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Hi all, it’s been 3 days after surgery, I’m still having gas pain. It feels like air moving around in my stomach and it is painful only can do 2 0z of anything every 15 min. I’m not sure if this gas or I’m drinking too much. I drink 2 0z every 15 min all day to get my protein and water in. Any one have any thoughts to help me understand what is going on with this pain.

Hi Arabesque ir is definitely very different from location to location because you’re from another country and the food references are for items that I have not even heard of :). As I mentioned in another post the difference from dr to dr can be HUGE as to the amount of care you receive, the amount of post surgery guidance and what is expected of patients. Some patients have very detailed instructions and menus while some of us get very little information. I have noticed that some people are convinced that carbs are no longer allowed, some are fine with them. My dr doesn’t seem to have a problem with them although they want you to get your protein in then veg and then if room allow carbs. I think that carbs, while not ideal, aren’t the devil. I also believe that if you’re eating a total of less than 4 oz per meal (my dr literally gives you a 4 oz measure cup and says this is what you do for all meals, the cup is imprinted with the words “measure for success”) that as long as you stick to food instead of junk you will probably be fine. Yes, make sure you get the protein but most foods aren’t that calorie dense. I found a TikTok person who is a bariatric patient who has videos specifically for snacks for low carb keto diet. I think we all have to do our research and find what works for our bodies and lifestyles.

Eggs can be difficult for many people at first. I was a lucky one & could eat them but only scrambled. Our tummies can be weird & quirky. I lived on scrambled eggs & rolled oats for breakfast (still do four years out until a few months back my tummy decided it didn’t like eggs anymore - see weird tummy). Some people stick with protein shakes for breakfast because of food aversions, simplicity & protein. I hated the shakes so i ate a high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drink ( blend the yoghurt with milk) to supplement my protein. You could try that for breakfast. It really is a lot of trial & error unfortunately. The gas, bloating, cramping, etc, could be your body adjusting to your altered digestive system. Has your surgeon offered any solutions or suggestions on how to manage it like gas X for the wind? All the best.

Are you allowed snacks? Some plans don’t allow them or advise when you can add an additional snack. For example I could snack once a day from about 8 weeks but was limited on what I could snack: yoghurt or a yoghurt drink (snack not as a meal as I was eating them initially), soft cheese (string or jarlsburg were my favourites), or fruit (only serve I was allowed & certain ones only). I was encouraged to snack more when I reached my goal because I was still losing. But again I given guidelines as to what I could snack. I still snack now 4 years out to get the calories in I need to maintain, reach my protein goals & get additional nutrients in. Again I’m very careful with what I snack on, when I snack & how often. For example protein bar, multigrain cracker with labneh (make my own) & tomato, cheese, nuts, fruit, peanut paste. The only more traditional style snack food I have is roasted fava beans/chick peas for travelling or holidays but honestly I often throw them out without eating them because they’ve expired. Check with your team first for recommendations & guidance to best suit yiu & your needs. Snacks can quickly increase your calorie intake & can reintroduce bad habits. And many traditional style snacks are sliders even the so called low carb, high protein, no added sugar, lite, versions.

Calories are always going to fluctuate a little anyway simply because you don’t eat the exact same foods every day. It’s why I focussed more on appropriate portions for what I ate & number & frequency of meals & snacks. I believe it always averages out. Like there’ll be days when you eat more protein & others when you’ll eat less. Same with fluids. Remember too though, your portions & calories are going to slowly increase as you progress until your weight stabilises & you’re in maintenance. I was told I would eat 1/4-1/3 cup from purée increasing to a cup at 6 months. You can always check with your team for additional guidance about what it appropriate for you at this stage. There are still days I can eat more than my appropriate portion or want an additional snacks. I tell myself I’m eating enough to meet my needs & if I want to eat more something else is going on (hormones, boredom, emotions, stress, etc.) & it’s not real hunger. Of course it took time to learn this. At times I still can’t eat all of my appropriate portion too. I’m simply not hungry, my tummy is being a bit odd or fussy, what I ate is sitting more heavily or is more dense, etc. I always believed it’s fine because I’m listening to my body which is more important.

