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Yea I am at week two going on week three i misunderstood my diet and was eating soft foods a week early lol but I do find it hard to swallow the most annoying part is not being able to drink water comfortably really anything ive tried hot drinks and for some reason its better for me to take warm drinks. I got sugar free hot cocoa bc its been cold so far so good also caffeine free spearmint tea has been great. I’m down 16 lbs so far im hoping for a good 10/12 lbs moving forward per month but we shall see! I’m going to start my walking routine tomorrow and im excited for that. Happy loosing 🥰

No not a terrible taste but could not sta.d the smell of food. At first, I could not drink the protein shakes due to the smell. However, within 4-5 days, I got over it. I do anticipate a taste change once I get to puréed food.

I’m at weak and beginning soft foods. I have this terrible taste in my mouth since my VSG. Anyone else experience this? If so, how long did it last and how did you get rid of it? I can’t stand to eat or drink because of the taste!

"food after surgery doesn’t have to be boring, just smaller portions. 😎" Absolutely this!

I think from your stats you're less than 3 weeks post op? If so, the nerves in the resected portions of your stomach and small intestine are still healing. They need to re-establish connections. Until then you won't feel anything like what was your 'full' sensation before surgery (and possibly never will again - you'll get other cues to stop eating or better still you will just learn what is enough). In the meantime - enjoy and embrace the absence of hunger - it will come back soon enough. And, FOLLOW YOUR PLAN. It's there for a reason. If it says 1/4 cup puree, or 1/2 cup soft food, or whatever, then that's exactly what you should be having right now - no more. If you push things you might hit a setback. I wish you all the best 😍

Anyone else NOT feel full? Like everything says stop eating before you feel full. Welp I never feel full, or hungry. The only time I've felt 'full' was when I was eating way too quickly, probably had too much and literally could feel the food stuck in my esophagus because there was no room left in my stomach. Guess I'll just carry my handy dandy 1/4 measuring cup with me the rest of my life. 😂😭

I have no idea why I feel this way. I'm finally down to 1 more surgery (my hysterectomy) and then I'm totally done with hospitals. I'm healing well from my hernia surgery (even did a VERY light workout today for the first time in a month since I'm only 3 1/2 weeks out). I love my job, I'm feeling good, our rent is paid and we have plenty of food, car is running well, gas tank is full, finally stable again. Hubby and I get along great, kids and granddaughter are doing well. It's driving me nuts that I can't figure out why I feel down. Normally I'm excited about the new year. I don't get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and I was fine up until about 2 days ago. I don't suffer from depression, so it's just really bugging me. What in the world do I have to be down about???

Check in from 12/27 surgery date: So here I am settled into home and getting on my fluid schedule (shakes,water, tea). I set alarm for every hour to remind myself to drink what when. Pain is a bit more today. I think I might have been doing too much up and down out of my chair yesterday. Also maybe the way I slept. The recliner wasn’t cutting it. I found last night I had a sweet tooth urge. Thankfully it was time for me to take my calcium supplement so I had one of those. I also can’t get out of my head yet the “want” to just go in the kitchen and make something to eat. Thankfully I live alone and I purged my kitchen so there isn’t anything to make anyway. I have plenty of broth on hand. Getting all my fluids. Thankfully I have not had nausea or anything. The doctor gave me meds for all the nausea and pain but I have not had to use any of it. Even when I was overnight I only used pain meds once the night of surgery to help with my back pain. I did have a AH HA moment. The fact I just had surgery and they removed 80% of my stomach. It is surreal at times still. Is it wrong that I can’t wait to cook chicken wings in the air fryer? That is one food I can’t wait to be able to eat again. I weighed myself this morning and I am down 8.4 pounds

Leg cramps are awful. So painful. I used to get them randomly at night. Keep your fluids up so make sure you’re meeting or close to your daily fluid goals. It can be easy to let it slide especially in winter. Add an electrolyte drink to get in the minerals you may be missing at the moment. Try adding a banana to your food intake too. Gentle stretching & heating pads can help. Hope this helps.

