what/how much are you eating+ swallowing Tylenol

Hey all :)

Okay, so im 7 weeks out from having gastric bypass surgery and people around me, specifically my family, keep telling me that im not eating enough. Any now im questioning whether they are right.... I know there are some days that I don't eat as much as I should,  but thats because I have the odd day of nausea. I am also deathly scared to try new foods.... any advice on how to get over that fear?? 

So....how much, how often and what are you eating? Also do you think it is okay to take Tylenol in pill form yet? Oh... grapes? Are they okay? Should I try them with the skin off first?

Hope you all are having a great week :)

You should be aiming for 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. Your centre would have given you sample menus which you can show to your relatives. If you are following plan just tell them this is what your doctor has told you to eat.

I have taken tylenol almost from the start. I initially broke it in  half

When in doubt talk to your dietitian from your centre

Your surgeon or centre should have given you some sample menus and food ideas for each stage post-op. Don't worry about what your family says; unless they have done this, they would not know how much you should be eating. The amount you eat will certainly be much, much less than they would consume, and much less than the average diet in North America. However your protein intake should be really high as a percentage of your daily intake.

Are you tracking your food in My Fitness Pal? That will tell you how many calories, protein, etc. you are taking in. It's a good idea to develop that habit now; it will serve you well in the days and months to come.

I can tell you that at 7 weeks, I was consuming between 600 and 700 calories per day and 8-10 cups of liquid, along with all my medications, vitamins, etc.

Grapes... I still do not do. I try to stay away from all fruits because of the sugar content. Until I'm in maintenance, I won't make fruit a regular part of my daily diet. But that is my personal choice. I know my centre allows it, but at 7 weeks, the said the skins/peels and seeds were not a good idea as they would be harder to digest in our new tummies.

As for the Tylenol, check with your centre. I really can't say for sure.

Wishing you lots of luck and hoping you are doing well!

At that time I was eating about 500-800 calories per day.

I'd stay away from all fruits until your surgeon/Nut tells you they are ok.  You really want to be sure everything is fully healed.  Shouldn't be long now though.

Hello! I can't speak to the food as I am only 2 weeks out, but I have been taking Tylenol tabs since being in the hospital. I like the easy to swallow ones, I did break them in half at first but they are fine for me whole.  

HI. I had and continue to have the same issue as you People tell me I don't eat enough . Like mentioned in other replies Unless the person has gone through the same procedure  then they probably don't understand what we eat or how much we eat. I am 11 months post op and I still get the same comments as you. From my experience. I do not count calories  I watch out for sugar and fat content in each meal along with my protein intake . You have to remember each persons tolerance to sugar and fat per serving is different  you have to find what works for you where you don't feel sick or get sick and stay under that amount . I think during week 7  you should be entering the diet for life phase . There are foods on the meal planner given out by the clinic I cannot tolerate in any way. I tried them and felt sick . tried them a second or even a third time and still felt sick so I will stay away from them for a few months and try them again.  As for your Tylenol question I cannot speak to that because I never had to take Tylenol.  I did not eat any fruit that had a skin until I was told by the dietitian that I was far enough along in my post op recovery to do so.   

Best of luck in your journey   

Hi Brittany,

I am almost 6 months out now and at 7 weeks I found I could eat more item as long as I took small amounts at a time and chewed chewed chewed!!!  I think it depends on where you had surgery and the meal plan.  At 7 weeks I was still needing protein shakes to make up my 60 to 100 grams a day.

In terms of Tylenol you can take it for pain, jus****ch swallowing the pills, I suggest cutting them or squashing and mixing with food.  I took 6 junior tylenols until two days ago.  I can now manage them if I cut them.  Before this I tried and they got stuck....I thought I was going to die it was horrible.  So just be careful. 

I would not be afraid to try new foods, just try a little at a time....

Good luck.

Kelly

Hi Brittany!

First off, DO NOT LISTEN to anyone when they tell you that. Have they had this procedure? Are they a bariatric doctor/nurse? NOPE? Then they can shut up. You need to follow your own plan and if you are comfortable with what you are eating and getting all your protein in then you do not need to eat more just for the sake of eating more.

Trying new appropriate foods is great but I don't think a little fear is all that bad. I lived in fear of sugar and carbs for quite a while and I wish that had stuck around a little longer. When you start trying new foods that aren't great, it can be a slippery slops.

Tylenol is fine in pill form. If you're uncomfortable at all swallowing the pill, cru**** Grapes are higher in sugar and have a higher GI, but overall I don't think and fruit/veg is a "bad" food. If you'd like to try some you should be fine at this point, skins and all. Like with everything, chew it well!

Strong response, but right on.  The best response I've found is to tell people who say that "Thank you for caring, but I have a surgeon and nutritionist keeping an eye on me and I am eating exactly the right amount."

:)  Keep up the good work!

Well im 4 months post op and right now i figure im getting between 700 to 800 calories a day.  I was afraid to try new foods as well but i pushed myself to try something new every 3 or 4 days.  Small bites and i record everything that goes in my mouth  with My Fittness Pal. So far so good my fitness pal tells me that im not getting enough calories and that it might hinder my weight loss but i follow my plan.  Some days i can eat a little more than other days.  It is definitely a learning experience for sure.  I have lost 92lbs and i have 73 more to go i know i will get there and then the real work starts maintenance.   Goodluck on your journey