Week after surgery and I'm struggling

[Bonines 10]

Hi everyone! I'm new to these forums and I'm so happy to find them. This might be a bit of a venting sesh/rant. I don't know anyone who had gastric bypass and I don't want to bother my doctor or dietician every 2.2 seconds with questions. I just need to feel like I'm not alone in this. I felt like I was doing okay for a bit. I'm having issues with the Protein intake. I'm sick of the taste and the smell of it makes me nauseous. I'm sure many of you experienced this. How did you get past this? Today I felt weak. I'm getting in my liquids but I just feel sort of hopeless and tired. I don't know what mood I'm going to get each day and I feel frustrated. I already suffer with anxiety and it's heightened now. I don't even want to check my weight on the scale because I'm scared I didn't lose enough because I'm super impatient and expect instant results which isn't realistic of course.

I'm so happy and grateful that I did this surgery. It's something I've been wanting for a long time but I'm just about ready to give up and it's only been 9 days since my surgery on March 23rd. I'm sitting with a Protein Shake right now typing this and it just makes me feel sick. I literally never want to have a protein shake for the rest of my life. I'm not really craving fatty foods. I was craving some on my first 2 days post op but now i just want to get to the soft foods phase so I can at least feel like I'm nourishing my body. I'm terrified of the unknown and I'm afraid of failing. It's tough trying to figure out what my body is telling me. I still don't understand if I'm feeling hunger pangs or if it's just a stomach ache.

I have my 2 week follow up with my doctor in a few days but I'm just looking to talk to people who've been through this and maybe help ease some of my anxiety about the unknown. I'm just scared and feel alone. Sorry for the Debbie Downer rant.

[MrsGamgee 756]

I haven't made it to the losers bench yet, but from everything I've read and heard what you're experiencing is totally normal. Your body has just been through a traumatic change, and with it comes a lot of adjustment.

You're healing. That means that you're going to be more susceptible to emotional swings, including anxiety. Everything is going to feel bigger, more serious, worse than it would when you are at your best. You're learning how to nourish your now very different body, and to top it all off, the stores of estrogen that have been in your fat cells for years are now flooding your bloodstream making you feel all kinds of crazy.

There's a phrase that I've read quite a lot on these boards... Embrace the suck. Protein Shakes suck. Pain sucks. Stalls suck. Own it, and then try to look forward. This is phase to be gotten through on your way to a better, healthier you.

Edited April 2, 2019 by MrsGamgee

[gabybab 696]

I can't stomach whey Protein. The smell is off putting and I gag taking a drink. I've been short on protein, but am making my goals now that I'm 5 weeks post-op. I used high protein yogurt and fairlife milk to get closer to my goals. They have chocolate, but it's not my thing. I ate a lot of bean dishes, you can puree them. Good luck, you will get there!

Edited April 2, 2019 by gabybab

[Bonines 10]

Yeah why is whey so gross?! I know we all made this decision to better our lives but they need to figure out how to make Protein taste better haha. I have protein breath and burps as well so it’s just constantly on me and I can’t get rid of it. I start the purée diet on Friday and it’s taking everything in me not to start it early. I’ve had the fairlife chocolate before. I love it! I love fairlife milk in general. It tastes so much better than other mills. l’ll ask my doctor and dietician if the chocolate is allowed yet or at all for my plan.

Also Mrsgamgee, I love that mantra and I’ll keep repeating it in my head until this liquid phase is done.

The one thing frustrating me is knowing that this would be difficult but now that I’m in it, I had no idea just trying to keep liquids down would be so hard. I’m glad that I’m not the only one. Hopefully I can stop feeling crazy soon!

[gabybab 696]

30 minutes ago, Bonines said:

Yeah why is whey so gross?! I know we all made this decision to better our lives but they need to figure out how to make Protein taste better haha. I have Protein breath and burps as well so it’s just constantly on me and I can’t get rid of it. I start the purée diet on Friday and it’s taking everything in me not to start it early. I’ve had the fairlife chocolate before. I love it! I love fairlife milk in general. It tastes so much better than other mills. l’ll ask my doctor and dietician if the chocolate is allowed yet or at all for my plan.

