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So...I had my vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy a week ago today on 2/28/13. Once I passed the swallowing test in the hospital, I was discharged. now I am on a 30 day clear liquid diet. Anyone else have this as well? 30 days seems,...well..kinda long for clear liquids???

Mine is 21 days! On Day 7 I got to introduce coffee and cream soups. Now I feel like I am on cream soups for ever. On Day 22 (March 12th) I get to have soft foods. 30 days out, I get regular solids. 

But you will find almost every Dr has a different plan, just like many Dr's can do a sleeve but they all have their style and technique. It does seem long to me, but what do I know? 

All I can suggest is that you follow yours exactly. I once read on here by someone and its really gotten me thru these days "Remember you might seemed healed on the outside, but you haven't healed on the inside yet"  So be careful and follow your plan!   When in doubt, get in touch with your Dr or Nutrionist.

I was Clear Liquid for 7 days, then 2 weeks full/ cloudy liquids ( strained soups ok)..then 2 weeks pureed food..

All I know, is I know a few folks who have had VSG..and those who seem to be most successful did the longer liquid diets..

Good luck on your journey..

She's right - ALWAYS go by your surgeon's instruction's!!! Mine was only 2 weeks then work in any foods I could tolerate! I eat anything I want across the WHOLE food chain now but I can tell you right now - it sounded GREAT before surgery - after surgery it was GROSS! The more I tried of solid foods the more I hated food of any way shape or form! I would gag, throw up, and run! So don't RUSH what you are told to do!! You are healing on the inside!! And NOTHING tastes like you think it's going to until that healing is over!!! I feel my surgeon should change his ways - but what do I know!!?? I do know that a lot of the foods I LOVED before surgery - I HATE them now because I tried to eat them way too soon!!

All I remember now is how they tasted when my stomach hadn't healed - AWFUL!!! So don't rush yourself or your appetite!!! Take it from some who ruined hers!!

Ann - 4 months out and still don't like to eat!!!

NiceyDoodle said it very well.  Just because others have different plans doesn't mean you should ignore your surgeons.  That being said here is what I would do.  Follow the directions for about two or three weeks.  Contact your surgeon and or nutritionist and tell him you have done as asked and was wanting to know if you could move on to the next stage.  They could clear you for the next step.  Also I would double check the timing.  I do believe I was very close if not a little longer on a post op liquid diet but there were two stages in the liquid part.  There was almost half of the time on clear liquids and the second half of that time on full liquids.  That being said I was allowed protein shakes from day one post op which is odd as that isn't a clear liquid.  

I agree about 30 days of only clear seeming too long.  I would double check if it was meant to be 30 days on liquids with the first week or two being clear only followed by a week or two of full liquids.  Remember that SF popsicles and jello is usually considered a clear liquid I think and of course I think broths are a go to at this time as well.  There is a little blur on what is a clear liquid vs a full liquid.  Although I would have to say a protein shake should be considered a full liquid.

I had 3 weeks of clears. If your doctor doesn't mind, try isopure protein drink. It's the only clear protein drink i know of (and one of the priciest )
Be sure to talk to your doctor about anything you have questions about or are uncomfortable with. Its important to be on the same page as your doc, and know why they chose this length of time. Remember, YOU pay HIM!

I'm amazed at how long some of you had to do clears. I know every doctor is different but wow. I was on clear liquids for less than a week or so. My surgery was on a Wednesday and I had my first "meal" in a post-op class the following Tuesday. They served  cottage cheese, refried beans and a boiled egg. Of course I could only eat a bite of each. At one month post-op was released for solid food but told to chew well and dime sized bites only.

Good luck!

Yeah it is kind of long. And the ASMBS says there doesn't seem to be an evidence that a clear diet is needed at all. Liquids yet, clear liquids no.

But you picked your surgeon and he has his technique that works for him. It's a little late to question it now. 

Just remember that the first 2-4 weeks are about recovering from a medical procedure and treat your eating rules like you would any medical guidelines any surgeon would give you and not dieting tips you can ignore if you feel like it like.

I had clear liquids for 25 hrs post op. full liquids thereafter for about 3-4 days and then pureed foods for a week and soft foods and by 3-4 weeks out on regular diet. Still slow but regular food. Yes all the surgeons follow their own plans. Wish you best of luck with yours!

I was on clear liquids for three days, then full liquids for a week.  I was not required to puree foods after that, but added only the softest/moistest of foods, SLOWLY, after the full liquids.  NewWhey is also another clear liquid form of protein, whereas most protein shakes are considered full liquids.  I would substitute NewWhey for the cold water when making sugarfree jello; it made the flavor more tolerable and gave me something to 'eat' that was a clear liquid.  Six months out, I'm still using up what I bought before surgery! 

That being said, I will echo what everyone said about surgeons having their own plans.  Ask as many questions as you need to in order to fully understand what he/she wants you to do.  What people haven't talked about is, we also ENTERED this process in different states of health.  Some surgeons might want us on liquids longer because we've done more damage to our livers, or some other part of ourselves, and want to help us repair that as rapidly and completely as we are able.  After water, the protein is the most critical thing, and yes, it is difficult to get enough on clear liquids.  Add them in as many ways as you are able; it's important!