restricted? food? when? tmi?

May 30, 2004

Okay, I keep reading other people's and what's the deal.....no tea before bed? no tea or nothing to drink at all before bed? I drink before bed and sleep fine. Will that change?

I'm one week out and I started soft foods today. I had 1/4cup grits for lunch, and at dinner I had 1/4 cup velveeta cheese melted w/taco seasoning (no chips - didn't really need them and 2Tspn's of mashed potatos and I drank Water - 160z 1/2 hour afterwards and I was fine. Am I doing right? When I ate the grits, I was so hungry I ate kind of fast, and then it hurt and I through about 2Tsp's up. Anytime I eat, I burp like 50 times...............is it normal and will I burp everytime I eat alot? I'm burping more than I'm farting.

I must say, I went to the Art's fest in Addison and I'm so okay with my husband and baby eating and me just drinking. I just wished I felt smaller. I've lossed 10lbs and don't even feel it.

I was looking at the scale everyday, now I haven't in 2days. Never thought that I'd be excited about a scale.< /p>

donali · May 30, 2004

First of all, if you PB, do liquids only for 24-48 hours after to let your stomach recuperate. You can read more details in my response to Francesca today.

Second, as far as when you need to cut off eating/drinking before laying down. If you have a weak closure at the bottom of your esophagus, then laying down with food or Water still in your pouch will result in that stuff running back up your throat. This is reflux. Reflux is not to be messed around with, and can cause pre-cancerous conditions by eroding the tissue in your esophagus. It can also lead to aspiration pneumonia, which is inhaling some of that stuff into your lungs (usually while sleeping - you wake up coughing/choking).

If your esophageal barrier is strong, and doesn't leak, you won't have a problem lying down after eating/drinking. However, the tighter you go, the longer the food/drink stays in your pouch, and the more likely you will start having problems with reflux if you lay down while your pouch is still full.

Something to watch out for in your journey.

The burping means you are swallowing air with your food. You need to slow down your eating, and NOT wait until you are so hungry that you wolf your food. Do yourself a favor and get on some sort of regular eating schedule to help you avoid getting overly hungry. The burping should slowly reduce as your swelling goes down. Some people burp less when they drink through straws, some burp more. Just try and be conscious of when you might be swallowing air, and try to avoid that.

One last question - are you supposed to be on mushies already, just one week out? Most docs have their patients do at least two weeks of liquids before moving to mush. Just asking - you sound like your stomach is still swollen, so you may want to do full liquids a little longer.

DeniseG · May 30, 2004

I agree with donali, I am suprised you are eating grits one week out?? If anything, slim fast type drinks, but, grits kind of worries me. PBing may be your bodies way of saying I am not ready for solid food yet. Believe me, enjoy the Protein drinks, pudding and the things you won't get to eat once you are on solids and really trying to lose weight.

Another thing too, if I don't allow enough time for food and drinks to go through my pouch, I wake up with massive heartburn. You may not experience this until at least your first adjustment or may not experience at all, but, I thought I would give you a heads up

hagerteresa · May 30, 2004

Hi everybody,

I was banded by Dr. Lopez on May 8th and saw a nutricianist before surgery who gave me their recommended post op diet, it was the following: Week 1 Clear Liquids, Week 2 Protein shakes and mushy stuff including cream Soups, mashed potatoes and cream of wheat Cereal. Week 3 eggs, crackers (thought this was odd), seafood, cottage cheese, rice, pastas.

Week 4 Pretty much anything else slowly. And beef and chicken must be gound after cooking.

I have had a lot of things that work really well for me and then one unexpected item will make me sick. Only has happened a couple of times and I've learned to be cautious. One of my favorite things is to get a rotissorie chicken, debone it, toss it in a food processor and blend till gound, remove, blend celery, onion, olives etc and it makes a nice chicken salad pate' for those crackers I thought were odd.

I typically followed the eating schedule but I also moved along according to my readiness too. My biggest challenges are eating slowly, avoiding liquids during meals and getting enough Water in. I have to force myself to change each of those habits and think I have done pretty well so far. Getting better and better anyway. Put myself on a regular eating schedule so I am not ravenous when I get to eat, completely remove my Water before and after meals till the appropriate length of time has passed and I am working on the water issue. I carry a water bottle at all times but still only manage to get about a 1/3 of the recommended water amount in me. Drives me nuts! Best of luck, Teresa

Alexandra · May 30, 2004

You've gotten great advice already. I'd only add, for the sake of everyone in your shoes or soon to be there, that it's REALLY important to follow your doctor's instructions but don't be afraid to go more slowly if your body seems to want it that way.

If you're feeling tight in the chest after eating, burping a lot, or having heartburn symptoms, you're eating too fast/too much/too soon. TAKE IT SLOWLY and be sure to allow ample time between bites.