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The best thing you can do now, as @kcuster83 said, is practice the habits that make you nervous and see if you can integrate them into your lifestyle, because they're non-negotiable post-op. My program doesn't have a restriction on drinking before meals but says no liquids until 30 minutes after meals, which annoyed me at first but now I hardly think about. I set a 30 minute timer on my watch when I'm done eating and I usually forget about it until it goes off. Wait until you have your consult to find out what your program's guidelines are, particularly around vitamins. They probably won't be as onerous as you're imagining -- I take a multi with iron + nexium in the morning, then 3 calcium chews at intervals throughout the day, and by 6 PM I'm done and I don't have to think about it again until the next morning. Reminders on your phone or smart watch if you have one help a lot. I also recommend getting a pill divider that has a separate case for each day of the week -- mine has a morning/mid-day/afternoon/evening compartment for each case, Sunday-Saturday. In the morning I just take out that day's case, stick it in my purse, and then I have it with me all day for when my reminder goes off. I know some people will also keep spare vitamins and calcium at work in case they forget. ETA: This is the pill organizer I use, it's quite small. There are even smaller options if you don't care about having them divided up by time of day, like this one or this one.

I don't cook much so pureed canned turkey chili, Safeway curried chicken salad, Jimmy Dean egg bacon frittata, meatloaf. I ate some babyhood turkey sweet potato that I added a inch of Buffalo Blue rub into. I needed spices after all that broth. So any typical receipe with high in protein.

Trying to stave off a craving by eating something else is probably just going to lead to you eating something else AND the thing you're craving. Could you try plating a small portion of what you're craving along with something else more nutritionally dense and something with protein? So for instance, a piece of chocolate, some apple, and some peanut butter? That way you're getting the thing that sounds good, you're getting fiber, and you're getting protein, so you're full after you finish what's on your plate. This could also work with slider foods, just substitute chocolate with pretzels, chips, etc.

Not sure I would classify soup and yoghurt and protein shakes as slider foods. I think of those as foods without much nutritional value (carbs like crisps/chips, or sugary things?) If you're not filling up maybe go back to basics - protein first in every meal, veg next, and your soup/yog/shake after that if you need more so you feel fuller for longer?

just discovered the fine art of heating up store bought chocolate Protein Shakes and pretending it’s hot chocolate.

I'm 2 wks post op wen I was released from the hospital I was released with chest pain due to being gas up to date every time I finish my breakfast which is half a protein Shake that I feel full I feel chest pressure does that Happened to anyone else or should I contact my provider? Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm currently in maintenance and trying to accustom myself to what that means in terms of diet. Yesterday was wonky. I ate all good stuff but too much of it. Nothing ridiculous, maybe 300 calories over maintenance, but I know it can be a slippery slope. I think the culprit was too many slider foods... soup, yogurt, protein shake, etc. I stayed hungry even when I kept eating. I am concerned, however, that my cravings felt "out of control," like they did pre-op. How do you deal with cravings when you have them? Do you have any techniques?

It's the calories. Not "the carbs". Not "the fats". Not "high protein only". It's the calories. Always. Doesn't matter where they're coming from. Eat more than you burn and you're going to gain weight. There is no evil magic in "carbs".

I just discovered the fine art of heating store bought chocolate protein shakes and pretending it’s hot chocolate and I’m here to say I’m a fan.

Pretty jealous of your chicken. 😆 I had strained cream of broccoli soup tonight with unflavored protein powder added. It was delicious in comparison to the most sickeningly sweet protein shake I forced down for lunch. I am not going to be able to handle those shakes for very long, I'm afraid. I am much more of a savory person.

Yes I am definitely getting my protein in and sipping my water all day. Tried this lamb dish last night it was so moist and went down good. Moist meats are important.

