What's on your Saturday menu, RNYers?

Morning all! Hope that you have a wonderful weekend planned (or nothing at all planned if you need the rest!).

I'm up early again because we are headed to the lab for a fasting blood draw this morning. DW is having a large panel to see where her levels are since July. I'm finally having my bloodwork done from my physical, including my iron, A1C, etc. Certainly overdue but I'm glad that I'm doing it for my health.

There certainly will be studying in the day and maybe some errands. Not sure if the rain will hold off enough to do anything outside or not.

QOTD: Do you have regular or occasional problems with having bowel movements? Do you take anything daily or as needed? When I was eating almost all dense protein, I had regular (or irregular) problems but once I've been eating more veg and some fruit, I've had enough fiber to seldom have problems. Over the last few weeks, I've started to have more problems again and I'm not sure why. I take a stool softener several times a week and Dulcolax when nothing is happening. I'd like to hear what works for you.

Menu:

Fasting at the moment but I hope to pick up some eggies from SB afterward. Unfortunately, not much of a plan today other than lots of protein and staying away from the sugary treats!

Mornin' Weekenders!

We have some kind of appraiser coming this morning (we switched home insurance policies recently, so the new place is sending an appraiser. I don't think this is some full-blown thing like when you buy a house, but then again, I'm not sure). I was going to clean the house yesterday but didn't get very far. Although it's not horrible - just some clutter in the kitchen and master bedroom. I'm sure he's seen worse.... After that, we're leaving for Chicago. I have a follow-up appt with the plastic surgeon on Monday morning, so we're making a weekend out of it. We usually stay in one of the close-in suburbs, but we found pretty good price on a hotel downtown - with free parking!!! So this will be fun!

Accountability has been great the last couple of days, but my weight is up this morning. Might have been those Asian meat balls I had for lunch yesterday at the low carb restaurant (soy sauce...). I'll have to watch it this weekend since we'll be eating out a lot.

QOTD: I've always had trouble with constipation - even before WLS. It's just made it worse. I take a capful of Miralax every day, plus magnesium supplements. That'll usually do the trick, but I do still back up occasionally. When I do, a night or two of milk of magnesia usually takes care of it, but there was a time a couple of months ago (it might have been after plastic surgery when I was taking opioids) that even that didn't work, so I picked up a bottle of magnesium citrate at Walgreens - ta da! Worked. (I can't do enemas - they are WAY too irritating for me). Not something you'd want to do regularly (i.e, drinking a bottle of magnesium citrate), but I'm glad to know it's available if ever needed again!!

Spitting more sutures the last couple of days. My body REALLY hates these things! I read these clear plastic-y internal ones can take 4-6 months to dissolve, so this might not be the last of it. I'm glad I'm seeing the PS on Monday - I'll ask him about it (the black surface sutures he had in my arms look like they're already dissolved).

3 years 11 months out:

B: homemade coconut Greek yogurt with 1/3 mango, coffee with half & half

MS: protein shake

L: if we're still here by then, then probably cottage cheese (I have a lot of it!!)

AS: ??

D: ??

hope to do a lot of walking around this weekend - I need it!!

Hope all goes well with the PS. Have fun in Chicago!

Also the mag is liquid of a tablet? I really need a good clear out.

the high-powered magnesium citrate is a liquid - in a bottle. It's sometimes used as a colonoscopy prep (although in that case, you'd be drinking more than one bottle of it, of course). One bottle should do you, though. Did for me....(even half a bottle might do the trick for you). It comes in different flavors. I got the cherry. It wasn't too bad.

You can also take it as a capsule or Stanley and drink a lot if water with it.

QOTD - I have a cup or 2 of regular coffee each morning before I switch to decaf and it helps. Every now and then I will use a cap of miralax or generic equal. It mixes well in just about anything and in as little as 4 oz. of fluid. If I know I need a good clean out I have to suck it up and get one of those bottles of mag citrate at the super store or pharmacy. It is cheap enough that I bought a few extra bottles for my emergency pantry because wouldn't it be horrible to be constipated on top of any sort of emergency? =D Times of trouble tend to impact (pun intended for some of us), the bowels in one way or the other. It never helps to try a variety of things. You can use a small step stool to multi purpose as a make shift "squatty potty" too and as always, drinking all of your water/fluids and eating some fiber help. Some people have an easier time of it than others. I know life isn't fair that way. Poop is a huge issue for bariatrics. The nurses at my program are always asking how our poop is if we call with any sort of an issue plan to talk about poop. Even if you think you are going enough you might be surprised what is in there

Thanks for the thoughts. When I was on a very limited diet with dense protein only, I had real and regular problems. But now, some coffee or other hot liquid, the occasional softener, etc. usually does the trick. Thankfully I'm not completely "blocked" but not flushing well . Even lots of water isn't helping this time.

I picked up some mag at CVS and when I get home this evening, I'll give that a try.

I hope things go well with the mag citrate. It tasted sort of um...fizzy, to me? I had to take very tiny sips and it took me a while to drink. I know that the directions are on the bottle. You might find less than the bottle effective. It is very much personal and learning what works and what doesn't as a moving target as you know... ugh. It really never gets easier does it?

Good morning, everybody. Typical Saturday in that I was up early, but I'm posting late. Drank my coffee, read my paper, went to the gym and did my 67 Burpees.

Also typical that I could hear my sons playing Friday night video games on their computers as I was waking up on Saturday morning. I'm sure they will be sleeping the rest of the day. They worked hard in school this week though, so they deserve to blow off some steam.

Later on today I need to hang a picture and order some tickets. Marilyn has tennis tonight, so I will likely hang out here and read.

QOTD: When I hear WLS people talk about diarrhea, I look at them like they have two heads. I take about 3/4 of a capful of Miralax each morning with a teaspoon of Benefiber mixed into a Bai water (usually Malawi Mango or Costa Rican Clementine if Trish is reading). I have no idea whether the Benefiber does anything or not, but we have a huge container of it in our pantry and I am determined to get to the bottom of it.

Once you take the magnesium Citrate, you are committed to that process. Don't plan on leaving the house until you have been successful.

Breakfast: Turkey meatballs and cottage cheese

Snack: Protein bar

Lunch: Pulled pork

Snack: Light and Fot

Dinner: maybe more pulled prok

Have a great day, all.

Thanks for the warning, Jim. I'm spending a couple of hours at the library this afternoon & plan to wait to take the mag until I get home for the evening! No accidents needed!