NickelChip

Oh no! I'm just over 5 weeks out and I've been put back on liquids due to vomiting. It started just before 3 weeks with what I thought was an isolated incident because of some fish that was too dry. I had four hours of agony before I was finally able to expel everything from my stomach and have the pain stop. But 4 days later it happened with something else, and then three days after that it seemed that anything I tried to eat was triggering pain and vomiting. So I had to go back to liquids. I've been having protein shakes and cream soups. It's been 9 days and I haven't had any more pain. I see the surgeon on Tuesday and am hoping he'll say I can start trying soft protein again. I hope your doctor gets to the bottom of the issue for you soon! I'm grateful that water isn't causing any issues for me.

This video also addresses how much you can eat over time:

Catwoman is right. It depends what's on your plate. By and large, at least according to two prominent surgeons (Dr. John Pilcher and Dr. Matthew Weiner), pouch stretching isn't really a thing. Your pouch is meant to regain elasticity as it heals, allowing you to eat the amount of food you'll need for maintenance. It's what you choose to fill it with that makes the difference. Bearing in mind I'm still in the early stages so this is just based on research instead of personal experience, this is what I have read and heard. You want to keep your protein serving to 3-4oz and your starch/carb serving to 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or 1 slice bread), and the rest non-starchy veg. That would be 1/2 your plate is veg and 1/2 your plate split between protein and carb. And a smaller lunch/salad plate, not a dinner plate bigger than your head! The meal you posted looks pretty healthy to me. I found this video really informative:

The problem I see with this, not the study itself but the implications, is that if you have a high genetic risk for obesity, the amount of exercise required to stave it off may be well outside the limit of what most people can tolerate. Finding out you need 4 or 5 hours a day of exercise when most people might only need 30 minutes isn't exactly actionable if you also have to work in a sedentary job to earn a living.

What are you eating besides protein? Do you get fruits and veg every day? Does your diet have any fat in it? Make sure as you focus on protein that you also focus on getting a well-rounded, balanced diet and enough calories to keep your body going.

@BlueParis My skin has been so dry! I've been using more lotion than usual and my hands still feel like sandpaper. Maybe because I barely eat any fat right now? I'm not convinced the advice for non-fat milk and yogurt makes sense right now because I basically get no fat when all I'm having is protein powder and dairy.

This video should be required viewing for every bariatric patient. I have watched every one of Dr. Weiner's videos and rewatch them regularly. So much important information that you don't learn in most programs.

Allow me to rant for a minute. I have insurance, and I am lucky enough that it covered my surgery with a $1k copay after I hit my $2k annual deductible. So, I can't complain about my own outcome as far as that goes. But I just got a look at the hospital charges. My insurance company was billed in the neighborhood of $42k dollars for my surgery and hospital stay. They then had a negotiated plan "discount" of $32k applied, bringing the total paid on my behalf to just under $10k. Plus my copay equals $11k, or $13k if you factor in that my entire deductible was made up of surgery related charges. Why can't the hospital just say that a gastric bypass costs $13k? Because that is what they are going to get paid, and they know it, and my insurance knows it. Why the charade? Why must every single insurance policy "negotiate" different discount rates? This is stupid. And without insurance, would I just be left with a $42k bill that I had to pay out of pocket? I have a feeling I would be. Rant over.

It sounds like maybe you would benefit from a stricter routine. At least, I know I tend to flounder when I am just let loose without many rules. If I have to figure out what to do every day and each day is different, I get totally off track with stuff. But when I get into a routine, it's way easier. I haven't gotten off track yet simply by virtue of not being able to eat very much right now, but I know that establishing habits and routines is the most important thing for me to do before I get to the point where I could. Here are some suggestions, just in case they help! Put your full week's worth of vitamins in a weekly pill case (I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6XZN1YH). It's especially helpful if you get the kind where you can take the day's box with you for those later in the day doses like calcium. Make the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day, or have a rotation of things you can do that are all close to the same in protein value. Plan a dozen dinners that are also roughly the same in protein. Add them up and make sure any breakfast, lunch, and dinner chosen from your repertoire will hit your protein goal. If not, plan for a snack or two in the same way. Don't eat things that are not nutrient dense, and if you do have a treat on occasion, make sure you're limiting yourself to once a month, not once a day! (And if you happen to love chocolate, consider this for one of your daily calcium supplements: https://procarenow.com/products/calcium-dark-chocolate-500mg-calcium-500-iu-vitamin-d) Consider getting something like the Portion Perfection plates and meal prep containers if you struggle with portion size Buy a bariatric cookbook to help with food choices and portions Put your gym or exercise time on your calendar and treat it like you would a doctor's appointment (I struggle with this so much) Or, if you hate the gym, choose exercises you'll actually look forward to. Going to a gym is not a requirement but moving your body is. Put all your reminders for vitamins, mealtime, snack time, and exercise time in your phone so you get reminders

2 Tbsp in one sitting is a reasonable limit since the stomach capacity right after surgery is somewhere between 2 and 4 Tbsp (although 2 Tbsp is only 1/8 cup, not 1/4 cup). But the OP said she was only told she could eat 2 Tbsp in an entire day, which I've never heard before. Usually programs will say 2-4 Tbsp per meal, and then recommend somewhere between 3-6 meals spaced evenly throughout the day, with protein shake supplements to make up the difference. It just seems unusual compared to a lot of other programs, and the fact the discharge papers told her 1/4-1/2 cup per meal (which is too much) and the dietician said 2 Tbsp per day would definitely have me wondering if one hand knows what the other is doing in that program. I mean, it's possible the dietician has a good reason for the once a day limit, but it's also possible they misspoke or had a typo and it's supposed to be per meal (and they really need to address the discharge instruction packet). It's certainly worth clarifying, at least.