My surgery ended up being much more than expected. I went in having bypass and a Hiatal hernia repair. When my surgeon got inside, the hernia was twice as bad as it looked on the pre-op scans (level 4 of 5) and I have major damage to my esophagus caused from years or severe GERD. My 2 hour surgery ended up being 5 hours as he repaired my esophagus as well but everything went well with no complications. I ended up getting a second dose of gas since the surgery took so much longer and more extensive. Now, recovery ... WHEW! I am not going to lie, that gas pain was no joke! I was MISERABLE the next day! I have a VERY high tolerance to pain, rarely take ANY pain meds but this was killer. Yes, it hurt to breathe, hurt to move... hurt to be alive. haha I took pain meds anytime they offered them, which doesn't actually help with the gas pain BUT they knock me out so I could at least sleep through the pain! By the second day (still in the hospital) I was off IV pain meds but took oral (crushed and disgusting) pain meds in the morning and then one more time for my trip home from the hospital. Once home, I never needed another pain pill, I didn't even take Tylenol. I still had minor gas pain, which was mostly in my shoulder and a heating pad helped. I had NO actual surgery pain, or the gas pain just masked it? I had 1 incision that oozed, called the surgeon and it was normal. Took longer to heal up but never caused me any issues or pain. Once I got past the 2 days of gas pain I was smooth sailing. I am so grateful how easy my recovery was. I mean, not one issue at all. I hit my fluid goals in less than a week and was hitting my protein goals in just over a week. I had no issues drinking anything cold or warm. Now, 8.5 months post-op and still no issues at all. I can eat anything, have no issues tolerating anything. I THINK I may have dumped once, but it was mild enough that I am not even 100% sure it was a dumping episode. I slept in the recliner for about a week because it was more comfortable and when sleeping on my side the weight of my belly pulling made the incisions on the opposite side get irritated. But after that, I was good to sleep however I wanted. Everyone is definitely different. Just remember, every plan is different but you trusted your team and you trusted your surgeon with your life (literally) so trust their plan. Follow THEIR/YOUR plan and listen to them over other people. Take it easy for a few days, walk, walk, walk and BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!

Mine is January 16th. I am nervous and already started cutting back food to prepare for my liquid diet as I have high anxiety and history of binge eating. So, I am drinking protein shakes and protein water 2 meals and a snack and then having a small real food meal. It seems to be working so far, even though I haven't seen any results on scale. But I figured dropping 1 meal would be easier than dropping 3-4 meals at the same time.

Have you tried the Protein2O or the Premier Protein Clear? I find them good, and they have 15-20 g protein and it's like drinking water. I found them on Amazon

I am new to the website. I just discovered this amazing wealth of knowledge tonight, while googling info on protein, jello, vitamins. I am curious at how people get those little graphic weight lines at the bottom of their posts? Also, I tried to search a topic, but it didn't work. Example: put in January and then nothing showed up, yet I found topics with the word January in them, when scrolling.

I related to this thread so much. I was there for a few weeks. The scale didn't move... my measurements were not changing... I was snacking on more carbs... Not hitting my protein intake... not sleeping well... work and family commitment related stress... the weather didn't help... I was not going to the gym as often as I'd like... all of this contributed to feeling low... I noticed my self talk was centered around guilt and shame. I was stuck in what seemed a downward spiral feeling very overwhelmed. I was there for a month and a half. Over the last few weeks I focused on taking one day at a time, being present in every moment with conscious intention, focusing my mental health, sleeping more, taking one day at a time, snacking on occasion without over indulging. This week I stood on the scale and I notice I had lost a few pounds. You can do this. You have done such an amazing job. You are so close to your target weight🙌

