ChunkCat

You'll have to call your surgeon's office and ask. Every surgeon is different. Some require fasting the day before, others do clear liquids only, some require you take Miralax the night before, some don't. Mine required a 3 week pre-op diet for me, the last week of which was liquids. And nothing but water after midnight the night before except the pre-op drink, though I stopped drinking shakes at 5 pm since my surgery was scheduled for 7:30 am the next morning and I wanted to be extra safe. I had to stop all fluids one hour before arriving at the hospital, even water. They should go over all this for you at your pre-op appointment!

That's awesome Charlie, great job! It feels so good to get rid of that BP medication, doesn't it??

Thanks @summerseeker! I'm fairly sure it is from my stomach being so new. I had this issue with my bladder after a hysterectomy, it was spastic for a while like it forgot how to work from all the nerves cut in the area and its position being moved. That's how my stomach feels right now. Thankfully I'm on Dexilant which is a very good PPI and ensures I have no acid issues. I metabolize omeprazole too quickly for it to work, which I thankfully found out BEFORE surgery! Anything thickened like a cream soup or yogurt with milk provokes the spasms really bad, so I think that will have to wait until I'm at the pureed stage, maybe by then the spasms will have stopped! I did try different temps because I was drinking everything room temp from the hospital. Turns out my stomach prefers either really icy drinks or hot ones, no in between. LOL I remember you saying you had prolonged nausea issues from the surgery. Did it come with spasms like this or was it just nausea and acidity?

Listen to your doctor and give your body time to heal. Just because you can't feel everything that has been done inside doesn't mean it is healed yet. I've found this out the hard way with other abdominal surgeries. Their time limits on activity and sex are there for a reason, they are to keep you safe and keep you from accidentally rupturing your sutures or causing a hernia right after surgery. I know it is hard to wait when you feel good, but you only get one chance to heal from this surgery!! Make it a good healing!! ETA: I'm one week post op and sitting with my feet up instead of putting the groceries away! All that bending and lifting is not for me right now. I could do it if I wanted to but I'd rather give my body every opportunity to rest and heal right now, so I'm staying put. LOL

I'm still on liquids so can't have much, but have you tried bone broths? Or strained soups? I just get the Campbell's soups, make them, then strain them through a sieve to get all the solids out. It helps counteract the sweet stuff a LOT and there are a variety of flavors to choose from! You could even add an unflavored protein to it if you want!

This is incredible! You have done so well, what a transformation! Thanks for posting this, it is really inspiring!!

Getting excited for those of you pre-op approaching your dates!! For those in the pre-op diet, it seems so slow but you WILL get through it! Keep going!! For those post surgery, how are things feeling now?? I'm officially one week post op today! I continue to have the weird stomach cramping when I try to drink anything other than water. I'm hitting my fluid goals every day but of course not my protein since my stomach won't have it! I'm still pretty sore and napping in the afternoon. My incisions have decided they hate the surgical glue and today flared into a red rash so I sent a message to the surgeon, hopefully they can suggest something. I weighed myself today (I weigh only once a week) and according to my scale I am down 10 lbs from surgery day!! I freaked out, shrieked, weighed myself again, then went and tried the other scale which thinks I'm 7 lbs down. Either way I'm officially below 300!! I haven't been that way in years. I'm so, so excited. I was really worried this wasn't going to work for me because I only lost 6 lbs on the pre-op diet. I feel a little better now. LOL

Oh I'm so glad! Congratulations on your surgery! I just got the DS done a week ago. So far, so good!

I would think a scoop of powder is enough, add it to your portion not the whole pot, and make sure the temp is below 140 or the protein will clump. I don't add protein to mine right now because my stomach is still struggling with protein feeling too heavy. I just add a can of lactose free low carb milk to mine, strain it, and then thin it out a little more and sip it like that. Once I can stand the protein feeling I'll probably add it, but right now I'm focusing on getting my fluid goal daily. So you CAN eat it without the protein, but most add the protein to try and meet their protein goals while still on liquids.

Sure! It's this one, though I have to figure out how to adapt it to the stovetop. https://ketosisguide.us/keto-crockpot-chicken-and-dumplings-2-1004rk/ I also found this one which looks good too! https://www.thewickednoodle.com/keto-chicken-and-dumplings/

Yeah, it might taste better after you are stuck with nothing but shakes, but I tend to doctor that broth up too. Not my favorite. LOL Post op I've just been getting my favorite Campbell's flavors and straining them so only the broth remains. It tastes better than some of these bone broths (though I still like Thai Kettle & Fire ones) and is cheaper! Not as much protein though, but that's what the shakes are for.

You have really been through it!! I'm glad you are on the other side of that cancer. And that your heart is doing well now. I hope you get your surgery day soon and it goes well! ❤️

I'm having rib/back pain too and am a week out. I figure it has something to do with being on the table, then in a hospital bed. Plus my stomach and abs feel like they've been overworked so that is bound to have an affect on my back. I'm moving carefully still and find if I've been sitting it is hard to stand up straight at first. So I think my muscles are all bunched up around there trying to protect my vulnerable belly. A heating pad has been helping! But if the pain continues and seems to be getting worse, definitely let your team know!

