My Gastric Bypass Diary Archives ~ My Gastric Bypass Story

November 22, 2017

Feeling Blah and really wanting winter to be over

I am less than 3 days from my 3 week post op and I am just feeling down and Blah. I have read and been told that after Gastric Bypass your emotions are all over the place and I guess they are right cause mine are.

Since the middle of week 2 post op I have been feeling the blahs set in – it is weird to me because you would think one would be energetic and happy after having this surgery. Nope – it is quite the opposite really. I had read about this happening, but did not think it would happen to me. Some often regret having the surgery – now I have no regrets about that at all – I just feel depressed.

Being I have suffered from depression all my life and have been on medication for years I know that feeling. I am still on my meds, but for the first time in a long time that feeling is back. Hard to explain it exactly, but you just feel blah. I just do not have any motivation to do anything. I have found myself watching a lot of TV and laying around on the couch and in my bed with spurts of energy.

I am lucky to work from home so I am thankful I do not have to worry about getting up and going to work. But even my work has suffered because I have not given it much attention in weeks. It also does not help that it is Winter and I would just love to be out in the yard feeling the warm sun on my face.

I am counting down the days until Spring because I know being outside on my patio and gardening in my yard will be a huge help. I also know this will past or at least I hope it will. I have to remind myself that my body is still healing and has undergone drastic changes and it is also trying to adjust. Just sucks to feel blah, it really does.

I am not having a really hard time with the not eating part so much, even though I am tired of pureed foods. I do miss certain things like salads, sandwiches and my favorite evening snack which was pretzels and cheese. I remind myself at some point in the near future I will be able to have those things again.

I tell myself that I broke up with Food because we had a bad relationship and now I am in a new relationship, but we have to take it slow – baby steps.

My other problem is that before my surgery I broke off many of my bad relationships such as Smoking, Biting my Nails and drinking Coffee all day long. Now I am left with no bad habits and no vices – I think this is what is adding to my blahs as well. I have had coffee, but in tiny amounts and it is not the same without a cigarette to enjoy with it. I really miss smoking, but it is one relationship I do not want back even if it sounds so good. That relationship is expensive !!

I keep hearing the emotions I am feeling will pass and so I will wait and try and keep distracted as best I can. I am lucky to have great support between my family and friends, but it is still hard. I will keep you informed on how I am feeling and hopefully it will be short lived.

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November 22, 2017

Pureed Food is getting BORING

The pureed food part of my Gastric Bypass journey is getting BORING. There is only so much you want to eat pureed and then it is the same thing over and over. I think I am losing my mind a little.

So as you know I am on the Pureed Stage which will last until I have my first post op appointment on the 21st. Yup 12 days to go until I can move on to soft foods. I know you can puree pretty much anything, but let me tell you it is not that easy. Some foods are just not meant to be pureed – just sayin’.

I have hardly found any Pureed Recipes out there, but I am gonna have to dig a bit deeper to get through these 12 days. I have tried to switch things up here and there, but I tend to be a creature of habit and end up eating the same ol’ things.

Here are some of the Pureed Foods I have been eating often:

Refried Beans with Low Fat Sour Cream
Egg Salad (starting to get sick of)
Mashed Potatoes (made my own from the flakes then broke down and bought some Bob Evans as a treat)
Corned Beef Hash (had this a few times)

Those are the things I have been having a lot – especially the Refried Beans. Of course I eat other things, but these seem to be the ones I eat over and over. I just want to chew something already.

Ya know what I have been craving so badly? Salad. I miss a big bowl of salad soooo much. I cannot wait until I can have a salad again. Today I bought a bag of frozen Broccoli – tomorrow I will cook it up and, oh I hate to say it – puree it. I am craving my veggies.

I am only 2 1/2 weeks post op and I cannot wait to eat again – I mean I am eating, but I just want more of a variety back. I am not looking to pig out – just want more food choices is all I am sayin’.

If you are reading this and have been through this stage and have a Pureed Recipe that is yummy – please share it in the comments below cause I could sure use it !!

November 21, 2017May 23, 2021

My second week after Gastric Bypass Surgery – Pureed Diet

So I made it through the first week after surgery with no problems at all. Now I was ready for week two and also the change of menu with the new items I can have on the pureed food part of my journey. I was very excited for a change, but how did I do with it? Well I am gonna tell you.

I have to explain again that every doctor has a different schedule of what foods they want you to eat and when. For me the Bariatric Pureed Foods start at Day 10 – 30. Pureed foods are smooth blended and have a consistency of Stage 2 Baby Foods.

Now if you read my post on My First Week after Surgery you will remember I cheated and jumped ahead a couple days and started eating Part Skim Ricotta Cheese. I do not recommend cheating like I did, even though I did not have any issues does not mean you will not.

Before I get into what I ate all week I have to share a couple of items that I purchased that I love and you may want to get as well. First I got myself some Nuby Baby Spoons
– I liked these because they were small in size and not rubbery on the end. OH and the bonus – they will change color when my food is too hot – lol. I decided to get baby spoons because it would make me eat smaller bites and it has worked !! Mind games !!!

The next item I got was a new water bottle. I wanted something I could take on the go and carry around the house. I ended up finding this really cool Quench Sports Bottle (could not find it online – sorry) at Walmart. It was perfect because it did not have a straw and the top flips open and when you drink it comes out very slow – perfect. It holds 24 ounces and I usually fill it with my Crystal Light and can drink one a day so far. I did find these Tupperware Quench Bottles that are similar and may work just like mine.

As you can see in the last photo I use little Dipping Cups to eat my pureed food out of. They hold less than 1/2 cup and I find them the perfect size and once again great for those mind games to feel as though you are eating a lot. You can buy them online or I found mine in Walmart for about $1.00 each.

I could not wait to get to the pureed part of this process – I was so sick of the liquids and the thought of any soups just turned my stomach. To think I was going to be able to eat different foods was so exciting even if they were pureed. I wanted food that had flavor because it almost seemed everything on the liquid part was sweet and I am a salt girl. So what was I going to try out first?

