4 months post surgery and still can’t eat very much

[Danbug74 37]

So it’s been a while since I last posted any questions on here but I think it’s time. I’ll be 4 months post surgery at the end of June. I’m currently weighing in at 259lbs with 40 more pounds to go to reach my goal. Working out has been great even though I’m chronically sore all the time. My issues are that I still can’t seem to get enough Protein in daily. I’m still drinking a Premiere Protein Shake every morning and I try to eat a healthy lunch (mostly Flame Broiler mini chicken bowls with brown rice and veggies). It takes me 2 hours to finish it. But by dinner time I’m lucky enough to get 2 or 3 bites of food in before my stomach starts hurting and I’m nauseously full. Is this a normal occurrence or should I be worried that something is wrong with my gut or am I just being a dork? Thanks for your input!

[sillykitty 10,781]

I was sleeved two weeks before you. It sounds normal to me. I definitely can't get all my Protein in without supplementing of some kind. My stomach capacity is only about two ounces. I'm honestly grateful I have this level of restriction. Do you have to eat the whole mini bowl at lunch? That seems like a lot to me, and by your description like you're forcing it down.

[Mattymatt 491]

6 hours ago, Danbug74 said:

So it’s been a while since I last posted any questions on here but I think it’s time. I’ll be 4 months post surgery at the end of June. I’m currently weighing in at 259lbs with 40 more pounds to go to reach my goal. Working out has been great even though I’m chronically sore all the time. My issues are that I still can’t seem to get enough Protein in daily. I’m still drinking a Premiere Protein Shake every morning and I try to eat a healthy lunch (mostly Flame Broiler mini chicken bowls with brown rice and veggies). It takes me 2 hours to finish it. But by dinner time I’m lucky enough to get 2 or 3 bites of food in before my stomach starts hurting and I’m nauseously full. Is this a normal occurrence or should I be worried that something is wrong with my gut or am I just being a dork? Thanks for your input!

Man you lost quickly! I am not far as far along as you are and I still don't eat very much at all.

[redhead_che 824]

Almost 7 months out and barely making 600 calories a day. And only meeting Protein with a shake as Breakfast. I personally like the restriction still being what it is. My nutritionist says it’s totally fine to still be doing a shake, as long as it is once a day.

I would say rice for a lot of people post op is very filling and can cause discomfort. Perhaps eliminating the rice component would help? Like a chicken and broccoli dish no rice? That’s my only thought. I can eat 4 pieces of the kind of sushi that has rice and be done-zo and super bloated. But that’s just me.

[gomum 17]

Yes I think you are right try without the rice. I can’t do noodles either.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

Rice expands in the stomach, I can at most eat a tablespoon with my Protein, that is why you can't eat your protein at dinner, the rice is taking up valuable space you need for the protein.

[SleeveinIL 386]

Just sharing something my doctor told me, stop eating after 30 minutes, even if you haven't finished what you think you should be eating. I am not sure if others have received this same guidance. I think I would be sick too if I ate for 2 hours straight!

[sillykitty 10,781]

4 minutes ago, SleeveinIL said:

Just sharing something my doctor told me, stop eating after 30 minutes, even if you haven't finished what you think you should be eating. I am not sure if others have received this same guidance. I think I would be sick too if I ate for 2 hours straight!

I didn't receive these instructions from my Dr., but they make sense to me. I stop eating when I'm full. I could keep eating as the food goes down, if it's a long meal or I could keep going back to it. But that seems to me to defeat the purpose of my sleeve.

[jess9395 5,450]

Yeah I needed to supplement for a full year. Even now (almost five years out) I supplement a couple days a week. I can’t do rice though it makes my stomach feel awful.

[SleeveinIL 386]

11 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I didn't receive these instructions from my Dr., but they make sense to me. I stop eating when I'm full. I could keep eating as the food goes down, if it's a long meal or I could keep going back to it. But that seems to me to defeat the purpose of my sleeve.

That is exactly what my surgeon said - defeats the purpose of the sleeve. So I do 3 meals a day and a Protein snack in the afternoon as I am working out 60-90 min a day right now. I need the extra boost so I don't feel sick.

[Danbug74 37]

Thanks all! I forgot about that one slight issue with rice and it expanding. I appreciate the help!

[Danbug74 37]

On 06/13/2018 at 07:26, SleeveinIL said:

Just sharing something my doctor told me, stop eating after 30 minutes, even if you haven't finished what you think you should be eating. I am not sure if others have received this same guidance. I think I would be sick too if I ate for 2 hours straight!

Well, i don’t eat continuously through the 2 hours. I’ll eat about 1/4 to 1/2 of the bowl in a half hour and stop and then like an hour or so later, I’ll try to eat more. I guess sometimes I do graze through it. But I’m going to try the 30 minute and stop thing. Thanks SleeveinIL

[SleeveinIL 386]

2 hours ago, Danbug74 said:

3 hours ago, SleeveinIL said:

Just sharing something my doctor told me, stop eating after 30 minutes, even if you haven't finished what you think you should be eating. I am not sure if others have received this same guidance. I think I would be sick too if I ate for 2 hours straight!

Well, i don’t eat continuously through the 2 hours. I’ll eat about 1/4 to 1/2 of the bowl in a half hour and stop and then like an hour or so later, I’ll try to eat more. I guess sometimes I do graze through it. But I’m going to try the 30 minute and stop thing. Thanks SleeveinIL

I hope it works out for you. Keep us posted.

[jaminator 262]

Im a year out and can now finally eat a decent meal. I would try to skip the rice.

My strategy has been Protein and some kind of veg. I can now eat about a 6 ounce steak and a small amount of veg and feel pretty good.

If i eat starchy stuff like rice it makes me feel way to full and then hungry again in a short time.

But for the first 6 months i was worried i would only be able to eat a couple ounces of food at a time for the rest of my life which would suck because i am doing these fitness bootcamps 4 times a week and without the calories they are super hard.