Things to eat

When is it okay to eat all of a taco?  I know that I was told 6 weeks ago that I could have the inside of a taco or burrito, but not the shell.  Will we ever be able to eat pasta, bread, etc. again?  I do realize that not everyone can eat this stuff, but when will it be okay to try it?   I had my surgery 12 weeks ago.  I have not had problems eating anything so far as long as I remember to take the small bites and chew good.  I don't want to start eating alot of this stuff too much, but occassionally our friends or family like to go to an italian restaurant and we usually don't go.  Whenever we do go out to eat I just eat a little of whatever my husband gets since I can't eat that much anyway.  It seems to work well for us.  I'm like other people, I really don't like eating out that well anymore either, but I don't really like to cook that well either.   Also, since they're not making the Citracal Creamy Bites anymore, what is everyone taking now for the calcium?   I'm just interested in your opinion on the eating and the calcium.  Thanks! Candy

FOLLOW YOUR PAPERS FROM THE NUTS, I AM NOW ALMOST 11 MONTHS OUT AND STILL DONT EAT BREAD IT TAKE UP A LOT OF ROOM AND HAS NO NUT VALUE. I WILL SOMETIMES EAT A BITE OR 2 OF PASTA BUT NOT TO OFTEN. I TRY TO STICK TO PROTIEN AND GOOD FOODS. IF IN DOUBT LIKE I SAID REFER TO YOUR FOOD SHEETS IF YOU DIDNT GET THEM CALL AND ASK YOUR NUT OR DOC. HOPE THIS HELPS VICKI

Thanks Vicki!

Actually I only have papers up to Phase III at Clarian Bariatric.  When I asked the nut what I would have next, she said that this is what I'd have the rest of my life.  I stick to the good foods and protein also, but sometimes it's just nice to have something a little different. 

When I had my VBG 11 yrs. ago I had trouble eating spaghetti, but could eat ziti because it was easier to cut up into small pieces.  I also realize that bread will not be a staple in my life even if I can tolerate it.  It wasn't as good after the last surgery either.  Bread used to be a big problem for me before I had the VBG. 

Candy, If memory serves me correctly, the sheets had bread down after a year I think. Pasta wasn't quite that long. I waited until I was ~2 yrs out. Bread just didn't/doesn't taste as good as I thought it would. Pasta sits like a brick in my pouch. Now...flour tortilla's, those do the best for me. Those, and the flat wraps. I still wouldn't attempt them though until I was well over a year post-op. I was fortunate that I had ordered several boxes of Citrucal's bites before they went off the manufacturer line so I'm good to go for a few months anyway. I have picked up some Citurcal's 'Petite's'. So I have 2 bites and 1 petite a day. This way, my bites go further and I don't have to swallow as many pills. No..thse are not really what I'd call 'petite', but they are at least half the size of the regular Citrucal horsepills. And since they are Citrucal's, they are the correct form of calcium. Sherri

Thanks Sherri!

The only sheets they gave us at Clarian Bariatric is through Phase III.  I've been on that for quite awhile.  When I asked Annessa the last time I saw her she said that is what I'd be on the rest of my life.  There was no mention of pasta, bread, shells of tacos, etc. so I was just wondering.  I could eat bread after my VBG but it didn't taste as good as it did before my VBG 11 yrs. ago.  I liked it but it wasn't my favorite food anymore.  Even after that surgery I could eat ziti better than spaghetti because it was easier to cut into smaller pieces.  It's not something that I want to get into the habit of eating alot, but sometimes it's nice to have a change.   I was so hoping that they'd have something in calcium that wasn't a pill, but unfortunately that's probably what I'm going to have to take.  Ugh!!! I've been in Florida for 3 weeks visiting relatives.  I think from some of the posts it sounded like you finally had your surgery?!  If so, are you doing alot better this time?  I really hope so!! I'm not sure yet, but I may have a hernia.  The top part of my stomach is still swollen and my PCP said it's a possibility.  I see Dr. Huse March 26th, so I'll probably know more by then.  They were afraid I'd get one because of the problems I had Dec. 24th, with the incision draining alot and I had coughed and felt like I pulled a muscle that day, so he's been checking for one everytime I see him.   Thanks for the info!  Candy

