Post-Op Survival Guide
ladybug2659
Posts: 91 Member
This discussion thread focuses on what to expect and best practices to help you transition from Hospital to home. Topics include pain management, incision care, your clear liquid diet and learning to adjust to your new little "pouch". Share your stories, concerns, questions!
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Hi all! Getting the sleeve tomorrow, and I’m super nervous! I can’t find all of my information for after surgery, because I moved during the preop education period. I’ll ask my doctor tomorrow, but afraid I’ll be too loop to remember. How long was the clear diet? What was everyone’s progression like, and where are you at now as far as an eating plan?? TIA for any pointers on ANYTHING!1
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Each doctor has their own required protocol however, I was on clear liquids the first week and thereafter progressed to creamed soups and sugar free fudgesicles and Bariatric whey protein shakes. Please stay away from sorbitol and fat-- sugar alcohols in the sugar free stuff may cause gas and diarrhea (which can be nearly uncontrollable in some people). By week 4 I started on puréed foods-- protein first, veggies, fruit. I kept organic baby food pouches in my purse. I was able to eat ground up grilled chicken, tuna, salmon. I have introduced my pouch to cottage cheese this week along with boiled egg, natural applesauce, dried apricots and a few almonds. Zero appetite, I eat 800-1,000 calories a day and that feels like I pigged out. I get a bit dizzy if I get up too fast, tummy muscles are a bit sore but all in all..... doing well.3
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For those of you that have many questions about Bariatric Surgery check out Dr. Alvarez’s quick vids that are generally 5 minutes or under. He is refreshingly transparent and genuine. You can search for his vids on YouTube as well as many testimonials from all kinds of patients. I encourage you to watch the presentation where he literally demos the stapling gun and the technique used to create your sleeve (using a slab of ham)! Not all sleeves are the same—nor are all of our stomachs the same size. Each person has their unique experience and each doctor varies as to their directives and approach for both pre and post-op directives. Sleeving IS believing.... that you can transform your health and your life! It’s a great tool—not magic! You gotta do your part. I am 5 weeks post-op.2
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A word about Biotin. Biotin is a B vitamin and coenzyme that your body needs for protein metabolism and for hair, skin, nerve, and digestive health. This bariatric vitamin is often used to prevent hair loss after weight loss surgery. Also, some research has found it may improve blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Buy Gluten Free, dissolving tablets.1
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Hello everyone. I have my Sleeve surgery on March 19, 2018. I'm into week two now and starting to eat more cream soups supplemented with protein drinks. I got a lot of good information from Youtube - Duc C Vuong "Dr. V" I found him very informational and helpful through my decision. Vitamin B12 has really helped with energy level but still find I get sleepy about 2:30 pm every day. I went back to work after one week and not feeling any effects from it. Mine was out surgery so I went home the same day. Haven't felt any nausea throughout the process. Very excited to begin this journey.3
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If anyone wants to follow my blog, you are welcome to. I'm trying to update daily on what I'm eating, feeling, general tips on what is helping me through my days.2
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B-12. Met with my surgeon yesterday as follow-up going on 3 month post-op in April. The liquid B-12 is ESSENTIAL in keeping your energy up. Use the liquid (it comes with a dropper) and squirt it under your tongue and hold 30 seconds. Do this on an empty stomach — DID YOU KNOW that your liver is using nearly 30% of your resting energy just to process fat, toxins, and is being heavily taxed after bariatric surgery! Do you feel exhausted after eating? It happens.... and when your brain and your metabolism and your digestive system is saying WT*$ it’s to be expected. The brain is receiving new signals, the body is vying for essential nutrients, your pouch is trying to adjust and heal, your eyes are almost literally bigger than your stomach and psychologically there are lots of changes. Be GOOD to yourself. Keep your meals small but frequent—give your body fuel.... eat clean and unprocessed foods as much as possible. You will transform your body and your life.2
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Surviving Special Occassions. I knew with the Holiday weekend that I would have some choices to make. I love BBQ and I adore a good homemade potato salad.... and uh..... sweet slaw and slow cooked baked beans.... and then the green beans and banana pudding. So, I planned what I would allow myself. I ordered 1/4 Lb smoked pulled pork and used very little sauce because the burnt ends were really good... had 3 tbsp of potato salad and unsweetened tea. It was beautiful weather so we stopped and strolled the grounds of two beautiful historical Manor homes. I can say that my pouch wasn’t overly thrilled with the pork... I couldn’t eat all the pork so I took it to go.... and the mayo.... although it enhances the potato salad.... made me feel a bit nauseous. I take TUMS along in my purse and within 10 minutes I felt much better. It being Easter weekend, I did buy some dove caramel sea salt chocolates for my husband. I am happy to say that I had only 2 and was fine with just a taste. Being that it was ALSO our wedding anniversary I knew I would need to navigate the dinner menu.... I had half a crab cake for an appetizer and ordered the first dirty martini since surgery .... with three blue cheese stuffed olives. My husband said “well, there’s your dinner”.....0
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The Inevitable Stall
By Diana C.
