Does Eating really get easier?

[Phish_Monkey 1]

I'm 1 week and 3 days post op from VGS. My whole first week after coming home from the hospital I struggled really bad with my Water and protien goals. I didn't meet them not a single day. Only now am I feeling like I am meeting my goals. I found it hard to drink that much in one day as my stomach healing directly after surgery. I'm on day two off of my liquid diet and on my pureed diet. I have tried a scrambled egg (could only eat half) and Peanut Butter (1.5 tbsp) but I find that eating food is hard. I feels hard on my stomach and takes a while after eating that I even feel comfortable enough to go back to drinking. (45 min to an hr). I feel like I've only just now starting to get comfortable with drinking Protein Shakes and rely on them for my Protein. But, when I look at food right now that I can have, it just look un appealing and feels like it's more work than it's worth to try to eat. Is what I'm experiencing normal? I know someone else who had surgery on the same day as me and they're getting along just fine with eating and had no issues meeting their Fluid and protein goals as soon as they got home from the hospital. At what point do people start to feel "normal" when eating food?

[Lisa XO 117]

At one week post op, I thought for sure I had made a huge mistake. I felt like I'd never be able to eat again. I was able to eat again, and it gets easier every day. 😊

Edited June 9, 2023 by Lisa XO

[LindsayT 596]

It has gotten easier for me at 7 weeks out. Just make sure you're listening to your stomach.

[ms.sss 15,716]

if there is one single piece of advice i could dile out to the newly wls-ed, it would be not to sweat what u can or can't do first couple weeks.

you just had major surgery and recovering from it, try to to expect to go running straight out of the gate, it'll come eventually.

i didn't meet my Water goals for the first two weeks.

i didn't make my Protein goals until well after a month or two post op. in fact, i couldn't even reach my DAILY protein goal amount in an entire WEEK of eating the first 2-3 weeks.

like u, i also had serious food aversion and just didn't want to eat anything. at all. it was really bad the first couple months but still persisted on and off throughout weight loss phase. even now, at over 4.5 years post op, i still turn up my nose to eating every now and then. not as often as before, but still.

despite all that, all my labs came back just fine (and still do) and i lost all the weight i wanted, and did NOT end up underweight nor mal-nourished.

as for when i started eating "normal" food, it was probably after maintenance...and not because i couldn't, it was a conscious choice cuz i was prioritizing weight loss. speaking of "normal"...others would probably see how i eat and think its NOT normal (volume and amount-wise), but its a (new) normal for me.

so yeah, many of us went through what u are going through now and turned out just fine. hang in there and know this is not forever, and u'll be alright ❤️

Edited June 9, 2023 by ms.sss

[Arabesque 7,414]

What’s normal? One thing I’ve learnt since my surgery is there is no normal or only one right or wrong way about our recovery, weight loss, food & eating just what is right or wrong for you. There will be similarities & there will be differences too because we’re not the same. And yes it will be different from what was right or wrong or usual for you before surgery because simply what we did before did us no favours.

Will it get easier? Yes. Does it take time to meet all your goals? Yes. As long as you’re making an effort & getting closer it’s okay. Will you have good days & bad days? Yes. Will your tummy be sensitive & fussy about certain foods for a while? Yes but that’s the healing process. Will it take time to learn new eating habits? Yes. Will you learn all your signals for real hunger, fullness/satiety or feel your restriction? Yes. Nerves were cut during surgery & they have to heal. Your signals take time to register & they may be different than before surgery. Will you be able to drink more than sips? Yes though how much & when is individual. Will you be able to reduce the amount of time before & after eating to drink? Yes but again when & how long is individual. Will you eat your old favourites again? Yes, once your weight has stabilised. Though it won’t be in exactly the same way. You’ll work out variations, & how much & how often is right for you.

