typical day...

My friends & sister day that I am OCD or something because I want to know exactly what I need to do regarding protein/food/water/vitamins....for when I come home from the hospital. I know the basics....stop drinking 30 min before food, don't drink 60 min after eating.....but I need to get set up on a schedule, so I can DO IT! When do you eat/drink/take vitamins? My biggest weakness is preparation, so I want to get myself set up on a schedule of sorts, so I will succeed! HELP!

Well, I drink right up until I start to eat, since there is no medical reason not to.  And I usually only wait 30 minutes after eating to drink again.  If I stopped drinking 30 minutes before meals, took half an hour to eat, then waited an hour, that would mean I could not drink for two hours for eat meal.  Since I eat six times a day, that would be 12 hours a day I could not drink.  I would find it hard to get my liquids in that way.

I don't know what time you get up, what time you go to bed, what your day is like.  So I don't know what schedule might work best for you.

I don't always get up or go to bed at the same time.  But when I get up, I usually have a cup of tea.  After that, I eat breakfast and take my first set of vitamins.

After 30 minutes, I start drinking.  I drin****il I am ready for lunch.  30 minutes later, I drink some more.

I usually have a midafternoon snack, then drink some more, then have dinner.  I take a set of vitamins with dinner.  Somewhere during the day, whenever I happen to think of it, I take my third dose of calcium (if I remember).

I usually stay up late so I have couple of snacks in the evening.  I take my last vitamins before bed, with my last snack.

In maintenance, this is my typical WORK schedule

Wake up
Take mutivitamin, calcium, B-complex, b-12 sublingual, Magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate, vitamin D, and regular prescription meds.
Eat one serving of quche.
At work I drink a protein shake or two
At lunch I have some more calcium and a snack
During the afternoon a couple more protein shakes (teaching is thirsty work)
When I get home from work I have my second meal of the day, with calcium and multivitamin.
8 oz almond milk
Then after about an hour of not eating or drinking I take Iron and vitamin C (when I remember)
Pillow snack at night which is really my third meal of the day.

Iron needs to be taken separate from calcium Calcium when taken with iron will usurp the iron being metabolized and makes it the same as not even taking iron.

Everyone sets up their own schedule, it's a learned thing as you figure out your own needs. Like Kelly, I always drank my liquids up to the time to eat, then I'd wait 30 minutes to start eating again.

 Kelly is spot on.  My surgeon changed up the drinking to 5 minutes before and 20 minutes to drink.  He said they were finding patients were getting dehydrated and if you do eat 5 times or more a day which I do I would never get fluids in.  So I cannot imagine no fluids for 90 minutes, but if that is what the protocol is from your surgeon then follow it.  
Friends and sister need to stop telling you that you are OCD just because you are trying to get things in order. We now have to label everything with a disorder, so just being prepared and on top of things makes you OCD.......Sigh.  You will be given informaion if you haven't already.  In the beginning Bren it's getting in fluids that are so important.  Do you know if you will be coming home on clear liquids or solid liquids?  Anyway, we will help you and follow the guidlines.  Take care! Jane

Jane....As long as they are tolerated I will be coming home on the full liquid stage. If not it will be clear liquids for a week.

My Dr actually gave me a sample eating schedules for each phase. If you are interested, I could scan them in and email them to you?

Yes....that would be [email protected]

 Check out my surgeons meal plans... The first stage they really map it out for you 

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/hh/services-centers/bariatrics/bariatric-diets.cfm

Awesome.....what about not drinking 30-60 min after eating? Does that apply also? They were really adamant about that (so the food isn't flushed through to your intestines too quicky, causing hunger)

You are not being OCD.  It took all my brain wattage to remember to drink all the time but not when it was eating time and to take all my supplements.  I made myself a little check list and printed it out on the computer so I could keep track.  Now of course its second nature I am in the habit of taking my supplements and water.  Make yourself a little schedule until its a habit then you won't need it anymore.  I don't think your family and friends realize this is a major lifestyle change.