Eating | Go Without Your Gut

Thai and Stop Me Now!

This is a big update for me. It’s been about two months since I have had sugar issues! In the past, if I consumed too much sugar, my blood sugar levels would go to 280 and I would get super sleepy but have a heart rate of 110 which is high for just sitting at my desk. Especially since my normal resting heart rate is in the mid-40’s. Then – 30-45 minutes later, my blood sugar would be in the 60’s which causes dizziness, sweating, unclear thinking, hunger, and more. Neither are fun but low blood sugar can be dangerous. Thankfully, my pancreas does work – it’s just still adjusting to my body receiving raw food straight to my small intestines. For 32 years of my life, my small intestines received food after the stomach perfectly broke it down. That changed abruptly after surgery (that last sentence was written by captain obvious).

Good News:

It appears my pancreas is figuring things out! To test the power of my pancreas and my body learning how to process food, I decided to have some Pad Thai. Pad Thai has a boatload of rice noodles. Rice Noodles are very high in carbs and often compared to sugar. But – Pad Thai is also fantastic and delicious. I specifically order it Thai Hot – which is so hot it often causes hiccups or a mild sweat. It’s so good.

I’m happy to report I have tried Pad Thai twice in the last week with no sugar issues. (insert Fortnite Dance in celebration).

New milestone! It’s been 19 months and I’m very thankful for the progress that my body continues to make.

5 Miles in 112 degree heat

I was recently in Dallas/Fort Worth for work and was able to run 5 miles after a few meetings. Nothing too special as I love going on runs when I travel. However – it was 112 degrees out. Seriously.

I had a camelback type thing (backpack with built in water that holds 50 ounces). I felt that I had plenty of water, even with the heat.

Well – the run was fun. It was indeed hot. And I drank the whole 50 ounces in about 45 minutes. I couldn’t believe it (since I don’t have a stomach, I don’t have the space to chug water). I suspect it was a mixture of how much I was sweating and with a higher heart rate, it’s easier to consume food/drinks.

Anyways – just another cool story that things become pretty normal over time. It’s been 18 months since my TG. If I don’t overeat and I get enough sleep – my energy levels are similar to before. Thanks for reading a feel free to tweet me any questions!

How I Raced IRONMAN Florida 70.3 with No Stomach

If you are reading this, you are probably thinking, “How did you get nutrition during the race”? Great question! I feel like I got lucky. What worked for me, doesn’t mean it will work for you. But – It might!

Prerace:

I treated my days as normal before the race. I did take one GU Hydration Drink Tabs with a G2 Gatorade two days before the race and the day before, I took two GU Hydration Drink Tabs with two G2 Gatorades. I sipped on these between meals. The evening meal before the race was pad thai – not spicy. I did spike my sugar a bit (expected with me) and caught it on the way down at 58, and then ate a few gummy packs to bring it back up. But – no major issues.

Pre-race: wake at 4:00 – 3 oz of Espresso

Eat a “One Protein Bar” at around 5am (takes about 45 min)

7am: start sipping on First Endurance EFS: Lemon Lime and water (two separate bottles)

7:55am: last sip of water. Race Time!

On the Bike about 42 min later. I have water up front with one GU Hydration Drink Tab, 4 GU Energy Gel (tri-berry) mixed with water on the frame, and Hammer Perpetuem on the back.

I sipped all these every few minutes, mixing it up as I went. I grabbed water at the water stations and refilled my front water container and dropped one more GU Hydration Drink Tab at around mile 45. I also had a bag of ruffles that I started eating around mile 30 because sipping sugary drinks becomes boring. Dang – those chips taste amazing.

In transition from the bike to the run (T2), I put an ice filled water bottle (smart water bottle) down the back of my tri-suit – and took a bottle of Hammer Perpetuem on my fanny pack and 2 extra GU Hydration Drink Tab in my pack. Those were extra should it get hot. Well – it got very hot. 91+ degrees. The ice melted around mile 5, then I drank that. And I popped those extra GU Hydration Drink Tabs with water at mile 5 and 9 and got more GU Gels from the volunteers on the race to mix with water when I refilled the water.