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the second week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

January 31st (not really suppose to be on puree just yet- I cheated)

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

1/2 cupish Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

Protein Shake

1/2 cupish Part Skim Ricotta Cheese with a tsp. Tomato Sauce on top

1/2 cupish of Vanilla Cheery Ice Cream spitting out the Cherry Chunks

Now that I am typing this I guess I did not eat that much this day, but to me at the time I did. Funny how quick we change.

February 1st (Ok to start pureed foods – Whoops, my bad – lol)

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

Protein Shake

1/2 cupish Refried Beans with a sprinkle of low fat Cheddar Cheese melted topped with some Low Fat Sour Cream

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge

1/2 cupish Fresh Cauliflower (pureed) made into faux mashed potatoes

1 SF Ice Pop

OMG the refried beans were to die for – although the cheese was a bit stringy (I will leave that off the next time). I also love Cauliflower so that was just as good as well. I made a whole head of Fresh Cauliflower mashed it up really good, added some Skim Milk, I cannot believe it is not Butter and Salt & Pepper to taste. I had a whole container to eat up for the rest of the week – YUM YUM YUM.

February 2nd

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

1/2 cupish Fresh Cauliflower (pureed) made into faux mashed potatoes

Protein Shake

Pureed Stir Fry

2 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedges

Ok so this night my hubby had cooked up a Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Rice a Roni Fried Rice for him and the kids. It smelt soooo good. So I decided I had to try some for myself. I took one piece of meat and then the broccoli and Rice and placed it into my Magic Bullet Blender and pureed it up. I thought the refried beans were good – this was like heaven. Some have trouble with rice – me Nope none at all.

February 3rd

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

Protein Shake

Egg Salad

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge

Egg Salad

1/2 cupish Fresh Cauliflower (pureed) made into faux mashed potatoes

So today I tried Eggs and once again OMG so good. I took one egg mashed it up and added about a tsp of so of Low Fat Mayo and then a squirt of Gulden’s Mustard. I pureed it up in my Magic Bullet and it was beyond delish !! As you can see I had it twice. Major Protein meals !!!

February 4th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

Protein Shake

Egg Salad

1/2 cupish Corned Beef Hash

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge

1 Lit and Fit Vanilla Yogurt

1 SF Ice Pop

So I was doing some reading online to find other things that I could eat. I had read some were having Corned Beef Hash – the kind that comes in a can some call dog food. It just so happens I love that stuff. So I checked with my nutritionist to make sure it was ok to have being it is high on fat and they said yes as long as it is not a daily thing. So I cooked some up pureed it a tiny bit in my Magic Bullet and chowed down – with my baby spoon of course. I had no problems with this and it was soooo good.

February 5th

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

Protein Shake

Cup of Coffee with SF Coffemate Hazelnut Creamer – maybe 20 sips

1/2 cupsih Refried Beans with Low Fat Sour Cream

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge

1/4 Cup Fresh Cauliflower (pureed) made into faux mashed potatoes

1/2 cupish Mashed Potatoes

1 SF Ice Pop

Today I tried some Mashed Potatoes – they were made from the box with Skim Milk, I cannot believe it is not Butter and Salt & Pepper to taste. I LOVE Mashed Potatoes and even though these were not my creamy buttery potatoes I am use to they were still yummers. I had no issues with them – me so happy !!!

I think my second week post op has gone great – to be honest with ya, I almost feel like I never had surgery. I have had no issues, but gas and that is nothing a Gas X cannot fix. I keep saying I have to be careful by saying that so much cause you never know, BUT as of right now there has been no dumping syndrome, no vomiting, no diarrhea or anything else for that matter. Call me lucky – I will take it !!

Now you see my photo in the upper left of Baby Food Jars – well prior to this stage my sister bought me some and I did as well thinking I will eat it. On Wednesday the 1st I opened a jar of the Chicken with Gravy and almost vomited by the smell of it. I was already a bit grossed out by the flesh color, but the smell was horrible. It was at that moment I declared myself a vegetarian through the pureed stage of this and I had extreme guilt that I ever fed that to my babies.

Obviously I did not last as a vegetarian with the Stir fry and the Corned Beef Hash. I refuse to eat pureed Baby Food Meat. I do have some Fruit and Vegetables, but have yet to be adventurous and open any of those – I am scared – lol

My mood has been a bit up and down, as well as my energy level. I am still waiting for that big boost of energy everyone talks about. I am not exhausted – maybe it is just a bit of depression. I have a lot going on in my life right now and it has been very hard to not go back to smoking. I would love a cigarette again, but I will not give in.

Yesterday I felt pretty crappy and down. I also had back pain which I get time and again. I just bummed around the house, watched TV and worked on the computer a bit – totally uneventful. I cannot wait until it is Spring and I can go outside – that will definitely help.

I encourage you to start your own journal. There are numerous benefits.

November 21, 2017

Things I purchased prior to my Gastric Bypass Surgery

I wanted to share some of the items that I purchased prior to my surgery. These are items that I knew I would need when I got home and that way I did not have to worry about it.

One of the most important things to have in your home is the protein shakes. I was drinking these prior to going in for surgery so I had found a couple that I liked the taste of. My favorite Protein Shake brand happens to be CVS Brand – the Chocolate Whey (nice chocolate flavor) and the protein grams in each scoop is 25grams – which is quite nice. I also bought one in Vanilla flavor as well. Add that to 8 ounces of skim milk and you have a total of 33 grams !! And being I should be getting in 60+ grams a day – two of those a day and I am good – then everything else is a bonus.

The only problem with the CVS brand is that is can get pricey because in my store it does not come in large containers. So I buy it when it goes on sale. I will have to check other stores to see if they sell it in a larger amount.

The other Protein Shakes I bought were by Designer Whey. On hand I had Chocolate (my favorite), Strawberry and Natural Unflavored (which I can add to my food for extra Protein). These will give you 18 grams per scoop and with the skim milk it is a total of 26 grams per serving.

When it comes to your protein shakes it is really just a matter of taste, BUT do keep in mind I have read that people’s taste will change after surgery. For me I have not found that to happen. I would not recommend buying large quantities prior to surgery – just buy enough to get you through and to make sure you are not one of those. They can get pricey.

Protein Shakes come in a large variety of flavors so even if you are grossed out by one you loved prior to surgery you have lots of options. For me – I am a creature of habit so I tend to drink just the chocolate and I am good with that. I did try the Strawberry during my first week home and I hated it, but I am not sure I would have loved it prior either. I will not get rid of it because I can add things to it like Bananas and fruits to create smoothies when I am feeling adventurous.

