OK, give it to me straight: How bad are the first 8 weeks?

I am preop and very nervous.

Scared, even.

I went to my nutrition class yesterday and the whole hospital thing doesn't scare me.  The first 8 weeks of the diet does.

It is difficult or are you just not hungry?  My doctor allows basically no real food until about day 21, when you can do cream of wheat, etc.  Before that, it's all clear liquids and full liquids, yogurt, protein shakes.  This sounds like something I could do for a week, tops.

How did you all do it?

Help!!!

Marie.

OK, here is the real, unvarnished truth as it happened for ME (others may have had different experiences.)

For the first couple of months I couldn't even THINK of eating anything solid because it would very quickly come back up. Your tummy is healing and needs that time of fluids and soft foods. It's like when you have a bad flu...the LAST thing you want to do is eat solid food. So, this is like having a stomach flu that last for several weeks (minus the fever and diarehea.)

During that time I didn't feel hungry but I knew I had to eat and drink. In fact, for a while I was dismayed that I actually had to THINK about eating instead of thinking about NOT eating as I did before surgery.

Some peole have a much easier time. I had a more difficult time becasue I also had an ulcer. But, here I am 4 months out and eating more and more "regular" food although I still can't tolerate anything spicy or anything too solid such as red meat.

Also, I'll be honest and say there were days, especially in the first few difficult weeks that I seriously thought "What the hell have I done to myself?" But, now I know that this has been the BEST thing I have ever done. I was self pay and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Good luck!

Like the other poster.....this is MY experience.

Piece of Cake !

Truly...........I followed the rules, 10 days clear fluids, 10 days full fluids, 10 days mushies. 

I was not hungry at all.  I had no issues other than some acid issues....which I now take a PPI for and whamo...no more issues. 

All the dieting I have ever done in my life.....this was easy compared to that.

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Best of Luck.....you will be FINE...we all were nervous and we all are here to tell about it...see...it works!

All I can compare it to is being on a "diet", which is so incredibly hard for me because, of course, I GET HUNGRY.  I am NOT a binger or a person who eats an entire box, bag or container of anything.  I can do Weigh****chers for about 3 weeks before I starve and I'm just worried that I'll blow this.

I keep telling myself, if they can do it, I can do it. . .

Thanks so much.  Your responses really propel me forward.

Marie

Totally easy, although by the end of week 2 I was sooooo looking forward to having refried beans, I could taste them!

What Hassett said. Had a little bit of head hunger the first couple of weeks - especially when there was a food ad on the television, but wouldn't have considered trying solid food then anyway.

I found it a *****allenging to learn to eat solid food and had 3-4 episodes where I ate a bit too many and threw up, but that was only in the first couple weeks of solids.

This has been the EASIEST process I could have imagined - I am now in a phase of really working on cooking creatively and healthily, and the whole family is benefiting.

I have a blog, www.vsggoodlife.com , where I have recorded my experiences  - check it out if you would like - recipes too...

Personally, I was not hungry at all.  I was not on liquids for quite as long as you, but I could barely drink enough in the beginning to matter  Even when i got on mushies (pureed foods0, I mostly got my nutrition through protein shakes.

It wasn't hard.  In fact, looking back, it was pretty easy.  You won't be able to eat enough to matter anyway, so don't get all worried about ti.

It is worth it.

 The first two weeks, I didn't care about eating solid food at all. My stomach was doing all kinds of crazy things. Sometimes, I had too much acid. Sometimes, too much gas. Sometimes, I threw up. I was doing all I could to get in the protein shakes and water or other kinds of liquid. I did try some mushy foods, like pudding, they just didn't appeal to me that much.

For the past two weeks, I've able to add soft foods like refried beans or tuna salad into my diet, and I've loved that. I can't eat much, but it's a nice change. Also, recently, my stomach problems have subsided for the most part, so that makes it a lot easier.

It's not bad! I'm 6 weeks out and LOVE my sleeve. Now at 6 weeks, I eat soft foods and meat in small amounts. I love it! It is truly amazing how little you can eat and be stuffed.

You really will not want to eat much anyway - not the way you think you will.

Hi, I was nervous too. I have always been a big weigh****chers person, but had the same problem as you. I used to think I could do this, if I just didn't feel so deprived all the time!

I have been very lucky with my experience. The hospital stay was fine and after about a week of gas discomfort and only being able to sleep on my back, things have gotten so good! I also followed the 10 days liquid ( I was able to have skim milk  from the beginning and had 3 protein drinks a day with skim milk, I think it really helped me to feel great), 10 days mushies, now I am introducing diffeerent foods in daily. Just cutting them up and CHEWING them to mush :). Today for lunch I had pork, it was Delicious and caused me no problems.....I have not thrown up one time.
I am one month and one day out and feel great physically, I do get hungry, but it's so eaisly satisfied,it's crazy!....dealing with a little head hunger, but putting it in perspective and recognizing it for what it is helps..also talking about it...this site is great you can always post when you need help and get lots of good ideas and support!