Having Some Problems Almost 4 Weeks Out From My Gastric Sleeve Surgery

[minaleigh 95]

Okay, so it's been about 3 and 1/2 weeks since I've been sleeved. I had a lot of problems at first, having to have two additional surgeries plus an ER visit, but so far I've been doing 110% better. I just have some things going on that I can't really explain.

My doctor just started letting me have soft foods. I found an eggface recipe for tortilla pizza and decided I was going to try it. I looked up ingredients on Walmart's website and after comparing items online, I went to the store and bought what I believed to be the healthiest choices. Lowest carbs and fat, best Protein, etc. Now, for the tortilla part, I decided to try the smallest corn tortilla I could find, about 6 inches in diameter I'd say. Cooked it up when I got home, and I could eat the whole thing! It took me about 30 minutes, but I was able to eat it all with only a slight feeling of fullness.

With that said, when I make eggs, I can pretty much only eat one scrambled egg before I feel stuffed. Why can such a small amount of that make me feel full, but yet I can eat a whole mini-pizza? Is it because the egg is heavier? Same thing with pureed chicken. I'll have some in a tiny, tiny bowl, only able to eat about two to three spoonfuls, before I give the rest to my dogs.

On a semi-related note, I am having a really hard time getting in my Water. I estimate that I'm getting in only 24-32 oz or so, when I really need 64 oz. I'm getting my protein in easily. It's just when I drink water, I get really gassy, having to burp a lot and experience a feeling of something lodged in my chest after only a few sips at a time. It's uncomfortable and puts me off sipping throughout the entire day. It also doesn't help that since I can't drink 30 minutes before, during, and 30 minutes after a meal, that takes away 4 and 1/2 hours that I could be drinking. When I have a Protein Drink, I can usually down a 10 oz (I'm not sure about the size, it's a bit smaller than a can of soda) in about 45 minutes easily, without the feeling of something lodged or that gassy feeling. I can't even do that with 3-4 oz of water. Does anyone have advice?

I'm also experience hunger at random times of the day. I can eat, become full, but be hungry an hour later. Sometimes the feeling of hunger gets to be so much, it's really uncomfortable. I'm taking Prilosec twice a day, mainly to stop heartburn, but I've been told this helps curb some of the hunger. Is it mainly head hunger that I'm experiencing? I know everyone's different, but I was really hoping that the sleeve would help reduce the hunger feeling. I just hope I haven't already stretched my sleeve in some way or that the doctor didn't make it small enough to begin with.

Any help would be awesome. Thanks!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I am surprised that you could eat that whole mini pizza. At 3 1/2 weeks, I could eat about 4 bites of solid food. I don't have any answers for that other than don't stress out your staple line this soon. Did your surgeon give a recommendation on how much food you should be eating?

Many people have that problem with Water you are describing. I have heard it's the PH level that does not agree with our tummies. You can try different brands of bottled Water and see if that makes a difference. Have you tried Crystal Light? I like the ones with Stevia in them. They count towards your liquids. It seems like water is the only thing people have a problem with.

Most people do not have to stop drinking 30 min before eating, only the 30 min after a meal. I can't see how drinking water before eating is going to make any difference because it's not going to stay in your stomach anyway.

That hunger you're experiencing should be decreasing. They say it takes awhile for the grehlin to leave our bodies which is what causes hunger. It shouldn't be acid if you're taking your medication twice a day.

Hang in there! It gets easier all the time.

[100%Sleeved 148]

I started solids today and was able to ean an egg and cheese omlet with 2 eggs and some baby spring mix leaves. I got full after the eggs but only was able to eat a small amount of the spring mix.

[longer-life 139]

I started solids today and was able to ean an egg and cheese omlet with 2 eggs and some baby spring mix leaves. I got full after the eggs but only was able to eat a small amount of the spring mix.

This goes to show how our tummies heal differently. I was sleeved one day after sleevedrealtor and 3/4 of an egg is too much for me.

