Hello - RNY or SIPS? That is the question of the week...

[Stefanie S.]

Are you a full vegan? Or do you allow fish, eggs, etc.? That can make the DS tricky?

Well... I have been full vegan for 2 years for ethical reasons (vs diet). Over the past 6 months, I've had to do a lot of soul searching on this issue. I have recently added in pasture-raised, non-GMO fed, organic eggs and I have some wild-caught fish in my freezer. LOL - haven't brought myself to eat it yet, but I think I'm going to have to add fish for high protein.

 

[Stefanie S.]

The first month sucks. Try to do as little as possible workwise. You'll be exhausted, and still figuring out your new insides. That goes for all of the surgeries. By month 3 I was feeling like a normal human again, and with a lot more energy than I had pre surgery given the weight and comorbidities I'd lost.

I go to the bathroom pretty much the minute my feet hit the floor in the morning, and it is about a 10-15 minute visit. It is pretty thorough. The smell isn't amazing (it's poo) but it's not the worst thing I've ever smelt either.

I can't recall being in a situation where I couldn't wait for an opportune time to use the bathroom, but like I said I generally take care of that for the day first thing in the morning.

I wish I could be guaranteed your routine... once in the morning...done... May I ask... how many calories a day do you eat? What does your diet look like? Do you feel like you need to exercise daily to maintain your weight loss?

 

[aaa]

I questioned my decision for the first 2 years, postop. I wasn't one who fell in love with it right away. I never wanted WLS. It took a year after being told I should have it by my doctor that I even began to research it and another year till I decided to have it. So yes, it took a while to decide it was the right thing for me.

I don't think it's much to do with my diet. I eat almost exclusively protein. The one thing I do is drink some Crystal Light. This might add an extra bathroom trip, but I'd still be at 4. It's just how my DS works. I rarely have to run to the bathroom. It's not something that consumes me as it did early on. Once I figured out what to eat during the day to minimize potential problems and what I could eat at home when I didn't care if I passed a lot of gas or had to go to the bathroom a lot (e. g. if I wanted some junk) my DS was eminently manageable.

Oh, and I don't always go as soon as I wake up (like many others). Often, it's within the first 10 minutes, but sometimes it can be an hour or so.

 

[harrietvane]

I wish I could be guaranteed your routine... once in the morning...done... May I ask... how many calories a day do you eat? What does your diet look like? Do you feel like you need to exercise daily to maintain your weight loss?

I don't count calories, and I don't eat a 'perfect' DS diet. Breakfast is generally yoghurt during the week, and eggs and bacon on the weekend. Lunch is some kind of roast meat (I live in Asia) and dinner I generally have a chicken breast or steak with some minimal veggies. I snack on cheese and almonds.

I was seeing a trainer, but haven't since September, and that was to maintain muscle mass. It's not really part of my weight loss.

 

[Stefanie S.]

I questioned my decision for the first 2 years, postop. I wasn't one who fell in love with it right away. I never wanted WLS. It took a year after being told I should have it by my doctor that I even began to research it and another year till I decided to have it. So yes, it took a while to decide it was the right thing for me.

I don't think it's much to do with my diet. I eat almost exclusively protein. The one thing I do drink is some Crystal Light. This might add an extra bathroom trip, but I'd still be at 4. It's just how my DS works. I rarely have to run to the bathroom. It's not something that consumes me as it did early on. Once I figured out what to eat during the day to minimize potential problems and what I could eat a home when I didn't care if I passed a lot of gas (e. g. if I wanted some junk) my DS was eminently manageable.

Oh, and I don't always go as soon as I wake up (like many others). Often, it's within the first 10 minutes, but sometimes it can be an hour or so.

I was just thinking that... surely I could be extra, extra careful at work...

 

[aaa]

I don't count calories, either. I don't really know any DSers who do. We count protein and sugar (including simple carbs) grams.

You'd probably have to open up that salmon, though.

 

[Stefanie S.]

I don't count calories, either. I don't really know any DSers who do. We count protein and sugar (including simple carbs) grams.

You'd probably have to open up that salmon, though.

I did really, really like salmon before my transition to veganism... What is your protein intake? Sugar? Do you know how many overall carbs you take in? Would 100 carbs a day be way too high if it came from almonds, oatmeal, protein shakes...?

 

[Clematis]

I was petrified about bathroom issues pre surgery too. Just try to let it go (no pun intended). There is no way of knowing how your body will react.

Not constipated or diarrhea. The first push is like a normal poop and sinks. But if I am patient and sit there, more will come out, looser, but not loose -- this is the greasier stuff that floats. If I do not allow the time for the "round two" to come out, I may regret it. I usually go out for a 4 mile walk afterwards and there have been 2-3x where I have made deals with god to allow me to get to a toilet.

I do poop as soon as I get up whereas pre DS I didn't poop until I had coffee. (I gave up coffee, d.coke, tea and all caffeine two months before surgery.) Maybe 6x since I had DS more than a year ago, I have awoken at 4am and had to poop. Not a bad pooper -- just way too early in the morning.

But everyone is different. Someone else about the same age and weight had the DS with a much longer common channel than I. I figured she would lose weight slower and never have bathroom issues. Just the opposite. She lost weight a little bit faster than I but she has had a couple of public poop accidents and so carries an extra pair of underpants.

