Post Op, 3 Days, IDK!!!

I had my surgery on Friday (8/23), stayed in the hospital until Sunday afternoon, and have been home since. Since my surgery, I don't feel much different. My midsection is pretty sore all the time and feel the pressure of gas pretty often. My main battle now, I am still hungry. Or am I? I really struggled pre-op with the liquid diet and have been counting down the days until I could eat SOMETHING. I have never been so excited for scrambled eggs before, in my life. I thought that after my surgery I wouldn't care, and I would force myself to drink broth or protein shake. And I'm not sure if my hunger is head hunger or actual hunger. Yes, I have felt my stomach grumble, but maybe that was just air. At this point, I feel like eating something... And I fell like I won't dump. I don't want to push anything but I am really starting to doubt my decision. Protein shakes are just terrible to me now, even though before it wasn't a problem. HELP!!!

I know exactly what you are feeling. I recall day 3 was my worst day ever!! By day 5 I started feeling so much better. Hang in there honey... I promise you that each day gets easier!! Follow your surgeon's plan to the T! Get up every hour and walk around the house. I tried 7 protein shakes before finding the one I loved, Optimum Nutrition Rocky Road! Stay on this site for motivation!!! Good Luck!

Lots of people find that after surgery they cannot stand protein shakes (or even foods) that they liked before surgery.  Very normal. Sometimes things that turn your stomach the first few weeks won't bother you in a couple of months.

Why do you say you "feel" like you won't dump? Only 30% of us dump, so the odds are that you won't.  It sounds, though, like you are counting on dumping as part of your "success" with this surgery, and since 70% of people don't dump, you should NOT count on it.  Eat as if you WILL dump and don't test the waters (for as long as you can) so that you won't know whether you do or not.

One way to help tell whether it is head hunger or physical hunger is to ask yourself whether you are "hungry" for something specific (or a couple of specific things) or whether any food would "do".  If it is the former, it is likely head hunger; if it is the latter, it may be physical hunger.

Some people don't feel like eating or drinking -- and have to force themselves to do it -- after surgery, but many do not.  Some people feel physical hunger very early post-op while others don't feel hungry for months (or don't ever get physically hungry at all).  Everyone seems to have a slightly different experience during those first few weeks post-op.

Lora

Feeling the same here. 5 days post op, same surgeon. My hospital experience was miserable and I've been pretty miserable since discharge as well. I have found a protein I can tolerate, it's Walmart's body fortress powder, the chocolate with peanut butter flavor blended with ice and skim milk. I got 8oz down today which is good considering it's been difficult for me to sip just plain water because everything that goes into my pouch hurts. Did they give you a liquid pain med because what they prescribed for me isn't available and I've been having to crush the pills,, ugh, just awful.  Also the antacid they prescribed is also not available, crushing that too. 

I've found tha****er is a little easier for me to sip if I mix in a tiny bit of apple juice.  Broth isn't cutting it for me, I am really quite hungry. 

I've been just using my normal muscletech protein powder, and that seems fine, I think I'm just over it all together. And, it's terrible that I have to mix it with water right now, that makes it even harder to go down. I may start mixing it with atleast half milk. Yes, I have liquid pain medicine, walgreens has it, but my antacid is still a full pill. Water is fine with me, but I can definitely feel it if I drink too much. And yesterday, out of habit, I used a straw. I stopped when I realized, but I could really feel the air in there.

I don't know what it is. Am I just in the blues stages and not feeling that my decision was worth it? I am just not happy right now. With anything. Or anyone. I just want to go through the motions without any thought of eating or anything. This is sucking so far.