What can you eat at 6 mo., 1 year, 2 years

 Hi everyone, I've just recently found OH. My surgery is with Dr. Lautz at Brigham and Women's in Boston. I keep reading about protein shakes on the boards. How long do you need those? What are people typically able to eat at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years post surgery? Are people eating food and still needing the protein supplements from the shakes?  Thanks for any info you can offer.

Hi, I'm almost a year out (April 13). I still have a protein shake for breakfast every morning - I wasn't a breakfast eater before so this works for me !  I have found I can eat just about everything - except I don't eat pasta or a lot of bread. I stay away from icecream for the most part and sweets. I eat meat, vegetables, and fruits, some carbs but I keep them to a minimum. PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN first ! I still work that. Hope this helps.

Good luck !

I could probably eat whatever I wanted at 6 months - at least in limited quantities.  I still have limited quantities - got to keep my pouch nice and small!

I also have a shake every morning since I like not having to prepare a real breakfast.  I probably NEEDED to have a protein shake for the first few months since I was not able to get enough protein from food alone before then.

I'm just about 2 years out & I am still pretty limited in what I can eat. My pouch basically switched me over to a vegetarian diet because I really can't handle any solid meat-protein. No chicken, definitely no steak. I can handle chili but I ate so much my first 6 months out that I got sick of it. Now I stick to tofu.
No rice or pasta, that's just asking for trouble.

I don't usually have a shake, but about 3:00 in the afternoon, I'll have a protein bar. Mine have chocolate in them, and since I still have a sweet tooth, that's how I indulge.

I did not have dumping syndrome at first, either, but I do now. Lately I've noticed that anything high in sugar really gives me the shakes and makes me feel horrible.
I also get the shakes if I wait too long between my little meals. I never get hungry, just eat by the clock & sometimes I have a tendency to wait too long.

Everyone is different, these are just my experiences...

Just wanted to say to you that the shakes from not eating is called hypoglycemia.  Related to low blood sugars.  Please talk to your doc about these and get a blood glucose meter if you dont have one.  When you feel the shakes coming on from not eating, this could lead to serious issues and even ....coma or death.

I do not want to scare you, but want you to know about this.  They have discovered a correlation between WLS and hypoglycemia in some people.  It is not anything to fool around with.

Pre-surgery I had Type II diabetes.  SO I have a meter.  I no longer have any diabetes (remission hopefully forever) BUT I have had in the past 8 months about 5 episodes where I have had low blood sugar.  For me, it seems to be what is called reactive hypoglycemia...occuring as what they call late dumping...I eat carbs or what have you and two or so hours later my sugars go down so low...like 35-40 on the meter.  I carry a glucose drink for when and if it happens. 

I can feel it going low.  Please look into this and take it seriously.  It can be very bad for you.  I did not mean to scare you...

I am six years post op.

I can eat -

6-8 ounces solid packed food

9-11 loosely packed food

12-16 liquids, blends

24+ broths 

 Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply.  It was interesting and helpful to hear that there is such a variation in what people can eat.  I've been saying to my husband all along that I won't know what I can eat until I get there, because everyone has a different reaction to the surgery, and I guess that is the case. Another question... Do most of you make your own shakes and add protein powder, or do you use prepared drinks?