Imagine eating until you are to the point of bursting and then HAVING to add water on top of it. After surgery, while your stomach is healing, it's not just smaller, it's also swollen, so even liquids feel like you are trying to add water to a stomach that's already over full. It's uncomfortable for some, not all, and getting protein drinks AND water in can be a challenge. One trick to make it easier is to drink things like Isopure Zero. It's a flavored water with over 40 grams of protein in each bottle. This gives you water and protein in one.

The thing you need to remember is that sipping water and protein is doable, you just need to do it in little amounts. As your stomach heals and the swelling goes down, it gets easier and then you add pureed food, then soft, then back to normal. Each step towards normal at first feels like you are eating too much. Then your stomach heals more, it gets easier, and on to the next stage. All this is normal.

One more thing. For me the protein shakes were way too thick and sweet. I am more of a savory person. So once I got home I lived on protein infused chicken and beef broth rather than the shakes (got them from my doctor's office). And I drank a lot of the Isopure Zero. It's sweet, kind of like Jolly Ranchers, but not thick as it's water. For me, those two things made it so much easier.

I think most of us find it hard to drink early on in post op, but again, it's because of the reduced size of the stomach combined with the swelling from surgery. It's not painful, just uncomfortable because you constantly feel full. Make sense?

I completely agree with both posts above me! After surgery your stomach is so small, but it is soo swollen! Nearly swollen shut! You asked what it felt like? Well my first sip was horrible because the nurse insisted that "ice cold water" would feel best. It was very very WRONG for me! It hit my stomach and felt like an ice pick. It was truly uncomfortable for a few minutes. My mom (who was with me) made me some yummy, WARM, bouillon immediately and when I sipped on that it was much more comfortable. It felt like there was a rock in my stomach and the liquids had to move past it. With warm liquids (and my pain meds) it did not hurt, just felt very very full!

I am also going to add that you also have NO DESIRE to eat/drink after surgery! At least I didn't. So forcing yourself to sip every couple minutes is a pain the batooty on top of the immense feeling of fullness.

Now the swollen stomach is only the cause for immediately after surgery and for maybe the first couple weeks (though my surgeon said it does not fully heal 100% until about the 6 month mark). I would still "fill up" on water well into the first year. Even now, at nearly 3 years out.. when I drink I cannot drink more than a few ounces at a time. Your stomach is simply THAT SMALL!