Why is this so damn hard for me? - Page 4 - ThinnerTimes

Hawaiianese Girl · 05-19-2008, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by: THIN4TWINS

Quote:

Hi Mahealani,
I use the nectar protein everyday. I usually do 1 and a half scoops in about 25 to 30 ounces of water and add a packet of crystal light to it. I have had the fuzzy naval, crystal sky and road side lemonade and with those use a complimentary flavor of crystal light, like orange with fuzzy naval, raspberry lemonade with the roadside lemonade and usually a fruit prunch or strawberry with the crystal sky. Using more water makes it taste more like a juice drink, not so thick or gritty, and helps you get some of your fluids in. Hope this helps. I have read some of your posts and am glad to hear you are doing some better! Hang in there! It gets better! My thoughts are with you.
Amy~

Thanks Amy, I'll try the 25-30 ounces thing with water and see how that goes. My only question is...how long does that take you to drink? It takes me a long time just to get 8 ounces down and they say that bacteria starts growing in a protein drink almost immediately and that you should drink it right away, so how do you feel about that? I'd definitely need to put that in the fridge and work on it throughout the day but I don't want the protein breaking down and not having it's full power, yanno?

THIN4TWINS · 05-19-2008, 06:35 AM

Well, I am not sure about the bacteria thing but it usually takes me at least an hour to drink the 25 to 30 ounces. I mix it up and bring it with me to work, pop in the the fridge until about 10 and then work on it until 30 mins before lunch. I haven't had any problems with it. I wouldn't leave it over night or all day, but I don't think a couple of hours is a big deal. That's just me though. You gotta do what you feel comfortable with. You can always do a half scoop with 10 ounces or so a few times a day instead of mixing the whole thing at once and letting it sit. I just think it easier to drink and tastes better with more water mixed in and a little crystal light to add some flavor/sweetness. Hope this helps.
A~

sdgrrl · 05-23-2008, 03:16 PM

I didn't take good care of myself post op, and really paid a stiff price for it. I was extremely protein deficient, and I experienced some amazing symptoms. I felt a 'gone' feeling....kind of like I was a foggy presence watching the world go by. It was a really spooky feeling, hard to describe--sort of floaty and 'not there', and not very pleasant. After I got some great advice here (Hail Dr. Dyann! I'm probably alive today because of her <3) I decided to try some Isopure, which I had ralfed up early post op. The stuff tasted like nectar of the gods--that's how badly I needed protein! Drinking it brought me 'back into focus' within hours of drinking one of those bottles. Everyone in the house could see a huge difference right away.

Be sure you get your labs drawn regularly! Doc Potts' office originally charged me a $10 copay for each followup, and I'm broke, so I stupidly quit going for my follow ups. When Doc Potts found out about this, he made sure the front desk knew not to charge me. I saw him maybe 2 weeks before my obstruction, at which time he was totally alarmed at how poorly I looked. The labs he took later came back alllllll outta whack...I was frightfully undernourished! At that appointment he was able to feel the spot, the 'knot' where it felt like food got stuck...that knot would end up being the exact spot of my bowel obstruction. I still can feel it due to all the scar tissue around it, and food/bev going through that area definitely gurgles, indicating a narrowing in the old tube.

I know it's hard, and I know it's worse if you don't stay on top of stuff all the time. We've taken a huge gamble with our very lives that this will work, allow us more normal lives; have lives, period! For most of us, our bodies are right with us and it's great. For others of us, we have to work like crazy to stay healthy. Others fare worse, and that's so sad.

I have a friend who was part of the first 'test group' in the '70's--that's 30 years post op, gang! While she still has some of the same issues we have with vitamins, etc, she is very successful, with it getting easier every year. (Note to self: invite Marla to our next support group meeting!)

Hawaiianese Girl · 06-03-2008, 07:59 AM

Wow Donna, thanks for sharing all that with me. I'm sorry that I'm just now seeing it.
Its's so hard choking down these nasty-tasting protein drinks and I feel as if I've tried them all. I struggle with taking a multivitamin every day....it usually ends up being every 2 or 3 days and that's because Danita finds out and forces me to take it. I can't remember the last time I ate one of those disgusting, chalky calcium tabs, either, but I'm hoping that the milk in my protein shakes will make up for that. I had blood taken weeks ago but never found out the results. We will have our first bariatrician appointment where our blood will be taken, on June 26th. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results of that test.
Danita is so good at taking her stuff. She chokes down at least 2 shakes a day and I don't know how she does it. She also gets on the treadmill, faithfully. With my sore leg, it's very painful to walk through every day life, much less get on a treadmill, so I don't. I swam a little yesterday but I know it's not enough exercise. I have a friend who NEVER exercises and had this surgery and she's lost over 100 lbs. So is it possible to not exercise and still lose weight or is exercising a must in order to lose the weight?
Thanks for your encouragement, I'll continue to try harder with taking my vitamins and getting my protein in.
~Mahealani~

