Hi all.  I am only one appointment away from being cleared for RNY, but I am getting cold feet.  I don't know if I can do it.  The dietitian is telling me that I can basically NEVER, EVER, EVER again eat salad, pasta, or oranges.  Not to mention that I can't even have a BITE of my children's birthday cakes.  SERIOUSLY?!?!?!  Is this really true?  I can never eat it again?  I know there are some who just have problems with certain foods and therefore aren't able to eat them, but that's different than being cut off from them.  I know the diet is very similar for the Lap Band, but I am now reconsidering my choice.  At least the band is reversible should I so desire or need to.  UGH.  I'm so conflicted.  Someone please help me figure this out.

Not true.  About 30% of the folks that have the surgery have something called "dumping", generally from high carb or fat content.  Your dietician is an idiot.  Find someone that knows Bariatric Surgery.  Obviously yours does not.

We are limited in what we eat only by how well we want to succeed.  A bite of cake will not harm you, but if you cannot control your eating (which is why most of us are here) you will fail.

Good Luck and find a new dietician.
Steve

 I don't think the nutritionist is being completely honest with you. As far as "can't" eat those things, maybe she meant shouldn't eat them. As far as cake, the sugar could cause dumping which is extremely unpleasant. You have to remember that this is a lifestyle change. I am 3 mo. out and have had no problems. I would choose this surgery again in a heartbeat. Good luck with whatever you decide

I am over a month out and I have eaten salad, and I have eaten whole wheat pasta. I have not tried an orange. And from what I have read alot of people are able to nibble on sweets from time to time. But all that in consideration, you can do it. Even if you could never have those things again, your life is worth it! I am highly addicted to cokes and I am being so serious. Withdrawls and everything. I went 6 months with no coke and thought I was fine until I had my surgery and then I cried for two days because I could not have it...but my life and well being is worth so muchh more than a coke. You can do it girl!

For me, there isn't much food I can't eat.  I choose not to eat a few things because they make me ill....like banana pudding and real ice cream....the thought of putting them in my mouth grosses me out now because they made me sick at some point.

The first year you should concentrate on following your eating plan to the letter, and make exercise a part of your life.  This will establish good habits during the losing phase.  The REAL work begins in maintenance.

I am in maintenance and have been for 18 months.  I live by the 80/20 rule-80% of the time I make good food choices and the rest, not so much (I have at least 2 cookies every single day).  I am one of those people that can eat anything.....I do not dump.  I still to this day follow the rules of my surgery:  I do not drink with meals or for at least 30 mins after, I exercise 5-6 days a week, I do not drink soda and I take my supplements daily.  I log my food each day and weigh once a week.

Bottom line:  who knows?  You may not be able to tolerate all the things you can now after surgery.  Have you researched all 4 major surgeries to ensure you picked the correct one for you?  If not, I'd postpone until you know you have selected the correct one for your situation.  Research DS, RNY, Lap Band and VSG.  Once you pick the surgery, then pick the surgeon that is the best at that surgery.

Wishing you great success!

Kim

 This falls into the category of "Your 'dietician' is lying to you to scare you into her idea of compliance"

Yes you can eat salad again.  My nutriitionist ENCOURAGED me to.  

Pasta will be  uncomfortable to eat and not worth the pouch real estate early out.  I sometimes eat it now if I want to, but not often.  But I CHOOSE it.

Oranges -- I don't like them anyway so I can't say for sure, but I think maybe the membranes of the orange may be difficult to chew well enough.  Again, your CHOICE.

Birthday cake -- I don't dump.  I occasionally get reactive hypoglecema if I overdo carbs, and frosting is one thing that triggers that.  But I can handle cake without frosting.  Your experience may vary.

If you dump and that is a big IF then it is possible that you could not be able to eat some of your child's birthday cake.  But even as someone who dumps, I can have a bit of cake.  Couple of bites. 