Also Mrsgamgee, I love that mantra and I’ll keep repeating it in my head until this liquid phase is done.

The one thing frustrating me is knowing that this would be difficult but now that I’m in it, I had no idea just trying to keep liquids down would be so hard. I’m glad that I’m not the only one. Hopefully I can stop feeling crazy soon!

My nutritionist told me the chocolate fairlife is a good protein source. 12 oz is 19g and qualifies for my program. It has to have 20g and under 200 calories, which it is 190. However, I prefer to drink it plain. I have never liked sweet beverages, weird I know. I prefer to eat my calories lol

[Bonines 10]

12 minutes ago, gabybab said:

My nutritionist told me the chocolate fairlife is a good Protein source. 12 oz is 19g and qualifies for my program. It has to have 20g and under 200 calories, which it is 190. However, I prefer to drink it plain. I have never liked sweet beverages, weird I know. I prefer to eat my calories lol

Oh good to know! I loved it before surgery so at least I can keep having it haha. I was a big sweets and Desserts person and now the thought of sugar is making me sick so who knows? Maybe I’ll end up no longer liking it haha. I’m so much happier when I’m having broth lol

[toodlerue 432]

I took a lot of anti nausea & gasX the 1st 2 months post op. My daughter didn’t start feeling well until she could add eggs & soft foods after her surgery.

Does your insurance have a nutritious you can speak with? We have Cigna & they called me every week for the 1st 2 months.

[Bonines 10]

1 minute ago, toodlerue said:

I took a lot of anti nausea & gasX the 1st 2 months post op. My daughter didn’t start feeling well until she could add eggs & soft foods after her surgery.

Does your insurance have a nutritious you can speak with? We have Cigna & they called me every week for the 1st 2 months.

I’m thinking that I need to get anti nausea meds because it’s too much now. I just cried over my Soup broth haha! My doctor prescribed Metoclopramide for the nausea but it doesn’t seem to be helping

im looking forward to soft foods so I can have eggs and feel like I’m feeding my body.

I actually have a follow up visit with my nutritionist this Friday so hopefully we can figure out ways to help me but by then the liquids will be done hopefully! I know I just have 4 more days on it but it is tough. I just hope the days fly by.

[KateBruin 344]

On 04/01/2019 at 17:58, Bonines said:

Yeah why is whey so gross?! I know we all made this decision to better our lives but they need to figure out how to make Protein taste better haha. I have Protein breath and burps as well so it’s just constantly on me and I can’t get rid of it. I start the purée diet on Friday and it’s taking everything in me not to start it early. I’ve had the fairlife chocolate before. I love it! I love fairlife milk in general. It tastes so much better than other mills. l’ll ask my doctor and dietician if the chocolate is allowed yet or at all for my plan.

Also Mrsgamgee, I love that mantra and I’ll keep repeating it in my head until this liquid phase is done.

The one thing frustrating me is knowing that this would be difficult but now that I’m in it, I had no idea just trying to keep liquids down would be so hard. I’m glad that I’m not the only one. Hopefully I can stop feeling crazy soon!

Oh god the protein breath. I chew gum and just make sure not to swallow it. Protein breath might be worse than coffee breath!

[froufrou 678]

When I had Protein (which was actually not for very long) I used plant based. I couldn't stomach the whey.

[med28thmed 118]

On 4/1/2019 at 7:33 PM, Bonines said:

Hi everyone! I'm new to these forums and I'm so happy to find them. This might be a bit of a venting sesh/rant. I don't know anyone who had gastric bypass and I don't want to bother my doctor or dietician every 2.2 seconds with questions. I just need to feel like I'm not alone in this. I felt like I was doing okay for a bit. I'm having issues with the Protein intake. I'm sick of the taste and the smell of it makes me nauseous. I'm sure many of you experienced this. How did you get past this? Today I felt weak. I'm getting in my liquids but I just feel sort of hopeless and tired. I don't know what mood I'm going to get each day and I feel frustrated. I already suffer with anxiety and it's heightened now. I don't even want to check my weight on the scale because I'm scared I didn't lose enough because I'm super impatient and expect instant results which isn't realistic of course.

