Not getting enough protein or fluids...

[baemjustice 3]

Hey all, I'm 21 days out after my roux-en-y and have lost about 30-35 pounds so far. I'm only able to get about 15-20oz of fluids/protein a day and even that is a major struggle. I'm on soft foods and consume maybe 150-200 calories a day. I mainly eat fat free cottage cheese, low fat ricotta, fat free cream Soups, sugar free pudding, sugar free Popsicles, etc. After drinking even a small amount of anything, I'm so full and bloated and have to wait a while before I can drink anything else.

My nutritionist is aware and they keep setting me up with iv fluids basically every other day (which is getting really old lol), due to a history of kidney stones. Apparently not drinking enough and a high Protein intake is perfect for kidney stone formation. Who knew lol Other than the iv fluids they don't really seem to have any advice on how to help me get the fluids in. I meet with my doctor for my appt on 7/27, so hope they can help me figure out something.

Anyone else having these issues? Any suggestions?

[James Marusek 5,244]

That doesn't sound very normal at 21 days out. Perhaps there is a kink in the plumbing.

In some cases, scar tissue or inflammation can narrow the new connection between the stomach and intestine. This is called a stricture. Strictures usually develop four to six weeks after surgery, and affect less than five percent of bariatric surgery patients. Patients with strictures will notice that they are progressively less able to take in fluids and food. Strictures can be treated with an endoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with image sensors and special tools at the tip. A doctor will use an endoscope with a tiny inflatable balloon at its tip to open the stricture.

[Djmohr 6,965]

It will get better every single day. It was about 6 weeks before I could finally get close to 48 oz. of liquid in. It was about 7 weeks before I could get all my Protein in.

Everything is swollen inside and it makes it very difficult at first but you should start feeling better soon.

The thing that finally worked for me was literally holding my Water cup in my hand and sipping a little every few minutes. If I put that thing down I would forget.

I remember being very worried and stressed because I could not even come remotely close to my food/drink goals in that first 6 weeks post surgery.

Keep pushing yourself a little everyday and do the best that you can.

[baemjustice 3]

Thanks for the advice! I ended up in the hospital twice for fluids, but I am on the mend now. They said there was narrowing in my connections due to inflammation and healing, but that it was too soon to do an endoscope due to tearing risks. So I just had to push it through and get ivs every other day. I'm good now! able to get about 30-40oz of fluids a day!