Question:
I am 2 weeks out of surgery and wandering if its ok to start on soft solid foods?
The liquid diet just doesnt seem to work for me. I had the bypass surgery and I was just wandering if anyone else was already on solid foods this soon? — Mrs.Cameron33 (posted on March 25, 2008)
March 24, 2008
I am 2 weeks out of surgery as of yesterday and I was told to start soft
protiens last week. Examples are string mozrella cheese, eggs scrambled or
soft boiled,tuna, plain yogurt. I was also told to start this on a little
more firmer proteins like, chicken,fish,deli meat like ham or turkey. I am
doing fine with these foods just make sure you take small bites and make
sure it is chewed up completely be 4 you swallow. When you swallow you want
to act like you are mentally following it down to your stomach once you get
that down and you feel fine then take another bite and do this everytime.
But make sure you chew chew chew
— mskim
March 24, 2008
Hi Tywanda, usually for the first two wks. after surgery, you should be on
a full-liquid/pureed diet. which are foods that are liquid, pureed,
strained. such as; mashed potatoes, applesause, moist refried beans,mashed
bananas. you can have level 3 baby food, just make sure no sugar is added.
gradually you can add plain yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese or egg
dishes.you should still be drinking,(sipping) 8 oz. of liquid every hour
between your meals. remember 64 oz. is your goal. limit your intake to 6
tsp. per meal, for as you should know that overeating at this point, can
result in discomfort/ or vomiting. half of your meal ( 3 tsp) should
consist of protein. you can add diet-jello-broth- non fat cream soups-V-8
Tomato juice (8 oz max) per day.
try like 2 tsp. cream of wheat / 2 tsp. scrambled egg/2 tsp. peaches/ 2
tsp. oatmea/ 2 tsp. milk or sugar free yogurt.
for breakfast. Lunch try; 4 tsp cottage cheese with 2 tsp. mashed banana..
or 2 tsp pureed turkey with 2 tsp pureed pears 2 tsp. pureed beets.
dinner try; 2 tsp pureed beef with 2tsp. pureed peas with 2 tsp custard.
or 3 tsp mashed potatoes with 2 tsp. pureed carrots. hope this help you a
little. Congrats to you.. remember to eat SLOW and chew!!!! take care...
— kimcrain
March 25, 2008
Just make sure that you add some liquid and run through a blender or food
processor. You got a lot of raw insisions healing inside so you don't want
something too rough going over it.
— William (Bill) wmil
March 25, 2008
Different surgeons have different protocol. Mine starts his post-ops on
solid food immediately. I never did any liquid diet and it's 4 years later
and I had no trouble...I lost 150 lbs...I have no significant weight gain.
I stay within 10 lbs of my goal. The only thing I suggest is that you puree
your food. I pureed mine for 3 months...Then I roughly chopped dense
proteins in a mini food processer for another 3 months. (Cost me 25 bucks
for a little one) and I still use it for whizzing things like fruits for my
own plain yogurt (this way I can make it sugar free) It comes in handy for
so many things. I use it almost every day. For really dense meats I would
whizz it for a second with a little broth and or a tiny bit of cooked
veggies for a little moisture until I could chew and handle my food without
it getting stuck. Eat very slowly and chew chew chew til it is mush...Do
not swallow chunks. (I had a 20 chew rule!)
Just eat when you have time to concentrate on your eating and
chewing...This way, eventually it becomes a habit and you'll be able to eat
more mindlessly without swallowing something too big like so many do in the
beginning! If you've got kids running around screaming...Don't eat then. My
first instinct would be to swallow hard and start discipline! hehehe..So
make sure you have a calm quiet place to eat in the begininng! BTW...You
might tell your doctor you plan to start eating too. I think if he/she
knows you have a good plan in place, he might be very open to it...
Good luck!
— .Anita R.
March 25, 2008
My doctor has his patients on solid food before they leave the hospital.
I'm suprised they didn't tell you anything before you were discharged.
Good luck on your weight loss!!!
— Pamela S.
March 25, 2008
You should be asking this question to your doctor, and if your doctor says
two weeks is too soon, you need to wait. Every doctor has a different
protocol. My doc had me on liquid for three weeks after surgery, and yes
it's hard, but it can be done. I've also known people who were on liquids
longer than me. Ask your doctor, and follow his/her directions.
