3 weeks post op tomorrow... I can eat a good amount. Is this normal?

[CoffeeGrinDR 148]

To answer one of the original questions (based on my reading across bariatric materials) according to Brigham and Women's and Northwestern University hospital bariatric centers the average healing time for the stomach is about 40 days (42 at BWH and 38 from NU). Cornell describes asking patients to wait 6 weeks.

Whatever anyone's tolerance most of the literature advises that your feeling of satiety will be skewed based on trauma to the stomach, swelling, and nerve damage.

Perhaps this gets at the essence of the original question?

I think in such situations we all have to define our own "normal" with an eye on the mean (average) circumstances to ensure safety. Personally, when internal organs are involved I tend toward a more cautious, conservative approach but to each their own.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Hi Guys:

Just an example of what I ate today.

Breakfast was about 1/2 c. cottage cheese and peaches.

Lunch: one third of a crab and black bean/refried bean burrito... I added cheese, salsa and guacamole (burrito was baked in oven smothered in salsa so the tortilla was very soft)

Dinner: another third of that burrito

snack was greek yogurt

I feel like that is a lot.

I stop when I feel restriction but I was thinking I wouldn't be able to eat that much this soon.

Just wondering how other ppl are doing just a few weeks out. Thanks

This is my first response to this thread or to you, so I do hope you will take my words as sincere with no intention of being rude or disrespectful.

It seems to me that you are looking for validation for your actions, not input, and I think that's absolutely OK. Why do I assume this? It seems to me that you are rejecting the words of anyone who is not in full agreement with what you are doing or what you say your surgeon has approved. Again, that's totally your prerogative, but by asking for opinion, you are opening the door to get exactly those. Some of our biggest success stories here have given you input and it saddens me that you are brushing them off as if they are worthless. This is a forum for support and learning, and those things come even in words we don't necessarily want to hear.

I would suggest that if you truly only want a cheering section (which again, is perfectly acceptable), that you simply say what you are doing, that you are feeling great (YAY! I'm so glad that you are!) and that you are losing at a rate that makes both you and your surgeon happy.

Personally, at your stage, I was on purees. I didn't start on solid foods, like tortillas, until 3+ months out. In fact, I still cannot eat 1/3 of a tortilla at almost 10 months out because they fill me up so solidly I feel sick and uncomfortable after the third nibble.

Right now, your new tummy is tender, numb and healing. You cannot feel everything that is going on with it. While I do not agree with the person who keeps insisting that you are stretching it (something that is next to impossible to stretch very much), it is very possible that you are over filling yourself without knowing it.

I was told, when I hit pureed, not to eat more than 2-3 tablespoons of food. At 6 months, I was given the OK to eat up to 1/2 or 3/4 of a cup, something I am still not very successful at, in one sitting. I saw that you were previously told that your new tummy would hold about 3 oz. By eating a 1/2 cup, you are exceeding amount already, and that concerns me, but if it doesn't concern you, all is well.

Something my nurse told me that I still have to remind myself of? Just because you *CAN* eat it, doesn't mean you *SHOULD*. You made a huge step in the right direction towards good health. Maximize this honeymoon period by eating all the right things in as little quantity (but maximum quality) that you can. This isn't about starving yourself, I'm certainly not interested in doing that, but about relearning good habits while your capacity if very limited and the drive to eat is at it's least.

As a host, I am going to respectfully as that you change your username because I do think it's detrimental to our community. I do hope that you will come back and reread the intentions of these posts as they are meant, not as attacks (for the most part) but as support. I do see where some would ruffle your feathers, and those are best ignored. You have a lot to learn and a lot to add, I am sure. This is great place and I would love to see you get everything you can out of here.

[americangirl302 10]

Not a question on this topic but I'm having trouble following who is who. Are some people being called by their real name and not screen name?

[Z28ChevyCamaro 45]

Not a question on this topic but I'm having trouble following who is who. Are some people being called by their real name and not screen name?

No. Belladonna was goeffurself's original name. She changed her username mid-conversation.

[Teachamy 1,042]

Hi Guys:

Just an example of what I ate today.

Breakfast was about 1/2 c. cottage cheese and peaches.

Lunch: one third of a crab and black bean/refried bean burrito... I added cheese, salsa and guacamole (burrito was baked in oven smothered in salsa so the tortilla was very soft)

Dinner: another third of that burrito

snack was greek yogurt

I feel like that is a lot.

I stop when I feel restriction but I was thinking I wouldn't be able to eat that much this soon.

Just wondering how other ppl are doing just a few weeks out. Thanks

This is my first response to this thread or to you, so I do hope you will take my words as sincere with no intention of being rude or disrespectful.

It seems to me that you are looking for validation for your actions, not input, and I think that's absolutely OK. Why do I assume this? It seems to me that you are rejecting the words of anyone who is not in full agreement with what you are doing or what you say your surgeon has approved. Again, that's totally your prerogative, but by asking for opinion, you are opening the door to get exactly those. Some of our biggest success stories here have given you input and it saddens me that you are brushing them off as if they are worthless. This is a forum for support and learning, and those things come even in words we don't necessarily want to hear.