There are plant based protein powders about you can purchase which are whey free. Look for plant based or lactose free yoghurts, soups & milk. So many options available these days. Bone broth is good too. Or you can make your own soups. I love soup & made quite a few. Purred them in the beginning & let them simmer for ages so the meat & vegetables would be super soft & tender in the soft food stage. You can process many proteins simply by adding enough broth, stock, gravy, milk, Mayo, etc. - just lactose/whey free versions. Make your own yoghurt drinks/smoothies by blending the yoghurt with milk & sugar free flavours or protein powders. I was allowed to eat instant oats during puree - just kept extra thin & milky & you can add protein powder to that too. The hardest part for me was my altered taste buds. A lot of things tasted awful - shakes too sweet, bone broth too salty, & some textures & smells were off putting too. Thank goodness this was temporary. All the best.

What did everyone eat and drink in these stages. I'm allergic to eggs and whey so I'm trying to get my lists together now so when it's surgery time I just have to go to my amazon or instacart and order everything I need.

What did everyone eat in the liquid week and the pureed food week. I'm allergic to eggs and whey so I'm trying to make my lists now on what I need to stock up on.

Did a reverse sear venison back strap, over some sautéed spinach, side of roasted veggies and one roll. I like to cook and this one was good and I ate almost all of it, but should have stopped sooner. Food after surgery doesn’t have to be boring, just smaller portions. 😎

300-500 calories a day at 6 months seems low, at least by my bariatric teams outline and booklet/plan given to me. I'm at 4 months and eating regular food at 800 per day. I'm told its right on track. Have you spoken to your doctor/dietician? Perhaps do as I was told instead of three meals a day - have 5 small meals to get you to where you need to be? Either way, I'd check with your doctor.

My highest recorded weight was 341 pounds, but I lost about 70 pounds before surgery. I'm almost 3.5 years out and I'm in the mid-130s now. I didn't expect to lose this much; I wasn't really hung up on a specific number, but I think my original goal weight (based on average WLS data) was about 180. It was initially fairly easy to lose weight after surgery (the "honeymoon period" when my restriction was very strong and my hunger was almost nonexistent), but it took a lot of effort to get to where I am and maintain it. I've completely changed my diet and eating habits and I work out a lot (at least 90 minutes every day). A lot of my life revolves around diet and exercise to maintain my weight, but I still enjoy food and eating at least as much as before, and I have discovered a love for a lot of healthy foods. After losing over 200 pounds, I do have excess skin, and I don't currently have any plans to have plastic surgery. I have a flabby belly and sagging thighs. I have a little arm flab but not as bad as I expected. My butt and chest are quite deflated. I'm never going to have a bikini-ready body and I accept that. A shaping cami works wonders to hold in the belly, and flattering clothing can hide the rest well enough that no one would guess that I used to weigh more than twice as much. I care much more about the non-scale victories than the number on the scale, and for someone who started at a super morbidly obese weight, getting to my current size is a whole new world. My health has improved in so many ways -- my blood pressure is normal, lipid panel is good, and my doctor undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. I used to have a hard time finding clothing in my size, as I was too big for even "plus size" clothing at some stores (I used to wear size 26/28), and now I can find my size almost anywhere (I am now size 6/8 or medium/large). I used to struggle to walk short distances or a couple of flights of stairs, and now I can walk miles without breaking a sweat and glide up 10 flights of stairs without stopping. It's amazing how much easier it is to get around when I'm not carrying the weight of a whole extra person. I used to be hyper-aware of people judging me for my weight, and I dreaded meeting people face to face, knowing that they would think less of me when they saw my size. It is hard to describe the emotional burden that has been lifted by not having to worry about people making negative assumptions about me based on my weight. I have not had any direct complications from the surgery, but because of the rapid weight loss, I developed bradycardia (slow heart rate) and had to get a pacemaker. That's been rough, but overall, I am far better off having had the surgery and losing the weight.

The surgery often changes our tastebuds & sense of smell making it difficult to tolerate certain foods, flavours & textures. I found the shakes awful - super sweet & grainy. I’d force myself to have one in the morning which I’d dilute & then had soup for the rest of the day. Bone broth is a better choice but I found them very salty so I ate cream soups. Try a plant based protein powder instead of the whey. If you struggle with whey powder you’ll likely struggle with whey based pre made shakes too. Try making your own yoghurt drink smoothie by blending Greek yoghurt with milk to a thin consistency. Add some unsweetened powdered flavours if you need. Check with your dietician &/or surgeon be sure though.

