Re: 2 weeks post-op and having trouble eating

[Guest guest]

Yes,

The first few weeks I could only eat an about 2 ounces at once.

The best tip I ever heard for this is to simply measure out a 4 ounce

serving and cut it in half. Eat a few bites to half of this. Leave the

rest of it on the plate in a conspicuous place. Every time you pass

the plate take a bite or two. You will finish of the serving in no

time and you will not overfill your tiny new tummy.

I did have the stuck in the esophogus feeling a couple of times

when I didn't pay attention to how much I ate. The pain and nausea

combined with the sweaty feeling were enough to convince me not to try

it again!

Protein can be hard for even the most die hard ds'er. Don't beat

yourself up over this. Just concentrate on always eating your protein

first and having protein at every meal. Around 4 weeks you can crack

down on the protein amounts.

>I am having trouble eating more than 2 or 3 bites of soft foods

(full liquids). I immediately get this feeling in my esophogus like

the food is just sitting there instead of going into my stomach. It

takes me an hour to eat 1/2 c. oatmeal. One soft boiled egg makes my

lower esophogus feel pressure for 10 minutes or so, then the feeling

eventually goes away. Sometimes, if the feeling is too strong, I

have to vomit it back up to get relief. Consequently, I know I'm not

getting my protein requirements, nor am I getting my fluids

requirements.

The swelling does go down but in my case the swelling was really gas

that resulted from food intolerances. Once I removed milk products

(not cheese or yogurt) and fruit from my diet the what I thought was

swelling(gas) went away.

> Did anybody else experience this at first? Is this due to swelling

> from the surgery which will go away and allow me to eat better when

the swelling is gone? Is it just that my new stomach can't tolerate

food yet?

The calories are not important, protein is. Protein is 4 calories per

gram( I think I am accurate in this but I am going from memory) so if

300 of your daily calories are protien then you are getting in 75g of

protein daily. That is well within the initial guidelines for new

post-op's.

> I figure I'm only getting about 300 - 400 calories a day in righ

now. I know I'm supposed to get 64 oz. of fluid a day, but I'm

working hard to just get half of that in.

This is normal and does get better. Every week is like great big giant

step. The best part is that every week not only do you recover more

from the surgery but you are able to do things that you couldn't

pre-op like :

1. Tie your shoes without being winded.

2. Take a flight of stairs and not feel like you ran a marathon.

3. Smile when you get on the scale!

Tina

Lap DS, Dr. Gagner, 07/03/2001

Goal: Lose 90% of Excess Weight

*******************************

* Starting Weight = 267 *

* " Ideal " Weight = 135 *

* =========================== *

* Total Excess Weight = 132 *

* 90% x Excess Weight = 118 *

* Goal Weight = 265-118 = 145 *

* =========================== *

* Total Needed to Lose = 118 *

* Loss To Date = 48 *

* =========================== *

* Remainder to Goal = 70 *

*******************************

Tell me this is normal and will get better

as time goes on........please!