3 weeks out and miserable!!

Sorry I have not been on her since my surgery on 03/15. It has been a rough 3 weeks. The first 2 weeks I could not get enough protein in (only around 35-40) and now since starting soft foods it hurts. Not sure if I am eating too fast or not chewing it good enough. I had an egg this morning and after I ate my last bite it felt like I was having a heart attack with all the pain in my chest. I was like that for about 20 minutes and then finally threw up. I felt better after that. Not sure if my stomach did not like the egg or if it was for other reasons. After I eat now you would think I would feel satisfied but I not sure what I am feeling, still want other foods but I no I can't.   Is anyone else feeling this was or felt this way before?

Hi there! 

The first few weeks were hard for me too, so don't feel like you are loosing it!  Well, you are loosing it, just not the crazy way! :) 

I had a hard time with eggs for a while too.  Someone told me that it was the amount of sulphur in them?  I don't know for sure, but almost any way you cooked them in the begininng hurt me.  I know the exact pain you are talking about!  My suggestion would be to scramble them and add a bit extra milk and cook them low and slow so most of the moisture stays in them.  When you eat them, don't just chew, mash them really well too.  This still isn't full proof, and you might have to give it a bit longer.

My suggestion too is to go out and look for the slim fast - low carb shakes.  They don't have a lot of sugar and they are really good super cold.  I found sipping on them helped me a lot in the begining.  They made me feel full, and had a decent amount of protien in them. 

Hang in there!  It does get better!  I now have 2 boiled eggs every morning for breakfast.  Even beeing 2 1/2 years out, I have to eat them slow or I get that stuck feeling. 

Good luck to you on your journey.  Its hard, but you are going to love it!

 The first few weeks are difficult to get enough protein in, so don't worry too much about that.
You may have a pouch that just doesn't like eggs, or  you may have eaten too fast, not chewed well enough, or today is just a day when a whole egg is too much.  You might tolerate eggs better another day.

You will need to not rely on 'feeling full' after surgery, as the nerves are disrupted.  Always measure your food, and only eat up to the maximum quantity allowed per your phase.  Some days, it may only be a few spoonsful, other days it might be 1/2 cup.  It is important to distinguish the 'wants' from true hunger.  I didn't feel any true hunger for almost a year.  In fact, for the first few months, I ate according to the clock, because if I waited until hungry, it could be mid afternoon before I realized I hadn't eaten.  

This is all a learning process; each person is different in what they tolerate; as time goes on, you will learn your own cues. 

I'm due to have surgery next Weds and was just in to have my PAT's and meet the nutritionist yesterday. 

I was told that if your allowed to move on to the next stage but seem to be having some trouble to try and do the previous stage again for a few days to a week.  Not everyone will progress as quickly as others will. 

I was also told to make sure the bites I take are no larger than an m&m or the tip of a pencil eraser when first starting out and make sure each bite is chewed to a a liquid consistancy (around 15-20 chews) before attempting to swallow.  I was also told that it should take me approx 30 minutes to eat each meal in the beginning so make sure you're not trying to eat too quickly.  Maybe the egg was just too filling; I was told to start out with only 1 oz of food at a time in the first week or two, then to move up to 2 oz at each sitting.  It could be that your pouch is still very swollen and not ready as it can take 6-8 weeks for our systems to heal.

Best of luck to you and if you have any further issues you can always call your surgeon or nutritionist for advice.

I had surgery the same day that you did.  I'm just really tired...I know I'm not getting enough protein, but doing my best.  Hope things get better for you.  Looking forward to great results here!

I am going to suggest you call your surgeon. I went through the same EXACT thing. EVERYTHING hur****er, soup, pudding....it didnt matter what I did. After week 3 I went to the surgeon writhing in pain because I had just had some water. I was dehydrated  from not being able to get enough down because of the pain and ended up back in the hospital for a CT scan. The most logical explantion is your gall bladder. Rapid weight loss is tough on your call bladder. However they will do lab work to determine. They thought I had a blockage but fortunately my solution was much more simple. Most people receive complete relief from reflux/Gerd with bypass. My bypass made mine WORSE. With protonics in the hospital I had soup for the first time with NO PAIN!!! I now take a daily pill and eat 7 or 8 small meals a day and NO PAIN. I can get my water and most of my protein. It is a little difficult bc of no drinking 30 minutes before or after eating...when you eat 8 times a day. But I am getting there.

Trust me when I tell you it SHOULD NOT hurt like that. Just make the call.

An entire egg was probably too much so early out. Remember, your pouch is only the size on an egg and is still swollen right ow from the surgery. Pain with vomiting is a very common sign of having eaten too much. Try just half of an egg next time instead.

Lora

 I love your practicality Lora, I too find a whole egg at this stage is really too much for me. If I eat a little I am fine, measure measure and measure some more has now become my motto at 4 weeks out.  

Tamara aka queue_t

I'm sorry you are having problems. I will get better. At one year out I still can't eat a whole egg no matter how it is cooked. There is just something about eggs. My dog loves them though!!

 Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I am now thinking it was the egg that did not agree with me because I ate some smashed up beans and did just fine, so for now no eggs.