In need of advice or maybe tough love?

Amy, I'm glad you are doing better.  Sorry you have had such a rough time of it.
I'm with the others to keep your protein numbers up so you can heal completely.  Maybe after the dialation you can add denser protein but until then I would keep with the softer proteins and the protein drinks.  I still do 3 a day and I'll be 2 years out in August.
Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.
Linda

Thanks Linda!  It is great to hear that you are sooo successful and you are still using shakes!   I attend a support group that's program doesnt advocate there use, however in my program and my dietician think I should until I can reliably get my protein over 70 gms with food alone.   Thanks for your input!  Amy

Amy !!! ((((())))) so nice to meet you ! I hope U'll " talk " a lot more in the future now that U can see how unconditionally accepting and truly supportive this unjudmental and loving LW forum is .

We ALL have our issues lol .. trust me .. if they havent kicked ME out yet .... you have NOTHING to worry about ...

Now as far as protein, Im a semi vegetarian too .. so I know all about living on fat free dairy and lowfat tofu products ...and protein shakes ....all of which can get past a stricture .

Have U tried Gina's wonderful protein tea and coffee first of all ? I hated shakes but THIS is a LATTE ...

U mix up a scoop ofthe shake with about 2/3 of a cup of water.. then pour into a mug . I love banana isopure ...but vanilla or cookies n creme works fine . Then U pour the strong coffee or chai tea on top n sip - yum-mo . Im ADDICTED to this !

Second - the best thing fora stricture is just to keep eating i hear ... so refried beans , veggies , soft spring salads if U can do it ( I bet UreCRAVING veggies )

I make the most delicious cream soups wih fresh vegetables using Polish soup base as a start ( try mushroom the first time ) adding vegetables after it cooks for five minutes ... waiting till it cools ... and then processing in a food processor .

I put it back on the stove , add fatfree milk ( U can buy the powdered milk in the bakery section it never goes bad and it makes great fat free sauces .. and butterbuds for authentic cream /butter flavor . Just heat through and serve . Your whole family will love it !

Polish soupmixes are worth taking the time to find and buy ( in any Polish store ) theyre just way better quality and taste for the same price as American because theyre made out of largely organically grown produce . Asparagus , Zucchini , Broccoli - these are all delicious flavors .

You can also buy a spice mix there for making swedish meatballs out of 99/1 Turkey ... and a sauce ... you MIGHT be ableto tolerate those provided U mash the meat up with LOTS of yummy gravy ....

Another health promoting seasonal yummy I love to make right now is spinach puree - you need a clove of fresh garlic chopped - put in pan and saute with water till cooked fragrant , add two bunches chopped fresh spinach ,allow to wilt ( about two minutes cooking ) .... cool . Put in processor process fine . Put back in saucepan , reheat , add 1/4 cup reconstituted fatfree milk , one teaspoon cornstarch that has been dissolved in the milk and one teaspoon butterbuds . salt and pepper to taste . YUM!

Tellme how U like these and then Ill teach ya to make delicious Dreamfields fat free homemade lasagna - OK ? I bet we can get that past Ur stricture

Thanks for all the ideas!!!   I use the CLICK protein sometimes and I like that because it isnt too sweet and it keeps me awake with my little ones!!!    I also sometimes mix vanilla protein powder with hot water and davinci's chai latte sf syrup and that is VERY yummy.   LOL    I bought some swedish meatballs once at ikea of all places...   and they were moist enough that I could eat a few very slowly with the sauce... I had forgotten about that... I will check into that!   Also good idea about the polish soups.. soups are the best for me and I could work on adding denser things to them slowly to get use to more texture.     I would love the lasagna recipe!
Thanks for all the great ideas!    Amy

Those Ikea Swedish meatballs are actually not that dreadful in terms of calories / fat and they ARE tasty !

Great to hear U can eat and keep down some kind of meat ;) ( its very energizing )

.. U can actually buy that dish frozen to reheat at home if U dont want to try making it homemade lower fat ...

Thank you all soooooo much for all the great ideas and understanding...   I got something I can use from each of you!!!!    Yesterday I did the higher protein, lower carb 3 meals, 1 protein shake and 4 oz of greek yogurt with 1 benefiber...   I pushed liquids and today I was down 2.3 lbs...   first time in 5 wks the scale!!   So I think dropping the carbs was helpful as was getting up the protein!!!  

