Why do I feel like this won't work?

Hello All,

I had VSG on 2/4/14. The surgery went well and my pain and discomfort have been minimal. At first drinking was hard with the gas pains. Now that the pains are almost gone, I feel like I can take in a lot of fluids. Here is what I had yesterday:

64 oz water, 3 SF piocicles, 1/2 cup Unjury chicken soup broth, 1/2 cup low fat cream soup with Unjury broth added in, 2 (11oz) protein drinks, 3 oz SF FF pudding with added protein powder.

It was pretty easy getting all of that in. I feel like it should be harder so soon in the process for me. I feel like since I am able to get this much in so soon after surgery that I am going to fail at this by consuming too much. I hear over and over again on YouTube and this site that people can barely ge****er down post op. 

Anyone else feel that it is too easy and they might fail? Is the restriction not really a factor until I am eating solids? I mean I definitely can't guzzle anything right now but it goes down easier than I thought I would.

Sorry for rambling, just want to hrmear about your experience and what you think. I did email my nutritionist last night with these same concerns.

tIA, Kellie

I think you're doing great. Like you I was able to get my water and clear liquids in early during recovery. This early you are still healing so give yourself time for stomach sensations to return.

I am pleased with my weight loss although it seems slow. I measure what I consume and undereat my sleeve. One time I did eat too much and was very uncomfortable so I avoid such situations now.

Think positive and enjoy your new lifestyle.

It's VERY common for some sleevers to have no problem with liquids.  Often that hits you as a surprise since a lot of the pre-surgical discussion prepares you for the possibility that it will be difficult, which it is for some.  Your ability to handle liquids now is essentially no reflection on what will happen with your sleeve when you start on mushy and solid foods.

My experience was similar to what you are describing.  I was so worried that I could drink too much water in the beginning that I asked the surgeon about it on each of my first three follow-ups.  In each case he reassured me that it was not a problem, so after those visits I just stopped worrying about it and moved on.  I can't remember the timing exactly, but early on I started making sure my water consumption was over 100 ounces a day.  That seems to be the general concensus around here for best results.

You may not feel much restriction at this point.  If you pay attention, you'll probably notice that 1/2 hour after meals you're really not hungry.  However, after about 3-4 hours you may even start feeling hungry making you worry again that the process isn't working.  You'll also face a lot of head issues during this phase as you brain thinks of cheeseburgers, pizza and french fries while you're eating broth and popsicles.  This is a time when you learn to listen to the stomach vs. the head.

Once you get released to mushy foods about 50% of your issues will disappear, that goes to nearly 100% when you get back to full solids.  Water, and other liquids, won't affect this becasue they move more directly through the stomahc and into the small intestine.  However, you much ALWAYS follow the rule on no liquids 1/2 before and after meals.

 

Thank you for the response. I'm glad to know that the fluid intake amount is common. 

The liquids are good for you- the protein likewise.  Like the AP- follow the rules- esp. about the no drinking 30 min. before or after.  You will experience restriction with the solid foods.  Be mindful and trust the process.  There is much to learn!  I'm rooting for you!  Bonnie

It sounds like you are doing great!  That is fantastic that you can get that much liquid down.  Remember also that you are still swollen and numb in some respects so it might not always be easy but I hope for you that it is.  Some do not struggle with anything and others struggle with one thing and still others struggle with everything.  Some of it is physical issues but I am a firm believer that your mind set plays a large role in your success over time.  If you are not 100% sold on what you have to do to make this work for the rest of your life then you are going to struggle in those areas and potentially sabotage your success.

Congrats to you and welcome to the losers bench! 

You are still very early out. I had my surgery in Mexico and after I got back I could easily eat and drink and I had hunger pains. I started to think that I got ripped off and just had some holes in my stomach. Then at about 3 or 4 weeks all of the sudden I had great restriction, I could barely eat, I had to pace myself. I think the nerves in your stomach just have to take some time to figure out what it all means. Rmember you have raw nerve endings that are basically just hanging out in your body cavity that used to be the middle of your stomach and where your staple line is probably has no feeling an my never again. so give it time. It will all fall into place and what you are feeling now is totally normal.

