Question....

My neice had this type of surgery and I had RNY Gastric Bypass a year ago; so I don't know how to support her in the Sleeve....Is the Sleeve after surgery eating the same as RNY? Just thought I would ask, so I could help her, if she asks. We have phases of eating that we had to stick to; but she just had surgery & is eating babyfood already....Any suggestions? I wanted to hear real-life experience talking to me about the sleeve and not just research info.....Thanks and congrats on all that have taken the step to a healthier and smaller you! FYI...I have lost 150 lbs in a year with RNY and life couldn't be better....so congrats to everyone for making the choice to make the change for the better!! Brenda

I think they are basically the same. Focus on protein. 600-800 calories per day, 80g of protein, less than 40g of carbs, 100oz of water, 30-60 mins of exercise. There are probably some foods that you cannot eat that your niece can but I am not all that privy to the post-op diet for RNY and I do not recall from my research. I know there are certain medications that you cannot take that your niece can.

Thanks Keith for the info....Okay....sounds like the Protein and water and exercise are close to the same.

I would think you would approach fats a bit differently. I like to tell the people I counsel that they should be a bit higher than was docs and nuts recommend like in the 25-35g per day, especially for women. But I would think with RNY and bypassing some of the small intestine that fats would cause you some intestinal distress so I would guess the RNY diets probably need to be inherently low fat.

They are actually pretty different. Sleeve patients don't have the malabsorption and malnutrient qualities of the RNY. We absorb everything. Sleevers can get the slimies (or whatever they are called), but it's usually because we've eaten past what our stomachs hold.

The only vitamin we are required to take is B12. Most of us take more than that. I take a multi-vitamn iwth iron, calcium, B complex, Vitamin C - but I'm old-ish and need more vitamins.

Ibuprofen seems to be on the "whatever your doctor says" list. My doc says no ibuprofen, but my friend's doc is fine with it - as long as it is not overused.

Baby food is nasty, but if that is what her doctor says to eat, then she's doing the right thing. Most docs have different stages and many of them look like this: 1-2 post op liquids only - this can include very wet soups, 2-4 weeks post op mushies (very soft food), 4-6 weeks wet meats an soft veggies, after 6 weeks eat foods as they are tolerated.

The biggest thing with any of the surgeries is to know your capacity and not to test it it early on. Frisco calls it eating under your sleeve.

If I were you, I'd ask her how you can best support her. They are different surgeries. Let her teach you what works best for her.

You are very sweet to support her.

Thanks everyone. This helps me. I would support anyone that made a choice to have any type of weight loss surgery. It's not a decision made easily and for everyone it's a choice that is personal. I did RNY; my sister did LapBand, two of my cousins did the vertical sleeve (I have asked them to FB my niece and they have) and all seem to be doing great on their journeys. My sister has gained some back (after a year) but not a significant amount. Thanks again & good luck on your own personal journey in the weight loss & gaining better health journey!

My father-in-law had the RNY gastric bypass, and I have the sleeve (we share our home with him).

While the concepts are the same, I noted he ate more and faster after the surgery than I have. After two years, he's back to eating as much as he did before, but the malnutritive element of the RNY has prevented him from gaining back weight.

I stayed on soft food much longer -- still on soft food, to be honest. I'm nervous about trying "real food" again. I have to eat slower because the sleeve is more restrictive than RNY.

The one frustration I have is he's always saying "After my surgery, I _______" and it's often in conflict with what I'm doing or I learned. He hasn't accepted my surgery is different than his, and I'm handling it different than he did. Having gone through the same education class as he did, I consistently see what he is doing that he shouldn't be. Whether it's from not paying attention, or just not wanting to change his ways.

Mind you... he did lose 100+ pounds and he's healthier. But he could have lost more if he hadn't repeated again and again "I can eat whatever I want..."

 

Wow....I can't eat whatever I want without gaining weight. I cannot eat hardly any bread, pasta or beef. I have to chew, chew, chew and no water with my food; or I throw it all up. I take multi-vitamin (best for RNY is Centrum Silver) and I do the B12 sublingual, Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D3, Iron....all daily (and my labs were still pretty bad)....I have lost 150 pounds in a year. How long were you on soft foods? I was on liquid for 3 weeks and then puree foods for 4 weeks and then soft foods for 4 weeks and then semi-soft for 4 weeks and like you, I was scared to eat too much regular food. I struggled with even drinking much less eating for some time. I can eat ,, but if I eat the wrong thing or eat too fast....I am really sick for a half an hour or so. I never heard that the sleeve was more restrictive....I only have a walnut size stomach. I still cannot eat more than 1/2 c of food at a time! My sister did the LapBand and I hear the same as you do with him. She said she's been successful with dieting prior to the surgery and she knows better than me..obviously not true statement or she wouldn't have had to do the surgery (LOL)....she's gained weight back and has to starve herself to lose weight. So I don't see how it's better than before surgery. But any surgery is tough. Good luck on your journey and thanks for responding