Question:
I need help... eating and tips on protein, 1 month POst Op...
I cant stand to eat anything! It absolutely makes me ill. I force myself to take my vitamins am and pm and force mysely to eat something atleast 3 times a day. I understand that this nausea will go away after the first 2 months or so, but for now, what should I do? Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. — Karen W. (posted on January 8, 2003)
January 7, 2003
Have you spoken with your surgeon? I would suspect that you have nothing
to worry about - I didn't go through any nausea early so I can't say I know
what you are going through. But I know a lot of people in my online groups
have and it does get better. I was concerned about protein early out but
my surgeon said not to worry about it then - to drink as much as I could
and to take my vitamins and calcium. I am now 13 months post-op, have lost
160 pounds and am very healthy. However, if you are really concerned, talk
with your doctor.
— Patty_Butler
January 7, 2003
I didn't have any problems with nausea, but maybe your vitamins are adding
to the problem, especially on an empty, or nearly empty, stomach. What
kinds of foods are you trying to eat? I was on pureed foods for the first
month or so. I would start the day with oatmeal made with Lactaid milk.
Then, mid-morning, have 1/2 water and 1/2 cran-raspberry juice to sip on.(4
oz) Lunch was 2 oz of pureed cottage cheese and 2 oz of pureed chicken
breast (and I used Soup At Hand cream of chicken to make it a smoother
consistancy.) Afternoon was 4 oz of unsweetened applesauce. Later on, 2 oz
of pureed turkey and 2 oz of mashed potatoes. Before bed was a couple of
ounces of low fat, low sugar yogurt. Other things I liked and could
tolerate: grits, cream of wheat, pureed canned peaches, V-8 juice, protein
shakes made with Lactaid milk. I hope some of these things might work for
you. Try to eat something before you take your vitamins. I only take mine
at night because I usually have something in the old pouch to "cushion
the blow" so to speak. Good luck, and you are right - it will pass.
If you are not getting plenty of liquids in, do let your surgeon know right
away. You don't want to become dehydrated.
— koogy
January 7, 2003
Hi, Karen. I am 2 months out (65 lbs down) and still don't enjoy the taste
of most foods. I am on general diet, but I started out the clear liquids
to full liquids to pureed to soft and finally general. I hear it can take
a while to be able to enjoy eating. Can you believe?!! I don't get
nauseated, but I do feel, after taking one bite of some things, repulsed.
Kind of like when you throw up and think of the last thing you ate. Ewwwww
Hang in there...all things pass. So I hear. :)
— Ginger M.
January 7, 2003
Hey, Don't worry about it, you are too early, just get food you can eat for
energy, although beans and rice right now are a good source of protein and
can be soft. Nothing tasted good to me at this stage and lots of things
"hurt" and were hard to keep down. I kept going back to soups
and other soft foods or liquids. I am 4 months out now and can get all my
protein in and use a protein shake as well. I like Real Meals but it MUST
be cold! I blend with banana, ice, yogurt and milk. Has 30 grams of
protein per shake. Hope this helps.
— Kristy J.
January 8, 2003
I also had nausea for a few weeks after my surgery. My surgeon prescribed
Compazine (an anti-nausea drug), which helped when I could swallow it (It's
a small pill, but at that stage everything was hard for me to swallow).
Ask yours to prescribe it in suppository form.
— Arlene S.
January 9, 2003
Don't worry about eating. Get your vitamins in and find some protien
supplements that you can handle. Your local gym will have single servings
of things, and there are some protien supplements now that are more like
fruit juice or snapple. You don't have to drink those ones that taste like
a bad cake mix. As long as you are getting your vites, your protien, and
enough water, you can wait for your appetite to return on its own. Good
luck!
— Cara F.
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