I do not want to eat anything!
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krissyheadrick
Posts: 6
So I am 8 days out of VSG and I find myself wanting to eat absolutely nothing! I hate protein drinks (I've tried almost all kinds, even the clear kind) because they all make me nauseous. The thought of eating soft foods (eggs, jello, cottage cheese, etc) also makes me nauseous. Have any of you had this experience? The problem is I am going back to work Monday and I have no energy. I can't afford to take anymore time off because I will be out of sick days. I have heard when I start my vitamins on Tuesday (postop visit) that this will help. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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The first weeks are certainly hard, but it should improve steadily with time. I didn't have a really difficult time with the liquids as I found proteins I enjoy, but your experience is not unique with having a hard time with them.
I am now almost five weeks out and learning how to make good real food choices to hit my protein goals. Muscle through the next few weeks pans I bet it gets better.
Feeling like the Don't worry, be happy guy,
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It does get easier. In the hospital I smelled the jello and got sick to my stomach (and I like jello) I was having trouble with the protein drinks the choc. were too choc. and I do not like vanilla. I started to buy EAS Advantage shakes (walmart) I mix half a choc. and half a vanilla and it is just the right flavor for me. Then I can drink it. Once you start real food it will get better---hang in there!0
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I understand your dilemma with eating certain things and even drinking some of the protein. I personally use Isopure Double Dutch Chocolate powder and the Isopure 20oz bottles. It's great with soymilk or water. Just make sure that you aren't drinking too fast. As far as the foods go, that is a unique situation. I couldn't wait for scrambled eggs. It will get better but you really need to get in your fluids and protein. I know all of our doctors are different, but I was on multivitamins and calcium citrate the day after surgery. It will get easier.0
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Here's something my surgeon's NP told me, although if ever asked officially she'd probably swear she never said it: She told me all we need is water. For weeks. She said all the post op jello and broth and what not is just water in disguise, that if all I drank was water for weeks they wouldn't care.
That made me laugh.
Ignore what I just said and follow YOUR surgeon's directions.0 -
I had a very difficult time with the protein shakes at first. They were too sweet and too thick. I had to stay an extra day in the hospital because I couldn't even get one down in a 24 hour period. I am more of a savory person, so what worked really well for me was being able to drink the high protein chicken and beef broth I had once I got home. If you don't have something like that, use regular chicken and beef broth from the grocery store and add a scoop of unflavored protein powder to it. I am really sodium sensitive, so I get the low sodium ones.
Everyone here is right, it does get easier and better. But you need to experiment and find what works best for you WITHIN YOUR SURGEON'S PLAN. You have a few days left before you go back to work, so try a couple of different things. And good luck.0 -
It sucks but you've gotta do it. You have my sympathies! Follow the MD's plan. They get paid the big bucks for a reason. Good luck
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Thin out some yogurt with milk. There are lots of flavors0
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I am 7 days out and eating soft food for the first time today, and it went great. I have been on the multi-vitamins, calcium chews, sublingual B12 and chewable iron since the night I got home from the surgicenter. Talk to the nurses at the doctors office and ask why you aren't on vitimins yet.0
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I am two months out and the desire to eat is still not there. I get hungry. I eat when I'm hungry. But I'm still not getting enough calories a day. It gets frustrating. I remember being where you are and it's not fun but it does get easier and I hope it gets easier for me.0
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Jemp, what are your chewable irons called and where are you finding them at?
I have a hard time swallowing certain meds...sometimes its the (medicine/vitamin) smell, sometimes its due to size, pretty much for different reasons.
Right now some of my vitamins are in chewable/gummy form but I haven't found the iron in gummy
Right now Im taking this huge capsule that lucky for me I can take apart and mix it with SF applesauce (just enough to mix and get it down).
I hate it because it leaves a bitter aftertaste, its gross!
If I can find the iron in gummy form, thatll get me 1 step closer to getting my recommended meds down 0 -
The desire to eat will not be there for a long time. Follow the plan your doctor set out, find a way to drink some protein and stay hydrated. Your energy levels will increase as you heal. One week is a quick turn around, you most likely have not yet fully overcome the anesthesia.
I really found the ISOPURE 20 oz bottles were a great way to get fluid and protein at th esame time. Just sip them through the day and it will help your energy levels.0 -
Jemp, what are your chewable irons called and where are you finding them at?
I have a hard time swallowing certain meds...sometimes its the (medicine/vitamin) smell, sometimes its due to size, pretty much for different reasons.
