Post op day 5

[AmberS.]

hello! New here. I had my gastric sleeve surgery on 9/17/19. Things having been going great. I had pain the first few days (more in my shoulders!). I am still having a certain pain, everytime I drink or attempt to eat. After I take a sip or small bite, I get a terrible pain in what seems to be my new pouch. I am only able to get about 4 oz in of my full liquids. I don't think I am sipping air. Unsure what I should do. Should I cut back to 2 oz? Or is this a normal process?

 

[RoyT]

HI Amber. And welcome. I am three and a half weeks post op, gastric sleeve. My surgeon's dietician had me on liquid diet for the first ten days. Days one through three were clear liquid, days four through ten was a full liquid diet. Now I am on a soft food diet until the end of week five. By the end of the tenth day, it got easier., I could do about 3 to4 ounces at a time. For me, it was just a matter of keeping something close by and eat or drink a very small amount at a time. It was the same when I started eating the soft foods. It's a huge change for me, going from eating a couple of plates of food at a time to eating just a couple of bites at a time. It's a learning process, but it gets better. However, don't be afraid to call the surgeon and ask questions. Mine has been so good at getting answers back to me. What I went through, and am going through, appears to be normal. It is important though to stay hydrated. Drinking small sips frequently. A half liter bottle of water will last me 4 or 5 hours.

 

[Brenda2010]

hello! New here. I had my gastric sleeve surgery on 9/17/19. Things having been going great. I had pain the first few days (more in my shoulders!). I am still having a certain pain, everytime I drink or attempt to eat. After I take a sip or small bite, I get a terrible pain in what seems to be my new pouch. I am only able to get about 4 oz in of my full liquids. I don't think I am sipping air. Unsure what I should do. Should I cut back to 2 oz? Or is this a normal process?

Congratulations on a successful surgery and glad to hear things are going well.

Like Roy, I was on a liquid diet the first few weeks. So I can't speak to normal as far as foods so early. When you say you're only able to get in 4 oz of liquids, that's not all day, is it? If even small sips of clear fluids give you terrible pain, you really should call your doctor. Small sips of water and clear fluids should feel fine a couple days post-op. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[AmberS.]

Hi, thank you for the responses. I should of been more clear in my original post. I am on full liquids [post op day 3-14]. I am able to sip water/fluids without much problem, and I am getting about 50 oz. a day. Sometimes the pain is there. I also am drinking 1 protein shake a day, the goal is to have 60g of protein a day, I am getting 30g a day, just from that. The 4 oz. is the pudding, yogurt or cream soup. I am following the paperwork, which states "4-8 oz" of said thicker fluids. I feel like that is a lot, so I've been able to do 4 oz. But then the pain starts a few small bites in. The best way to describe the pain is like a very bad hunger pain. I plan on calling the surgeon if it continues. My post op appointment is on Wednesday, so I've been trying to hold off on calling (even though he said call anytime!).

 

[Brenda2010]

Hi, thank you for the responses. I should of been more clear in my original post. I am on full liquids [post op day 3-14]. I am able to sip water/fluids without much problem, and I am getting about 50 oz. a day. Sometimes the pain is there. I also am drinking 1 protein shake a day, the goal is to have 60g of protein a day, I am getting 30g a day, just from that. The 4 oz. is the pudding, yogurt or cream soup. I am following the paperwork, which states "4-8 oz" of said thicker fluids. I feel like that is a lot, so I've been able to do 4 oz. But then the pain starts a few small bites in. The best way to describe the pain is like a very bad hunger pain. I plan on calling the surgeon if it continues. My post op appointment is on Wednesday, so I've been trying to hold off on calling (even though he said call anytime!).

Oh, ok that sounds a lot better! Sounds pretty typical this early on so I wouldn't worry. My surgeon told me that for the first few weeks, my job was to stay hydrated. Getting calories in was secondary. So eat only as much as feels comfortable, as long as you're drinking, you should be fine. If you were a few weeks in, I'd worry but 5 days, you're good girlie.