2 Tablespoons of Food. Really?

[Slimsoon1988 123]

I'm approaching my third week post op. Everything had been going well. I have been on a liquid diet for the three weeks. I've been taking in my liquids just fine.

Today was my dietitian appointment. I was skipping to my appointment because I knew today is the day that she would allow me to eat mushy food in addition to my liquids. She said I can eat refried Beans, substitute eggs, cottage cheese, and yogurt. But I can only have TWO TABLESPOONS of it per meal. My mouth dropped. I assumed that I would be able to eat up to 2-2 and a half ounces. But is the two tablespoons normal at this stage?

[bikrchk 1,313]

Yes. It's a good place to start. You REALLY don't want to over fill your pouch, especially at this stage. Early on, it's easy to do damage to the still healing tummy and solids, (even soft ones) will fill you up FAST. Plus it hurts like hell to over do it. You'll be able to eat more in time. I ended up adding 2 snack\meals once I went to mushies as I just couldn't get the recommended calories (at least 1000 for me) without them.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Yup. And that's plenty. Use a baby spoon. It will help you slow down and will make your meal feel like more than it is. I couldn't finish 1/2 an egg much less 2tbspns at your stage.

[mrslb5 333]

Although it doesn't seem like much you won't be able to eat much more than that, enjoy the early days!

[livingstone 137]

I'm a bit worried now, - I've just moved onto puree stage and have no problem having a full 100g (about 3.5 ounces) pot of yoghurt for lunch.

By the end of the pot I start to feel full but not uncomfortable or bloated, and now, three hours after it, although I'm not hungry, if I had to I could probably have another one.

My dietitian didn't give me any limits on food intake for this stage, she just said to eat meals until I was comfortably satisfied and before becoming uncomfortably full. For me, the full pot of yoghurt gets me to that stage.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Then stick with that.

[JamieLogical 8,684]

Seems about right. I measured all my soft foods into little 2 oz. plastic containers. That helped keep me from accidentally overeating and making myself VERY uncomfortable.

Edited March 16, 2015 by JamieLogical

[joatsaint 2,814]

On my 11th day post-op, I tried eating Cream of Mushroom Soup - after only being able to eat sugar free popsicles since surgery - and I could barely eat 3/4 of a can the entire day. 1 or 2 teaspoons was all I could eat every 1/2 hour or so. Frankensleeve took a long time to tolerate any kind of food post-op.

I've seen videos and read many threads about VSG patients that were almost back to normal eating within a few days post-op, but that was not my experience.

So try a teaspoon sized bite, wait a few minutes and see how your sleeve reacts. Then take if from there. You will quickly learn what your sleeve will or won't tolerate.

Edited March 16, 2015 by joatsaint

[roundisashape 712]

@@livingstone, I can eat larger quantities of yogurt than I can pretty much ANYTHING else. It scared me at first too, but if I filled a yogurt container with another food I'd explode before I finished it.

As for the 2 tablespoons, it SOUNDS like a paltry amount, but once you start eating it it's going to feel like a lot!

[Slimsoon1988 123]

I guess I get the two tablespoons of Beans and eggs. But I can't have a container of yogurt?!? She said take two tablespoons and then put it back in the fridge that would be my dinner. Next week will make a month and I still can't have a small container of yogurt? Ugh I'm so tired of Protein Shakes I was hoping to replace it with food. But two tablespoons will not get me anywhere near my Protein goals.

[Elizabeth21 175]

I doubt you will be able to finish the container of yogurt comfortably yet. I know it can be hard to be patient with this. Just remember this is only a stage of your program. It will not be forever.

Good luck!

[Slimsoon1988 123]

Tonight we'll see. I plan to have 2 tablespoons of refried Beans. I've been downing liquids so easily, I guess I feel I can take in more but I really don't know.

[JamieLogical 8,684]

I guess I get the two tablespoons of Beans and eggs. But I can't have a container of yogurt?!? She said take two tablespoons and then put it back in the fridge that would be my dinner. Next week will make a month and I still can't have a small container of yogurt? Ugh I'm so tired of Protein shakes I was hoping to replace it with food. But two tablespoons will not get me anywhere near my Protein goals.

That doesn't sound right. Yogurt was considered a "full liquid" for the purposes of my diet stages, so I was allowed to have as much of it as I could tolerate.

[Slimsoon1988 123]

I guess I get the two tablespoons of Beans and eggs. But I can't have a container of yogurt?!? She said take two tablespoons and then put it back in the fridge that would be my dinner. Next week will make a month and I still can't have a small container of yogurt? Ugh I'm so tired of Protein shakes I was hoping to replace it with food. But two tablespoons will not get me anywhere near my Protein goals.

That doesn't sound right. Yogurt was considered a "full liquid" for the purposes of my diet stages, so I was allowed to have as much of it as I could tolerate.

That's what I thought too from reading everyone's responses over these past months. I thought that yogurt would be one of the foods that I could totally eat. But she limited me to 2 tablespoons. I asked again to clarify. She said take two bites of your yogurt and put it back in the fridge.

[Riz2006 242]

I can also have yogurt (1 week post op). They gave me a sample menu and it has 1/4-1/2 cup for me to have. I used a toddler bowl and spoon and out 1/2 cup in it. I didn't eat it all. I could have ate more (probably ate half) but i was scared! Lol