recipes suitable for post-op gastric bypass

Posts: 14
1/5/13 12:48 P

They will check you for any leaking before you leave the hospital via x rays.

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1/5/13 12:46 P

The only hope for your hair is protein, protein, protein!

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1/5/13 12:45 P

My daughter had the lapband put on 4 1/2 years ago. She has now lost 167lbs down from 320. The lapband is a little slower but you do not go through malabsorption. She is very happy with her results. I had the RNY Jul 2010 and was down 122lbs in 8 months. We are both very happy with our choices.

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1/5/13 12:41 P

Hi I stayed in the hospital 2 days. Just remember that a little pain won't kill you and do what you are asked to do like walking. I wouldn't suggest that you plan on going right back to work. As well as some other issues you will go through a myriad of emotions. Do it you won't regret it.

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1/5/13 12:35 P

I discovered that if what I am eating tastes good, I can get by with just a little bit.

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1/5/13 12:33 P

It is all worth it. I love having my life back. Good Luck!

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1/5/13 12:32 P

My recovery time was about 3 months. If I worked I could have gone back sooner I guess. The RNY is really worth it. The weight loss is so fast I don't remember losing it. It was just gone. The malabsorbtion wasn't bad. I did lose a bunch of hair but it came back. You must ":MUST" get the suggested amount of protein. I chose shakes. I like Atkins and drink it over ice. It tastes much better to me over ice.

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1/5/13 12:25 P

Hi I figured out eventually that the heaviness in the chest is actually coming from my new stomach. It should settle down. However if in the future the same thing happens I use a mild antacid. It usually settles down in about an hour. For you this close to surgery don't do anything without checking with your "fat" Dr.

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12/25/12 11:57 P

Hello I am a couple days post op I had gastric bypass 12/22/12 and I feel ok except for pain and pressure n my chest and back has any one else been through this after surgery.... Also looking for more liquid soft foods for stage 1 that I can have, any ideas?

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10/20/12 4:42 A

Misty-thanks for the info. I've got her site on my favourites now!

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10/19/12 12:24 A

I had my mine 8/21/2012 Eggface & her recipes have really helped me! "http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/"
I love her protein ice cream!!!

Edited by: MISTYTYMES at: 10/19/2012 (00:30)

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10/14/12 9:29 P

Hathor 2000, I was reading your reply to Rose and found it very helpful. My surgery date it Nov 16 for a RNY. I tried to talk the doctor into a sleeve (I'm not happy about the degree of malabsorbtion with the RNY), he wants the RNY. Where I work they say people come back after 2 wks. The surgeon says 4 wks. I also work at a doctors clinic where some of the pts take longer-like you say it depends on how you heal. In both jobs I have to work with the public-so I'll need to put on a "happy face". My starting weight is the same yours was (309). I looked and felt good at the 150 mark so that's what I'm aiming for. Thanks for sending Rose the letter of encouragement-it's helping more than just her.


Edited by: K7K6C7 at: 10/14/2012 (21:31)

Posts: 1
10/4/12 1:44 P

I had my gastric sleeve surgery August 31st. I would also love some great high protein recipes as I am struggling to get all my protein in. I am drinking a protein shake (30g) in the morning and still adding beneprotein to water during the day to get it all in. I'm down 16 lbs from surgery date though!!! WOOT WOOT! Please email them to luckybee13@gmail.com THANKS!

Posts: 1
9/30/12 2:52 P

I would love to have some of your recipes. Please email to mikeshar1@msn.com

Posts: 18
9/11/12 1:18 P

Counting down the days (13 more) until I have my gastric bypass surgery. So many emotions, but I am excited to start this new part of my life!

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8/18/12 3:54 A

Rose,

I had my surgery on 8/2. I was in the hospital for 4 days (I stayed one extra day for pain). I was given 6 weeks off of work to recover. I go back to work on the 2nd week of September. I could not imagine having to go back to work only after 2 weeks. There are days that just doing my light excersize tires me out quickly and I end up having to take a nap. Good luck to you!!

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8/12/12 12:47 A

Caty,
I would love hi-protein recipes.