I would suggest that if you truly only want a cheering section (which again, is perfectly acceptable), that you simply say what you are doing, that you are feeling great (YAY! I'm so glad that you are!) and that you are losing at a rate that makes both you and your surgeon happy.

Personally, at your stage, I was on purees. I didn't start on solid foods, like tortillas, until 3+ months out. In fact, I still cannot eat 1/3 of a tortilla at almost 10 months out because they fill me up so solidly I feel sick and uncomfortable after the third nibble.

Right now, your new tummy is tender, numb and healing. You cannot feel everything that is going on with it. While I do not agree with the person who keeps insisting that you are stretching it (something that is next to impossible to stretch very much), it is very possible that you are over filling yourself without knowing it.

I was told, when I hit pureed, not to eat more than 2-3 tablespoons of food. At 6 months, I was given the OK to eat up to 1/2 or 3/4 of a cup, something I am still not very successful at, in one sitting. I saw that you were previously told that your new tummy would hold about 3 oz. By eating a 1/2 cup, you are exceeding amount already, and that concerns me, but if it doesn't concern you, all is well.

Something my nurse told me that I still have to remind myself of? Just because you *CAN* eat it, doesn't mean you *SHOULD*. You made a huge step in the right direction towards good health. Maximize this honeymoon period by eating all the right things in as little quantity (but maximum quality) that you can. This isn't about starving yourself, I'm certainly not interested in doing that, but about relearning good habits while your capacity if very limited and the drive to eat is at it's least.

As a host, I am going to respectfully as that you change your username because I do think it's detrimental to our community. I do hope that you will come back and reread the intentions of these posts as they are meant, not as attacks (for the most part) but as support. I do see where some would ruffle your feathers, and those are best ignored. You have a lot to learn and a lot to add, I am sure. This is great place and I would love to see you get everything you can out of here.

Thank you Lipstick for hitting the nail on the head and hopefully putting a period at the end of this run-on sentence.

[GriffinSabine 34]

That is highly immature.

Not a question on this topic but I'm having trouble following who is who. Are some people being called by their real name and not screen name?

No. Belladonna was goeffurself's original name. She changed her username mid-conversation.

[NMJG 1,266]

.

Edited February 25, 2014 by NMJG

[HipsAndLipstick 69]

you can eat 1/2 cup. I was instructed to eat 1/4 cup but the nut and I can hardly do that.. and that is taking my sweet time. although I can drink a lot more now than at the beginning of surgery. I'm 4 wks out.

Edited February 25, 2014 by HipsAndLipstick

[Idairene 37]

That actually sounds like a reasonable amount to me. I couldn't eat like that at 3 weeks, I had to eat smaller, more frequent meals but everyone is different. If you track your food on something like myfitnesspal.com, you will see how many calories you are consuming. i'm guessing it is around 500/day which is not much at all. At the stage you are at, its probably more important that you are getting enough Fluid, 8 8oz glasses a day, more than worrying about food. If you are not drinking enough Fluid, you may be eating when you should be getting fluid.

[sugarbear34 0]

You women need to move on and stop raggin on her

[lynn2win 142]

I don't think their raggin on her...but again lets agree to disagree and we all will move on

You women need to move on and stop raggin on her

[McButterpants 2,846]

I think you can eat 1/2 cup of cottage cheese because it's pretty "liquidy".

One thing my doc said to me when I started on real food - make sure you measure and remember you don't have to eat it all. I don't try to eat until I'm full - I eat until my hunger is gone. Some days that is more than others. If I eat chicken for dinner, I I can do about 2 ounces, any more than that and I get uncomfortable. If I eat chili, I can eat 1/2 cup and feel like I could eat more.

I'm not surprised at the amount you're eating, I would be concerned you're not getting enough Protein. Are you tracking your Protein intake and following the doc or NUT's plan? At three weeks, I was still supplementing with shakes - that was my doc's plan. I still supplement my diet with Protein Shakes and bars.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Op- did your surgeon recommend 80g minimum Protein a day?

High Protein really does help with the following:

1. Healing

2. Weight loss

3. Insulin regulation

4. Muscle preservation

Like the previous poster stated, it is very hard to eat 80 g of protein from food alone, especially during the first few months. Very hard. So we supplement with protein shakes. Most good Protein Shakes have, on average, 30 g of protein where most Protein Bars have, on average, 20 G protein.

[cschmaltz 1]

I feel like I eat more than I had expected. I kept hearing I wouldn't be able to eat more than the size of my thumb...? Anyway, I track what I eat on MyFitnessPal so I an getting enough Protein and I know I am eating significantly less than I used to. So, maybe it will take me a little longer. But I will get there!

[maxrobison 4]

Hi Guys:

Just an example of what I ate today.

Breakfast was about 1/2 c. cottage cheese and peaches.

Lunch: one third of a crab and black bean/refried bean burrito... I added cheese, salsa and guacamole (burrito was baked in oven smothered in salsa so the tortilla was very soft)

Dinner: another third of that burrito

snack was greek yogurt

I feel like that is a lot.

I stop when I feel restriction but I was thinking I wouldn't be able to eat that much this soon.

Just wondering how other ppl are doing just a few weeks out. Thanks

I had my surgery