Question:
11 DAYS POST-OP RNY GB AND I AM EATING REGULAR FOOD. HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS?
I am 11 days post-op, and the surgeon's office wanted me on clear liquids for 4 weeks! After a week of clear liquids, I started to feel actual hunger pains.. it took me a while to begin distinguishing between surgery pain and hunger, but now that my soreness is gone, I can definitely tell the difference. I started to experiment with soft foods, then moved to a little bit of chicken and lean beef, and so far, I have had no problems at all. The only thing that has made me sick so far was a few sips of Egg Nog and some frozen yogurt (2 separate occasions). I know I should still be on the liquid diet per the Surgeon, but my body feels ready for more, and so far everything has been normal (normal going in, and normal going out - sorry to be graphic). Obviously my portions are MUCH smaller than usual.. but I am taking protein supps in between meals, getting my fluids and vitamins... am I alone here in experimenting so quickly post-op? And should I be worried? When I am full, I know it.. in fact I have it fine tuned down to the last bite I can take.. there is a very distinct feeling of satisfaction, followed by pressure if I overdo it. I am looking for "real-life" feedback on this.. I imagine I'm not the only person who has done this.. — LabLover821 (posted on December 30, 2006)
December 30, 2006
I was told to eat liquids only for 3 weeks after surgery but I kinda
cheated a bit also. I did not have a problem until it was time to eat
solids. Just dont over do it you will throw up if you do. You might even
get a blockage. So if you feel like you are getting hunger pains eat some
thick pudding or jello or yougurt. Dont over do it and eat slowly.... I
still blow that all the time
— Jamal Young
December 30, 2006
I am almost 3 weeks post op, and I ate a protien bar about my second week.
The doctor forbid me to. He told me that the stitches on the inside needed
to heal. So I didn't do it any longer. There are times that I am
starving, but I am staying on soft foods for one more week. I don't want
any problems down the road. Take good care of yourself, I know they don't
want you to eat normal food for a reason. So I am sticking to what the doc
says!
— Diane C.
December 30, 2006
I think 4 weeks on clear liquids is a little ridiculous. I was on clears
for 3-4 days and then started on pureed foods. Your pouch is still healing
so eating what you are is probably not a good idea. You have to take it
slow and watch your sugars...it is too early for frozen yogurt, egg nog,
chicken and beef. I am surprised that you are able to eat as much as you
say. I am 7 weeks out and cannot eat chicken or beef yet and I won't even
try anything containing sugar. Your experimenting will cause problems, why
are you trying to sabotage your surgery???
— Sheri A.
December 30, 2006
Thanks for asking the tough question (Why am I sabotaging my surgery). I
am definitely not trying to sabotage my surgery.. it was a painful but
necessary step that I took in my life which I mentally and physically
prepared for throughout most of 2006. I hardly think that eating half a
meatball equates to sabotage. But, I truly appreciate the concern. My
reason for posting was to find out if I have the potential to do any
physical harm to myself by jumping ahead on the eating plan. Sounds like
everyone agrees that it isn't the best idea, so I will probably take a step
backwards and try to stick to liquids (not clear, but perhaps full
liquids/soft foods). Thanks all!
— LabLover821
December 30, 2006
Do follow your surgeons instructions but be aware they vary all over the
lot. Some will not release you from the hospital till you have eaten solid
foods like eggs. Being over 5 years out I take a different view. The
immediate post op period is the BEST time to lose large quanties of weight
which is probably best done on clerar liquids soft foods. The first month
is just a month long, the rest of your life FOREVER. I ate porterhouse
steak at a month out. Its very individual.
— bob-haller
December 30, 2006
I been told that the first 6 months after surgery is your window of
opportunity. So this means you have to take advantage of this time. Start
back on your clear diet(follow doctor's orders) of course this is easily
said by me b/c i'm waiting for my approval. Good luck.
— Vanessa Dates
December 30, 2006
Well, I am three years out and I have maintained my weight loss for these
three years. The first 6 months after surgery is called the honeymoon.
Well it was for me anyway...this is when I lost almost all of my weight.
Think about what you are doing, it is not whether or not you can tolerate
something at this point, it is how much protein am I getting in? Are you
drinking enough fluids?
Remember if you had lap rny, there is alot of healing that needs to on in
the inside - that is usually why the Dr wants you on liquids or soft foods.
You must heal first and then experiment with "normal" foods.
Good luck with your journey......I know it was not an easy one for me -
even to this day. I crave the "bad stuff" and have to constantly
watch what I am eating.
— michelles123
December 30, 2006
Hi.
I absolutely advocate the fact that WE know our OWN bodies, and we can
trust that God-given intution, or whatever you want to call it.
I ate normal foods very quickly, just in the tiniest portions ever known!
It was amazing how little I ate, and still do eat!
I never ate sugary foods for a good long while, and still eat almost NO
sugar. I am rapidly recovering from diabetes and eating sugar would be so
stupid. Natural sugars are fine.
My tastes changed, which was a very good thing. I no longer crave high
carbohydrate foods, with the exception of pasta and bread, which of course
is so dense I can't eat hardly any without becoming so full! I do love
veggies, but always have. I also have found joy in cooking my own healthy
meals, and knowing that I am benefitting from this whole experience.
My doctor says I am one of those who "make this all look easy,"
but I believe it is because I have been careful. I ate slowly, chewed
well, and made healthy food choices. I can tolerate ANY food, but have
experienced distress from a cough syrup with codeine in it. Also, on two
occassions I ate so quickly and hardly chewed that once I almost threw up,
and the second time I actually did. That was the only time, for I have
tried to be very mindful.
I do not think that if you know your body and are careful, you can tailor
this to fit your own individual neds. We must remember that we each got
this surgery for our own individual reasons, and we must take those into
account when working with this tool.
