ObesityHelp

This one of the things I received from Dr. Naaman's information seminar, I'm posting on the web as a convenience for myself (until I get used to what I can & can't have after the surgery).

FIRST SIX(6) WEEKS - ALL LIQUID DIET:

CRUSH all pills and mix with a small amount of juice to take. If the medication is in a capsule form, empty it out & take as above. If the above fails (vomiting or gaggin), crush or empty the medication into a 1/2 teaspoon  measuring spoon and mix with some JELLY (not JAM) or Apple Sauce & swallow.

CLEAR LIQUIDS ONLY UNTIL THE DRAIN IS REMOVED OR AFTER YOUR FIRST POSTOP IN THE OFFICE

CLEAR LIQUIDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Broths, Gatorades, Propel, Crystal Lite, Smart Water, Powerade, coffee & tea (creamer is o.k.)
JELLO & POPSICLES are not clear liquids. Please, avoid crushed ice (you MUST be abl to get all drinks thru a straw).

YES, YOU CAN DO THIS UNTIL THE DRAIN IS REMOVED!!!!

AFTER DRAIN IS REMOVED, YOU CAN HAVE:
All Campbell's CREAM SOUPS & you need not strain them.
Smoothies that are thin enough to go thru a straw. You can thin them down with fruit juice or milk.
Homemade soups like cream of potato or split pea are good, if you cook. (Call Mom?).
For breakfast, you can have Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal or grits. NO OATMEAL-It's too big.
Try a breakfast smoothie (Danon, Yoplait, Nouriche) or make your own by using low-fat yougurt, some fruit juice, milk, ice and fresh fruit. Just make it thin enough to get thru a straw.
Hot chocolate is good in the morning, if coffee or tea doesn't suit you.

PLEASE AVOID ALL PROTEIN DRINKS-makes hydration more difficult & your kidneys will thank you!!!

HELPFUL HINTS

Go slowly when drinking, pain in the chest or stomach means you are going too fast. The pouch holds about 1-2 oz but transfers liquids fairly rapidly, but you must sip. Frozen drinks are OK, but they can give you some chest pain if you sip them too fast. Go SLOW & let them melt a little... it will also make getting them thru a straw much easier. Carry some type of liquid with you at all times & sip all day long. The amount of fluids needed to for good hydration differs from person to person. You must drink enough so that your urine stays pale yellow. DARK urine indicates that you're not drinking enough. Dehydration will make you feel TERRIBLE & You know the six weeks of liquids are bady enough without that!!!

Breath mints are fine, but DO NOT CHEW GUM.

SECOND SIX WEEKS - SOFT FOODS (HURRAY!!!!)

Soft foods are those that are the consistancy of baby food. (No, baby food is for babies, you can have real food.)

Scrambled or soft cooked eggs
Pasta
Mashed Potatoes
White (no wheat) bread
Ice Cream
Pudding
Jello
Veggies that are well cooked
Thin baked fish
Soft fruits
Refried beans
Chicken that has been stewed or cooked to a soft consistency (like chicken dumplings)

HELPFUL HINTS

Avoid rubbery things like: lobster & shrimp. You can try these after you move to regular foods. Ground beef & steak are the last things to try. Some people have to wait a year or more & others never eat beef that seems to agree with them. (Oh well... Nothing taste as good as thin feels!!!!).

Introduce 1 new food at a sitting, should something not agree with you, it can be eliminated or avoided for a while.

REMEMBER, CHEW WELL, SMALL BITES & GO SLOWLY. One of our patients suggested using a baby spoon & fork to keep amounts small.

If you find constipation a problem, you can call the office for the Milk of Magnesia instructions.

TIPS FOR POST-OP GASTRIC BYPASS

1. Sip liquids slowly all day every 10-15 minutes while awake.
2. Do not drink liquids while eating. Stop drinking 20 minutes before you eat and do not drink 30-45 minutes after you finish eating.
3. Use a dessert fork, tea spoon, and a small plate when eating.
4. Chew food throughly before swallowing.
5. A good rule of thumb is that it should take you 30 minutes to finish your meal.
6. When starting a new phase of your diet start slowly and introduce ONE new food per time per day.
7. When crushing your medications, try to mix it with water or juice. If you can not tolerate this try to mix it with apples sauce, jam, or jelly.
8. As you progress through your diet phases, you may notice that you can accomodate more food than in the beginning. Most of this is due to the swelling in your pouch resolving.
9. When you get to the point of eating meat, you must cut it up into small bites. This makes it easier to chew. DO NOT SWALLOW BIG PIECES.
10. STOP WHEN YOU FEEL FULL!!!
11. Substitute things to fat free. Use Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, or Sweet N Low instead of sugar.
12. You may become lactose intolerant after this procedure. You will notice this after you eat anything that has milk or a milk product in it, you will get abdominal cramping and pain.
13. If you try something and it does not agree with you. STOP EATING! Call the office and start sipping on Gatorade.
14. Walk 30 minutes a day... EVERYDAY!
15. When you are allowed to start working out at the gym, GO SLOWLY. Use light weights and high repetitions. Do upper body on one day and lower body the next. Then take a day off. You must also continue walking for 30 minutes a day.
16. If you become fatigued, lethargic, tired and your urine is darker than usual, you MUST drink more liquids for a 48 hour period. Do not stop eating during this time!
17. EAT THREE TIMES A DAY and DO NOT SNACK BETWEEN MEALS.
18. Consume a healthy diet, each meal should consists of protein, carbohydrates and a small amount of fat.
19. Consume zero to low calorie fluids (Crystal Lite, water, Propel, Gatorade, PowerAde).
20. Increased gas is normal for the first 3-6 weeks. You can use Gas-x or Phazyme for the gas pains.
21. It is normal to have loose stools for thefirst 7-10 days. If it does not resolve, call the office for instructions.
22. DO NOT TAKE any anti-inflammatory medication (Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Celebrex, Vioxx or Bextra) unless you notify the office.
23. If you get a pain in your chest after you have a drink of cold fluid, warm it up to room temperature before drinking it.
24. Avoid alcoholic beverages as they get absorbed into your blood stream a littel differently than before. Your blood alcohol level may be higher with one drink that you may realize. Also alcoholic beverages are "empty calories". This means they ahve a lot of calories in them with NO nutritional benefit.
25. If you have a 'bad taste' in your mouth following gastric bypass surgery, it is completely normal following this procedure, which produces rapid weight loss. This taste will usually resolve in a couple of weeks following the procedure.
26. Vomiting may be caused by the following:
    1. Eating too much.
    2. Eating too quickly.
    3. Drinking with meals.
    If you vomit, try to remember what you ate prior to vomiting and record it in your journal. e.g. "Did I eat too fast? Did I eat too much? Did I swallow a big piece and forget to chew properly?"