Try to keep food moist by adding sauces & gravies. In the beginning I ate a lot of mince dishes like savoury mince & bolognese (without the pasta) & some casseroles/stews which are more on the sloppy side & are more easily eaten & digested. In time this won’t be as necessary but dry or coarse food may still cause you some issues at times. In time you will find you can drink with or closer to when you eat. This is an individual thing though - some can, some can’t. But, yes, in the first months while you’re eating so little it is vital you properly digest your foods & get every nutrient. Drinking while eating washes the food through your digestive system more quickly. This video helps explain it: In the beginning I used to sip on my shakes & soups for ages. I’d dilute them to thin them out & because they count as liquids you are helping to ensure you meet your fluid goals too. I didn’t have more serves than I was supposed to & this is an important consideration. There will be times when you have to make the best choice possible from the food you have available. For example you could have eaten the broth & not the martza balls in the deli soup or strained it when you got home. If you’re cooking you choose the ingredients you add so you could just not put potatoes or rice in the chicken soup you made. In the beginning this can be even more difficult because of your limitations but there are ways around it. Taking food with you to eat is often the easiest. Remember too that as well as all the sutures & staples holding your tummy together, a lot of nerves were cut so messages aren’t getting through or aren’t getting through in the same way so you may not know if you are actually doing damage. It takes about 8 weeks to fully heal so it is important to stick to your plan in regards to food choices, portion sizes, etc. It’s there to protect your healing tummy & support your recovery. This may seem a lot & it does take time to work it all out. We all slip or not make the best choice at some time. It’s all part of the learning. You just have to not make it a regular thing. You’ve got this. All the best.

Oh mylanta! I’m so sorry that you had such a rough time over the holidays! But I’m glad you’re back on track! I finished week 4 and FINALLY at the chewing food stage!!! So far I’ve had sautéed shrimp, a half of a piece of turkey bacon, and some ground turkey! Hallelujah! I’m looking forward to having my energy back! The cortisone shots I got in my knees have worn off, so I’m rejoicing with every pound lost that I’m inching closer to being out of pain. So far I’ve lost 30.4 since surgery. Woo-hoo! My daughter had RNY surgery Wednesday. She’s pretty pitiful right now but it’ll be nice to be able to do this journey with her when she’s feeling better. Here’s to a new year full of health and hope!! Blessings, my friends!

@Bluebell_1980 I have been on a liver-shrinking diet since December 19—no sugar or starchy foods, no carbs—fat-free. I'll start a clear liquid diet on January 3 and 4, then have surgery on January 5. I already did my pre-op labs, and the labs look really good—no more fatty liver.

If you eat and drink at the same time then you are washing the food out of your new stomach. You need it to get processed. Try and stick with the drinking rules, its tough when you have always had a drink with food but its so necessary. That grossed out feeling ! yuck ! I had this for the longest time. I think its because our hormones are released in a rush because they are in our fat cells. It felt to me just like being pregnant again. The thought of eating certain foods still gross me out. For some reason these were my fav foods pre surgery too. Your new stomach has a huge scar on it. If you could see it, you would be more careful. You do not want food that it can not process just sitting, stuck in there. Try to do what your team say, they are the experts. Soon enough you will be able to eat these foods. You should never get judgy remarks on here. Just help, we have all been there, done that.

You've got this! You definitely haven't stretched anything out. The first few weeks figuring everything out is tough and it's pretty easy to freak yourself out. I will say that once you start eating real/solid foods, you'll notice that you get full VERY quick. A word of warning - Eat SLOWLY ... as in VERY slowly. Otherwise, you will generally feel absolutely miserable. I'm just over 3 years out and I can pretty easily drink and eat at the same time, so don't worry about that part. In the beginning, it's much harder to do. Only other warning I might give you is to be careful with grazing throughout the day. It can be a slippery slope to take what was (pre-surgery) a normal size meal for you and eat on it all day (been there/done that) thinking that you're only eating a little bit at a time. It can quickly add up in calories and sabatoge you.

