NYU Boi - 13 weeks post-op !!!

[nyuboi]

Hi everyone,

Yes, I am alive. I am now just over three months post-op! I am so sorry for not posting since the week or two after my surgery, or giving any update. I didn't mean to drop off the earth. Truth be told, I slipped into a bad depression for the first 6 weeks post-op. I wasn't even going online to check email or anything. Spent the first month sleeping all day and night and sedating myself, although I always got woken up having to go potty. I had diarrhea every day for the first 4-5 weeks or so, which was making me feel sad about the surgery and feared it would not get better, I was on at least six immodium a day the first month and still it was bad. But I am happy to say that has resolved. I am good now, though, and back to feeling normal for the most part and getting stuff done. I have been meaning to come online and post for a month now. Thank you for all the private messages and sorry if I concerned anyone. All is good and I'm alive. If anyone referenced me on a thread or asked me something I didn't see it over the past 2 months, please PM me a link.

::::drum roll::::: I AM DOWN 75 POUNDS IN 3 MONTHS!!!!! My surgeon is very happy with my weight loss, which has been consistent from the beginning. 280 became 250 then 230 then the next time I looked the mid 220s and then 215 and I have now been between 204-206 for nine days or so. It's starting to slow but I didn't make the best food choices the past week or so. Anyway, a normal BMI would be below 172 -- so I suppose my goal is the 160s. But I have NO complaints with the weight loss -- it has been simply amazing! Now, truth be told, I'm sure some of that was muscle mass because I wasn't being disciplined with the protein for the early-on weight loss, not even close. I wish I had been, but what's done is done. I have shakes and all now though...

Right now, I only have two real concerns from the surgery. The first is I go to the bathroom a lot -- most days at least 5-6 times. But it's not diarrhea anymore, but it is frequently loose stool and mush, etc. I have had accidents, etc. Can usually control it, but do have sudden urges where I have to go fast. Most movements are within hours of waking up, like most of you. I do frequently also get orange-like oil (like my Xenical/Alli days) that takes a long time to wipe and clean up. I had IBS to begin with so I am not too surprised I suppose. The smell and the gas don't really bother me. I'm just worried with what I will do on vacations and such. I feel like sooner or later theres going to be a time I can't control it when I am out. I often "just make it" in time to the bathroom. I suppose that this will get better as I "learn" what foods make it worse and stuff. I do regret having them do a gentle sleeve cause the 55-60% stomach removed allows me to eat slightly more, which would cause more bathroom activity. Would have been better with more restriction probably. In terms of eating ability, I had trouble eating a lot after surgery, but that really changed over the past month. I can eat almost anything. Although I notice lately sometimes I'm getting hungry within hours of eating.

The second problem has been nausea. Ehhhh. I get it almost daily and it makes me feel like I'm on chemo. It happens if the heat is turned on too much or I just ate. The biggest cause of it is when I take any stimulants -- coffee/caffine, Ritalin, etc. -- all irritate my stomach a lot and make me feel nausea. So I am a lot more sensitive to that stuff now. It has gotten slightly better though - I am using Ritalin almost daily now and couldn't tolerate it at all two months ago, had to slowly take 1 pill every few days to daily, and now there have been days where I have taken the regular 3 per day. They do cause more bathroom activity, but that was always the case for me with my IBS. Anyway, for nausea, my PCP prescribed me Compazine daily for it but it hasn't been that effective. Tums or Pepto help temporarily. My surgeon said he can prescribe Zofran or something else if I want.

Do I think back to that day and wonder what if I had went with RNY? Yeah sometimes. But usually only when I'm in the bathroom having problems. That wouldn't have really happened with the RNY. Although as I said above the eating ability is amazing -- nothing like I was preparing for with the RNY in terms of only have 1 oz. pouch. So I suppose in the end you are trading off being able to eat a lot more with DS in exchange for the bathroom stuff. I still probably would have had nausea with the RNY, maybe even worse. In terms of published weight loss stats, they say 70% excess body weight is lost at 1 year with rny and 75% with DS. So I'm not sure if my initial success would have been similar or not with RNY, but at least now I don't have to worry as much about the weight regain. I always read with a DS the weight comes off from the restriction and stays off from the malabsorption, but I feel like the malabsorption has contributed greatly to my weight loss, especially as I've gotten to a decent eating ability in the third month of my recovery. My dad said a comment that bothered me. I had said to him when meeting up in city last week "See now had I done RNY, I would not be able to eat sushi with you today like this!" (I went out and shared rolls with him where you almost couldnt tell I even had surgery in terms of my good eating ability!) But then he said to me "Yes, but the difference is you will now still have bathroom issues even after the weight is off." But he was referring more to smell and stuff and, again, that stuff really doesn't bother me at all! Potent gas does not scare me like the bowel control stuff. I was just making a point to him that I can eat more like a normal person or have a more normal life when going out with the DS. But I am not complaining!!! I AM THRILLED WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS AND PRETTY HAPPY. It's my nature to wonder what-if. Anytime I feel sad when I'm sitting in the bathroom a lot that day I just go weight myself after and it cheers me right up. If I had it to do over, would still probably have went with DS and just maybe had more stomach removed, although I shouldn't complain because maybe the gentle sleeve is the reason I am fine with the acid reflux and all. Remember, Dr. Fielding had the discretion to decide while I was under and I didn't know what I would wake up with. It appears he was right though that there wasn't anything ruling out the DS -- my esophagus and acid reflux did not get worse and improved much, so a lot of it was probably the huge hiatal hernia as he had predicted. This DS could have been a disaster if he had been wrong! In a weird way its funny how things worked out. If I had stayed with Lenox Hill, I would have never had the DS so maybe everything happened for a reason.