I really expected to blow up or cramp or “fail” or something during the run. But – this plan worked very well. I walked the transitions when I needed to refill, but beyond that – I had a great race and didn’t have major issues. It was hard – but it was so rewarding! Thank you, for everyone who cheered me on along the way and tracked me live. I felt like I was getting energized by the support!

Love ya’ll. Would love to do a full IRONMAN soon. But the primary challenge is scheduling the training around family, work, etc.

Tweet me at @GoWithoutYoGut if you want me to blog about specific topics.

4/24/2018 – Fourteen Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

Hey Ya’ll.

Thanks for following. Things are still improving day by day. I’m looking forward to increasing my training schedule as the summer days approach and hope that I will come with an increased energy.

I have lost a total of 34 lbs but I believe I’m leveling off. I try and get my calories in but it’s tough at work because I can forget to eat when I’m working.

Overall, I’m really blessed. I know people who have had such a worse time and all I can say is that I feel blessed. I don’t deserve the good health I have been given, but I’m extremely thankful. I do believe much of the success goes to the following:

Faith
Choosing an experienced Surgeon and going to a center of excellence
Working with No Stomach For Cancer as they helped me through that process
Family and friends.

For those readers wondering, “what’s it like 14 weeks out”, I’m still having the following issues:

It’s hard to fall asleep most the time. This makes the next day pretty rough in the morning and especially in the afternoon. I struggle to stay awake starting around 3 pm, but then can’t sleep at night.
Fatigue – mentioned above – but around 3 pm on my “bad days”, I feel like I can’t keep my eyes open. It’s like someone attached weights to them. It’s a bummer but I’m working on it.
Reflux. Ugh.. will it ever end? It’s getting better – but still, have an episode once a week or so. I still have to figure it out. It’s happening with “normal/safe” foods. I hope it ends soon.
Fitness – I used to work out 5-6 days per week so I could compete in triathlons and other endurance events. The best I have done was 3-4 days per week and it was brutal. I have dialed it back to working out whenever I feel like it. I lost so much muscle that when I work out now, I’m sore for at least two days. Thus – I’m trying to “ease” back into training but Triathlon season is only 4 weeks away and I’m still pretty weak. What can you do…

Talk to you soon!

4/7/2018 – Twelve Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

My first week back at work went very well. The night before (Sunday), I had reflux from 2am-3am. I was worried that it would make my first day rough as I didn’t sleep well. However, it went pretty well overall. I packed 5 granola bars and a few Gatorade (G/2 – which is lower sugar). Also – my company has a Starbucks on campus, so I was able to get 2 oz of Espresso once I got tired. I really like that. 🙂

I’m starting my triathlon training again. Boy, it’s not going as well as I had hoped. I get tired very easily and I’m sore for days after a tough day. I also noticed that I get affected by colds/allergies/sickness much easier. For example, I have had “drainage” and a cough for almost 3 weeks. I suspect it’s because of my immune system isn’t as strong as it used to be. I wanted to come back this triathlon season and win races to raise awareness for No Stomach For Cancer and how much they helped me. However, at this point, I’ll have to race to finish, rather than race to win. Oh well – maybe next year.

Lastly, last night I had horrible reflux. The worst ever. The taste was so bad I was gagging and dry heaving which kind of scares me since I have yet to vomit without a stomach. After it all settles down following some crackers and water, I have heartburn the following day and that awful taste in my mouth. It’s a bit discouraging as I don’t know why it all happened.

I have a feeling that these things just “happen” with life after no stomach. I just hope it doesn’t happen very much.

Hopeful for a great week!

Connect with me on twitter: @GoWithoutYoGut

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3/27/2018 – Eleven Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

I know it’s been a while since I have updated. I’m sure this won’t be the last time there is a large gap in time between updates. Things have been going pretty well, however, for those of you who have done this know, no day is safe.

