Hi there.

I had my surgery on the 11th April this year and I've only lost a little weight. Actually not sure on how much I 'should' have lost by now, I've lost 12 kilos. I'm on soft foods at the moment and am so confused as to actually how much (1/4 cup or 1/2 cup etc) I should be eating. I find it difficult to even drink 800ml of water let alone 2 litres. Should I be doing exercise? Some people say gentle walking and some say I shouldn't be doing any for a while. I'm having plenty of days with the WTF have I done moments and breaking down into tears. I have a nutritionist who doesn't get back to me so I feel really lost. A lot of what she has sent me through is full of carbs and I'm not sure I should be eating them. I haven't had the protein drinks and multi vitamins as they taste awful. I tried putting on my big girl pants and sucking it up but I end up vomiting afterwards. No idea what to do, where to start.

You need adequate protein for healing and the nutrition from it and vegetables. You are one month out and should be on soft proteins - cottage cheese, scrambled/poached eggs, moistened chicken, soft fish and soft cooked vegetables. Up the liquids - try sugar free popsicles, warm tea, room temp water 30 minutes after meals. Soups with protein in them - bean soup with some soft meat in them. Eat every 3 hours to get in the minimum of 60 grams - 80 would be better of protein.

Thank you for that. I'll start making my menu up tomorrow morning,

Hello

I’m yet to have my procedure, but I think you are being hard on yourself. Your current weight loss is approx 3kg a week, that is a lot. Maybe stay off the scales for a few weeks and focus on how your pants feel.

Is it possible to try a different nutritionist? Mine has suggested getting protein powder with no flavour and adding it to peppermint tea, maybe that might be an option for you. I have also ordered protein jelly in preparation. My procedure is booked for the 4/6, and I’m upping all my vitamins between now and then to get in the habit of taking them every day.

Good luck and I wish you every success

If you can't stand the taste of chewable multivitamin tablets, see if you can find a suitable bariatric multivitamin capsule (in Australia I'm using bnmulti capsule multivitamins and their chewable calcium tablets which taste ok).

If the protein supplements you have tried don't suit you and you can't get at least 60g protein from the soft foods you are eating then you need to try some other protein supplement options until you find one that suits you. Protein waters are much easier to drink (the Stevia sweetened Aussie one I use tastes a bit like Gatorade).

If you're not able to keep down purees/soft solids or are frequently vomiting and are not drinking enough water or other liquids you are at risk of dehydration and nutrient deficiencies. Please contact your surgeons support team and change to a different nutritionist if the current one isn't responsive and isn't assisting you.

Nourishing soups made with home made chicken stock are what's carried me through most of my 2 weeks post op liquids phase, and I'm moving on to both puree and soft solids after surgeons follow up today. I'll be getting some scrambled egg tomorrow, and some lovely soft poached fresh fish.

2 minutes ago, Pearldrop said:

Hello

I’m yet to have my procedure, but I think you are being hard on yourself. Your current weight loss is approx 3kg a week, that is a lot. Maybe stay off the scales for a few weeks and focus on how your pants feel.

Is it possible to try a different nutritionist? Mine has suggested getting Protein Powder with no flavour and adding it to peppermint tea, maybe that might be an option for you. I have also ordered Protein jelly in preparation. My procedure is booked for the 4/6, and I’m upping all my Vitamins between now and then to get in the habit of taking them every day.

Good luck and I wish you every success

Check that your vitamins don't contain evening primrose oil - I was surprised to see that my women's multi did, and I needed to avoid it for 2 weeks pre op as it thins the blood, same with Nurofen, aspirin and a few other herbs.

Thanks for the tip Taoz didn’t think of that! I’ll check.

Witchypoo72 I think you are in Australia? Contact my bari-bud Taoz, she recently had her surgery in Adelaide, she's Avery nice person, will also have good consul , a great healthy cook. Although Sosewsue61's advice Taoz and Jules1 in Canberra may know some extra things Aussie to advise. In the meantime, I'm sending you a virtual hug from Ohio USA , remember we all are your Bariatric sisters and brothers wherever we may be?

And Pearldrop Pearldropcome join us over on Summer 2018 Surgery Buddies we'd love to have you!!!

On 5/15/2018 at 7:37 PM, Witchypoo72 said:

Hi there.

I had my surgery on the 11th April this year and I've only lost a little weight. Actually not sure on how much I 'should' have lost by now, I've lost 12 kilos. I'm on soft foods at the moment and am so confused as to actually how much (1/4 cup or 1/2 cup etc) I should be eating. I find it difficult to even drink 800ml of Water let alone 2 litres. Should I be doing exercise? Some people say gentle walking and some say I shouldn't be doing any for a while. I'm having plenty of days with the WTF have I done moments and breaking down into tears. I have a nutritionist who doesn't get back to me so I feel really lost. A lot of what she has sent me through is full of carbs and I'm not sure I should be eating them. I haven't had the Protein Drinks and multi Vitamins as they taste awful. I tried putting on my big girl pants and sucking it up but I end up vomiting afterwards. No idea what to do, where to start.