A "stall" a few weeks out is inevitable, and here's why.
Our bodies use glycogen for short term energy storage. Glycogen is not very soluble, but it is stored in our muscles for quick energy -- one pound of glycogen requires 4 lbs of water to keep it soluble, and the average glycogen storage capacity is about 2 lbs. So, when you are not getting in enough food, your body turns first to stored glycogen, which is easy to break down for energy. And when you use up 2 lbs of glycogen, you also lose 8 lbs of water that was used to store it -- voila -- the "easy" 10 lbs that most people lose in the first week of a diet.
As you stay in caloric deficit, however, your body starts to realize that this is not a short term problem. You start mobilizing fat from your adipose tissue and burning fat for energy. But your body also realizes that fat can't be used for short bursts of energy -- like, to outrun a saber tooth tiger. So, it starts converting some of the fat into glycogen, and rebuilding the glycogen stores. And as it puts back the 2 lbs of glycogen into the muscle, 8 lbs of water has to be stored with it to keep it soluble. So, even though you might still be LOSING energy content to your body, your weight will not go down or you might even GAIN for a while as you retain water to dissolve the glycogen that is being reformed and stored.
Breathe, and fuggedaboudit for a few days.3 -
Way to Go Chrissy. I'm starting week 4 post op. I went through the 3rd week stall as well. This week I can start to have "real People" food - eggs, white fish, canned veggies, various soups. Good luck and keep trucking on. I'm down 30lbs
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@ladybug2659 I’m 3 weeks post-op, can you please share how you get 800-1000 calories in? I’m struggling to get in 500.1
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Shawntee1379 I want to wish you the best on your weight loss journey — it’s different from person to person but I share my experiences in hope that it might help others. I did not bounce back like many people. At 3 weeks out I still had a swollen sleeve and my stomach was still tender. The most important thing was to stay hydrated and get in the protein. I battled neausa and was terribly fatigued. I had to build up to 800 calories using a combination approach that included eating several small portions throughout the day and swigging the liquid protein shots which have 42g of whey protein. I like Greek yogurt and found that it helped soothe my stomach, I would use it to make a tuna salad and supplemented with saltines (4-5) which helped that feeling of morning sickness. I found that weight watchers offered an ice cream that was low in sugar and did not have sorbitol in them (thus, no gas pain or diahrea) — again, soothing my sick stomach. Lastly, I liked cream of chicken, cream of mushroom soups. Around that time, I also used slammers protein and fruit organics and cottage cheese as well as boiled eggs,1
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Shawntee - I'm using the Premier Protein pre-mixed shakes I get from Walmart. They are 160 calories, 1g sugar, 30 g protein, 5 carbs. They have several flavors. In the evening I add ice and make shakes with added whey protein powder and now fiber. Hope that helps. Stay strong3
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Why you NEED lentils.....https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5488/7-Health-Benefits-of-Lentils.html0
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Hello Everyone. My name is Christina and I just had the Gastric Sleeve Surgery on 4/5/18 and currently I am able to consume about 500 calories in a day along with 60 grams of Protein and 48 oz. of Water. Is that good or am I going to fast? And even though I am almost 2 weeks Post Op, I'm still in a lot of Pain. Side Note: As of Today I lost 21 pounds since my VSG Surgery.2
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CShedrick - I wasn't in a lot of pain but did feel discomfort if I slept on my side. If you are feeling deep pain, I'd call your bariatric nurse and just ask questions. If nothing else to make you feel better. I called my several times and she was very helpful. I think your intake of fluids are right on point. Just keep sipping your water and protein shakes. My VSG Surgery was on 3/19/18 - down 35.5 so far. Like Chrissym said, you'll hit a stall about 3-4 weeks, but don't panic. Just keep trucking along. You are doing great!!!!1
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My crazy bathroom scale.... We work hard to see results. The scale is a tool that helps us stay on track and in some innate way... is a cheerleader motivating us on to carry us to the end zone. So what’s up if you weigh yourself every day? Every week? Your weight will fluctuate of course but what if you weighed yourself and it says the same thing as 10 days ago. Could it be the scale? Is it taking you on a roller coaster ride? Well, depending on what scale you own you may need to make sure your scale is recalibrated. It’s good to move the scale and recalibrate it.