I've been taking notes from @Arabesque and got 4 oz containers to prep mini meals in once I can eat again! Things like meatballs are a great tip, they are definitely more tender than chicken breast! I've been thinking that poached chicken thighs might be good because poaching makes the texture so much more tender. I also found this recipe for keto chicken and dumplings and can tell you now I will be having that as soon as I hit soft foods. That is my ULTIMATE comfort food. LOL I know some also recommend deli meat because the texture is so soft and goes down easy. In our diet classes we've been encouraged to eat a lot of seafood on the soft food diet because the textures lend themselves well to it. I'm not a huge seafood fan but I've ordered some things to try when I get there. I'm still in the liquid phase right now. It is lasting forever...

That is so great! I'm really happy for you!! It has been fun watching you transform over the months!

@LindsayT Holy cow, you look amazing!! Have you been working out a lot or are you just naturally a very fortunate person?? 😂

Welcome to our group! This is exciting!! Have a great visit, I hope you get some good news from your consult!

I can understand your birthday sads. It is hard to change our routine around things, especially celebrations. Perhaps you can decide to do something fun that doesn't involve food for your birthday this weekend? It won't be the same but it'll allow you to connect with your loved ones and celebrate you. Like going to play a game, or having a spa day with your bestie, or getting your nails done now that surgery is over, or a stroll through the mall with your partner and buying a lovely smelling lotion to keep your skin happy post surgery? I'm trying hard to find ways that I can still connect with the ones I love, while having food NOT be the center of it. It is challenging!! Oh and congrats on your loss of 22 lbs!! I'm almost 1 week post op and have lost 3 lbs, I sure hope it speeds up soon but I'll take what I can get! LOL ETA: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Hi all! Newbie here... I've been lurking for months though. LOL I got notice today that my policy covers the surgery but that I cannot gain any weight the entire time I'm in a bariatric program. I'm curious, how many other people have had this as a clause in their policy? And if so, how did you deal with it? Did you gain weight and get kicked out? I find this to be such an absurd requirement. If I could control what the scale does I wouldn't be pursuing weight loss surgery in the first place! I just gained 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks on a new medication (Lyrica) that I have to stop now because its not worth the gain. Doctors are always playing with my meds, what if something else causes me to gain before surgery?? This is such an annoying detail to have to worry about.

It's good to know everything stayed together!! LOL I ate some jello today and it still sat weird but not as bad as before. My stomach did the angry cartwheels thing it has taken to doing and then settled down. So I consider that a win! I get severe nausea from anesthesia for about 2-3 days afterwards, so I can empathize. It has finally abated for the most part unless I try to drink something thick.

That's awesome Marie, congrats!!

There are plenty of new posts on this site but there is also a pretty valuable, hefty archive of posts for people to search to find answers and experiences of others through the years. If you want an active answer to a problem create a new post. People will see it and respond if they have something helpful to offer...

I've been hungry since I woke up in recovery. I wasn't hungry before surgery on a normal day, so this is very weird to experience. LOL I know it isn't stomach acid because I'm on a PPI. I don't think it is head hunger because I wasn't the type to eat to soothe before and I don't really feel I need to be comforted or soothed so...who knows. I think I'm just one of the unlucky ones who doesn't lose their hunger post surgery. It is consistent, this gnawing hungry feeling. I haven't been able to drink any protein yet so this might be why. I'm going to try jello again today, when I tried it in the hospital it sat like rocks in my stomach and made me nauseous. I have a feeling this is normal for some people so I'm not worried about it, but I am annoyed! 😂

Thank you everyone for the well wishes!! Being home is definitely better than being in the hospital! I hit my fluid goal yesterday so I'm super proud of myself, although I did feel like I was floating at certain points. LOL I tried some protein broth yesterday and it wasn't a good experience, so protein is still a no-go. I'll try jello again today to see if it'll go down now if I let it melt in my mouth a bit. Popsicles are still the clear winner according to my stomach. Drinking from those little measuring cups really does help! I took Miralax on Friday because my doc thought I was constipated. Well, that angered the gut gods and I've had diarrhea ever since, so....meh. At least I'm not blocked up I suppose. I've been able to swallow pills and keep them down with no issue, so I count myself lucky. The weirdest thing about surgery is that I woke up in the recovery room hungry and I've been hungry ever since. LOL I'm on a PPI so I know it isn't stomach acid causing the sensation, but wow does it make a liquid diet hard! I've never had much of an appetite before so it is a strange feeling and I swear when food ads come on TV I want to lick the screen. 🤣

It's pretty good! It has a stronger body than a simple broth, which makes it feel a bit heartier. The only thing I don't like is that often once you heat it there is a thin layer of oil on top, I'm assuming it's just from the broth itself, so I drink it but it feels funny for a moment. LOL Homemade is the same way though...