P.S. I don't feel like sifting through pages upon pages to find my "numb leg" thread so I'll just update everyone here. I have made it up to taking 3 neurontin pills a day but it's only been like that for 3 days so I'm still in excruciating pain. I'll let ya'll know if it gets any better but I have a feeling that something else is going to have to be implemented. This pain in my leg also adds to my depression. Not budging from 270, not losing anymore weight, hating my pills, hating protein shakes and the relentless pain in my leg just fuels the depression fire. Thanks for everyone's help and support. I appreciate it.

shereeks · 06-03-2008, 09:50 AM

Hi Mahealani

I've been following your difficult journey for the begging and for some reason haven't posted on you thread before now (thought I had!).

You and I are both exactly the same age and both started at pretty much bang on the same weight. We are also the same height. In fact I do believe we may be twins!

In just over a year I lost over 150 lbs. No, it wasn't easy, and yes, many a time I felt really depressed and felt that the whole world was against me. I hated protein drinks (and still do). I hated exercise (and now love it!). But one day I woke up and realised that if I didn't take control and seize this amazing opportunity that I had been given that I would fail. Or worse yet, end up seriously ill by not taking care of myself.

You control your future, noone else. You decide whether you want this badly enough to fight down those protein drinks, break through the pain barrier and exercise in any way you physically can.

We are all her to support you and guide you - so use us - we love to help! Things will get better I promise. Make yourself one little goal every week and strive for that and you'll be amazed what you can achieve.

Big hugs to you.

sdgrrl · 06-03-2008, 09:56 AM

Mahealani,
I absolutely hear and feel your pain. If you want to see how sick I got by not doing my protein, taking those nasty vitamins, awful shakes, etc., search for threads regarding me around mid-October, and read about my 9 lumen central line, and the PICC line I got to go home with and home nursing care I had to have for 6 weeks. My daughter got married on New Years Eve that year, and I worked like a dog (well, a very wounded dog) to get well enough to attend her wedding--I was the MOB!! I got the PICC line out on Christmas Eve, I think.

The main reason I had the GBS was to take 100lbs or so off my back, with the hope it would enable me to exercise. Unfortunately that has not been the case. My exercise is limited to slow walks with the dog and the walking necessary to live--going to the grocery store, the bank, the numerous Dr. appts and their resulting trips to the pharmacy, and that's just about it! I try to do more to increase my endurance, but it's not just about muscles who have forgotten how to do their jobs. I have several fused lumbar vertebrae, and I just found out I have a bulged L3-4

, but I refuse to have another fusion--I insist on waiting until they are better at artificial disc replacement.

I have a whole bunch of nerve damage--most of it is from the work comp injury, but there is a portion that I have a feeling is from the poor nutrition I gave myself the first year post op. It doesn't really matter at this point where the nerve damage has come from, it just means that the 'area 51' of my back cannot be rehabbed, as the muscles have lost the battle with the nerves. Some people on here will disagree with me and say that I just have to keep at it. I'm telling you I have worked as hard as I am able, and challenge my back consistently, only to have my agitated nerves hurt more, causing my muscles to spasm more, and the cycle just escalates instead of ameliorates. I understand about your leg pain and I'm sorry you have that going on. Feel free to pm me for ##'s if you would like a sympathetic soul to vent or cry to--some folks on the forum (luckily for them) don't know and don't understand about muscle pain vs nerve pain.

Sorry to ramble on, Sweetie, but I didn't have anyone explain this stuff in a way that I caught, and I wanted to reach you. Notice I'm not saying no one told me about this, or that this info wasn't available to me. I just didn't know how very vital this stuff was. I know now though! So please accept this gift in the caring spirit it is offered.

Hawaiianese Girl · 06-03-2008, 10:16 AM

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Originally posted by: Shereeks
We are all here to support you and guide you - so use us - we love to help! Things will get better I promise. Make yourself one little goal every week and strive for that and you'll be amazed what you can achieve.

