New to board...3 weeks post-op, several questions!
Hi All....new to this board, I have been posting on the local netowrk set up by my center, but there are many more users here that I am hoping to get input from.
I am 3 weeks post op, moving into week 4. Things have been going very well. I am about to move from the liquid phase to the pureed food phase. I have been getting 30-45 minutes of cardio exercise in virtually every day by going to the gym and either walking on the treadmill or doing the eliptical.
Getting all the fluids in at first was tough, but I have now kind of settled in a routine. I have also been getting approx 40g of protein in daily, usually via protein additives.
I do have a few questions that have come up -
- As I transition from liquids to pureed, any suggestions on possible foods? I don't think I can tolerate baby food, so that is not an option for me. Beyond baby food, I am open to suggestions...I want something with flavor! I got a Magic Bullet for x-mas, so I am not opposed to pureeing myself.
- Since surgery I have noticed that I have an extremely heightened sense of smell. Sometimes that is good, other times, not so good. Has anyone else experineced this? Any ideas what might be causing it?
- I have not had any stomach discomfort or vomitting at all, unless I drink too much, too quickly...is that normal?
- Bowel movements only occur every 3-4 days (again, only liquids) is that OK or should I try some milk of magnessia to get things moving more regularly?
- As I move to pureed, how much should I consider a meal?
Thanks for your thoughts and input!
I am 3 weeks post op, moving into week 4. Things have been going very well. I am about to move from the liquid phase to the pureed food phase. I have been getting 30-45 minutes of cardio exercise in virtually every day by going to the gym and either walking on the treadmill or doing the eliptical.
Getting all the fluids in at first was tough, but I have now kind of settled in a routine. I have also been getting approx 40g of protein in daily, usually via protein additives.
I do have a few questions that have come up -
- As I transition from liquids to pureed, any suggestions on possible foods? I don't think I can tolerate baby food, so that is not an option for me. Beyond baby food, I am open to suggestions...I want something with flavor! I got a Magic Bullet for x-mas, so I am not opposed to pureeing myself.
- Since surgery I have noticed that I have an extremely heightened sense of smell. Sometimes that is good, other times, not so good. Has anyone else experineced this? Any ideas what might be causing it?
- I have not had any stomach discomfort or vomitting at all, unless I drink too much, too quickly...is that normal?
- Bowel movements only occur every 3-4 days (again, only liquids) is that OK or should I try some milk of magnessia to get things moving more regularly?
- As I move to pureed, how much should I consider a meal?
Thanks for your thoughts and input!
Howdy Mike! 
I'll start at the bottom and work up.
Meal size is will still be 1/4 cup or so. Follow the plan.
Sip, sip, sip.
Liquid in = liquid out. As long as you get a "turd" you are okay even if it is 2 or 3 days between. When you start taking in more bulky food the quality of your turds will go up. All the way to "passing a beer can" turd!
Then you'll be bragging about two and three pound turds.
As to the food choices in puree stage, of what I can remember, lots of refried beans, eggs, and cheese sticks for me. Your mileage will vary. Eating post op is to say the least is an educational experience. If a food doesn't sit right and gives you problems try it again in several weeks.
Hope all this helps or did I just muddy the water?
I'll start at the bottom and work up.
Meal size is will still be 1/4 cup or so. Follow the plan.
Sip, sip, sip.
Liquid in = liquid out. As long as you get a "turd" you are okay even if it is 2 or 3 days between. When you start taking in more bulky food the quality of your turds will go up. All the way to "passing a beer can" turd!
Then you'll be bragging about two and three pound turds. As to the food choices in puree stage, of what I can remember, lots of refried beans, eggs, and cheese sticks for me. Your mileage will vary. Eating post op is to say the least is an educational experience. If a food doesn't sit right and gives you problems try it again in several weeks.
Hope all this helps or did I just muddy the water?
Never, and I mean NEVER, trust a fart!! 
First off, welcome to the Men's forum and OH in general. This is a great resource for us, and there are lots of guys who post regularly and will provide great advise to you.
First a comment about your current protein intake level... It sounds pretty low to me, unless you are a lot smaller than most of us here... My nutritionist and surgeon want me eating 70-80 grams of protein per day. You may want to check back with them as to your "desired" intake level. (Seems like I remember that 40 was the "minimum" level for "bad days"... But I could be wrong.)
