Greeting,

I am now 9 days post and on full fluids until Tuesday. My daily intake is basically Soup, Protein shakes, Water and some low calorie juices. I'm concerned because it seems I'm able to eat more soup than I thought to be full. I'm taking about 1 cup in each time. This is way less than I would have eaten pre sleeve, but I have not felt very constricted yet. Will this change when I move to soft more dense foods?

Thanks for the support.

Oh, it sure will! I thought the same thing to myself a week post-op, when I was able to take in more Water than I thought I should. I mentioned it to my surgeon, and he said that it was normal and things would be different later on. He was right. I've been on pureed foods for about a month now (solid foods start end of next week!), and depending on what I'm eating, 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup at most is all I can fit. I feel the restriction, and my new tummy lets me know when I've taken one mouthful too many!

Be well…

I agree. I worried I could eat too much and I seemed to eat more than my big husband. Even 5 months later, I think I eat more than him. Your burps and hiccups seem to be the indicator you are full for the first couple months. Then you get used to using a small plate and preparing smaller meals. I can still eat about a cup of soup, but no more.

Remember that Soups, juices and such are liquids, and won't stay in the stomach pouch as long. I had the same thoughts, and decided one night that a spoonful of Peanut Butter wouldn't hurt. I was wrong. It was the most uncomfortable feeling I think I've ever felt.

Thanks for the replies. I will start very soft, mushy foods on Monday. I was planning on starting with some refried Beans and to maybe plan to try 1-2 tablespoons. I was suspicious that the liquids were passing through the stomach quicker than a solid food.

Such good information to hear - thanks to all of you post-sleevers for posting! I"m getting sleeved 4/29 and am trying to imagine giving my husband directions about what i can or can't have--he's wonderful and will want to help, but tends to make too much! I had the stomach flu this week and had to specify "only 4 saltines!" or he'd bring a bowlful. LOL. Hopefully I'll be getting my own food fairly quickly afterwards - how long did it take all of you to be up and going solo on fixing food and drinks?

You won't be eating much after surgery Kate, as you know. But that crockpot will be a life saver if you have to cook for others. I was at the mall about 3-4 hours within 5 days of surgery, and felt great. Walked slow and enjoyed being out. My husband was sleeved 2 weeks after I was, so I stayed on a mush diet until he caught up, and since then we are lucky - not much cooking here. I really liked refried Beans, he did not. I think a low fat chili got us through the rough days more than anything. Best of luck!

Thanks for the tips Linda! That sounds great. I have a crockpot too -- and will start thinking that way too. I love low fat chili - so does my husband! He likes re-fried beans more than i do, but i can manage them quite happily. I've not yet gotten so far as to think what soft-mushy foods i'll want, but those sound so good. Presently i'm more focused on the liquid portion of the diet - pre and post-op. Thanks!

My doc provided a helpful analogy when I had asked similar questions about the capacity for purees or Water. Said to think of the sleeve as a funnel in that liquids and softer foods will flow nearly straight through it while dense foods will get stuck up and take longer to pass through. Same reason to not consume liquids with or shortly after meals later on in the diet as they will wash the content through the funnel and make you feel hungry / empty faster.

Quantities that you are capable of will also be effected by swelling and that can vary from patient to patient. Think the general idea is that most of the swelling will have subsided by 6 weeks out which is when the restrictions on my diet plan were removed.

HTH

Thanks for the great analogy with the funnel. That helps visualize why and keep me mindful of the Water thing. I'm still three weeks away from surgery but am trying to start doing meals without beverages, and it's really hard. I"m on day two and starting now to think about drinking before i make dinner, etc. So hard this morning at my Breakfast meeting - to refuse coffee (i'm getting off caffeine) and then to stare at that glass of water and keep checking my watch until 30 minutes had gone by after my eating! I drank it all down then too. I think my doc suggests an hour, but i'm starting small.