When I was pregnant for the first time, I obsessively bought every gadget I thought I would need as a new parent. Flash forward 8 years later, i did the same thing when we got our puppy, I purchased endless dog stuff at Pet smart and online that i thought every dog owner would need. Both times, i realized in time that i really didn't NEED 90% of what i purchased. So a question for those Barriatric experts. What are the items that I will really need post-op?!?

You've heard the phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" right. You don't really need a whole lot and when you do need something.... you can make do with what ever you already have. So having said that...post op, you need measuring cups and a cheap food scale for convenience. You will need soups for the first couple of weeks, sugar free jello, sugar free popsicles, water, crystal light or kool aid flavoring for your water. Protein drinks come in handy as well but other than that you really don't need much more than what you already have at home. Once you have surgery and you are at home and discover a "need", that's the time to make the purchase. Don't invest in a lot of things you don't need or won't use. Your kitchen probably has everything you will need.

What I bought and actually used: (I realize this May not be everyone's list)

-1 oz measuring cups, you can use 1 oz shot glasses if you have them (ok, I didn't actually buy this, I stole 1 oz medicine cups from work, oops)

- a pill case for my Vitamins on the go (I still use this a few times a week, you can use a ziplock bag)

- a blender (I didn't own one, so I bought a Ninja- still use it)

- for the first week: sugar free Popsicles, broth, Water, sugar free Jello (keep in mind you won't be taking in much, don't go crazy)

- I also bought small 4 oz ramekins (not a must, but I actually eat out of them or bake in them nearly every day)

- blender bottles (we have many as my husband is a Protein drinker as well)

- Gas X strips

Oh, and I use my food scale everyday.

But you won't need that right away.

What I actually used for the first 2 weeks were…
2 thermoses 1 for decaf tea one for Soup.
Ready made juice Protein shots I picked up at a health food shop and mixed half with Water to sip on as actual shakes were not on my list yet.
Lactose free milk for tea.

That’s it for the first 2 weeks.

Next stage was thicker soup so again nothing else still not allowed actual shakes yet.

Next stage I already own measuring cups etc etc
Did I use measuring cups and a scale?
Nope!
I ate such a little amount of food it literally was 3 teaspoons so no need to measure anything out.
I also picked up post op a bunch of baby food containers from the £1 shop most measuring 1inch by 1 inch the others 2 inch by 2inch pretty much holds what you need and then some.
Couple of packs of each 12 pots in one 10 in the other so pots galore.

Do you need special spoons and stuff?
No you don’t if you own a teaspoon use it if you don’t just use a normal spoon you don’t need baby utensils to know how much food your putting in your mouth you can clearly see how much.
Some kind of blender is needed for that stage you don’t need to go out and buy some fancy thing or special just because extra appliance for it if you own some kinda of blender even a hand held food processor one it works perfectly even if your batching food for the freezer.

When its time to drink Protein Shakes you will need at least 2 shakers sort of a one clean one in use/being washed thing.
And maybe you want a water bottle I never got one personally water and I didn’t get on from the get go but you might want one to keep track of your water intake.
You can get flavours for it if you want totally up to you.

I personally do not think you need special flavours and Snacks and protein this that and the other I have atkins bars I have had for a year because I don’t eat them I did use them for on the go food quickly if I needed something but when you have about 20 just sitting there you realise it’s a waste and you shouldn’t have stocked up.
Likewise for my 24 ready to drinks I give away as I wasn;t drinking them over my shakes so waste again.

Don’t waste your time ordering in a load of protein powders your taste buds change after the op so you might end up giving them allllll away I would suggest ordering a bunch of different samples and going off them after the op to then see what suits your tastes and THEN buying what you require.

That’s my honest opinion on what you need form my own experience and I give sooooooo much stuff away its like a couple of 100 pound so easily 3-400 dollars of stuff!

The water thing is a lie I just remembered I bought a bubba keg for the water, water is not my friend so its never been used still with the tags on lol

Edited March 6, 201412 yr by sassypants

I loved plain water prior to surgery but after surgery...hated the taste so I have to add flavor to my water. I do the crystal lite and Kool Aid now has the SF drops and you add to the water. I only buy spring water not the purified water. Anyway the kool aid makes the water much smoother going down. I couldn't make it without it. Good luck.

One thing that I used that hasn't been mentioned yet is one of those plug-in mug warmers. It was slow going to drink broth the first 2 weeks, so I would use the mug warmer so that I didn't have to keep going to the kitchen to use the microwave, and the broth tastes much better warm/hot. After the liquids stage I didn't use it anymore, so I passed it to a friend who's having surgery soon. Good luck!

One thing that I used that hasn't been mentioned yet is one of those plug-in mug warmers. It was slow going to drink broth the first 2 weeks, so I would use the mug warmer so that I didn't have to keep going to the kitchen to use the microwave, and the broth tastes much better warm/hot. After the liquids stage I didn't use it anymore, so I passed it to a friend who's having surgery soon. Good luck!

You just made my night - a beverage warmer has been the family Christmas gag gift for 3 years now! My teenage daughter gave it to me one Christmas and it never got used, so she re-wrapped it again the following year and put it under the tree. It appeared this past christmas again. Darn. I think I accidentally packed the unopened box away with the Holiday stuff. I see your point - I think it would have finally got some use!!!!

Besides what others mentioned, I needed Ducolax once I got home. Your first BM is generally not fun so some kind of stool softener / laxative is a must.