Definitions and examples

First of all a huge thank you to everyone who brought me back from my mini panick attack the other day. I am back on the straight and narrow! Now have a question, can you define for me and give examples of what constitutes a full liquid stage and what fits in puree stage and is that different to the "mushies" or not? Also is normal tea with splenda or stevia ok during post op? Does it haveto be 64 oz water or can it be tea, broth, other liquid?

Interesting timing as I just looked it up to follow to keep me on track this season.

Clear is broth, juice, flat soda pop, jellos

Semi liquid (full liquid) is protein drinks, milk, yogurt, pureed soups

Semi solid (mushies / purees) refried beans, cottage cheese, cheese, soft scrambled eggs, tuna salad, chopped lean soft meats (moist meat loaf), canned chicken, soft flake fish

Solids and what to eat from now until: solid meats

Those sound like excellent questions for your surgeon.  Since each plan is different, he can tell you exactly what he expects.

There is also a wealth of info here:  http://vsgfaq.wordpress.com/

 To answer you tea question - you should go with decaf tea.  Caffeine is a diuretic and so it would not count towards you liquids - so go decaf.  You can also get you 64 oz from sf popsicles and sf jello.  One thing that really helped me was having in the diet gatorade and power ade.  They have electrolites and help if you start getting a little dehydrated. 

Good luck!

This is what my surgeon says about liquids (from his website)

Each day, you may have unlimited amounts of the following:

Bariatric approved beverages that contain no sugar, caffeine, or carbonation. 

Examples below:

• Crystal Light (or store brand)
• Sugar free Kool Aid
• Slim Light (Sam’s Club)
• Snapple diet drinks
• Decaffeinated tea with artificial sweetener
• Low sodium broths/stocks
• Sugar free Popsicles and sugar free Jell-O
• Water
• Vitamin 10 Water/Vitamin Zero Water
• Propel

BE CAREFUL WITH CRYSTAL LIGHT!  I have found some has caffeine and some even has sugar!  

Every plan is different. My doc's plan is 3 weeks clear liquid (no jello, ect.), 3 weeks soft food (eggs, beans, ect...I was told that soft foods should be chewed until they are an applesauce consistency), then, at 6 weeks, it was whatever I could tollerate. There was no pureed stage in my plan, so check with your doc about that.
As far as you liquids go, make sure the tea is decaf. And all liquids including broth and popsicles goes toward your 64 oz.

Every plan varies..

mine was:

10 days clears (broth, diet drinks, clear protein supplements like Nectar & Cytomax or Isopure, tea, etc..) Caffeine is not a diuretic, except in very large amounts.. but many things with caffeine are also very acidic and should be avoided early post op.. All liquids counted on my plan to my 64oz goal.

10 days full liquids (milky protein drinks, jello, cream soups- strained.. plus everything above..)

then 10 days mushies/pureed (anything above plus cottage cheese, ricotta, soft cheeses, puddings, pureed anything (except meats).. soft boiled eggs.. yogurt)

Meats were not allowed until 30 days, and veggies at least 6+ weeks out if I recall..

Dr Gagner uses the Cornell post VSG plan. From what I gather, I will be on clears for a day or two, then on full liquids/purees/mushy phase upon release from the hospital and for three weeks. Then anything goes by trial and error except crunchy fruit and veggies, salads, that starts at four to six months out. I have a feeling I am going to live on chicken soup....trouble is I live in Switzerland and I have no access to chrystal light or the isopure clear protein drinks. No snapple light either. I will have to find local equivalents. There is gatorade and powerade though so that's good.