My surgeon doesn't tell me anything....

[smallbird 168]

Hey guys,

so I was on liquids for 2 weeks then starting my 3rd week I started doing puree..but based off of this website. When I saw my surgeon yesterday he said "we dont teach puree's you need to go straight to solids. Im not even in my 4th week yet. I ate some tuna and guacamole and I feel so ill. I dont know when im full and when to stop. Now im so scared to stretch my new stomach I dont want to fail! =(

My surgeon hasent told me what to eat, how much to eat...Im so lost. Any help/advice would be so helpful. another thing I ate a soft boiled egg this morning and could eat the whole thing no problem. But when looking at other people posts that are at 3 weeks like me they can only eat half an egg and feel full. whats wrong wit me! am I over doing it?

[cataro 39]

I am 3 weeks post op and just moved on from liquids. I can have anything to eat as long as I am able to mash it with the back of my fork. The only thing I can't have is raw veggies, I have to be 8 weeks for that.

I don't think your going to stretch you sleeve eating soft foods.

[clk 3,519]

Everyone is different and what/how much you can eat depends entirely on your sleeve.

A soft boiled or fried egg is much easier to eat than a hard boiled or scrambled egg. And I'm not laughing at you, but will you stop for a second and realize that you just panicked a bit about the fact that you ate an egg? A whole egg? ONE EGG? This wasn't exactly Breakfast at IHOP, three eggs, pancakes and sausage. It's not going to hurt you, I promise. If anything, finding a good Protein that you can easily keep down so early on is going to help you hit your nutritional goals and recover more quickly. You're lucky!

tuna is hard for a lot of people. All dense Protein is hard in the beginning. I was determined to make tuna and chicken salad a staple in my soft food diet but was unable to do it. It was just too dense and just a bite or two could fill me up and cause discomfort.

You'll need to learn your body. Your doc might not want you to puree, and that's fine. But that doesn't mean rush out and jump from Clear Liquids into steak dinners. Go slowly, because your capacity is a fraction of what it was prior to surgery. Mentally you're going to feel like you should be able to eat more, but more often you'll find that just a few bites will do the trick.

Pay attention to your new full signals and you'll avoid discomfort. It takes time for all of us. Fullness to me is now a runny nose and the sniffles or hiccups. If I persist, I'll feel pressure in my chest. If I continue, I'll feel full all the way up to my neck and those last few bites will come back up. It takes time to learn your limits.

Start with soft cheeses, deli lunchmeats, cottage cheese, eggs, etc. Work your way into denser and more solid foods over the next week or so.

And your sleeve isn't stretching out unless you eat to the point of pain and vomiting several times a day every day. Your doctor just removed 85% of your stomach and left the least stretchy part behind. What's more likely is that you'd slow your recovery if you were to continually overdo it early on. You'd be putting pressure on the staple line if you did that, and your newly sleeved stomach is still swollen and healing. Just take it slow and easy and listen to your body and I'm sure you'll be fine.

~Cheri

[smallbird 168]

Cheri you are so right! I laughed out loud when I read the IHOP comment, I was like wow! I never thought of it that way haha!

Thank you so much for the advice I feel like I have a better understanding now your awesome!

[Randydec27 23]

talk to your NUT about what to eat

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

My surgeon hasent told me what to eat, how much to eat.

smallbird

i'm sorry your surgeon isn't being helpful - he sounds useless to me.

all newbies are afraid they will stretch their stomachs, i was too. As Cheri said "you can't stretch your stomach" 85% of your tummy is now gone!!!

sounds like you don't have a NUT

listen to others on board - take pieces here and there about how to eat and drink

you know the rules with drinking? don't drink for 1/2 hr before you eat, don't drink while you eat, don't drink for an hour after you eat. drink . most important to drink as much as you can - 64 oz plus - eat slowly, chew thoroughly

since you are so early out, and not getting much advice from dr, support groups are always good to attend, others can help you, advise you - tell their situations

good luck,

things will work out

[Katie713 423]

There are plenty of books available on Amazon that have tons of information on this new lifestyle. You might want to go ahead and do your own research so that you feel confident about moving forward in your nutritional plan.

At Kaiser we followed these basics:

3 days - Clear Fluids (clear Protein, broth, teas, SF drinks, Jello, popsicles)

4-7 days - Full Fluids (Soups, thinned out hot Cereal, yogurt, Protein shakes)

7-14 days - pureed foods (refried Beans, yogurt, cottage cheese, tuna, mashed potatoes, chili Beans pureed, cooked veggies pureed, soft cooked eggs, shakes)

15-45 days - Start with soft foods and work toward solids including meats cooked in the crockpot, stews, scrambled eggs, lunchmeat, cheese, beans, soft cooked veggies, soft white fish, shrimp, avocado, Peanut Butter, shakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, SF puddings)

45 days and beyond - all foods but hold off on celery, nuts, popcorn, very dense protein until tolerated.

In the beginning about 4 oz is about right, later, say 6-8 months down the line, you may be able to tolerate up to 8 oz. Focus on protein first (3 oz) and a little vegetable. Try to avoid white carbs while you are in your losing stage, that means bread, tortillas, sweets, rice, potatoes...etc. fruit is ok and whole grains like oatmeal, whole grain bread (1 slice) low carb tortillas. You will find what works for you, just go slow and easy...and chew well, and eat as slowly as you can. Once you eat solid protein, you will feel the restriction of your new tummy. You will get full very fast!! No drinking fluids with your meals, wait 30 minutes after drinking to eat, and then wait 30 minutes after your meal to drink again. Protein Shakes are an easy way to meet your 65+ grams of protein daily along with the protein you eat from beef, poultry, pork and fish as well as dairy products. Try to get your 64 oz of fluids daily and take your Vitamins...a multi-Vitamin, D3 1000 mg, B-12 1000 mg sublingual 3 times a week, and B2 Thiamine 50g daily. Later add Calcium citrate to your diet (after a month).

Good luck...you can do this!

[Catracks 865]

You got some excellent advice here. My nutritionist told me not to drink shakes anymore, but sometimes I just want one. Their aims is to get you back on real food, but you eat what you sleeve can handle. I could eat 4 oz. of yogurt and 2 oz of denser stuff at your stage.

I still measure things one year out. It just keeps me on track. The sleeve won't stretch much. The stretchy part has been removed. I think now I can eat 6 oz of yogurt. I read where it really doesn't get beyond 8 fl. oz. but that all depends on your body (how long your sleeve is, etc.) Your mileage will vary.

[smallbird 168]

I dont have a NUT so thank you all for the great advice and help!!