6 days out already Eating solids

[Nellybell83 11]

Ok guys so here is my deal, I was sleeved on August 27, 2010, I ended up spending two nights in the hospital due to pain control. I got out on Sunday after rough (and I mean rough) Monday and Tuesday I woke up Wednesday feeling like I could conquer the world. I decided to see how some food would go down so I made my nephew a frozen burrito and cut the tail end off; it went down fine. Later on I walked past a tray of fish sticks I ate two and they went down with little trouble too. I am worried that this this my make it a bit harder to me to lose weight, I know that the surgery is a tool but after reading over some of the stories that others post about being on a liquid diet for two or three weeks post op if I am hindering myself by finding out this information. Thanks for any and all responses.

Tinel

[Jane_J 117]

Hi Tinel, I really wouldn't put any strain on your newly stapled stomach if I were you. Stick to the plan the hospital gave you, as a leak would be no fun at all, and its better to be safe than sorry.

Jane

[Tiffykins 672]

You're going to "feel fine" because all the nerves in your stomach have been cut so you won't feel much of anything. The big concern is letting your staple line heal. food can get stuck in the staple line, you can stress out the staple line, and it's just not good all around. The liquid diet is not in place to maximize weight loss. It's there to protect our staple lines while they heal. You're at highest risk within the first few weeks of surgery, and believe me, leaks suck. I had one at no fault of my own. Recovery was hell, and it just isn't worth it. Stick with your dietary guidelines it'll help with establishing some good habits for the future, and it'll allow your stomach to heal properly. For the next few weeks, eating tiny portions will be easier. When you further out, you'll be able to eat more, and if you don't change those habits now, getting goal, and maintaining your weight loss will prove difficult.

Not only are you risking a leak, behavior modification, and changing habits is the key to success with an WLS. The sleeve is only going to do so much for you. The rest is on us to make the best decisions on what we put in our mouths.

[Nellybell83 11]

Ladies thanks so much for you quick responses. While I understood the good eating habits and using the sleeve as a tool, but what I wasn't thinking about was the staple ling and ensuring that it had healed completly before putting any "solids" down there. I guess it is back to the Protein shakes for now.

Tinel.

[maryatt 0]

Ok guys so here is my deal, I was sleeved on August 27, 2010, I ended up spending two nights in the hospital due to pain control. I got out on Sunday after rough (and I mean rough) Monday and Tuesday I woke up Wednesday feeling like I could conquer the world. I decided to see how some food would go down so I made my nephew a frozen burrito and cut the tail end off; it went down fine. Later on I walked past a tray of fish sticks I ate two and they went down with little trouble too. I am worried that this this my make it a bit harder to me to lose weight, I know that the surgery is a tool but after reading over some of the stories that others post about being on a liquid diet for two or three weeks post op if I am hindering myself by finding out this information. Thanks for any and all responses.

Tinel

It is a tool - you should not be eating those unhealthy foods. I had VSG 7 months ago - I just now started taking small bite of "Bad" foods - Maybe I am just to scared to regain the weight. I have lost 80 pounds in less than 7 months - but I really watch what I eat and I exercise at least 3 days a week. I know it is hard - but try to stay away from those types of foods. Good Luck,

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

Yikes! I'd stick to the diet for as long as you can. If you are viciously hungry, see if your surgeon OKs you for pureed/soft foods. I'd also stay away from unhealthy stuff, if you can. You don't have very much room in your stomach and you should maximize it to eat stuff that will help you heal. I don't know if fish sticks are fried, but deep-fried foods can sit in your stomach for an entire day, stressing it out.

One way I thought about it was by looking at my incisions and imagining the same thing around my staple line. Of course, I wouldn't "test" my incisions by having someone punch me in the stomach or poke the scab with scissors or something, and similarly, I wouldn't test the internal wounds on my stomach with coarse foods.

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

BTW, this reminded me of a story my surgeon's coordinator told me. They had a patient who decided to head to the mall before he was discharged. I think she told me it was the next day after the surgery, but I'm not sure - my surgeon discharges after 3 days, so it was sometime between 1 and 3 days post-surgery. When at the mall, he indulged in a hamburger (!). Not surprisingly, his stomach actually burst and everything leaked into his peritoneum, necessitating emergency surgery, or else he would have died from peritonitis and then sepsis probably within 24 hours.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Yes, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[Krista2653 5]

BTW, this reminded me of a story my surgeon's coordinator told me. They had a patient who decided to head to the mall before he was discharged. I think she told me it was the next day after the surgery, but I'm not sure - my surgeon discharges after 3 days, so it was sometime between 1 and 3 days post-surgery. When at the mall, he indulged in a hamburger (!). Not surprisingly, his stomach actually burst and everything leaked into his peritoneum, necessitating emergency surgery, or else he would have died from peritonitis and then sepsis probably within 24 hours.

:scared0:

Well if THAT story doesn't scare me into another 5 extra days of Clear liquids before I move onto the fulls, I don't know what will!! Eeek!!

I've been feeling the need for substance for the last few days and have felt 100% fine with the liquids. I thought about cheating and having a "full" liquids Protein drink on day 9 (1 day early and can supposedly have soy milk, so I didn't think that was much different in thickness) but not after that story!! :thumbup1:

How STUPID was that guy.....really!!!

[debinphoenix 0]

Do sleeve plications risk leeks like VSG since there is no cut?

You're going to "feel fine" because all the nerves in your stomach have been cut so you won't feel much of anything. The big concern is letting your staple line heal. food can get stuck in the staple line, you can stress out the staple line, and it's just not good all around. The liquid diet is not in place to maximize weight loss. It's there to protect our staple lines while they heal. You're at highest risk within the first few weeks of surgery, and believe me, leaks suck. I had one at no fault of my own. Recovery was hell, and it just isn't worth it. Stick with your dietary guidelines it'll help with establishing some good habits for the future, and it'll allow your stomach to heal properly. For the next few weeks, eating tiny portions will be easier. When you further out, you'll be able to eat more, and if you don't change those habits now, getting goal, and maintaining your weight loss will prove difficult.

Not only are you risking a leak, behavior modification, and changing habits is the key to success with an WLS. The sleeve is only going to do so much for you. The rest is on us to make the best decisions on what we put in our mouths.

[Tiffykins 672]

Do sleeve plications risk leeks like VSG since there is no cut?

I have no idea what the stats are on plication leaks. I know that surgery has it's on set of unique risks and complications, but I have only done minimal reading on that procedure.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Do sleeve plications risk leeks like VSG since there is no cut?

There is sewing/stitches involved... wouldnt want to bust my stitches ether...Perferations can occure in any surgery.....

read this thread..

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/9280-just-had-plication-surgery-and-need-urgent-help-with-pain/page__pid__84704__st__40#entry84704