Place the scale back on a hard, flat surface
With one foot, press the platform of the scale so that numbers appear on the display. Once you see zeros or dashes remove your foot.
Wait for the scale to turn off again.
Your scale is now calibrated. Step up onto the scale for a weight reading.
Yep....4 lbs gone. I knew something was not right.... I am now out of women’s sizes of today. Milestone!
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This is so inspiring. Great job and congrats.1
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Drinking with Meals. Taking a big glug of iced tea with a mouth full of food is normal for many. But after weight loss surgery, drinking while you are eating washes the food out of your pouch. This allows you to refill your pouch and eat around your surgery. There are some who do this on purpose so they can eat more, adding a twist of psychological sabotage.
We know that there is one ‘professional’ who wrote that its okay to drink with meals. So latch on and listen to this one voice rather than the many thousands of surgeons & certified professionals who have told us otherwise. Brilliant.
People come up with the excuse that they have to drink because they are thirsty. Drink a glass of water before you eat. Problem solved. You can drink right up until you take that first bite, but once the food starts, no more drinking unless you are choking. This is critical to long term success. No drinking with meals. Forever. Period. Done.0 -
Not Taking Your Vitamins. How long can someone last when food intake is restricted and they cannot absorb nutrients? Take vitamins. Take vitamins. Take vitamins. If you have bariatric surgery at age 35, what happens to you after 25 years of deficiencies? It does not end well. The numbers of post ops who break a wrist or ankle in minor trip and fall accidents would shock you. A crisp porous bone will CRUSH like a wafer and little can be done about it late in the game. Longterm post ops are horrified that their teeth have loosened because of osteoporotic jawbones. Many need involved dental procedures including bone grafts when the underlying structures won’t support a root canal or implant.
There are serious conditions that can damage you when you are deficient in vitamins, protein and or minerals. There are neurological conditions caused by not taking essential supplements that are irreversible and can lead to death. TIP! Get your blood work done every 3 months post op.
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Grazing vs. Meal. Plan and eat actual meals. Three meals plus Two small Protein Snacks; this is also called Five Small Meals. Grazing is eating a bite here and a bite there, never really filing up. Your small pouch is the strongest tool and not filling it is giving up a powerful way to control fullness.
Sit down with your plate then slowly and deliberately eat your meal; fullness or satiety will tell you when to stop. Grazing is a behavior that allows you to consume a larger amount of food over a longer period of time as pouch fullness does not happen. If you realize you are grazing, stop it by eating enough solid protein to feel full, a hard cooked or deviled egg, rolled up deli turkey, half a protein bar. Or DRINK AN INSPIRE PROTEIN DRINK… bam, tastes good and you won’t want to eat.
Much of what we call grazing is due to ‘head hunger’ where we think we are hungry or actually just looking for something to do. Take up beading, play online games, read, anything to take attention from food!0 -
Honeymoon Period. Calling it a Honeymoon Period is an accurate description. When weight is falling off and suddenly the world is brighter and all is good it is hard to imagine you will ever face the problems of morbid obesity ever again.
Here’s your wake up call. THE WEIGHT LOSS PARTY ENDS. During those first seven months of massive weight loss you are not driving the bus. You will lose the same amount of weight no matter what you do. There are some who don’t catch on to this and happily think that they have somehow cheated the system and are still losing weight while eating french fries. This does not end well in the long run.
