Mental Issues

[beachlover1129 22]

i am almost 3 weeks out of surgery and down 19lbs. my problem is slowing down my eating and looking at my 300+ body and thinking it needs more than 1/4 filet of fish and 5 bites of veggies. Then I read where people are only eating 3 or 4 bites of things and that is it so I think I am eating way to much food. should I be down more weight??? what do yall do to slow down the eating?? also I am on soft foods, what does that include? boiled eggs?

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

Nope, you should be right where you are at. Everybody loses at different rate, bot you are right in the range that is typically for 3weeks.

Next time you look down and think "My 300lb body needs more than this" simply add "if I want ro remain 300lbs".

I too am finding hard to believe that the body can survive on so little. But when I add up the caloric intake I also am amazed at how much that tiny amount of food has.

My only real concern here is that you are eating solid food @ 3weeks. Have you been cleared for this? Seems a bit premature to me.

[Pookeyism 1,143]

The food reference was suprising to me - be very careful though. It does seem a bit much. One thing not often mentioned is that you do not always feel the pain from pushing your sleeve till later - maybe even the next day.

I was slow to feel the full mark on mushies, and the next day I would feel bad, sometimes really bad. Once I started actually measuring my food to what I knew to be less than my "full" mark, but enough to feel satiated, I began to hurt alot less.

PS - I do nto think it is possible to stretch your sleleve quickly, but with my understanding of internat sutures, I bet it is possible to make it heal at a larger size than it would have by constantly stretching it out with food as it "positions" and heals.

[alliegb3 112]

Taking it slow is a hard one for me. I bite- chew to oblivion, wait like two-3 minutes bite again (and yeah, I time it) sounds stupid but I'm getting to where I don't need a timer.

[beachlover1129 22]

my dr's nurse said I could have soft foods starting one week out. Ihave been eating tuna fish, potted meat, mashed potatoes, refried Beans from taco bell, flaky fish, and scrambled eggs. was wanting to add some boiled eggs to my tuna but wasn't sure if I could, I was told not to eat fried eggs. I will have to try the timing thing. also having a very hard time getting the fluids in but I am working on it.

[shellbell33081 115]

Fluids are very important! You need a minimum of 48oz. I know it's hard because I've been there. I had to go to e.r. and get i.v. fluids because I didn't force the fluids like I should have. I would not add boiled eggs yet. They are too solid for you at this time. Stick with what you've been eating. Cream of Wheat and Campbell's sippable Soups are good, too. Taking it slow is hard, but we have to do it to avoid complications. Good luck!

[Webchickadee 716]

Wow, there is no way I could have handled soft foods one week out!

I'm a bit more than 3 weeks post-op and started mushies a few days ago. Today I'm back to full liquids because I'm just not feeling well with mushies yet. As much as I want to move to the next stage (desperately.....I'm so tired of liquids!), my sleeve isn't too happy and neither is my digestive tract.

So one day at a time and I'm sure it will get better for both of us!

[lml32937 65]

I agree that is A LOT of food for the time you are post op but if that is what your doctor ordered- my advice would be to ramp up your liquids and decrease your food food. Liquids will fill you up and satisfy that head hunger which is probably what you are feeling at this point.

When you get further out you will look back and think jeesh how did I used to eat all that I did- and the day you do you will go into a tail spin and NEVER look back- When that happened to me I was so sickened thinking now what it takes to fill me/satisfy me vs what I used to engorge myself on un-knowingly (or subconsciously knowing) it is hard but you have to have the will power to fight the head hunger....

Also keep a log of EVERYTHING that you intake- You'd be surprised that those re-fried Beans from taco bell with the cheese and the sauce may have 20-30 extra calories than if you would have divided a whole can at home. DO your mashed potatoes have milk and butter, eggs have milk and salt?? There are a LOT of changes we have to make diet wise to decrease the calories and not just the amount- If you log them you might be surprised at the "hidden" calories you are actually getting in- GOOD luck!

[Newfoundlove 95]

I agree with previous comments. Don't think about what you used to be able to eat. This is going to be a new normal for you. At three weeks out I was on soft foods and my NUT included hard boiled eggs cut up in egg salad. But, also, I could only eat 1/4 cup of food at that time. I had a few instances of eating a little too fast and missing the full signal until it was almost too late, and let me tell you that you really don't want to realize that too late or you will feel like poo! So, I really did just measure everything out into 1/4 cup then 1/3 cup and eating slowly. Now, at almost five weeks out I can eat a little faster, but I still measure everything out. Most foods I can get 1/2 cup of, but not always. Sometimes, I get the signal after five bites or so and I stop. I also use very small utensils (cocktail forks and demitasse spoons) to limit the size of the bite I take. Items like dark meat chicken take me longer to eat though as I have the chew the heck out of them to get them to go down well.