not getting enough calories because my jaw is broken
CarrieAnnH14
Posts: 85 Member
I just need some assurance here. My jaw has been wired shut for the past two weeks due to a broken jaw. I will have the wires removed in 2 weeks - but still have limited jaw movement and an inability to open my mouth very far. This is because they will be putting rubberbands on for an additional 2 weeks. So I am looking at another 4 weeks of a purely liquid diet. And then I will be on a no chew diet for awhile. I am really trying to drink as many calories as I can - but it is so hard. Most days I end up with negative calories - because I am continuing to take my walks everyday. I can't just drink unlimited shakes and smoothies because I am diabetic so have to limit my carb intake. Many things I try to blend just don't get thin and smooth enough for me to drink them. If something is too thick it swells the inside of my cheeks up. Although I did just make a crab soup with veggies and it worked great! But it is only 75 calories per cup. I had 1 1/2 cups of it for lunch and am currently full. All soups are so low calorie - but it is what works best for me.
I am so worried about going into starvation mode. Please someone tell me it will all be ok. I have lost about 8 pounds in the last 2 weeks. Am so close to my goal weight and don't want to mess things up. Also good food suggestions would be awesome. Thanks!
I am so worried about going into starvation mode. Please someone tell me it will all be ok. I have lost about 8 pounds in the last 2 weeks. Am so close to my goal weight and don't want to mess things up. Also good food suggestions would be awesome. Thanks!
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Replies
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Starvation mode does not exist0
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What about creamy soups? With full fat dairy, or full fat coconut milk? (Extra points if you can get full fat cheese into the mix.)
Also, good quality protein shakes may help? I don't use protein powder personally but I'm given to understand that as long as you watch the ingredients, you can find one that's not overly carby. Mix that up with the full fat dairy mentioned above and you should have a higher calorie drink. <-- n/m, had a peek at your diary and I see you've already caught on to this.
Do you like marrow bones?0 -
You aren't going to starve but have you tried protein shakes?0
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I'm sorry you're going through this (the broken jaw) that sounds painful.
Unfortunately i'm not "advanced" enough to give you suggestions.
BUT....I would love that crab and veggie soup recipe you said you made for 75 cal/cup? *requests it unashamedly*
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Maybe try the Atkins Advantage shakes. They're about 160 calories and I believe they're alright for diabetics, plus they're delicious and pretty decent in protein.0
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Ha! I had a friend who GAINED weight while his jaw was wired shut! His mom made him Snicker's milkshakes, smoothies and cream based soups. You should have not problem finding food to eat (drink) that will provide enough calories. A milkshake alone could pack 500-1200 calories easy!!0
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pure protein shakes are very tasty, high in protein and i believe they have only 1 or 2 carbs.0
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Yes - I drink protein shakes a few times a day. Honestly - they are starting to make me sick to my stomach because I am so tired of them. Some days I do manage to get about 300 calories net. And the other night I was able to blend KFC chicken, mashed potatoes gravy and baked beans. But it had to have a lot of water added to it. So you can imagine it tasted kind of gross.
My diary is open if anyone wants to see what I have been blending up.0 -
Sorry, I missed the diabetic part - look for sugar free ice cream (which still have fat) and add some protein powder. Maybe get some of those meal replacement drinks for diabetics (Glucerna?) and have 5-6 a day.0
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Diabetes makes it much harder... But my only advice is to stop exercising. You need to rest so your body can heal...0
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Crab and veggie soup recipe.....warning it is full of highly processed ingredients - but canned stuff blends the best for me - so for now that is what I am doing.
1 4.25 oz can chicken of the sea fancy crab meat
1 can of peas and carrots
1 can of Campbells mushroom with roasted garlic soup
2 1/2 cups water
Just put it all in the blender and puree until smooth. I have to strain mine though.
Makes 6 1 cup servings0 -
My son had his jaw wired shut for nearly two months. He didn't lose. Get a top grade blender and make some amazing smoothies, shakes, etc. We put everything into a blender. It was crazy. He got so hungry at one point that he put a meatball sub into a blender, extra sauce and there it was. LOL. It looked gross but he said it was good. His doc gave us a recipe book for meals in a blender.
http://www.oralfacialsurgeons.com/surgical-instructions/jaw-surgery.asp0 -
I do make shakes with sugar free ice cream.0
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Crab and veggie soup recipe.....warning it is full of highly processed ingredients - but canned stuff blends the best for me - so for now that is what I am doing.
