comingupmilhouse

This rattled me so badly, I created an account to come and get some advice...
I am two weeks post-op, everything going fine though I can't seem to get more than 500 calories a day. I had a tsp of Peanut Butter yesterday that got me up to 800, but...you know. 500 isn't great. I'm drinking my Protein shake/water today, and I'm dizzy, and after bending over, I nearly blacked out; my coworkers (who don't know I had surgery; they just think I'm on a "strict diet") declare that I am starving myself and give me one of the folks' mashed potatoes to get in some calories. I gobble down like...a half cup? A bit more? Without pausing. SO hungry. (And I do feel tons better, just FYI. That awful dizzy, pass-out feeling is gone.)
What has me rattled is that my stomach...has done nothing. No discomfort. No sign that I overate. Hell, it's taking the mashed potatoes as easy as if it were a Protein Drink. It's pushed back on having too much Soup, but not this. What?? While I'm going to contact my nutritionist because I need to figure out how to get in more calories, right now I need some feedback on...what, did I stretch out my stomach suddenly so much to accommodate all of what I ate? Why am I just dandy? I don't know. I'm so unnerved, I'd rather be weak and dizzy than scared that I ruined everything.

Just keep playing with your Soup and food and move it around and nobody will really notice that much. If they do say something, then go with the stomach bug .

Eat the Soup, Order other things but like someone said, just move it around on your plate, if anyone asks, say that surprisingly the soup really filled you up more than you expected or maybe you aren't feeling well. But don't offer that up, only if someone notices. I work with so many people that all have different dietary requirements these days so you might not stick out as much as you think. Best of luck!

Hollywood movie magic style!!!!
Move your food around forever cutting, swishing and dipping but never eating, but keep going back to the Soup so you actually get to eat.

I think the stomach bug idea is your best bet. Hopefully no one will pay any attention to what you're eating anyway and it will be a non-issue.

I'm two weeks post-op, and on Thursday, I have a big work dinner; it's at a conference, it's being hosted by some fancy folks, it's a big deal to go and network and blah blah. Last year was a four-course affair with tons of industry gossip. In other words: awesome. But I checked out the menu online, and I think there is maybe ONE thing I can get, maybe, and it's a Soup appetizer.
Any advice on how to navigate this? I'm honestly thinking of telling them all I'm getting over a stomach bug and need to be cautious with what I eat, that my stomach's still way off. The threat of vomit always scares people into leaving you be, right? But any advice on how you deal with dinners when you can't eat even CLOSE to normal is helpful.

My office mates were all so freaked when I caught myself from blacking out--and honestly, so was I--I am kinda impressed of how quickly I was able to spin a story as to why I couldn't eat their offered sandwiches, fruit, and Cookies (oh, the cookies!!) and needed to stick with very, very soft foods. Too bad no one had some nice, cream Soup in the fridge, huh??
Thanks for the blood pressure tips--I'll call my doc since I am being medicated for that, see if she has some insight. I'm for sure not eating a lot of salt, since I'm just doing Protein shakes/JellO/a little soup/protein Water, that would make a LOT of sense.
It's for sure been a MAJOR struggle to stay to the plan, but I've been doing it every day before today; my appetite is tiny, it's my brain that's the issue. But it's nice to come here and read that I'm not alone. Thanks, everyone, so much.

500 calories isn't too few. Most get between 600-800. Your blood pressure might change and you might be getting sugar (lack of sugar) spikes to account for the syncope (near-fainting) episodes. I've had them too when I stand up and start to walk, but they pass quickly. My surgeon said to eat a little more salt.

I was told this as well.

I understand your concern about gobbling down some delicious potatoes. This is the very reason why my nutritionist and surgeon excludes potatoes and grits from the first part of the soft food stage.

I wish you the best and hope your nutritionist will be able to help you figure out how to combat your dizzy spells.

Oh I remember having that feeling of getting dizzy and nearly blacking out. I don't know what changed to make it stop but that has stopped for me. Maybe it's the calorie increase, maybe the addition of some more carbs, I'm not sure. Hope it ends for you soon, too.

Thank you SO much! I was trying to hide from everyone how freaked out I am; this has helped me relax a lot, instantly.

Thank you SO much! I was trying to hide from everyone how freaked out I am; this has helped me relax a lot, instantly.

Agreed.

Mashed potatoes are what we call a slider food. You're able to eat more of them cause they don't stick to your stomach, they just slide right on through, so you are able to eat more. That's generally why those of us who had the surgery a while ago stay away from foods like that, because we don't want to be able to eat too much. There's nothing wrong with you or your stomach; it's just that mashed potatoes are a slider food.

This rattled me so badly, I created an account to come and get some advice...
I am two weeks post-op, everything going fine though I can't seem to get more than 500 calories a day. I had a tsp of Peanut Butter yesterday that got me up to 800, but...you know. 500 isn't great. I'm drinking my Protein shake/water today, and I'm dizzy, and after bending over, I nearly blacked out; my coworkers (who don't know I had surgery; they just think I'm on a "strict diet") declare that I am starving myself and give me one of the folks' mashed potatoes to get in some calories. I gobble down like...a half cup? A bit more? Without pausing. SO hungry. (And I do feel tons better, just FYI. That awful dizzy, pass-out feeling is gone.)
What has me rattled is that my stomach...has done nothing. No discomfort. No sign that I overate. Hell, it's taking the mashed potatoes as easy as if it were a Protein Drink. It's pushed back on having too much Soup, but not this. What?? While I'm going to contact my nutritionist because I need to figure out how to get in more calories, right now I need some feedback on...what, did I stretch out my stomach suddenly so much to accommodate all of what I ate? Why am I just dandy? I don't know. I'm so unnerved, I'd rather be weak and dizzy than scared that I ruined everything.