Bloated

Monday I was able to start the soft food stage. They still want me to drink 2 protein shakes a day mixed with milk for additional protein. They want me to work up to 90 grams of protein, no more than 50 carbs, and under 900 calories a day.

After I drink my morning shake I get so bloated and feel kind of miserable. I was told I could eat a 1/2 cup of something at a time but I can't finish anything. I tried 1/2 cup of cottage cheese for lunch and couldn't fini**** Greek yogurt at 3pm and couldn't fini**** Refried beans, a little melted cheese, and sour cream for dinner and didn't fini**** I still have to try to drink a protein shake tonight.

I find I don't want to eat anymore. I think about food a lot, things I can't have of course, but when it comes to actually eating I feel like I'm forcing it just to get protein in.

So I'm wondering how much of this is normal. Should I talk to my surgeons office about being bloated a lot or will that get better once my stomach is use to having more than watery liquid?

You may be bloated because of a reaction to the protein powder you are using.  Order sample packs from Vitalady and see if you notice a difference.  This has been discussed a lot on here, and it is amazing how differently we all react to the different protein powders.

I tried my first shake at a little over two months out.  It was Champion Whey Protein Isolate, I think.  I took it for two days before it hit me, and it was baaaaaaad.  I think it took me about two weeks before I felt I was "normal" again.  I had an extremely difficult time eating, but I eventually turned around.

The rest is normal.  Eating 1/2 cup of anything took me a long time.  I used to be a very fast eater.  Those days are long gone.  

I would plan on grazing all day to get your protein in.  Eventually when you can eat more, try and eat 4 or 5 small meals a day.  You may have to force feed yourself.  That's normal. 

This will all passs, I promise!

My problem is if I graze all day its harder to get my water in right now. I had the same protein powder with water and handled it fine,  but I will try a different one in the morning to see if it makes a difference. The bloating usually goes away by the night. I haven't managed the 2nd protein shake yet. It's too late before I get enough water for the day then I go to bed.

I'm surprised they have you mixing it with milk. That would make it thicker and that could be why you are so bloated. My surgeon had me mixing small amounts of protein with small amounts of water. That seemed easier to do as often as possible throughout the day. I think you might be trying to fit too much in at once. You also don't want to stretch your new tummy.

It takes me about 3 hours to drink the entire 8oz shake so I'm sure its not too much at once.

One more thing...

You are only two weeks out.  You will work your way up to 90 grams of protein but it won't happen overnight.  Try some tuna fish, shrimp, white cheese, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, ricotta fluff, fried eggs.  All are high in protein and have lower carbs. Refried beans are probably not the best choice for you right now.  I would be concerned about the high carb content and the fiber (which could also be the source of your bloating).

The refried beans go down easier than anything for me right now and I track my carbs so when I eat refried beans it is because I haven't used many carbs during the day. I did try tuna yesterday and it went down good. I also mentioned the cottage cheese and yogurt in my original post. Felt bloated with the cottage cheese and the yogurt was ok but I was still bloated from the morning when I was trying to eat it.

That's exactly how my tummy reacted. Refried beans were fine but dairy products made me super full and bloated. I couldn't do cottage cheese or yogurt right away. I wanted to for the protein, but I tried and they just didn't settle well. The beans and even instant mashed potatoes (with butter) were fine. I know! That's a lot of carbs for a DSer but at the soft food stage I just wanted to eat what would settle well, and at 2 tablespoons, the carbs weren't bad.

Everything changes almost every week so don't give up in those good proteins even if you can't handle them this week.

I bet the milk is making you bloated. I still can't handle milk at 8 weeks post-op. My belly bloats right up and puffs out. And a 1/2 cup is a lot of food right now. I was eating 2 tablespoons, maybe 3, during my entire soft food stage. Don't push yourself on the food. You don't want to make yourself sick. There's a 30-60-90 guide that works well for most. Get 30g protein by 30 days out, 60g by 60 days and 90g by 90 days. I was able to get 60g by 30 days but it was mostly protein shakes. Again, don't push yourself. You won't starve to death. Maybe try the shakes with water and see if that helps. Or even lactose free milk. That's what I use sometimes to get about an extra 10g protein.

You're doing just fine. And remember, you may no longer be a member of the clean plate club....and that's okay!

I'm not worried about not eating. I don't get too hungry or even feel like eating these days. I like the 30-60-90 rule but my surgeons office doesn't follow that and my dietician jumped me from trying to get 30 the first two weeks to trying to get 90  now. I did get lactose free milk and mixed it yesterday and still felt bloated. I gave up and i'm drinking a core power shake that my surgeons office sells this morning. Its 11 carbs but 20 protein. 10 less than the shakes they wanted me to have but if I feel ok after at least I'll be getting protein.