1 4.25 oz can chicken of the sea fancy crab meat
1 can of peas and carrots
1 can of Campbells mushroom with roasted garlic soup
2 1/2 cups water
Just put it all in the blender and puree until smooth. I have to strain mine though.
Makes 6 1 cup servings
Okay...umm...that looks AMAZING. Thank you so much!! I had no idea crab came in cans (I've never had crab in my life...but I love soups, so I am totally gonna try this)
I hope you get useful tips from everyone else...looks like it so far. I just don't know enough yet to add to it.0 -
Consider whey protein shakes, and nutritional shakes intended for diabetics. Perhaps some whole milk also, for the calories and dietary fat.0
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Oh, that's got to be awful. First of all I wouldn't worry about starvation mode. You need to set that aside and heal first then you can jump back on the wagon. But I agree with what someone else said. Whatever you can do that is high fat--full fat cheese, cream, etc.
Good luck and I wish you speedy recovery! :flowerforyou:0 -
Some higher calorie soups I can think of would be: cauliflower & almond (more fat from the nuts) or broccoli & blue cheese. And make sure you make them with rich meat stock rather than veggie stock or water. And sweat the veggies in butter.0
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Crab and veggie soup recipe.....warning it is full of highly processed ingredients - but canned stuff blends the best for me - so for now that is what I am doing.
1 4.25 oz can chicken of the sea fancy crab meat
1 can of peas and carrots
1 can of Campbells mushroom with roasted garlic soup
2 1/2 cups water
Just put it all in the blender and puree until smooth. I have to strain mine though.
Makes 6 1 cup servings
Sorry about the broken jaw - hope everything is healing quickly.
In the above recipe I'd swap the water for full-fat milk, cream or coconut milk for some extra calories with no extra effort.
Unless there's a medical reason for avoiding sugar I'd go for full fat, full sugar ice cream in your milkshakes too.
I found this pdf which seems to be the sort of thing you're looking for:
https://uvahealth.com/services/cancer-center/images-and-docs/liquid-diets.pdf
Good luck!
ETA: Also, unless you have alergies, nut butter in the milkshakes would add to the calorie count (and help you get more protein)0 -
Cream. In everything you can think of. Make sugar-free chai teas or shakes flavoured with real fruits or lattes or frappes or soups or whatever your heart desires. Full fat, as in whipping cream at least, to boost your calorie intake.0
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You aren't going to starve but have you tried protein shakes?
This. I'd even try mixing a meal replacement shake and a scoop of protein to get more cals.0 -
My understanding is that diabetics can eat fresh fruit without ill effects because the fiber in fruit slows the absorption of sugar. After reading up on this, I started sharing my fresh fruit smoothies with my dad, who is diabetic. He's had no problems with the smoothies thus far (a couple of months).
http://healthhubs.net/diabetes/which-fruits-are-safe-for-a-diabetic-to-enjoy/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/diabetes/FAQ-20057835
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/fruits.html0 -
You shouldn't worry about starvation mode but get as many calories as possible so that you heal faster.
I had jaw surgery a few years ago and I was banded shut for 2 weeks, didn't have much of an appetite and lost a lot of weight. Then all of a sudden when I went on a soft food diet I was ravenous. I gained about five pounds back at first, but after that I had no problems losing.
I can't really help with the diabetic diet though. When I did eat I had mostly Ensure, milkshakes and juice.0 -
keeponkickin' thank you so much for that link! I looked at it and it has great ideas - I will definitely be trying them.
Everyone else - thanks so, so much for your responses and suggestions. I really appreciate it.0 -
Also, if you are worried you are losing weight too fast, one way to close the deficit calorie gap would be stopping (or maybe just decreasing) the walks for the interim.0
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I had my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks due to a tumor in my jaw. Long story, but anyways as soon as you can start eating again you will gain some the weight back. Try not to worry it about it for now.0
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