Why different post op diet requirements?

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Has she said or done something to make you concerned? I don't have a problem with young or even inexperienced as long as they know their job. In fact I have had less issues with younger nutritionist. The older ones often like to try and talk me into eat meat. Younger ones are more familiar with plant based diets and willing to work with me to seek out alternative Protein sources.

Edited January 2, 2015 by BLERDgirl

[Annie77 10]

Thank you everybody!

[gottagonow 82]

I had a hard time with these drastic differences initially. My doc didn't release us from the hospital until we ate some tuna salad, which they consider soft food. That was the day after surgery! I rarely see that on here. I trust it. I never stalled or felt overly weak. The lack of carbs in general definitely led to some mid-workout struggles though!

[Annie77 10]

Wow, I can't imagine tuna salad the day after surgery. I had a hard time sipping Water or crystal lite. It's amazing how doctors are so different.

I'm 2 weeks and can drink Water more normal. liquids go right through me and I'm always hungry. I've heard I will be full once I start with soft foods.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

@ tuna fish? That is odd. Were there other choices?

[gottagonow 82]

Nope, no choices. They had us do that nasty drink and xray of the stomach early in the morning,then drink Water and juice. After that, within a few hours we received hospital tuna fish w/ mayo, it wasn't chunky, and the nurses came to make sure we ate some before the docs would release us. The way this practice is run, there was about 10+ of us in the hospital wing that day with various surgeons. We sleevers all had the same protocol. It was actually kind of fun in a way that first night because we would chat about it all during our every 2 hours walk. These were the same people we had to take a pre-op class with at the hospital about 10 days prior to surgery where we went over this protocol. That classmate feel was actually pretty good looking back on it.

[lovemychihuahua 8]

I am so jealous of some! For me, week 1 was liquids, week 2 pureed, week 3 soft, moist Protein. Week 4 I can finally add half cup nonstarchy vegetables and cannot add fruit until week 8. I am not even allowed Soups as my surgeon says it is liquid calories and he wants me to consume solid Protein. No yogurt until six months! At this point I'd take Soup and yogurt. I was never really a meat eater before surgery and now that's all I'm allowed to eat! Ugh!

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

@ - I was just wondering because I'm a vegetarian AND I'm allergic to seafood. I wouldn't have been able to eat that tuna fish

@@lovemychihuahua - no yogurt? That's crazy! I must get half my Protein from greek yogurt.

This is why I had to ask at the seminar if they had problems with vegetarians. I would never have survived either of these programs.

[gottagonow 82]

Interesting! You know, I hadn't thought about that. I imagine if we had a vegetarian and/or allergies I would have learned how they accommodate those needs...assuming they do.

@ - I was just wondering because I'm a vegetarian AND I'm allergic to seafood. I wouldn't have been able to eat that tuna fish

@@lovemychihuahua - no yogurt? That's crazy! I must get half my Protein from greek yogurt.

This is why I had to ask at the seminar if they had problems with vegetarians. I would never have survived either of these programs.

[galadriel535 43]

Maybe it's because I am 62 and have had a long time in this body...but I have found so many conflicting things being told to me...and that is from my own surgeon's office, to be honest. The hospital gave me semi-solid food that first day...cream of chicken Soup, Jello, Protein drink (which I loved!)...but some of that is not on the post op diet i was verbally told to follow by my doctor's office...and that post op diet was not the same as the one in the notebook my doctor's office gave me, or in the nutritionists' guidelines. I was sleeved on 12-23, and for me, I found that I cannot do much in the way of dairy: so the sugar-free instant breakfasts are a no-go. I made a fantastic cream of broccoli with cheese soup today that is utterly wonderful. To be honest, some of my concerns really did deal with hunger and nutirition. I lvoe the sleeve, don't get me wrong...but I weighed 237 pounds on 12-13 when I started that pre-op diet, and yesterday I got on the scale and was 217. The hunger was real. i am glad to lose the weight, but losing it this fast (at my age) is going to end up making me look like the crypt keeper. Anyhow, I guess the point of this rant is that I am slowly and cautiously finding out what my body needs/wants and can absorb. I have looked all over the web, and the fact is that there are MANY recommended post-op diets for sleevers. I am slowly & carefully seeing/finding what works for me. I can take direction, but when that direction is conflicted or confusing...I need to use the structurre I was given and fidn what works for me...just my 2 cents worth for today. Peace y'all.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

@@galadriel535 - I would ask them about that. My handbook mirrored my verbal instructions and the tray they brought me only had what I was allowed to eat. There are many variations of bariatric diets. However I notice most of the differences are about when to re-introduce fruit and veg. The basic rule of thumb is still Protein & Fluid first and 30 mins spacing between eating and drinking..

[MyssJones 84]

@@Annie77 3 weeks of clears sounds a bit off to me. Typically it's 2-7 days of clear then on to full liquids for 1-2 weeks. Then purée for another 1-2 weeks. Then soft, then regular. But to do clear for 3 whole weeks sounds obsurd and then full liquids for a whole month. Wow!

[Justoperated 141]

Has she said or done something to make you concerned? I don't have a problem with young or even inexperienced as long as they know their job. In fact I have had less issues with younger nutritionist. The older ones often like to try and talk me into eat meat. Younger ones are more familiar with plant based diets and willing to work with me to seek out alternative Protein sources.

She hasn't done anything to make me really concerned, just has not got my trust in her. Only thing she initially did was put me on ensure, which I could not tolerate, then she told me may be its bcoz of carbohydrate content which is high in ensure. Now I am arranging to see another NUT next week who has been doing it for quite sometime.

[Stevehud 1,790]

The differences are dramatic in some cases. For me while I was in hospital 18 days ago. I was given yogurt ad glucerna ( nasty stuff) also some Tomato Soup which I cannot stand and yogurt again the next day, then 2 weeks of liquids/purees ( stage 3) then just got cleared 4 days ago for stage 4 ( soft meats etc.) for one month then stage 5 which is pretty much whatever I can tolerate within nutritional guidelines.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

why doctors have different post-op diet requirements for the same surgery?

@@Annie77

all the reasons/comments from "above" are good

having so many doctors give different rules to patients IMO is ridiculous

(unless there are medical, physical reason that are necessary for different rules)

there should be ONE book for all docs to follow

just a few examples

why should people be at different time periods for liquids/purees', soft food etc.

why should one person be allowed to have coffee from the get go - others wait different time periods

alcohol in 3 weeks, 6 months, or 1 year!!

why is sex allowed within a couple weeks for some when you feel ok?

my doc has me still waiting 3+ years PO

GOTCHA

it would be great if all docs/NUTS could be on the same page

kathy

Edited January 3, 2015 by proudgrammy