Question:
What can I eat? My Dr. said no fresh fruits or veggies, or beef for 4 months post op.
I am really tired of not eating but i also have a hard time with things staying down. I eat toast and cottage cheese alot. I was just wondering has any one else heard of the 4 months thing? I want to eat a hamburger or steak Roast anything. I also am having lots of trouble getting protein so I think this will help. But I am also afraid of it all coming back up. Any help would be great. I am about 8 weeks post op.I can eat fish and chicken occasionally.HELP — Lynne K. (posted on September 4, 2002)
September 4, 2002
Hi. My surgeon's plan calls for no red meat and certain veggies and fruits
until I hit my 5th month. I am 4 months post-op as of yesterday. The only
red meat I've eaten so far is Wendy's chili (twice) and a few bites of
shredded beef. It was very hard at first not to eat meat but time is
flying by. I decided a couple of days ago to not have any more red meat
for at least another month. I want to be as strict as possible during this
"window of opportunity." I eat mostly chicken lately. There's
lots of stuff you can eat to get your protein in...cheese, peanut butter,
etc.
— Jennifer A.
September 4, 2002
Lynne-not usre if you have tried this or not, but I am 3 weeks post and I
spoke with my nutrionist today, and she says one of the easiest things to
get down is thinly sliced deli meat, espically turkey. It is like 8g
protein per oz. I had it for the first time tonight, Boars Head Honey
Turkey....OMG was it good. Good Luck! Heather (Open RNY 8-15, -21 lbs)
— heathercross
September 4, 2002
I think that your doctors program is off base and that I would take my own
nutrition into my own hands if my doc told me no fruits and vegetables for
4 months. Almost all WLS surgeons allow low carb vegetables and fruits as
tolerated. What is your guy thinking? Are you possibly misinterpreting the
instructions and should just be limiting your carbs and since fruits and
vegetables have carbs you are taking it as 'no' fruits and vegetables?
Buy a carb counting book... and a couple good low carb cookbooks and
assimilate a few low carb vegetables into your diet... we have this surgery
to be healthy... and a well rounded diet can include fruits and vegetables
as long as you arent taking in too many carbs. Read up on this and make
your own informed decision. JMHO
— SusanMaria
September 4, 2002
I am not supposed to have red meat until month 4, too. I have been eating
turkey and chicken dogs, turkey bacon, and peanut butter and cheese. I am
just so sick of most forms of chicken and turkey, but these forms of them
fool me. They're pretty good, and seem like red meat.
— Jennifer Y.
September 4, 2002
I cant believe he said no fresh fruit. I was three days postop in the
hospital and they were serving us pureed canteloupe. I had watermelon just
four days out. I think everyone is different, and whatever goes down good
and stays down...is a good thing. I am 6 weeks out now, and I can eat
almost anything, including meats. So long as I chew, chew, chew! The only
things that don't sit well for me are lettuce (Causes me extreme gas) and
bread. I do however, try to avoid fresh veggies like broccoli, carrots
etc..because they are super hard to chew down well and I am afraid
something will get stuck. But canned ones and veggies in soup go down
wonderful. It is true that all docs are different and want us to do
different things...in actuality, I don't think they KNOW for sure yet what
is the perfect post op diet. Otherwise I think more of them would have the
same instructions. You will know if something doesn't go down right...your
body will tell you. That is what I listen too. Good Luck! (open RNY
7/23/02,
-41 lbs.)
— Shawnie S.
September 4, 2002
Have you tried protein supps? They should slip right thru and then you'd
know you're getting in your protein, anyway. I tend to agree with the
other posters that 0 fruits, etc is not good. I'm not into lots of fruits,
since they cost pounds, but SOME balance is necessary. But protein has to
be in the lead position. Don't make yourself crazy trying to gack down
food, when protein shakes go down more easily and actually taste GOOD, once
you find the right one.
— vitalady
September 4, 2002
Lynne,
Boy do I know where you are coming from. My surgeon and the registered
dietitian on his staff say no fruit or veggies for 3 months. Then only
soft fruit and cooked to mush veggies at 4 months, crisp fruits with the
skins pealed off and raw veggies and salad. NO RED MEAT or PORK for 6
months. At 6 weeks I was allowed to have seafood and at 8 weeks chicken and
turkey and pasta. I have heard some surgeons says eat whatever you want
after 6 weeks....I listen to my doctor and I have not been sick 1 time in 3
1/2 months. Good Luck.
— Sharon H.
September 4, 2002
Well we do get more food tolerant over time. Were you transected? Perhaps
your surgeon is trying to minimize vomiting and staple disruption? In any
case I was eating porterhouse steak at a month post op, and veggies are
fine. If your diabetic I would use caution about the low carb diet, it can
hammer the kidneys. I would check with your PCP in such a case. Bottom line
I would try small amounts of all kinds of food, veggies included, ands see
what works. Hopefully your surgeon has a support group, in which case ASK
about these rules... I believe a well balanced diet of protein first is
best. But you should check with your surgeon...
— bob-haller
September 4, 2002
I was warned before surgery that steak was gone forever. I'm 16 months
postop, down 135 lbs. and now weigh 117. I reached the weight that the
charts all said I should...never dreamed that would happen. I didn't eat
any beef until 6 weeks, then only ground beef. I sometimes eat deli roast
beef but find it hard on my system. I get lots of protein without and
shakes or supplements, I eat pork tenderloin, chicken, turkey and fish. I
know it's hard to tell what to do when so many surgeons have different
rules. I have followed the rules of my surgeon to the letter. I exercise
4 times a week and believe with all my heart that I have to continue this
for the rest of my life. It's a choice I made and accepted the
consequences. If I never eat steak again, so be it. At least I'm healthy
and very very happy. I don't miss the sugar and knew going in that I'd
never eat sugar again so I haven't tried that either. Guess it's ok to try
these things. I try to eat vegetables after my protein, but sometimes I'm
full and don't get them in. When I was a new postop, I ate lots of canned
vegetables like green beans, asparagus, refried beans(FF of course). I was
told specifically to eat applesauce and canned peaches without sugar. I
was allowed bananas, but they just don't digest unless I put them in with
strawberries to make a fruit smoothy. I have that a couple times a week.
Hint:Freeze the fruit so you don't use ice in the smoothy...makes it
thicker without being watery as it melts a little. I was also allowed
baked potatoes at 3 weeks...that got me through some of the hungries and
allowed me to go out to restaurants. Good luck and I hope this helps.
— Teri D.
September 6, 2002
Try Bocca veggie ground (meat), I made chili with that and no-one in the
family even noticed that it wasn't hamburger. And it was sooo good, much
easier to digest and, it is a lower-fat good source of protein. As far as
fresh veggies and fruits, most would be hard to completely break down for
our pouches, and broccoli is a very gaseous veggie, hard on the early
system. Good luck!
— Dana B.
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