NEED SOME ADVICE AND SUPPORT PLEASE!!!!!!

Hi everyone, I am almost 9 wks out and I need some help. I have so much trouble eating! Food just doesn't taste good anymore! I have tried many things and I am constantly getting sick and vomiting. I take my time, eat slowly and cut things up into small bites and only about 2-2 1/2 oz. concentrating on protein first. I only eat 2 meals a day, usually breakfast and dinner. It just doesn't matter what it is, but it just doesn't feel well, like it is from my pouch to my throat. I drink atleast 66 oz of water a day and drink protein supplement shakes because I know I'm not getting enough from my foods. I take my vitamins and my Protonix for acid. I exercise with a walking video for an hour-when I can-not as much as I should, but life is so busy! I have lost 35 pounds and at this point that doesn't even matter to me because I am so concerned with just being able to get food in for my health's sake. I thought having the surgery and losing weight would give me more energy, but it has been exactly the opposite. I am sick of getting sick! I have talked to my surgeon about this, but he isn't overly concerned and says to give it time and take things slower. My stomach seems to make "noises" all the time, which is embarassing at work. I burp alot. Does anybody else have these problems or is there really something wrong with me I really need some advice...PLEASE!!!!! Laura

I am so sorry you are getting sick all of the time! It sounds like you are doing everything right, maybe it will just take your body a little more time than others to get used to this big change! I wish I had advice for you, but I really don't! Just hang in there - I am sure it will get better for you! CONGRATS on your weight loss!!! I hope things turn around for you really soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok Laura I am just about the same time out as you and don't do foods well. First off, 2-2 1/2 oz of solids is toooooo much. You pouch is only 1oz in size so reduce what you are eating. Make sure it's not plain meats. Cook them is fat free gravy or salsa or carb well tomato sauce or anything else to give it as much moisture as possible. Do not rely on these for you protein intake now. Eventually you can use them, but the protein drinks are what must count for the next several months. Cheese seems to be the easiest to get down, especially if you let them get a little warm and they are great for protein. I do also have the noise problem and burping. My doctor tells me I have a tendancy to swallow a lot of siliva (which goes down with air) This also makes us feel more full than others. Once you start getting the protein and water back in with liquids, don't sweat the food issue eventually it will all work out and you will look back and wish you could only eat a little at a time. Email me if you want some tips on food, I used to be a chef, so I get creative when I feel like it. Tee

Laura, I guess I am one of the lucky ones, I seem to do pretty well when I eat slow and chew well. I do know what you mean about food not sounding good. When you can't eat when you want I think it is normal to get depressed. I am only allowed to eat 3 oz per meal, so 2-2.5 oz per meal is a safe intake for you; I would try real hard to eat a third meal even if it means eating right before bed, or having it in the middle of the night when you think about it. Protein supplementing is a great idea if you are concerned. I think if you had a stricture you would have trouble with getting that much fluid in, but did you ask you doc about that? I think your weight loss is fine. Everyone loses at different rates, but if you got that 3rd meal in it may get you out of starvation mode and increase your weight loss. My stomach makes "noises" all the time also (especially after I take a drink), I think that is par for the course, and I also burp a lot. You have a tiny pouch, and when your food or drink goes down the air in it has to come out (and up!). This is not a glamourous thing unfortunately; some people have diarhhea forever after the surgery (so far I am lucky and do not). I think you are normal, and that it will get better. What kinds of things are you eating, and what are you allowed to have? Maybe we all can offer some suggestions to help your desire to eat. Best wishes! Lori

I had surgery 11-2-04 and I am pretty much just getting one meal a day. Well lately I have gone to two. My weight loss has been real slow as well, I think as one of the posters said that we are in starvation mode. I am going to try to get the three meals every day. I am sticking with the protein drinks to make sure I get my protein. My meals are only 3-4 teaspoons. I would stay at what ever you can tolerate (you will work up as your body becomes used to the food), just wet the meat with sauces it helps. That is a lot of water, my doctor only requires 48 oz, you may be filling up with water and then you have no room for the food. Are you also, stopping the water an hour before and after your meals?

