I had major surgery four weeks ago. I expected it to be a relatively easy recovery, but unfortunately that has not been the case.
In addition to a minor complication that landed me on bed rest an additional two weeks, I am still experiencing long-term side effects from the general anesthesia.
Lifting something like a full jug of laundry detergent, or a six pack of bottled water, reminds me real quick what my physical limits are – with a shot of pain. The side effects of the anesthesia include blurry vision, nausea, feeling spacey (what I refer to as “brain fog”) and it feels very much like a bad migraine without the pounding headache.
Fortunately that icky feeling isn’t consistent anymore, but it only takes a little effort to land me right back in that shape. Post-surgery advice is always “don’t over do it” but of course you have no way of knowing what your limits are… until you find them. 😛
Obviously I am unable to drive in that condition. But this morning I was feeling clear-headed and fairly well and decided to drive a couple of blocks to a nearby grocery store. I only grabbed a few things and wasn’t in there long, but I was completely fatigued by the time I got to the checkout counter.
Luckily I have found a grocery store in my town that delivers, which has been a real save during my recovery.
It’s the simple things you really take for granted when you’re down, like being able to easily get food. When someone has been kind enough to bring me food, or cook for me, I’ve been extremely grateful – and pretty much ate whatever was offered.
Obviously all of that made it hard to eat strictly low carb during my recovery. But even worse is the fact that I hardly have an appetite at all, and have been sticking to bland foods I could stomach with the nausea. Just the *idea* of meat still makes me feel ill.
During the worst of it I was only eating small servings of oatmeal, potato soup, crackers, toast and things like that. Obviously not low carb, but with abdominal surgery the last thing I wanted to do was push the nausea to the point of actually getting sick.
It’s been four weeks now since the surgery and I’m still really struggling. But I’m making an attempt to ease myself back into Low Carb eating. I’m a lot more limited now until I can get out and about on my own again, and of course I can’t cook.
I do good to make something quick and simple to eat, but any real cooking is out. I’m also not eating cheese (again, abdominal surgery). Add all of that together, and you can imagine just how limited I am at the moment. 😉
While I can have groceries delivered, it requires pre-planning (vs browsing and buying foods that appeal). And I need simple things I can prepare easily that don’t require much cooking. Minus meats and cheeses at the moment too, as I mentioned.
That doesn’t leave much does it? I know. LOL.
I could really use some help coming up with ideas.
I have chicken broth to sip on, and other things I have been “snacking on” today include: cottage cheese, almonds, and an Apple Quest Bar. I was really sick this evening so I had a cup of oatmeal – but I would really love to find some simple (bland) low carb foods I can eat until I get past this icky phase…
Sorry, you are having after sugery problems. I can’t think of anything that you aren’t already doing. Hopefully some creative person will post. Get well soon.
Thank you Shirley! I am really hoping this passes soon and I can just start eating normal again, and get out and about to get the things I need. I miss my easy low carb take-out meals, and my normal foods. And pretty much everything “normal” lol. π
I’m so sorry to hear you had to have surgery, Lynn. Please take it easy and let your body rule the day, okay? Here’s an easy slow cooker lentil soup recipe that I love…
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/story?id=7039586#.UOnp3HdJp8F
…and while it may not be low carb, it might be just what the doctor ordered. If the kale is too much work, just sub some frozen spinach… I promise it’ll still be good.
Take gentle care… and heal better soon!
Thank you Debi! That looks beautiful – but it’s a lot more than I think I could stomach right now. Even something as plain as my usual eggs florentine for breakfast turns my stomach at the thought…
Would eggs work for you? In any form. They seem kind of bland. Also, I eat yogurt for breakfast, plain. Almond milk? Not sure if you have a Trader Joe’s near you. If you do, then wow, you have LC heaven. They have pre-cooked roasted small chickens. I know it is protein but maybe in small amounts? Is spinach easy on the tummy? Obviously cauliflower is off limits. TJ’s has a LC bread. I stock that in my freezer all the time can be used a plain toast. I am so sorry you are going through this. Hope some of these suggestions help and that you will get back to your wonderful self quickly. Oh, one more. Can you get your hands on some Lavash? You can cut those with a pizza cutter or knife into small cracker sizes and toast them. Watch so they don’t burn, though. Take care and please keep us posted.
No Trader Joe’s here. I live in a very small town, and the one store that delivers is pretty basic. I do have eggs here, but the thought of them just does not appeal to me at all. Yet, at least. Yogurt seemed a little too much, so I got the cottage cheese instead (very bland/plain).
I got my usual “easy” favorites when I made my quick trip to the store yesterday – tilapia, tuna, sausage, eggs, etc – and hopefully the yucky feeling will just go away soon so I can eat simple!
On the days I do feel well – not nauseas – I try to eat meat and veggies. I’ve had a few good meals over the last month, mainly when a friend cooked beautiful home made chili and hamburger steaks and such. That was a huge help, and I didn’t seem to have as much a problem eating that. Probably because I wasn’t up on my feet cooking it and getting myself in the dizzy state before I had to eat it. LOL. π
Have you tried Joesephs flat bread or pitas? The are LOW CARB!!! My super Wal Mart sells them. I feel for you, as I had open abdominal surgery in the past. Time will heal all things.
Ah – low carb tortillas – good one! I could eat those plain. π I’ll have to see if the store that delivers carries those. Would make a great choice.
Lynn, I am so sorry to hear about your long road you are having. I am sending hugs your way and wishes for a speedy recovery. I am going to put my thinking cap on and try and come up with some low-carb easy to eat ideas. I have a lot of yummy ideas that are not low carb, but that is another story “grin”. Best wishes to you.