Right now some of my vitamins are in chewable/gummy form but I haven't found the iron in gummy
Right now Im taking this huge capsule that lucky for me I can take apart and mix it with SF applesauce (just enough to mix and get it down).
I hate it because it leaves a bitter aftertaste, its gross!
If I can find the iron in gummy form, thatll get me 1 step closer to getting my recommended meds down
All of my vitamins are from Bariatric Advantage. I got a post-op box from my doctor the week before my surgery. It contained protein drinks for the first week and all of my vitamins for my first month. Nectar protein drinks for the first three days then BA protein shakes for the next four days. Two bags of calcium citrate chews in carmel and chocolate, I take two in the morning along with a French vanilla chewable multi-vitamin. I take a chewable strawberry flavored iron pill at lunch, it's very small. You have to take the calcium and iron pills at least two hours apart. Then again at dinner I take a second multi-vitamin and two more chews. Twice a week I also take a sublingual vitamin B12 tablet, it melts under my tongue. I didn't like the chocolate calcium chews so I bought a new bag of lemon ones at my two week check up. The carmel flavor is awesome and the lemon tastes like a Starburst candy. Bariatric Advantage products are available online to purchase. I hope this helps you. My nutritionist told me I was not allowed to use gummie vitamins but could use chewables and Flintsones complete were great. I also bought a huge bottle of sublingual vitamin B12 at BJ's for $16.99 and they are a higher dose then the BA variety and only have to take these once a week.0 -
I hope everything has gotten better with this OP.0
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candicevaughn wrote: »I am two months out and the desire to eat is still not there. I get hungry. I eat when I'm hungry. But I'm still not getting enough calories a day. It gets frustrating. I remember being where you are and it's not fun but it does get easier and I hope it gets easier for me.
I am six months out and the urge to eat is still not there. I had to take Garber's advice and start eating at set times everyday. It's the only way I hit my protein goals and even come close to my calories. I still don't hit my calorie goal but I get close and as long as I hit my protein goal, I'm okay with that.
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I am 6 mos out, I am definitely not hitting calories goals, I am only eating 600-700 cals a day. 90 percent of that is protein, but it feels like I am eating all the time. The first 3 mos were the worse for me, my surgeon recommended pureed foods for 3 mos or cream of soups and protein shakes. I also found isopure to be the best tasting (the chocolate one) made with low fat milk and some ice.0
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Thanks Jemp, we didn't get a "starter" kit, although that sounds like a great idea!
Thank goodness it was the dr's suggestions for those that couldn't take the pills.
I don't know what I would've done otherwise w/ the other things that I already have to take that only comes in pill form
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My doctors office offered the pre-op and the post op kit.......you had to buy it though.0
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My doctors office offered the pre-op and the post op kit.......you had to buy it though.
We had to buy our post-op box at our pre-surgery class. It was $150.00 and was not optional, had to take the class with the nutritionist and the nurse. The class covered the surgery, what and how to eat before and after, what to expect day of surgery and first weeks out. We also met individually with the doctor to discuss any questions and concerns we had. Class took 5 hours then we had an hour for lunch, then we went to do a pre-admit at the hospital or surgi-center where our surgeries would take place. 8:00 am until 3:00 pm , took the entire day, but was well worth it to me. There were five patients in the class and I could not believe how little anyone knew, or cared, about the surgery process or what they needed to do afterwards. A few just didn't care and two had no clue what they were about to do to their bodies and the permanent repercussions of it. Twenty somethings with one concern, lose weight, no other thought pattern about the seriousness of surgery. "Anesthesia is so cool!" - I kid you not, and they were having a full bypass!
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We had the pre-op nutrition class which is where the vitamins were pitched. They were pitched with every meeting I had with a nutritionist in a one on one setting also. I did end up buying Unjury from the Unjury website though. Not bad, but for some reason it's foamy and I hate foam.
The week before surgery we had a meeting with the in house psychiatrist and talked about all the other good stuff. Most of the folks in there were older than me. 18 people and i'm 38. Well for the record, i'm terrified of Anesthesia. Before the surgery while speaking to the anesthesiologist he asked, "is there anything else you need"? I responded, "just make sure you wake me up". We had a laugh but he knew I was a ball of nerves.
It's odd that people didn't know. I had to have a psychiatric eval done by an outside psychiatrist and all kinds of stuff. It was a six month process of meeting with a doctor every month. Sounds irresponsible they would go through it with people like that.
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