CD after surgery

[yo-yo]

Hi,

Although I am a regular reader this is my first post. I really enjoy reading all of the inspirational success stories and encouraging posts

I have a bit of a dilemma.....
On thursday I had surgery (a revision of breast lift and bottom lift that i had In June last year. I know that strictly speaking you shouldn't do CD for 3 months after surgery but I am too scared to stop. I gain weight SO quickly. I started CD in mid Nov and lost 20lb up to xmas, then I went off it for 7 days and put 12lbs back on!! Thankfully I got back on to it and lost 10lbs of it in time for my surgery.

I guess I should provide a bit of background info...I've always struggled with my weight, I first joined ww at the age of 10. I managed to keep to "plump girl" throughout my late teens and even enjoyed some (sadly brief!) periods of almost slimdom! but obesity came to visit when I had my daughter at 22 and stayed for about 4 years. Everything in my life suffered as a result and I woke up one day knowing I couldnt take the misery anymore. Through Rosemary Conley, WW, cabbage soup diets, slimmings pills, starvation (you name it I tried it!) I eventually managed to loose 8 and a half stone. I have maintained most of it it for approx 3 years (as my user name suggests though Ive lost the last stone and a half about 20 times!) but was never quite where I wanted to be.

Last summer I gained a stone on holiday and couldn't seem to get focused for long enough to shift it and the constant fighting with myself about what to eat was wearing me out. In November a friend joined LL and was doing really well - I felt so envious that the thought of what to eat and when to eat it had been taken out of her hands - I kept thinking about what a relief that would be for me.

So I joined CD and think it is a really fab diet. I have felt really well in myself since being on it so feel reluctant to stop doing it following my surgery. Can anyone explain why they say you should? It seems daft to turn my back on a diet that I know provides me with 100% of the nutrition I need. I thought about including a bit of meat and veg every couple of days for the first few weeks but already my old habits have crept back in - i started off with a bit of ham - let hubby talk me into putting it on a sandwich - then once I'd had bread I felt so mad with myself - I ate a bloody cream scone!

Weighed myself this morning and have put 6 lbs on!!!!

Ive got back onto it today - and I guess am hoping that someone says I'm doing the right thing, and gives me encouragement not to give up.

I feel so scared that I have finally got within a whisker of where I want to be and it may slip away.

So - please tell me the 3 month ban following surgery is just a precaution. I think whatever is said I won't be convinced that it could be any worse than gaining weight as stretching my skin is bound to cause healing problems?

Sorry for babbling but I am feeling really confused at the moment - maybe the anasthetic hasn't worn off properly yet!

Thanks for reading - grateful for any replies xxx

 

[kazz]

Hiya, I have no idea what the answer is....hopefully a CDC will come along soon and be able to let you know, but I would imagine there is a very valid reason for Cd stating that you cant do the diet for 3 months.

Well done on your 8 and a half stone loss...thats absolutely incredible!

 

[MandyB2]

Hi Yo yo, What a fantastic loss.. well done to you
I'm afraid though that you cannot return to CD until 3 months after your op.. this is is a strict rule with CD. Your body needs time to heal and a VLCD would not provide the calories needed for your body to repair itself properly.
A low Gi approach might be good for now until you can get back to CD..
xxxxx

 

[CW Consultant]

Hi,

The three month rule does apply I'm afraid. Although CD does have all the vitamins, minerals, trace elements, etc etc to keep you fit and well under normal circumstances, when you have surgery your body needs to repair itself and for this you need far more protein than that supplied in the diet.

Try and follow Low Gi healthy eating, look at your yellow weight care book at the 1500 cal programme but add a little more protein to that. You will not be having the 1 CD but this level of calories should not put weight on and you will ensure the correct amount of protein.

The secret is to spread the food throughout the day and not starve yourself during the day and try and eat too much at night. Get your body to trust you by giving it regular amounts of good fuel and it will learn to burn the fuel not store it.

It is disappointing when you cannot restart CD after an operation but this is a way to start taking more control over your eating again and if at the end of the three months you need a little help CD will still be there.

Your health is very important and although things look as though they are healed on the outside they are still healing on the inside.

You will get to your ultimate goal the posts have just been moved slightly.

Linda

 

[yo-yo]

Oh No!! Was dreading this response! Kind of wish I hadn't posted now. :cry:

Don't get me wrong - I am grateful for all of your advice, I just feel so scared in case I don't have the strength to take it. I never imagined that when I started CD to get a stubborn stone and a half off that I would end up so scared of eating that I am considering going against the rules and continuing with CD even after reading your advice.

I guess I'm clutching at straws but how about if I included some additional protein each day for 2 or 3 months and ate say a packet of turkey ham or a tub of cottage cheese each day?

It would certainly be better than the diet I followed after my last 2 surgeries - a peice of granary toast every morning and a ww meal for tea! I FEEL so much more nourished on CD surely this in addition to some good protein would be better than what I was eating before?

Has anyone done this? I know that no 2 bodies are or would heal the same but I would be really grateful to hear from you.

Please don't think i am ungrateful of advice received already - I just feel really frightened to fly completely solo for the next 3 months and am desperate to find a way to include CD.

xxx

 

[CW Consultant]

Unfortunately any CDC supplying you with diet would be going against the code of coduct it is strictly forbidden.

Instead of just having the granary toast for breakfast and WW meal in the evening eat plenty of fruit, veg and protein throughout the day. You will feel great if you eat the right things and will not put on weight.

You should not be afraid of eating its just how you do it if that makes sense?

I know it is disappointing but there are strong reasons for not using the programmes.

Talk to your CDC about this.

Linda