Hi everyone! I just found this forum after doing a Google search and very happy I did. This is my first post and just looking for some advice. I had gastric sleeve surgery on Wednesday 12/7. Did 2 weeks liquids and last week started soft foods. Since I started on soft foods last Wednesday, I haven’t been able to eat too much of anything without getting that “stuck” feeling or way too full feeling. Then, everything started grossing me out. Like all foods other than chicken broth. On Christmas I had about 4oz of stuffing and that was it. That went down pretty good but I didn’t eat more than that bc I’m not supposed to. Then yesterday I got a quart (32oz) of Matza ball soup from a diner in the morning and ate off that all day which went down perfectly fine. I didn’t eat it in all one sitting but all throughout the day. Then today I had homemade chicken soup that had soft veggies, potatoes, rice and bits of chicken. I had about 2 cups of that throughout the day. At this time I’m not supposed to be eating carbs but I slipped up w the potatoes, rice, matza and that bit of stuffing on Christmas. I’m feeling so guilty and worried I fucked up already 3 weeks in. I really struggle not to eat and drink at the same time too. I usually have a drink w my food because it makes the food go down better. I don’t chug but take small sips. Do you think I’ve stretched my new stomach out and ruined things? I was doing so amazing since surgery but it’s just been these last few days I been making bad choices and feel like I’m overeating and eating the wrong things. I’m wondering if it’s bc I got mY period 3 days ago which makes me super hungry. Could that be why my carb cravings went up? Anyone else not be perfect in the beginning? Do you think I’m too far gone? Please no mean comments. I’m already beating myself up as it is. 😔 Thank you. ❤️

Lots of nerves are cut during the surgery so messages either don’t get through or feel different until you’re fully healed (about 8 weeks). It’s why it’s important to stick to our plans, portion size recommendations, to eat/drink slowly & listen to our bodies carefully. When they do return you’ll be more conscious of them & may find they are different to what you knew. For example, you’ll discover your signals for real hunger vs head hunger are different (no cravings for a specific food, flavour or texture, & I feel restless) with real hunger). Some people sneeze or their nose runs when they’re close to feeling full or had enough. The tightness across your upper chest (makes me want to thump my chest to alleviate it - it doesn’t) is your restriction. This usually doesn’t kick in until you’re on solid food & your nerves are more fully healed. Yours may have started early. It’s usually your signal you’ve eaten too much &/or too quickly. Remember your tummy is quite small now, it doesn’t extend as low down in your abdomen & it doesn’t take much to fill it. Sometimes certain foods can set it off too if they sit more heavily in your tummy. It’s considered a benefit of the surgery. It can fade in intensity over time (years) & we also get better at understanding how much we can eat & so don’t feel it as often which really is the goal. All the best.

Thank you for your advice. I had originally gone in to repair the hernia. But some of my stomach was damaged and he had suggested as I was over weight to do the sleeve. I said to do what they needed to do. After he was unable to fix the ongoing issues I was referred to another surgeon who did all the repairs and moved away some more stomach. I had bulging pockets. It was an extensive surgery(3hrs) I don’t have sugar or sugary foods. And as for carbs. I haven’t had them since surgery #1 and this surgeon has told me not to have them at this stage.

I so agree with the above comment especially the “recovering Type 2 diabetic “ part. Anyone of us past 2 years out is there with you, I know I am. I definitely partook of the holiday cheer this year and I’m so “puffy” right now. I’m concentrating on wellness for the new year. I do look for inflammatory foods that trip me up and eliminate them from my orbit for a while to get back to evenness. (Don’t know what else to call it?) Aside from food and movement changes, I struggle with stress. I noticed if I journal, walk, talk to a friend, goof off on a guitar, extra water weight just falls off. Sometimes I need an extra mineral or vitamin (Magnesium and vitamin D I’m looking at you.) I don’t know if any of this helps, but keep trying. There even could be a metabolic reason behind the weight creep. It doesn’t hurt to ask a trusted medical professional. You are not alone in this.