I’m sorry you have been through such emotional upheaval that compromised your weight loss journey. You had other battles & issues you were dealing with which didn’t allow you to fully embrace the benefits of your surgery. Sometimes life gets in the way of all our good intentions. Glad you are seeing a therapist now to support you. Many find therapy a great benefit to their weight loss. And remember, you did lose more than 100lbs which is an achievement. The efficacy of the pouch reset is questionable. Some swear it works & others say it doesn’t. It really is just going back on the very low calories diet you followed immediately after surgery. Have you considered going to a dietician & working on eating in a way that is more like what you were doing when you were into eating solid foods with protein & fluid goals, watching portion size, lowish carbs, fats & sugar, etc. so adopting a healthy, & nutrient dense diet. If you think you have stretched your tummy out, maybe a revision surgery may be helpful. Certainly worth a conversation with your old surgeon or a new one to see if it is possible. Others here will likely have more knowledge & experience about this. What ever you decide, all the best.

You’ll get lots of different responses to your question. You may have gas pains - I didn’t after my sleeve but had heaps after my gall surgery. The gas is not in your digestive system but in your abdominal cavity so burping & farting won’t help. It rises & gets trapped under your lungs causing nerve pain usually in your shoulder. You actually breathe it out so walk, walk, walk as you can, do deep breathing, march on the spot & heat packs can ease the discomfort. It’s usually gone in a week or less. Yoi’ll get good drugs for the surgical pain. I took my last one on at night on day 4 to ensure I slept & didn’t need them after that. You may find it difficult to sleep in your bed & some sleep in a recliner. I slept in my bed in my usual side twist position from day 1. You will experience abdominal tenderness. It can make getting up & down a little difficult but go slowly. Some find a binder useful or even a cane but that is very individual. I didn’t use or need either. You may be bloated from all the fluid they pump you with & you may end up weighing more after the surgery than you did before. You pee it out over a few days. You may experience swelling in your throat from the breathing tube which causes pain on swallowing & sometimes lots of saliva. Mine lasted about 3 days. Nausea is also quite common but you should be given medication for that & to take home too as well as a PPI to help with excess stomach acid. You may experience a very sudden diarrhoea attack which occurs without warning. I did. It was awful … & messy. It’s from all the fluids, blood from the surgery, etc. It may persist for a few days. Otherwise, you’ll likely experience constipation which may persist for several months in varying degrees. Add soluble, non swelling fibre to your diet, keep your fluids up & keep on top of the constipation. I took a stool softener if I got to three days without any movement. And don’t worry if your poop is small or you only go every two days. You’re not eating much so don’t have much waste for your body to excrete. You will have periods of low energy & tiredness. You’ve had a pretty major surgery & are on a restricted diet. If your body says stop & rest, stop & rest. It’s healing & trying to recover. I found an electrolyte drink helped & gave me a little boost. Follow your plan. Follow your plan. Follow your plan. But don’t worry if you don’t meet all your protein & fluid goals straight out. As long as you’re close & getting closer each week you’re good. If you don’t feel well, are experiencing excessive pain or pain that persists, or something feels wrong to you, contact your surgery or go to a medical centre. It may be nothing but better to be safe & sure. Hope I haven’t scared you. All of this is temporary. All the best with your surgery & recovery.

It really is different for each individual. I can only tell what I experienced from my Gastric Bypass surgery on Nov 8th. I felt the gas the first few days but no real discomfort to me. Sometimes just changing position would help. No pain per say but I walked a lot around the house and honestly was too tired those first few days to take the dog for a walk. No problem sleeping (I sleep on my side anyway). They gave me pain meds to take home but I never needed any. Speaking of tired, remember you will be recovering from surgery so you will be worn out. Rest, rest, and recuperate. My first 2 weeks was a "full liquid diet" where I lived on protein shakes and yogurt. My focus was on healing, getting protein, and fluids. Again, I experienced no pain, no GERD, and very little constipation. By the 2nd week I had more energy, so started taking the dog for a morning walk again ( she is so Happy!). Still not hungry! 3rd & 4th week was my "pureee phase" and again no pain or complications. My energy was still increasing however I made sure I was active in the morning because the afternoons still saw my batteries running low. During my 4th week I added my Airdyne stationary bike to my routine after the morning walk. Then had a 2 week "soft textured" phase which I am entering the final week. Still no pain or complications. Still learning the "full indicator" (when to stop eating) and trying to find foods that I want to eat (especially in this phase). Still not hungry but I have become aware of when my actual stomach and not my head says "feed me". Looking forward to the "Bariatric regular" phase starting soon. I honestly feel that these previous phases (including pre-surgery) have prepared me for the long run. So in summary, I personally did not experience any difficulties or pain with this surgery but am enjoying not only the weight loss but the healthy lifestyle. Also, my blood sugar & BP are normal without any medications for the first time in decades. Listen to your bariatric team, stick with the plan and you will be fine. You are going to have great 2023!

