Hello,

I'm 5 days post op (vsg) now and am still struggling to get enough protein and fluids. I'm up to 25-30 grams of protein but need 60-90.

I'm also hitting approximately 32oz of water but can't seem to increase from there.

I'm sipping everything but after only 1 or 2 sips I feel a tightness in my chest and throat like I'm going to regurgitate whatever I've swallowed.

Is this normal for everyone?

Any suggestions? I've switched to flavorless protein powder in water as I can tolerate water better than any protein shakes and I've added low carb, high protein yogurt but the struggle is still there.

Perfectly normal. Try some sugar-free popsicles, they count as water intake. Have you tried putting any Crystal Light or flavored powder in your water? Sugar-free jello also counts as water. As far as protein, in another week you'll be able to add scrambled eggs and some soft or pureed foods, so that'll help. Hang in there, it gets easier in a week or so.

Thank you so much!
I've tried jello and it works for one meal but I didn't realize it could count towards my fluid intake. Definite game changer.
And I bought some crystal light today to try out. I completely forgot about Popsicles but will add them to my list!
I appreciate your suggestions and you confirming this is normal.

Chill out this is common, Do not panic you body has been blasted it will heal and thing will be better

Look for the proteins soups or broths easy to drink

I am also about a week out post op. I have found beef broth, chicken broth are soothing to my system and are fluid. And my hubby just brought me both beef and chicken bone broth, a little different twist on a regular broth and it took me a tad to get used to it but its super high in protein and counts as fluid. I have truly tried about every protein drink, shake and powder out there and find the Fairlife core power protein drinks actually tasty!!

I figure since I stopping drinking Diet Coke its only right that its a coke company that get my cash

2 hours ago, Shadow07 said:

Hello,

I'm 5 days post op (vsg) now and am still struggling to get enough Protein and fluids. I'm up to 25-30 grams of protein but need 60-90.

I'm also hitting approximately 32oz of Water but can't seem to increase from there.

I'm sipping everything but after only 1 or 2 sips I feel a tightness in my chest and throat like I'm going to regurgitate whatever I've swallowed.

Is this normal for everyone?

Any suggestions? I've switched to flavorless Protein Powder in water as I can tolerate water better than any Protein Shakes and I've added low carb, high protein yogurt but the struggle is still there.

Perfectly normal and I found out 2-3 weeks after my surgery I was able to drink more. Just keep taking small sips. With my program I didn't have to worry about protein until later on so I mainly had water, jello, broth. Hang in there it will get better!

I think the fluid and protein goals given by most surgeons are unrealistic for the first couple of weeks post-op. Based on what I’ve seen on this forum, very few people are able to get 60 grams of protein and 64 ounces of water per day in the first week.

Now, it is very important to get fluids because dehydration can land you back in the hospital. They pump you full of IV fluids during and after surgery, so you have a head start, but you’ll need to focus on getting fluids now. Always be sipping! Protein is important, too, but fluids are the top priority. My surgeon told me that 64 ounces per day is ideal, but 40-50 ounces should be enough to avoid dehydration.

Have you tried warm liquids? I found that warm liquids (soup, tea, and my favorite, protein hot cocoa) went down more easily than cold.

Yep, totally normal. My surgeon gave me a goal of 60-70 grams of protein and 50-60 ounces of liquids post-op, and I found I could drink about half that. Luckily protein shakes, sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free Jello, etc. all count towards liquid goals. When I had my 10-day post-op appointment with my surgeon, he said it was fine that I wasn't able to meet those goals right away. He also confirmed that I could have just the broth out of low-sodium soups (stock alone was bland to me), so I'd have a mug of that once a day and it felt wonderful; there aren't many savory options in the liquid stage. You'll work up to being able to meet the goals in a matter of weeks.