Discomfort

[LGJR24 0]

Sorry for any mistakes I make in my entry, but english is not my first language :)

I am in need for some advice since I'm getting frustrated.
So it's only 2,5 weeks since I had my sleeve-surgery, and the doctors have told me to be patient, but I just want to check in to see if anyone else have experienced this (I'm sure there is!).

I am now on regular food, which means I can eat anything, but as adviced I always try to up my Protein.
After I eat a meal I feel alot of discomfort in my chest, I feel so much air have to come out, I often get the hiccups and I burp alot, I also gulp in my mouth.
I make sure I don't drink Water 10 minutes before a meal and 20-30 minutes after.
But I have been vomitting my food , especially my dinner, alot. That happend yessterday evening, I ate dinner, waited 30 minutes, drank a sip of water. Then felt so neouses I had to make myself throw it all up, and it was hardly any food since my pain in my chest (gas) keeps me from eating. I have not yet felt full from eating, but I always stop because of the pain in my chest.

My quesstion is why am I throwing up and when will the pain in my chest go away.

Thank you in advance :)

[FifiLux 433]

Everyone has different plans from their doctors but in all of them I have never heard of being on regular food after 2.5 weeks. Do you mean non liquid phase and that you are normal food but soft? I hope so as that is all your stomach should be handling now as you can't digest normal food at this stage, which is what may cause the vomitting and pain.

It should be no Water 30 minutes before and after a meal so maybe if you are only leaving it 10 minutes that is causing the problem?

I did have gas issues but it was caused by complications so not the same for you I am sure. Could you ask your doctor about taking something to help with reflux?

Edited November 8 by FifiLux

[Bypass2Freedom 711]

I just wanted to echo what @FifiLux has said - I haven't heard of Drs putting plans in wherein you can eat all food (inc. solids etc) 2.5 weeks after surgery.

If that is the case, and you are eating solids and other 'normal' foods, that would likely be the problem. I know that a lot of people have had a strict 4-6 week post-op diet to follow, and solid foods are introduced slowly.

I was always advised that I should not have Water until 30 minutes after eating, and that is a rule I have stuck by - maybe give it a go!

Definitely do check in with your team, though. It seems like you are in a lot of discomfort and it would be good to get some professional advice.

I hope you feel better soon.

[LGJR24 0]

I'm norwegian, and had my surgery in Norway at the best private hospital, so I'm in good hands.
I just think the procedure is different here.
You are supposed to be on luquid diet for one week, then one week on pureed/soft food, then after two weeks normal food, which means you can eat anything. The guideline is to chew my food very well and eat slowly, a meal should take 20 minutes. And also the drinking-rule.

We are also put on Somac after the surgery, that we have to take uptill 3 months after surgery to help with reflux.

And I am in contact with my team of doctors, I just wanted to see if anyone else have experienced this.

[NeonRaven8919 364]

I'm one month post op and still not on solid food yet. I think your doctors have given you some not so great advice. It's too early to be "eating anything you want".

[summerseeker 2,138]

4 hours ago, LGJR24 said:

I'm norwegian, and had my surgery in Norway at the best private hospital, so I'm in good hands.
I just think the procedure is different here.
You are supposed to be on luquid diet for one week, then one week on pureed/soft food, then after two weeks normal food, which means you can eat anything. The guideline is to chew my food very well and eat slowly, a meal should take 20 minutes. And also the drinking-rule.

We are also put on Somac after the surgery, that we have to take uptill 3 months after surgery to help with reflux.

And I am in contact with my team of doctors, I just wanted to see if anyone else have experienced this.

Never be afraid to go back a stage for a few days.

Make sure your food has enough sauce/gravy with it. Dry foods are the devil to eat early. Especially chicken breast.

It is so difficult early on when your internal stomach stitches are swollen for food to pass through. I really struggled and ate lots of nutrient rich homemade Soups and stews. I was advised to eat 6-8 times a day, very small meals.

At about 3 months your real restriction will kick in and it will be easier to judge when to stop eating before the over full feeling

[NickelChip 1,211]

Just because you are allowed to eat anything does not mean you, personally, are able to do so. There are a few likely culprits to your issues with discomfort and vomiting.