Another very important thing you want to buy is a Protein Shaker Cup also known as a Blender Bottle. Basically it is a cup that comes with a blenderball that is made of stainless steel. The blenderball helps mix your protein shake with the liquid so you do not have those protein powder balls floating. I honestly think these are a must have and I love my Blender Bottle.

I only bought one cup for myself to use in pink – they come in all colors and sizes as well. I did not get a large one because it was a waste – I got one that holds 20 ounces and even that is over kill. I only use 8 ounces when I make my protein shakes.

So I just wash mine every time I am done using it and it s ready to go for my next shake. I may get myself one more in the near future, because it would be good to have 2 in case I get lazy with the washing and that could very well happen – lol.

So be sure to get one of these prior to surgery – trust me you will love it. You can order yours on Amazon like I did here: Blender Bottles.

Note that every doctor will have different requirements as to what you should be eating after Gastric Bypass and the items I am sharing are things that were ok with mine.

You just want to be prepared so you can be home the first week to heal and focus on getting in your liquids vs. having to go out shopping. It will be a big change and the less you have to think about the better it will be for you.

Here is my recommended Gastric Bypass Shopping List of things you should have on hand prior to surgery. Again these are items that I purchased, but I think they will be the same across the board – just check with your doctor.

Protein Shakes – Flavored and Natural Unflavored
Skim Milk (Fat Free Milk) for shakes
Blender Bottle (as stated above)
Cream of Wheat and Cream of Rice
Dry Milk Powder – this is great to add extra protein to your shakes and soups
Splenda or other artificial sweetener – I prefer Splenda
Low Fat Cream Soups (must strain before eating)
Low Fat Broths
Decaf Coffee or Tea
Sugar Free Jell-O
Sugar Free Ice Pops (love)
Sugar Free Fudge Pops
Crystal Light – I use 4C brand Iced Tea
Gas X – Chewables. You will want to have these on hand, trust me. They will become your best friends.
Dulcolax – This is very helpful after the surgery, but check with your doctor
Liquid Tylenol

So that is my list to give you an idea to what you should stock up on prior to going in for your surgery. These items should get your through the first week or so when you are still doing the liquid portion of your diet.

I also ordered a couple recommended books – The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Well after Weight Loss Surgery and Recipes for Life after Weight Loss Surgery. They are both great reads, but most of the recipes are for later on down the road. I also purchased the Magic Bullet Blender which was also recommended and perfect for when you get to pureed foods and after.

Since I am up to the pureed foods as I am writing this I have to add that I have used it and it is AWESOME !!! I keep it out on my counter and keep the smaller cup attached – I puree what I need and then just unscrew the cup and you can eat right out of that. I highly recommend you get one of these too – I love mine.

Ok so I hope that helps and if I have missed something that worked for you please leave it in the comments below.

November 21, 2017

Dr. Oz weighs in on Gastric Bypass Surgery

Dr. Oz has been a very big advocate for Gastric Bypass Surgery. He has had a couple shows on Gastric Bypass, as well as written some good articles about his thoughts also.

I can remember watching one of Dr. Oz’s shows he had on back in 2011 about Gastric Bypass Surgery. At that time I was already going through the motions, but I can remember being so happy that he had only good things to say. I can also remember looking up some of the articles he had written online after the show.

I had read one that he wrote for Prevention Magazine 8/2011 and there was this part that really stuck out to me and I have never forgotten it. This is what Dr. Oz said: “Yes. Listen, if you’re one hundred pounds overweight at age fifty, you have the same mortality rate as if you have a solid cancer. Would you operate for cancer? Yeah. So if you cannot lose that weight, get one of these procedures. You have to do it with counseling and full awareness of what you’re doing, of course. But if you get people to start losing 5% of their excess body weight, you’re really taking a big whack out of the two-thirds of Americans.”

I mean come on – how much sense does that make? A lot. Something you should think about if you are considering Bariatric Surgery. If there is a treatment out there that can make you well – then why pass it up? That is what I said.

Ironically on January 23rd, 2012, the same day of my Gastric Bypass Surgery, Dr. Oz aired another show all about it. He called Gastric Bypass the Underperformed Surgery and states that only about 1-2% of those who qualify for the surgery get it done. I was so surprised at those numbers – I really thought it would have been more.

So why do you think the numbers are so low? Well because for one people are scared of the surgery. One of the reasons I had hesitations at first. Many have heard horror stories about it. You have to remember that Bariatric Surgery has come a long way and the risks are there as with any surgery, but they are rare. You also have to keep in mind that the horror stories always get way more attention then all the success stories out there.

Maybe another reason may be that you think it is a cop out. This is another thing I thought as well, but I came to realization that it was not at all. Having surgery is a very big decision and life long commitment – so it was not a cop out at all – it was me taking control over my life – I just needed help. Don’t be embarrassed by your decision – you have to own it !!

Another very exciting thing about Gastric Bypass that Dr. Oz wanted to get across is the fact that if you have Type 2 Diabetes – that 80% of those will be cured overnight after surgery. That means those patients will go home free of all meds and shots – can you imagine? That alone is amazing and the weight loss is just a bonus if you ask me.

How do you know if you qualify for Gastric Bypass Surgery? Here is a checklist that was shared on Dr. Oz’s show:

Do you have a BMI over 35 and an obesity related disease? such and Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure etc..
Have you been unable to maintain significant weight loss through diet and exercise?
Can you commit to life long change?

If you have answered YES to those then I recommend talking with your doctor about the first steps to having the surgery.

Why live your life not living your life?

I am still in the beginning stages of my Gastric Bypass Surgery being just at my 2 week post op as I write this, but I know I made the right decision for me. I also hope I can help others take control of their lives in the same way.

Way to Go Dr. Oz for using your platform (TV) to let others know that Bariatric Surgery is no longer the last resort and more should take advantage of what is available for them.

November 21, 2017May 23, 2021

Vitamins I now take after Gastric Bypass Surgery

I thought I would do a quick post talking about the vitamins I now take on a daily basis. Vitamins are so important after Gastric Bypass and these will have to be taken everyday for the rest of my life.

