Second Post Op Visit

What a difference a day makes. According to my scales, things were pretty much the same this morning, but according to the doctor's office, I've lost eight pounds in the last two weeks. So, I'll go with their numbers! (I really should stop weighing myself every day and start weighing just once a week.)

Speaking of scales, I have to confess that stepping on their HUGE scales makes me feel a bit like a cow. Their scales look a little like the ones they use for livestock. In fact, everything is super sized, including the chairs. But better a super sized chair than having to squeeze into one that is too small.

I have had very few problems with food tolerance, the only exception being peanut butter. For some reason, peanut butter seems to cause me pain during digestion. I can now add ground chicken, fish, eggs (yay!) and pretty much anything else that is small and easy to digest: hummus, sour cream, grated cheese, etc. It is unlikely I will be able to tolerate 4 oz. of chicken, fish or eggs at one time though.

Here are the questions I asked and got answered today:

• The cardiologist wants me to increase my magnesium dosage, but the blood draw was before surgery. Should I go ahead and increase it? Answer: Yes. The body often has trouble absorbing magnesium after bariatric surgery, so if I was low before, I'm probably even lower now. They'll test this in a couple of weeks when I get some lab work done.
  
• My protein drinks are 11 ounces. How do I space out drinking of them when I'm only supposed to consume 4 ounces at a time? Answer: Liquids are not the same as solids. I can drink more than 4 ounces if I can tolerate it. I could drink half the protein shake and then weight 15 minutes and drink the rest. Doing this won't stretch out my pouch.
  
• The things I consume for protein seem to be high in sodium. Is this a concern? Answer: Not right now. When we get into a more permanent diet, we will address sodium, but for now it's more about healing and food tolerance. Since my blood pressure is great (see last paragraph) and I'm not retaining water, the sodium is not a concern for now.
  
• Am I losing weight as fast as I should be? Answer: Yes. I do need to start walking and getting more exercise. I can walk and do stationery bike at a moderate pace. I can also start doing arm and leg weights. I cannot swim until six weeks post op. I cannot do any kind of abdominal exercise for three months post op.
  
• Is it normal that the skin of my abdomen is so sensitive? Answer: Yes. Because of all the movement of the nerves during surgery, the skin is sometimes sensitive for a while, but this will fade over time.
  
• My outer incisions are all healed. How long will it take for my internal incisions to heal? Answer: Three months.

The best news from today's visit is that my blood pressure was really low - lower than ever, so I get to cut my blood pressure medication in half. If it stays low for the next two weeks, I can stop taking it. That would be awesome!