Don't people read their surgeon's meal plan?

I think this has been a great thread (in spite of my snark) because it's interesting to know what kinds of plans different surgeons give out. Somehow it seems to me (and it's silly) but it seems that while I knew some folks didn't get good plans when I had surgery, 4 years have gone by....and so any doctor's office that was behind the times 4 years ago should be all caught up now.

Alas it appears they haven't. To be fair, some of these surgeons might not even have been practicing 4 years ago. My surgeon had something like 20 years doing bariatric surgery (I think) so he had a pretty good plan (if you discount the grammar)

I havent had surgery yet. I have my consult scheduled for July 27th. I for one LOVE seeing the posts that talk about food everyone is eating. I have lots of questions about what I will be able to eat and when. I am half scared to post a question on here though bc of the attitudes of some members.

I really hate to hear that someone is scared to post a question because of some of the responses people receive.  I definitely want people to feel safe asking questions.  I hope you will post when you have questions and if you feel some of the responses you get aren't real friendly, just ignore those and take what you can get from the rest.

Well, post away. You might get a question that's a bit sharp, or snippy, or assumes facts not in evidence, but ultimately, if you BELIEVE that 99.9% of the people that respond mean well, you can accept that if they assume stuff that's not true.... well it's not true and all is well.

Sometimes, when I was feeling sensitive, I'd just add that to my post. I lost my mum on the day of my 2nd surgical consult, and was topsy turvy most of that year. When I was feeling a bit touchy, I would outright say it. "Need advice about ..... XYZ" then in the post I'd say, "be gentle, I'm really having trouble dealing with ABC" .... the vast vast majority of people won't be mean or awful .... well so long as you don't say, "don't be mean, but I ate three big-macs a day after surgery, and ...." Pretty much if you do something that could kill you or give advice that is REALLY bad, others will call you on it, but I've never really seen anyone post too much.

Also... .different people have different thresholds and ways of communicating. I like to believe that I'm mostly pretty nice and kind. I always try to be kind, but sometimes I know I'm not. There are two memorable occasions when I saw someone was sort of getting a beat-down by others on here, and I had a moment of empathy, I then posted to them in what I thought was my "more kind than usual" tone, where I was trying to be super sweet and helpful.... and twice in my memory  when I went back I was the person most reviled .... beyond my understanding. Obviously that person's "meanie" vibe was touched off by my "super-kind" mode.... and my full and undiluted intention was to be a kinder voice than most. We all have NO control over what others say, or what they think or feel. But what we do have control over is what WE say..... and how we REACT to others' posts. That's why I choose to believe that folks mean well even if they don't. If I BELIEVE they mean well I am far less likely to react as if they are being mean.

And ultimately, like the supermarket, I pass over anything I don't want .... or on the OH forums, I pass over any "advicce" or posts that don't do for me what I want.

And finally (because I'm wordy, I can never write a short post) .... people do have a flood of hormones from their fat (this is not PMS, but true overflow of hormones)  after surgery... I thought that didn't affect me, but in retrospect, I also knew I was super-sensitive in the first six months or so. After 6 months things that used to bug me suddenly didn't. PEOPLE that used to bug me started not to bug me. I realize now that it was more ME than them. It's a LOT of change to have WLS and you have to accept that the hormonal release is part of it.

Good luck. This IS a great place..

If you have lots of questions about what you will be able to eat and when, NOW is the time for you to as your surgeon and/or nutritionist those questions, because as has already been pointed out, if you come he to ask, people will be answering based on what THEIR plan was and that may be REALLY different from yours.

My surgeon, for example, allows her patients to eat soft foods on Day Three as long as they tolerated the full liquids ok on Day Two (and most of her patients have little or NO trouble tolerating soft foods that early and have little to no trouble with nausea and/or vomiting, whereas people who spend a long time on liquids often seem to have a lot of trouble).  So if I were to respond to a post asking when someone can eat fish, my response would be at the beginning of week 2, which would go against most surgeons' plans.  On the other hand, someone whose surgeon requires 4-6 weeks of liquids may say that fish is not o****il 8 or 10 weeks out.  

Lora

Don't worry about your plan. I went to the nutritional class on Tues and Dr. H has it all broken down barney style. We do full liquids for 2 wks, pureed for 2 wks then start adding regular foods in. By 9 wks you are on a regular diet. (We have the same surgeon is why I am giving bas this specific info.