If you are going to be having Gastric Bypass one thing you have heard about is the importance on taking vitamins to avoid vitamin deficiency. See Gastric bypass and other types of bariatric surgery dramatically alter your body’s ability to absorb vitamins, minerals and nutrients from the smaller amounts of food you’ll be eating. The resulting vitamin and mineral deficiencies can have serious medical implications. I am not gonna get all medical on you since I am not a doctor – they get paid the big bucks for that not me.

Also note that every doctor will have different requirements on what it is that they want you to take after surgery – I am only going to be sharing what I take to give you an idea.

It really is not that bad at all. Here is my list:

Multi Vitamin – I use the Flintstones Gummies and in true child fashion I look at it everyday to see who I will be eating – just adds an element of excitement to my day – I love seeing Dino – just sayin’
Citrical Calcium Gummies – 2 of the gummies equals – 500mg so I chew 6 per day and not all at the same time for a total of 1500mg daily. After these are gone I may change this out for a different brand of capsules, chewable or liquid in a higher dose per serving. Seems like the way I am doing it will get pricey. I will keep you informed.
B-12 Sublingual 500mcg – I take one of these a day and it is just a tiny cherry flavored pill you put under your tongue and it dissolves.
Biotin – Added in at Week 6 – Helps with possible Hair Loss and keeping my Nails Strong
Omeprazole – Added in Week 6 to help coat my stomach (no longer taking)
Vitamin D 1000 – I take this due to low Vitamin D levels something I have dealt with prior to surgery

The coolest part about my vitamins is that they are all yummy. It is not like the horse pills that leave a horrific taste in your mouth so I actually look forward to taking them each day. I was allowed to start taking my vitamins daily when I reached the pureed stage of my post op which was at around day 10.

Where did I buy my Vitamins – For me I just went to my local CVS – they always run great deals like Buy 1 Get 1 Free – so I got good prices and always search for coupons, which I did as well for the Flinstones and Citracal. You can also find great deals online – just up to you.

In addition to those I have other daily meds I take which I am allowed to swallow because they are not big at all. I also take a weekly Vitamin D pill due to a previous Vitamin D Deficiency not related to my surgery. (Vitamin D now taking is a daily Supplement vs. the prescription)

I do not have to take an iron pill since I have had a hysterectomy, but if you are female and still have your parts – this may be one they will add on as well.

At this time I have not had a blood test to check my vitamin levels – I may be given that when I see my surgeon on February 21st for my first post op appointment. I will keep you updated on that.

If you are like me and horrible at remembering to take your vitamins and meds then I HIGHLY recommend you get yourself a Pill Organizer. Hubby picked me up a nice one cause he knows me like a book. I have made it a point that every Monday will be my fill day which is perfect because Monday’s are my weigh in days too.

Do not forget to get one because it will make your life so much easier and save you from forgetting to take those vitamins.

There are 1,000′s of Pill Organizers on the market in every color, size, weekly, monthly, some with timers etc… So no excuses !!

Just a little FYI for ya all – As I stated above I chose to take the Flintstone Vitamin Gummies for my multi vitamin. I am sad to say that you only have a choice between Fred, Pebbles and Dino. I know it is shocking and sad – my thoughts exactly. Ulike the Flintstone Chewables where you can have your choice of Fred, Pebbles, Bam Bam, Barney, Wilma, Dino, Betty and the Great Gazoo – I love Gazoo !! I feel ripped off. Wonder if I can change to chewables – on my question list for my doctor. lol

UPDATE:

2-27-2012 I have added in Biotin (Week 6)

2-28-2012 I have added in Omeprazole (Week 6)

UPDATE:

Stopped taking Omeprazole

November 21, 2017

My first week after Gastric Bypass Surgery

So now I am home from the hospital and on my own. You go to all the nutrition classes for months prior to the surgery, but yet all of a sudden your mind goes blank. You just want to get it right and not have any complications. I was so nervous, but ready – or was I?

I got home from the hospital on Wednesday January 25th at around 12:00pm and first on my agenda was to get a shower. It felt so good to be clean, but let me tell ya that sticky stuff from all those heart monitor leads and tape they used is a real bitch to get off. I got some of it off, but not all – I hate that.

Now every doctor has different rules and time frames when it comes to what you are to eat after your Gastric Bypass Surgery so be sure to follow the plan in place that was given to you. I am going share with you what my rules are and go from there.

Day 1 and 2 (which were in the hospital) is a Full Bariatric Liquid Diet – I had Broths, Decaf Tea and Sugar Free Jell-O those days – oh and a Sugar Free Italian Ice

Days 3 to 9 Bariatric Full Liquids – This is food that can pour off a spoon like soup. They should also supply protein and other nutrients too. You should be sent home with a list of things that your doctor says is allowed for you to have at each stage of your new diet. Protein Goal is 60 grams and they want you to try and get in 64 ounce of fluids.

I did not each much my first day home and I was still taking some pain meds which was Vicodin in liquid form (so gross). I am so not a fan of liquid medicine at all. One thing I did wrong on my first day home was to take my vitamins – yup – I had already screwed up. I totally forgot my doctor did not want me to start until I got to the pureed stage which is at day 10. Oops – no harm done hopefully.

I have documented everything I have eaten and the time I have had it in a notebook I keep in my kitchen. This is important to do for many reasons -1: So you can total your protein intake and 2: If you have a reaction to a food you can easily pinpoint what may have caused it and 3: it is a good thing to bring to your nutrition appointment to see if there is anything they would like to change. I also write down when I take my meds – I do not have a great memory so it really helps me a lot to do that too.

Here is what I ate so you can see each day for the first week:

(I am not gonna add the times on – just the order in which I ate)

January 25th (the day I came home)

1 Cup of Chicken Broth with a 1/2 scoop of unflavored protein powder mixed in

1 Sugar Free Jell-O

Got a headache – may be from the aspartame in the Jell-O – happened in the hospital too

Pain Meds

1 Cup Chicken Broth – only ate 1/2

Gas X – I had gas which is normal, but the Gas X is so helpful so have some on hand.