As far as salad you won't be eating it at first but it's mostly because you have to really focus on your protein and you just don't have room for salad.  And it can take some time before you can eat some of the raw veggies you might find in salad.  I eat some now.  Have to watch what you put it and on it since that is a source of a lot of hidden calories and sugar but you can still eat it.  

I don't eat pasta myself because it doesn't sit well in the pouch and the carbs. I have issues with carbs.  Others seem to be able to. 

Never heard anything about the orange.  Maybe because of the sugar and the white stuff you peel off being difficult for your pouch to break down.  I don't know.  I have eaten a few oranges.  I really have to watch bananas more because of the high sugar content.  Can't eat more than half of one of those.  

All that being said it was post surgery that I discovered what a carb addict I am.  So although I can have a bit of cake I won't unless it is a really really delicious cake  and deemed pouch worthy or a super special occasion.  Otherwise I can suffer a relapse and be shoveling in the carbs before I know what is happening.   

It's a balance.  A delicate balance at times but a balance. 

After you have the surgery and begin to eat more normally, 3-4 bites will fill you up.  When I look at the portion sizes in restaurants and the fat content of the food our society deems acceptable, it makes me sick.  I don't ever want to go back to eating that way again.  Surgery will change your view of food from 'that tastes good" to "this is the best fuel for my body".  You will be a healthier, happier person and you will find comfort in something other than food.

 i have never been told i can't have anything...its in my best interests not to eat a lot of cake, cookies, candy.  The sugar in these may make me dump.  But no one said i can't have it.  No one said i can't eat what i want.  But if you have problems with cake...you might want to eat a small piece at your childs party and send the rest home with grandma...if its cookies and candy, you might not want to buy this stuff.  If you feel guilty for your child for not having sweets in the house, buy a cookie at the store for them.  And your child not having cookies or dorito's or candy is not going to hurt your child.  
I really am only about 11 weeks out.  I can eat almost anything.  I have not eaten a lot of lettuce salad but have eaten it.  I get the OK from my NUT this coming up appt. where i am cleared to eat anything i want.  I have  to choose what i want to put in my mouth and for the little amount i eat i don't want it to be crap.  I want it to be protein and vegies.  I WILL eat white foods (rice, pasta, potatoes, white flour) but my goal is to keep these at a bare minimum as they are high in carbs and make you crave more and instead eat whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pasta and wheat flour).  I do eat potatoes but only about one every couple weeks.  LOVE THEM.  I chose not to put soda into my mouth because i am trying to change my eating habits for life and this is not something i need.  
I started out wanting the band and if you want to have it so be it but i am glad i didn't get it.  I see to many problems with it and some insurances are not even covering it anymore because of the problems.  Also, I had to much to lose and they say you lose about 1/2 of however overweight you are.  I have to lose about 140 lbs...this would mean that i would have to work extra hard to lose (i am tired of trying so hard) and may only lose about 70 lbs.  Could lose more of course depending on my age ( i am over 40 now almost 50) and how much weight i needed to lose..etc...
But ultimately we all get cold feet and scared before surgery.  I am sooooo glad i did the RNY even tho i swear on my mothers grave i was going to bolt when i was in presurgery getting prepped i was soooo scared.  I can't guarantee you won't have problems...you might.  But you might with the band too.  About 30% of people dump.  I was willing to take the chance because my way of life wasn't going well.  And i was up against a wall and needed the help.  
Good luck and keep us updated on your progress... 

I eat salad often.  I didn't for the first few weeks.  I have had mandrin oranges but not regular.  Since I can eat apples with the skin on now I suppose I could eat oranges too.  I have had some pasta.  It sits okay in my pouch but not great so I don't eat much of it at a time.  You can have a bite of cake.  It is not something you should have a lot of or eat it frequently.  You will figure out what sits okay and what doesn't after surgery.  It is surprising how quickly you lose the taste for things that don't sit well once eatten.