For the post-op cheaters-I want to know...

 My surgeon said I could be on OH, I am not able to actually attend the groups, I work full time, then school in the evenings, so the resources are there, but I cannot attend. I am doing well, and he said that was fine. Dr. Dyer has a very strict diet, and I follow it, no variations without his approval. I was able to get my clear liquid stage shortened a bit due to not being able to drink that Nectar protein anymore, and he understood, but that was the only change.

Thanks for responding.

They do encourage posting on OH, but it is nosubstitute for a real support group and the tools you will gain there.  Even just spending time with others going through what you are has immense value.  

 

And trust me - everyone knows Dr. Dyers reputation.  None of the docs there will take it easy on you when you get off track!

 I know, and i am not doubting that, but I can't get there at this time. School will be done in Dec, then I can go

Ok, I'll tell. I ate a piece of turkey bacon (1 bite) before I should have. (I was on mushies) Chewed it to baby food and swallowed a bit at a time. Then - to add to my stupidity I took a sip of coffee. (which was allowed) Very bad idea...

I remember sitting here, saliva running, Fred extremely unhappy, muttering desperately, "please stay down, please stay down, please stay down!!" I was VERY content to stick to my mushies after that.

I also, in the interest of full disclosure, ate a cupcake at my niece's wedding a couple of weeks ago. I didn't slip - I made a decision. (I'm clear for all foods now - including turkey bacon) It was very delicious and amazingly, the whole thing slipped down and through Fred with nary a whimper. I also drank 4 sips of wine with no issue. (4 toasts)

It was a good lesson in its own way. I know now that "recreational sugar" and other "cheat" foods belong to extremely rare occasions. Not because it caused a problem - because it DIDN'T. I didn't spend all that money and go through major surgery to turn around and eat back everything I've lost and then some.

I don't eat as low carb as some or even as low calorie. My carb limit is 60 and I'm usually closer to 800 calories than 600. However - recreational sugar belongs to someone else, as do many of my other old "friends" like French fries, cream sauces, poutine, perogies - you get the picture.

 Thank you very much for sharing your experiences! This was all I was looking for, I like to know more about how certain things affected people and it is no different from pre-op people asking about side effects and changes of post-op people. I appreciate your honesty 

It depends.  When we are cut, our nerves are cut as well and we do not necessarily feel full.  This is partially why we are told to measure our foods.  Let's say you eat too much, or the wrong food, you might get lucky and have nothing much happen, or you might get the "foamies" which feel like slime coming from your mouth and look like you are foaming at the mouth.  This can last for a full hour or longer.  You might also vomit, or you could get really unlucky and your staple line could open up and the stomach acid could spill into your body and kill you.  At the very least, you would need surgery to repair the staple line, or you could lose your stomach entirely and have to get a bypass from your esophagus to your lower intestine.  That would not be much fun.   I keep thinking of Clint Eastwood saying, " Do you feel lucky punk".  :)  Sorry, couldn't help myself there.  Early on, cheating is serious business, later, it is more about your long term goals.

 Actually, you helped tremendously! I had never heard of the 'foamies" before. You told me something new, which is why I asked the question.  Is that common for some people? Must be scary! 

Yes, the foamies are the usual response to eating too much, too fast or a texture we are not yet ready to eat.  I had them a few times early on while I was still learning.

Wow!  I've never heard of the 'foamies'.  Sounds terrible.  I was extremely careful the first month especially.  For me I find that I feel full pretty fast.  I wonder if my stomach 'sensitivity' is because I had laproscopic surgery, no large cuts were made.  It left 5 very tiny slits in my stomach, not a big cut.  Now that I think of it, I don't know if they used staples?  I just know I did not have any solid foods or anything with large particles the first few weeks.  and I measured.   Now I rarely have to measure, my stomach tells me when its full, which is pretty fast.  Well, my stomach always WAS sensitive. 

I deliberately cheated once at about 2 1/2 months.  I had a tiny bit of chocolate cake, then threw the rest away.  I didn't get sick, but I lost interest and (surprised me!) I didn't enjoy the taste very much.  My chocolate cravings have faded away. 

The 5 little cuts are in your abdominal wall to get inside your abdominal cavity and make the big cut when resecting and removing 80% of your stomach, where indeed thousands of titanium staples are used and nerves are severed. Have a look at the picture of the VSG on this site. The external little cuts are just to get in there...