Thanks to all who have responded to this posting! I really appreciate your advice! I talked to the surgeons office again this morning and I am going for an upper GI on Friday to check things out. Ok, now... My nutritionist started me out on pureed foods week 2 with 2 oz and at week 4 when I started "solids" she told me to try to bump it up to 3oz. That was just too much, so I cut it back to 2- 2 1/2 oz per meal. They said 2 meals a day is fine, and to especially keep supplementing with the protein shakes. They also said to drink atleast 64 oz of fluids a day and anything beyond is just a plus. The foods that work for me are-turkey bacon-don't know why but it goes down fine and doesn't make me ill, so I'll stick with it for breakfast. Plus, it takes darn good. I always make my meats moist-I have ground beef in sauce, or chicken breast with a little lettuce that I let sit in some oil and vinegar and it absorbs it and gets much softer. Salmon cooked in olive oil and lemon and flaked. I have gotten sick from-pork pieces in lentil soup, tuna salad, sardines in oil, eggs-scrambled and hard boiled, mini meatballs cooked in chicken broth, mozerella cheese, hamburger cooked in onion soup mix and others I think I have forgotten. Once again, thanks for all your replys!

hi,LAURA im 10 weeks out and im not eating hardly at all,sometimes i dont even eat .i dont have any appetite at all,i dont even get to 40oz of liquid a day.i have lost 50lbs.i have been nauseated from the day of surgery.my doctor says this is normal,and i will get better,and begining of this week i have started to feel better with each day.i hope this means its almost over,and i hope it is for you too.i dont get enough protien maybe around 30mg a day because i just dont eat much i cant i push myself i get really sick i havent threw up yet but i sure do feel like it.my doctor says somepeople with sensetive stomachs take longer than others to feel good my stomach makes noise to,and i get hicups alot.all also i had to quit taking my iron because i found out it was also making me sick.i only take centrum chewables,B 12, and c, thats all i can tolerate for now hope you feel better soon

Hi Laura, My surgical date is November 10th (2004) and I have had some of the same symptoms. Believe me, it gets better. I do get nauseous sometimes after I eat. Usually, I get very hot then nauseous then extremely chilled with goosebumps...all within 1/2 hour. It gets old. I do burp a lot too. I have been very blessed with this surgery. I've lost 63 lbs. I weighed in at 238 on November 10. I am now 175. I am eating 3 meals a day plus a snack or two. My biggest problem is getting enough water. Either I eat or drink...can't do both. I used to take Protonix, now I do not have to. (Hopefully, I did not jinx myself.) One thing that helped me was to cut my food like I used to. The pencil eraser size bites were more trouble to me than it was worth. I found myself swallowing before I chewed the food up. With quarter size bites, I concentrate on each bite and make sure that it is absolute mush before I swallow. Take care Stacy

Hi Laura, Hang in there. I also had my surgery on Nov. 10th. This is the first week that I can eat and feel fine. I too only lost 35 lbs, so far. I'm glad that i'm not the only one..it means we are normal and going thru this together. I have found that I can tolerate seafood best. Crab legs, lobster and shrimp. Chicken I just about gave up on. I've tried it many different ways but never have good results. I get sick or nauseaus. I've been able to eat pot roast. It has to be very moist and I take small bites. I can't eat a lot of it, but I do seem to get it down with no problem. Make sure you eating slowing. I know if I eat either too fast or take too big a bite I get sick and feel pain. I think the hardest thing to learn is eating differently. I'm 40 yrs old and to start to learn a new way of eating(slowly and small bites) is really hard. It's definately a learning process. ~Angel 222/187/120

One more thing about the starvation mode. My surgeon says the body knows it is getting food by the stomach being streched for awhile (or the sensation of being full), and that if you go 8 hrs or more without eating (excluding nights) you will go into starvation mode. She also told me she likes to see people decrease the protein shakes to make sure you are getting in your 3 meals and 2 snacks a day at this point (6-8 wks), as the protein shakes will not get you out of starvation mode because they do not keep your pouch streched long enough. They move through the GI tract pretty quickly. It makes sense to me. I know there may be variation from doc to doc, but that's what mine told me. Good luck to everyone!