I do drink a latte every morning and I could add a scoop of protein powder to that.  I also am working on getting a friend to restart walking in the eveniings with me -- now that it is light later maybe we could walk after I get the babies down?   I have a membership at the Y and I could restart some wt training that is within my ability with my picc arm now...  Once the picc is out I can do more wt training and water aerobics/swimming but I can soak my arms in anything at this point.

Gail -- My dietician has been pushing me to add teh beneprotein to my yogurt or cottage cheese..  I will try that.  I am back at work so I work on Fri evenings...  but thanks for the offer!

Thank you all sooo much -- the support and the ideas really helped me not feel so alone and floundering!!!    The reason my EGD with dialation is so far out is because my protein levels came up (diet and shakes) and they were able to stop TPN...  I may vomit solid foods but there answer is to NOT eat them.   The EGD will be done down in the hospital where my surgeon works... so a bariatric surgeon will be there with the gastroeneterologist.  I will sign a consent that allows them if a leak should occur (my surgeon is concerned about this) to convert me to bypass.   The surgeon thinks my only hope for the reflux at this point is a revision...  I am not thrilled about this and think the gastrenterologists idea about dialating my stricture will help me get in at least what I need...  SO hopefully no need to convert to anything, but if they already have to go in if it becomes an emergency I just assume have them fix the reflux too!


Thanks again!!!   You guys are great!    Amy

Hi Amy, You received some great ideas!!!! Glad to hear that you are at least back to work. That must be a relief.

Beneprotein can be ordered online and it adds enough protein to yogurt to bump up the protein content to around 24 grams, if I'm using chobani or fage yogurt. I never could stand the protein shakes, except for the Costco variety, so adding some protein to my food worked better for me. In January, when I was using a shake for breakfast, the dietician asked me to try adding denser protein, so I started doing that and it worked for me. They don't like just plain yogurt, since it is a slider food, but for me, when I had some protein and fruit, it works for breakfast. Sometimes I'll also have about one ounce of a lowfat cheese.

I also have a skinny vanilla latte every day; just nf milk and sugar-free syrup. Never interfered with my weight loss. Your Chai latte sounds great, without the added sugar.

You can do lunges, side lunges,walking lunges, squats by just using your body weight and this will really help to tone and build some muscle. Not being able to use one arm limits you, but you can do some bicep curls with one arm. Google beginner exercises using your body weight and you will find some great ideas.

Upping protein and water really do help. Not all carbs are bad. I get most of my carbs from dairy, small amount of fruit, and some veggies. Last night, I actually had about a half cup of a sweet potato or yam. First time that I have done that in over a year, but I worked out hard yesterday and I am in the maintenance mode. Some complex carbs are good for us. It is the simple and refined carbs that we get into trouble with.

Take Care and keep in touch. I wish you could attend the Fremont meeting. It is a good one.

BTW, even in maintenance, the program recommends 3-5 SOLID meals/day and spreading the carbohydrates evenly throughout the day. Always have some protein with whatever you are eating.

The Fremont dieticians have really helped me throughout this process.

Gail

 If they DO  have to go in make sure U tell  Ur surgeon to  sew U up  really really tight  ... so U dont get the reflux any more    ....  (  that may be from a hiatal hernia  caused exacerbated / enlarged by Ur vomiting  due to the stricture ) .

I had a  HUGE congenital  hiatal hernia  that   caused  GERD  so bad  no prilosec  or  Nexium would help and  my surgeon  sewed it up ... and  I havent had to use those pesky  meds since .  

Oh what a relief it is !!  and no getting up in the middle of the night with internal pains either !  

RNY  really  is  a  great operation  for this ...  there ARE  a FEW advantages lol

Hi Amy!

We need to get your avatar changed.  I've taken some great pictures of you over the last months.  I think I emailed them to you for Megan to change your avi.  Show everyone how great you look.

You've gotten wonderful suggestions for your protein.  Remember that while you may come to our Kaiser meetings where they don't allow protein supplements, your plan does, so you're not doing anything wrong!  Get it in however you can.

Did you move closer to me or further away?  I'm always happy to walk with you! 

I won't be at Wednesday's meeting because I'll be in Ohio on business.  I'll miss the next one because I'll be in Spain on vacation.  I won't be around when you have your stricture fix.  Maybe Megan could send a note to my personal email that you have, just to let me know that you're recovering from the surgery?  I'll be back on the 27th.

Love and hugs to you.  I know you're going to do great!