1st post - had my sleeve Monday 2/25 and currently on the struggle bus

Hi guys,

I just had my sleeve done this past Monday (2/25/19) and I have been out of the hospital since Wednesday morning. I am currently on the Bari 3 diet and really struggling to get in all of the protein and fluid on the diet. I had a lot of trouble with nausea in the hospital, and I eventually had to have a 1-time dose of nausea meds that most other sleeve patients don't receive (forgot the name of the meds). This helped me turn the corner with my nausea, but I still feel very full easily and still get nausea if I try to put too much into my stomach. On my handout from my doctor it says for Bari stage 3 diet I am supposed to be having 3 protein shakes a day and 48 ounces of liquid. Well I am finding myself maxing out at 2 protein shakes a day and about half the amount of liquid. I feel nauseous when I even think of taking any more right now, so I stop. I feel pretty down in the dumps about not making the requirements for this stage yet, but my stomach just can't handle it. Please someone tell me that this is normal and that all this gurggeling in my belly will go away soon.

-Jennifer

3 shakes a day??? Yowza. I could hardly get a teaspoon down in one sitting for 3weeks let alone 3 days. I dont want to go against what your doctors are advising....buuuuuuut.... try to remember your new tummy is tiny and learning to tummy all over again. Listen to your body and when you get full, stop. You can work up to consuming this much down the line but I really wouldn't pu**** Certainly dont get down on yourself!

The gurgle will stop! Mine quieted down around week 2 and 3. Are you taking a PPI? (Nexium or Prilosec). I have found that nausea creeps up on me when i have eaten too much or when i have gas stuck in my bowels. (You could be different). I am by no means an expert, and I'm a baby here in this group, so i look forward to what other vets have to say. I really think thats too much to try to get down, but i have seen other people who had mashed potatoes day 2 and I wasn't allowed that kind of food until week 4.

Initially, just stay focused on being hydrated, don't worry about protein yet... it will all come in due time.

Hi and welcome.

Nausea at this point is most often from dehydration or acid. To combat the dehydration side of things, focus first on getting in 64 ounces of liquid. If some of that liquid is from protein shakes, awesome! Otherwise, just make sure it's liquid. Try experimenting with different liquids and temperatures. Hot broth might work better than cold water. Room temp crystal light could work well. Hot tea is sometimes good for people. Find something you can tolerate and sip it all day. Don't try to drink something all at once. Set a timer for 15 minutes and take a few sips every time it goes off.

As for the acid, most of us take a PPI the first few weeks/months post-op and that can help.

Go easy on yourself, though. You just had major surgery and anesthesia is notorious for making people feel down!

I just had surgery on 2/19 so I can relate. The indigestion has calmed down. Take your time, hang in there. My challenge has been 64 oz of water but I'm working up to it. We'll get there ð?'

I certainly couldn't have handled 3 protein shakes 5 days out from surgery! My dietician had me focus on entirely on getting enough fluid at that point, plus beginning to experiment with tiny amounts of early stage foods to see what I tolerated. At 30 days out, I was only able to get in about 30-40g of protein but she said that was fine for that early in the process. Gradually I was able to get in more protein as my stomach healed.

Hey Jennifer

I had the VSG on 2/13/2019. My doctor had me on 3 shakes a day as well after surgery. 8 oz shakes..and i was actually drinking the 11oz shakes from premier protein. It took me over an hour to get the shake down but i was able too. I was prescribed 2 different nausea meds along with the ****tail of meds i have to take..I'd say the nausea was the worst the first 2 days out of the hospital but it soon went away. Also my doctor had me on 24oz of additional liquid for the first week. For me the pain after surgery was way worst than the nausea. Are you on hydrocodone? That tends to make people nauseous.

Thank you so much to everyone *****plied to me, I really appreciate it. I am feeling a lot better now that I know that I am not abnormal or doing something wrong. My nausea has subsided a lot, and I am taking the Protonix that my Dr. prescribed to settle my stomach. Pain-wise I have been great and have not needed any pain meds in a couple of days. I'm still averaging about 2 shakes a day although I'm trying to work up to three. Getting really sick of the liquid diet though so I'm hoping I can be advanced when I see my Dr. this Wednesday.

Hi Jennifer,

Looks like you got lots of great advice. I just wanted to add that I used an app called interval timer. I set it to go off every five minutes and then I took a sip every time it sounded. It really helped me to meet my fluid goal.

Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel . I had my surgery on 02/26/2019. I am not really a water drinker even before the surgery and now the pressure is on. It's been a challenge getting the water down due to nausea; so forcing nausea pills do not make it better including the pain meds. My doctor just want me to focus on getting the water down and allowing me to do one protein shake. If you doctor could you proceed with just one protein shake for now. We will get through it !!!!