Blood sugar crash is much scarier. I feel weak and as if I have the flu. I become very slow in thought. I sweat and get hit with intense hunger. I know that I typically need 15g-20g of carbs to recover and the ride will be over in 15-20min. However, I have the sudden appetite for 1,000 calories and 250g of carbs. I have to be very careful I don’t overeat during this time. If I do, I get horrible cramps. It’s a mistake you will not want to make again.

Outside of those, I get reflux from time to time. The remedy for me is gluten-free crackers and a little bit of liquid. Coffee during the day and water during the night. Just be careful not to eat too much. Take small bites and chew like you just had surgery. During reflux, it feels like everything get’s stuck in your esophagus so if you eat too much, it could be a bad mixture. Eating during reflux seems counterintuitive but it has worked every time. So, along with my blood sugar management snacks, I now take some reflux snacks too. I’m basically always taking an entire days worth of snacks with me because I never know what the day will be like.

I had the kids at Wal-Mart the other day while my wife was meeting with a friend. My nearly 3-year old was being very energetic. All the sudden, I felt really tired and weak. I took a second to check how I feel. Yup, I’m sweating. I could feel my blood sugar was low. I suspect, the high sixties or low seventies. I grabbed a Gatorade and started sipping. Before I left the store, I was on my way back to normal. It was a bit crazy though. I forget that I’m in charge of my kids and I have to be prepared for these situations so I can stay coherent and keep the kiddos safe. I never really thought about it before.

I return to work on Monday. To be honest, these 11 weeks have gone by way too fast. I think it will be hard to go back but I feel like this is a step I have to take in order to get back to the new normal. I have lost a total of 33 pounds and it’s not easy to keep weight on.

Last night, my wife and I went out to eat at a restaurant that has a serious Gluten Free (GF) menu. The food and service were great! We were reflecting on this journey and there are parts of it that do not seem real. I can’t believe we did this and I’m thankful that I no longer have Cancer. It was/is a tough journey, but it was worth it. I know others who have had a much more difficult time with recovery. Thus, I’m very thankful. I feel as if God protected us and I certainly did not deserve it.

Wish me luck going back to work!

2/11/2018 – Six Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

Six Weeks! I can start working out again…. hopefully.

I was told by Dr. Yoon I can run six weeks post-op. My incision area is still a bit sore and tight so I’m not sure how running will go, but I would like to give it a try. I have been walking a good bit. My best walks thus far were one for 4 miles at a 19min/mile pace and one for 2 miles at a 16min/mile pace. Major napping needed after.

I’ll also start some light weights. I have lost a lot of muscles and do I don’t want to overdo it.

Here is what’s new:

Low blood sugar: I had my first low blood sugar moment. I ate a poached egg, gluten free toast, butter and a strawberry. 1.5 hours later I notice I’m feeling weak.. Like I’m getting the flu. Then I start sweating. So I stand up and realize I’m super dizzy. I checked my blood sugar and it was 59. The lowest it’s ever been. I called a family member who has T1D and she explained I needed about 15-20 carbs and it should last only 15 minutes. The problem was, I already had poweraid and some crackers and was at about 35 carbs. The feeling did go away after 15-20 minutes but it wasn’t fun. Then, I got super hungry. Like – pre-surgery hungry. I couldn’t stop eating. I have no idea how I kept going. Eventually, I stopped. Good thing too because I did get some mild cramps.. I assume from eating too much/too fast. I heard that living stomachless can cause random drops in Blood Sugar (BS), so I’m glad I bought a kit and was aware of that. Knowledge is power yall.
Reflux – ugh.. I still get random reflux. Especially if I lay down or if I eat something that gets stuck. Microwaved leftovers are the worst. The microwave dry’s out the food and it get’s stuck in my esophagus. It’s a bad feeling. It feels like your chocking on air.. then – you get reflux. It’s like foamy spit that doesn’t end for 30min – 3 hours depending on who knows what. Lastly, after it’s over, you have heartburn from the whole thing. I’m trying to figure out what’s causing it but I’m not a fan.
Running – I ran a mile. Yay! 10:30 pace. Felt pretty good. I walked 20 min to warm up. I later needed a nap.. very badly. Also – I’m sore. Already.

