What EXACTLY do you eat after surgery

Please dont tell em to ask the dietician- I want real examples of the first month or maybe 2 after surgery- and WHERE I can buy the stuff- I am on Jenny Craig right now to lose my initial weight loss- but its spendy- HOWEVER- I am learnin good eating habits for my children as well- so its kinda like payin to go to school- but I still want a reality check on what will taste good, and still be tolerable- AND PLEASE EXPLAIN DUMPING!!!!

If you have a surgeon they will have a program all lined out for you. Please keep in mind that you will probably not experience hunger at all after the surgery for nearly 6 months. It is wierd to think you won't, but you don't and have to at times remind yourself to eat. That being said....Here is an example of what I did for the first month: Week 1 after surgery: water, crystal light, chicken broth, vegetable broth, protien drinks, jello Week 2 after surgery: yogurt, pudding, strained cream of chicken or mushroom soup, fat free cream cheese mixed w/ non-fat whip topping on jello, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, soft poached eggs. Things are very very soft at this point. Everything from week 1 can also be included. Week 3 after surgery: soft fish, salad shrimp meat, scrambled eggs, mushy veggies (over cooked), applesauce (unsweetened or sweetened w/ Splenda) + everything from weeks 1 and 2 Week 4 after surgery: soft boiled chicken/turkey (dark is best),Wendy's chili, apple slices w/ skin removed, soups, hard boiled eggs, almost anything that is softer and not very dense. Week 8 after surgery: Can now introduce fresh veggies. most should be peeled. No celery at this point. Peel fruits as much as possible as well. Dumping: Because your intestine has been rerouted there is a stretch of 6-8 inches where food is not digested, but runs through the intestine to the illium where it will join with the stomach juices in the old stomach to be processed by the intestines. In this area foods such as alcohol and sugar are absorbed directly into the blood stream so it is of the utmost importance that they be avoided or "contained" as much as possible. If not you can experience what is known as "dumping" which is where your blood sugars spike and then drop causing a rapid heart beat, nausea, light headedness, head aches, vomiting, and extreme tiredness. It isn't much fun and most of us have pushed the envelope and know that so that we avoid those types of foods that will cause it. Hope this helps you Trisha

Great explanation Tricia! Especially on the dumping part. I always wondered just why that would happen. Thanks! Linda

That is a great explanation! One other thing that needs to be mentioned is just because you like it before surgery, doesn't mean you will after surgery! Crystal Lite was a must have for me before surgery. Now I can not stand the stuff!

Go figure....me too. I lived on the lemonade and now the thought of it makes me almost ill. Now my "poison of choice" is Snapple diet Cranberry/Raspberry, but dang that gets expensive Fortunately we are going into the summer and I LOVE plain ice tea for several months before it falls out of favor with me. Trisha

A-MEN...I'm even picky about my bottled water.."spring" water tastes like DIRT!!! Even 4.5 yrs later.

Trish really nailed the basics...just remember we are all different and have different reactions to foods...some can eat beef and not chicken and vice-versa. I CANNOT eat shrimp. Took me years before I could eat tuna..still hate white chicken breast meat and will NEVER eat Jello again, but can put down ANY beef!!! go figure!!! Just go slow and if at first you don't succeed try again later.. Best wishes Deanna K