I'm 12 days post op and I have been starving.. the protein shakes make me feel nauseous. I've been trying real hard to make sure I stick to diet and schedule but I can't shake the starving feeling. I start back to work next week and I'm scared I'll feel too weak to keep up. Needless to say I've been crying alot and crabby.. please tell me this will pass

At that stage I ate puréed soups, yogurt, cottage cheese, sf jello and pudding. My surgeon does not push a lot of protein right away, just try and eat. And heal. I would also drink chicken broth, Unjury has a protein one that I liked.

You need protein. It is very important. Get in as much as you can. Protein and water.

It may be the Protein shake, get one without dairy. There are plant based ones, Water ones more like juice, etc. Try with unsweetened almond milk etc. Make sure you stay hydrated as that can cause nausea also. Sip, sip, sip!

Hang in there it will get better!

I started soft foods at three weeks. Boy oh boy, I felt soooo much better. I could eat moist chicken and non-starchy veggies cooked well. It helped relieved that feeling that I was being denied of more than I could bear.

The grouchiness is normal for the place you are at. This gets better. If your plan allows you to ease into soft foods, your adjustment to returning to work will be easier.

The shakes were easier for me if I diluted them and added some other flavor like vanilla, Jello powder, Crystal Lite, sugar free cranberry juice. You can use your imagination and throw in flavors you like. I also added sweetener, but it's too much for some people. My shakes were also easier to drink on ice.

It does get better. Mushy foods are a real help.

Thank you everyone for the great advice.. glad to know I'm not in this all alone

@@cathyz you are not alone and it is great that you reached out for support. Are you taking a PPI? I ask because after my surgery, I thought I was starving all the time too and it turns out it was excess acid and once I took the PPI it mostly went away...and I was convinced it was hunger. I am now 6 months out and was able to stop PPI a couple of months ago.

It does get better, I was were you are and by 3 weeks was feeling much better - I hope that is true for you as well. Best of luck!

Butterfly23 not sure what a PPI is, I am on Prilosec daily

I t may be the protein shakes. You can as suggest, try the clear ones or try mixing them with non dairy milks or water. You may also want to call your doctor and either have the dosage of your PPI increased or have him give you something for nausea. You can also speak with him about when you should transition to soft foods and purees. Some people feel better once they move onto solid foods. Either way you should touch base with your medical team.