Question:
I am on clear liquids until next Monday-Can't Take IT!!!!
I had surgery open rny on March 6th and am doing fabulous I was doing so well that they removed both my draining tubes before i left and took me off my diabetes meds and now i'm just checking my sugars 3x a day-I really want to skip to full liquids and then move on to soft foods but everyone keeps telling me to follow the nutritionists orders but all i can eat is breyers sugar free popsicles and juices and water fill me up to quick and make me sick-will I hurt myself if I skip? Also the doctor says not to worry about taking my multivitamin,b-12,tums,and that stuff until next week-Should I be taking those now? And is the clear liquid diet that serious my popsicles are made frozen pureed fruit but they only have 25 cals and I tolerate them really well-won't eat anything else-Will full liquids and soft foods be my downfall and should I just ignore my mom's and friends's constant nagging to stay with liquids-Sorry it's so long -Please Help Me!!! — TotallyTori (posted on March 12, 2003)
March 12, 2003
Please do what your doctor tells you to do. I know that each doctor has a
different opinion on when you should proceed to different stages of food,
but if you don't do what he/she says and then you have problems, you may
end up being told that the problems are because you didn't do what you were
supposed to. I know it's hard, but you can do it. And you don't need to
worry about the B12, calcium, etc. right away. Most people can't tolerate
those for a couple of weeks anyway and your body won't suffer any serious
consequences of not having them for a little while.
— garw
March 12, 2003
Saw that your doctor is recommending you take Tums for your calcium. Tums
are calcium carbonate - which our post-RNY pouches cannot absorb properly
(or at all) because of the limited stomach acid. You should be taking
calcium carbonate...JR
— John Rushton
March 12, 2003
John means Calium CITRATE!
and I know that is the opinion of the boards (thank you Michelle c.) but
many world renowed surgeons STILL have not gotten on that bandwagon-
— ~~Stacie~~
March 12, 2003
Victoria, I know it is hard, lots of post ops will tell you it is hard.
But after what you have put your body through, please rethink skipping
steps, or ignoring your doctors orders. I was on clear liquids for a
month, and I mean clear liquids, no creamed soups, no mashed potatoes,
etc.
Also my clear liquids had to be sugar free, no juices. It was hard.
But you made a life style committment you need to adapt too. Following
your doctors initial orders are very important to your overall success, as
well as your physical well being. Think of the healing your insides are
doing, think of the changes your body is going to be going through... this
will all be worth it.
When you think you cant take it anymore, take a walk, make some jello, get
on line and chat, do something to distract your mind from the food.
Believe it or not, as a new postie I became obssessed with reading cook
books.
So take a deep breath, some positive thoughts, and commmittment and this
too shall pass.
Take care
— Nene B.
March 12, 2003
I agree with the others... stick with the doctor's orders. This is what I
told myself every time I questioned: "I do not know what works. If I
knew what worked, I would not be in this situation. The doctor is a
professional and he knows better than me."
It really is true. Do what they say.. you will feel better faster and be
more able to tolerate the foods in the next stages. My doctor said the same
thing about the vitamins. One week will not hurt you a bit. Take care!
— SarahC
March 12, 2003
Stacie - yes, I meant to say we should be taking calcium citrate.
Sometimes my fingers type faster than my brain works *G*. I wish that we
had an edit function on our replies on this Q&A...JR
— John Rushton
March 12, 2003
I think the previous posts are right. I think you should stick with what
docs orders are. I know it's tough and if you are anything like me, I was
really hungry when I was on the liquids. I was beginning to think I had
made a huge mistake. But doc reassured me and I hung in there until the
last day before my pureed stage and then I caved. But only one day early.
I was pretty proud of myself. Hang in there, just think how much better
that pureed stage will be once you get through this. It's all worth it in
the long run. As far as vitamins go, I was taking 2 Flintstones chewables
from the day out of the hospital but nothing else until I got to eating
real food. I also agree with the other posts about your surgeon
recommending the wrong calcium. It should be calcium citrate, not
carbonate. I take 5 Citracal + vitamin D every day. Along with a
prenatal, dry vitamin E, and a Hair Skin and Nails vitamin. Also do
monthly B12 injections. But did not start all that until I was over a
month out. Stick it out, and prove to yourself that you are strong enough
to make it work! It's well worth it! Good luck!
— Laurel C.
March 12, 2003
all i know is...breaking the rules is what got me fat. cold liquids don't
really fill me up either. have you tired some warm chicken broth? good
luck!
— k K.
March 12, 2003
Top priority at *less than one week out from surgery* is letting your pouch
heal, as it's in its rawest, most shocked state right now. Head hunger, or
even apparent body hunger, cannot take precedence over that concern. Try
to picture poor 'lil old Pouch, your new friend, and what it's going
through in there. Treat it gently. And I don't like to sound harsh, but I
think it should be said: If you think being on clear liquids for just a
few days, *immediately* upon your release from surgery, is too much
trouble, you ain't seen *nothin'* yet. And while I'm being a Big Meanie,
you shouldn't be using frozen pureed fruit popsicles on the liquid diet
(there are pieces of fruit in them, I think -- remember poor 'lil Pouchie,
who is just a few days old). Someone below suggested warm clear broths,
which is a good idea. Then there's jello (I know ... ugh ... but it's only
for a few days). Plus, more bad news: the pureed phase isn't much fun
either, and it usually lasts longer than the clear or full liquids phases.
Peak too soon now, and you might well be sick of full liquids and pureeds
early, too, thus torturing yourself every step along the way by rushing
things from the git-go (and risking getting sick in the process). Look at
it this way: You're in "Food Detox" right now. It isn't easy,
but you *can* make it!
— Suzy C.
March 13, 2003
Well I only thought about skipping this step cause I read a post from
someone else on here about how she skipped the full-liquids stage and she
had almost 15 posts of people who agreed that they had skipped a step and
did not have any problems losing weight or anything else, as far as the
popsicles they are fine and they don't have chunks of fruit in them, they
are just creamy and they're sugar-free. I can only handle two sips of broth
and it is gross so i just eat popsicles and drink apple cranberry juice
diluted with water-It's not about not handling the liquid diet but I am
confident that I can handle full liquids without any problems but I
appreciate your comments, I've read several times on here that alot of
people can be really rigid and nagging when it comes to not following the
diet word for word.
— TotallyTori
March 13, 2003
Not everyone agrees with me, but my surgeon and his nurse insist on
following the early post op diet. They believe that you need to let your
pouch heal. They also believe that eating solids too early leads to
strictures. By having the solids "bump" into the stoma on the way
through leads to scar tissue build up. Not everyone subscribes to this
thought. I do know many people with strictures whose surgeons had them on
solids before they left the hospital. Sounds suspicious to me. My surgeon's
stricture rate is near zero. Shelley
— Shelley.
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