I'm not convinced my surgery worked anymore!

I had my surgery on 9/9/09 and followed the liquid diet for 5 days.  I wasn't hungry until I got home.  I'm tired of all the liquids (I'm supposed to drink them for 2 weeks) and have started to slip.  Yesterday - I ate 1/2 a slice of bread (very slowly, chewing the heck out of it) and then progressed on to about 2 T of cooked cabbage (once again - chewing it to death).  I felt full but was paranoid all night that something bad was going to happen (the food would eventually get stuck, etc.).  I prayed to god to get me through this and I would promise to be good.  Well, I started well this morning - drinking fluids (not nearly as much as I'm supposed to) but by this evening - I at 1 c. of chicken long rice.  Slowly, chewing the heck out of it - but ate it nonetheless.  I'm full again and am now convinced that the surgery didn't work.  I have to STOP!!!!!!  

Did anyone experience eating food w/out any problems only 1 week after surgery?  OMG Help me. 

Ok let's see, maybe I can help you. I had my surgery on the same day as you. My doctor didn't require me to be on a liquid diet. The first day I had ice cubes, second day protein drinks and a nasty protein gel, and on the third day pureed food. OMG I was so happy to have pureed you just dont know.

Do you have a blender? If not, Walmart has an inexpensive handheld blender for 12.00. I got that because it didn't make sense for me to buy a big blender to puree 4 tablespoons. It works like a chart. I've lost 12 pounds to date.

Let me post what I ate today

Morning

7am  Ice Tea protein drink 23 grams

9am Plain Oatmeal packet with a teaspoon of Splenda

12pm  4TBS of blended chicken, gravy and rice

Water
Water
Water

5pm  4TBS of a blended jerk drumbstick and rice

7:30 Ice Tea protein drink 23 grams

Do you use the food tool on this site? It's awesome. I use it to journal my food everyday. I love it. It tells you precisely how much protein youre getting, how many calories etc. I hope this helps. Let's stay in touch. We share the same date. Maybe we can encourage each other on this journey.

oh one more thing...I was thinking the surgery didnt work early on because I always felt hungry. My girlfriend who had the surgery explained to me that the hunger pains are still the same. The difference is you can satisfy them with a small amount of food. She also said I wasn't getting enough protein which was true because the ISOPURE was AWFUL. Now that I have the tea I'm overdosing on it. I can't get enough. Hunger pains are GONE. I eat 3 meals per day and drink two protein shakes...or more. ;-)

You've go to tell me where to get the iced tea protein drink!

Vitamin Shoppe. If you don't have one in your area you can also purchase it online. I heard their Cappuccino version was good too.

I'm still pre-op but what you are doing, from what I have read, is a BIG no no!!!!!

You need to follow what your doctor's eating plan is for you.  If they want you on liquids for 2 weeks, then you need to drink liquids.     Maybe your not drinking slow enough?  

I'm also thinking maybe your not getting enough protein in with your liquids.   Maybe go out and buy an unflavored protein powder and put it in your crystal light or broth.    

I dont know...for having a new stomach, I just think you shouldn't be eating chicken yet......definitely what the above poster say, blend something if you REALLY need to eat.........

keep in mind that you may be having head hunger too and that you really need to try and think about something else while you are hungry or go out and walk because that is how failure will start is if you start getting off track now


Good luck....I would suggest calling your doctor or nutrionist to let them know what you have done so far and what they suggest for you.

even though you have some sensation in your stomach, it is still numb and the nerves haven't healed yet.  PLEASE don't eat anything else unless you blend the hell out of it.  At most you should be on full liquids easing into pureed right now.

Serious complications can come about if even the slightest fragment of food gets lodged in your staple line.  Until you are cleared to do so, PLEASE don't tempt it.  Sip your protein shakes, wait a bit between sips.  Eat soup that has been strained.  CHEW sugar free popcicles to help with that craving.  I wasn't hungry so much as I was missing the chewing sensation....

Please, don't sabotage yourself already.  You've got a long way to go!

My doctor was adament about explaining how our new pouch is not healed until 3 weeks postop.  Eating ANYTHING prior to complete healing is just too risky.  He explained about temptations, as everyone will get them.  But he also explained what could happen IF we didnt follow our postop instructions to the tee.....the worst being a rupture of the suture line and the resulting peritonitis.    I'll tell ya, he scared the heck out of me enough to make me follow his instructions completely.   That said, I'm currently just beginning some pureed foods, and am enjoying applesauce, grits, cottage cheese, yogurt (especially the whipped type), and cream of wheat.  Who'd have thought those items would "feel" so good.  It's not so much the taste, it's the feel of being able to put a spoon to my mouth with something on it!
Bottom line:  PLEASE immediately start following your doctors instructions.   It's a hard road until we all start eating real food again, but this period will pass, and before long, we'll all be passing recipes back and forth for the real food.
Take care of your new self.