This is a hard one because on the one hand, it's fairly easy to advise how to change your diet and lifestyle. Here are some basic things to try: drink at least 64oz water per day remove all processed foods and sweets from your house and diet and replace with fresh fruit and nuts/seeds (this includes artificial sweetener and protein shakes if you're past 3-6 months post-op) make sure you hit your protein goal (probably 80g) with high-quality lean protein every meal, every day (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, beans) decrease or eliminate your grains/starches and always opt for whole grain when you do have it eat only at mealtimes increase your vegetable consumption increase physical activity (for example, get 10k steps per day) keep a journal that includes both a food journal and an emotions journal, and use this to see if you can find patterns or triggers in your behavior The motivation is a whole other issue. None of these changes are likely to stick if you don't have the motivation and mindset you need to do it. Personally, I found a lot of information and motivation from reading Dr. Matthew Weiner's books, A Pound of Cure, and also the one that explains how weight loss surgery really works. I also get a lot of inspiration from watching YouTube vloggers and podcasts. Here are a few of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/@LouisesJourneyxo https://www.youtube.com/@apoundofcure https://www.youtube.com/@nicoleislosingit https://www.youtube.com/@kakisrnyjourney5376 https://www.youtube.com/@thistothatlife Finally, if you can, get friends and family involved in supporting you by checking in on your progress, going for walks with you, maybe cooking meals together. And post here for support!

I really appreciate you including this part because, as I was reading your story, my first question was "I wonder how you say 'Go f**k yourself' in French..." For what it's worth, a friend who has put on some weight in recent years, teetering at a 30 BMI, (menopause, a breakup, long-distance move), started with a new primary care doctor a while back who told her whenever she had the urge to eat a cookie, just reach for a cucumber slice instead. She also only ordered blood sugar tests when my friend's main medical issue is thyroid related. Totally useless doctor! She's finally gotten in with a new one who isn't fat phobic (I know this because she's now going to be seeing my doctor). You have to have medical professionals who know how to give appropriate care, and yours really missed the mark. I'm so sorry she was so terrible. And given your other medical issues, I can definitely understand why you chose to do VSG even with a lower BMI. I hope getting back to a more typical-for-you weight helps ease your symptoms. Joint pain at a higher weight is no joke.

My program has one week of liquids, soft proteins at week 2, and then if you are meeting your protein and hydration goals, you can start adding some veg and fruit starting the third week. So, I was eating things like eggs, tuna, cottage cheese, salmon, and some very well cooked veg like broccoli and green beans. I was doing fine until last week when I had several incidents of vomiting. So my doctor moved me back to liquids 5 days ago to allow healing. I'm stuck with it until my appointment a week from today and pretty much everything sounds terrible. Anything with sweetener is too sweet. I have clear protein water and I swear it tasted like perfume. I made a smoothie with frozen banana today and even that was too sweet. Protein shakes disgust me. I have one flavor I can handle. So I'm mostly doing cream soups with a scoop of unflavored protein. Everything about eating feels really disgusting right now, although I haven't had any issues with my stomach, so that's a good thing. And my hydration has been consistently good.

There is a brand of peanut butter powder that has flavors like cookie dough and such. I think that might be nice. And yes, the protein shake powder is way higher in protein. I feel like mixing it as a shake makes me gag, but using it as a fruit dip somehow changes how it tastes to me. I may try it with a strawberry banana shake mix I have too. Being back on liquids right now is messing with me because I've come to hate the texture of shakes. And even a more natural version made with yogurt, banana, and pb powder is making me gag today. One more week of this and then hopefully I can go back to eating soft protein and maybe a little bit of veg. I miss veg. I didn't expect to be back at square one 5 weeks post-op! As soon as I can, I'm going to have fruit dip!

Not necessarily. You need to find out if your doctor is following that same guideline, or if he follows net carbs. Just send his office a message and ask for clarification. If you have a healthcare portal, this should be super easy to do.

If you are in the neighborhood of 4-6 months out from your surgery, there is absolutely nothing you can do to avoid hair loss. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. Hair grows in cycles and it is natural for hair to fall out when they reach the end of their cycle. When you have a disruptive event like surgery, it signals lots of hair follicles to stop growing at the same time instead of just a few on a staggered basis like usual. It takes a few months for the hair to go from stopping growing to falling out. So, it's nothing you are doing now that is causing it. It's the stress of surgery, not just weight loss but any major surgery. The good news is, once the hair falls out, all the healthy food and protein you are eating now is going to make it so the new hair that begins to grow in is healthy and strong.