My best friend had the DS five weeks before me. He is at similar weight loss stats, and thinks the RNY is crazy -- he said he would take the eating ability with bathroom stuff any day. He thinks I am crazy if I ever question having changed to DS. But he hasn't had the bathroom stuff as bad as me, nor nausea. But he's right.

So what is the final verdict at over 3 months post-op? I am happy with it. Depressed by bathroom stuff a little, but worth it. And it will probably get better as I learn more about what to eat and what not to, etc. I need to post more about that and have questions, but will do it on a future thread. Recovery was harder than expected especially early on. If I can get bathroom stuff under control more I will be completely thrilled with the surgery. Weight is down from 280 to 205 and I can't believe I am so close to being below 200! I am just happy to feel more stable now and on the vitamins and protein and back to being productive again.

And that's my quarterly update! I hope everyone had a happy new year.

[Deleted]

NYUBOI! Glad to hear you doing ok with your DS!

As far as the bathroom stuff goes. It is mostly DIET related. More meat and cheese, less rice and pasta. If your getting the orange oil, you may be overdoing the fat. Cut back a bit on the butter, greasy meats, and yellow cheeses. Eat more white chicken, and white cheeses if you can. If your on protein shakes to make up what you don't eat in protein, it may be an allergy to the type of protein in your shakes. WHEY ISOLATE is what most of us use, but there are also EGG based and SOY based protein powders. One of those may agree with you more.

Also, Take more Calcium Citrate you should be taking 1800-2400g a day.. This will help firm you up more and reduce the number of times a day by a couple. Also helps reduce urgency sometimes. Again urgency can be controlled by diet most times.

[goodkel]

Whew. It is such a pleasant relief to hear from you. You had us worried.

Had you been here, we could have told you that depression is not an unusual side effect in the newly switched. We're not just here for the good times, we will also hold your hand and walk with you through the difficult times as well.

It sounds like you are doing great, except for the bathroom issues.

How much of that is IBS or what you are eating, I couldn't tell you. But, you shouldn't be having such urgency at three months out just from your DS.
You could have an intolerance to something. Are you counting your carbs? Do you ingest a lot of dairy?

You mentioned having sushi rolls. If that involved rice, that could cause discomfort and a rush to the bathroom. Carbs in general still have that effect on me. You are brand new and should avoid sugar, flour, rice, and potatoes for the time being.

If you'd like to fix your urgency issues, it is time for a little detective work aka as the elimination diet.

First go back to the very basics and eat only protein (no shakes) for a few days. If your bowels calm down, chances are it is something you are eating that is causing your problems. Slowly, one thing at a time, add different foods back in and give that a day or two to check your reaction before moving on to try something else. Could be lactose intolerance, could be something in your protein shakes, could be the sugar alcohols (the -itols) in anything, could be carbs you are eating.

You won't know for sure until you do a little experimentation to find out.

If you want to post what you eat in a normal day, we might have some suggestions on where to start.

Congratulations on your most excellent weight loss results!

It's good to see you again!

[Girlrocker]

Wow, very good to hear from you! Lots of people have been asking, so it's nice to hear it from the horses mouth. I'm sorry you didn't reach out to us when you were immediately post-op, as Kelly says, that post-op depression is very normal and the assrorted bowel/poop issues not uncommon with the DS early on, but you certainly have other issues that could be contributing. Kelly's suggestion about a 'cleaner' protein diet to help eliminate the culprits is a good idea. I've always had stomach issues, and still had them with my RNY and my DS. We can definitely give you some ideas if you post what you're eating. This is when knowledge about carbs, the hidden carbs in foods really comes in handy. And early out, most carbs bothered me, including the good ones like vegetables, fruit especially and of course, white flour/gluten and now, sugar alcohol. I had to be very careful, but it loosened up 6 months and after. Some of us are slower when it comes to the poop issues, and I had the urgency thing too, a few accidents, a few sharts, but it worked itself out. Just make sure you stay hyrdrated.

Keep posting and asking questions, try not to focus so much on what could have been and concentrate that energy on the here/now. You're doing great overall, congrats on the 75 lbs, you're going to be in onderland soon!

[kennyk]

He is ALIVE...
And skinny!
Glad you made it back, sorry things have been shitty(I can so relate!)
Kenny

[bagaof4]

So good to see you back, Paul! Sorry to hear about your depression and toilet issues, but be patient, look closely at what you are eating, and definitely don't be a stranger here!