Minaleigh I also feel hunger soon after eating but it takes just a little food to satisfy it (1/2- 1 ounce), so at the end of the day I eat only 600-750 calories a day. Try myfitnesspal.com or other website to log your foods, if you are not doing it already, it will put you at ease. Also when you find something to sip on (tea, Powerade Zero, no calorie Sobe & homemade broth for me), you will be less hungry. I have not drank Water since surgery. Best wishes!

[minaleigh 95]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Oregon- I'm surprised I could eat it, too. But now that I think about it, it took more like 45 minutes to eat it, which I know I shouldn't be doing. I also didn't eat the whole tortilla part, just the toppings. After I was done, I kind of worried that I was able to eat so much. I have some powders for Water (not sure what the brand, I've had them forever, way before my surgery), just haven't gotten around to trying them. My doctor and nutritionist both told me to stop drinking 30 minutes before a meal. I thought it was kind of a silly notion, because like you said, it'll just go right through. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to drink 64 oz of fluids in a day if our stomach can only hold around 3-6 oz. Besides, I never really plan my meals out, so I can't determine a time when I'm going to eat, so trying to stop 30 minutes before a meal gets a bit annoying.

Sleeved Realtor- If longer-life was sleeved a day after you (and after reading her signature), that means I was sleeved 6 days after you. Right now, I can't imagine eating a 2 egg omelet with cheese! I tried one egg with a little bit of cheese mixed in and it was so uncomfortable in my stomach. I think I got the "foamies" that I keep seeing people talk about. It's weird I can eat the tortilla pizza, but not a whole egg with cheese!

Longer-life- I'll give your suggestion about eating just a little bit when feeling hungry after eating a try. I've never had Powerade Zero or Sobe, but I'll check those out!

Thanks, everyone!

[BethH 1]

The reason you shouldn't drink 30 minutes before or after eating is because the Fluid pushes your food through your stomach making your stomach empty sooner and may generate hunger feelings.

I am interested in your post-op diets. My doc says no carbs for 4-6 weeks after surgery. I would have killed for a tortilla pizza!

Good drinks = no calorie SoBe, G2 or Vitamin Water zero!

[minaleigh 95]

I've been drinking G2 (it's a nice break from water!), and even during the Vitamin Water craze (not sure if you went through it, but when they became super popular, I was in high school and everyone was drinking them!), I've never had one. I'll have to check them out.

I do have an update though, with something I didn't mention before. If no one notices this post, I'll make a new topic just for it.

Did anyone else get really winded easily after surgery? I'm almost 4 weeks out and doing simple things like getting ready in the morning, taking a shower, or even preparing a meal makes me short of breath and my heart starts racing. Even 35 pounds heavier, this never happened, at least not doing those sorts of things. I figured it might be because I had a more difficult time with having be in the hospital longer and therefore making me weaker. Like I said, I get my Protein in, so it's not that I'm low on energy. I've tried exercising, to build my stamina back up, but even walking a third of a mile makes me have to stop, take a breath, feel my pulse, and calm down. Before my surgery, I could walk at least half a mile and be fine. It's not a feeling like I'm low on energy, but more like I just ran a mile carrying a backpack of bricks! I asked my surgeon, but he didn't have an answer. My mom says it's because I'm not exercising enough. Well, I'm exercising more than I did before surgery (I was SUPER lazy), and I still get this winded feeling. Any help?

[Indymom 132]

minaleigh - are you tracking your food intake? The 'winded' feeling could be just from lack of energy/protein, if you're not getting in enough Protein. My nutritionist recommended 75-90 grams/day early on, so that could be part of the problem. It may also just be residual from the surgery, keep in mind it's been less than a month for you.

On the subject of eggs, I found them really hard to tolerate early on, even more so than any other Protein source. Not sure why that is (and I've seen a lot of different posts where people have speculated about it) but there's just something about the way they sit in the sleeve. At 4 months out I can still only eat 1 egg for Breakfast and maybe a piece or two of turkey sausage . . . eggs just seem to sit heavier than anything else.

My surgeon/nutritionist don't care if I drink right up until I start eating. Like some of the other posters said, it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense why drinking right BEFORE eating should make any difference if your stomach is already empty. I wouldn't stress too much about the drinking before, especially if it's prohibiting you from getting all your fluids in for the day. Dehydration is nothing to mess around with.