I gave my neighbor my beef broth as it has little protein versus chicken. He brought me French onion soup the next day. Strained out the onions. Fabulous. I used dry powder milk to make the Campbell cream of chicken soup. Strained Csmpbell and Lipton soup. Added some Buffalo or curry spices to them to add variety.

Many that have gained weight back said is was due to eating bread again. I am using chickpea spaghetti noodles. I also make sugar free pudding with dry powdered milk, high in protein, when I need a treat. I'm 7 week out and will try brown rice soon. Most new trialed foods have gone well but only 1/8 cup as part of 1/2 cup portion meals. I have tried some higher fats with no problem. But will abstain from high sugar and not experience dumping for as long as possible.

I do a modified keto. My surgeon said to do 60-80g of protein everyday, less than 50g of fat, less than 50g of carbs, and little to no sugar. I do all of that except I chose to limit my carbs to 25 or less per day and I typically do 70-90g of fats (healthy, like avocado, not a lot of bacon and sausage and all that). I also severely limit my salt. I told my surgeon, and at first he wasn't too happy about it. But I've lost 103 pounds in almost 7 1/2 months, my cholesterol and bp are perfect, I'm no longer diabetic. So he said as long as I'm doing good and my numbers stay good, he's ok with it. I'm no longer on my bp pill, my 3 diabetic meds, or my Celebrex (really strong anti-inflammatory). I'm now able to work out 5-6 days per week and I have my full mobility back without my cane (I needed a cane at my heaviest weight).

Back in August 2012 I had a RNY surgery. I had done about a year of work to get to that point. A month or so before the surgery I discovered my wife at the time was cheating on me. I confronted her about this and she denied it but after some discussion we agreed to work on the relationship. Fast forward to the day of the surgery. She accompanied me to it that morning, I went back and the procedure was completed. I was taken to my room and was groggy from the anesthesia. She decided at that moment, while I was groggy and not clear headed to tell me she wanted a divorce. Needless to say this was hard. I will be honest and say that I did not handle things well and I started to slowly slip back into bad habits. I didn't follow up with the doctor and just overall did poorly. I have, however, kept to around 400lbs, and my biggest was 520lbs. I had recently done a diet program through a clinic, HMR, and I was down to about 352lbs before starting to slip and gain again. I am at currently 392lbs as of this past Monday. I completely regret not taking advantage of the RNY now. I realize stress and circumstances piled against me but it is a huge regret that follows me. I came across this site yesterday as I want to resume some form of eating plan. HMR is unfortunately closing and I need to figure out something that is a bit restrictive. I saw the pouch reset and think it might work for me. My insurance, Anthem BCBS, says on in the plan documents that Revision surgery is not covered. My options, I think, are doing the pouch reset but I am worried I have stretched my stomach out and that would be futile. Am I wrong on the stomach being stretched out? What can I do from here? Any suggestions?

Make sure you are having your protein and your liquids and try to squish some walking in your routine. I found it hard to drink the first few days, but I made sure I was drinking at least 1oz more each day still can't hit 64oz, but my doc said as long as I hit 32-40oz and use the restroom 4 times a day, I will not get dehydrated.