Just trust and follow the process. Once you start getting to full foods you will be amazed at how quickly you fill up! This process is a marathon. Give it time. 

Great advice from our WLS vets on here!  I was able to drink several ounces at a time on the 2nd day post op. My surgeon encouraged me to drink as much at a time as I felt comfortable with.  I didn't feel true restriction until I started solids at 6 weeks post op. I didn't weigh my food and found out through trial and error that I was comfortably full and sated at eating 2oz instead of the 4oz I had been eating. I learned this by eating 2oz, waiting 10 minutes and then feeling the full signal. 

I still struggle with drinking 100oz of water. I always make my 64oz goal but I tend to put off pushing fluids until later in the day. I would encourage you to do as the vets do, and drink all day. No one wants to go to the bathroom every 15 minutes up until midnight. At 15 weeks post op I can chug down about 6oz of water at one go as long as I have nothing in my stomach. Some people can't do that, but I can and it doesn't damage my new tiny tummy because it slips right on through and out the stomach quickly.

Here's the link that finally made everything click..it has to do with protein, when to drink, when not to drink and why:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/4508494/Frisco-Pyloric-Valve-Basics-101-re-post/

I have lost 58 lbs in 15 weeks. I lost the first 50 lbs without exercising. The surgery knocked the snot out of me and physically I just hurt from being so obese. I also have peripheral neuropathy in my feet and when I have a flare up it feels like my feet are on fire, even with medication. Once I lost that first 50 lbs my body was able to handle exercising better and now my elliptical and I are in a passionate affair. 

There are two groups of thought on the best way to achieve weight loss: those who abstain from carbs and keep their carb intake between 20-40g daily and those that believe in moderation with carbs and fit in extra calories/carbs etc. as part of their eating plan. I am an abstainer. I did try to eat 20g and below on my carbs but I had no energy. I found a happy medium at about 30g carbs a day and have the energy to exercise and go about my business and still lose weight.

Most of us eat around 400 calories a day and feel full. It sounds hard to believe, but it's true. Your relationship with food is going to change like you wouldn't believe. It will be more about sustenance than desire. I found that as far as protein goes, I get great restriction by eating tuna steaks. One tuna steak is about 3 meals for me. I do supplement with Isopure Zero Carb protein to make my protein goals.  I prefer the creamy vanilla and I add in PB2 chocolate peanut butter to make the shakes a treat. I only use water in my shakes, never skim milk. Keep your snacks handy like string cheese, a low carb high protein bar (Quest bars are a favorite on here) and some G2 Gatorade. Stake out the bathrooms whereever you go. Try and stay away from sugar alcohols in SF items because it will play havoc with your digestive situation and..uh..yes. Accidents can happen. Also, some of us have found that the SF products trigger a sweet tooth. 

Keep an eye on your sodium intake. Your body wants to hang on to tha****er weight because it is perceiving the weight loss as starvation mode. I like lower sodium Better than Broth in the beef flavor to fill in the cracks when I'm dealing with head hunger.

There are also two groups of thought on when to weigh in on the scale. Some prefer to do it weekly, others, like me, do it daily. I freely confess to being obsessed with seeing that scale move. Do whatever works best for you.

Stalls are going to happen. Resign yourself to that as your body, again, is hanging on to weight as it adjusts to a new normal. It's nothing you did wrong..keep on the path you have set for yourself in regards to protein, carbs, fluid intake and exercise and you will see that scale move when your body gets over itself and starts dropping the weight again. 

Keep coming here and asking questions as you get further out from your surgery. The vets on here are awesome and the support on this forum is phenomenal. 

 CONGRATS on your new tiny tummy..you are going to LOVE your sleeve 

 

 

Wow! You all are incredibly helpful! Thank you so much. I am following my surgeons instructions to a T.  I can't work out until one month out. I am a regular excercise, at least 6 days a week for the past 7 years. I lost over 100lbs 7 years ago and have gained 40 of it back. That is why I had the VSG. To prevent myself from gaining it all back, which I was well on my way to doing. My starting weight and BMI were 188, and 32. 

I plan on giving this 100% of my attention until I get it figured out. I am going to a local support group that meets once per month in my area. I hope that will help motivate and encourage me as well .

Anyway, thank you all so much.