2 SF Fudge Pops – soooo good !!

I felt pretty good my first day home – just tired and still sore. I did a lot of pacing around the house to help move out any of the gas and it felt good to be up. If you are having this done remember to walk walk walk. I am telling ya it has helped me a lot. One thing that drove me nuts was that my new vacuum arrived this day. I had finally caved and bought a Dyson and there it was in a box and I was not allowed to touch it. See I have a vacuuming fetish – I love to vacuum and go through many each year. I have 8 pets in my home and I hate all the fur so I vacuum a lot. Yes once again I have issues – lol. I could not take it so I made hubby open it up and vacuum for me – it was nice he did so, but just not the same for me. Soon enough.

January 26th (My son’s birthday !!)

Crystal Light Iced Tea (drank over the course of the day)

Pain Meds

Chocolate Protein Shake

Dulcolax – this is a stool softener which is a good thing to start taking after surgery to help in the – you know.

Liquid Tylenol – at this point I felt I was not needing the heavy pains meds anymore so hubby went and got me liquid tylenol to take

Strawberry Protein Shake – Only drank 1/2 – that flavor was making me nauseous

1 Cup Cream of Chicken Soup

Liquid Tylenol

1 SF Fudge Pop

1 SF Ice Pop

Gas X

I felt pretty good this day and woke up early in the morning to see the kids off to school. Also being it was my son’s 14th birthday I could not miss making him a fun breakfast that morning. So I made him some heart shaped pancakes with red food coloring and a side of sausage (Yup I am a cool mom like that). I was surprised that I had no problems doing it. I would do anything for my babies – although my baby is not a baby anymore – whaaaaaah !!

Later I also baked him his birthday cake which was a carrot cake – his favorite. Now that smelled really good and I had to be so careful not to lick my fingers when frosting it. It is little habits like that which can cause problems. Again I did great.

I was a bit gassy this day, but nothing some Gas X was not able to handle – oh lots of walking around the house.

January 27th

Crystal Light (drank over the course of the day)

Liquid Tylenol

Gas X

Went back to bed feeling sluggish today – ended up getting up then at about 10:30am

Chocolate Protein Shake

Dulcolax

Liquid Tylenol

1/4 Cup Cream of Rice (I added a tiny bit of I cannot believe it is not butter and salt) – was not crazy about this

1/2 Chocolate Protein Shake

Liquid Tylenol & Gas X

One thing I can remember from this day, because I wrote it in my food diary, is that my hubby had bought some of those roasted chickens they cook at the store for their dinner. Those are my favorite. When he was stripping the chicken off the bone the smell was unreal and it was the first time I was envious. I was so sick of soups and liquids already. So later in the day I walked past the chicken in the kitchen and guess what I did? Nope I did not eat any, but I took a piece and sucked on it for a quick moment to get the flavor and then spit it out. I cannot tell you how hard it was not to chew it up, but I didn’t.

January 28th

Chocolate Protein Shake

Crystal Light (drank over the course of the day)

2 tsp Part Skim Ricotta Cheese (this was a cheat – explained below)

2 SF Ice Pops

1/4 Cup Part Skim Ricotta Cheese (explained below)

1/2 Cup SF Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream (spit out the cherry chunks)

I took it easy this day – I was feeling kinda blah. Maybe it was the withdrawal from the heavy pain meds, not sure. I took a long hot shower and got dressed in real clothes and that helped a bit. I still had no additional motivation to do much of anything else – so I took a couch and TV day. I am finding it hard to get in my fluids and the thoughts of any soups at this point now just completely gross me out.

Now lets talk about my cheating – “The Ricotta Cheese”. No that is not a liquid is it? This is an item allowed on the pureed diet which comes at day 10 and technically I had 4 days till then. Well my dreams of being the Gastric Bypass poster child went right out the window – I broke the rules. I just had to have a different flavor in my mouth and let me tell you it was beyond amazing for me. I tried out 2 tsp first to see how I would handle it and then a couple hours later I had 1/4 cup. I did wake up at midnight that night needing some Gas X -could have been from that – who knows.

NOW let me say that I do not recommend you cheat like I did – your pouch is still healing at this point and I could have caused issues for myself. Thank god I did not. It really was good though. OK shame on me.

January 29th

Crystal Light (drank over the course of the day)

1/4 Cup Part Skim Ricotta Cheese (still cheating)

Chocolate Protein Shake

Gas X (from Ricotta Cheese ???)

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge (cheat)

Lit and Fit Yogurt Vanilla (cheat)

Gas X before bed just in case

Ok so I had lots of cheats on this day. Seems like I just jumped to the pureed diet huh? Well That is because I kinda did. Guilt set in even though I was doing fine. I told myself I had to call my nutritionist tomorrow (Monday) to confess my sins. OH and guess what? I had my first Poop since surgery. I know gross why did I have to share that – well because to know your parts are working after this is a celebration I think. Hail the Poop !!! OH and this was also the day I decided to create this blog – hmmm Poop and Blog ???

January 30th (1 week since surgery – wow)

Crystal Light (drank over the course of the day)

Chocolate Protein Shake

1/4 Cup of Part Skim Ricotta Cheese (still cheating)

1 Laughing Cow Low Fat Swiss Cheese Wedge (cheating again)

Cream of Asparagus Soup Strained – did not eat – soup grossed me out

Chocolate Protein Shake

Cup of Coffee with SF Coffemate Hazelnut Creamer – maybe 20 sips

Holy cow – I week post op – I made it !!! Woooo Hooooo. So I called my nutritionist today and confessed my sins. She said that she could not tell me it was Ok to do that and I should go back on the liquids until Wednesday. Really? At this point what was one day I thought. I have always been known to break the rules – so would I do it again? I was good after the call and tried to have cream soup – which grossed me out and then I had a protein shake. You will have to read my next post to see if I was able to control myself.

So overall I had a great first week after my Gastric Bypass – so much so that I have started to question if he really performed the surgery on me at all. I keep telling my husband that maybe I had a placebo surgery to see if it is really a mind thing.

My pain has never been truly pain at all – just soreness. I have had no reactions of feeling ill from anything I have eaten. The only thing I have gotten was gas in my tummy. Yes I have farted a lot this week, which I am sorry to say is nothing new for me since I had stomach issues prior to surgery. My poor family – lol. I made sure to walk around the house a lot which I think has made a difference. On the days I felt blah – I just chilled out.