Hey there, fellow Massachusetts person! Here are a few options that might work for you for protein: If you like soups such as creamy tomato, butternut bisque, etc., add a scoop or two (10-20g protein) of unflavored protein powder such as Isopure or Syntrax to the soup. Also, if you make a canned soup like cream of chicken, make it with Fairlife skim milk for even more protein. 1/2 a cup cream of chicken with 1 scoop of protein would give you about 17g protein. If you are at a stage where you can have apples, make a great protein dip by taking 1 cup Greek yogurt and adding one serving chocolate protein powder and 1 scoop powdered peanut butter and eat 1/2 cup with 1/2 an apple. This gives you around 25g protein depending what brands you are using and tastes delicious. A great source of plant-based protein is edamame, which they sell already shelled and lightly salted, ready to eat, in the produce section of Hannaford (and probably other stores, I would assume). Also, four of the cracker-sized slices of Cabot cheddar have 8g protein, and if you pair it with Triscuit thins, that's another 3g for a nice 10g snack (when you can have crackers).

Hey there, fellow Massachusetts person! Here are a few options that might work for you for protein: If you like soups such as creamy tomato, butternut bisque, etc., add a scoop or two (10-20g protein) of unflavored protein powder such as Isopure or Syntrax to the soup. Also, if you make a canned soup like cream of chicken, make it with Fairlife skim milk for even more protein. 1/2 a cup cream of chicken with 1 scoop of protein would give you about 17g protein. If you are at a stage where you can have apples, make a great protein dip by taking 1 cup Greek yogurt and adding one serving chocolate protein powder and 1 scoop powdered peanut butter and eat 1/2 cup with 1/2 an apple. This gives you around 25g protein depending what brands you are using and tastes delicious. A great source of plant-based protein is edamame, which they sell already shelled and lightly salted, ready to eat, in the produce section of Hannaford (and probably other stores, I would assume). Also, four of the cracker-sized slices of Cabot cheddar have 8g protein, and if you pair it with Triscuit thins, that's another 3g for a nice 10g snack (when you can have crackers).

How has your recovery and first month gone?

If you're allowed, I found heating up a serving of tomato soup with unflavored protein powder was much more satisfying for my dinner than a shake. Just check that the combined calories and carbs of the soup plus the protein is roughly in line with a meal replacement shake. I used the Tomato Basil from Pacific Foods with 2 scoops of Syntrax unflavored and it was right in line with a Bariatric Fusion meal replacement shake but with a hot and savory flavor instead of sweet/cold.

@BlueParis The liquid diet isn't so bad. I guess it's a good thing I'm not actually hungry. I bought a bunch of smooth soups to add my protein powder to so I wouldn't need to do shakes, and picked up some favorite yogurt flavors. For the vitamin issue, are you able to buy Celebrate or Bariatric Fusion brands of vitamins in France? If so, they both make multivitamins that are iron free, and then a soft-chew iron supplement. I would suggest getting your multivitamin in first thing and then taking the soft chew iron in very little nibbles throughout the day. Celebrate's cherry flavor is pretty good, and the texture is like a chewy candy (like Starburst, if you are familiar with that candy). It's probably the 45mg of iron hitting all at once that's causing the issue, so if you took the very tiniest of bites 6 or even 12 times per day, you could get the iron in by the end of the day without the shock to your stomach.

The first program I was in had a similar requirement. It would've been liquids for Saturday and Sunday with surgery on Monday. But the program closed and I was referred to a different program at a nearby hospital. And even though they were part of the same healthcare system, the new program required a full 2 week liquid diet. Let me tell you, it was not easy being mentally prepared for 2 days and then being told 2 weeks!

The vomiting has probably caused some swelling. You'll probably need to baby your tummy with very easy to digest foods in very small quantities for a few days. And I wouldn't try any red meat for quite some time. Are you already allowed to have that? It's very hard to digest. My program says 3 months before beef, pork, and lamb.

That sounds awful! Nausea is no fun. I hope you're able to find ways to keep yourself hydrated. I'm grateful that I don't feel poorly unless I eat something that "sticks," so as long as I just go with the liquids, I feel okay (just bored).

I talked to the nurse the other day about some vomiting issues I had been experiencing, about 5 times in total over the past 2 weeks. While the first time was almost certainly due to overcooked/dry food, there was concern over the other times, especially a few days ago when I was sick twice in a day with quite a bit of pain and multiple times of fairly aggressive vomiting. I had a longer, more complicated surgery than usual (6 hours) due to some scarring and issues with my intestine, so my doctor decided I should go back to the liquid phase until I see him on April 2. Not gonna lie, 11 days of protein shakes and yogurt is not what I was hoping for. I thought they would say just avoid the foods that were making me sick. But I guess the doctor feels my systems need more time to heal. I can have some simple creamed soups, though, and plan to supplement those with unflavored protein because I can't stand the shakes and protein waters. At least I'm having no issues with hydration.