Newbie here who had quite a journey

[JudyNY]

Hi, I joined this group today because I feel the need to be in touch with others who had WLS. I had so much wanted to go to in person support groups but Covid had other ideas. I had my surgery on June 25th of this year and as the "2020 luck" would have it, I had complications galore. Besides the sleeve, I was having an old lapband removed and a hernia fixed. The actual sleeve surgery was a success but the complications were other things... sepsis followed by internal bleeding. My one surgery turned into three! After the third surgery I developed severe edema in which I gained 40 lbs. I must be the only person who goes in for WLS and winds up gaining that much! My husband brought me clothes to change into when I was discharged and they were suddenly tight on me and I couldn't even wear shoes! I kept thinking if this was a really bad idea to get this surgery.

I can now say I am in a better place and finally have lost the edema weight and an additional 30 lbs since surgery. My stomach is actually doing well and I am doing so much better than I had with the lapband. I have had no problems with eating and handling the food that I eat. I do get hungry between meals but I can eat just a small amount of something healthy and it will hold me until the next meal. The biggest challenge that I have is making sure I get in all the protein and water/liquid that I need to. Keeping the schedule of not drinking 30 minutes before or 30 minutes after, I have to be aware of sticking to a schedule. If I sleep later than usual, I very easily get behind.

I am also working on my mindset. I've been really good since February when I started my pre-surgery diet. I have not eaten any snack junk food since then and reduced my meal portions losing 40 lbs pre-surgery.. I haven't even craved it until... recently. The snack food still doesn't tempt me but meal food that isn't quite as healthy or on the diet plan does. So yesterday I ate 1/2 of a BLT sandwich, a spoonful of homemade potato salad and a 2 inch piece of corn on the cob. That is way more than I normally eat. It's just so hard cooking for my husband and always eating something different. Usually I try to eat before him but that doesn't always work out. Any suggestions? I don't want to get into this habit so early in the game. Thanks for listening!

 

[Kayleigh]

Hello Judy, Welcome to our support group and congratulations on your surgery and glad you’re doing better. What food plan are you on now?

I had complications after bypass surgery too and ended up having a second surgery. Mine was on July 20th. I’m doing much better and taking things one day at a time.

 

[WazzuCoug]

Hi Judy and welcome to the group.

Eating bariatric style can be difficult if other people in the house aren't eating that way. I would suggest finding some recipes you'd both like and just sizing them appropriately. My wife has made some compromises in what she eats, and I'm appreciative of that, but I also try to cook things that are good for me in proper portion and also tasty for her, and she can eat a larger portion as she wishes. Fish and veggies and brown rice is a common dish we both enjoy, I have a smaller portion. Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs. I had black bean spaghetti and my wife had regular pasta. It wasn't difficult to have different pasta for each person. There should be meals that you can both enjoy, and if there isn't, to be blunt, your husband needs to compromise and get over it. There is a ton of good dishes that you could both have together and not be making different things.

Also, I wouldn't feel bad about having a BLT, etc. No big deal. You're not eating it at every meal right? Unless it's a trigger food, you shouldn't have to abstain from anything, as long as it agrees with your system and you eat it in moderation.

That's my two cents anyway.

You've been through a lot and seem to be doing really well. Don't get derailed by food. Keep making good choices and try to find meals you and your husband can compromise on.

Ryan

 

[JudyNY]

Hello Judy, Welcome to our support group and congratulations on your surgery and glad you’re doing better. What food plan are you on now?

I had complications after bypass surgery too and ended up having a second surgery. Mine was on July 20th. I’m doing much better and taking things one day at a time.

So sorry to hear you had complications and needed another surgery as well. "One day at a time" was my motto. I can eat regular food though I stay away from any tough meats or anything else that might seem to be more advanced. What helped me in the beginning was buying Stouffer's frozen meals... meat loaf, salisbury steak, chicken, stuffed pepper, etc. I would only eat 1/2 the meal, that was enough and I'd eat the other half at another meal. The calorie count is higher than the diet entree's but the taste is better and it really satisfied me without feeling deprived. The meats were all tender and easy to tolerate. Now that I have my strength back again, I am starting to cook and relying on those meals as much. Take it easy, you are recovering from two surgeries so you need more time.

 

[JudyNY]

Hi Judy and welcome to the group.

Eating bariatric style can be difficult if other people in the house aren't eating that way. I would suggest finding some recipes you'd both like and just sizing them appropriately. My wife has made some compromises in what she eats, and I'm appreciative of that, but I also try to cook things that are good for me in proper portion and also tasty for her, and she can eat a larger portion as she wishes. Fish and veggies and brown rice is a common dish we both enjoy, I have a smaller portion. Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs. I had black bean spaghetti and my wife had regular pasta. It wasn't difficult to have different pasta for each person. There should be meals that you can both enjoy, and if there isn't, to be blunt, your husband needs to compromise and get over it. There is a ton of good dishes that you could both have together and not be making different things.

Also, I wouldn't feel bad about having a BLT, etc. No big deal. You're not eating it at every meal right? Unless it's a trigger food, you shouldn't have to abstain from anything, as long as it agrees with your system and you eat it in moderation.

That's my two cents anyway.

You've been through a lot and seem to be doing really well. Don't get derailed by food. Keep making good choices and try to find meals you and your husband can compromise on.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan. He is a bit fussy with food but he knows how hard it has been for me and he appreciates having me back cooking. He hates to cook! LOL! No, the BLT and potato salad wasn't a trigger, I served potato salad to my husband today and didn't crave it at all. I was very pleased at that. I am sure I will settle in to figuring out what meals work best that we can eat together and since it is just the two of us (we are retired), I plan on serving him leftovers a lot too! ;-)

 

[SunnyD]

I plan on serving him leftovers a lot too! ;-)

Thank goodness for freezers. I checked out some post-bariatric cookbooks and I was laughing because the overall meal sizes were huge for folks with portion control needs. When something makes 4-6 cups and you only consume 1/2 cup at a time that’s a ton of leftovers.

In our house we split the dinner duties. I do 3, my spouse does 3 and we carry in one night to try to help keep the small restaurants near us in business. Usually one of my spouse’s nights, he makes stuff not on my menu, but our kid loves (grilled cheese and fries with carrots or pizza). I sit at the table and make something quick in a bowl or do meat and cheese roll ups with a side of watermelon or nectarine. If I try something new that they discover they don’t like — they make a sandwich or do quick pasta. It definitely requires some flexibility from the whole family.