Feels like failure already

Tomorrow is my one week post op appointment. I feel like I'm failing in this journey already. I feel like I'm 'eating' too much. I am getting in 8-16oz of protein which is around 40+ grams of protein. I also drink about 16+oz of crystal light which I know isn't enough for my fluids. I also have an ounce or two of jello. And a couple times now I've had the creamy broth from my favorite soup, about 1/2 cup over 45 minutes.

Is this too much? I've heard people say they only take in 400 calories a day and I take in almost that much with just my protein drinks!

I do know I don't take long enough to drink the protein. I need to sip slower.

So, if I have my protein shake, do I wait a couple hours before I drink the crystal light? I guess I'm confused over what is considered a meal at this point. I start pureed in just a few days, so then it'll be more clear for me.

Oh and people keep saying you don't feel hunger after the surgery. Um, well I do. I get lightheaded and dizzy if I don't eat regularly.

I'm also not getting in enough walking. My jp drain incision split open on one end and the pain from it is unbelievable. Walking is just misery and I end up hunched over and crying. I called the on-call doc last night cuz I've been having fevers and the jp incision is red and hard. But I've been able to control the fevers with tylenol and figure it'll get looked at tomorrow at my appointment.

I just feel like I'm screwing this all up.

Sorry about the whine fest, but I need help and who better to ask then all of you!

Kelly, you aren't a failure. If your jp drain site is red and infected you need that looked at asap and I am really surprised the on call doc didn't have you in today or have you go to the ER.

As far as how many calories, I didn't even count mine. I still forget to most days. Focus simply on getting in your fluids, protein, and try to keep moving.

Liz

No meal rules as long as you're drink your shakes and good for you for drinking them. Keep sipping all the time, that's your number one priority, staying hydrated. The good thing is you can count your shakes as fluids too. Have another shake and don't worry about the calories. What kind of shakes are you using?

I hope the doc can fix your wound quickly. I'm sorry you're hurting so. You're not failing, (((Kelly))). Keep drinking. Count carbs and not calories. Keep those under 50 grams a day.

--gina

Like everyone else said sounds like you are doing good..I didn't count my calories until I was 4 months out..and early out I was able to eat a little bit more than I can now..not right at first but when I first started eating regular foods 6 weeks out I could eat more than I could now..I tihnk it took a while for me to really start to "feel" my stomach..I don't know if that is normal but it is what happened to me. anyway, just keep sipping..fluids and protein should be your only focus right now.

Your doing fine.  Just relax. 
Until you get to pureed, everything is counting as fluids and even after that, your protein shakes count as part of your fluid.  At this point, you don't need to worry about waiting to drink after eating because you are just drinking.  So just keep sipping, all day.  Try for 64 oz of some liquid and around 40-60g of protein.  I did better with warm stuff, broth, hot tea, decaf, etc than cold.  I added unflavored or flavored protein to most stuff.  We were told to get 1 oz per 15 min early out and more as you can. 

You may want to do your shake in serveral servings instead of all at once so you don't get lightheaded throughout the day.  Most of my protein is around 100-120 calories for around 20g.  400 for 40 seems high, but I wouldn't worry about calories yet.

Hopefully they can fix your site so you are more comfortable.  You can do this.  We are here to help.

You're doing GREAT!!! I had a hard time keeping any protein shakes down and started adding protein powder to yogurt and SF pudding. Your shakes count as fluid and at this point, there aren't really distinct meals. Just keeping sipping your fluids.

The feeling of being light-headed and dizzy means that you need your protein and fluids. So, keep drinking all the time.

The JP drain sounds like it is infected. Keep using the tylenol to keep the pain and fever down. If you are running a temperature, it usually means an infection.

It is too soon to screw this up. The first few weeks are a totally new learning experience and you will find what works for you. The walking will come with time and when your jp drain is out.

Gail

Kelly~~~You are doing awesome! After only ONE week you are upright, walking and able to drink. That alone is a reason for applause!!

My surgeon said as long as it "made a puddle" I could have it after surgery. But it took me so long to get all of my protein shakes down, that is about all I could do. Around the second week I started some soups again and added unflavored unjury to them to get the protein up. 

I don't think you can screw this up!! At this point it is just drink, drink, drink.  Don't be too hard on yourself, you just had a major surgery and it does take quite a while to adjust to everything, especially what and how much your new tummy is going to let you take in.

Hang tough!!
Amy

 I had no issues drinking and found it near impossible to take sips.  I wasn't exactly gulping but I took pretty normal drinks from the beginning.  I never had a problem getting in the proper amount of fluids.
I was drinking RTD protein at that point and I would have 2 a day along with food so protein was never a problem, either.
I worried I was able to eat too much, too.  I have heard a lot of post ops say the same thing.  I continually worried until my weight loss was regular enough for me to realize I must be doing something right.
Try to relax and watch your weight loss.  That will tell you that you are doing good.
Also, it never took me long to eat.  I couldn't have tried to eat any slower and I was still done within 5 or 10 minutes.

The first week or two is hard.  I hated that drain with a passion.  The sucker just plain ole hurt.  Someone in my support group said that they didn't feel a thing with it but it pulled at me and was my main source of pain.  I was sooo happy to get that out and hope that yours is not infected and you can be out of pain soon.

I was very surprised that I could drink normally about 2-3 weeks after surgery.  I LOVE that.  The nice thing about being on liquids is you don't have to wait the 30 min until you can drink.....it is all fluid so have at it.  I personally had to make much smaller protein shakes as I had difficulty with them at first.  Protein coffee helped me a lot and still does. 

The first weeks are anxious.  I had several evenings where i was like what the hell did I do????!!!!
Havent experienced that since about 2 weeks out.  It gets easier.  You are doing fine.

AS everyone said, hang in there!!!!




~~~Jennifer

Thank you so much to everyone. I knew if I just asked, I'd feel better. I had this fear that I would get a backlash about how badly I was screwing up. Silly me.

I mix my protein powder with ff milk for the extra protein. Is that wrong? Should I only mix it with water? I love my protein powder (Biogenesis ultra lean) and I have zero problems getting it down. I could drink it all day!