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The waiting game

NanaG67

NanaG67

Member
I know that many of you are waiting for your surgery date and many have already played the waiting game. I am so close, but not close enough for me. My insurance said to call back on Friday...:( hopefully they will have it all approved by then. It's hard trying to eat better in a house full of heavy snackers. I try so hard to eat the right things, but with 6 people in the house, usually I have to hide stuff, and that is hard to do when it comes to cold stuff like yogurt or cottage cheese and such. I try to drink at least 1 protein drink a day, which isn't bad tasting. I do know that according to the nutritionist, the surgeon said not to use the Body Fortress protein which is what I am drinking now. He seems to think that we should only use Bariatric Advantage supplements and various protein drinks, Which I know Unjury is one that I can use. Any suggestions on what liquid I can safely have without feeling deprived during the liquid stage before and after surgery??:confused:
 
I drank a lot of bullion, crystal light and EAS, you should go with what your doctor wants so as to not have him delay you for not following the program he has set out for you, I like chocorite protien, but I hear Unjury is real good too. Check out the different bariatric catolog web sites like the one on here and http://www.bariatricchoice.com/ the prices are about the same. Hang in there. :cool: Tom
 
Thanks Tom. I was told to modify my diet...from bread, rice, pasta, soda. I stay away from rice, only eat a small amount of pasta and an occasional soda, but I can go without those things when it comes to it. Right now, I am trying to teach myself to say no to the temptations that are in my house. I have 2 small grandkids and they get upset if I don't eat something that they offer me, but that is usually just the 2 year old. She is always wanting what I have, so when it comes to my protein drink and she asks me what it is, I always tell her it's nana's medicine. She knows, but I think it confuses her because it's chocolate.
 
Nana-Like Tom said you need to follow the meal plan from the surgeon or else you are putting yourself at risk for further delay. Just keep one of the liquids you can have with you at all times and drink every few minutes. It will take the hungries away. After a few days you will better accept the liquid phase. Have you considered getting a small dorm sized fridge and putting it in your bedroom where it will be out of sight of the snackers? This is the first thing that came to mind when I ready your post about the yogurt. You can easily fit a few days worth of your special foods in there.

I'm not allowed to have carbonated beverages at all. I stopped drinking diet pop over a year before my surgery. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be maybe because I knew I had to stop it in order to have the surgery. I used to live on pasta and other carbs before surgery. I have only had a couple of bites since surgery but since there is very little protein in these I am staying away for the most part. There are plenty of other great tasting healthy options available.

Good luck Nana. We can do anything if we want it bad enough :)
 
Thanks Pat for the advice. I can look into a small fridge maybe I can find a cheap one somewhere. I also have to find room for it. It's hard with a houseful of people and our home is pretty crowded now, but I will do what I have to do to make it work. I am still struggling with temptations so everyday is a struggle. I'm really frustrated but am working on things I step at a time. I've had a few anxiety attacks and bad headaches but I think it's all from stress, so I called to get a refill on my meds, which I haven't had the need for since Christmas trying to deal with the loss of my mom so close to the holidays.
 
Nana-I bought my mini fridge at Pep Boys. Weird place to sell a fridge but they have them there all the time. They usually go on sale this time of year. It was a fairly good size fridge, bigger than the "cube" size. My guess is that it's 3 1/2 feet by 20 inches. It has a can dispenser in the door, shelves, a crisper drawer and a tiny freezer compartment. I originally bought it for camping but now it's in my den or garage depending on where I am spending most of my time. Plenty of room and will fit in a bedroom or closet nicely. If you had to you could Jerry rig a cable and padlock to keep the little ones out *LOL*
 
I am looking into a mini fridge, though my daughter thinks I am crazy. She asked why I wanted one and where I was going to keep it. I will make room for one as I feel it's the only way I can keep my things in my room just for me. Anything that tends to be in the kitchen seems like its fair game to them, but when it comes to their stuff in the kitchen, heaven forbid if something comes up missing....now I found out that she wants to buy a treadmill for the house, like I have room for one, she said we can keep it out back, I really don't see me on the treadmill in triple digit temps this summer...lol I'd rather be at the gym working out, at least there is a/c and ceiling fans.
 