Congratulations on making a great choice to improve your health and Good
Luck!!
— Shirley D.
March 25, 2008
Wow! I am totally mind blown from the comments of eating solids that soon.
I guess what one said in one of the post is...every doctor has his/her own
protocol. I was told to continue with liquids for the next three weeks
after surgery and then proceed with caution to soft solids. My suggestion
would be to consult your Doctor or Dietitian.
— Tawmika
March 25, 2008
Different doctors have different requirements from what I have seen. Some
PATIENTS may also have different requirements. My first week was just
straight liquids. My second was liquids and liquid like foods. THIN
cereals, puddings, soups and the like. By my THIRD week, my doctor allowed
me to eat SOFT normal foods. NOTHING CRUNCHY! No FRIED CHICKEN, NO CHIPS,
NOTHING CRUNCHY! I have a few weeks left of this phase of the diet plan
and have had NO difficulty with it. I find that if I try to eat healty, I
avoid these foods ANYWAY. Be patient. Follow your doctor's advice. You
don't want to undo all the work that has been done. Each person is an
individual. There may be a difference in the reocedure or the person that
causes the difference in the dietary advice. I had absolutely NO
complications and NO unpleasant symptoms after the surgery aside from the
pain of the incision and the gas. NO nausea. NO vomiting. NONE. NOT a
HINT of it. The doctor may have figured that my body was ready to HANDLE
food faster than someone elses.
— hubarlow
March 25, 2008
I had my surgery in 2002 and was on pureed food after about 2 days home,
then semi solids, like cottage cheese, yogurt (of course always my protein
shakes). After a week, I was eating a slice or two of unprocessed turkey
cold cuts wrapped around a laughing cow cheese triangle. I also ate
homemade cuban black beans a lot (my sweet daughter made sure I had them).
Other than the beans, though, I was not allowed carbs. No mashed potatoes,
no "refried" beans, only protein foods and veggies. I have an
entire book that I go back to every time I need to remember what to do.
But it was easy, protein, protein, protein FIRST, then a little veggies. I
was fortunate, and weird - I had NO trouble eating salads and BEEF, but
could not and barely ever do even now, eat CHICKEN. I told you weird. But
my blood tests have always been perfect so all the protein and veggies
works....Blessings to you in your journey to health....
— Kathy T.
March 25, 2008
Thank you guys so much for the answers I feel like i can get on track now.
— Mrs.Cameron33
March 25, 2008
always ask your surgeon -- and don't forget that your intestines and
esophagus are healing -- they were stitched back together and messed with
-- give them time to heal also
— RCassety
March 26, 2008
I had cream of potatoe soup and mashed up the potatoe in my mouth. It was
delicious and it helped fill me up. Campbell's cream of anything will help
you. 45 calories. I broke it down into 3 servings and had a serving every
3 hours. It really worked for me. I had my surgery March 7, 2008, (RNY)
and I feel so much better. I am down 20 lbs and still working on it. Good
Luck.
— sagarmy
March 26, 2008
After reading all these answers, no one has mentioned the big reason my doc
has me on liquid and pureed food for the first 6 weeks. Better weight
loss. If you stay on liquid for 3 weeks, then semi soft and pureed foods
for the next 3 weeks it gives you a better base to start adding back normal
foods after that. You have a better chance of adding back foods sensibly.
I'm 3 1/2 weeks post bypass. It was no picnic staying on liquids. I was
allowed to have cream of wheat cereal and instant mashed potatoes. That
really helped. I had a scrambled egg and 1 peice of dry toast and a little
OJ (no OJ for first 3 wks. because of the acidity) on day one of week
three. Since then I have been able to add back baby food, pureed meats and
soft fruit, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, dry toast, and v-8 juice.
That's it for 3 more weeks. At six weeks, I can add very slowly one new
thing at a time soft cheese, peanut butter, sourdough bread, crackers, no
seeds, real potatoes, rice, pasta, refried beans, granola bars, reg.
cereal, fresh fruit no skin, cooked veges., finely chopped lettuce, and
tomatoes w/o skin. Remember your insitions are still healing and
everything is still swollen. Take it slow and don't get too anxious,
you'll have better results. After just 3 weeks, I've lost 30 lbs. from 300
down to 270. Paula
— paulajaneb
Click Here to Return