3 weeks out, questions and need support

March 9, 2004

Hello all,

I'm 3 weeks post-op and doing pretty well. I started my exercise

last week on my elliptical. This week I have upped the time. Next

week I'll up the time some more and add some strength training. For

all of this I still have worries. I'm on the soft foods portion of

my diet and was wondering if others experience this….

When I eat it's not very comfortable. For example, some things go

down very easy like pudding and yogurt and cottage cheese. While

others make my tummy ache a bit – like chicken that is well chewed.

I'm assuming that this is just part of the healing process and will

get better. Is this correct?

Also, some of my hunger came back last week. It's not the same as

presurgery hunger, but it's still a growly tummy with a need to eat.

Problem is that if I eat until I feel full, it's too late. After

about 10 minutes then I'm too full and uncomfortable for 15 minutes

to 30 minutes. This week I've stopped eating before feeling full and

increased the number of meals. However, I'm a little bummed I'm

getting hungry. I was hoping that I'd have until at least 4 months

before this came back.

So now I'm a little frightened. I'm afraid that I'll still fail even

though I had this done. Are these typical feelings? I know I'm

eating right for the most part. I eat my protein 1st and limit my

carbs but feeling the need to eat it scary. I don't know, it's like

I feel like I shouldn't eat. Aaaarrrgh!

So folks who are farther out then I, I need some words of wisdom to

help me. Let me know if these experiences sound familiar and what

you did to get through them.

TIA,

F

249.5/233/135

DOS 2/16/04

Lap RNY

Dr. Dickinson,

PVH hospital, Colorado

March 9, 2004