For those who wonder how soon is too soon to go away

I was 8 weeks out when we went away this weekend on a business/family thing.   It was not something I could change and I figured since I am eating practically all normal food I would be able to do this.  UGH.  It was HARD.   We couldn't eat the free hotel breakfast because they offered nothing that was protein based.  But then to go out to eat is ridiculous because I eat so little and it wasn't possible to pack it up to eat  the next day.

I was pretty cautious with my food choices, and on several occasions ordered a meal to share with my 11 year old since I eat so little.  But even still, I had MUCH less control not only on WHAt I could eat but on when.   I had protein powder and protein bars with me to help with the snack times, I knew that it was so important to plan.    

At one point I had a work dinner where they catered the event.   All they had was baked ziti, fried chicken, salad and bread sticks.     The only drinks offered were carbonated.   To top it off, everyone ate standing up.   I  took some chicken and ate little pieces from the center, and some diet pepsi that I stirred to get the bubbles out, and  yet I was feeling pretty awful within half an hour.

In the end, I think I learned that I'm not quite ready for travel.  I need my home base, fridge and a way to stay on plan without trying to maneuver restaurants three times a day.   It was the first time since my surgery that I felt a sense of remorse over having this surgery, because it was very consuming and changed the way I enjoyed the trip.   The head stuff is hard.  :/

I went to Italy when I was just shy of three months post-op. I think it was different than business travel because there were fruit stands and salumerias everywhere. If I really needed a piece of protein I could almost always get steak or chicken (chicken cacciatore, yum!). My parents were with me as well, so we did a lot of sharing.

Looking back on it, I feel like I was able to have a really great trip, so three months might be a little more doable than 8 weeks. Plus, I had much more flexibility and was in a country where heavily processed food wasn't the norm.

Good on you for doing the planning that you could prior to your trip. All we can ask of ourselves is to try our hardest in each situation.

I went to London at 4 weeks post op.  It was a bit of a challenge, but it was doable.  I just had to be okay with wasting food and/or not "getting my money's worth."  For example, my husband wanted to have breakfast at the hotel's buffet, which was close to 30 pounds per person.  We did it, but I ate a bit of scrambled eggs and some cheese.  (And I was a little pissy about having spent so much money for breakfast!)  I got him to share with me as much as possible, but that did mean that I sometimes ate things that I wouldn't normally have chosen, like fried fish that I had to pick the batter off of.  But overall I did okay-- I always found something I could eat, I watched my portions, and I came home 3 lbs lighter than when I left.

I take cheese sticks and water with me and we try to get a Hotel with a fridge and microwave. I usually make eggs in it or buy a lean cuisine and only eat the protein part. Its really hard because people have not realized that WLS people are every where. One of our restaraunts here called Hillbilly Hotdogs is sponsoring a contest. They are going to make small burgers like sliders and put a veggie or 3 fries on it (which is something I couldnt eat right now). They are looking for a name for it. The owner is trying to get other businesses to understand that they can help WLS people and make some coin. You did good on your trip and I'm sorry it wasnt enjoyable for you.

 My husband and I are going to Hawaii in March to visit some good friends of ours.  I will be back to a fairly large choice of foods again, and plan on just eating off of my husbands and their plates...I've already told them they are sharing cause I'm not buying my own...one or two bites off of each of their plates and I should be done...lol...hat should give me some variety cause they all like different stuff.

We do a lot of traveling and I have not really found it that hard. I order a lot of chili, shrimp ****tail, eat a portion of my husbands meal. I make sure I drink 3 protein shakes a day. Water with individual crystal light or kook aid packets. I carry cheese and have just added jerky to travel foods.
I question, question waitstaff to get what I want. I tell them I had surgery on my stomach and I'm still on a restricted diet can they help me. Most are very willing because they are concerned for me.

Lyn

 That's the one thing I didn't do....and I should.

I went to NYC 2 weeks to the day after my surgery.  It was ok.  I was pretty healthy prior to surgery though too.  The worst part was going with someone who was not really watching his diet.  I felt like a venereal disease in the middle of his food orgy.  He wanted to go eat all these wild things and I was in a bit of a quandary but made it through ok.   I went to Walgreen's several times for yogurt and GNC for protein shakes.   For breakfast I demanded delis that had ala carte items like eggs, etc.  I was released from the hospital on pureed for 2 weeks then could transition to soft so it worked ok for me to eat scrambled eggs.