4 WEEKS OUT OF VSG! NEED SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Hello everyone. I have some questions.... Tomorrow is one month post-op. I am thrilled to have surgery behind me! I started at 370. Surgery weight was 358 and today I am 326.7. so in 6 weeks pre-op and post-op I'm down 44 pounds. I am Thrilled! BUT.....My first day of soft foods....HORRIBLE..... I was told to eat SLOWLY.....and that I could have several foods off of a printed list, whi*****luded fat free del meats like turkey, ham and chicken.  so I ate a few nickel sized pieces of ham....mind you I am a rule follower all the way. so within 3-4 hours I was writhing in pain between my bellybutton and my BIG incision......I was told it could have bent he ham...I have an extremely high tolerance for pain. My hubby called my doc and he just said well check my temp....next day i was perfect!!!! Though I was dying....but know....theres more..... can you say CONSTIPATED???? no BM for 5 days.....thought I was dying as would any one.....miralax...didnt work....another dose of miralx 8 hours latter....nothing....had to call the Doc AGAIN....magnesium citrate.....WORKED.... but I went through hell.....All this protein...and soft foods is causing this...I have followed the rule to the letter! PLEASE HELP!

Are you asking if the soft food and protein is causing this? I'm sorry but I don't really understand what your asking or needing help with? 

When I started on soft foods I kinda kept between somewhat puree and very soft for 1 week. Like Cream of wheat, sweet potatoes, cottage cheese, canned green beans, diced peaches, cheese, refried beans and Tilapia. I didn't start eating deli meats until 5 weeks out, and I just ate 1 slice of thin deli meat (turkey) with a small slice of cheese in between. Remember you really have to chew really good, at 4 weeks your stomach is still trying to heal. What helped me with BM's was adding Metamucil to my yogurt or protein shakes. Good luck!

Hi Shorty85,

We are sorry to hear all you are going through.  Post this on the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum (VSG) to reach out to those that had the same type of surgery as yours.

Good Luck!

Just because you're cleared to move to more regular food doesn't mean that your tummy is ready for it.  Stick to more liquid choices, like tuna and mayo or cheese, cottage cheese, etc.  And if you upset your stomach one day, take it easy for the next 24 hours.  Go back to liquids or very soft foods and give your tummy a break.  Ham doesn't sound like a good starter food, whether it's on the list or not.

Constipation...doesn't necessarily have anything to do with what you're eating.  Just stay on top of it - lots of liquids and miralax or colace to keep things moving. 

I am almost 2 years out, RNY, similar to sleeve but more surgery on the intestines.  I am 60 years old, female.  I can tell you that I had one horrible time at the beginning of this journey, pain was unbelievable, in my chest and back.  I had to stay on a liquid diet for about 5 months.  I was in the ER twice getting rehydrated after throwing up so many times.  I could barely stand up.  I cannot eat meat at all, still after all this time.  I cannot eat tuna.  I use beans, lentils etc for my protein and protein drinks.  I don't miss the meat.  We are all different and I'm sure we respond differently to foods.  I have learned to be a vegetarian, not a vegan because I eat eggs, yogurt, milk etc.  You have to try different foods and see what you can tolerate.

Try to introduce the newer foods slowly.  As soon as you have any feeling in your belly, STOP.  Don't try to push more in there.  I'm still glad I did the surgery even though I had to go through a repair (scar tissue), a gall bladder surgery and then to top it off, I got appendicitis which was worse than all the other surgeries put together.  So take it easy and try food slowly.  If you don't tolerate it, I'd go back to creamy and smooth for a couple of days and try something else. 

Good luck (I was constipated too but you are not eating very much to have to go all the time, not like before the surgery.  I use stool softeners when I need them.

I'm not clear what questions you're asking.  Can you be specific?  

Fat is NOT your enemy. Avoid foods that have been made artificially low- or non-fat. The human body requires 30-40 grams of fat every day to function properly---and that includes pooping.

Add some avocado, small amounts, to your diet. A stool softener and daily miralax with a protein shake.  This is a regular for me...no pun intended:-)