It is common for post ops to not lose all the way to goal weight or over the years regain a substantial portion or even all of their weight back if they have not embraced making completely different foods choices. Even those paying attention can get hit with a gain, just like people who have not had weight loss surgery can gain weight. As with most successes, you create a long term plan and follow it. Weight loss surgery is not effortless nor does it last forever without serious commitment to the new way of life you create.0 -
Hi. I had my sleeve on 18/4. Struggling to get my 60g protein as can’t face anything sweet (as most protein powders are). Thin, smooth soups texture wise are ok. Anything else gives me a tight feeling in my chest. Any suggestions to increase protein intake? Thanks0
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Lozenger1984 welcome to the journey. Just checking in. Did your nutritionist go over an initial plan with you? I found plain Greek yogurt was helpful, I slowly downed 2 a day, I added the protein collagen to my herbal tea, my soups, and puree. Every bit helps. I do not like bariatric shakes of any kind but used the vanilla and added a bit of liquid whey protein which has 47g in 3 oz. Bullet. It's too sweet on it's own. Anyway hope that helps.0
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Lozenger1984 - I use Genepro Medical Grade Protein I purchased from GNC. One tablespoon is 30g of protein. No flavor and dissolves in any liquid. I add it to soups, yogurt, or anything I eat when I need extra protein. It's not cheap though - $38 for 11 servings. But it has worked for me.1
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Hi Ladybug and LGLAustin. Thank you so much for your replies - nice knowing there are others out there who have been sleeved. I’ve got some Greek yoghurt and watering it down with a little milk. The genepro sounded ideal as you can add it to soup but I can’t find a UK stockists or anywhere that ships to the UK. I don’t think we’re as well set up for bariatric surgery patients as the US seems to be yet!1
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Lozenger1984 - Have you tried ordering from Amazon? Just a thought. I've seen it on there.1
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WHY DO HORMONAL CHANGES HAPPEN AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY? It doesn’t matter which procedure you’ve had. Gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and Lap Band surgery can lead to hormonal changes. In a 2012 study published in Science Daily researches found that fertility did not increase but libido (sex drive) increased. When you are overweight your body produces more estrogen. When you lose weight, the estrogen is decreased and the testosterone to estrogen ratio is increased. Testosterone is linked to higher energy and sex drive. A few short months after gastric bypass surgery, A patient experienced menopause. While rare, sudden weight loss can trigger menopause in ‘older’ (late 40’s and 50’ women). Contrary to the cited study, some women claim they got pregnant after weight loss surgery unexpectedly (obesity linked to fertility issues). Whether it’s hormone related or perhaps a patient feels more “body confident” you may find your interest in love making increases rather dramatically.0
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What is Pouch Resetting? Are you post-op gaining again? A pouch resetting is a way of returning your stomach to the size it was immediately after gastric sleeve surgery. Some believe that the stomach once stretched cannot return to its post-surgery state, however, whether the stomach returns to post-surgery state or near post-surgery state, the optimum goal of pouch resetting is to achieve a significant weight reduction irrespective of the degree of reduction of stomach size. Before embarking on pouch resetting, it is important to notify your doctor and dietician and work closely with them to achieve a successful outcome. In pouch reset, you try to change your diet to mimic the post-operative diet. The rationale behind this practice is that the post-operative diet will put less pressure on the stomach and allows for a reduction in size.0
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10-Day Pouch Resetting Guide
On the 1st day, you take only clear liquid diet such as water, broth, tea, coffee sugar-free non-carbonated drink.
On the 2nd and 3rd day, you take full liquid diets such as protein powder with a sugar-free clear liquid, pudding without sugar, soup with soft noodles, non-fat containing yogurt, and sugar-free non-fat ice cream.
On the 4th and 5th day, your diet should be mainly pureed foods. Examples are almond milk, coconut milk, soft cereals, soups, and scrambled eggs.
By the 7th-9th day, you begin to take soft diets such as soft vegetables, soft cereals, soft cheeses, ground beef, soups, scrambled eggs. Others include Mashed fruit (bananas) and canned fruit (with low sugar content).
The above drinks must be taken in small quantity at a time as the excess of them can also overstretch the stomach and prevents the aim of the pouch reset from be achieved.
From the 10th day upward, you can now commence your regular diets with the following precautions
Eat small quantity of food at a time and immediately stop eating once you start feeling the sense of fullness.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Eating too fast allows you swallow gas which can contribute to gastric stretch.
Do not drink water/liquid immediately after food. You either drink 30mins before meal or 30mins after a meal.
Pouch reset is practiced by those who have failed to lose significant weight, following bariatric surgery or those who regained weight after initial losses. This occurs due to a stretched stomach from excessive food intake. Advice from your doctor and dietician as regard your fitness for this intervention is essential to achieve a satisfactory outcome.1
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