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8/12/12 12:44 A

Rose, I had my surgery 12/30/2009 and lost 160 pounds since then. Take advantage of the 2 weeks to recover. I was in the hospital 2 days and didn't have a hard time of it, but you will be on a liquid diet and won't feel that good to be pleasant to people. At least I know I wouldn't have been. Everyone is different in how they heal and deal with the food; liquid or otherwise. You can hardly take in the fluid you need to take in daily, but it will be well worth it in the end. I have never once, regretted having the gastric bypass. I only threw up 2 times in the first year. Mainly it was because I ate too fast and didn't chew long enough, this was when I started solid foods. It is hard to imagine that you only eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food after and is hard to get used to. Even now I make 1/2 a sandwich and eat only half of that. That took getting used to. You will succeed and it will be wonderful for you. I look in the mirror and can't believe it's me looking back. I started at 309 pounds and am now 154. What a wonderful thing. Your family and friends will say "you aren't eating enough"; just tell them that is all you can handle. Make sure you drink your protein meal replacements and get your protein in daily. That is my goal even now. 75 grams protein each day. Let me know if you need any more info. Good luck and you'll be a skinny bride....

Edited by: HATHOR2000 at: 8/12/2012 (00:45)

current weight: 163.0

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7/23/12 2:20 P

Hi Everyone, I hope you are all doing well and that by now your surgery is over and your new life has started. If I know then what I know now I would have done this a long time ago. I feel reborn, confident, and for the first time I am healthy, really healthy. I have some great recipes if any one would like them let me know.

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5/17/12 10:39 A

Hi all . . . thank you for all the insight and information regarding gastric bypass/lap-band/sleeve surgery.

I just went to an informational session last week and am having my 1st initial meeting with the doctor next Thursday. I am both excited & nervous at the same time. I've finally prepared myself mentally for this and I feel as though this is the best direction to take for me to jumpstart a full lifestyle change.

The past 21 months have been very stressful with a divorce, finaincial issues due to the divorce, health concerns, behavior issues with my youngest son, and now work-related issues. All the stress has seemingly halted every weight loss attempt.

I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure last January, put on meds & ordered by my doctor to go to Weight Watchers meetings. I went for awhile, but financial & schedule constraints forced me to stop going. Every attempt helps me to lose just a few pounds and then gain it back & then some. I've gained 30 lbs over the course of this time and don't see any other alternative. I have just over 100 lbs to lose with a BMI bordering on 40 which makes me a good candidate for the surgery. My long-term goal is to lose the 100 lbs by my wedding planned for 06/08/13. I've got 2 weddings this year and although I've made them short-term goals, I haven't attached a set number of pounds to lose before them yet.

I'm hoping that I will be able to get the surgey scheduled around the same time that my kids will be in Florida so that I can recuperate with no added distractions. A question I'd like to ask is if anyone who did the bypass, how long did you stay in the hospital and did you take the full 2 weeks off work to recuperate. I am looking into the short-term disability that my company provides, but I was just wondering because I sit at the front desk receptionist area & don't do anything more than greet visitors. Do you think it would be possible to go straight back to work or take advantage of the recovery time.

I will be checking back often as I want to get real advice from real people who already been down this road.

Thank you again!

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5/8/12 10:37 P

Hope all is goping good for you. I am awaiting a date for my surgery.

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4/26/12 7:36 P

I have lupus too. The steroids are miserable. I loose weight, then go on prednisone and presto I am chubby once again. Between the side effect of weight gain, and the genuine hungar when I am on them, its a terrible cycle. But as my weight has crept up my joints have really rebelled. I'm having a terrible time with my knees, and am in such pain doing simple things. I've decided its time to just stop diving into programs head first and to start making small changes and allow my body to adjust slowly.