"Extremely heightened sense of smell" is fairly common among WLS patients. No one seems to have a great explanation for why it happens, but lots of us have it. My wife and I joke about my new "super power", since I seem to be able to smell some things incredibly well, and others not so much. I seem to be hyper-sensitive to "fruity" or "sugary" smells. In general, this is a good thing, as it "overwhelms" me to the point where baking cookies no longer make me want to eat them...
Like you, I've had no nausea or vomiting, and have never (knocking on wood here) experienced the "foamies" that people talk about. I'm also pretty careful not to eat too much at a time, chew my food well, wait 30 minutes after eating before drinking, and all the other "rules" for RNY patients. I consider this a minor miracle, and hope that I can still make the same claim a year from now! (See the comment in my signature section!)
BMs during the liquid phase are pretty much all over the place. You're not taking much in, so there's not much to come out... Some people experience liquid stools, and some experience the opposite. From day one when I got home, I started mixing 2 tsp of Benefiber into my morning protein shake, and I've remained relatively "stable" ever since. I have loose stools on occasion, but so far no true diarrhea nor constipation.
OK - now to the "food" side of things... At this point, your pouch should be healing pretty well, and much of the swelling has probably gone down. That means you can (not "should", but "can") probably eat more. Each person's experience will be different. Remember that nerves have been cut in your pouch, so you won't have the same ability to tell when you're hungry or when you're full as you had before. Proceed with caution. Try eating an ounce of something and waiting a while before eating more. My motto at this point was "nibble and chew, nibble and chew". Chew everything thoroughly. Most of us have no concept of what this really means, so my nutritionist said "chew every bite 30 times before swallowing". Gulp! That's really hard to do!
I found that I absolutely loved pureed soups during the "pureed" stage. Progresso makes some "light" soups that are amazing! Their tomato basil and their southwestern bean soups are special favorites. But one important suggestion - only buy one of each thing until you know whether or not you like it. Your tastes change (a LOT) following surgery, and things you loved before will taste like crap to you, and vice-versa. I bought a large tub of one protein drink flavor, and now I can't stand it - makes me want to hurl just thinking about it!
We made some "chicken stew" that was great when I pureed it. With a less-powerful blender (like your magic bullet), be sure to strain stuff before you eat it. You don't want any "chunks" until your surgeon clears you for "mushies"...
Keep taking the protein supplements, and if your surgeon has you taking vitamins and other supplements, don't forget to take them as well.
Congratulations on your WLS. You're in for the roller-coaster ride of your life. Come back here often, and keep us posted on how you're doing. There will be times when you're "sky high" and things are going great, and we'd love to hear about them. There will also be times when you're struggling, or having a really tough time. We'd love to hear from you then as well. You'll find that no matter what you are going through, someone else has been there as well, and can help assure you that you can (and will) come out the other side.
Welcome to a new, healthier lifestyle!
First a comment about your current protein intake level... It sounds pretty low to me, unless you are a lot smaller than most of us here... My nutritionist and surgeon want me eating 70-80 grams of protein per day. You may want to check back with them as to your "desired" intake level. (Seems like I remember that 40 was the "minimum" level for "bad days"... But I could be wrong.)
"Extremely heightened sense of smell" is fairly common among WLS patients. No one seems to have a great explanation for why it happens, but lots of us have it. My wife and I joke about my new "super power", since I seem to be able to smell some things incredibly well, and others not so much. I seem to be hyper-sensitive to "fruity" or "sugary" smells. In general, this is a good thing, as it "overwhelms" me to the point where baking cookies no longer make me want to eat them...
Like you, I've had no nausea or vomiting, and have never (knocking on wood here) experienced the "foamies" that people talk about. I'm also pretty careful not to eat too much at a time, chew my food well, wait 30 minutes after eating before drinking, and all the other "rules" for RNY patients. I consider this a minor miracle, and hope that I can still make the same claim a year from now! (See the comment in my signature section!)
BMs during the liquid phase are pretty much all over the place. You're not taking much in, so there's not much to come out... Some people experience liquid stools, and some experience the opposite. From day one when I got home, I started mixing 2 tsp of Benefiber into my morning protein shake, and I've remained relatively "stable" ever since. I have loose stools on occasion, but so far no true diarrhea nor constipation.