[nyuboi]

Thanks all. Yeah like last night (and other sat nights) to be safe I took 6 immodium -- I was seeing Rosie O'Donnell and had the first table from the stage, didn't think it would be good to have to go running to the bathroom. Good thinking cause she ended up puttting me in the spotlight when she asked if I was gay in front of entire audience (she wasn't being mean, its a long story that started with my medium rare burger I ordered lol). OK that's bound to result in questions so let me just summarize it. Basically, I ordered a medium rare burger and had a few bites. The girl across from me, one of 7 people I was with, wanted my fries, so I gave her the whole plate. When Rosie was on stage, she noticed the burger was red and said to her it doesn't look safe. My friend pointed to me and said I ordered it. I said we switched. She said "Oh, girlfriend?" And I guess the way I must have said "A friend," prompted her question, lol. So after being lit up and all its a good thing I had no bathroom problems. At the end I whispered to her that when I was a kid I was obsessed with her in the movies and stuff, and that my parents took me to see grease on broadway just so I could see her, but that she wasn't there and had left early because of vocal problems, so I sent her a long email (I was 10 years old) and she wrote me back and sent my family and I free tickets to her show at Radio City with back-stage passes, etc. Met her family, took pictures, etc. Figured since she put me on the spot anyway I would tell her what a good person she is with kids and all and thank her for a great childhood memory, so then she went back on the mic and told the whole venue the story saying "and see Paul grew up to be a nice man," lol. Apparently a childhood friend noticed me from this -- and came up to our group after the show and we rekindled. Ironically, she had a lapband and a gf had a sleeve. Rosie herself lost a lot of weight, but apparently that was from a heart attack. (Oh and I don't eat burgers and fries it was a rare thing where I had to rush order... certainly don't usually eat fries).

So, back to the posts... I didn't know Calcium can help with bathroom stuff a little? Is this correct? I was just about to start a separate thread about vitamins...

As for what foods cause problems, my NYU surgeon said fat but I told him no that people online say flour and stuff. I haven't posted about this yet cause the last time I did before surgery people went off on me cause I am just... lets say my knowledge is at a 1. To be honest, I don't cook -- I have always ordered take-out, or gone to a restaurant, or I use microwave meals like Lean Cusine and Healthy Choice. I had no concept of flour and stuff when I first read that on here last year. Since surgery I have got in the habit of always reading the ingredients on things -- I am slowly learning. So a lot of it has to do with carbs and stuff? I was going to try to read a lot more about this before I post questions and drive everyone nuts. Perhaps I will write down things I eat for a while. Does this mean, in theory, you would be better off having boneless spare ribs for example over lets say a bagel? (Just random thoughts, havent had a bagel yet). So it's not the fat per say? For example, last week I had a frozen bacon/egg/cheese biscuit, wasn't high in calories or anything -- back on the Alli/Xenical days it would be the cheese and bacon to cause bathroom problems, etc. In this case is the biscuit the worse part? Carbs and flour? Is Toast okay in the morning? I went to a seafood restaurant last week, plain fish wouldn't really cause problems, but the dinner bread they served before it could? Again I wasn't ready to start a thread about this cause I don't know enough, but since ya'll already brought it up -- I admit I need a lot of work in this area.

So I have in my hand a Lean Cusine chicken enchilada suiza dinner -- only 280 calories and 4g of fat. In the traditional dieting days this was good eating, but should I assume now this is a problem cause it is made with corn flour, etc. (Not to mention it has rice with it). Would I be better off with, say, also in my hand -- a healthy choice BBQ Seasoned Steak Pieces? Although the description says potatoes.. "Beef with roasted potatoes, vegetables, and uncucred bacon in a whisky BBQ sauce."

I guess it's not about calories anymore.... So even if I am eating good, I could be eating bad in terms of bathroom problems?

I will start putting everything I eat on iPhone, even at restaurants, so I can give a weekly list of what I had to give examples. Cereal... granola cereal bad? I had Bananna Nut Crunch cereal three days ago for breakfast. Another day scrambled eggs, etc. Hmmmm. So something like a pop tart, is all pastry and would be bad? If you don't want to get into this discussion now and prefer to wait till I do a lot more reading before answering questions that's fine. I just grew up dieting on things like Jenny Craig frozen meals, etc.

I finally have vitamins down and all, I suppose I need to, despite not being a cook, learn what goes into every food I eat or how they are made, etc. I realize some of this should be common sense, its just -- I know how to make an egg, lol.

[nyuboi]

PROTEIN: Oh, in response to people asking if the type of protein could be causing bathroom stuff. Protein was definitely NOT the culprit -- I only started using shakes daily recently -- the months of bathroom stuff was when I wasn't getting enough protein. (Does lack of protein have any impact?) Anyway since it got brought up better I read about the suggested protein shake types now I suppose, as I still can return many.

Basically, to get started I bought different types from different places just to try. The main thing I buy in bulk from Costco is MUSCLE MILK. IT says 18g of protein, 10 fl oz, 170 calories. (I didn't like the taste of muscle milk light that was suggested to me). It says contains no milk, but includes milk proteins. It has milk protein isolate listed in ingredients and milk protein concentrate. I followed my friend who was told to get it by Lenox Hill, at least during recovery.

Other random protein shakes I have in the house (I haven't opened yet, was deciding on price and stuff...)

From Costco I got a big 5 pound can of vanilla shake protein powder. It says 100% whey protein isolate, 30g of protein per serving. I don't need something this big, and its $40, but at GNC I saw things in the same price range for a third of the size.

