What should I have on hand when I get home after surgery?

[April Dawn 8]

I'm scheduled for my sleeve surgery on 10/29. I live alone so I will be taking care of myself on my own. I was wondering what you all would suggest that I have around me while I recover. I already have all my meds so I'm good there. Are there products that you used that really helped you or maybe soft foods that you had available. Right now I'm feeling a bit unprepared and could really use some advise. Thanks in advance.

[Oct517 527]

A lot of people on here will tell you not to buy anything for post-op. I also live alone and knew I would be mostly taking care of myself so I did buy things beforehand. Honestly, I am glad I did because I'm not supposed to drive for this entire week after surgery. Although, I could have had friends pick things up for me afterwards I'm glad I haven't had to harass them with having them take me to the store. Plus I probably wouldn't have wanted to go food shopping this week. Things I bought include; broth, Protein Shakes, pudding, yogurt, and fairlife milk. I also bought quite a few things through this website. I highly reccomend the Protein hot chocolate.

Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Matt Z 4,139]

8 hours ago, April Dawn said:

I'm scheduled for my sleeve surgery on 10/29. I live alone so I will be taking care of myself on my own. I was wondering what you all would suggest that I have around me while I recover. I already have all my meds so I'm good there. Are there products that you used that really helped you or maybe soft foods that you had available. Right now I'm feeling a bit unprepared and could really use some advise. Thanks in advance.

I advise not buying things before hand, but in the case where you are on your own, only buy things that are very bland/mild and don't over do it, your intake is going to be greatly reduced, you can plan out meals in advance based on what you are supposed to consume size wise, post op for me, I could eat chili, 1 can equaled out to like 9 or 10 servings. The other side is, with the limited amount you'll be consuming, things get old quick. That 1 can of chili didn't even get finished because I was so done with chili after 6 meals of it....

[MargoCL 677]

9 hours ago, April Dawn said:

I'm scheduled for my sleeve surgery on 10/29. I live alone so I will be taking care of myself on my own. I was wondering what you all would suggest that I have around me while I recover. I already have all my meds so I'm good there. Are there products that you used that really helped you or maybe soft foods that you had available. Right now I'm feeling a bit unprepared and could really use some advise. Thanks in advance.

You will likely not be able to drive as long as you're on Pain Medication - this was the reason I stopped it as soon as I left the hospital. I didn't want to be restricted.

As @Matt Z - If you have to buy stuff, buy the bare minimum - your tastes will change quite a bit post surgery and what you thought pre surgery as to - "oh, this will get me through this week" - will likely now last you weeks. I can attest to this as I have supplies that I bought two weeks prior to surgery that I'm still trying to get through 7.5 weeks post op.

If you can, prepare some homemade Bone Broth (high in protein) to supplement Protein Shakes. In the first few days it took me hours to drink 1 shake. I relied heavily on bone broth, because it felt good going down and filled me up. I wouldn't buy powders right now as I found them to be more sweet than the premixed shakes and even those, don't over buy. Only buy what you think you will need.

If you can tolerate canned Soups, get some broth based soups and mix with Protein broth mixes (can be found on the BP store) - it keeps the integrity of the canned broth flavor and adds protein to your Soup at the same time. - I used this quite a bit pre surgery. Post, I lived on my homemade bone broths.

[Queen Grandma 22]

I joined instacart, a delivery service in my area. Saved the day! I was also alone, I could drive the day I came home, but didn't feel like it. I did take a daily walk to the grocery that delivers for me, but only to get my steps in and buy a beverage. I can order what I want every other day or so. Nice option. Good luck on ur surgery.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Suesloosinit 35]

12 hours ago, April Dawn said:

I'm scheduled for my sleeve surgery on 10/29. I live alone so I will be taking care of myself on my own. I was wondering what you all would suggest that I have around me while I recover. I already have all my meds so I'm good there. Are there products that you used that really helped you or maybe soft foods that you had available. Right now I'm feeling a bit unprepared and could really use some advise. Thanks in advance.

I am not alone but I have 2 males that eat everything in sight so I just bought what I needed, which was Chobani drinks as they have 15 grams of sugar per bottle (you will only need 1/2) and that.s what my dietitian said I can have per meal, and i bought 3 different bottles as I knew I wanted something different each day. Lunches I bought Progresso Light Soups and made sure that it said broth in the ingredient list and strained the chunks, I also got my fav cream of chicken (in case I felt i needed some comfort) mushroom Soup and pea and ham for a strong flavor, had to really mush that one up tho as its not creamy. Immersion blender helps for the "bits" in any soups. These did me for dinner too, if I felt I needed something but the last 3 days I haven't felt hungry at dinner time so I just had Protein Drink additive from BP store and that did my liquid too! I did get some Protein soups but I found them to be way to salty so haven't tried anything more from the pack yet. I also bought some tuna packs and chunky chicken for the next stage but I have a feeling my guys have eaten that already...They will be in for a shock when I send them for a full shop next week lol Good luck with your surgery 😃

[John Kitsu 34]

I bought those 8 oz tiny little Grenade looking Water bottles and lined them up by 8 so I knew how much water I'd need to take in per day and set up reminders on my phone. This is because I was prone to dehydration and tended to chug water when it was too late, and that was no longer going to be possible.

I also bought about 5 days worth of Premier Protein shakes of various flavors.

I really wish I had purchased Benefiber and Senna Tea, but I had someone go get it for me because that after-surgery Constipation appeared randomly a week later and it was so intense and sudden I felt like I was "crowning" and wouldn't have been able to waddle to the pharmacy to get the stuff on my own. As I sat there for many minutes trying to pass what felt like an Easter Island statue, I wish I had been prophylactically mixing soluble Fiber into my liquids from Day One at home.

Best of luck on your surgery!