VSG Aug. 23 - not sure if I am eating right

I have been looking back at my food journal and realize that I started eating eggs, cottage cheese and instant oatmeal 10 days after surgery.  Is this bad could I have caused problems with my stomach?.  As well I have been drinking 1 cup of coffee per day.   I have difficulty with the protein shakes I do not like the taste of whey so I have been trying all sorts of things to get my 50 - 70 g of protein and stay around 500 calories.  I am down 19 pounds since the surgery.  I just started back exercising yesterday and am feeling pretty good.  I am tired but I have fibromyalgia so its difficult to determine if it is the FM or the surgery.  I am going to start moving on to pureed vegetables, mashed potatos.  I have stopped with eggs as they were causing me some stomach indigestion.  I am going to try egg whites.  When can I start adding cheese to my diet?  I was thinking vegetables with melted cheese.  What else can I start adding?        

First, What does VSG stand for? Every surgeon has his or her own nutritional instructions. They can be very, very different. I've met surgeons who encourage their patients to start eating solid food right after surgery. I've met some that have their patients on liquid diets for up to 8 weeks. I try to give advise that may fall somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. However, no matter what my recommendations are, if your surgeon has told you otherwise, you should listen to his or her recommendations. If you've started eating right after surgery and tolerated the food, then great. We usually recommend a semi-liquid diet for the first 2 weeks, pureed diet for the following 2 weeks and then a soft diet for 3 months after surgery. Then, when you would be 4 months post-operative, you would resume a regular, low fat, low sugar, high protein diet. This is usually tolerated well. Since your intestines and stomach have been 're-wired', this diet is usually given to slowly allow your insides to heal and not stress them too much with your diet. Since your surgery was August 23, you are now 3 weeks post operative. I would tell you to eat a pureed diet (make your food the consistency of baby food) for the next week. Adding melted cheese to your food should be OK. Eating eggs and cottage cheese should be OK. Chew your food very, very well. Keep trying to find a protein shake you like. Whey protein is a better form of protien - but if you can't tolerate the taste, then, you're right, it's best to move to a different type of protein and find a favorable tasting one. Eating 500 calories is fine; however, don't restrict yourself at this point. Don't count calories. Only count protein. Eat 3 meals per day plus one snack at night. Try to drink at least 50 g of protein. Your protein goal should be right around 70 g per day. In general you can eat any food you want as long as it's pureed. If you want to put spaghetti and meatballs into the blender, great ... otherwise good choices are: cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, cream of wheat, low fat & sugar free pudding, sugar-free jello, mashed potatos, strained soups, broth, low fat & sugar free yogurt, low fat milk, and of course, a high protein shake. Hope that helps. Sara Nejat-Bina, RD, CNSD, CDE eNutritionCare.com

Thanks so much Sarah.   VSG stands for Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, basically it is removal of 80% of your stomach.  No rewiring just removal.  There is a forum on this site about VSG.  You have clarified alot for me.  I was finding it difficult to get in enough protein and stay at 500 cal but as you say I won't restrict myself.   Thanks again... have a great weekend, Gale...   

Hi Gale,   Sorry, I'm not too familiar with VSG.  I have not seen one in my practice; however, I am aware of the surgery.  I've given you basic WLS instructions, so, it should still apply to your surgery.  Please let me know if I've steared you wrong.  Thanks.  Sara Nejat-Bina, RD, CNSD, CDE