I am just under 5 months out.  I can have a small amount of pasta but it doesn't agree with my tummy.  I just skip it.  I can eat a small amount of wild rice with no trouble.  I haven't tried any other rice.  I know my sister has a lot of trouble with white rice and she's 7+ years out. As for tortillas, I was told by one of the NUTs at St. V's that I'm far enough out to eat a small amount of flour tortilla.  When we go to the mexican restaurant here, I either get a bean burrito or a cheese quesadilla.  I can only eat about a third of it but it's good.  I've also made some seafood enchiladas at home with the smaller flour tortillas and can almost eat a whole one.  I don't eat bread at all. I got some calcium at GNC when I found out the creamy bites were being discontinued.  I still have some creamy bites so I haven't used the GNC calcium yet.  I plan to email the NUT and ask her about these.  They're called GNC Chewable Calcium Plus.  They have calcium carbonate an calcium citrate.  The fellow at GNC said I should be happy with these.  I know I'm happy with the price...$11.99 for 90 wafers.  I was paying $10.49 for 30 creamy bites so it was over $30 a month just for my calcium!  I'll post what I hear from the NUT. Good luck! Jacqui

Hi Jacqui!

I went to Clarian and the nuts there told me phase III was what I'd be eating the rest of my life.  It doesn't say anything about bread, pasta, shells of tacos &burritos, etc.  It's not something that I want to make a habit of eating, but I do like a change of food sometimes.  I know that St. V's seems to be a little more liberal about things you can eat than Clarian.  If I'd had the insurance that I have now (my husband's employer changed after the first of the year) I would've been going to St. V's.  If I have to have anything done now that's where I'll have to go.  I had a VBG 11 yrs. ago and I could eat bread, but it didn't taste as good as it used to.  When I ate pasta, I ate ziti because it was easier to cut up than spaghetti and I could tolerate it better.

I was hoping that I wouldn't have to take pills for calcium, but I probably don't have much choice.  I usually have trouble with chewable pills.  I had to take the chewable vitamins for awhile and I was really glad when they put me on the prenatal vitamins!

Thanks for the info Jacqui.  Please do post what you hear from the NUT about the calcium.

Candy

I will be 6 mo out on the 13th, yay!, and I can do a piece of toast or few bites of a roll and have no problem. I can also do a little pasta, different types too, with no problem. So far I really haven't had any issues with anything I eat. I eat burritos and tacos, but I take off all the extra tortilla that wraps around and just eat what is right up against the inside stuff and typically can only eat maybe half, depending on what it is. I also only eat about half a taco. Sometimes people can deal with the crunchy before the soft. As far a calcium my NUT told me to use OSCAL Chewables, it's calcium w/ Vit D. I think I got them at Walmart and they were pretty inexpensive. They have a light lemon flavor. The texture kind of reminds me of a Tums but it doesn't taste that way. There's 500 mg per tablet and I am to take 1 with a meal 3x daily. I also have liquid calcium citrate that has an orange flavor I got from GNC you just take 1 TBS with a meal, not sure how many mgs are in that though. Hope this helps!

Hi Julie, You had your surgery at Clarian North too didn't you?  When I asked Annessa the last time I was there she told me that phase III was what I'd be on the rest of my life.  I realize that is what they want us to eat for the rest of our life, but I figured that they'd add some of the other things in eventually, even though they probably want us to only eat them occassionally.  I just like a change once in awhile.  When did you start eating some of the shells of the tacos and burritos?  I can't eat the whole inside of the taco either, but it'd be nice to eat the shell sometimes too.  After my VBG surgery I could eat ziti easier than spaghetti because it was easier to cut into smaller bites. 

I usually have trouble taking chewable pills because of the texture.  I really don't like to take pills by mouth either, but I can handle that a little better than the chewables. 

Thanks alot Julie for the info.

Candy

I started eating the shell a couple of months ago. Probably a lot sooner than most people would suggest but I did let them know when I went in for my checkup I was eating bean burritos and breakfast burritos sometimes and they didn't say much about it.