6-10 Week Out Restriction Feeling

[PandaMom1977 6]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all are feeling and doing amazing. Quick question????

Did anyone have a feeling of being super full or not being able to "digest" regular food between 6-10 weeks post op? The feeling started around 6.5 weeks out and I just feel so UGH... Like anything I eat was just sitting at the top of my stomach. I also have issues being "regular" in the bathroom so I thought it was that. I was able to fix that and the bottom of my stomach got relief but the top still felt full. I was having a hard time eating or drinking only cause I always felt full like overfull. Reached out to the doctor and he said that sometimes between 6-10 weeks scar tissue can develop where the stomach and intestine are attached which can constrict. Has anyone had this and did it go away or get better after 10 weeks? I switched to primarily a liquid diet and it is better but still feel ugh.

I feel like Violet in Willy Wonka.

Doctor is doing an upper GI x-ray just to be safe but that is a week away. Just want to get ideas from you all. 🙂

[RnYBabe 35]

I did experience a sudden feeling of fullness that wasn't present in the beginning when I ate/drank. My doctor ordered an esophagogram and let me know it could be the nerves in my stomach healing or a stricture. For me, it turned out to just be the nerves healing and I got adjusted as the weeks went on.

[PandaMom1977 6]

That is what I think this is. Just the process of healing.

[catwoman7 10,864]

your doctor was talking about a stricture. About 5% of bypass patients get those (sleeve people can also get them, but it's a lot less common with them). It's been nine years for me, but I don't remember if I felt super full or not. I just remember feeling really nauseated or like I had GERD after eating, and after a while, I couldn't keep any food down - it'd all come back up.

I had one at four weeks out and another around eight weeks out (they almost always occur between 1-3 months post op - very rare after that). It's an easy fix if that's what it is. They can stretch it out with this balloon-like thing when they do the upper endoscopy. It's quick and painless - and you'll feel A LOT better afterward.

[NickelChip 686]

I'm 4 weeks out and started having this issue the past couple days off and on. This morning I had a scrambled egg and it ended up not staying down (despite no trouble with eggs in the past). lunch was okay but then at dinner I went from being totally fine with 2oz smoked salmon to taking a single bit of veg and having pain and fullness, that stuck feeling, that again eventually led to the food coming back up. Now I just have a painful full feeling that's lingering for hours and is miserable. If it continues a few more days I will reach out to my doctor.

[Arabesque 6,478]

Your petulant, fussy, temper throwing tummy is showing its face @NickelChip. Your tummy decides one day it doesn’t like something yet you ate it fine before. Then on a few days or week or two later your tummy is all yum this is delicious. Or something you didn’t enjoy before is suddenly very tasty. Don’t be surprised if this continues for a few more weeks. It’s like your tummy is relearning about foods, textures, flavours, etc.

I always found smoked salmon too rich. I’d eat a little but rarely. Then suddenly in soft food was eating it every day - spread it with cream cheese & wrapped it around wedges of cucumber. Then suddenly my tummy said no.No more smoked salmon. I was always able to eat eggs easily, then last year, after 4 years my tummy said nope not eggs. I actually haven’t gone back to them but I will again at some time.

What I do remember is when my tummy says no, my restriction kicks in more quickly and I feel very full after just a couple bites. This may be what you @NickelChip & @PandaMom1977 are experiencing: your sensitive & fussy tummy making itself known, your nerves reconnecting & sparking & your restriction starting to work.

It will be interesting to hear what the GI X-ray shows @PandaMom1977.

[NickelChip 686]

9 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Your petulant, fussy, temper throwing tummy is showing its face @NickelChip. Your tummy decides one day it doesn’t like something yet you ate it fine before. Then on a few days or week or two later your tummy is all yum this is delicious. Or something you didn’t enjoy before is suddenly very tasty. Don’t be surprised if this continues for a few more weeks. It’s like your tummy is relearning about foods, textures, flavours, etc.

I always found smoked salmon too rich. I’d eat a little but rarely. Then suddenly in soft food was eating it every day - spread it with cream cheese & wrapped it around wedges of cucumber. Then suddenly my tummy said no.No more smoked salmon. I was always able to eat eggs easily, then last year, after 4 years my tummy said nope not eggs. I actually haven’t gone back to them but I will again at some time.

What I do remember is when my tummy says no, my restriction kicks in more quickly and I feel very full after just a couple bites. This may be what you @NickelChip & @PandaMom1977 are experiencing: your sensitive & fussy tummy making itself known, your nerves reconnecting & sparking & your restriction starting to work.

It will be interesting to hear what the GI X-ray shows @PandaMom1977.

Yesterday was no fun, not gonna lie. Having two meals in one day disagree with me to the point of several hours of pain and frequent vomiting is not something I'd care to repeat, so I'm taking it as a warning to go very easy with foods today.

My program's recommendation was to have 3 meals daily and to supplement with Protein Shakes in between as needed, but they were very anti-snacking, which I do understand in the longterm. But I hate Protein shakes, so I've felt this added pressure that if I can't eat enough protein in one sitting, I'm dooming myself to drinking something vile in a few hours. It's a recipe for taking one bite too many.

However, I went to the dietician the other day and she was asking about Snacks, and seemed surprised when I said I didn't have any, just the protein shakes. She even suggested I may need to add in a snack or two! So now it seems I can have several small meals instead of protein shakes and they're fine with it. Talk about mixed messages! I swear they don't read their own booklets sometimes.