Thank you Suze π
Can I borrow your thinking cap?? Mine doesn’t seem to be functioning properly. LOL.
Hey, Lynn, how about tuna salad? You can get the tuna packed in olive oil, which is very healthy. And you can make a low-carb tuna salad using mayo as a base. And add as much other ingredients as you feel up to or have a taste for eating. Even if you don’t specifically make it low-carb, it will still have loads of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and there’s a variety of ways to prepare tuna anyway.
Just my two cents. Good luck on your recovery! π
So sorry you are going through that! I had surgery in January and had a lot of complications. It is so frustrating when your body just won’t do what you want it to. I really loved vegetable soup. I’m sure you aren’t up to cooking, but in desperate times Progresso can get the job done. Sugar free applesauce is another idea. Sugar free popsicles…what about toast made with low carb bread? Not 100% low carb but not terrible. I also drank a lot of Diet Sierra Mist. Hope you are feeling better very soon.
I am sorry to hear you went through such a hassle as well. I never expected this surgery to put me down as bad – or as long – as it has. It IS frustrating.
I have gone through quite a bit of canned soup. Mostly Campbell’s potato soup, just about a cup at a time. Obviously not low carb, but I could stomach it and it was heavy enough to take meds with.
I need to browse around Netrition’s website and see if I can find some good “products” until I can cook and/or eat “real food” again…
Just had another more idea. Nuts! Almonds and walnuts make excellent low-carb or any diet snack. They’re low-carb, high-fat, have some fiber and you can eat a just a few or a handful. The almonds come in a variety of flavors if you want something a little less bland. The flavors I’ve see are: smoked, chocolate, sea-salt, salt and vinegar, cinnamon, Wahhabi, and I think BBQ, but I’m not sure about that last one.
Hope this helps.
Thank you Scott! I have tuna here, but it just doesn’t appeal at the moment. But I have it on hand for a “good day” π I do have Almonds and Walnuts both and those are a real save at the moment for something quick and easy to snack on.
So sorry Lynn, a few thoughts that I have that I like are mixing 8oz of cream cheese with dry packet of 25 calorie Swiss Miss hot choc , tastes like choc. Mousse. I just eat some on a spoon and not the whole amount at once. Or you might try 2 cups cottage cheese mixed with 1-2 Tb sugar free lemon pudding. I sometimes blend it up so tastes like cheesecake. One other thought is the cream cheese pancakes. I love very easy LC things also and am having the Quest bars for a meal or cutting them up in 3rds for a snack.
Lynn, I’m so very sorry you are having such a difficult time. I hope you have told your doctor about all of the problems you are having. If it were me I would not worry too much about eating low carb right now – just eat as much nutritious food as you can tolerate until you are better. With that being said, I almost lived on Atkins’ Shakes during chemo and radiation. I still use them as a meal replacement at times – 15 grams of protein and only 2 grams of carbs. I find the Dark Chocolate Royale to be the tastiest – the Milk Chocolate is a little too sweet. I keep them in the fridge but put one in the freezer about 20 minutes before “mealtime” so it is very, very cold.
My very best wishes to you for a speedy and complete recovery!
I forgot – you may already know this but you can order the Atkins Shakes from Amazon.
I had a very major surgery about 12 years ago. Oatmeal was my friend. Very good to keep the intestines happy(everything slimes thru.lol) I would think low carb foods that contain a lot of fiber will be hard on you right now. over cook all your veggies so they are easier to digest. I have CD and it is a must for me. What about the progresso healthy soups? In another few weeks you will feel great again, then get back on track with your food. So for now you just need to rest and heal. I also want to say, there was a big difference from 4 weeks, to 6 weeks. This will all be behind you soon.
I just said a prayer to Jesus for you. How about some “bone broth” ?? Could one of your kids simmer the bones on the stove for you? Or crockpot the bones overnight? My daughter had a really bad cold and tried bone broth for the first time. She said it worked wonders on giving her the strength she needed to take care of there baby. You could get a deli chicken and use the carcass. Love your challenge podcast. I have a boring housekeeping job and I listen to you and Kelly and it makes me smile. I feel like we are all friends supporting each other. Thanks
Hi Lynn,
So sorry to hear of your continued struggles.
While I am not on a strictly low carb diet, I currently have a ton of food restrictions and so maybe some of what I am doing can help you, too.
As the message I began to post here became quite long, I am going to send it in an e-mail instead. Plus, it contains some links that are better put in an e-mail.
Your body has been through not only the trauma of the surgery, and the complications you reference here, but it now has to compensate for the new, permanent changes in your post-surgery body.
Sending you lots of healing thoughts. ββ₯β
K.
This isn’t simple, but it’s pretty easy:
– Homemade Cream of Brocolli Soup – I get a big pot and brown 1/2 an onion in it. Then add a bunch of water (sorry I don’t measure!), then cut up a whole brocolli and toss it in. Boil it all till soft. Then add cream (as much as suits your taste or diet) and blend in the blender. Then I serve and top with grated cheese. I love this. It’s making me hungry writing it, lol!
I haven’t been to the grocery store in over two months! (Lynn you know why but for those who read this and wonder why it’s because I broke my leg).
I know what you mean about having to pre-plan instead of just getting to browse and pick foods. I’ve been doing a poor job of actually deciding what to buy for dinners and basically we’ve been eating mostly pasta and pizza for couple of months! Obviously NOT low-carb at all.
I appreciate this post because I need ideas too. I have been off the low-carb wagon for a long time now but I do appreciate all that I learned about eating more healthy (and fresh!) from the WOE and you Lynn so I come back here a lot to check on what’s new.
Hope you’re doing better in the grocery department these days!
π
Angela