Hi everyone! Brand new here and my first post. It's been about five weeks since my surgery and I am struggling to meet my protein goals during the soft food phase especially with breakfast. I seem to have developed some sort of issue with eggs and dealing with gas, bloating, cramping despite being on gas and acidity meds. Feeling a bit lost and definitely feeling food fatigue as I am still navigating and trying to figure out what works for my new stomach. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Hi everybody! I just had surgery today for candycane syndrome and I was shocked at how much better the recovery feels vs the RNY I had 3yrs and 4days ago. Yeah, nearly had the fix surgery on the Surgiversary lol. My question is, what kind of initial diet did your doctors put you on for the first few months? I'm clear liquids moving into protein shakes while I am here in the hospital, but I am curious for after. I lost around 80lbs before I started gaining from this. Then, went from 135 to 154 literally in the blink of an eye. It's crazy. My phantom limb was huge! My stoma/fistula was over 10mm wide. It's crazy. How did the original dr not see it??

I want buddies too T^T I'm currently 4 days post-op. I originally wanted the rxy bypass but my surgeon said my spleen was tooooo big and it would have been too risky, they opted to switch to a sleeve mid operation. I'm still very happy with this choice and hope it leads to health and happiness for me. So far, I think it's been surprisingly difficult to get liquids down. Texturally the nicest thing has been sugar free pudding mixed with some protein powder. Very helpful for when these liquids just seem to want to walk right back up :C At the hospital they gave me 100% apple juice and then when i went home they called to see how I was doing with fluid intake and got upset that I was having apple juice. Just make sure it's 100% okay when you go home after surgery I guess x_X

I'm looking on the BariatricPal shopping site now and on Sam's and Amazon. Sweets have never been my thing much so a protein bar seems like a candy bar, which is awesome for some folks. I like savory snacks like Cheetos, Potato Chips and Popcorn, etc. (which is why my fat arse needed surgery to begin with) and was looking at the Protein Chips options and saw a big tub of cheetoh type cheese balls on Sams for around $20 and some things that look like Doritos from various companies. Obviously, I don't want to sit around eating chips and snacks all day bc even the healthy snacks add up pretty quick calorie wise but I'd like to find some snacks as well that are "light" versions but satisfying. I will say MsTeeTee that if you want a simple protein snack, I purchased a 10 pack of boneless, skinless pre-cooked, seasoned diced chicken breasts which was in 3.5 oz individual portion vacuum sealed packs. It was $14.99 which isn't a great bargain but for just one person, convenient. I'm retired but if I were working a regular job I think I'd buy some meats up, marinate/season them and cook them and freeze them up in Rubbermaid small containers. I've already done that with several varieties of beans (red beans, Lima beans, 15 bean soup mix and cream peas) and it makes it an easy lunch or dinner. I'm not sure when(if) we get to eat things like pork, burgers, steak, etc. but things like chicken, pork, steak fajita mix thrown in a small container with a low carb tortilla would make a quick snack. I saw a cute idea at a convenience store where they had taken hamburger meat and shaped it into the shape of a hot dog. I was thinking of doing that and tossing in the air fryer, again, using lc tortilla. If you wanted to make 10 or 20 of the hamburger dogs and toss them in zippy bags for a lunch bag when you leave home, it could make things very convenient later in the day. IF you aren't into cooking Tyson and Springer Mountain both make bags of 8 oz pre-cooked chicken you could buy already made. I'm looking forward to getting to the stage where I can eat something besides soft bc I'm not doing so well on it so far, I'm only tolerating eggs w/sausage gravy, some beans, cream of chicken soup, yogurt. Good luck with finding snacks!

I do have a hard time getting all my protein in on some days. Mainly due to work and my schedule. But that is important. Thanks

For me it depends on the type of food I've eaten, as well as the amount of liquid in my stomach. I don't think it's a huge deal. But my theory is: if I'm grazing too much, I'm probably making poor choices at meal time. (Eg not enough protein) Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

