When to stop following surgeon's plan?

As a normie, I was very constipated by nature. Obviously, things changed after surgery, but haven't completely "settled". It changes from day to day, even eating pretty much the same thing. I think it's just my new insides trying to find its new "normal". That and all the vitamins. I kind of jumped into taking them over about 4 or 5 days, so that could also be contributing.

I can't wait to get off of pureed foods, but it's not nearly as bad a liquids! They have us do 1 month liquids, 1 month pureed, 4 months soft food (almost normal diet minus raw fruits and veggies, red meat, and anything too tough), then normal diet at 6 months. He luckily progressed me from liquids a week early, but pureed food hasn't been too bad. Eggs, cottage cheese, and beans don't have to be pureed as long as they are moist. If it wasn't for those, I would be losing my mind because I just cannot put meat in a blender. I am very excited to be able to get some variety back in my diet.

Uhm, at this point, eat what feels right to you but I would definitely start with cottage cheese and eggs and tuna or salmon before I tried chicken as chicken was iffy at best - even a few months out.    Your tummy is going to tell you when it's full so don't drive yourself too stir crazy about amounts you should be eating.  Just drink your water and count your carbs and fat.  Yes you do need your fat or you are going to plug up and that brings on a whole set of other issues.   Are you going to the washroom?  Again, take the time to figure out what your body is telling you.  If you have oil slicks, maybe a bit too much fat, firmer stool = not enough fat.   I swear the first 6 months, you poop yourself thinner.

Hang in there and go with your gut.

I have already been eating eggs and cottage cheese. My surgeon's office considers those pureed food as long as they are moist. I will be sure to be careful with chicken. I know that I will need fat, but according to my surgeon and NUT, under 30 grams a day. I know that is not accurate for us, so I just didn't know when people normally started eating more fat than recommended. I have stayed on their plan up until this point because I figure that is smart during the early healing stages. My bowels haven't found their new "normal" just yet, so I will just have to keep and eye out.

If it's just the fat that is worrying you, then I would increase it bit by bit and see how your body reacts.  I think 30 grams a day is way too low when you consider we only absorb about 20% of it.    That being said, I am no doctor so it has to be your call.

Go slow adding fat but do not be afraid of it.

Are you taking your vitamins yet (AND I DO NOT MEAN THEIR version), but what is actually needed:

http://www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/VitaLadysLabsandTargets_11-2009.doc

http://www.gblcreations.com/Resources/Gina/ProgramDRNY_ERNY_BPDDS3-2010.pdf

I KNOW they want you to take theirs but if I took theirs, I would be 1) iron deficient 2) Vitamin D deficient and 3) overdosing on A, E, and B6. I just nod & smile at the office staff when they tell me I REALLY need to be using theirs but my labs do not lie. Plus theirs is more expensive for the multi, I just use the Costco multi.

Btw, getting your vitamins in will also adjust your BM's. I tend toward constipation now and have to have LOTS of fat. I even eat "fat bombs" (google "fat bomb recipes" and read the description before clicking a link.

Liz

I am taking VitaLady's plan. I didn't buy them all from her but what she recommends. I told Dr. Boyce, his nurse, and NUT. They all seemed okay with it, but Dr. Boyce said that it was a lot of pills and I would only have to take 8 a day of his. They also prescribed some Vitamin D since my levels were a little low from my pre-op. I go pick them up and wouldn't you know it......softgels. And they prescribed 50,000 IU to take 3 times a week. I am taking that much in dry form a day per VitaLady's recommendations. Stuff like this is why I question how much or how long I should listen to their recommendations. They really do seem clueless as to the needs of a DS patient.

I stopped following Dr. Boyces meal plan and all advice from his practice about 4 mths post-op. I get the majority of my information here and have had great labs and been perfectly fine. I did not agree with 99.9% of what his nutritionist told me based on my research, so I opted to just stop going there altogether.