Anyway, I'm going to experiment with smaller portions size and more frequent meals to see if it helps. If it's just a few things that trigger the tummy issues, I'll chalk it up to not being able to tolerate those foods. If it continues with no pattern or becomes more frequent, I'll definitely talk to my doctor's office to rule out a stricture.

[PandaMom1977 6]

1 hour ago, NickelChip said:

Yesterday was no fun, not gonna lie. Having two meals in one day disagree with me to the point of several hours of pain and frequent vomiting is not something I'd care to repeat, so I'm taking it as a warning to go very easy with foods today.

My program's recommendation was to have 3 meals daily and to supplement with Protein Shakes in between as needed, but they were very anti-snacking, which I do understand in the longterm. But I hate Protein shakes, so I've felt this added pressure that if I can't eat enough Protein in one sitting, I'm dooming myself to drinking something vile in a few hours. It's a recipe for taking one bite too many.

However, I went to the dietician the other day and she was asking about Snacks, and seemed surprised when I said I didn't have any, just the Protein Shakes. She even suggested I may need to add in a snack or two! So now it seems I can have several small meals instead of protein shakes and they're fine with it. Talk about mixed messages! I swear they don't read their own booklets sometimes.

Anyway, I'm going to experiment with smaller portions size and more frequent meals to see if it helps. If it's just a few things that trigger the tummy issues, I'll chalk it up to not being able to tolerate those foods. If it continues with no pattern or becomes more frequent, I'll definitely talk to my doctor's office to rule out a stricture.

Oh I understand angry "gnome" days. 🧙‍♂️ My program also advocates only 3 meals and NO SNACKING.... It would seem 6 small meals cause there is no way I can eat 20 grams of protein in one meal.

I haven't experienced pain or vomiting just discomfort.

I drink the Latte Premier Protein shakes because they are less sweet than the others. I will add a vanilla one to my Decaf coffee in the morning. I try GENEPRO unflavored in warm Chi Tea. It is definitely a struggle....

Since these issues, I have been "supplementing" zero sugar beef Jerky cause 1 ounce is 13g of protein but then I battle the sodium. It is a roller coaster. I don't regret one minute just trying to navigate the new me.

I found that I can eat chicken thigh but no chicken breast. I know some things can change from minute to minute so wwwhhhhheeeeee I just hold on for the ride. 🎢

10 hours ago, Arabesque said:

Your petulant, fussy, temper throwing tummy is showing its face @NickelChip. Your tummy decides one day it doesn’t like something yet you ate it fine before. Then on a few days or week or two later your tummy is all yum this is delicious. Or something you didn’t enjoy before is suddenly very tasty. Don’t be surprised if this continues for a few more weeks. It’s like your tummy is relearning about foods, textures, flavours, etc.

I always found smoked salmon too rich. I’d eat a little but rarely. Then suddenly in soft food was eating it every day - spread it with cream cheese & wrapped it around wedges of cucumber. Then suddenly my tummy said no.No more smoked salmon. I was always able to eat eggs easily, then last year, after 4 years my tummy said nope not eggs. I actually haven’t gone back to them but I will again at some time.

What I do remember is when my tummy says no, my restriction kicks in more quickly and I feel very full after just a couple bites. This may be what you @NickelChip & @PandaMom1977 are experiencing: your sensitive & fussy tummy making itself known, your nerves reconnecting & sparking & your restriction starting to work.

It will be interesting to hear what the GI X-ray shows @PandaMom1977.

@Arabesque I will let you know once I get the results.

[Arabesque 6,478]

I’d give the smaller a meals ago @NickelChip & @PandaMom1977 I know a few who did 6 small meals versus 3 larger meals. I was able to have one snack a day a couple of months out (can’t recall exactly when now) & I still snack now to get in calories & Protein. One snack is my leftover Breakfast. May be try making your plan approved meal but eat it across two sessions. It may help you get over this quirky, fussy tummy stage plus until you can eat a little more in regards portion size.

Oh yes the Protein Shakes were awful. I discovered yoghurt drinks. So much nicer. Make your own by simply blending yoghurt with as much milk as you need to make it a drinkable consistency. Add whatever flavours you like. My high protein yoghurt brand (Australian company but they don’t make them anymore - grrr) made the ones I drank & I’d get 25-35g protein depending on the size.

[NickelChip 686]

12 hours ago, Arabesque said:

May be try making your plan approved meal but eat it across two sessions. It may help you get over this quirky, fussy tummy stage plus until you can eat a little more in regards portion size.

This is what I was thinking of doing with my meals, prepare the size that's recommended and then eat it in 2 shifts if needed. I did speak to the nurse at my doctor's office yesterday about the recent vomiting and she wanted me to go back to liquids at least through today. Not sure if they'll want me to do any tests but she was going to check in with the surgeon and the dietician for their opinions and get back to me today.

[PandaMom1977 6]

Hi all

Well I went to my x ray today. They started with a "Alka seltzer" type thing to expand my esophagus. Let me tell you the carbonation was amazing but downfall.... they don't want you to burp.

So Dr takes images of empty esophagus and stomach then makes you drink some "stuff".... was thicker than a Protein shake... chalky taste... not nice. Then they take different images.

End result is there is no blockage or leaks or hernia. It looks like it was just the scar tissue healing.

He did say how small my gnome is he can absolutely see why I feel so full all the time. The small barium drink absolutely filled my little gnome.