I have been just fine around food and the family eating and I did tell them they are not to hide from eating around me. If I felt uncomfortable I would walk away. The good thing is that at the time I did the surgery my hubby and kids made some huge changes themselves. They are living a much healthier lifestyle with food as well. My hubby took over the cooking – bad snacks are no longer in the home and portions have been cut down. So everyone is adjusting to a new lifestyle which is fantastic.

I have felt myself shrinking and my face already looks thinner – I always lose it there first. Yes I have stepped on the scale, BUT I will only be posting my weights in the My Weigh Ins section on a weekly basis. At the end of each month I will put up photos taken at each week to see the changes.

I am beyond excited to melt away !!! Hope you continue to follow my story and watch too.

Stay Tuned for posts on Week 2, What I purchased prior to surgery, What Protein Shakes I drink, Vitamins I use and more…

November 21, 2017November 28, 2017

The days in the hospital after my Gastric Bypass Surgery

My stay in the hospital after my Gastric Bypass Surgery was not very long at all. I went in on a Monday and went home on a Wednesday. I did make the best of my stay and made sure I felt good enough to go home.

So the night after my surgery I slept on and off. I think the nurses coming in so much to take vitals and give me my pains meds woke me up a bit. At this time they were alternating the Dilaudid and Toradol pain meds. I can remember being up and ready to go walking at about 5:00am and asking the nurse to come help me. I just had to get out of the bed. The nurses kept telling me how good I was doing and looked – that made me happy.

When I got back into my room I was able to brush my teeth and get a glimse of myself in the mirror – not a pretty site at all. But I quickly got over that since I was not in the running for a tiara or anything. I brushed my hair and washed up – it felt good.

At about 8:00am my surgeon came in to see how I was doing. I had a list of questions I typed up in my phone for him and he was happy to answer each and every one of them. He also told me there was no need for any additional testing since I was doing so well and that he would order me breakfast. Breakfast I thought – OMG I was so excited !! He also told me that if I felt well enough I could go home early that evening. I decided to stay one more night just to be sure I was good to go. Plus it was much quieter in the hospital vs going home with the kids and the pets etc…

A little while later the nurses took out the catheter – I was free to pee on my own. Yippee !! Yes it was nice to not have to worry, but it was one less thing I had to drag around on my walks. Good thing was is that I was able to go right away – not a lot, but I did it. That is also very important to do after surgery. They also measure how much you go (u gotta pee in a cup that attached to the toilet) and then they scan your belly to see if you are emptying your bladder all the way. I only needed 2 scans over my stay. I must add in it was still a pain in the ass to pull all the equipment to the bathroom and even worse when you had to pee. I had a heart monitor hooked up to me that connected to a box that was a real pain to juggle and then an 02 sensor taped on my finger. Then there was the IV and the stand and the drain coming out of your belly with the container hanging. Just crazy, but you manage and say quite a number of curse words at the same time when you get all tangled.

At about 9:30pm my breakfast arrived – My very first meal after my Gastric Bypass. I was starving !! So on my tray I got a bowl of Chicken Broth, a Sugar Free Jell-O and a cup of Decaf Tea and some fakin’ sugar packets on the side. I could not wait to eat my soup and I dug right in. It tasted like heaven !!! I ate it very slowly which kinda stunk because it got cold by the time I was 1/2 way through it.

I was able to finish the whole bowl, but then I was a bit full and that is all I had at the moment. I ended up eating my Jell-O later and that too tasted delish. The Tea I ditched.

Later in the day I had some visitors – my Mother in Law came and so did my good friend Vicki. I felt a bit bad cause my mother in law got their first and I was passing out mid conversation – I was sleepy. Must have been my big lunch (which was the same as above) – lol. It was nice that they came to see me even if I was not the most coherent company. I also got a headache and was thinking maybe it was from the Jell-O – sometimes the aspartame will do that to me.

My Mother in law and friend was also there to witness me having to take a liquid medicine. It was not pretty – or should I say I was not pretty with all the faces I was making. I HATE liquid medicine. My mother ruined me as a child with Triaminic cough syrup – hated taking it. But if I wanted to keep my soreness to a minimum I had to take it cause they were weaning me off the Dilaudid and switching me to liquid Vicodin since that is what I would be taking at home (oh joy). I was still going to be getting the Toradol until they took the IV out tomorrow.

My hubby came up later in the day with my kids cause they wanted to see me too. My daughter was so excited to walk around the hospital floor with me and we did a whole bunch of laps. It was funny cause I farted while I was walking and was like Oh Yeah – she says “Is that a good thing?” – Yes!! passing gas whether it be burping or farting is a good thing after Gastric Bypass (FYI). I also wonder if any of the other patients heard it – ha ha. While they were there my dinner showed up – this time I got Beef Broth and all the other same items – Jell-O and Tea. I tried the Beef Broth and it was soooo salty. I asked them to bring me Chicken Broth instead. So now I had to wait to eat. No Biggy.

So my family stayed for a couple hours and had to go so they could have their dinner, do homework etc.. A long while later my Chicken Broth finally arrived, but it was gross. Something tasted icky – it was like dirty chicken water. They must have thrown something together last minute. So I did not eat.

I was able to get up on my own now – I was a pro at dragging all the hospital stuff behind me now. So to pass time I did a lot of walking. 99% of the nurses on my floor were young so I had a lot of fun chatting with them all. Even the 1% older ones were just as awesome. They came and hung out with me in my room which was nice. Later that night one of the nurses brought me a Sugar Free Lemon Italian Ice – can I say O.M.G – that was truly the best.

Wednesday came and I was going home to start my new life. Now I had to wait for my surgeon to come in and release me. My hubby got the kids off to school and was on his way to the hospital to get me. My hubby arrived to the hospital before the surgeon came which seemed like it took FOREVER. He ended up coming in at about 10:00am and was happy to answer yet another list of questions I had for him and some my hubby had.