First Question: How do you get your info on the left side of screen to show? I can't get it to let me edit my screen to put that stuff in.... PeggyAnne: You are NOT alone! I see a HUGE difference in the various drs and care that we all seem to get. Some of us get all the hand holding and people who are there every step of the way, others get a handout and a call if you have questions kind of experience. My dr suggested ground sausage and so I got some Jimmy Dean ground breakfast sausage, cooked in air fryer then diced it on a cutting board until it was finely minced and kept part to put in my scrambled eggs and took the rest and made a sizeable skillet of sausage gravy to go over those scrambled eggs. Honestly, it has been the least painful of foods. I got brave again and tried the mashed potatoes and gravy for lunch and am now regretting it!! It seems to create a suction/vacuum feeling in my stomach, weird and uncomfortable. I have enough gravy and eggs to last through September so I may just stick to that Beans work okay too as long as I have enough broth with them, I have had red beans and then lima beans but the Limas with a lot of broth and picked out the ham and sausage that was initially cooked with them before I froze them into containers. Dry foods seem incompatible at this point, no matter how soft. My dr SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME NOT TO EVEN TRY CHICKEN IN ANY FORM AT THIS POINT BC HE SAID IT IS ENTIRELY TOO DRY and I'm thinking he's right. I may try the same thing with some ground beef at some point and a brown gravy. Everyone seems to jump up and down when you mention this food or that food but what he basically said is that the goal at this point is just to find things that will actually go/stay down without making you sick or stuffed and in pain. I am seriously a very slow eater but it hasn't helped me here bc even eating slowly, putting utensil down between bites, chewing slowly, etc. some things are just making me feel like I ate a whole slab of beef! The eggs may work well bc they're scrambled? maybe the gravy makes it mushy enough? I don't know but I can't do 'pureed' and he said not to try chicken bc I was asking if I could make a chicken salad (NO) and so I'm just like you WTH can I eat? LOL my list says eggs, pureed veg, yogurt & pudding. at the end of week tomorrow that's 4 weeks and I guess I could move to the next stage but frankly not comfortable moving forward after another mashed potato fiasco today. I have a cake "frosting" recipe made of SF cool whip, dry pkg of sf jello and crushed pineapple and I'm very tempted to make it. I've only had one chocolate protein drink/shake and I mixed w/ice in blender and put sf whipped topping and it was like a milkshake but I'm not much into sweets so I may just have to make myself drink them.

Thank you both for these suggestions, I do recall at my 1 month followup that my hemoglobin was low, the surgeon said that she wasn't worried at that time but I think your suggestion for labs is very appropriate. I am allowed carbs I usually have a netzero tortilla but I will try the oatmeal. I am low on proteins, the surgeon did suggest 75 grams at this point, I will also work to get those in. Perhaps I will use some protein water to add some additional protein. I hope that you all have a great day, and thank you again for your suggestions and guidence.

Oh I'm sure you're getting really excited. How bad has the liquid diet been for you so far? I'm nervous about that part. I know how I can be so it's going to take a herculean effort not to cheat while I'm doing it. I have a pre-op appointment today to go over everything and she'll tell me to start the liquid diet I'm sure. I was planning on starting it on Monday. I even went and got 8 oz. juice bottles from Amazon so I can divvy out what I'm allowed to have. I'm supposed to drink 4 protein shakes, 2 bottles of liquid IV and 16 ounces of OJ, and then whatever assorted non-caloric beverages I want over the course of a day. Looking at it spread out in a schedule like it is in my binder makes it look like a whole lot of drinking but looking at it in a small list makes me anxious because I'm afraid I'm going to starve. It's really cutting down on my sugars that is gonna be hard, I know I'm a sugar addict. Getting nervous and excited.

Update been 9 days since surgery and feel great. No pain. Able to drink fluids without issues. Protein intake no issues. Surgery did it job I am not hungry and able to follow stages with out issues. Weighed myself for thr first time, and down 16 pounds.

Another possibility with this is a lack of carbohydrates (yes, those evil things!) We don't get much early on owing to the protein emphasis (and with the low carb and sugar free things, too.) Some programs specifically call for some minor carb loading early out to avoid these problems and promote recovery - not overboard, but some simple things (depending upon dietary progression) like sloppy oatmeal, cream of wheat or even mashed potatoes (bit of unflavored protein powder optional, or made with some broth) or diluted fruit juice. Not major dietary staple, but just some worked into the diet. just one more thing to try, good luck!

