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Originally Posted by pawpal
Marella - thank you so much for your help. I too have had surgery for fissures which complicates things for me in that area. My problem in the past usually wasn't with being constipated - but just the opposite - which is what was kind of strange for me (but now a little more regular and feeling much better). I found some liquid protein drinks that I like (I think called profect?) Have you heard of it? Really handy to carry around and help get in the extra protein as well as water at the same time. My first pre-op visit this Friday - looking forward to it!
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It's weird (IMO), but some people have had the diarrhea effect post-op, too. I can't help there, but you might want to search TT on the word and see what threads come up.
The best method I found to get all my protein and water in was to make a schedule. The #1 & #2 thing you don't want to happen to you is "dehydration" and "starvation mode".
Remember, liquid protein is counted as your water. Make a routine that fits your day. Fill up an 4 oz. glass with protein, or water, Crystal Lite, etc., and nurse it for an hour. Next hour, do it again. The next hour eat 4 oz of soup. The next hour, liquid. You'll need 16 hours to get all your liquid in. That's right -- you'll be eating/drinking all day. Add Remember, the liquid runs right through you so it's impossible to overfill your pouch.
Eventually and soon you'll be able to nurse 6 oz/per, then 8 oz/per hour -- probably when you get to more textured foods and you'll have to follow the 30/60 rule of not drinking before or after your meals.
As for the mad dash to the scale everyday... we've all done it. Yes, it's quite disheartening when you had WLS to lose weight and you're not losing, or your gained weight to start the process. Believe me, once that bloating is all gone, the scale will begin to move. You'll be making that morning mad dash everyday.
Yes, it's advised to not weight yourself very often because you feel like "I just had WLS, why isn't the scale moving?" You think it should be moving all the time, that you should be losing 2 to 3 pounds a day. Make sure that's not in your head. A 10 pound loss per month within the 1st 10 months is average. 15 great and 20 awesome BUT it's NEVER consistent and still WE'RE all different, will always lose at different rates and comparing ourselves to another can be self-defeating and very depressing.
Just know that the surgery works and you
WILL lose weight, and your body will do the shedding in numbers at it's own time. After about a month or two, I suggest weighing yourself once a week. Meanwhile, I don't see the problem in being all giddy, mostly because during the 1st three months, your food intake sucks and you need something to keep you going.
Point 1: "starvation mode" holds onto your weight. Make sure that your calorie intake is never below 700 calories per day. This will include all you protein and whatever soups you are eating.
Meanwhile, especially once the hospital aftereffects are gone, focus on how you are feeling. Focus on how much better you are walking, how much looser your cloths are fitting. Take pictures of yourself often. Because you see yourself everyday, it may be hard to see the difference in the mirror. Take facial and body pics and compare them on the PC, you'll be amazed and what a difference of 40 pounds will do. This will help with your scale withdrawl.
Point 2: be aware that you may have a sudden loss the 1st two weeks, and then not a pound gone the next two. Remember your body is healing, first, and second, again, your body will lose at it's own pace, not yours. So don't get it into your head "I'm barely eating, why am I not losing weight." The reason may be because you are "barely eating". Please be aware of this, as many post-op can go psycho on themselves, not ask and wonder, and still eat less.
The bad mindset of "I only ate one meal a day, I don't know why I'm so fat" is over. In our NUT classes we learn that we must eat Breakfast Lunch and Dinner in moderation and proper proportions in order to fuel our bodies, AND to lose weight. This will be your mantra forever.
Always endeavor nourishment every 3 to 4 hours, yes, whether you are hungry or now. It's difficult to gauge that early post-op. You don't want to get to the point where you are starving, then possibly push the envelope on eating the wrong foods, or too much of even the right foods. By eating every 3 to 4 hours, your brain doesn't get a chance to hunger/starve. By this schedule, according to my skinny NUT, you're eating to live not living to eat. While you fuel all day long, you'll begin losing your weight after the last meal until morning while your body is at rest.
Now, I don't know what kind of eating schedule was given to you by your NUT or bariatric office.... but mine was Breakfast - Snack - Lunch - Snack - Dinner - Dessert.... where the snack was a yogurt or cottage cheese, or piece of fruit, or a SF jello or popcicle and the other meals were protein 1st meals. Even today, I eat the same snack contents, ever 3 to 4 hours. I know that should the day get away from me and let 5 hours go by without eating, I roam the kitchen when I get home and that's my old habit and that's not good. So I always carry either an emergency protein bar with me, or I can eat some Wendy's Chili while out on the run.
Finally remember... every week you will be striving to find something that you can call "normal" in your routine. This will change weekly, then monthly as you settle in to your new and improved eating habits. It's amazing to find, but there IS a "normal" to be had.
), and there will be days when we just feel like crud. But, as you progress and heal, the bad days will become fewer and farther between, and each new day will reveal a healthier and happier you!!
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