I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to email me if you need to.
UTE_NDN
— utendn
December 30, 2006
Be aware if you cheat now you will be totally messing your weight loss up
in the future so get back on track now before it is to late. Now is the
time to lose the most you can while your still recovering from surgury as
stated before. I'm 10 months post op down 155 lbs so it's possible to do
it. To this day I still can't eat eggs very well still make me sick to my
stomach. I don't do some protein well either especially milk unless it's
string cheese. Watch it about the Egg Nog high in Suger and Milk Fat there
is no diet form of that. Please listen to your nutritionist and surgeon
they do know best that is why you paid them remember! Hugs!!!!!
— Deborah Joyner
December 30, 2006
Not sure you would call this cheating but there are people that can
tolerate foods right out of surgery because the Dr's eating plan is set up
this way. My only concern with this is your nerve endings to the stomach
area are not healed yet and if you eat too much the signal to your brain
may not work well and the pouch may stretch to accomodate more.....making
it harder on you later in time to keep with small portions....especially
out 1 year. You will be able to eat so much more.....be patient and follow
your Dr's protcol. If its head hunger ask yourself why? I would seek help
with identifying the head hunger items so that you can feel satisified with
your decision with the sugery.
— dcox94
December 31, 2006
wow -- 11 days post op and you are getting in your liquids, proteins,
vitamins and meals?? i still can't do that at 5 and a half weeks out!! and
i can't tell when i'm full yet, i take a guess :) i dont' get in all my
liquids -- i find that to be the hardest part of all -- but since you are
still healing i would follow your surgeons advice and protocol -- good
luck to you
Roberta C
— RCassety
December 31, 2006
Hi Jamie -- We are all different individuals. some of us can tolerate foods
that others can not, even early on. My post-op instructions prohibited me
from eating solid foods for six weeks. I was on clear liquids for a week or
two after RNY and on pureed foods after that. I experienced absolutely no
dumping syndrome until I began eating solid foods and it was a learning
experience to find out what and how much I could tolerate. Also, changes
have come about along the way. I could tolerate scrambled eggs well after
six weeks but now, six months post-op, scrambled eggs will cause me to dump
within ten minutes after they go down. Strange because I tolerate an
occasional hard boiled egg perfectly well.
Our doctors and surgeons are all individuals who have their own ideas as
well. Some will provide post-op dietary instructions that are radically
different than others specify. Whatever instructions were provided for YOU,
I strongly recommend you get some mental rigor in your approach NOW and do
what your doctor or dietitian has instructed for your particular case. When
you "cheat", you are not cheating your doctor, you are cheating
YOURSELF. Exceedind the bounds of your instructions so early after your
surgery is just getting you back into the eating rut that you were in
before surgery, the mentality that got you into the obese category to begin
with. Your RNY surgery is *NOT* the end-all solution to your obesity. It is
only a physical step (albiet radical) on the path out of obesity. You must
now also make the mental commitment to do the things necessary to weight
loss success. Your surgery alone is not the final answer. So please commit
to getting back on course and following, TO THE LETTER, your post-op
instructions. Don't cheat yourself out of successful weight loss. You'll
thank yourself a year from now if you do.
-- Regards, Dawn
— [Deactivated Member]
December 31, 2006
I'm sure there are many who stick to the letter of the law on the diet plan
given them, however, I would say that at least half try to find their own
way. I ate a little sooner than my surgeon recommended.
It depended on what I ate as to how my body reacted. I never had dumping
syndrome, although when I would eat cereal which was high in carbs, it made
my stomach nauseas and still does. I only threw up 4 times, once on trying
a piece of grilled chicken at about 3 weeks, post op, once on eating a
taco, and I can't remember what else.
I love the restriction. Its great, because it is so hard to take food onto
the plate without getting too much.
I have eaten more than I was told to by my surgeon. I did not want to lose
too fast. And other people have been told to eat small amounts 5 - 6 times
a day. Personally, I have read a lot of information about the bodies going
into starving mode and I didn't want to do that, because when people do
start eating after starving themselves they will gain weight quickly. The
secret is keeping all amounts very small.
— geneswife
January 1, 2007
Jamie, dear Jamie. You are not the first one to do this for sure, but be
aware that obesity is a head issue with a body consequence. I don't think
you are actually fealing hunger pains! It sounds and feels the same, but
it is a head issue. I strongly encourage you to go back to your doctors
advice and stick very close to it. You have to fight the head issues of
obesity to bring your body into submission on the hunger and eating.
Fudging now, means fudging later, means ruining your own decision to do
differently in your life for the first time regarding obesity. Two weeks
is too soon to take charge. Please take your surgeons advice and do what
they say. Water, protein, clear liquids for 4 weeks is a challenge you can
take. It is only for 4 weeks, and it teaches you that you can reach small
goals like this, and then you can set another small goal. I know it seems
like hunger pain, but it is more like grieving and heartache over the loss
of food as your comfort in life. Best to you. Patricia P
— Patricia P
January 1, 2007
Just a quick opinion from me...I am 3 yrs out, watch what you do early on,
it may nip you in the rear when futher out. I had a hudge hernia for the
past three years and didnt want to get it fixed until I was at goal.. come
to find out, the hernia was so large, (entire length of my incission)
allowing more room for my pouch as well as my bowel, that I was able to eat
more.. I know some will say that this don't have anything to do with the
way you can eat, but I am here to tell you it does. Moral of this story,
if I would of done things different early on , I may of been at goal now.
With my hernia fixed, I am only able to eat the 2-2 1/2 cups at a meal and
feel totally satisified. Just be careful not to over do.. best of luck.
— Kalli R.
January 1, 2007
You paid the doctor plenty for his advice, so i advise you to follow it!
— Novashannon
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