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4/23/12 11:40 A

I had the gastric sleeve surgery on 11/29/2011 and have lost 70 lbs so far. I am about 30 lbs from my goal of 100 lbs and feel great. The biggest adjustment for me has been eating slowly and chewing my food properly. I drink one protein shake a day along with my meals to incorporate the 60-70 grams needed daily. My meals consist of a lean protein (2-3 oz.), a veggie (1/4 to 1/2 cup serving) and a small piece of fruit with healthy snacks in between. For me, the only down side is the supplements, I recently had to add iron and vitamin D as the blood work showed I was deficient on these. I realize that the surgery is just the beginning of a life changing process. Thank you to everyone here for sharing your experiences.

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4/15/12 2:55 P

I have heard that shampoo with Keratin in it can help and I am not sure if you are drinking protein shakes or not, but maybe that will help too.

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4/15/12 2:50 P

I had my surgery this past Monday. It hasn't been to bad for me as far as starting to recover. The main issue I have is my head is still a little cloudy not sure what its from. But hopefully when I see the dr they will help. Good luck with a date and be proactive that is how I got a quicker date!

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4/14/12 4:12 P

I had my gastric bypass in 1996 I was 720 lb.s at the time. I am now 260 pounds. I got all the way down to 187 but gained weight back due to having to have steroids for my Lupus. In the beginning I had alot foods I could no longer eat but find now that I can eat pretty much anything in moderation. Chewing really good is the key and taking all the vitamins are an absolute must! I wasnt diligent with that and now have to have infusions and have all kinds of medical problems that could of been avoided simply by taking the vitamens. I am on the road to losing the extra weight from the steroids now and find that making good eating choices and exercising is the general key. Remember keep moving even if you dont feel like it. I had to do all my exercises in the pool in the beginning. And now I do alot of chair exercises and the pool to maintain some movement. I have had two knee replacements and getting ready for the hips. Hang in there it is still worth it all to this day. Just use wisdom.

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4/13/12 12:36 P

Yes, dumping is a reality of life after gastric bypass, but you will learn what works and what doesn't as time goes on.

Healing will depend on your body and how the surgery is done. If it is laproscopicly done, the healing time is less than a couple of weeks. A cutdown will probably take longer to heal.

Your feeling towards what you like and what you don't like in foods will change, and you may find that cottage cheese and yogurt are liked. And conversely, you will find other foods that you don't like any longer!

Richard

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4/12/12 9:47 P

I do not have a surgery date yet but am in the final stages before I meet the surgeon. Where I live you have to be cleared of all the docs , social worker, eating for life classes, take a quiz, lose weight if u need to for a safe suergery, and take a review class and oh yes meet with dietician. They are not all in order. I am meating with dietician and then I meet with surgeon,. Hopefully a June surgery is planned. I am scared about the leaking and eating. For those of you who have had the surgery, how long did it take to heal and I do not like yogurt and cottage cheese, what did you eat in stage 1 and have any of you had dumping syndrome?

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2/17/12 12:02 P

I had lapband surgery 4 years ago, and while there are differences in what I can eat versus bypass, there are still some similarities... I do agree that chicken tends to be difficult to eat, tends to be very dry and causes a lot of discomfort if not complete upchucking! Dark meat is easier. I find that I need sauce or juice or gravy with many items to have optimum comfort.

I have found that there are days when nothing goes down well no matter what I do. On those days I will eat cream of something soup and a little quinoa. I figure at the very least I am getting some calcium and protein.

I do eat a lot of black beans... I'll saute up some onions and maybe peppers, add some drained black beans, garlic, various herbs, and a little chicken stock. Let that simmer for a bit until everything is soft and tender. Then I'll take 1/2 and puree and add back to the pot. I'll eat this with some brown rice or barley, or even for breakfast with some cottage cheese. If you add in a good amount of broth or stock you have soup that is very healthy and delicious! Good luck as you work through the ins and outs of WLS.

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2/16/12 1:48 P

Congratulations! Sounds like you are well on your way to a new lifestyle. I thought that it was interesting about the differences between white meat chicken and dark meat. I have found the same thing and attribute it to the fact that the white meat may be a bit more dense than the dark meat, but I'm guessing. I have found that I can tolerate white meat if I chew it really well before swallowing it.
I too have lost significant hair on my head, but I have not considered doing anything about it. I suspect that it may be fairly common, especially if you are prone to hair loss due to genetics like I am.