I'm so happy and grateful that I did this surgery. It's something I've been wanting for a long time but I'm just about ready to give up and it's only been 9 days since my surgery on March 23rd. I'm sitting with a Protein Shake right now typing this and it just makes me feel sick. I literally never want to have a Protein shake for the rest of my life. I'm not really craving fatty foods. I was craving some on my first 2 days post op but now i just want to get to the soft foods phase so I can at least feel like I'm nourishing my body. I'm terrified of the unknown and I'm afraid of failing. It's tough trying to figure out what my body is telling me. I still don't understand if I'm feeling hunger pangs or if it's just a stomach ache.

I have my 2 week follow up with my doctor in a few days but I'm just looking to talk to people who've been through this and maybe help ease some of my anxiety about the unknown. I'm just scared and feel alone. Sorry for the Debbie Downer rant.

It is so normal to feel the way you're feeling right now. The light at the end of the tunnel is so so close for you, You're almost there!!! YOu got this. I remembered, I was putting Cereal, chicken, steak in my mouth on my second week just to chew and taste it, then I'd spit it out.

I also HATED the Protein Shakes.

Good Luck. Hope to hear your progress here soon. I'm sure it will be a happier version of you soon enough :-)

[Bonines 10]

3 hours ago, med28thmed said:

It is so normal to feel the way you're feeling right now. The light at the end of the tunnel is so so close for you, You're almost there!!! YOu got this. I remembered, I was putting Cereal, chicken, steak in my mouth on my second week just to chew and taste it, then I'd spit it out.

I also HATED the Protein Shakes.

Good Luck. Hope to hear your progress here soon. I'm sure it will be a happier version of you soon enough 🙂

Thank you! I have having such a meltdown wondering if I could do this but everyone on this forum has been so kind and helpful! Haha I wanted to do that with some potato wedges this week. They smelled so good but I resisted and had my sad Protein Shake. I have a day and a half left on these Protein Shakes so I cannot wait for my next phase! So at least I can be happy for myself for making it through the most tough part!

[mousecat88 2,279]

I also can't have whey Protein - not because I think it's gross, but because it makes me vomit. NowSports chocolate Soy Isolate is good! But really, I totally eff'd up on protein until like the 3 month mark. I got like 10g a day. Since whey made me vomit and I hadn't really found another kind that tasted okay, I just didn't drink any shakes at all. I lived. Try other Proteins like pea, rice, egg, animal, or soy. And if you don't hit your goal right off the bat, don't sweat it.

[Bonines 10]

3 hours ago, mousecat88 said:

I also can't have whey Protein - not because I think it's gross, but because it makes me vomit. NowSports chocolate Soy Isolate is good! But really, I totally eff'd up on Protein until like the 3 month mark. I got like 10g a day. Since whey made me vomit and I hadn't really found another kind that tasted okay, I just didn't drink any shakes at all. I lived. Try other Proteins like pea, rice, egg, animal, or soy. And if you don't hit your goal right off the bat, don't sweat it.

My dietician recommended Isopure Protein Drink. It has been a lifesaver! I mean it has 40g of protein in one bottle and it's not creamy. I started getting nauseous while drinking the whey protein. I've been using Unjury. Their chicken broth tastes great but then it has that whey protein smell and it made me nauseous while I was drinking it. So I stopped with the Unjury and switched to Isopure and GNC Lean 25 shakes. I think I'm so tired with the creamy shakes. I think what works best is using 2-3 different brands because everyone has their own different flavor.

I just have one day left on full liquids and I couldn't be happier!

[mousecat88 2,279]

On 4/3/2019 at 8:03 PM, Bonines said:

My dietician recommended Isopure Protein Drink. It has been a lifesaver! I mean it has 40g of Protein in one bottle and it's not creamy. I started getting nauseous while drinking the whey protein. I've been using Unjury. Their chicken broth tastes great but then it has that whey protein smell and it made me nauseous while I was drinking it. So I stopped with the Unjury and switched to Isopure and GNC Lean 25 shakes. I think I'm so tired with the creamy shakes. I think what works best is using 2-3 different brands because everyone has their own different flavor.

I just have one day left on full liquids and I couldn't be happier!

Glad it's working out. I can't have isopure because it's also whey.