From GNC I got a brand name one called "Designer whey" that was off of one of my NYU suggestions -- it says 100% premium whey protein powder. Comes in white chocolcate too (I like exotic flavors), but I bought it before I saw the big one at Costco. The designer whey protein was like $20 for 12 ounces -- this is why I avoid GNC. Anyway its sealed so I can still return it.

One thing I bought a 4-pack of from GNC was ready to drink "GNC Total Lean Shakes," they are marketed as complete meal replacement around 160 calories and 25g of protein -- don't want to get in the habit of buying very expensive ones like this, but I couldn't resist trying it because it came in pumpkin spice. :-)

Right now I am drinking a banana crème muscle milk cause Costco sold them in bulk. But as for powders, are they hard to stir?

As of now, I do not know of any of these to cause me bathroom problems but I haven't really tried anything yet except the gnc total lean shake, which I will not buy regularly anyway, and the muscle milk.

I wasn't really going to obsess on the protein powders just yet, since learning to eat DS-friendly is going to be more correlated with my bathroom problems.

BTW, they did give me IBS medicine for the bathroom problems which I haven't really done regularly yet.

[jpcello]

Feb 10, 2014 4:07:19 GMT -5 nyuboi said:

I guess it's not about calories anymore.... So even if I am eating good, I could be eating bad in terms of bathroom problems?

I will start putting everything I eat on iPhone, even at restaurants, so I can give a weekly list of what I had to give examples. Cereal... granola cereal bad? I had Bananna Nut Crunch cereal three days ago for breakfast. Another day scrambled eggs, etc. Hmmmm. So something like a pop tart, is all pastry and would be bad? If you don't want to get into this discussion now and prefer to wait till I do a lot more reading before answering questions that's fine. I just grew up dieting on things like Jenny Craig frozen meals, etc.

I finally have vitamins down and all, I suppose I need to, despite not being a cook, learn what goes into every food I eat or how they are made, etc. I realize some of this should be common sense, its just -- I know how to make an egg, lol.

Sorry but your posts are a little hard to read - just too many words.

You're not dieting anymore.  calories don't matter - it's about protein and carbohydrates. For your Lean Cuisine, what's the carb content? What's the carb content in your Banana Nut Crunch. Pop tarts - are you kidding me?

I haven't had cereal in years (I eat it as a snack once in a while but it's not enough for a meal and definitely not worth the carbs in the cereal and milk).

Just had a pop tart for the first time on Saturday but this was home made so it was worth the carbs and sugar.

While in weight loss mode, you should try to keep your carb intake to 50 grams and by 3 months post-op you should be getting at least 90 grams of protein. How's your water intake?

This is for the rest of your life. If you don't want to learn how to cook then you have to make better choices of prepared foods. You live in NY where there are places to get already cooked food on every corner. Even if you stuck with stores like Whole Foods or Fairway you can still get DS-friendly prepared foods. You can learn everything you need to know about carbohydrates (the good and bad kinds) on the boards.

[newyorkbitch]

Do you understand that you must consume a lot of protein and very little carbohydrates?

Why not buy meatloaf, roasted chicken, salmon? Keep them in the fridge...

Have you tried eliminating carbs and dairy to see if that helps your bathroom issues?

Are you keeping a food log?

[fullhousemom]

If you have had loose bowels since surgery, with the fear of accidents, and taking six immodium when out in public, then please don't rule out the fact that it could be your protein shakes. Don't rule anything out. Quite honestly, your diet as a whole, is a mess.

In most cases, an elimination diret can solve the problem. However, in your case, your diet is so out of whack, that you really need to start all over from the beginning.

High protein, low carb. Do you understand what foods are protein and what foods are carbs? And your surgeon is correct about fat, this early in the game. Too much fat can cause havoc on your bowels this early out. You do want full fat foods (such as yogurt or cheeses), but only because non or low fats are typically higher in carbs. But dont add fat to your foods yet.

What you absolutely CANNOT do, is add calcium to your diet strictly for the purpose of regulating your bowels. You cannot add immodium every day, to regulate your bowels. You must address the real issue with your bowels, which is your diet, rather than cover it up with something you deem as a quick fix. Your diet and health needs your focus, your time, and your commitment. Eating out every day is no big deal. Plenty of foods are DS friendly (high protein, eliminate the breads/carbs). What you need most, is a personal commitment to do this thing right.

[brooklyngirl]

Feb 10, 2014 4:07:19 GMT -5 nyuboi said:

Thanks all. Yeah like last night (and other sat nights) to be safe I took 6 immodium -- I was seeing Rosie O'Donnell and had the first table from the stage, didn't think it would be good to have to go running to the bathroom. Good thinking cause she ended up puttting me in the spotlight when she asked if I was gay in front of entire audience (she wasn't being mean, its a long story that started with my medium rare burger I ordered lol). OK that's bound to result in questions so let me just summarize it. Basically, I ordered a medium rare burger and had a few bites. The girl across from me, one of 7 people I was with, wanted my fries, so I gave her the whole plate. When Rosie was on stage, she noticed the burger was red and said to her it doesn't look safe. My friend pointed to me and said I ordered it. I said we switched. She said "Oh, girlfriend?" And I guess the way I must have said "A friend," prompted her question, lol. So after being lit up and all its a good thing I had no bathroom problems. At the end I whispered to her that when I was a kid I was obsessed with her in the movies and stuff, and that my parents took me to see grease on broadway just so I could see her, but that she wasn't there and had left early because of vocal problems, so I sent her a long email (I was 10 years old) and she wrote me back and sent my family and I free tickets to her show at Radio City with back-stage passes, etc. Met her family, took pictures, etc. Figured since she put me on the spot anyway I would tell her what a good person she is with kids and all and thank her for a great childhood memory, so then she went back on the mic and told the whole venue the story saying "and see Paul grew up to be a nice man," lol. Apparently a childhood friend noticed me from this -- and came up to our group after the show and we rekindled. Ironically, she had a lapband and a gf had a sleeve. Rosie herself lost a lot of weight, but apparently that was from a heart attack. (Oh and I don't eat burgers and fries it was a rare thing where I had to rush order... certainly don't usually eat fries).