I’ve made quite a few changes to what & how I eat. Like I don’t skip meals anymore & there are certain foods I don’t or rarely eat. Some are my choice & others because they don’t sit well in my smaller tummy. I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything I chose not to or can’t eat. It did take time to work out what was right for me - food choices, calories, nutrients, portions, frequency of eating. Once I reached maintenance I slowly added new foods, recipes, adjusted portions, etc. to see how I’d go & made modifications for probably a good year after I reached goal. I did keep losing for about 11 months after goal while working it out but have basically maintained since then. I’m four years out from surgery. I’ll make further adjustments as I need - lifestyle changes, age, health issues, etc.

PS There is an exception to the no one right way to eat & that’s in the first weeks when you’re following your staged return to eating. That plan supports & protects your healing tummy (remember all those sutures & staples holding it together). Check your plan on what you’re allowed to eat. Yes, plans can be different but being allowed eggs & peanut paste three days out from surgery sounds highly unusual. All because you managed it doesn’t mean you can do it again or it didn’t impact your recovery in some way. Be careful.

[SleeverSk 635]

Yes, everything you are going through is normal. Yes, it does get easier. Make the most of this time because certainly doesn't last forever. My surgeon told me once you get to the 2 years mark it's up to you to make sure you don't put on weight because you will be able to eat normal amounts of foods, and this happened for me at the 12-month mark and now I am getting close to my 2-year mark I can eat a lot more than I ever thought was possible after having surgery.

[Jeanniebug 473]

I'm almost 8 months out and depending on the food, I can eat almost a whole cup in one sitting. But, I have some days where I can only eat half that amount.

It was a bit startling... One day, I woke up and I could suddenly eat twice as much as I was able to eat just the day before. It was like my stomach relaxed, literally overnight.

My nutritionist said that I shouldn't expect to ever eat more than about 1 cup, for the rest of my life. This is supposed to be our new "normal".

[Spinoza 1,452]

16 hours ago, Jeanniebug said:

I'm almost 8 months out and depending on the food, I can eat almost a whole cup in one sitting. But, I have some days where I can only eat half that amount.

It was a bit startling... One day, I woke up and I could suddenly eat twice as much as I was able to eat just the day before. It was like my stomach relaxed, literally overnight.

My nutritionist said that I shouldn't expect to ever eat more than about 1 cup, for the rest of my life. This is supposed to be our new "normal".

I think there's some difference between sleeve and bypass on that front isn't there?

OP - I have also had a sleeve procedure and 19 months on am totally loving it.

I wish you all the luck in the world!

[Jeanniebug 473]

2 hours ago, Spinoza said:

I think there's some difference between sleeve and bypass on that front isn't there?

Oh, I'm not sure about that... Maybe?

[NP_WIP 274]

It will get better. I did not meet my Water intake the first few weeks, and couldn't meet the Protein without the shakes. I was told by my surgeon that it was normal for the first month, but then to prioritize.

[Texas90 7]

I am 1 week po as of yesterday. I have been feeling the same! Two small sips of Soup or Protein Drink are fine but three makes me feel sick. Today I am keeping Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt at my desk and taking a couple SMALL bites every 30 mins or so. It has 15 grams of Protein. I also fine it impossible to reach my protein goal and probably am only getting 30 IF that. But, this too shall pass. I'm down 18.6 lbs and wearing a shirt that was tight before so yay! lol

[ms.sss 15,716]

On 6/11/2023 at 1:41 AM, Jeanniebug said:

My nutritionist said that I shouldn't expect to ever eat more than about 1 cup, for the rest of my life. This is supposed to be our new "normal".

4.5+ yrs out, sleeved.

i can eat about 1-1.5 cups of food at one sitting (more if its salad, less if it's dense Protein or fluffy bread)....but if i eat bites at a time, here and there, over a long period of time, i can def pack in more.

Edited June 29, 2023 by ms.sss

[Jeanniebug 473]

27 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

but if i eat bites at a time, here and there, over a long period of time, i can def pack in more.

I reckon that's why they strongly discourage grazing.

[ms.sss 15,716]

1 hour ago, Jeanniebug said:

I reckon that's why they strongly discourage grazing.

this is true.

though truth be told, i am a bonafide grazer since surgery....its my preferred eating method. 🤷🏻‍♀️