My doctor gives his post surgery meal plan out several times durring pre-op visits including the informational seminar, pre-op dietitian visit, and final surgeon visit before surgery... at least 1not copy is laminated and completely reviewed by RD. The progression of diet was discussed at the informational seminar and at the other pre-op visits. My doctor has 2a RD's in the office, and patients that I know that are post op have mentioned diet progression outside the printed guidelines... which was discussed with RD and or MD who encouraged caution and discussed signs of intollerance to look for. I really like my surgeon, but I realize his specialty is surgery... and frequently the RD or RN or PA/NP is a better resource for follow-up as that is their specialty. They see pts weekly or monthly after the surgery and deal eith those post op questions and adjustment to life issues pts are bringing to them.Just my thoughts pre-op...

I think my surgeon's office does a great job with the extensive paperwork they give out, which is pretty detailed, especially for the Clear Liquid, Full Liquid and Pureed Stages. However, there can still be questions. For example, in the DO NOT EAT column, there are a few foods with an asterick. The asterick says MAY be re-introduced into diet. Well when can it get re-introduced? Does everyone re-introduce these foods or just some people? I've read the handout a gazillion times (at least) and I know that popcorn, bread, crackers and caffiene are some of the foods that MAY be added back in. Monday I will be 3 months out. I just started adding in some 100% Whole wheat bread in the last week, others from my surgeon's office added it in at the beginning of month 2. I've done the Atkin's and South Beach Diets prior to my RNY so for me to add carbs is difficult, but I also understand from my handout that I need fiber and complex carbs in my diet. So, I'm trying, but it really does worry me. Another example for months one thru six the paperwork says eat 1200 calories... ok I may get to almost 1000 but I haven't hit 1200 yet! Then of those calories 80 to 100 grams should be protein, 135 to 150 grams should be carbs, 20 to 25 grams should be fiber and 27 to 33 grams should be fat. To me that sounds like an awful lot of carbs! Since I usually have at least one snack a day that consists of nuts, the fat grams are there but they are NOT saturated fat which makes a difference too. Anyway... now i'm rambling so I should stop!

I do agree with those who posted earlier that some people may be looking for approval to eat things prior to when they are on their list. In which case ask your surgeon (or his PA) I know I was allowed to go on to pureed foods 4 days earlier than the paperwork said based on a conversation I had in my surgeon's office with his assistant. A case of different strokes for different folks. Everyone heals differently, reacts differently and what's good for you may not be good for me!

I remember getting a binder from the surgeon and it was fairly good. It  listed what you could eat at which period but of course I also remember asking about something or other when I was new out. I think it was eggs. I couldn't stomach the protein drinks anymore (about a week and a half out) and really wanted something to eat (I wasn't eating anything at all) I'd left messages for my Nut, but they hadn't returned my calls. She finally called me two days later (Two days of me literally not eating anything) and said to go ahead and try it, but I wasn't going ahead until I'd heard from her. LOL. I did want opinions though at the time. I also remember going into one of my check up's though at I think it was my Three month point and they asked what meat I was eating, I pretty much said anything that sounded good. She was amazed I was eating steak already (not on my plan until later...OOPS). I told her I often had issue with chicken (the first 6 months was HORRID with chicken.) but the steak did just fine. She shrugged her shoulders and said "good" and that was about it. I think I stopped really looking at the "plan" once I was pretty much released to most foods.

Now, with all that being said. I can see where some are quesioning some things, but some of it is pretty well known. NO you can't eat pizza at 3 weeks out. NO you can't eat that cheeseburger on the way home from the hospital. but some things such as soup with or with out chunks or can I strain somechicken veggie etc. those aren't something that might be written up on their plan. And like another poster said I think some look for an excuse to start something earlier than their own plan if someone else is eating it and they were around the same surgery date. 

 I got a big ole binder. It was very specific.
I usually won't offer food advice to very early out people on what the should or shouldn't eat. I think that early period  "belongs" to the surgeon. They made the pouch..I will follow their diet until that thing is healed up.
The most common advice I give is to make sure you are getting enough fluids becasue being dehydrated feels real bad.
Deb T.