So, back to the posts... I didn't know Calcium can help with bathroom stuff a little? Is this correct? I was just about to start a separate thread about vitamins...

As for what foods cause problems, my NYU surgeon said fat but I told him no that people online say flour and stuff. I haven't posted about this yet cause the last time I did before surgery people went off on me cause I am just... lets say my knowledge is at a 1. To be honest, I don't cook -- I have always ordered take-out, or gone to a restaurant, or I use microwave meals like Lean Cusine and Healthy Choice. I had no concept of flour and stuff when I first read that on here last year. Since surgery I have got in the habit of always reading the ingredients on things -- I am slowly learning. So a lot of it has to do with carbs and stuff? I was going to try to read a lot more about this before I post questions and drive everyone nuts. Perhaps I will write down things I eat for a while. Does this mean, in theory, you would be better off having boneless spare ribs for example over lets say a bagel? (Just random thoughts, havent had a bagel yet). So it's not the fat per say? For example, last week I had a frozen bacon/egg/cheese biscuit, wasn't high in calories or anything -- back on the Alli/Xenical days it would be the cheese and bacon to cause bathroom problems, etc. In this case is the biscuit the worse part? Carbs and flour? Is Toast okay in the morning? I went to a seafood restaurant last week, plain fish wouldn't really cause problems, but the dinner bread they served before it could? Again I wasn't ready to start a thread about this cause I don't know enough, but since ya'll already brought it up -- I admit I need a lot of work in this area.

So I have in my hand a Lean Cusine chicken enchilada suiza dinner -- only 280 calories and 4g of fat. In the traditional dieting days this was good eating, but should I assume now this is a problem cause it is made with corn flour, etc. (Not to mention it has rice with it). Would I be better off with, say, also in my hand -- a healthy choice BBQ Seasoned Steak Pieces? Although the description says potatoes.. "Beef with roasted potatoes, vegetables, and uncucred bacon in a whisky BBQ sauce."

I guess it's not about calories anymore.... So even if I am eating good, I could be eating bad in terms of bathroom problems?

I will start putting everything I eat on iPhone, even at restaurants, so I can give a weekly list of what I had to give examples. Cereal... granola cereal bad? I had Bananna Nut Crunch cereal three days ago for breakfast. Another day scrambled eggs, etc. Hmmmm. So something like a pop tart, is all pastry and would be bad? If you don't want to get into this discussion now and prefer to wait till I do a lot more reading before answering questions that's fine. I just grew up dieting on things like Jenny Craig frozen meals, etc.

I finally have vitamins down and all, I suppose I need to, despite not being a cook, learn what goes into every food I eat or how they are made, etc. I realize some of this should be common sense, its just -- I know how to make an egg, lol.

Paul, Paul. Paul, you've been around long enough to know better than to be eating lean cuisine meals and biscuits. Come on. Too much fat could be causing those oil slicks you mentioned, so for that you need to find a balance, but don't use the excuse that you don't cook to eat a bunch of crap. No wonder your stomach is a mess. If you want bacon egg and cheese, have it and toss the biscuit. Eventually you might be able to eat it, but not now. Or, really, that's like the easiest thing to cook. Line a muffin tin with strips of bacon and scramble some eggs, put in some bagged shredded cheese and pour into the space inside the bacon. Pop in oven or toaster. Freeze leftovers to reheat. Easy peasy. If you need prepared dinners, go to Costco (or find a friend with a card if you don't have one) and stock up on the precooked, seasoned chicken cutlets, precooked meatballs, frozen burgers, precooked chicken burgers, frozen tequila like chicken wings, precooked chicken meatballs, containers of broccoli cheese soup and lobster bisque, not to mention big bags of nuts and tons of cheese. If you eat out or get take out, get appetizer portions because they usually don't come with the carby sides. Or get a steak and ask for a cup of soup instead of the potatoes and veg. If you go out for sushi, get sashimi or rolls wrapped in cucumber instead of rice, they're delicious. Get a bacon cheeseburger and tell them no bun so it doesn't even tempt you. BBQ? a slab of ribs with no sides, for Chinese get hot and sour soup and egg foo young. Greek- get fried haloumi and keftedakia appetizers. Mexican- get queso Fundito and it it with a spoon or fajitas and ask them not to bring out the tortillas. It's really not hard if you put a tiny bit of effort in. I'd wager your stomach issues will improve instantly. And BTW 6 Imodium at a time is not ok.