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2/16/12 12:36 A

I had my gastric bypass surgery on 9/2/2011. I have lost 54 lbs, with maybe 20 to go. I was in poor health because of severe type 2 diabetes. Also I didn't want to keep getting heavier. It would be much harder to loose the weight, & my health would suffer.
Now I am so happy to be off all insulin, oral meds, & my liver is now its normal size, & healthy. numbness & pain in my feet is gone. (Thank God) & my A1C is now 6.7. I also do not need to sleep with a C-Pap machine any more. & I feel pretty good.
I am now eating more protein. & some very well cooked vegetables. I find that dark meat chicken, thighs, settles in my stomach better than the white meat. Also, the extra lean ground beef is doing well. I grilled them on the out door BBQ, & keep them in tubs in the refrig until I need them. I eat a 3oz piece at each meal. (3 x day)
I am concerned because my hair is getting too thin. I want to stop the fall out & start some regrowth!! I hope adding protein helps Any suggestions? I am using special shampoos, conditioners, & scalp treatments. so I hope I see new hair soon. Any Suggestions to get it growing??

Edited by: PROLAND1217 at: 2/16/2012 (00:41)

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3/24/11 10:24 P

Thank you for replying. I'll try the soups.

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3/23/11 6:57 P

It will depend on what your doctor allows, but I don't see any reason not to have the sugar free ice cream in limited amounts. You don't want to overdo the amount of fat that you eat either. My doctor routinely removes the gall bladder and fatty items don't do well with me, typically. Try soups like the low fat soups with meat and vegetables. Just put them thru the blender first and liquefy them. You'll find them to be very satisfying.
Richard

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3/23/11 5:59 P

Hello,
I am scheduled for the gastric bypass surgery on May 2. I'm excited and at the same time I am scared. I don't have very many teeth left to chew with so I have been on soft foods now for a couple of weeks. Have you heard if we are able to eat no sugar added ice cream as a milk shake on the liquid diet? I will be praying for you and your surgery to go well.

Posts: 7
3/7/11 5:33 P

I find that vegetables have always been easy for me to eat since the surgery and we tend to do things like sauteed veggies with some ground meat (turkey or beef) in it for protein. I will have a steak every-so-often, but as much as I still crave them in my mind, they really never seem to sit well. And neither does chicken.
The best thing for protein seems to be fish -- we tolerate it well.

Good luck on your pending surgery -- just remember that this is a tool and that you should not abuse it. You'll find that your mind will need the biggest changes, but the results are well worth the inconvenience that you will experience.
If you have any questions that I can answer, let me know.
Richard

Posts: 5
3/7/11 5:18 P

I am scheduled for bypass surgery on May 25th and it has made me feel good to read your post. I know that I will be on soft foods for awhile...but I am a big veggie lover and it is good to see that veggies work good for you. I rarely eat meat...but I do hope that I can have the occasional steak...and 4 ounces would be fine with me. I hear a lot of folks just cant handle steak anymore. If you don't mind...I will be posting to you for advice...I need some support from someone who is ahead of me in this journey.

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Posts: 7
1/13/11 7:02 P

I'm 5 and a half years post surgery and I've lost 120 pounds. As far as food goes, the recommendation was that you can have whatever your body tolerates. Certain foods, like chicken, just don't do well with me and I have limited amounts of them. I find that the best things to eat have lots of liquid in them. Vegetables seem the best thing that I tolerate. I find that an occasional steak (about 3 to 4 ounces) is enough to make me happy these days as compared to before when I could polish off a 20 "ouncer" easily.
I'm happy to help you with food choices. Remember, the surgery is only a tool and it's what you do with it that makes the difference!
Richard

Posts: 11,780
6/18/10 4:05 P

Hasn't your Dr/Surgeon provided you with suitable meal plans? If not, you should request them as you need the correct nutrition.

Posts: 2
6/18/10 3:13 P

I am 2 1/2 months postop and I am struggling to find stuff to eat. Any ideas?