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WannaBeALoser

I Don't Think I'm Doing This Right

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I apologize in advance for this rather long post, but I'm trying to get my thoughts together and give anyone reading a complete background. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I am now 15 days post-op, and I feel like I've already messed up. Before surgery, I saw a Bariatric physician and nutritionist who referred me to the surgeon (Dr. Sieloff) after I had satisfied all the requirements to get insurance approval. The Bariatric doctor and surgeon work together on all of this because they do seminars together. During my visits to the Bariatric doctor, she would occasionally make comments about Dr. Sieloff's office telling patients things that were different from her instructions.

Well, I ran into the right away when I got my surgery date. When they gave me my date, it was exactly two weeks out. I told the nurse that I would need to start my pre-op diet the next day. She agreed, but then told me that the pre-op diet was not a requirement of Dr. Sieloff. She said it was up to me, but they did not see a need for me to torture myself for two weeks before I even had the tool to help me. She said no one's liver had ever been too big for the surgery. So, I chose not to do the pre-op diet. I had already given up caffeine and alcohol months before the surgery. After the surgery, Dr. Sieloff told me everything went great and he did not encounter anything out of the ordinary. I was on the liquid diet in the hospital (3 nights). My surgery was on a Thursday, and I got to go home Sunday.

After I got home that Sunday, I continued the liquid diet for four more days. Again, there were differences in what the Bariatric doctor told me and what Dr. Sieloff's office told me but in the other direction. Bariatric told me I could go to full liquids 3 days after surgery. Dr. Sieloff's office told me to wait until that next Thursday, which was a week post-op. Again, I followed Dr. Sieloff's instructions. I started full liquids at 8 days post-op, which was great because I needed something a little more filling. I was already feeling hunger, which was a little bit of a disappointment, because the Bariatric doctor and my counselor both told me "you won't be hungry after the surgery". I thought, "well, you just can't kill my hunger". I continued the full liquids until my follow-up appointment with Dr. Sieloff that next Monday, which was 11 days post-op. At that appointment, Dr. Sieloff told me I could go ahead and start on pureed foods like chicken salad, but he also told me to spread it on a cracker so that I could practice chewing it enough to swallow it. He also told me I could eat vegetables mashed up with my fork...not pureed but soft. So, it didn't seem like I had to stick to pureed foods as long as they were soft and I could chew them down to mush. My Bariatric doctor told me NOT to go off full liquids until I saw her, which is not until August 30th. I don't think I could have stood it that long, but I didn't even try. Again, I followed Dr. Sieloff's guidance and started eating pureed/soft foods. Those few crackers with the chicken salad were heaven. I couldn't eat more that three of four bites before I was full, but I felt like I was cheating.

I made the mistake of weighing myself at my parent's house this past Wednesday. At my Monday appointment with Dr. Sieloff, I was 220.5, which is about 12 pounds down from pre-op. When I weighed Wednesday, I weighed 221.4. Needless to say, I immediately felt discouraged. I knew better, but I didn't feel like I was losing after I started soft foods, and I wanted to check.

At this point, I have pretty much started eating normal food (although I do try to pick soft foods...no steak or dry chicken or anything like that). I do focus on protein. Since I can't hold much, I don't have room to eat other things. My typical daily diet is one scrambled egg for breakfast, 1/2 shake for snack (although I was able to drink a whole one for snack today, which worries me), chicken salad with 2 or 3 crackers for lunch, another 1/2 shake for snack, and then supper is where I feel like I'm messing up. My sister is in the hospital and not doing well. I've been to visit her every night this week, and I've been grabbing something on the go for supper. Granted, it's only a very small portion, but for instance, last night I ate chili from the hospital cafeteria. It was about a cup of chili, and I couldn't eat it all. I ate half at the beginning of my visit and the other half about an hour later. I chewed everything really well. I did wind up feeling a little overfull, but luckily I didn't get sick. Oh, and I am avoiding water 30 prior to 30 after eating.

So, here is where my diet-damaged mind is driving me crazy. I know that when I go to my Bariatric doctor on the 30th, they're going to know I didn't do the pre-op because if I had, I would be down more than I am. I'm also afraid I'm not going to lose weight eating "normal" food.

Have I messed up the whole process? Should I go back to full liquids for a while? I don't want to fail at this like I've failed at every other weight loss attempt I've made. Thanks for listening to me vent. This is a mind challenging, life changing thing.

