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!!!!!!!

But then you have people like me who got a diet plan, went in one week post op and was told that they weren't to worried about the diet just try each phase and if it worked out ok if not back up a step. So I'm like totally lost and pretty much just eating the same thing every day.

But then you have people like me who got a diet plan, went in one week post op and was told that they weren't to worried about the diet just try each phase and if it worked out ok if not back up a step. So I'm like totally lost and pretty much just eating the same thing every day.

This is kind of where I am, too. I have a list of what to avoid, but other than that they've cleared me to try foods while others who are 2 weeks post-op are still on liquids.

But then you have people like me who got a diet plan, went in one week post op and was told that they weren't to worried about the diet just try each phase and if it worked out ok if not back up a step. So I'm like totally lost and pretty much just eating the same thing every day.

Wow. As a nurse, that makes me suspect some very unclear communication, either on the part of the surgeon/staff or on the part of what you understood.

My surgeon has one of the most liberal diet progression plans I've seen, and she knew from our conversations that she could give me the written lists and some general guidelines and I'd know what to do with them because I'm an RN.

She started me on full liquids - which on her plan includes Jello, pudding, and greek yogurt and a couple of other pudding consistency items - on day 2 after I kept Clear Liquids down fine on day 1 coming out from surgery. There was no negotiation on that for the first 2 weeks until my first checkup. Protein shakes, and the things on the full liquids list, period.

She entirely skips the puree phase, as she says it's not functionally much different from the soft/mushy foods phase if your teeth work well, and most people hate it and aren't compliant. So I had a list of soft foods that I could START introducing after my 2 week checkup. One food at a time, from the softest and moistest foods first working my way to firmer consistencies. One new food at a time, tested a couple of times before adding another new food. This was for no less than another 2 weeks.

At my 4 week checkup, she allowed me to start adding in "normal" foods, except for a list of problematic foods such as raw veggies and things with seeds or small hard particles. Those were allowed after 6 or 8 weeks, I forget. I didn't actually try any of them until well after 2 months. But again, it was adding ONE food at a time, trying it several times before adding another.

So if your surgeon really said just "try foods as tolerated" then s/he failed to clearly communicate what the goal of the progressive diet is, and what you're trying to accomplish. That sounds like you can try all the foods in each phase for a day or two and if nothing causes a problem, go on to the next and you're on solids in under a week. Even if that's what s/he *said*, it is very doubtful to me that is what s/he *meant*. Doctors are not the greatest at patient education, it's not generally in their training. A surgeon who is truly advocating progressing the diet that rapidly has very likely not been doing it long enough to lose a patient to a leak or abscess.

Well it's the top place in Kansas City and a surgery center of excellence. And they do over 1500 surgeries a year. But my hearing and understanding are fine I'm not stupid. but I'm making it on eggs,shakes and fish or chicken. I am ready for something crunchy though

I'm just sitting over here trolling.

I'm just sitting over here trolling.

I guess we should just shut up and join @@OutsideMatchInside in the peanut gallery.

Our comments aren't welcome. Just hang out in the vets forum and high five each other I guess since advice from people that have lost most of their weight and have stuck around to help others isn't wanted by new people.

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

Restricting access to major survey for people who are not going to be compliant post op is done in their best interest.

Of course anyone who has cash can get around this at any of the hundreds of surgery mills where the only pre operative concern is their bank book balance. The woman was wearing a bikini in her pre op photos comes to mind.

And NO I did NOT say that everyone who has insurance that doesn't cover WLS or doesn't have health insurance at all (as 20 million who won't now that Trump/Pence/ GOP are in power).

So many great points raised in this thread.

Makes me wonder what type of inept instruction was given by some folk's bariatric teams.

My group made if very clear that my safety was the paramount concern at the various stages. I'm grateful for it.

All it took for me as to watch the surgery videos shown by the surgeon during the pre-op stages........that was enough to scare me into submission, lol.

For the people that do not wish to listen to medical advice from their surgeons, nurses, post WLS patient guides and reputable bariatric sources of information that all state they shouldn't do something, then:

But then you have people like me who got a diet plan, went in one week post op and was told that they weren't to worried about the diet just try each phase and if it worked out ok if not back up a step. So I'm like totally lost and pretty much just eating the same thing every day.

This is kind of where I am, too. I have a list of what to avoid, but other than that they've cleared me to try foods while others who are 2 weeks post-op are still on liquids.

Um... where did you have your surgery? Insurance?

But then you have people like me who got a diet plan, went in one week post op and was told that they weren't to worried about the diet just try each phase and if it worked out ok if not back up a step. So I'm like totally lost and pretty much just eating the same thing every day.

This is kind of where I am, too. I have a list of what to avoid, but other than that they've cleared me to try foods while others who are 2 weeks post-op are still on liquids.

Um... where did you have your surgery? Insurance?

I would rather not say, thanks. Yes, insurance has paid for my surgery. It's not like I don't have guidelines. My surgeon just thinks I am doing really well as I am very young, so I only have 4 more days of pureed and then 5 days of soft/cut up foods before starting "regular" foods.

Well it's the top place in Kansas City and a surgery center of excellence. And they do over 1500 surgeries a year. But my hearing and understanding are fine I'm not stupid. but I'm making it on eggs,shakes and fish or chicken. I am ready for something crunchy though

there is only one "center of excellence" in KC , which is an accreditation given to HOSPITALS not individual does. The office is closed now but I least a message to call me in the morning to discuss their post op nutrition instructions.

And Gawd forbid you tell anyone who cannot even stick to the pre-op diet that they should consider getting (psychological) help. It's like you told them their family tree didn't branch.

I'm guilty of a lot of WLS sins. As are most of us. So if we survived our surgery and have worked it so that our weight has come off, pay attention. We've all been noobs. And we've all needed help of one sort or other.

Our comments aren't welcome. Just hang out in the vets forum and high five each other I guess since advice from people that have lost most of their weight and have stuck around to help others isn't wanted by new people.

I'm not a vet yet, no. I'm a noob. But I took what you and others had to say very respectfully and I have responded with grace.

So you're comments a very much welcome just not the parts where you sound like you're on a condescending power trip about new people like me that ventured to try half slice of cheese before they ought to have or the girl who tried a broccoli cheese Soup. I took this rant seriously and have chosen to move on without issue.

Newbies like myself are great and everyone learns from mistakes (or they die ultimately if not). It's simply work in progress for everyone.

Everyone has been instructed differently and adhered to them in their own way. It is rightful to be concerned and upset but at the same time serves no good if we're gonna be harsh to one another and make assumptions about one another and about one representing all.

Peace man, peace.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Edited January 5, 20179 yr by sasharbinx