You may be eating too much, too fast, not chewing enough even though you think you are, or the food you are eating is too difficult for your system to handle right now. Check your portion sizes, how fast you are eating, and focus on soft foods.

You may need longer between eating and drinking. Some people can handle 10-15 minutes. Some need 30 minutes. If I feel a stuck feeling even an hour after eating, I do not drink anything because it will make me sick.

I had enough issues with vomiting that my doctor put me back on liquids at around 4 weeks and I did that a couple weeks just to give my body more time to heal. Even almost 9 months out from RNY, I sometimes get sick. It's usually texture/dryness related. It's gone from once a week to just once in a while, and instead of all the food coming up, it's usually just mucous now. I try to pay attention to why so I can adjust. Basically, you need to listen to your body and make changes based on what is working and not working for you because we're all different.

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,598]

I was on liquids for 2 weeks, then small smooshie foods for 2 weeks (like hummus, avocado, cottage cheese), then steamed foods like steamed veggies for 2 weeks. THEN I went on regular foods. But in extremely small portions. Before 6 weeks, your stomach is still swollen, still healing, and can't handle regular food. I would go back to liquids for a few days, then mushie foods for a week and steamed foods for a week. THEN I would try to eat regular foods again. Your stomach should be healed enough by then.

[Arabesque 7,240]

I agree with the others. You’re just not ready yet to eat solid foods. Your symptoms of discomfort, vomiting, hiccups, burping are evidence of that.

It takes at least 6 weeks for you to heal ( all those sutures and staples holding your digestive system together) which is why we’re put on the slow, usually two week cycles, of progressing from liquids, to purées, to soft foods to regular solid foods. Even following this schedule, many have to go back a step simply because they haven’t healed enough tolerate the denser food yet. And that’s okay. You may have to do this too.

There are even solid foods that some people take even longer to be able to eat without experiencing side effects. Foods like chicken breast & steak. Some foods can be too rich like eggs or they’re too dry or coarse (sauces & gravies are your friend). Your tummy is very sensitive and can react to any food (texture, flavour even smell) and this can continue for a couple of months. I used to describe my tummy as a petulant two year old who throws random tantrums. Unfortunately there’s no hard and fast rules about this. You just have to try things and see how you go simply because of our individual differences. Never give up on a food you struggle with initially though. Give it a break for a couple of weeks and then try again.

Glad you’re on a PPI (sumac) which will help with the excess acid your body is still producing (it hasn’t learnt you don’t need as much yet). Will also help with the hiccups and burping. Actually many people find hiccups are a signal they’re full.

Make sure you’re eating slowly (take 20-30 minutes), small bites and not eating too large a portion yet. Out of curiosity what are your portion sizes at the moment?

Edited November 9 by Arabesque

[Spinoza 1,371]

Did you have the same problems during your liquid and pureed phases? If not it might be worth going back a step to purees as summerseeker has suggested. I do understand that chewing food really thoroughly is basically the same thing, but it takes the guesswork and possibilities for errors out of the equation. I know I am weird but I quite enjoyed my pureed food (because it was my first non-protein drink intake for almost a month). So tasty 😍

At 2.5 weeks I was just just onto pureed food, made with a LOT of liquid, and I was eating about 40-60mls (1-2oz) of goo for a meal, depending on how much Protein was in it.

We are all so different. I have seen people here thrive on solids much earlier. If your surgical team are confident that it isn't a post op complication you might have room to experiment a little.

At 2.5 weeks fluids are paramount - there is wiggle room with protein and other macros in most programmes.

I hope it all settles really quickly for you - sounds unpleasant.

[Lilia_90 450]

Hi,

Sorry you're experiencing this, but I am quite sure that it is very early out for you to be having regular food at 2.5 weeks. Every single region I have researched heavily emphasizes on waiting at least 6 weeks until you can have regular food (whatever you were able to eat prior to WLS). At 2.5 weeks blended Soups and Greek yogurt felt like a brick in my stomach.

If you could maybe wait a few more weeks and stay on pureed/soft foods then please do, you could harm your staples eating solids so early on.

Edited November 14 by Lilia_90