Had WLS a week ago

Hi everyone, I had the surgery done a week ago on Jan 12th at Methodist hospital in Arcadia, CA. I am doing well. I have been able to walk a lot and to get around. I have some soreness, but it is nothing I cannot handle. I am on a clear liquid diet for two weeks until next week when I can add some full liquids. I cannot do soft & mushy foods till four weeks out. I was concerned about whether or not I should take the sacrament. What did you guys do? This stage I am on is very hard for me and I am avoiding TV because of food commercials and being around people eating solid food because of the head hunger I have. -Jonathan

Jonathon, I took a very small peice of bread and only ate a few crumbs. The water was fine. It is making the effort that counts, the amount is not important. After the first few weeks I could take a peice of bread and chew the whole thing well enough that it wasn't a problem. I also took water with me to drink during the 3 hour block I found that was the hardest day to get all my water in. It will get better once you are able to do full liquids. And it is so worth it! Good Luck! And keep us posted on your progress. Jane

You are so right, it is the effort behind the action is what counts. One small crumb will suffice. I cannot wait to take it. -Jonathan

Jonathan I'm glad you posted. I thought of you the whole day on the 12th and wondered how you were getting along. Don't avoid the sacrament. This is a sacred ordinance that our Heavenly Father want's us to partake of. Try taking a teeny, teeny piece of the bread without any crust and chew, chew, chew. You should do fine. The head hunger is the worst but it WILL get better. When I was on full liquids I didn't do the jello thing. I drank water and then water and when I got tired of water I drank water. I didn't want to do the broth thing. Postum was wonderful and very satisfying. Toward the end of my full liquids I hit upon something that I wished I had clued into earlier. My husband got me a can of Campbells chicken noodle soup. I made it like normal and then strained everything out of it but the liquid. After full liquids and mostly water it was like a feast. I enjoyed the soup because it seemed to have more flavor than just plain broth. Drinking with your new pouch is very difficult. A couple sips and you can't seem to take any more. The trick is to sip all day long. It will get better. Your pouch is healing from a major surgery. Keep us posted on your progress. We're interested. By the way - I'm 10 months out and I still do not fast the full fast. I obstain from food but I get my liquids in. I've heard that other post surgery LDS members do the same. Fasting is just really hard for us to do. We need to look at it like a diabetic. They can't fast for health reasons, neither can we. We can still keep the spirit of the fast. A little bragging about myself. My husband and I have been married for 23 years. I have hit a weight where for the first time in 20 years I weigh LESS than my husband (of course he's 6'2" and I'm 5'2") Good luck. Melody 260/now at 148/ hope to lose about 25 more pounds

Thanks for your response Melody. I need the sacrament right now. I am having major head hunger and I need the Lord's help to get me through this. Swanson's chicken and vegetable broth have been wonderful to have. For some reason, their beef broth does not taste good to me, unless I get the beef with onion flavor. Jello has been nice and so has diluted cranberry juice. I have a lot of Crytal Light powder, but I have not tried it yet. What I do like is premixed blue raspberry Isopur in the glass bottle. It has no weird taste or consistancy and has 40grams of protein. I am grateful that I have not had paid drinking water. I cannot wait till next week when I can have cream soups. -Jonathan

Wow, you know, I never even thought about the sacrament. I am still pre-op and there are some things that just haven't popped into my little head yet. And the fasting...man, I'm glad I read this post. Thank you Jonathan for your question, it really has helped me a lot also. Congrats and good luck!! Bren