Thank you. Your whole post moved me to tears. I am going to try a lot harder and my goal this week is to take all my vitamins. I've never gone a whole week taking them, so here goes nuffin.....

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Originally Posted by: sdgrrl
I absolutely hear and feel your pain.

Wow, I am so sorry for all you've gone through...I can't even imagine. I feel like a total ass for complaining about my little nerve pain after reading all of that. You know, I get so consumed with all of my "problems" and then the walls start feeling like they're closing in as if I'm the only one going through something. Thank you for pulling me back into reality. You have successfully scared the shit out of me as far as how important it is to take my vitamins, so job well done! lol
I just don't know how in the world to get all the necessary protein in, in one day. I guess I need to go to another thread to get some ideas. As far as the exercise goes...that's the hardest issue of all, for me. I cannot force myself up on that treadmill but I'm just going to have to. Maybe I'll make that part of my weekly goal like shereeks suggested. I'll take all my vitamins this week AND do some sort of exercise each day. Maybe the scale will budge for me then...lol
Thanks so much for offering your personal help to me, Donna, I really appreciate it. And thank you to everyone else who takes the time to read my threads and then cares even more to post a supportive comment. You all are one in a million!

~Mahealani~

sdgrrl · 06-03-2008, 10:39 AM

Mahealani,
I didn't write you to minimize your complaints, or tell you that I had it worse than you to 'one up' you! But I would hope you would understand that about me.

If I scared you into taking better care of yourself, then my work here is done.

My suggestion for the protein thing is to spend the money to buy the little vials of stuff that some people like and some hate....don't recall the name, but it comes in like 2-3 oz vials and you just throw it back and gag. Do those to start out, as I bet your pouch is still pretty small and owie. Once you get your protein level up where it belongs, you will feel more like being physical--be it walking, calisthenics, dancing--anything that moves your body through space.

After that I would get a discount card for GNC and buy a bunch of Isopure. The way that I can tell if my body needs protein is if I pop the top on one of those bad daddies and it tastes GOOD, then I know I need it badly! Buy a selection and note the ones you can tolerate. Then once you know that, buy it a case at a time and make sure you have 2 a day to start, then drop it down to one a day once you can get 30-40g of protein in a day through food. Even when I can get all my protein in from food, I still have them around and have one when I feel like I need one. (Since not all proteins are created equal!)

Bumping up your protein is the fastest way to get your body out of starvation mode and start losing weight, Darlin', and since it's the best way to also keep your body working at maximum efficiency, you just gotta do it--k?

And don't EVER compare pain and problems with your own to minimize your own troubles. It isn't about that--someone will always be worse or better, and there you are, sitting in the middle not doing anything to fix yourself. Now, will someone help me get down from this soapbox I'm standing on?

Hawaiianese Girl · 06-03-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by: Sdgrrl
I didn't write you to minimize your complaints, or tell you that I had it worse than you to 'one up' you! But I would hope you would understand that about me.

No no...I didn't take it like that. You just helped me realize that I need to be thankful that I don't have serious problems like you and others have had..but my heart hurts for all of you that have had a really hard road

Quote:

Bumping up your protein is the fastest way to get your body out of starvation mode and start losing weight, Darlin', and since it's the best way to also keep your body working at maximum efficiency, you just gotta do it--k?

Yes Ma'am!

I'm totally motivated now.

Quote:

And don't EVER compare pain and problems with your own to minimize your own troubles. It isn't about that--someone will always be worse or better, and there you are, sitting in the middle not doing anything to fix yourself. Now, will someone help me get down from this soapbox I'm standing on?

lmao...but why? You sound so good from up there and it's working!!!

Here comes the hardest part of the day for me....evening time. I know I'm going to be tired when I get home at 4:30 and I know that the pressure of "THE TREADMILL" will be there...and then an internal struggle will begin.

"You know you need to get on it so just do it. But I'm tired, want to get in bed, and watch TV. My leg hurts too and I'm depressed and I'm not losing any weight so why bother? You're right. Just go get into bed." - and that's what it sounds like in my head..lol

But today will be different!!!! (standing on my tippy toes as I shout this to the world and point to the sky) I will conquer my inner demons and get on the blasted treadmill!!!

Ugh...wish me luck.

~M~

sdgrrl · 06-03-2008, 01:21 PM

YOU WILL DO SOOOO WELL! YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL! YOU WILL LOSE THE WEIGHT YOU WANT TO LOSE, AND YOU WILL FEEL WONDRRRRRRRFUL!

you can do this!
love,
D