Reply to Barbara's Question about what we want

Hi everyone.....

I am glad to be on the "Loser's Bench" - and here is what I expected from it.  I thought that there would be little tips and tricks that would help me once I got home and as I became more and more able to join in old "social customs" based around eating.  Seems most social gatherings are around food... food that we can't or shouldn't eat, and are maybe having a hard time trying NOT to.

For instance, several weeks before my surgery, I went to the www.bariatriceating.com site and ordered their sample "starter" package.  It included single servings of LOTS of different protein powders, 4 ready to drink protein drinks, a shaker and the book "Before and After" - which I read in about 4 days.  I made it a point to try all the protien powders during the time before surgery, and mark the packages either "YUM" or YUCK!"  I have all of them up on a shelf in my kitchen, for the next time I shop either online or at a nutrition store.  Then, the night before I had my surgery, I went out to our local liquor store and bought several packages of "jello shooter" cups.  They are plastic disposable cups that hold exactly one ounce.  I prepared two different types of jello... lime jello made with Any Whey added to it, and Orange jello without (because I wasn't sure how the Lime was going to turn out).  I also shopped before hand, and had lots of bottles of IsoPure, Syntrax Nectar Fuzzy Navel, New Whey Protein Bullets, and my multi-vitamins all on hand, so that I wouldn't have to shop for them when I got home and might be sore and sick-feeling (luckily, that wasn't the case - as I had to go out almost daily and shop for bandages and dressings because I was having trouble with two of my incisions).

I live with a woman who's social life is especially based on eating, and yes, she's over-weight.  She lost a huge amount of weight about 6 years ago on Weigh****chers, but after her total knee replacements, she put it all back on.  She almost always goes out to lunch at work, and seems to feel the need to go out to dinner at least two or three times per week.  One of our pre-surgical food rituals was to go out for Sushi every Friday night, and she was really feeling like a huge hole had opened up in her life since I wouldn't be able to go with on our regular Friday night "date".

Well, after they put us on soft foods, I decided to take a chance and go with her.  See, my favorite sushi is a scallop hand roll.  And there is nothing softer (or as the bariatric nutrition nurse calls it - a "slider") than raw scallops, chopped very fine, with a tiny bit of mayo and a pinch of those little, tiny orange eggs.  So, I took a chance, and ordered a single scallop, chopped fine and mixed as described, and very slowly and carefully put miniscule tastes in my mouth.  They literally disolved before I could get them swallowed.  I was in heaven.  Pure protein, and no dumping or getting stuck.  We could go on our "sushi dates" again!  I now have them make me TWO scallops, and it takes me almost as long to eat them as it takes her to eat her two hand-rolls and one regular roll.

It would be nice to know that others are still getting "acquainted" with their pouches, just like I am.  Supposedly, we need to eat every two - three hours.  But, for instance, I had an ounce of scrambled egg one morning, then two hours later, had some liverwurst, and about half an hour later I was drinking some liquified spinach soup with some Any Whey protein powder in it.  Suddenly, I knew I was in trouble.  I felt like I had a huge "burp" that wouldn't come up, and I just kept getting more and more uncomfortable.  It got down to the point where I was spitting out my saliva.... and finally I threw up.  The amount I threw up should never have fit in my pouch... and I didn't understand what had happened.  I stick religiously to my one ounce cup-size VOLUMN, which is what I've been told to do.... NO....you don't eat a one ounce protein bar just because it says one ounce.... you eat what will FIT into your ONE OUNCE CUP.  BIG difference!!  This has happened to me 3 times now. 

So, it would have been nice to know that there are people out there who are still learning their way around their tools.... and maybe how to interpret signals.... because I'll be fine one bite, and the next bite, NOT fine.

Well, those are my thoughts for now.... I'm sure I'll have more.  Hugs to all of us, and I hope for more input as well!

 

Hi Erica,

Thanks for you reply. First of all I appreciate knowing what you are looking for... I'll see what I can do to help provide some responses to issues like yours. I think that we have a very diverse group with folks from a variety of programs and surgeries that are at a number of different places in their respective journey's. I'll try to start posting some tips and will urge others to do the same.

Secondly, please know that your journey will morph significantly in the first couple of years. What is normal for you now, will change in a couple months, then change again. Generally, most things will get easier. However, there will be something's that will become more challenging.

It is really normal to get 'mixed' signals from your pouch... Sometimes, it's mixed signals, but sometimes, it's 'missed' signals. I see about posting a discussion topic on that issue and hopefully others will chime in and we can get a dialog going so that you and others can share experiences and learn from one another.

Wishing you the best and thank you again for your thoughtful response.

I think I understand what you're going for - simple interaction. Regardless of the stage a person is in with WLS - we're all seeking something. I read everything I could get my hands on prior to surgery (actually - I still do). I wanted to know what to expect. I guess I'm more of a controll person than I ever realized. Being on the forums and interacting with others - gives me that control over my situation. I still seek my doctor's guidance but I honestly put a higher value on the experiences of those who've been there and done it.

There are so many emotional aspects to this journey and our transformations - some I expected others have sorta blind sided me. We need to keep talking about those issues. The struggles and relationships that we had with food prior to surgery still exist. We had WLS surgery not lobotomies. Stress and exercise related issues are always going to exist - we need to develop a plan.

Not sure if you're doing this on here or not but what about using the Beck workbook as an ongoing challenge of sorts?

Barb -Thanks for all you do on here. I know you've got lots going on and it would be easy to get weighted down in everyday life BUT you've shown just how committed you are to your weightloss success as well as the success of others. You Rock!!!

- Iris

Thanks Iris!

 

Hi Erica,

Just a quick update response... As Iris said, I do think that the books by Dr. Judith Beck, there are three, would be a great help, but I am also trying to take your input to heart and have been working on trying to load some topics for discussion that might address concerns, tips, etc. I'm hoping for some more interaction among the members of the group. We'll see.

Please let me know if there are topics or concerns you'd like addressed... I don't know if I'll have the information, but we could work on trying to get it.

Thanks,