How are you doing now Witchypoo72? Sorry, I didn't notice that you are also in Australia when I first replied to your post.

If you haven't already, I can really strongly recommend the bnmulti capsule multivitamins and their calcium&VitD chewables (you need to take these at least 2 hours apart from the multivitamins to stop the iron inhibiting calcium uptake). This is the brand that my surgeon recommended I take.
https://bnmulti.com/

Pop in to your local chemist warehouse and pick up a berry and a kiwi flavored Bodie'z ready to drink protein water for $5 each (they store them in a little fridge with a few other drink supplements - ask if you can't find them in store). The berry one tastes the nicest to me and both have a whopping 30g protein in 450ml. They are stevia sweetened so no aspartame nasty aftertaste (I can't have aspartame as it triggers headaches/migraine) and they taste a bit like gatorade/cordial. Don't get the orange ready to drink one though, as it's only got 20g protein and has caffeine and guarana and is more of a pre-workout energy drink. The bodie'z are also available in powdered form in berry and orange (without caffeine/guarana), but need to rest for 5-10 minutes post shaking up to finish fully dissolving, or you can mix them the night before and leave in the fridge ready (they are an ALDI special buy this week for $3.50 each).

The other protein water option here is "protein perfection" you can order a sample pack of 7 single scoop (7g protein) sachets of their 7 splenda sweetened flavours for $15 including postage
NOTE: I find these taste far too sweet for me, with me needing to dilute 1 7g protein scoop in more than 400ml water (however their newest flavour "icy lemonade" is supposed to be only half as sweet, but you'd still need to drink it in a larger volume of water to get a decent amount of protein versus Bodie'z 450ml for 30g protein)
https://costpricesupplements.com.au/products/1-protein-perfection-protein-water-sample-pack-6-different-flavours/
They also sell protein jelly in 5 of their flavours

I've also just ordered last night a (tasteless) beef derived gelatin protein supplement recommended by several users on an Aussie gastric sleeve support group I'm on for $48 delivered which is supposed to mix really well into your morning coffee etc (I find even the "unflavored" Whey Protein Isolate supplements still add a funky taste).
As an added bonus, this gelatin form of protein is supposed to help with skin elasticity! (which the chicken-derived gelatin in my soups made with real chicken stock will also have some of)
" * Collagen hydrolysate (gelatin) supports/maintains skin elasticity in women. "
Hopefully this will aid with shrinking excess skin during weight loss!
https://www.evelynfaye.com.au/peptipro-collagen-hydrolysate-beef-gelatin.html

Big hugs and I hope you are doing better now!

Edited May 18, 20188 yr by Taoz

Great advice Taoz!

I use the collagen too. Most of the collagen brands say they mix in anything, not true must be hot liquid.

Mix it in hot caffeine free tea, then add ice and you have your own protien water! All of the premade protien waters are too sweet for me and expensive. Also helps you get in all of your fluids.

Whitchypoo72: Go easy on yourself. Stay hydrated, get your protien in. That is all you NEED to do right now. Eventually figure out vitamins and a diet plan, but hydration and protien are the only MUST right now.

Take a deep breath and keep on drinking!

On 5/15/2018 at 6:07 AM, Witchypoo72 said:

No idea what to do, where to start.

hi aussie

welcome to our group. Been waiting for you!!

i feel bad when i realize many newbies don't get proper directions/info from

their NUT. Losing 26.4 lbs in 5 weeks is wonderful. You are definitely on the

right track. i think 1/4 c of food is the correct amount to eat, for now.

sorry you are still having trouble drinking. Hopefully this will improve as

time passes. You must keep trying to drink - don't want to get dehydrated.

i was hospitalized in need of rehydration. My "dip stick" was dry!!

i was walking a few days PO. you need to get out their and move. At 5 weeks

you should be able to start off with light exercises. Don't overdue. Careful about

how much weight you lift. (for now). These are questions to ask you doc. Protein

and Multi-vitamins are essential. Explore, and find some good/adequate

tasting vitamins and protein drinks. you have been given some good example

- snooop around for more too. They are out their. Good for you on reaching

out to OP on this board. Peep will jump in with answers to your questions.

give advise - give their experiences too. Good luck - you are a smart cookie

having the sleeve - i know with time and help, you'll do great.

kathy