New and Having Trouble Adjusting

[Jenross1980]

My name is Jennifer, and my surgery was on 9/2/14. I had been doing well until the last couple of days. I am transitioning from liquids to soft solids, and I am finding myself feeling hungry for regular food and very depleted nutritionally. I have integrated meal replacement shakes and sublingual B-12 drops. I was making protein shakes early in the day, but I am SO sick of them that the thought of one makes me nauseated. I actually ate half a bean burrito and a bowl of chicken noodle soup yesterday (not just the broth)! As you can imagine, I felt pretty awful the rest of the day. I don't like feeling so lethargic all the time. Are there any secrets to this I am unaware of?

 

[Kim M]

Hi Jennifer and welcome. No secrets. The beginning is hard as you are still healing and the nerves that send signals to the brain have been cut. I would caution you to stay on plan as you do not want to overload your sleeve and blow your staple line. At the soft food stage I remember just wanting to chew something, but not being really hungry. Hang in there it won't be long before you can start adding more solid food. Take your vitamins and drink. Sometimes the lethargy can come from dehydration. Things will get better.

 

[Cheyenne]

My name is Jennifer, and my surgery was on 9/2/14. I had been doing well until the last couple of days. I am transitioning from liquids to soft solids, and I am finding myself feeling hungry for regular food and very depleted nutritionally. I have integrated meal replacement shakes and sublingual B-12 drops. I was making protein shakes early in the day, but I am SO sick of them that the thought of one makes me nauseated. I actually ate half a bean burrito and a bowl of chicken noodle soup yesterday (not just the broth)! As you can imagine, I felt pretty awful the rest of the day. I don't like feeling so lethargic all the time. Are there any secrets to this I am unaware of?

WELCOME to the Forum, Jennifer!!!

You have to be exceptionally careful for the first 3 weeks after surgery not to stretch your tummy because the staples may pull out and if you leak stomach fluids into your body you would become septic which is a life threatening situation. You don't want to go there. I'm not sure how big your new pouch is but mine only held 2oz after surgery. The bean burrito this early after surgery was very risky.

When I transitioned from liquids to soft foods, I was allowed eggs, white fish, tuna, cottage cheese and salmon. I was also allowed 2 crackers at a meal. All condiments were allowed so I mixed miracle whip with the tuna or salmon and spread it on my crackers. Or I ate a scrambled egg. I like to put a little salsa on it for flavor. Or I ate Cod or Tilapia cooked soft and flakey with applesauce. I was also allowed a spoonful of mashed potatoes. After drinking a liquid diet for 2 weeks after surgery, I never enjoyed anything more than my first real food of eggs and fish on that 3rd week after surgery. I also felt very strong and well because eggs and fish are very high in protein. Keep in mind that because of the size of my new size tummy, I ate a very small amount of food at a time. If you are hungry in 2 hours, then eat a spoonful or two of allowed food again then. The most important thing is not to stretch out your new size tummy.

Good luck to you!

Cheyenne

 

You may be having feelings of hunger due to many issues such as belly irritation, the quality of liquid protein your using or it may be a matter of getting your head wrapped around the fact that your now limited and restricted in what you can and cannot eat. This is a big change in many ways

Please talk to your surgeon about what is going on.

 

[Marigold]

Hi, I am Marilyn, and am one week today from surgery. Feel that I was thrown into the deep end of the pool yesterday, as went from 4 ounces clear fluid an hour to 8 ounces and 3-2ounce protein shakes, to soft food. Have very specific guide lines, but just getting my head around the fast move has been a little hard. Was told, "clear fluids first, proteins second, vitimins and minerals third and food last" That helps some! Cottage cheese was wonderful, but could not eat the whole 3 tablespoons of it. Do not feel hungrey either!

 

[Cheyenne]

Hi, I am Marilyn, and am one week today from surgery. Feel that I was thrown into the deep end of the pool yesterday, as went from 4 ounces clear fluid an hour to 8 ounces and 3-2ounce protein shakes, to soft food. Have very specific guide lines, but just getting my head around the fast move has been a little hard. Was told, "clear fluids first, proteins second, vitimins and minerals third and food last" That helps some! Cottage cheese was wonderful, but could not eat the whole 3 tablespoons of it. Do not feel hungrey either!

WELCOME Marilyn to the Forum!!!

Sounds like you are doing great, keep up the good work!

Good luck!!!

Cheyenne

 

[mib2000]

Hi Im 6 months post opp and I know exactly what you mean by the protein shakes were SICK .. I finally found one I LOVE .. Made by Premier protein . They are 30 G of protein in each and come in chocolate vanilla strawberry. I do chocolate and add 1 cup of 1% milk and its like Im cheating . I buy them at sams club , 12 pk for 18.98 . ober expensive buy at least I look forward to them. I have 1 at 1 pm and 1 at 9 pm ..

 

[Marigold]

Hi! Jennifer,
I had RounY bypass on 9/24/14. The nutritionalist seemed to throw me in the deep end of the pool at about 14 days out of surgery, and it has been a struggle to transition to food. We were told to start with soft, high protein foods, like greek yogurt, cottage cheese, refried beans, eggs and that lasted about 3 weeks, then we went to vegetables, soft or "squsihie" ones and fruit that was soft, like banannas, cooked apples, pears, ect. Are you staying hydrated? Lack of fluids can leave you lethargic - - -I learned this when I had the flu. Had to go get IV fluids to get back up and going. I found that you can put a cored apple or pear in the microwave with a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and stevia and nuke it. That is real good. Check out TheWroldAccording toEggFace.com as this site has some wonderful ideas for how to eat what you crave by giving substitues that work for our diet. It also helps if you have a person going through what you are to talk to or compare what works or not! Enclosed is my email if you want to talk! Marigold [email protected]

 

[Poppylou]

I understand your feeling, my program started us on regular food after two weeks, no pureed foods, we can eat things, such as an egg, or lunch meat, and low fat cheese, but only a 1/4 cup but in the first two weeks when I was on liqued only, it was very hard, so I can't imagine being on liquid until now. I also got sick of just jello, or broth, and I was hungry, mostly head hunger which I still deal with. I hope you feel better.