OK - now to the "food" side of things... At this point, your pouch should be healing pretty well, and much of the swelling has probably gone down. That means you can (not "should", but "can") probably eat more. Each person's experience will be different. Remember that nerves have been cut in your pouch, so you won't have the same ability to tell when you're hungry or when you're full as you had before. Proceed with caution. Try eating an ounce of something and waiting a while before eating more. My motto at this point was "nibble and chew, nibble and chew". Chew everything thoroughly. Most of us have no concept of what this really means, so my nutritionist said "chew every bite 30 times before swallowing". Gulp! That's really hard to do!
I found that I absolutely loved pureed soups during the "pureed" stage. Progresso makes some "light" soups that are amazing! Their tomato basil and their southwestern bean soups are special favorites. But one important suggestion - only buy one of each thing until you know whether or not you like it. Your tastes change (a LOT) following surgery, and things you loved before will taste like crap to you, and vice-versa. I bought a large tub of one protein drink flavor, and now I can't stand it - makes me want to hurl just thinking about it!
We made some "chicken stew" that was great when I pureed it. With a less-powerful blender (like your magic bullet), be sure to strain stuff before you eat it. You don't want any "chunks" until your surgeon clears you for "mushies"...
Keep taking the protein supplements, and if your surgeon has you taking vitamins and other supplements, don't forget to take them as well.
Congratulations on your WLS. You're in for the roller-coaster ride of your life. Come back here often, and keep us posted on how you're doing. There will be times when you're "sky high" and things are going great, and we'd love to hear about them. There will also be times when you're struggling, or having a really tough time. We'd love to hear from you then as well. You'll find that no matter what you are going through, someone else has been there as well, and can help assure you that you can (and will) come out the other side.
Welcome to a new, healthier lifestyle!
Jim, thanks for your detailed response. Also,consider getting a user name instead of using your own name. OH is an open site and anyone listed here could be have their posts read through Google. You may not see any problem in what you post, but it may come back to haunt you. I'm assuming the name shown under your picture is your real name. Bob
Mike, I'm glad to see you over here. I've had loose movements most of my life. Since I had the RNY, there were a couple times when I literally felt stopped up. Note my specific terminology: I felt stopped up as opposed to feeling full. I felt like the crap was about to come out but couldn't. I had to break down and use a method suggested by a doctor. First I had to put on plastic / latex gloves. Then I had to reach around to my butt and literally begin to actually pull the stopped up crap out of my butt. That soon loosened the rest of the load. This only happened a few times. I know it sounds gross but it worked. There were similar methods listed in the literature I got when I had my RNY.
Thanks everyone for the great feedback and information.
To specifically address the protein comment(s), the program my center uses seems to be a bit more lenient in the beginning (at least related to protein) than others. During the first 3 weeks post-op, which is liquids only, protein is among their lowest priority - their major concern is making sure you get the fluid levels needed. During the 4th and 5th weeks (pureed then soft) the protein recommedation is 40-60g per day. Once into the 6th week, when regular food begins being introduced again, the minimum protein level becomes 60g per day.
The heightened sense of smell is kind of freaking me out....for me it is not sweets that I am overly sensitive to.....it is things like bad breath, body odor, etc., in other words, not the good smells. I have my 2 teenage kids using mouth wash several times a day just so I don't gag when they come near me!
To specifically address the protein comment(s), the program my center uses seems to be a bit more lenient in the beginning (at least related to protein) than others. During the first 3 weeks post-op, which is liquids only, protein is among their lowest priority - their major concern is making sure you get the fluid levels needed. During the 4th and 5th weeks (pureed then soft) the protein recommedation is 40-60g per day. Once into the 6th week, when regular food begins being introduced again, the minimum protein level becomes 60g per day.
The heightened sense of smell is kind of freaking me out....for me it is not sweets that I am overly sensitive to.....it is things like bad breath, body odor, etc., in other words, not the good smells. I have my 2 teenage kids using mouth wash several times a day just so I don't gag when they come near me!
A few things on the puree side...Chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad. I would add some salt and pepper, nonfat mayo, and sugar free pickle relish. Below is the one I would use. It may be hard to find, but one bottle would last me 6 months.
PS Before bed I would put some yogurt or cottagecheese on my nightstand...just a spoonful. When I would go to pee (in the middle of the night)...I would have what was on the spoon. Just a little protein when you least expect it.
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