Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Day 11 post-op, the protein powder wars

I am doing really well.  The chiropractor fixed my neck, so that was a big deal.  I forget my Tylenol often, so my pain level is really low. I've been out and about a bit. My biggest thing is my doctor has me on clear liquids until day 15.  That has been the hard part right now.  I am getting less than 500 calories a day.  I'm not necessarily hungry, but I have low energy and feel empty.  Every doctor is different. It's been hard getting on support forums and seeing that a lot of people are already doing purees.  I won't hit purees for over 3 weeks.  I am completely looking forward to it.

For my doctor, clear liquids means broth, water, sugar popsicles, and protein powder mixed with water.  This surgery means lots of protein powders.  Before surgery, I heard a lot of people having problems finding protein powders they like.  I thought how great it was that I was already using powders I like.  What I didn't realize is that chocolate and vanilla get very boring after awhile.  I bought some sugar free Torani syrups to help mix it up, but it is very different gulping down a protein shake versus having to sip on it for awhile.  Finally this week I found a brand that has fruit flavors like lemonade, peach, etc.  They are Nectar by Syntrax. They have been a life saver.

I have been finding that my blood sugars are getting higher each day.  I'm currently not taking any medicine because most people see their sugars drop when they aren't eating any carbs.  My surgeon said she hadn't seen this before.  What I learned from trying to lower my a1c pre-op suggests that my body needs some carbs to process in order to produce enough insulin.  I've contacted my endocrinologist to help me decide on some medicine until I start full liquids.  We will see what happens from there.  Regardless, I am confident that this surgery will improve my health and possibly cure my diabetes.

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