What I'm getting for my post-op routine.

I'm revising due to Harvey revolting and requiring further surgery (i.e., GERD-y sleeve) so these are what I'll be using to plan. I figured it might help other folks what haven't had surgery yet. Also, what do you guys use for surgery? :) Always neat to see how people recover differently!

Right after surgery stuff:
I hate using plastic, so I use these tiny mental spoons for my purees and meals. They work well and make me feel less like an adult toddler, heh. I wound up getting these for my VSG and loved them, and still use them to make sure I eat slowly when I have yogurt or soups...my tendency is to eat liquids too fast otherwise. They also have a set of tiny metal forks I use too.

These stainless steel cups for sides only hold 4oz of liquid and were really nice at home. I felt less surgery-like. They also looked a bit better using them at work, and are dishwasher safe. I got a ton of use out of 'em. I freeze my purees in 4oz plastic versions of these too, for days when I am Super Lazy. Going to do puree prep this weekend, actually.

My trusty 32 ounce Wonder Woman blender bottle for liquids and purees. I will be connected to this via a tether for the next two months, haha. I seriously love blender bottles...I have ten and I use them so much I have to replace them because I am not very gentle with them. I put 1g of protein in each bottle per 1 oz (so 32g for these). That way I alway**** my protein goals if I keep sipping all day post-op.

I use Therapearl cold-packs (sparingly) after any surgery over the incision sites. Helps reduce the edema and swelling, and I'm generally more comfortable.

After having had so many abdominal surgeries, I always have a "surgery kit" handy now. I keep the usual stuff in it (a thermometer, gauze, saline solution, etc - maxi pads make great impromptu gauze if needed) just in case things go awry, I don't have to leave my house to get dressing supplies if needed. I also keep a few masks around in flu season if I have surgery, because getting sick during/after surgery majorly sucks.

When I eat solid food again:
I use these 1/2 cup size (4oz) containers for the first 12 months post-op to portion control - you can get 'em cheaper at Target, Meijer, Walmart. Walmart has 4/1cup glass containers for less than $10 usually. It's worth the investment, and makes post-op meal prep soooo easy. Just make sure you measure into them and don't fill them up. I wish they had more inexpensive 1/2c glass options.

Basic 4oz mason jars also work *really* well and are usually cheap, too! They are glass, heat resistant, and can be endlessly reused, though the lids may have to be replaced.

General meal prep:
I use freezer tape and label all jars and frozen purees. I freeze 2 tablespoons of purees in broth (1 ounce) in a silicone ice cube tray, and then keep 'em ready for post-op. That way I don't have to muck with it if I'm not feeling well, and there's no excuse to avoid protein. I like this freezer tape brand, and you can usually find it in most grocery stores or places like Walmart in the canning, preserving, or food storage sections.

Seriously, I love freezer tape - it makes meal-prep and freezing ahead soooo much easier and it's a life-saver. Last surgery, know what the last thing I wanted to do was? Fiddle with a blender three weeks out when I had to go back to work and was mad at life in general and wanted to whine instead. This is also a great way to freeze fat bombs if you have a DS/are on a ketogenic diet, FWIW. Freeze, pop into the bag, and go.

Muffin tins and ice cube trays in general are really helpful for portion control. I got this idea from The World According to Eggface. :) Literally saved my life post-op meal planning. I measure into the tins because I distrust my ability to count, but for me it's stopped me from overeating or over-portioning many times. I always pour liquid into a new muffin tin and then measure it by volume to see how much it holds.

I also buy high-quality ingredients. I no longer will buy cheap food because I find I will overeat it. I eat so much less post-op that I still save money from before.

thanks for all this! I am scheduled for my RNY on 2/12 and I am so glad I found this forum with so much great info and amazing insight from people who have been through it!

Thanks for sharing. My surgery is 2/20 and Im feeling unprepared. This will help me get some things in order, thanks a bunch :)

My revision to RNY is on the 19th! Good luck with yours, too :D

This was extremely helpful! What types of food do you purée? The thought of purée almost makes me sick.

I never actually puréed anything just chopped finely and added sauce. Also just kept to things like cottage cheese and yogurt. I was not putting meat in the blender.

I basically also just chop stuff finely in a food processor and add broth. I do add some fat as well (not a super high amount) because I'm terribly vitamin deficient. Usually just a few tablespoons of cream or ghee for 32 ounces of "soup." I made a taco "puree" by doing chicken this way, adding broth, very slight spice and a dollop of greek yogurt. I started at a 3:1 broth to meat ratio (for the mince/puree) and then increased the protein and decreased the broth every few days to habituate to food without rejecting it. I also slowly added fat as I went since I was using very lean meats. Like, drops of fat, literally, at first. No rejection or tummy issues. I am also anal-retentive and everything I ate post-op was planned for quite some time to avoid being sick and damage to the sleeve.

Yes, I am a nerdy type-A person. Why do you ask? :P Kidding aside, I've seen so many complications that were unnecessary from WLS I did not want to make the same mistake. I also have a severe eating disorder that is in remission, but I must always be vigilant about stuff.

At any rate, I made purees using Better than Bullion to create broth. Why? 1) I went back to my full-time job the week after while also starting my full time clinical internship and having 4 grad classes (and yes, all my WLS moms and WLS dad yelled at me here for that, so don't do that!), 2) I was so exhausted I could not make it from scratch and 3) the doctor suggested this because, their words, "it doesn't taste like crap." I did alternate with bone broth I had frozen a few months before for the nutrients/some extra collagen for healing, and it worked really well. I also use salt, as a caveat, not much, but I use lite salt (50% potassium, the doctor told me to) because I'm always potassium deficient even though my diet is ridiculously high in it, and likely will be until the end of time. So, my purees typically taste decent.

I also extensively did what NYMom did, though, and stuck to a lot of foods that were already soft rather than pureeing soups and such. I avoided beans and grains and focused on only protein - basically just meat, and I never was short my protein goals at all post-op. I kept things simple because I worried about food intolerance.

RNY is more trickier than a sleeve, though, so we'll see. I'm just going to take things as they come. I may end up on liquids longer or have issues...either way, it's all prepared.

What brand of bone broth do you use? Do you make it from scratch? Thanks!

Mine I make from scratch. I also eat marrow and things like that for the nutrients. Roasted marrow in some broth is extremely healthy, if you can find it palatable. I know not everyone does.

Appreciate seeing your list! I already have some of it so that's good, nice to get ideas for the rest!