Complications from advancing diet too soon

[Frenchie1977 262]

So I just read yet another post about someone advancing their diet on their own too soon. This one from someone 4 days post op advancing to broccoli Soup. Probably won't kill them but it could. Then of course we get the irresponsible follow up poster saying that they too advanced their diet on their own way early and explored all kinds of foods and as long as their stomach tolerates it they see no problem with it.

Now I'm getting super frustrated, I had to put my two cents in. And perhaps I was harsh. But I watched someone die 4 years ago from doing just this.

My x mother in law had gastric sleeve surgery. At less than two weeks post op she started eating tidbits of foods she was not supposed to have, turkey, stuffing, ham, chicken in very small bites and yes chewed very well. All that didn't matter. She was fine at first. In fact showed no symptoms for days. Then she became extremely ill, with pain and fever. She had a leak which had to be repaired by surgery. After surgery she developed a serious infection and a fistula which led to the outside of her stomach. Everything she tried to drink seeped outside her stomach onto a large padded napkin that she held up to the opening of that fistula. They could not get the infection under control. They fought it for three months with the best antibiotics they had. Eventually she became septic, her organs began to fail and she passed away.

I am only 4 weeks post op VSG, you better believe I thought long and hard about having the same surgery that she had. But I can also say that I have followed my an to the T, with the exception of drinking coffee which I discussed with my surgeon beforehand.

When are people going to realize that following their diet is serious. And more so when are these idiots going to stop coming on and saying things like it's ok to explore foods early as long as you tolerate them!!!! My mother in law tolerated those foods just fine for damn near a week before she finally showed the signs of a serious leak.

Your prescribed diet plan after major stomach surgery is not just a guideline that they want you to follow so you can lose weight. It's a prescription that really can mean life or death, I've seen it with my own eyes.

Ugggggh sooooooo frustrated!!!!!!!

[gryffen 176]

Kinda noticed that too, not sure how it all works in US but with us here in Glasgow it's so strict that surgeon appointment is only placed once investigation done by WM team. Psych can cancel you, dietian can cancel you and surgeon won't even look at you if they have suspected weight gain to meet targets.

It's insane.

I'm so sorry to hear of your family member.

Fridge Pickers Wear Bigger Knickers ????

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,899]

I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this important information that we need to follow the plans (especially the post recovery plans).

I am equally annoyed not only at the people who blatantly violate important rules to follow post-WLS that are designed to help a surgically altered intestine and/or stomach heal properly but the enablers with no medical/surgical experience who say that it is ok not to follow these critical steps, because they did not, think it is ok to not follow or know someone who did not follow.

[sasharbinx 115]

I'm sorry for your loss.

I have big time guilt and your concern or expression of annoyance speaks to me if it's worth anything. I'm for sure going to fess up to my doctor on my follow up about my half slice of cheese at day 5. I don't think it's ok for me to cheat anymore just cause I chewed really good and seem to have digested it fine and I don't condone anyone else do the same. I was just posting honestly because this has been very difficult! But no it's not worth dying from complications.

And well what's done is done, at least your cautionary tale is a driving factor in my will not to stray again and in fact you may have saved my life in doing so.

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[JamieLogical 8,684]

People have this very misguided notion that "cheating" on their post-op food stages is like "cheating" on a diet. IT IS NOT! You have a staple line all along your stomach that needs to heal. food particles can become trapped in those staples which can cause abscesses, which can cause leaks, which can cause death!

Trying to eat solid foods days after WLS is like trying to run a marathon days after having a knee replacement. You need to allow time to heal!

[TXJess 98]

Thanks Frenchie for posting this. I'm only eight days post-op and this is such a good reminder.

[theantichick 2,204]

Thank you for posting your first-hand experience. I have had people in the past act like I'm being all dramatic when I say that people have died or landed in the ICU with a leak from disregarding their physician's post-op diet advancement instructions.

My surgeon kept saying, "remember, it's a little surgery on the outside, BIG surgery on the inside".

Once your suture line is healed, knock yourself out "cheating" on your diet plan. You'll only be sabotaging your success. Violate your surgeon's diet advancement instructions, and you're literally gambling with your life.

[CrowMilk 96]

Look, I said specifically to ask your surgeon first. How is that irresponsible? I was talking about my own dieting and how I advanced, with the guidance of my surgeon, before the set phase dates and what I tried and was successful with. Everything I stated was from the early pureed and full liquid stages. I did not advocate anything at all, simply just said that I *personally* did not see a problem with it. Should I have left that part out? Probably. But hindsight is 20/20 and I am new here. So cut me some slack.

[Babbs 14,680]

Welcome to Bariatric Pal?

After 3 years on this forum, I've seen hundreds of these posts. You're also going to see the indignation from the person when someone points out it may not be such a great idea. And then someone makes a thread like this ranting about said indignation.

Rinse. Repeat.

[CrowMilk 96]

Welcome to Bariatric Pal?

After 3 years on this forum, I've seen hundreds of these posts. You're also going to see the indignation from the person when someone points out it may not be such a great idea. And then someone makes a thread like this ranting about said indignation.

Rinse. Repeat.

I am sensing that.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Some of us care more about strangers than, they do about themselves.

If they don't care about their life and health why should we.

People think that this is a game or just another diet. Cheating immediately post op can kill you.

I had a friend that had RNY 12 and advanced her food and ended up on a feeding tube.

People on here don't believe that fat meat is greasy.

Let them learn the hard way. I'm over it.

Edited January 4, 2017 by OutsideMatchInside

[Babbs 14,680]

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Some of us care more about strangers than, they do about themselves.

If they don't care about their life and health why should we.

People think that this is a game or just another diet. Cheating immediately post op can kill you.

I had a friend that had RNY 12 and advanced her food and ended up on a feeding tube.

People on here don't believe that fat meat is greasy.

Let them learn the hard way. I'm over it.

Harsh.

I like it.

[BigViffer 3,544]

Harsh.

I like it.

See, I was cool before it was en vogue.

[sasharbinx 115]

download.jpg

Some of us care more about strangers than, they do about themselves.

If they don't care about their life and health why should we.

People think that this is a game or just another diet. Cheating immediately post op can kill you.

I had a friend that had RNY 12 and advanced her food and ended up on a feeding tube.

People on here don't believe that fat meat is greasy.

Let them learn the hard way. I'm over it.

If I die I die. I hope half deli slice of cheese gets me on 1000 ways to die!

lol but there will definitely not be any errors on my part after this and very hopefully if nothing comes of this in a weeks time I can continue to be lighthearted as I am always fully of mischief and giggles. I had to be a risk taker to get the surgery in the first place. Now the steaks are raised by a just a little bit.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Edited January 4, 2017 by sasharbinx

[clc9 644]

Thank you!!! I was accused of "judging" and not providing a "safe space" for calling out that it's terrible advice to suggest if they can tolerate it, it's not a problem to advance their diet. It's not judging or unsafe to try to save people from hurting or killing themselves...

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