Struggling... Am I doing this all wrong?

[time_2_shine 5]

Hi all!

Ok, so I am 2 weeks & 2 days out from VSG & am struggling... Regret has crossed my mind every day since surgery

Unlike many of my fellow sleevers, I experienced significant pain following surgery, which was the first hurdle that I dragged myself over, along with being able to take in the minimum liquids to go home.

Over the first week the pain subsided & the liquids got easier, but then bring on puréed food stage.

I am constantly bloated & feel like I am going to pop, after only having taken in 1 Tablespoon of Purée. This then makes it extremely difficult to get the fluids in between. So much so that I feel like I am forcing fluids in & only managing 2 meals (if you can call a tablespoon a meal!) per day, instead of the recommended 5-6.

Am I doing something wrong? I am so scared of creating a leak, due to feeling so full with air/food/liquid (whatever it is!)...

Has anyone else experienced this & does life get better???

TIA!

[Ryla13 13]

2 weeks and 3 days post surgery and exactly the same. Trying to transition from liquids to purée but I can’t eat and drink enough. The weather is warm so I’m worried about dehydration, but I’m hardly eating as I feel like I’m drowning in Water. I tried some scrambled egg and baked Beans yesterday and felt so over full after wards I had to lay down, and yet it was probably not much more than a tablespoon in total. At the moment I am wondering if I have made a terrible mistake and should not have had the surgery. I have zero energy am getting no where near my Protein target and it’s making me really miserable. Don’t know what to do.

[time_2_shine 5]

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this too. It truly is a horrible place to be.

Part of me keeps thinking... 2 & a bit weeks isn’t long, & I must allow myself more time. But it’s so hard.

I am not doing so bad on the Protein front as I am adding a non-dairy Protein Powder to absolutely everything I drink. It is called “Gelatin Health - Muscle Repair” & is the only protein I have found doesn’t actually have a taste.

I do hope that maybe some other members can help keep morale up & that things get better for us soon x

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Wow! Sorry to hear you're going through this!

@time_2_shine - please be sure to look at the amino acid profile of your Protein source. Gelatin protein is not an adequate complete source of brotein. It's why the protein in Bone Broth isn't a good source either. They are both made from the same source and are mainly collagen and gelatins.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,046]

Wow, sorry you're having such a rough time. Transitioning from one food stage to the next is on an "as tolerated" basis. Your stomach may still be too swollen to handle the pureed foods. That's not a mistake you're making, it's just your individual situation. So long as you get adequate liquids and Protein, don't worry if you transition more slowly than others. And if you can only handle 1/2 a tablespoon, so be it.

It's so hard not to compare yourself to others, but you're unique! Comparisons aren't "real". When you read various people's stories, you realize that there's no consensus even among doctors as to an "ideal" time to transition, either. Some doctors are very conservative, others push faster. In the end, it all comes down to what you can handle. Be kind to yourself. You've done some really mean stuff to your insides, and they just need time to adjust.

[Creekimp13 5,838]

Watching the surgery on Youtube...seeing the surgeon fold over and reinforce the staple line...and all the extra little anchors they put in there....helped me to feel secure about not popping my pouch/sleeve.

[vze4n4n8 22]

I was sick for a while and in pain also after surgery, so you are not alone. I'm 10 weeks and still having problems with eating and have reverted back to soft foods when the discomfort/ pain is too much. I spoke to my doctor and she's telling me it's normal and that swelling takes a while in certain people, etc...

[sideeye 1,440]

9 hours ago, Ryla13 said:

I tried some scrambled egg and baked Beans yesterday

Beware the baked Beans - I had hasn’t fat-free refried beans and had no problem but when I tried exactly what you did, eggs and baked beans, I felt pretty horrible and bloated. Best guess if there’s a lot of lurking sugar in the baked beans? I’m finding that bloating is a reliable indicator that I’ve eaten something with too much sugar or fat in it.

[krosevf30 15]

Wow your post bought back memories! I was so anxious to move on to each next stage but I struggled each time. I finally realized I was trying too many new foods at once. So I picked one or two foods and stuck to those only. Cream of wheat, chocolate pudding with Protein Powder mixed in, these were lifesavers. Same thing when I transitioned to full foods - I made a cheeseburger casserole and it was too much too soon.
It is a slow process and can be very discouraging. I was told to take as long as I needed at each stage.

Sent from my VS501 using BariatricPal mobile app

[jbraney 14]

2 weeks and 3 days post surgery and exactly the same. Trying to transition from liquids to purée but I can’t eat and drink enough. The weather is warm so I’m worried about dehydration, but I’m hardly eating as I feel like I’m drowning in Water. I tried some scrambled egg and baked Beans yesterday and felt so over full after wards I had to lay down, and yet it was probably not much more than a tablespoon in total. At the moment I am wondering if I have made a terrible mistake and should not have had the surgery. I have zero energy am getting no where near my Protein target and it’s making me really miserable. Don’t know what to do.

I am post surgery the same amount of days as you! The keeping enough water and food down the recommended amount is hard on me as well. I think in the beginning they know we can only do a little so I just try not to get myself worked up about meeting daily amounts. I keep telling myself it’s going to get easier....I hope it’s true. I do miss chugging lots of water, i am such a big water drinker so having to sip water had def been a challenge.
WE GOT THIS, WE DO!!!

[Glamgirl 63]

Hi all!
Ok, so I am 2 weeks & 2 days out from VSG & am struggling... Regret has crossed my mind every day since surgery
Unlike many of my fellow sleevers, I experienced significant pain following surgery, which was the first hurdle that I dragged myself over, along with being able to take in the minimum liquids to go home.
Over the first week the pain subsided & the liquids got easier, but then bring on puréed food stage.
I am constantly bloated & feel like I am going to pop, after only having taken in 1 Tablespoon of Purée. This then makes it extremely difficult to get the fluids in between. So much so that I feel like I am forcing fluids in & only managing 2 meals (if you can call a tablespoon a meal!) per day, instead of the recommended 5-6.
Am I doing something wrong? I am so scared of creating a leak, due to feeling so full with air/food/liquid (whatever it is!)...
Has anyone else experienced this & does life get better???
TIA!

Same here! I’m struggling too just like you kinda in the same time frame as you too, well I’m on week 4 post op. It’s very hard, I pray it gets easier for us

[time_2_shine 5]

Thank you all so very much for your replies. The support, tips & advice are so very much appreciated... Whilst the struggles are real, I no longer feel as alone ️

I’ll keep struggling through though with hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
@FluffyChix - thank you for pointing out the differences in Protein. Yes, the powder is missing one particular amino acid, so I have just ordered a whey based protein to supplement with also.

On the plus side of all of this is that I am down 18.1kgs since pre-op & about 8 of those have been since surgery!

Thank you all again & thank you for being so welcoming into this community.

️

[GirlShrinking 110]

Same here! I’m struggling too just like you kinda in the same time frame as you too, well I’m on week 4 post op. It’s very hard, I pray it gets easier for us

I was told by my nutritionist to practice waiting 30mins after digesting because after surgery you have to space the purée from liquids... this is a HUGE downfall for me since I have a habit of gulping down fluids within seconds after eating.

Someone on here mentioned playing a game of Tetris after digesting so it’s easier to not focus on grabbing that glass of Water after eating..

I’m sorry you’re struggling. I hope you get better as time goes on and don’t feel regretful now, down the road you’ll back on this being in a better and healthier state thinking this was the best decision of your life. Stay positive love [emoji175]


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