I feel like I messed up.

I had my surgery on 10/3/17 and between feeling full and horrible shoulder pain I am only drinking 30 ounces of water a day. I can't even drink my 3 liquid meals and 2 shakes. I do not want to mess this up but how can I get down all these liquids when I feel so full?

You must drink and walk more. The walking will help with the pain which is from the gas used in surgery. And you need to be getting in a bare minimum of 40 ounces a day - your goal should be 64 ounces. If the shakes and liquid meals aren't working, just do regular thin liquids like hot tea, cold water, low-calorie gatorade, crystal light, whatever works for you that you can get in. Hydration is your number one job right now. And walking.

i have been walking. I am mixing low cal cranberry juice with water. I also have been using crystal light. I am going to work on my water/liquid intake more than the liquid meals. I just hate that I feel like I am messing this up.

Why do you feel like you're messing this up? At five days post-op many people feel the way you feel - shoulder pain from gas, inability to get in all their fluids and proteins. This is a hard, major surgery and recovery can be challenging. One step at a time and it'll get easier.

I guess I am just nervous. I know it is only 5 days post op and I have to give it time.

Part of this journey is learning to love yourself . You are not messing this up, you just need to work at it a bit. Warm salty broth (bone broth or chicken broth) and herbal tea worked well for me to get in liquids in that first week. I didn't drink a single protein shake.

Thank you! I just kept thinking this is what the doctor wants and I already can't do it. I'm glad to see other people struggled the first week too. Thank you for the support.

I had to find the right temperature and the right taste. Too cold would close everything up, to hot, would burn. For me I needed warm enough to sip.

But my friend only could drin**** cold.

I like herbal teas, or decaffeinated coffee mixed with protein shakes. Vanilla or chocolate. I often use premier RTD proteins.

As others said, just keep trying.

In the first weeks, I could only drink the protein shakes if they were almost frozen. Water, had to be room temp and lightly flavoured, and I had to drink it from a sports bottle.

in terms of goals, I suggest just making sure you drink more today than you did yesterday. Even if it's only an ounce. Then, do the same tomorrow. Before you know it, you'll be hitting those targets easy-peasy!

Sounds like you are doing OK to me.

Something I discovered when I was on clear liquids is that a simple cup of beef broth or consume heated for 60 seconds in the microwave was surprisingly good. I thought it was a lot more satisfying than sipping plain water, or those sickly enliven shakes.

Ron