Next he had to remove the drain from my belly. First he cut the stitches holding it on. Then I was asking how long the thing was and if it was gonna hurt coming out – I was freakin’ a bit. He said it would not hurt, but just feel weird. What did that mean – weird???? So he started to talk to me to try and distract me and then he said are you ready 3…2…1… And there is me OMG – WTF !!! It took a couple seconds, but it was the weirdest feeling I have ever felt in my life and DO NOT want to experience it again. It did not hurt he was right, but it felt like there was a worm inside my belly crawling out. Totally the craziest feeling ever and I was glad it was over. Now I just had a gauze.

He told me the steri strips on my other incisions can just fall off on their own (which some had already) and I could shower. OH yeah – could not wait to shower. So he released me and now I just had to wait for the nurses to come un hook me.

So the nurse came in and gave me one more dose of Toradol in my IV so I had time until I could fill my pain meds. They unhooked me from the haeart monitor and pulled off all 1,000 sticky things one me – ok there was not 1,000, but it sure felt like there were. I was happy t have them off and now all that was left was the sticky stuff that is a pain to get off – oh well – I was FREE from equipment !!

While I waited for my papers I got dressed into some fresh clean clothes I packed along with some comfy pants. Hubby went to get the car and meet me at the getaway door. Finally I got my papers and my limo arrived at my room – ok it was a wheelchair. They wheeled me out and that was it. Bye Hospital – I’m Homeward Bound !!

First thing on my list when I get home – SHOWER !!!

Stay Tuned for my next post – My First week after Gastric Bypass

I would also like to send a BIG shout out Thank You to all the nurses at the Reading Hospital on the 3rd floor who rocked !! I could not have asked for a better crew to get me through this and the support and companionship they offered while I was there was top notch. Thanks ladies !!!

November 20, 2017

My Gastric Bypass Surgery

So it was time for my Gastric Bypass Surgery – I was being wheeled down to the operation room. No turning back now, but that was ok because I was ready. Now let me walk you through how the day went from there.

A bit of a warning before you continue on with this post. I promised to share The good, The bad and The ugly here on my site and some of what you may see below is in the UGLY category. I will be sharing some photos of after the surgery and hospital things – so if you are easily creeped out then stop here. If you are considering having the surgery yourself – get over it cause you will going through it too. It is really not that bad at all. Ok I have said my warning, now I will continue on….

I gave my hubby a kiss and off I went to the operation room. Was I nervous? Nope not at all actually. You may find this very strange, but I enjoy the whole operation room experience. I have been in there 3 times before for 2 C-Sections and a Hysterectomy. I just love looking up at the white light and hearing all the nurses and assistants in the room getting ready and the attention is all on “Me”. I also love when they place the warm blankets on you because the room is always so cold. Everyone introduced themselves to me and one of the guys in the room was named “Angel” – I said that is cool I have an Angel in the room watching out for me. When you are in the room it almost feels fake – I dunno I just like it. Told ya I was strange.

I remember the anesthesiologist telling me he was going to put some meds in my IV and I will feel a little burning, but not to worry it was just the meds. It was nothing to me since I was taking in my surroundings and listening to the action in the room. Then came the mask – the anesthesiologist never told me to count backwards (I was waiting for that too) – he placed the mask on my face and said I am going to relax you now. I was ready for my countdown now, but instead LIGHTS OUT for me.

Next thing I can remember was waking up in recovery. My stomach was in sooo much pain and I was very groggy. I looked around and could see the line up of others just out of surgery recovering as well. I had oxygen in my nose and my throat was so dry. The nurses came over to ask how I was doing and to take my vitals. They asked my pain level – in our hospital we have a pain scale that is 1-10 with 10 being the highest. I told them it was 10 for sure – so I got some more pain meds. The time I was in recovery I began to question what I had just done because the pain was horrible. What did I do to myself – was this pain worth it? My time in recovery seemed short lived to me because I was in and out of consciousness.

I ended up getting to my room at about 12:00pm. So I had been gone from 8am – 12pm between the Surgery and the Recovery. I later found out the surgery was only about 1 1/2 hours long so the rest of the time I was in recovery. I remember being set up in my room and meeting the floor nurse who again took my vitals and accessed my pain – which was still horrible. My hubby finally got to the room about 1:00pm and I was so happy to see him. Having him there made me feel a little better. At this time the pain meds they had me on was Dilaudid and even with that the pain was still felt. I drifted in and out for a while from it all (as you can see in the picture up top to your left).

At about 2:00pm I was still in horrible pain – a little better but still pain. My hubby had to run to the car to get my bags and while he was gone I asked the nurse if I could get up and walk. I just felt that I needed to get up and maybe it was gas pain from what they pump in you. So the nurse helped me out of bed dragging along my IV, Heart Monitor, Drain (tell ya bout that in a minute) and Catheter – so much for losing weight huh? Anyway – I did a couple laps around the nurses station and believe it or not it felt good to be up, I was surprised.

When I got back in my bed they hit me up with another pain med called Toradol. Well guess what? That horrible pain went away and then I just had what felt like soreness (I did just have major surgery) and cramping which I was able to handle. I honestly think the horrible pain I was feeling was the gas in there – so if you are having this surgery make sure to walk as soon as you can.

NOTE: I just have to add that my belongings including my glasses that were taken prior to me going in for surgery were MIA. For some reason they did not make it to my room. They were later found around 4:00pm. So not being able to see was no fun either. Just sayin’ – lol

The picture above shows my belly the same day I had my surgery. My Gastric Bypass Surgery was Laparoscopic obviously and they went in 5 places as you can see in the picture above. They were small openings which look worse in the photo from the dried blood. On them was just steri strips – there were no stitches at all. The drain was weird to me and kinda gross. This was a tube that went into your belly to drain out the extra fluid and blood around your stomach. That had some stiches to hold it in place and at the end of the tube on the outside was this container that would hold the fluid (yup this freaked me out too). It did not hurt – just felt weird.

One thing I hated was the dryness in my mouth and throat from the anesthesia – I sounded like I was a frog and it was hard to talk. I was not allowed to have anything to drink, BUT I was allowed to have a swab that can be dipped into ice water and rubbed around my mouth. It was like a little scrubber sponge on a stick, but at that time it was heaven. The nurse also gave me a cup with mouthwash in it I could use with another swab – loved that since my mouth was so gacky.

