Need some dietary help

Hi,

I had VSG on 3/15/11 and was supposed to be on clear liquids only until Monday 3/28. However, I felt so starved that I began full liquids this past Wednesday night, 8 days post op. I felt ok doing this because other surgeons advance their patients to full liquids by that point. Wednesday evening I had a petite chocolate mousse (131 cals, about 4-6 oz in size). I ate it over about 20 min and afterward finally felt full and satiated. I hadn't felt that way since I started my pre op diet and it was so nice. I was able to go grocery shopping afterward and didn't want everything I saw, feeling like I was walking through a torture chamber. Then last night we went to Shoney's and I just had broth out of their soup on the bar. I ate it slowly, but I was able to get down probably 8 oz in 20-30 min. Then when I got home I still felt hungry, so I ate a sugar-free pudding cup over 30 min. I expected it to make me feel full and satiated like the mousse did before, but it did not. I guess I wasn't really all that hungry anymore, but I loved that full feeling that made me not want food at all. I was disappointed not getting it again. I am also concerned that I am able to take down so much food in that time period. Have I stretched my pouch, or does this mean I am ready to move to pureed foods? Hope I've not messed up!

You really need to talk to your doctor about what you should be eating at this point. It's possible that your doctor uses a bigger Bougie so your stomache can hold a little more than other peoples. Do you know what size your Bougie is?? 
Also: From the research I've done and in talking to my doctor - It's not easy to stretch out the new stomache. That part of the stomache that they leave is the part that doesn't stretch much. So I'm sure that is not the issue only 11 days post op.
But I really would call your doctor about what you should be eating at this point.

I am afraid to tell my doctor that I started a full liquid diet before the recommended time! Plus, I really didn't get much of any nutrition info at all. I had to ask a couple days after surgery when I could move to a full liquid diet. I never saw a nutritionist. All I got was a 23 page email attachment with post op diet instructions, some which I think condradicted each other. I was not satisfied with the nutritional counseling aspect. From reading the papers it seems to say that 6-8 oz in an hour is the goal for liquids over time.

I think he said the bougie was 32, and I think that is the smallest size. Also, he said my pouch turned out smaller than the other 2 ladies who had surgery the same day I did. I'm glad this pouch is not easy to stretch

Thanks for your advice!

Well my advise would be then to take it really slow. Do alot of research on this page and on other links. And don't move to the next level until you know you are completely healed. My doctor recommends liquid diet until at least 4 weeks out. This gives the staple line time to heal before adding things to it. That is your main concern right now is the healing of your staple line. You don't want to cause a leak by eating too quickly.
Also if you go on the right side of this page there is a box called Verticle Sleeve Gastrectomy and there is alot of good sound advise in those links.

Just my 2cents. You trusted your surgeon to remove 80% of your stomach. Trust him enough to tell him you advanced your diet without discussing it with him. Some patients talk to their surgeons and are okay'd to do so.

Stretching is not an easy task. In my program, we are advised to never eat until full. It's kind what got us fat in the first place. Constantly looking for that stuffed/full feeling might lead to that one last bite too many, and then puking commences which I can assure you, is NOT fun, and it's dangerous with a newly stapled off stomach.

Your swelling might has subsided more quickly and drinking warm broth usually helped my sleeve relax, that could be 1 reason the pudding cup didn't give you the same sensation. Plus, all kinds of healing is going on internally, nerves were cut/severed, and stapled off.

There's no rhyme or reason early out other than to follow your surgeon's guidelines. Those guidelines are there for your reason, and being honest with him/her in regards to how you feeling, what you are eating, how you are healing is always better than finding out after an emergency trip because you didn't want to tell on yourself. If you don't feel like you can get support from your surgeon or his staff, you will have to rely on your own common sense on how things are going.

Regarding your questions, your stomach (we don't have pouches) isn't really stretched, and no one especially any of us on an internet forum can tell you that your body is ready for pureed foods.

Hi, USAF Wife! Thanks for your advice. Looks like you've done very well since your surgery! Congrats!

About the puking - I vomited earlier in the week, before I ever started the full liquids. It was after I took my vitamin and antibiotic with some water the first time. The second time was just after the vitamin and water. Didn't happen again after that. Do you think just a couple pills and water made me too full and I puked? I didn't feel full, but I'm not very good at feeling that sensation anyway! That's part of my problem! I swallowed them whole, but I was never instructed not to. For the first few days I chewed up/opened every pil, but I noticed the other girls I had surgery with were swallowing their pills from the start, so after a few days I just started doing the same.

Hi,
I had my surgery done on the same day! I think  liquids as you heal are the easiest to get in. In your post you mentioned broth, SFpudding and a mousse but I am wondering where is your protein? That is what will be of help to you . Protein first is the motto. Don't rush the change in diet, let yourself heal, but I have to tell you I've been on full liquids since the 2nd day (starting in the evening) due to the hospital messing up. They gave me a full liquid diet and it was well tollerated so I think you are fine. I'm actually glad to read your post becayuse it helped me understand that we aren't all the same but the thoughts in our head are similar!So Eat Small,Eat Slow, and follow the plan. You must be due for post op right? I go Monday. The nutritionist should be able to help you. Good Luck!

Thanks, Linda, hope you are doing well! I would hardly be getting any protein now if I was still on the clear liquid diet - just the little bit in broth and my K20 protein water. Since I began full liquids, I have been having one protein shake per day, mixed in skim milk and have kept drinking my K20 protein water. You're right - pudding and mousse only have like 1gm protein. I was just eating them because they are more solid in consistency and quench my hunger unlike the liquids. I am supposed to have a post op appt 1 month out, but my surgeon is 2000 miles away in Tijuana, so that's not gonna happen. I guess I'll just have to see my primary care doctor for a check-up and tell him that I had the surgery! So I have no nutritionist, and I never met one while I was in Mexico! I have a friend who had a VSG here in Jan so I have been consulting with her a lot about nutrition info from her surgeon.

hi autumn this is cherrie just wanted to give you my drs recommendations for me   

weeks 1 & 2  thin liquids   protein shakes applesauce ( great for meds) soup broth

weeks 3 & 4  full liquids    thick protein shakes pureed non cream soups carbmaster yogurt and sugar free puddings ......i pureed a lot of lentil, bean with bacon , white chicken chili ,cottage cheese blended with yogurt  also mixing in tofu with soups   tried taco soup but hamburger didnt set well with me  also add cheeses to hot soup to add protein .......basically she said I could have anything that would go thru a straw

weeks 5 , 6 .7 & 8  soft foods   oatmeal cream of wheat cottage cheese soft beans scrabled eggs chicken, tuna , egg salads and soft cooked veggies   meatloaf


week 9   regular diet  introduce new foods one at a time

64 oz liquid a day  I am still working on that hard for me to do ....in my case i noticed different times of the day seem to be easier to eat and drink it is really weird  during the day 10 am til about 4 pm i can eat and drink freely and at dinner time restriction is like crazy   so really take advantage of the easier time if this happens to you  talk with you more later  glad to se you went out  dont forget about ruby tues white chicken chili ....tasted like heaven  

also i will send some of the pb2 with cynthia i think you will like that

bye cherrie    be careful

Hi, Cherrie!!!

Glad you found me on here. Didn't know you were on here!

Thanks for the info!