Nana-for non-refrigerated items you could get one of those locking trunks or military footlockers like college kids use. I don't know where to get one but you could probably do an Internet search. Good to use for protein bars, specialty foods, vitamins, RX meds, pre-made shakes, etc. I worked with someone who used to keep a fairly large locked storage box under her desk. She kept her personal office supplies, snacks, beverages and her purse in there because we had a big theft problem. She would even bake some sort of a healthy version of a sheet cake and bring it to work to eat during the week and lock it up in there. She gave me some a few times and to tell you the truth it tasted so bad I don't think anyone would ever take it *LOL*
 
Thanks for all the advice. I am looking into various things. I can lock my room from the inside, and I am sure that my hubby can rig something on the outside to lock them out. I wouldn't have to do that if my youngest son wouldn't have broke the door.
 
When my kids were living at home I just put a lock on the bedroom door. I had my special foods locked in the bedroom.
 
Well we talked about several different things. Putting my name on my stuff, getting a mini fridge so I can keep my cold drinks and cheeses and yogurt and cottage cheese. When I'm not home my daughter won't let the kids into my room. They don't get into my protein or milk cause they think it's gross.
 
You're looking at an opportunity to get everyone to start eating healthy snacks :) Stock the main fridge with fresh fruits and veggies and tell everyone that this is what you will be eating. With any luck they will snarffel it up and be all the more healthy for it *LOL*

I have a homemade yogurt recipe in case you're interested. You can made enough plain yogurt from one gallon of milk to last a few days even with all of the people you have living with you. One gallon of milk makes over 2 quarts of yogurt. It tastes fantastic and you will never want store bought yogurt again. It takes about an hour to get it started then you have to wait 8 to 12 hours for it to culture (thicken up). Then you just drain it in the fridge for several hours or overnight and it's done. Mix in your favorite fresh or canned fruit and sweetener to taste. You will have to wait until you are allowed to eat fruit and will need to puree the fruit into almost liquid in the beginning then go chunky later. If you want the recipe let me know and I will send it to you.
 
Hi Pat! Thanks so much. Most everyone eats fruits in the house, more so the grandkids and my son in law eat apples, oranges, bananas and grapes. It's hard to keep those fruits in the house with that bunch around. I still think I need to get my own fridge. They are big milk drinkers and one entire shelf in the fridge hold nothing but milk...they are big tea drinkers too, and go through a gallon of tea a day. Of course I drink tea too, but mine is decaf and it takes me several days to drink mine, I have it unsweetened in the fridge then add sweet n low to it. I was told yesterday by a guy at the local nutrition store that I shouldn't be drinking milk, I have never been a big milk drinker but I have switched from 2% to 1% and only use it with my protein mix in the mornings. When I start going to liquids do I need to stay away from the milk?
 
Check with you doctor on the milk, I was never a big milk drinker and I only drank it after I had surgery to add more protien and calories to my shakes. Are you on a special pre op meal plan or do you just have to do a week or so on the liquid diet? :cool: Tom
 
Hi Tom, I am only supposed to do liquids the week before surgery. Right now I am having stomach issues and not sure what is going on. I am thinking its from all the vitamins and iron. I'll make a list of questions to ask my surgeon so I understand everything.
 
Like Tom mentioned you need to check with the doc regarding the milk. The sales people at nutrition stores work on commision and will tell you anything if they think it will help them sell you something. I doubt if any of them have training or hands on knowledge regarding bariatric surgery. Once your surgery date is scheduled you should be given written material for you meal plans and other important information regarding the surgery itself plus things to expect during and after your hospital stay. You mentioned you are taking vitamins and iron. Were you told to take this by the surgeon or another doctor? The reason I am asking is that my pre-surgical bloodwork was done a few weeks before surgery but I wasn't supposed to start taking my supplements until after surgery. And I couldn't start the calcium until 8 weeks post surgery.
 
We were told to start taking our supplements now to get used to being in the routine of taking them regularly. I can stop taking my calcium until I talk to my surgeon, which I hope will be this week.
 
I already have the manual downloaded to my laptop, it states to Begin protein and vitamin supplements at least one week prior to surgery.
 
Well as long as your doctor told you to take them then it's OK. I just didn't want you to have to go through any surgery delays or have any complications. Keep up the good work and keep us posted on how you are doing :)
 
I will get ahold of the nutritionist in his office and double check. But what I showed in the last post was copied and pasted from the online manual. I do appreciate your concern and I wouldn't be doing it had they not told me to. I am taking B-12 nasal spray, vitamin d3 drops, liquid calcium citrate and iron pills along with all my regular medications.
 
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