Hope your doing well! Being home is a lot different than the hospital, you can actually sleep! Have your fluid and protein handy as it is a new mindset and habit! I was told 8 oz of fluid every hour! Welcome to your new life!

You've given me some hope. I managed to find some protein powder thats made with stevia and not the joint inflaming aspertame or sucralose. Cost an arm and a leg but I'm at least starting to feel better. Nana naps 3 times a day for me but today I've decided to get my butt out of the recliner and make some crafts. It's only 6 am so we'll see how that goes. Can't wait to drop this weight and watch my grandson play some football.

I know the feeling well. I was so hungry the 5 days before I was given the OK to eat pureed food, then I made egg salad, eggs mayo mustard, it was ok but gave me terrible bloating. Never touched it again. Been eating instant mashed potatoes and protein drinks. I'm so hungry for real food. Wish I had a good understanding of what exactly I'm to do to make pureed chicken. Sounds very dry and ick to me.

Had mine on Aug 14th. Was on my "liquid" diet which was anything but liquid for 4 weeks. They called it the liver shrink and was basically 500 calories worth of salt free canned green beans, 6 oz canned chicken, 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1/2 cup beef gelatin jello. I dropped 25 lbs on it. Now I'm 12 days post op and started the puree diet 4 days ago. I've mainly been drinking protein drinks and eating instant mashed potatoes 1/4 cup at a time for a daily total of 3/4 cups. I know that's not right but eggs made me sick and I've not been to the store yet for chicken. Not sure what I'm supposed to be doing really but I've dropped another 6 lbs since surgery. I think I'll get some baby food if I can find it without sugar or natural sugar. I've no clue how to puree chicken or turkey. I'm pretty lost in all of this. Looking forward to getting brain function (I made myself a cup of tea with monk sugar, drank nearly all of it and when I went to wash the thermos I realized I forget to add the tea bag) SMH, and energy back. Tummy feels fine now, swelling is mostly gone. How are you doing now? You're just a day behind me.

Are you doing any better? I took liquid acetaminophen I got from Amazon and the hospital gave me liquid gabapentin. I only needed the pain meds for 4 days. I wore an abdominal binder until yesterday, so for about a week. That helped tremendously. I had a hard time drinking liquid. I would take a few sips and set a timer for 15 minutes. Then, I tried 12 minutes. That seemed tolerable. I’m now at probably 2-3 oz every 15 minutes but I haven’t been timing it. Chicken broth with unflavored protein powder mixed in is my favorite “meal” right now. Between that and two or so protein shakes, I’ve been able to keep up on my liquid and protein intake. It’s been a challenge to learn this new way of life, but it seems to be going well. I too had regrets after the surgery, but I don’t any longer. This is a life saving procedure for me, and I’m determined to be successful.

Grab and go snacks. I guess lunch box stuff I should say. I saw the peeled apple slices. I need peanut butter in the prepackaged cups. I like the sliced deli meat option. That sounds tasty.

Different times of the year I do different things. Like above said, I plan leftovers to take for lunch or snack. Early on I would drink some protein shake. Later I had one oz of chicken or a hard boiled egg. Eggs stay better in the cooler months. This summer I put 1oz of fresh walnuts into a toddler sized food container with whatever blueberries I could get in too. It was my perfect anti-hangry fix. The venison and turkey jerky from Trader Joe’s held hunger off, but also were too salty (for me). Other post surgery folks smoke their own meat (popular in New England where I’m from).

Do you mean snacks to take to work or something? You can prepare those in advance. If you're home you can just stock up your fridge with variations on the suggestions. My go-to snacks are still deli meat (or, better still, meat leftover from last night's dinner) raw nuts and cheese. They will get you through almost every situation. Honestly I haven't had a bar since my surgery - they just don't seem like proper food any more and most are laced with sugar. As you get further out veg (like celery sticks and some sort of hummus or dip or soft cheese) or berries are also good and you can get those at short notice almost everywhere. High protein yoghurts are also great.

Deli meat, jerky, nuts, peanut butter with a peeled apple, cheese and grapes. I always have a Amfit bar from Amazon in my bag for emergencies. We can buy tinned fish like tuna salads and sardines in tomato sauce. Protein yogurts are everywhere now, find a brand you like.