60g a day (I was getting in about 35-40g).  Time to do my homework.

So far I have been tolerating most food except cream of wheat making me feel ill, 2 bites of chilly was horrible pain and corn... I actually threw up a little which I had not done up until this point.  Chicken and fish are hard to eat but I am keeping it down... ham has been going down good, but red meat is a no no .

I feel like the weight is not coming off quick enough but atleast I am not gaining.

Michelle

 

What is the big problem with protein shakes? I understand that it's not good to live off them, but a shake now and then can't be that bad... can it? Does anyone know the reasoning behind this?

I had my surgery in Guelph too and no shakes. They said they want us to get our protein and nutrition through meals only and it is also a way of eating a proper balanced diet. I also found out when I had my one month f/u with my surgeon that, the reason they want us to eat food from their plan and not shakes, it also decreases the risk of gallstones. Don't know how well it works but, that's what I was told.

I wonder why Guelph seems to be so different from other clinics. No protein shakes or bars, no crushing pills, waiting month post op before starting vitamins, and clear liquids for the first week post op.

Don't know. Seems so different from every where else. So far I have tolerated all the foods I've tried and I have no problems bar the first few hiccups I've had. Maybe by us eating as normally as possible without the shakes, be it very small portions, make us seem to be still "normal" and not feel like we're being deprived. As for the clear liquids for a week, I think that's a good idea so it helps us heal. Personally, I don't think I would have been able to tolerate anything else other than clear liquids. The first few day were awful.

I got a throat and ear infection the first week... I could barely swallow my own spit.. so it was not a hard ship and I was not interested in food at all.