[brooklyngirl]

Oh, and use the myfitnesspal pal app, it'll help you keep yourself in check.

[Leonie]

Hi Paul,
Here is my list of 'safe' food. Once your stomach is settled, you can explore further.

Pure unflavoured whey isolate protein powder

Meat, all kinds if meat
Eggs, every which way
Cheese, go wild
A bit of nuts.

Cream in your coffee
Butter
Oil

Herbs, light spices, salt

Coffee and tea

WATER


Anything else, if in doubt, say NO.
Find a few ways to eat these things, and stick to it for a while.

Once you are comfortable with eating these foods, you can try absolutely anything else, in a small serving and at a time when you can monitor and control the consequences. Slowly you will learn what agrees with you, and then it will change, and change again.

This is all you need to know

[newyorkbitch]

I advise eliminating dairy for a few days. It may be causing problems. Some DSers become lactose intolerant.

[Girlrocker]

Yes, to all the above. You have a DS now and the DS life is largely about protein, fat and moderate carbs. That's where you're focus needs to be!

And to NYB's point about elminating dairy, lactose intolerance possible too, and a side effect of either the DS or the RNY. It's a good idea to go dairy free or at the very least, very minimal and low fat dairy during the early recovery time.

[nyuboi]

The immodium was only a Saturday night thing if I was going to be in a movie theater or something. Was only using it regularly during the first month.

OK, proteingood. Carbs bad? So protein shakes like muscle milk are fine that are lactose-free or milk free, as the carbs are usually under 6? Is lack of protein bad in terms of bathroom or no? Cause I went the first 2-3 months not getting enough protein and that's when my bathroom stuff was at its worse.

I will start keeping this in mind, and I will try to make a journal of what a typical week was like for me.

It's funny -- it just goes against the dieting I was raised on with counting calories and fat. So in theory I am better off with the bacon egg and cheese on the biscuit itself than the actual biscuit, that is, toss the biscuit and eat the protein stuff? Starts feeling like Atkins.

After I show what I HAD been eating, I'll start to write up a 3-4 day plan of what to eat and get your approval as DS-friendly and then try it to see if things change. In the meantime, I will keep this stuff in mind everytime I eat. Rye Toast bad? I have to unlearn weight watchers, lol.

Will be in touch about this further. Maybe I should make a list of all the healthy choice, lean cusines, etc., in my freezer now.... Did you say keep carbs below 50? Does this mean sugars impact the bathroom too? Sugar in coffee no good?

[newyorkbitch]

Do you know what foods are carb-heavy? Because I don't know why you are asking about biscuits and rye toast.

Yes, it should feel like Atkins. High protein, low carb.

Also - complex carbs are better than simple carbs.

You can find out a lot by googling.

Paul you had months, actually more than that, to learn about the DS and its dietary requirements. Did you not do any of the work necessary to prepare yourself for life with a DS?

[Girlrocker]

Oy, Paul you wanted the DS SO much! I realize you underwent a very overwhelming process to get you to the surgery finish line and it's not uncommon for people to 'forget' some of what they read once they've had surgery, gave post-op amnesia because now it's overwhelming in a different way. But.

Think more in Atkins speak. Yes, lose weight watchers, diet, calorie counting mentality. Your world now is protein, fat and moderate carbs. You're three months out so you should be heading for 90g protein and higher, fat as high and as much as you want; and for carbs, a guideline - and I say a guideline - 50g is a base number many of us have used. I had no interest in zero carbing and it's not necessary. Because I was a revision, I REALLY wanted to do everything by the book, to the proverbial letter, because I wanted no doubts, what-ifs on what I 'should have done'. You're looking at a long-term future of really great, delicious food and eating the things you enjoy in moderation without the backlash of regain thanks to the DS reset.

I needed some starch in my diet or I'd lose my mind. So early on I found some that agreed with me and worked them in to 'scratch my itch'. Trader Joes Soy Flaxseed chips and assorted brown-rice cracker options (and they are mini size, even better), low-carb tortillas, Rye Krisp (I ate deli meat 'sandwiches' on it), tiny amount of green onion/red pepper, tiny amount of strawberry/blueberry, if this gives you some ideas.

If you don't cook, exactly, take advantage of the abudndance of delcious prepared food options you have in NYC. Fresh deli, roasted chickens, drumsticks, wings, meatloaf, pork belly, ribs, endless options.

[jpcello]

Ok here goes. Yes, protein good, carbs bad!!

Carbohydrates are sugar. When you eat simple carbohydrates it turns to sugar and you ABSORB THAT 100%. So, yes carbs are bad. Carbs will cause bathroom issues, accidents, bloating, gas, etc. You need to learn what carbohydrates are.

Eating with the DS is completely opposite of everything you have ever done related to dieting - unless you've been on Atkins. You are not on a diet anymore.

At this point you should be eating close to 100 grams of protein a day and keeping your carbs to around 50 per day (if you're still in the weight loss mode). It takes work. You have to read labels. You have to learn about the food you're putting in your mouth.

You don't like to cook - ok. Rotisserie chicken is good to keep on hand. Deli meat, cheese, hard boiled eggs. You need to be careful with prepared foods because there will be hidden ingredients - BBQ is loaded with sugar, meatloaf will have bread and other fillers, Chinese food will have added sugar.

