Begging for someone to tell me it gets better......

I just hit 4 weeks post op.  The first 3 were pretty positive, but the last week I have thrown up just about every day.  I started soft food Sat, so its been six days.  I have only consumed cheese, eggs, some chicken and tonight ham and every time I am uncomfortable for hours after eating and then it comes back up about 2 hours later.  I am going to call the doctor tomorrow but until then was looking for some support. I know only a couple people who have undergone this surgery and those couple haven't dealt with this issue.  Please tell me it gets better soon......


`

You might be trying those foods too soon.  I know I wasn't able to eat eggs for almost a year post-op! 

For now, stay with ground meats, tuna, shrimp, lots of liquids, refried beans w/cheese, cottage cheese, etc.  I found that pureeing my favorite soup was good because I like the flavor and pureeing doesn't change the flavor even if it changes the texture.

Give yourself a couple of days with soft foods and then gently re-introduce  the foods I mentioned.  I don't recall exactly how long it took, but I think I was about 3 or 4 weeks out before trying solid meats.

Good luck!

Try using ground meat.  When I started foods I could not eat whole meats.  My gastro doc and my surgeon suggested that I get everything ground.  Once I started doing that it got easier to eat meat for me.  I am almost 2 yrs out and I still have problems (throw up) on occasion with turkey, chicken, and ham.  I cannot eat steak at all - not a bad thing I didn't like steak prior to surgery.

Hang in there it does get easier. 

In the meantime also call your doctor, my doc sent me to the gastro doc to be scoped to make sure I had not developed a stricture from the surgery.  Which I had not, the meat thing for me is just my system.  I still use a lot of protein shakes, eggs, and greek yogurt to make sure I get all my protein in.

Good Luck,
Ida

Thanks guys!  I probably put off calling the doctor this long because i had a feared they were going to tell me the same thing...go back to pureed food.  The pureed food was absolutely the worst part so far.  I know it's a learning process.  Thank you both for responding

I found the pureed stage needed to last a bit longer for me.  I had to remember my insides where still healing and more than likely my body was telling me that.  Listen to your body. 

Best of luck to you in this journey!!!!  It is amazing!

Ida

Everyone is different post-op but the others who posted made good points. Eggs didn't agree with me for almost a year - same for most dense meats - I was almost 2 years out before I could really eat a piece of steak. Don't push your pouch - be gentle with it - at 4 weeks it is still healing and swollen and touchy. Stick to soft foods as much as you can and very small portions - eat more often if you get hungry but remember, your new stomach is only the size of an egg, so it won't take much to fill it.

As 'fluffy' people tended to not feel content until we were stuffed, which obviously went beyond content and got us to the fluffy stage! Supplement meat with protein shakes for a while - at least that way you're getting good nutrition and protein.

I found chicken much too dry for a long time, even if it seemed moist it would always get stuck, I'd get the foamies and regret even attempting to eat it.

It will get better, trust me - but stick to very small portions - very moist foods - stay away from eggs for a while. If you really crave something eggy try EggBeaters and make them scrambled or something.

Good luck - keep us posted!!

Oh, your description sounds just like what I went through!  At that stage I could only keep yogurt and soup down.  Turns out I DID have a stricture, once I got it stretched it was much better.  But even almost a year out, there are foods I cannot tolerate, they still make me sick.  Like Italian sausage, which used to be one of my favorites.  Do not be afraid to call your dr!

Good luck,
Deb

This is to dit657,  you said "the foamies" and I wanted to find out if that is what I've been experiencing. When things come back up a couple hours later it is a watery /mucus blend.  I was wondering if that was normal? Is that what your referring to

I'll answer that one. yes that is the foamies. i did have that often in the beginning. it comes from eating too fast, or not chewing enough,or   from waiting too long between meals. sometimes just ate something that did not agree with new stomach.  sometimes from taking vitamins on an empty stomach.  too many variables,so you have to look at each one and decide if it applies and narrow down the list. but yes it does get better once you figure out how you new body works.

may i ask if you still have your gall bladder. sometimes sudden weight lose trigger's gall stones and other bile related problems. dairy and greasy foods set off the problem for most people.

Cheryl,  thanks for answering.  My gall bladder and apendix were both taken out with my DS surgery.  I have not called the doctor yet,  I figured I was going back to pureed for today and see if it makes a difference.  If not, I'll call tomorrow.  I have done dairy since the beginning, I have to do my shakes with milk and lactaid(i can't handle them with water) and have been able to handle soft cheese (crackle barrel) .  I know this is a process of elimination, I write down everything I eat but still haven't narrowed it down. I know it is early yet but I feel like I was prepared for everything except this part, no one told me about being so sick all the time.  I have four kids and it is very tuff to try and make them understand that mommy doesn't feel well (every day).   Any idea about how long it took to start getting use to your new stomach and for things to calm down. 
Oh,  one more question,  the food I did have (things that I looked forward to) did not taste the same, i got no enjoyment from the food, does that pass too?  And I always have the same gross pastey taste in my mouth
Thanks to all who are taking the time to give me insight