Just not hungry

I am 3 weeks post op and am on soft foods, or foods that I have to chew, chew, chew.  However, I'm finding it very, very hard to want to eat.  I sometimes feel a little hungry, but after a couple bites of my protein, I don't want any more.  I'm not full, just not hungry.  I am working to get my protein in.  It is also hard to get all my fluid in.  I stop drinking for the 90 minutes pre/during/post eating, fitting in about 5 meals, and it's a struggle.  I assume my appetite will kick in sometime again.  Also if anyone has any recipes you'd care to share for this 3-month soft foods stage, I'd be very grateful.  I think a lot of the problem is how long I have to chew the food, it just isn't very appetizing when I once get to swallow.  And it gets cold stretching it to 20-30 mins.  I'd love advice, recipes, encouragement!  Thanks.

HW:  260       SW:  249           CW: 230        GW: 135

Im three months out, and I love the fact that after a couple of bites I dont seem to want anymore, or it gags me.  I finally feel the control that I have wanted for years..  But as you know we have to get the protien in some how, so that means "shakes".  I drink at least three, if not four, thirty grams of protien shakes a day.  I HATE them, but I love that I dont have much of an appetite.  I pray everyday, that it doesnt come back!  As far as the chew, chew, chew issue, that sounds more like the way an RNY patient has to eat, because they have a stoma instead of a stomach and have to worry about dumping....  We have a sleeve and a normal functioning pyloric valve so we dont have to do the chew, chew, chew thing.  Did you have the RNY before the DS, and had a revision or something like that.  Sorry, Im just trying to figure it out.....

No, this is my first surgery.   I had been told I had to chew it to mush.  However, if I don't have to do that, it changes everything!  You may have brightened my future!  I've figured that I probably will have to still be on the shakes, even now.  I snuck about a 1/2 tsp of peanut butter in one of my chocolate ones, and that tasted good.    Thank you for your advice.

You are only 3 weeks out from surgery, so really I would not be to worried about getting lots of protein in at this time. It's a lot more important that you get enough liquids in. Also I noticed you said you stop drinking for 90 min. before and after you eat. 
I'm not sure why that is, but with the DS you don't have to do that. We have a pyloric valve that regulates what goes out of our stomach. That rules applies to RNY patients, not us. I can see not drinking while eating where you are now because you only have so much room in your stomach right at first.

Many people use, Cheeses, ricchotta cheese, cottage cheese, refried beans, tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, eggs fried, hard boiled or any way you like. 

For most of us, the rule of 30 gm of protein by 30 days, 60 gm of protein by 60 days and 90 gm of protein by 90 days, has worked very well.

Good Luck

I think I worded that badly.  I stop drinking 30 mins before eating.  Then during the 30 minutes of eating I don't drink, and wait 30 minutes after I've eaten to drink.  If I can cut down on the amount of time before and after that would really help.  Thank you for the rule you gave.  Makes perfect sense and I will stop stressing about not getting in at least 60 gm at this point.

At 3 weeks, I, too, still had no appetite.  Just concentrate on fluids, protein shakes for now.  Your appetite will slowly return.  Mine has.

WOW 3 months soft foods... Did they do any different phases at all during the three months?

So.....Where to start from my vast experience of 4 months.. I was worried the first two months because I just didn't want to eat, I had to eat on a schedule. I now get hungry just not to the same extent I did before. I am not sure if I would rather be like Dusty on this but every one is different.

Just a few thoughts on your routine based on my experience.

 90 minutes is way too long to stop drinking. I  stop drinking 15 minutes before meals and rarely during meals because I just don't have the room in my stomach. I'm with Herman on this - having the pyloric valve makes all the difference.

3 weeks. Really the chew, chew, chew is just a precaution about straining your healing insides. You don't have to be so careful with soft foods. Once you start denser, drier foods you should chew more but the 30 minutes - no way. I had that from my nutritionist pre-op and at the 3 month follow up post op I told her there just wasn't enough food on my plate to take me 30 minutes. She didn't see it as a problem. It made me think the 30 minutes is for a regular sized meal. 

Tuna and mayo, eggs, Protein shakes, greek yogurt, strained campbells soup, cheese, carnation sugar free breakfast drinks.

Somewhere during week 4 I started adding pureed chicken and beef.

Week 6 I started to add lunch meat, non pureed meat (moist cuts).

You all have really helped me.  I was starting to feel a bit depressed that I was not meeting the goals I should be meeting and was going to end up malnourished and messing up.  I do not want that.     There is so much information we are given by our nutritionist and doctor that it's hard to keep it all straight.  And, I have a new and very great appreciation for my pyloric valve. 

Great advice everyone 

This could last the entire first year, so eat just because you have to.  Don't expect any pleasure out of it.  It's almost depressing for a bit, but know that this is completely normal.  Eat and drink because your body needs it - not because you feel like it.