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Comments

  1. sraebaer's Avatar
    Sounds like you're doing fine. Please HIDE YOUR SCALE. You don't need it now, it just messes with your head. At the beginning many of us gain weight or don't lose, while eating practically nothing, and it drives us nuts. To keep from being driven nuts, just HIDE YOUR SCALE. Continue doing what you should be doing and you'll be fine. Promise.

    I know this from experience. Now, almost 4 years later, I've maintained a healthy weigh for over 3 years. (But you can bet I was crying to my nutritionist at 2 weeks when I hadn't lost any weight!)
  2. WannaBeALoser's Avatar
    Thank you. I needed to hear that.
  3. Sandra3's Avatar
    Like Sharon said, weight is not important right now. I also came back from the hospital with water retention and did gain a few pounds.
    But reading how you eat my only concern is about that cup of chili.
    My surgeon was really focused on the fact that I would respect meal times and not overeat. If you already had half a cup of chili, eating again 30 minutes later was not necessary. I was eating a max of half a cup per meal.
    30 minutes later it was time to drink, not eat again. Drinking enough fluid is important in the process. Good luck and take care.
  4. WannaBeALoser's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sandra3
    Like Sharon said, weight is not important right now. I also came back from the hospital with water retention and did gain a few pounds.
    But reading how you eat my only concern is about that cup of chili.
    My surgeon was really focused on the fact that I would respect meal times and not overeat. If you already had half a cup of chili, eating again 30 minutes later was not necessary. I was eating a max of half a cup per meal.
    30 minutes later it was time to drink, not eat again. Drinking enough fluid is important in the process. Good luck and take care.
    I agree. I thought about throwing the other half away and should have done that. I ate it because it was there....and old habit I need to break.
  5. Christie13's Avatar
    Nope. You are just fine. The truth is that every surgeon has different pre op requirements from no pre op surgery to 2 weeks of just clear liquids (which is the most torturous I have seen). Honestly, they all succeed no matter what the pre op was. As for which to follow, it is tricky having 2 different doctors. My one thought on reading what you have is to focus on those proteins. I think if you are having 2-3 crackers you may be filling up on them (which offer you no real nutrition) rather than the chicken salad. I would suggest only have the chicken salad at this phase. Your goals this early on should focus on protein and fluids. Eventually you can have those crackers after your protein and veggies. Often after my protein I couldn't even eat my veggies. It was quite a while before I had room for carbs.
  6. NLT's Avatar
    If this is a issue for you (the misinformation) I am sure it is an issue with others as well. Why not just say, this is my concern __.. to both parties, and let them clarify. I wouldn't hold off on letting both know they are counter productive and confusing. Seems as though they need to get on the same page if they are going to work for the same practice. It's such an emotional roller coaster. I wish you the very best
  7. sraebaer's Avatar
    I had a huge handout from my nutritionist telling me exactly what I could eat at what stages. Sounds like something like that would make you more comfortable. Someone posted the exact one I used here, but I don't have it anymore. Basically it was liquids only (protein shakes, etc) for the first 2 weeks after surgery, soft foods at the 3rd week, and then things added the 4th and 5th week until cleared for all foods at 6 weeks. Always protein first, then veggies, then other stuff if you have room. (Which you probably won't.)
  8. Gvn71's Avatar
    I wouldn't stress over the numbers! You seem to be doing fine. I also had a list from my Nut about when and what I could eat. I did clear liquids for 4 days post surgery and then full liquids for a few weeks. Then it was a slow introduction to food again. I always (still do) concentrate on getting protein first and then the others.... The others includes veggies! I try to stay away from carbs (but it is hard). I think I've been very successful so far.

    Find something that works for you and stick to it. You'll lose weight like crazy the first 4 months or so (at least I did)!
  9. jamma's Avatar
    I agree with a couple of the others, don't weigh yourself on any scale that isn't yours or the doctor's. They might not be the same. Also, once you eat your meal, the next thing you put in your mouth is water (or the like). Avoid the crackers, you need the protein. My nut said if you are eating for over 45 minutes, you are now grazing, which is a big no-no. Our old ways are hard to get out of our head, give yourself time to readjust your thinking. Follow the rules strictly: Water, protein first then if there's room vegetables
  10. kenson's Avatar
    I am not understanding why there are two different doctors giving you two sets of differing instructions. It makes no sense! The bariatric doctor and the surgeon are not on the same team? (apparently not). At any rate, as others have said, as hard as it is, get rid of the scale. Your weight is going to fluctuate like crazy for awhile. Follow the nutritional guidelines set forth by your nutritionist. Everyone has given you great suggestions in this thread.