Help!

The last three-four days at around 3:30-4:00 I start feeling really crappy and sick to my stomach. I have lunch at 12:30 - usually a cheese stick. Then I wait my hour before drinking again. Then the yucky feeling starts in. I feel like I may vomit, but haven't yet. What is going on? DH thinks maybe I need a snack - that the crappy feel is actually a hunger pang. How can I do this and what should it be? I stop drinking at 12:00 so I can eat at 12:30. Finish at 1:00 so I can drink at 2:00. If I drink at 2:00, stop at 3:00 so I can snack at 3:30 then wait until 4:30 to drink and then stop at 5:30 so I can eat at 6:00 - this all seems terribly complicated! LOL!! This is what my body is telling me? What would be a "good" snack? I am on "normal" food now and was told I could fit in fruits and veggies with my meals if there was room after protein. I really miss fruit. I don't do a morning snack. The nurse practioner said three meals a day, 2 oz (two medicine cups full)at a time - period. Nothing more, nothing less. I get up at 6:30, hae breakfast at 7:00 - usually an egg with some cheese. I finish about 7:30. When I get to work at 8:30 I can start drinking - usually a bottle and a half of water. Then I stop at 12 noon. Eat at 12:30 and finish at 1:00 Drink at 2:00 - usually more water or a SF iced tea until 5pm when I leave. Then when I get home, usually around 6 I eat - finish at 6:30 Drink at 7:30 - usually water, SF iced tea or hot peppermint tea. Bed. I have been having trouble with protein shakes, they make me want to vomit. I am playing around with different flavors trying to find the right one. Am I supposed to have some kind of snack between breakfast and lunch and then lunch and dinner? Am I eating enough? DH thinks I should be eating just a little more - he is trying to be helpful and supportive but thinks approximately 300 calories is not enough at one month out. Thanks for the help! Deb

Hello, glad you are posting your concenrs, I see 20+ people read but no one has responded so I will take a stab at this!

First of all knowing EACH bariatric program is different, answers may vary. No right r wrong really just differeent. As individuals as well we may need to tweak our guidelines.

I am glad you are not eating and drinking together, the reason is early on you can get sick, later on you can make a slurry and wash food thru and not feel full and eat much more than typical...

Many of us eat up until the minute we eat, no harm in this as water flows through, thefood after should sit in pouch, it is the eating and drinking together or drinking too close to eating that is usually the issue. Taking 30 minutes too eat also may be too long...for some 10-20 min max is best or grazing can bcome an issue.

Snacks are dangerous slippery slope....grazing now may not be harmful but in several months when one can eat a greater variety and quantity of food it is counterproductive, a bad habit to start many feel.

Now are you HUNGRY or is it too soon to drink for you after eating causing an uncomfortable feeling? 300 calories is QUITE low and slowing the metabolism as you are teaching body it is starving is possible as well.

What does your clinical nutritionist say about 1 month out calories? Do they recommend protein shakes? Your hair may thank you as saving your lean muscle tissue and burning fat instead and help with satiety!

For me more than 4-5 hrs in between meals is a dangerous point of my hunger getting the best of me...A shake at this time may indeed be a good idea!

Perhaos the cheese stick isn't best idea at lunch, change it up, have some tunafish salad, chicken salad, seafood salad, shrimp ****tail, rolled up sandwich meat....Experiment if it is the time or the food..
Keep us posted!
Jamie

Deb, I am so sorry you are experiencing this. I doubt that what you are feeling is hunger because I am almost 6 months post-op & still don't experience real hunger pains (head hunger yes but I ignore that as much as possible.)  I am not sure what's causing this but are you taking anything like Nexium or Prevacid? My dr prescribes this for us for 6 months or so - not sure if that would help. I am not "allowed" to drink for at least 2-2.5 hrs after eating so I don't know if drinking so soon would cause a problem. I admit I have snuck a drink it before the alloted time had elapsed & never felt sick because of it. I am still in learning mode here & by no means am professing to know it all... just throwing out some ideas for you.  I think the best thing to do would be to call your dr & explain to them what you're feeling & I would think they would have answers for you. Don't get discouraged! It's all trial & error - I am sure there are folks out there further out than I am that are still learning & experiencing new things... it'll even out sooner or later!! Good luck & let us know how you made out! Cece  

Hi, Deb!  I am Renée in Syracuse and I have been referred to P Cunningham as well!  I don't have any answers for you but I would LOVE to e-mail with you and talk more about the process.  Thanks ans hope someone can help you out!  {{{HUGS}}}