Just remember: fatty food (which we need) gives you greasy, floating poop which can smear in the toilet. Carbs cause gas. If one or the other become a problem, adjust your diet.

The first month, even modest exertion knocked me out. I think I walked a mile 2 weeks out, then came home and slept for three hours. I never napped pre surgery but routinely napped for the first month. I can't imagine having to work until a month out.

 

[southernlady]

Regardless of your choice, and that includes RNY, it will be protein first for life. And not plant based either. But it can be the byproduct of an animal and not the animal itself. (Like eggs, cheese, dairy assuming you don't develop lactose intolerance).

And I know RNYers who complained about paint peeling gas and other issues so the bathroom habits really do cross the board with malaborptive procedures.

It comes down to what you feed your body after surgery.

 

[southernlady]

I did really, really like salmon before my transition to veganism... What is your protein intake? Sugar? Do you know how many overall carbs you take in? Would 100 carbs a day be way too high if it came from almonds, oatmeal, protein shakes...?

Ditch the idea of oatmeal at least til you reach your goal weight.

I lost weight on 70-100 carbs a day but after you heal, you need 90-120+ grams of protein daily.

Bottom line, carbs will cause gas in an altered gut.

 

[aaa]

I did really, really like salmon before my transition to veganism... What is your protein intake? Sugar? Do you know how many overall carbs you take in? Would 100 carbs a day be way too high if it came from almonds, oatmeal, protein shakes...?

I don't really know how many carbs/day. It's not high but not super low, either. I did keep it very low during the first 18 mos., postop. So I'd get the best out of that initial weight loss window. With me, it's all about the protein. I eat every hour or two. Protein.

Nuts never fit into a carb count for me. To me they're protein and fat. Even when trying to lose a couple; nuts are not something I'd ever skimp on. Bread and those type of carbs are.

Oh, and my protein count is generally 125+/day.

 

[Stefanie S.]

I was petrified about bathroom issues pre surgery too. Just try to let it go (no pun intended). There is no way of knowing how your body will react.

Not constipated or diarrhea. The first push is like a normal poop and sinks. But if I am patient and sit there, more will come out, looser, but not loose -- this is the greasier stuff that floats. If I do not allow the time for the "round two" to come out, I may regret it. I usually go out for a 4 mile walk afterwards and there have been 2-3x where I have made deals with god to allow me to get to a toilet.

I do poop as soon as I get up whereas pre DS I didn't poop until I had coffee. (I gave up coffee, d.coke, tea and all caffeine two months before surgery.) Maybe 6x since I had DS more than a year ago, I have awoken at 4am and had to poop. Not a bad pooper -- just way too early in the morning.

But everyone is different. Someone else about the same age and weight had the DS with a much longer common channel than I. I figured she would lose weight slower and never have bathroom issues. Just the opposite. She lost weight a little bit faster than I but she has had a couple of public poop accidents and so carries an extra pair of underpants.

Just remember: fatty food (which we need) gives you greasy, floating poop which can smear in the toilet. Carbs cause gas. If one or the other become a problem, adjust your diet.

The first month, even modest exertion knocked me out. I think I walked a mile 2 weeks out, then came home and slept for three hours. I never napped pre surgery but routinely napped for the first month. I can't imagine having to work until a month out.

Thank you! THOSE are the details I was after! Well... my monthly periods are terrible, so having an extra change of clothes with me shouldn't be much different than what I do currently. But I still, of course, really hope that never happens! OMG, I'm still laughing about your 2-3x deals with God to get to a bathroom! I can't imagine walking that far, ever... but I guess if I do, maybe I better stick to my treadmill? Luckily, I am not a traveler - I much prefer to NOT travel, so that shouldn't really be an issue. It's really just work that worries me. But I'm coming around to the idea of just being prepared, getting to know exactly what to expect from my new body, and dealing. I mean, being 300 pounds isn't fun either and poses it's own set of challenges...

 

[Stefanie S.]

Ditch the idea of oatmeal at least til you reach your goal weight.

I lost weight on 70-100 carbs a day but after you heal, you need 90-120+ grams of protein daily.

Bottom line, carbs will cause gas in an altered gut.

Wow! That's a lot of protein! Did you mean to say you at 70-100 CARBS a day while losing? Or did you mean to say protein? If carbs... I can handle that!

 

[Stefanie S.]

I don't really know how many carbs/day. It's not high but not super low, either. I did keep it very low during the first 18 mos., postop. So I'd get the best out of that initial weight loss window. With me, it's all about the protein. I eat every hour or two. Protein.

Nuts never fit into a carb count for me. To me they're protein and fat. Even when trying to lose a couple; nuts are not something I'd ever skimp on. Bread and those type of carbs are.

Oh, and my protein count is generally 125+/day.

Oh that's true! Nuts! I love nuts. And there's my fat too. I always avoid them though because the calories add up so fast.

 

[southernlady]

Yeap,

Wow! That's a lot of protein! Did you mean to say you at 70-100 CARBS a day while losing? Or did you mean to say protein? If carbs... I can handle that!

70-100 grams of carbs but many have to keep it below 50 to lose.

I can easily exceed 30 grams of carbs in dairy alone during first breakfast. Milk(raw milk as I can't handle the pasteurized milk), yogurt, the HWC in my coffee.

As my dh's nut said his first visit was to keep all the food you eat/drink as close to the animal as possible