2/4/2018 – Five Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

Things are going pretty well. Here is what’s new:

My back finally doesn’t hurt anymore. I suspect it was because I couldn’t use my abdominal muscles much in the beginning because I had open surgery. Now that I’m healing, I have more strength and my back has less stress.
If I eat late at night, I risk getting reflex when I sleep. I’m still sleeping sitting up because I get reflex if I lay down. It’s hard not to snack at night because I struggle with falling asleep and eating snacks seems to help pass the time. I’m trying to leave a 1-2 hour gap before I go to bed but it’s not easy. Work to do I guess.
Protein shacks are finally going down well, which has helped stabilize my weight. I weigh 175 which is 22 lbs. from surgery day. Getting gluten-free protein is a little more expensive.
Feeling a bit better each day. Energy levels spike and dive to near zero without notice, but that doesn’t bother me too much.
Espresso. So – I used to drink 12 cups of coffee which was a habit I formed studying for my MBA. I slowly stopped drinking coffee before surgery to help with recovery. I still have no desire for coffee and more importantly, I do not have space. Instead of coffee, I sip on espresso. That has been a lot of fun and I like it. It has given me heartburn a few times, but nothing crazy. It’s nice to have something to counter my energy levels when they crash at home. Sometimes the kids want to play and I have to push through. So – Espresso helps.

1/28/2018 Four Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

Week 4:
Wow – 4 weeks feels good.

I started walking more again. As I approach 6-weeks post op and plan to run somehow. I started Monday with walking 1 mile at a 20min/mile pace. My belly felt a bit strange after one mile so I stopped.

Tuesday, it was beautiful outside so I walked 4 miles at a 20min/mile pace. Honesty, it felt good and time got away from me. I was actually sore at the end (in my legs and hips). After a stretch and a protein shake, I feel fine. After an hour, I needed a major nap.

I feel good enough to invest a lot of time reading. That has been sweet.

Here is what is new:

1. Mornings are still rough. Sore and just don’t feel like eating or drinking because of the soreness. I drink 8 oz of water (takes about an hour), then eat breakfast around 9:30am. I had two small gluten-free pancakes (they are very small) and a poached egg. It was great!
2. Eating is getting better but there are still no rules. The trick is to go extremely slow and chew more than you ever thought. I had gluten free quesadilla (a small triangle) and gluten-free hibachi with quinoa. It was great. Also – my taste buds are getting sore. Not sure why, but with keeping food in your mouth for a lot longer than I’m used to, my taste buds get sore and it hurts to eat.
3. I can sip up to an ounce of espresso. I like it and the caffeine boost is something I have only dreamt of! (Insert excited emoji)
4. Gatorade endurance has low sugar and doesn’t upset my belly. I can drink plain water but I can still see that Gatorade goes down better. The water feels like it gets stuck. Crazy.
5. Protein shakes are going down much better now. At first, they made me crampy within minutes. I tried to sip slowly and push through but now I know that I was trying too much.
6. I have to remind myself. Go slow, Chew more than I think I should, and stay patient. Food that didn’t work yesterday, might work today. There are really no rules as I adjust to the new life. But, my fellow CDH1 friends from around the US have encouraged me that the days get better and the beginning is hard.
7. Energy levels are getting better, slowly. But I still get hit with fatigue out of the blue. And it’s severe. Like – it feels like my eyelids weigh too much to keep my eyes open.

Pretty much eating any type of food now. Since I have Celiac disease, it has to be Gluten-free and I have not tried meat like steak and pork.

1/21/2018 Three Weeks Post Total Gastrectomy

Week 3:

This week has been good. Few things to add:

I have to sleep sitting up to start the night or I’ll get bile reflux.. feels like stomach acid just comes in your mouth. It’s yucky.
Morning times – my belly is very sore. Still healing I guess.
Back still sore.
Energy Levels are still very low and I’ll just get hit with fatigue out of nowhere.

Same foods but adding chicken noodle soup. I even had a few bites of my wife’s fajita nachos. It was amazing and I limited it to like 5 bites.