Me and my swabs became best friends for the rest of the night – I scrubbed my teeth with it, sucked on it, rubbed it on my tongue – it was great. If you are gonna have this surgery you will understand my swab obsession for yourself – trust me – Swabs Rule !! I went through many swabs – I liked them fresh and I also had my nurse re fresh my ice water often too – it was so much better ice cold.

At around 6:30pm I kicked my hubby out, my poor baby was so tired and I felt so bad. Even though I had the nurse track down one of those reclining chairs for him (which was so much more comfy than the others) he had to go home to rest up. I was fine and well taken care of and really – how much can you sit and watch someone sleep. So he left to go home to relieve my sister from kid duty and I was just gonna chill – what else was I gonna do? Of course right before he was out the door the nurse came to give me my first shot of Lovenox in my belly (that is to prevent blood clots) so he had to stay to hold my hand for that. Guess what? it was not a big deal at all – did not even feel it.

Later that evening I asked the nurse to take me for another walk, which I did and again it felt great. The only thing that I hated was bringing half the hospital equipment with me. I did more rounds this time and I cannot stress more to those going for surgery to do the same thing – walking not only will help you recover quicker, but it moves any of that operation gas out.

For the rest of the evening I watched some TV on and off . Oh and ya know what I was feeling hungry too. Yuppers I was hungry. I started to think – why am I hungry ??? I thought I should not feel hungry after my surgery and it was not even a full day out. How weird huh? OH and let me tell you that commercials do not make any of it easier. I so missed my DVR that night so I could just skip them. Maybe it was just a mind game, but I swear I was hungry. OH well nothing I could do – it was just me and my swabs.

So overall my Gastric Bypass Surgery went very well if you ask me. I only had horrible pain for about 2 hours and the rest of my day was smooth sailing and I felt pretty darn good. By this time any regrets I may have had in recovery were far gone – I was ready for my new life. The next morning I would get to see my surgeon and hopefully get my first meal which I could not wait for.

Stay Tuned for my next post on the rest of my hospital stay…

Just a shout out Hug and Kiss to my hubby who is truly the bestest ever. I took a pic of him from my hospital bed with my phone – he was catching a couple zzzz’s in that recliner I had them find late in the day. I am one lucky girl to have such a great guy and I cannot say it enough.

November 20, 2017

The Morning of My Gastric Bypass Surgery

After all the waiting The Big Day was finally here. January 23rd, 2012 is the day I would have my Gastric Bypass Surgery. I was so excited to go and get it over with, even if I had to wake up at 4:30am in the morning.

The Friday before my surgery I called to get the time I had to report for surgery on Monday and was told 6:00am. While that meant I had to wake up quite early I was excited to be the first surgery for my surgeon on that day. I was also excited because you were not allowed anything to eat or drink after midnight.

On Sunday I spent my entire day cleaning my house and getting everything done that I knew I would not be able to do once I got home – like the never ending piles of laundry. OMG I even organized my food pantry shelves so it would make life easier on hubby when he took over all the cooking – they look like a grocery store isle – I know pathetic right? but that is how I roll. If my house is not clean and organized I would not be able to relax going in. I even laid out the kids clothes for a few days so they did not have to worry either – awww what a great mom I am – lol. I wanted to make sure everything was done so that my hubby would not have to worry about much right away, but to take care of me – lol. Let me just say I have the best hubby in the world – he is so supportive with everything and anything I do. I am so lucky to have him in my life and to think I have been with him since I was 17 and could never picture my life without him in it. ♥

By the time I finished polishing my nails (I was allowed to have polish on for surgery – BooYa) and taking my shower it was almost midnight. I was still a bit wired from being so busy, but found the time to shove some last minute food into my mouth before midnight. Of course it was nothing good – I was on the liquid. I ended up having a Chocolate Protein Shake so that it would fill me up and maybe I would not be so hungry in a few hours when I had to get up. I ended up in bed about 12:30am and set my alarm for 4:30am. We had to leave the house no later than 5:20am to get there in time.

Hubby and I were laying in bed – he was tired and I was wired, but we chatted a bit. For a moment the nerves set in a bit – I had to ask him if I was doing the right thing. I had a few tears, but knew I had gone over this a million times and there was no backing out now. Then as in my fashion I had to lay down some rules if I did not make it out of the surgery. Yup I always think the worst, but ya never know right? So I gave my verbal will to my hubby who was not at all amused by it. I personally found it amusing and quite funny and if he did not follow I promised I would come back and haunt him.

I think he fell asleep around 1:30am and I watched some TV for a bit until I did too. Then BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ – my alarm goes off and as if I had slept for 8 hours I was up and out of bed. I guess I was excited now. So I went and got dressed, then I did my hair and paced until it was time to wake hubby and go. At 5:25 am we were in the car driving in the dark to the hospital. I made my hubby go through the McDonald’s drive thru to get himself some coffee as I took in the smells of the breakfast cooking in there and saying my goodbyes – lol.

When we got to the hospital we were sent to a waiting room until we were called back. So I did what I do and was texting on the phone and putting up some FB statuses for my friends and family. Once I was called back I went to what I call a cattle line up – it is where everyone goes to get prepped for their surgeries, stuck with IVs and asked lots of questions. Then you just sit in your little area until it is your turn to go.

So while I was waiting I called my kids to make sure they were up and ready for school and wish them a good day with hugs and kisses.

Then it was time to get my IV – one of the things I hate the most – Needles. BUT I was so excited and just drained from all the work I had been doing and being up so late it was no big deal. I have very hard veins to find, but this nurse who was a god send found the perfect one on my forearm and it did not hurt a bit. I didn’t even feel the IV in my arm at all – I was so excited. I had another surgery back in November 2010 and that IV was in my hand and hurt the second it went in till the day I left – I hated it. So this was awesome !!

OH I was also given a anti nasuea pill that I had requested prior to my surgery. See I have had 2 C-Sections and a Hysterectomy and each time while I was recovering that first day I would puke like crazy. Could be from the anesthesia or pain meds – or both combined, but I did not want to go through that again – so this time I was prepared. They were also going to be pumping me with some during surgery as well. So it is a good thing to ask your Surgeon to put on the list for you too if you will be having this surgery – would not hurt.

At 7:45am they came to take me away and I was really excited to go. I gave a big smooch to my hubby and off I went…..

Stay Tuned to see what happens next – coming in my next post

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