10 weeks out from surgery- struggling to find what works

[MelbaT 28]

Hello all, I'm 10 weeks out from RNY and overall doing pretty good. My problem is I can't plan my food menu because one day I'll like a food, like eggs, and the next day it repulses me. Can't stand the smell of it. I'm like this with almost everything I'm eating. I can NOT do shakes ever again. I tried again about a month ago and gagged and threw it out along with the damn shaker bottle. Same with Soups and broths. Can't even look at them. ONe day I'll do good with chicken and the next it sickens me. I'm often hungry, but eating makes me feel like crap. I enjoy nothing. I eat slow and don't eat until I am too full, so it's not like I'm overeating and getting sick from a food and then not wanting to eat it again. It makes me sad. Frustrating as hell. I'm hungry now, but nothing sounds good, looks good or tastes good. I often feel crappy after eating. Nauseated. Again, not eating until I'm too full, so it doesn't make sense to me. My dietician wants me to get in more Protein but I can't figure out how. There is a part of me that wishes I never would've had the surgery because I'm so sick of feeling like crap. I have low/no energy. I'm taking all my Vitamins and supplements. Anyone else have this problem? Will it get better over time? I have no idea what I'll take to work for lunch tomorrow. The chicken I made yesterday is grossing me out now. UGH!! Advice? I'm 34 pounds down now. I'm stalled but feel like it's because I'm not eating enough. I cannot do yogurt or much cheese as I have a hard time with milk products as well. Ack! One more thing I'll add is that I found I can't tolerate sugar free things either. I don't know if it's the xylitol, artificial sweeteners or what. Not eating sugary things either.

Edited June 11, 2023 by MelbaT

[catwoman7 10,867]

low/no energy is pretty common the first few weeks after surgery. Your body went through a lot of trauma, and it's getting very few calories now to boot. I think I was about where you are when I started feeling like myself again, so you may be close...

as far as no interest in food (or being repulsed by food), I know this sounds really weird at this point, but enjoy it while it lasts - or at least take full advantage of it. Hunger eventually comes back for almost all of us sometime during the first year (mine came roaring back at five months out), and the going gets a lot tougher then. Even though never being hungry and not giving a flip about food was pretty weird for me to get used to, I honestly wish I would have been one of those lucky few whose hunger never came back. I'm eight years out and although I've maintained most of my loss, it's a challenge every day.

[MelbaT 28]

Thank you for your reply catwoman. I’m over 2 1/2 MONTHS out , so I expected to feel better about eating. I definitely get hungry (I too was hoping the hunger wouldn’t return!). My tastes have changed for sure. I’m just trying to figure out what and how I eat when I change daily on what I can stand. Congrats on 8 years out! You’re one strong woman and I admire you!

[Arabesque 6,486]

I found looking at the first couple of months like I was a baby being slowly introduced to foods & learning how to eat helped to understand what I as experiencing. I also used to say my tummy was like a tantrum throwing, petulant two year old. Liking a food one day & not the next. But a week later that food was fine again. Added to that the changed taste buds & maybe being more sensitive to certain odours can make meal times challenging.

But yes, it does get better & easier. These things are temporary. Of course how temporary is different person to person. And there may be the odd food you will continue to struggle with or don’t sit well. I still don’t do bread, rice & Pasta as it sits too heavily in my tummy. it’s just a quirk of your tummy.

Keep a variety of foods on hand. I froze lots of cooked meats & leftover meals in single portions so I always had options. chicken tender strips, soft fish fillets, sausages (from a butcher not mass produced), & smoked salmon were my go to lunches. The smoked salmon was the weirdest as before surgery I often found it too rich to eat. After surgery I could eat it but then two months later nope it was too rich again. I never had issues with eggs or chicken but many do. But I could not do tinned fish at all.

PS I agree. shakes are disgusting 🤮. I never had another one once I started purées & gave away the Protein Powder I bought - also blah! I found a good high Protein yoghurt & yoghurt drink to give me a boost of protein each day instead.

Edited June 12, 2023 by Arabesque

[BabySpoons 531]

7 hours ago, MelbaT said:

Anyone else have this problem? Will it get better over time?

I too could eat something one day and be sick with it the next. But at 9 weeks out I am finding it to happen less and less. Thankfully. I have revisited a few foods that made me quite ill before and seem to tolerate it well now. Like steak..eggs. Go figure.

As for hunger mine left with the surgery, so I can't relate to being hungry and not able to eat. I really hope it doesn't return either. But that's wishful thinking.

Protein is supposed to take the edge off your hunger so hoping you find something you can eat and tolerate to help you with that. Good luck!

[catwoman7 10,867]

btw - just to clarify, when I said 2/2.5 months out - I meant I was still feeling low energy 'til around then - - but that was also the point when I started feeling more normal (as in - not tired all the time), so that part (hopefully!) will be ending soon for you. As far as food, yea - my stomach was pretty picky (and my tastes, too) for the first six months or so....and occasionally even after that. There are still a few things that I don't tolerate well. Pasta, for example, I can eat, but it sits in my stomach like a rock, so I can't eat that much of it - maybe 1/3 of a cup or something (and this is at several years out)

[ms.sss 14,683]

i had a serious (and extended) case of food aversion. still get it every once in a while now at 4.5+ years out.

during those/these times i don't actually feel hungry though...its more like "i should probably eat something", but don't want to cuz i had/have the icks. so i don't. i'm of the (minority) mind that i won't force myself to eat if it will lead to an unpleasant experience. i just didn't/don't want to have that kind of relationship with food (or anything really)

with that said there where periods where i ate very little..,but i would always get a window eventually when i did want to eat. and did.

with so little calories i did feel very weak and tired, plus my blood pressure went way low, and would get woozy if i moved too fast. this happened regularly for about 3 months and by month 4-5 it was much better, probably because i was eating more and moving around much more.

one thing my doc did suggest, which i think did help with the wooziness was increase my sodium intake. which was fine by me cuz i love salty things lol.

as for throwing out shaker bottles and never having soup/broths again...never say never: things are always changing and will continue to change no matter what. if you can accept and make peace (sans angst!) with whatever comes and goes, as part and parcel of ur weight loss (of life, really), then the ride will be alot smoother.

Good Luck! ❤️

Edited June 12, 2023 by ms.sss

[Shanna NYC 128]

I am 9 weeks out today and while I haven't quite had those issues, I can understand the frustration.

Most shakes turned me off and I was over ricotta, yogurt and all things similar during pureed stage. I don't really feel physical hunger (it's mainly mental), but I know I have to meet goals so I make myself eat. The only thing I will not do is eat every 3 hours when I feel like I can't really handle it. Since the tummy can only hold so much, it's easy to get over the repetitive foods.

What I have found that works on some days when food isn't sounding great - I drink Protein Water - Protein 2O is the brand. It has 15g of protein and comes in a variety of flavors. I also cannot stand the sugar substitute aftertaste or overly sweet and this one does not have any funkiness to me. It helps meet goals when i don't want solids and am over milky shakes.

Since sweets aren't your thing, have you tried Quest products like the Protein chips or cheese crackers? It's more snackish while still being high in protein and decent in stats. A bit lighter than meats to get in protein.

I'm sure this phase will pass at some point, which I hope is soon.

[MelbaT 28]

Hi all, thank you so much for you replies and advice. I really appreciate it. I just have to hope and remind myself this is likely a phase. Just frustrated with it right now. I’ll definitely try some of these suggestions!😁