What's on your (PHOTO) Friday Menu, RNYers?

Happy to see you post cheapskate. I was just getting ready to hop in too. Steroids are fine but NSAIDS in any form are a no go.

I don't know why, but NSAIDs like Naproxin, etc., even in prescription strength, don't seem to work for me. I hopefully tried them after sustaining a neck injury in a car accident, but experienced no pain relief or reduced soreness at all. My brother is the same way. Odd, huh?

I had a topical lotion with NSAID in it that I had to stop taking due to the RNY surgery. It was for my arthritis and shoulder surgery.

My surgeon to me no to the patches as well. I was hoping to be able to use it for my knees but it was no go. :(

If it is just for the pain relief, and not for the anti-inflammatory properties, the OTC Salonpas Lidocaine patches are working nicely.

I'm really glad it's helping the pain. I wonder if it would help if I get a gout attack?

215? Yikes! I hope it's a problem with your Apple watch and not your heart! Please keep us posted!!

a box from Vitamin Shoppe arrived yesterday. It's so exciting to get home from work and see a box from Vitamin Shoppe sitting on my front stoop. Post-WLS life! Anyway, I'd ordered (among other things) a container of Quest Coconut Oil Powder. I spotted it on their Web site and was intrigued. You can use it in place of oil in baking, or add a scoop to shakes to make them creamier. Some reviewers said they used it as a creamer in their coffee. Intrigued, I had to try it. I put a scoop in my protein shake this morning (haven't tasted it yet), Figured it might keep me full longer, too - and may allow me to cut down a bit on Miralax. We'll see!

23 months out (maintenance):

B: homemade Greek yogurt, flaxseed, strawberries

S: coffee with half & half, matcha tea/blueberry/vanilla protein shake

L: cottage cheese

D: leftover Thai food (green papaya salad and chicken breast w/ peanut sauce. No rice)

maybe another yogurt later if I can afford the calories

exercise: yoga

Actually I had seen that on the Vitamin Shoppe website and forgot to look for it in the store. That is why this week I started adding the MCT oil (which is a liquid form of coconut oil) to my coffee instead of miralax...to see if I could get off the Miralax. So far mixed results, but adjusting dose and sticking with it as I would much rather do that than all this Miralax.

I don't taste the MCT oil at all. I do mix it in my hot milk with a stick blender...makes it frothy like a cappuccino. I didn't want to do straight coconut oil, because I don't like the taste. I will be interested to see how it goes for you... as powder would be more convenient for travel. Also might be more cost effective, the MCT oil is expensive. I was thinking I could try avocado oil as well...I buy the big bottle at Costco and it is definitely cheaper. That also has a neutral taste but has a thicker viscosity, so not sure if it would be palatable.

I use fractionated coconut oil all the time in making herbal oils, fragrances, etc., in fact I just ordered another gallon today. I never thought of putting it in my food, though!

P.S., My bossy tablet had corrected "fractionated coconut oil" to "affectionate coconut oil". Ha!

Someone on OH recommended coconut oil as a coffee creamer to me once when I was just out from surgery and feeling very wary about lactose. I wanted to puke after trying it once! It was sooo nasty. Curious if the powder is any better!