Time to learn how to live with the DS - it's for the rest of your life.

[brooklyngirl]

Feb 10, 2014 15:03:28 GMT -5 jpcello said:

You don't like to cook - ok. Rotisserie chicken is good to keep on hand. Deli meat, cheese, hard boiled eggs. You need to be careful with prepared foods because there will be hidden ingredients - BBQ is loaded with sugar, meatloaf will have bread and other fillers, Chinese food will have added sugar.
.

I referred to those things because he said he doesn't cook and eats out a bunch and needs to get away from the lean cuisines, sandwiches and sushi with rice. Label reading is A MUST now and MFP has info for restaurant food to be aware of hidden ingredients.

[jpcello]

Feb 10, 2014 16:41:45 GMT -5 brooklyngirl said:

Feb 10, 2014 15:03:28 GMT -5 jpcello said:

You don't like to cook - ok. Rotisserie chicken is good to keep on hand. Deli meat, cheese, hard boiled eggs. You need to be careful with prepared foods because there will be hidden ingredients - BBQ is loaded with sugar, meatloaf will have bread and other fillers, Chinese food will have added sugar.
.

I referred to those things because he said he doesn't cook and eats out a bunch and needs to get away from the lean cuisines, sandwiches and sushi with rice. Label reading is A MUST now and MFP has info for restaurant food to be aware of hidden ingredients.

Lauren -- good point about the restaurant info.

[goodkel]

Not only can carbs cause bloating and bathroom issues, they can definitely sabotage your weight loss.

Until you have lost all your excess weight, you will want to severely restrict them.

For the rest of your life, if you don't want to regain, you will have to pay close attention to them and always eat them in moderation.

Avoid sugar. This includes most fruits except berries. It includes many vegetables, too.

To be safe, stick with berries and leafy green vegetables.

Avoid starchy carbs like potatoes and rice.

Avoid anything made with flour. Eat only the insides of sandwiches. Fast food places will often wrap your burger in lettuce for you to hold. Skip all rolls, all flour tortillas, all store bought chips.

Concentrate on protein: beef, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish, chicken, turkey. Eat every last bite of your meat before taking one bite of your vegetables.

For breakfast, nuke some bacon, melt cheese on top, if you'd like. Have a full fat yogurt with a handful of sunflower seeds or nuts mixed in, if you prefer. Jimmy Dean makes some decent microwaveable precooked sausage links and patties. Eggs are always good. Pick up an Egg McMuffin, but don't eat the muffin.

Snack on nuts, cheese, jerky, yogurt, maybe a decent protein bar.

Don't be intimidated by the kitchen. There are many easy to make recipes in our recipe board. You can make extra and pack the leftovers for lunch the next day:

weightlosssurgery.proboards.com/board/36/recipes

You CAN do this!

[nyuboi]

Feb 10, 2014 13:29:15 GMT -5 newyorkbitch said:

Do you know what foods are carb-heavy? Because I don't know why you are asking about biscuits and rye toast.

Yes, it should feel like Atkins. High protein, low carb.

Also - complex carbs are better than simple carbs.

You can find out a lot by googling.

Paul you had months, actually more than that, to learn about the DS and its dietary requirements. Did you not do any of the work necessary to prepare yourself for life with a DS?

I was expecting an RNY until 2pm on the day of my surgery. Knew about carbs and stuff in general for DS but had prepared for RNY. When I got home, I meant to do a lot of research but when I slipped into the depression I didn't even turn on my laptop for six weeks. :-( I know, I know...

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

[nyuboi]

Feb 10, 2014 16:41:45 GMT -5 brooklyngirl said:

Feb 10, 2014 15:03:28 GMT -5 jpcello said:

You don't like to cook - ok. Rotisserie chicken is good to keep on hand. Deli meat, cheese, hard boiled eggs. You need to be careful with prepared foods because there will be hidden ingredients - BBQ is loaded with sugar, meatloaf will have bread and other fillers, Chinese food will have added sugar.
.

I referred to those things because he said he doesn't cook and eats out a bunch and needs to get away from the lean cuisines, sandwiches and sushi with rice. Label reading is A MUST now and MFP has info for restaurant food to be aware of hidden ingredients.

MFP?

[jpcello]

MFP - myfitnesspal.com. This wasn't my post but I googled MFP so I assume that's what she meant. I'm sure there's an iPhone app so I suggest you download it. I don't use it but evidently it will give you restaurant nutritional information.

I tried re-reading some of what you wrote earlier. I suspect that, based on some of your food choices and questions, most of your bathroom issues are directly related to the crap you're eating. Once you learn what a carbohydrate is and how your body handles them, you will focus more on protein and realize that your bathroom issues can be resolved (somewhat) by controlling what you eat.

Obviously as you get closer to your goal weight, you will need to increase your carb intake - because that's what stops or slows down the weight loss.

Protein is your lifeline. Without an adequate amount for a DSer you are only asking for trouble in the future. Are you supplementing protein at all with shakes?

On another note, I hope you are also taking care of your depression. If you were on meds prior to surgery you will definitely need to contact your doctor about adjusting them because the malabsorption will definitely affect your meds.

[kennyk]

Paul first, really good to see you up and around.
Now my one negative sounding thing....
What in hell were you reading that even made you want a DS?
You are eating a lot like I did in the beginning but I had NEVER read a support board!
That being said...

