My whine....

Amy, Yes it is the Hellmans jars with the green lids... Debra P

Hi Amy, Oy girl! What a mess! I am sorry to hear about all of your complications and everything going on with you. You poor dear. I can't help in any way except to say hang in there, it will get better. I didn't eat anything but baby food for a full month after surgery and then went on to very small amounts of egg and cottage cheese. I was told to get my water and protein in and stick to the baby food in the beginning and puree everything after that period was over. I hope you feel better soon! Hugs - Robin

Hi Robin, I was inclined to stay purely puree, but my nutritionist encouraged me to start trying more solid food. I have to say, it's touch and go...sometimes I do ok, and others, really not. I have been waiting for days to hear from my nutritionist about my bloodwork. It's frustrating because I'm nearly convinced that I have some type of anemia but don't know how to proceed until I hear from her. Oy is right. I guess I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, till this resolves itself. Thanks for your input and kind words Robin! Hey, did you get a chance to post new pics yet? xoxo Amy

Amy - you've got mail. And - I just added a bunch of pictures to my profile. Hope you are feeling at least a little better! Robin

Amy, ((((HUG)))))) I am sorry to hear of your health issues but trust me I can understand being frustrating when it seems like it doesnt end. LORD DO I KNOW. Look here comes my new whines! Whine number one=The surgeons office gave me a surgery date for 8/9! NO WAY am I waiting THAT LONG and that isnt even a tuesday like I told him I wanted. I am not spending the weekend in the hospital, no way jose. *sigh*. When he comes back from vacation next week, I will make sure this date gets up to july and on a tuesday. They will just have to bump someone out, SORRY!! Ha. Whine number two=I called up the hospital to give me a copy of the video and they are giving me the run around once again. Like I have nothing else to do then call this 'tards all day long. I told whoever picked up at radiology department to have the radiologst call me himself b/c I want to talk to him about this. He did and said he wont sign off on it until the surgeon clears for me to have it.(Like it is some big secret.) I told him Gellman is on vacation all this week and he goes, "oh well then." I told him I will have his NP call the surgeon (on his freaking vacation week) and tell him you are not releasing the video to me. He yells in my ear FINE!!!, tells me to pick it up tomorrow morning and hangs up. What is wrong with some people?!? End of my whines!! For the poopy problem, try the Miralax like Deb said. Just ask your surgeon/doctor for a RX, but remember to take it everyday and it will take like a week to work 100%! It doesnt taste like anything and disolves easy. Which reminds me I forgot mine today. Anyway, stay away from Zelnorm, that is the devil medicine!! BUT I have discovered it is the new diet pill, ha. I lost 16 pounds in less than month b/c of it. No kidding. My surgeon was beginning to like I was starving myself b/c I was losing so quickly (all of a sudden) but alas is was the devil medicine aka Zelnorm! It was making everthing rush out of me so fast that nothing was digesting. I would definitely try eating the fish/chicken w/mayo. That might help slide down better but then again it might just make you feel like you have a mouthful of mayo which is gross. If you actually threw up food, that means it wasn't passing well at the gastrojejunal connection(pouch one), which probably means it was too dry or not chew well enough. Chicken is probably one of the driest things to eat. My surgeon told me he hears again and again people talking about how chicken just gives them so much trouble. I know it sucks b/c I was a BIG fan of chicken before the surgey. When we decided to have this surgery, we knew we would have to make sacrifices in our diet. There are people who do eat doritos and cookies after having this surgery, why I am not quite sure but I know there are. Keep in mind they will not have to results that you will have and the long time better eating habits. You are on the right path so dont let a couple of bad experiences keep you down, ok? BUT I can totally relate to the "fear" eating new things. I am always scared to try anything new, b/c gods knows what it will do to me. I was pretty brave yesturday though, I tried some REALLY running oatmeal and that went down pretty ok...not great, but ok. Pathetic,I know. Anyway, I know it stinks to feel like a big pile of dog poop 24/7, trust me I know. It will get easier I PROMISE and this is coming from me!! YOU ARENT DEFEATED!! It just sounds like you have had a rough few weeks. Take care and keep your chin up!! Email me anytime, Amy!!

Hi sweetie pie, Doctor's can be such hemmorhoids! I'm sorry to hear that the radiologist is being such a turd about getting you your video. Everyone's watching their a$$ and worrying about being sued. Oh, the humanity! I'm also sorry to hear about the aggravation with your surgery date. I betcha when Dr Gellman gets back from his vacation, he can tweak that for you. Rediculous to have you feeling poorly for so long. I will stay away from Zelnorm and I will try Miralax. I will never again drink Citrucel. What a total gagfest. On a positive note, I had deli shaved smoked turkey on pita bread for dinner, and aside from eating a wee bit too much ( it was so freaking good!), it went down great. Now I've said that before about a number of items that all the sudden don't go down so good anymore... who the heck knows why. My surgeon says just keep retrying stuff a few weeks later after a spell of intolerance. Apparently tolerance changes for no rhyme or reason sometimes. I would be ok with feeling so fatigued if I didn't have this huge life asking for my attention. I'm still trying to make last minute plans for my kids to go to camp this summer (!) and I'm starting back at work tomorrow (part time), which I am somewhat dreading. Luckily my bosses are quite supportive so if I don't tolerate work well, I can cut back. I'm so annoyed with my nutritionist who despite 2 phone calls, has not returned by call regarding the results of my lab work. Hello? I'm miserable here! How hard is it to return a phone call???? Anyway, as you say, blah, blah, and more blah. Thanks for your kind input and for sending me little icon love hearts!! Right back at you! xox Amy

Amy, Have you tried Tilapia? It's a really soft fish and full of protein. I never really considered trying it until I heard of it on a lap band list. I put mesquite seasoning on it and it's pretty good! I buy it frozen at Aldi. One filet from my package has 21g of protein! Kristine

Hi Kristine, I have tried Tilapia, but my husband cooked it and I didn't like the way he made it! I guess I'll have to try it again! Thanks for the suggestion! Amy

Amy, I know they are just trying to cover themselves. To quote this article in time mag.,"The only thing that scares doctors are patients". Oh really I say. When they finally do return your call, they yell "FINE PICK IT UP IN THE MORNING!" and hang up on you. Can you image? I am beyond tired of it. I'm glad to hear you tried something new and it went down good! Keep it up! Feel good!

Amy - back to patients' rights issues. You have the right to prompt workups on your blood tests and the immediate sharing of info. Confirm with the lab where blood work was drawn the date, time and to whom the results were provided. We are respectful of medical personnell and really hesitate to get assertive with them. Your bloods were drawn last Thursday tomorrow is Tuesday. That's two messages and three business days ago. You are worried, have had to deal with thrush, yeast and constipation as well as the cascade of other issues. Someone needs to see and treat the whole you. Please consider being blunt and urgent in your messages to the nutritionsit. Also, get the direct fax number and put your concerns in writing to the nutritionist with a copy to your referrring physician and/or surgeon. Now may be the time to have your surgeon or referring physician pull together all the test results and the timeline of your problems and see you for an urgent office visit. Stop being so nice. Nail down the people responsible for your treatment and get one of them to coordinate your care and get them to come up with a treatment plan for the whole you, now. Enough is enough. Keep in touch Sue Kr