Question for Post Ops

Hey guys,

Just wondering how many of you followed the stages of diet to the letter?? I have done the clear liquid and am now in full liquids.  I can go to pureed next wednesday and am getting sick of cream of broccoli and cream of chicken soup for lunch and dinner.  I do have cream of wheat and protein drinks and pudding and jello, of course, water.  I know not to rush things and I guess it was cuz I was in the grocery store today and seeing all the foods I can't have that is making me this crazy.  Just wondering if this is normal?? Is this head hunger?? 

Also, I am taking the BA chewable calcium and multivitamin. Last night, when I was taking my final dose, it was like it was stuck in the middle of my chest. Has this happened to anyone esle, how can I get it to go down easier? Sometimes get that feeling with drinking my water too. What's this about??

Thanks for your help 
Colleen 

Hi Colleen,  don't worry you'll be able to eat all kinds of things before too long.  I would encourage you to be strong and fight through the temptations.  I stuck completely to Dr. Moien's instructions and I'm super happy that I did.  The discipline that I learned in the beginning helped me trememdously once I was a year out and could eat anything.  I don't think that it's head "hunger", I think it's head temptation.  *lol*  Good luck and you'll be eating pureed/soft foods before you know it.

I cheated 2 days early and had a 1/2 of a softly scrambled egg.  It was the best damn egg I ever had in my life!  But I also admitted it to my doctor and did not lie about it.  I think there is a gray area with post ops and the band though since there are so many varying post op schedules from doctor to doctor.  I was having no problems with liquids and such, so when I ate that egg and told my doctor, he said I made a good choice and everything was fine. 

different doctors consider different foods to be soft liquids vs puree.  some even have you go straight to puree.  i started my puree two days early as well, and i was also honest with my doctor.  just remember that regardless of how great you feel, you're still healing on the inside and the food is passing through two reconnection points.  if you try to push too much through either of those connection points before it's healed, you can do damage.  think of it as two small tubes that you've glued and now you're waiting for the glue to dry.

I was fine with clear liquids but had all sorts of intolerances/bad reactions to full liquids, purees etc.  I could not tolerate the protein shakes or the clear protein drinks.  everything tasted so horrible fo such a long time- about  the first 6 months post op.  Primarily it was lactose intolerance but also nausea due to mild dehydration and low potassium.  I remember eating a few spoons of chili with beans and meat about two weeks out from surgery since I could keep noting else in me- I could tolerate it but didn't do it again.  The surgeon and nut also told me to add cheese much earlier as I  was not able to gt in much of any calories or protein for my first month or so. 

I didn't get head hunger until more than a year post op as I was always nauseous and pouch very sensitve.  i got full blown head hunger these days!?!  I tend to sip liquids even with my vitamins and foods- helps it mositen up and go down.  Some foods don't need to sip water with like soups.  Hang in there. 

I followed my instructions because I was afraid of getting something stuck and being in pain or really sick.  My doctor said I could have mashed potatoes and I would add melted cheese and have that so I wouldn't get too bored. I know it is hard but 1 more week will be gone soon. 

Yes I have had the vitamin get stuck there when I was early out. Because of that I only took Centrum liquid vitamin for like 2 months then switched to chewables. You have to make sure you chew them really good before you swallow.

If you get that feeling with your water then it means that you are drinking too fast. You need to sip slowly.  If I took a gulp in my mouth I would swallow the water little by little but not the gulp at once it can be very painful.  Remember to drink slowly. It will get easier as time goes by.

Ditto to what Cira said.  I did not cheat although I sometimes thought I wouldn't make it.  Drink the water slow in the bginning.  Water was my biggest concern because I wanted to 'DRINK LIKE I USED TO" I kept asking all those who were ahead of me in the journey when will I be able to just take a good old big drink of water.  The answer always was "be patient".  So that's my answer to you, just be patient.  Take this one day at a time and don't do anything that will set you back. This is a wonderful and fun trip.  I think the more patient we are and the more we do things as close to our doctors orders the more we appreciate everything as we go along.  I'm two years out, no problems so far (knock on wood) and 200 lbs down.  Keep up the good work you will be able to eat and drink normally soon. 
MargieB