Your loss is doing great. You are at a point where slow down will occur. Normal.
Back off the carbs, it is all still way fixable. I went from the same type of eating and bathroom issues as you to goal in about 8 months.

Sometimes it sux, the old tapes play in our heads. At 8 or 9 weeks out I dieted my way into a stall and was going back to weight watchers!

I am on the island, mistrcy is in NYC. The ladies are amazing sources of support of course too, and there are more than a few local.
Anytime you want to hook up, catch a meal or support meeting there are a few of us around.
Keep in touch and good news bad news.... This is now for the rest of your life.
Kenny

[Deleted]

MFP - My Fitness Pal website...

Paul,

Right now. Concentrated Milk Protiens BAD. I still can't drink Muscle Milk without getting the runs. The milk protiens get me everytime.

Stick to the Whey Isolate powders, get a shaker cup. No stirring, just add the powder and water, and shake.

Poptarts WILL give you problems, No if, Ands or Buts..

Biscuits WILL give you problems. (its the flour they are made from)

White toast will give you problems, UNLESS you add fats and proteins, then not as much. (i.e PEANUT BUTTER!!)



Another piece of advice, NEVER eat carbs without Protein and fats mixed in. If you do indulge in some carbs, eat it with protein and/or fats.

Example: Deli meats and cheese, If you want something to go with them. try a few triscuits.

100% WHOLE WHEAT is a good complex carb.

Corn and corn products (NO CORN SYRUP!!!) Tostitos chips (white corn), Corn Tortillas (watch the ingredients here) If the tortillas are yellow, they probably safer than WHITE (Flour) ones. Corn stuff does not usually cause most of us problems in moderation. You can over do it though.

ANYTHING PRODUCT WITH BLEACHED OR UNBLEACHED white or wheat flour. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!

EGGS, If you can cook one, you can cook many. ADD CHEESE!!! add sausage!, add bacon! You can add salt and pepper the eggs to your taste. Hard boiled eggs are EASY. 8 minutes in boiling water. Cool them under cold water, and peel the shell off. tap onto a salted plate and enjoy.

Meats of any kind (EAT THIS FIRST) Chicken is the best by far in terms of biggest bang for your protein intake.

Microwave Bacon! 3g per piece, NO CARBS!

If you want something crunchy, have 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Nature valley Protien Granola with ALMOND MILK (unsweetened!) That granola has 10g protein per 1/2 cup.

Cereals that you might tolerate are Corn Chex and Rice Chex (Gluten FREE!) in small amounts. 1/4 to 1/2 cup.. No real protein here but can satisfy a crunchy craving. BUT have your protein first!!! ADD YOGURT to the granola! CARB MASTER yogurt from Kroger. 3g sugar, 8g protein for 6oz cup. If you want milk, ALWAYS USE ALMOND MILK, until your confident that milk is not a problem for you.. Kroger makes a CARB MASTER milk that has 11g protein for 1 cup. 3g sugar. (thats low, if your wondering) Tastes just like milk. Usually it is the LACTOSE (milk sugar) in the milk that causes problems for DS'rs.

I've probably said too much, and not enough at the same time.

Keep asking questions, and reading LABELS on food.

things I look for on labels:

How much protein? (anything less than 6g per serving, I pass up..)

How much sugar? (anything with more than 10g per serving, I pass up)

does it have flour? is it the first, second or third ingredient? (if so, I pass it up)

is it made from corn, 100% whole wheat, or rice? (if not, I'll probably pass it up.)

If it meets 3 of the four requirements, I'll probably try it at least once.

NOTICE I DID NOT LOOK AT FAT OR CALORIES!! THEY DO NOT MATTER!

You can ask these things at restaurants too. ALL of the chain restaurants have nutritional guides. Maybe in the store, online, or both!

EDIT: Watch the SUGAR ALCOHOL content of anything that says SUGAR FREE. Any ingredient that ends with -ITOL is a dead giveway..

[brooklyngirl]

Like some others said MFP= myfitnesspal. You can use the website and/or apps. I use it on my droid and iPad. Use it. You need to make sure you're getting 100g Or more of protein a day and try 50 carbs or less per day. It has millions of foods in the database, by brand, restaurant and homemade, and if something isn't in there you can scan the barcode. If you want to fix your bathroom issues and get to your goal (and be healthy of course) you need to be mindful of protein and carbs for the rest of your life.

[Girlrocker]

Ok, even though you were preparing for the RNY, I'm going to tell you - again as someone who has had both - you would still need to do these very same essential things - focus on water, protein first, keep the carbs to a minimum and from complex sources to maximize weight loss. You wouldn't be eating poptarts, lean cuisines and biscuits with an RNY either. The more significant differences in the procedures come into play as you can eat more volume and variety. With the DS we don't have to count calories, we have to get in more protein than with an RNY because of the percentage of malabsorption and same for fat. It can take some effort to unwire from diet/weight watcher mindset.

Lotta good stuff here *rounds of applause for our community!* I suggest printing this out, including your vitamin thread, starting yourself your own notebook so you can do your homework. You have a lot of really good, experienced people to meet up with in person in NYC, highly recommend you take advantage of it, nothing quite like meeting your DS family face to face and talking it out.