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Post op questions

G

GentryGirl

Member
I will be 6 weeks post op on Monday, the 28th of December. I can pretty much tolerate everything I have tried food wise besides bread or breading.

With that being said, how long before I can re-introduce caffeine and carbonation? More specifically the carbonation because I still have nausea and think a little bit of Sprite Zero would help settle my belly.

I also struggle with protein. Protein shakes seem to be “too potent” and give me “bubble gut” and just don’t sit too well. Any suggestions would be great!
 
Ginger candy, raw ginger in tea ect. We always have ginger in the house in some form...candy, brown sugar ginger for tea and some other forms. The candy- while used sparingly is also really good for opening things up if you have a cold.
 
My surgeons office said no carbonated beverages of any kind ever again. The added gas in the new stomach can stretch it, even years out. I wouldn’t risk it, but that’s me. I knew going into this that carbonated drinks would be totally off the table. For nausea I was told sugar free pedialite (sp?) because it could be related to dehydration.
 
Well I’ve heard from other doctors that carbonation causing stretching is false. Plus it wouldn’t be like diving into a Coke, it would be like Sprite Zero or ginger ale. I also know of other people who have had the surgery and can tolerate carbonation so I’m just wanting to hear from different people their opinions! :)
 
GentryGirl said:
Well I’ve heard from other doctors that carbonation causing stretching is false. Plus it wouldn’t be like diving into a Coke, it would be like Sprite Zero or ginger ale. I also know of other people who have had the surgery and can tolerate carbonation so I’m just wanting to hear from different people their opinions! :)
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I can understand that. That’s why I said it’s how I deal with it. I asked my dietician how to handle things after surgery when I get sick because it’s bound to happen. I said I would normally go for some 7 up and crackers or something like that. She’s the one that suggested the sugar free pedialite or sugar free Gatorade, plus lite chicken soup or broth. I know you said just nausea, but I wanted to make sure I had those types questions answered before I got a cold, flu, or stomach bug since it’ll eventually happen LOL
 
GG, eat turkey. It's high in protein and versatile. I put measured amounts of turkey in a blender with chicken broth, a shake of powdered gravy mix, a tablespoon of mashed potato flakes and a splash of milk. Puree this and top with a little bit of cranberry sauce. Everything is measured and protein grams counted. It's one of my favorite things to eat. You can add some cooked yam or any compatible vegetable, but turkey has to be the major element. Just make sure you measure and count everything.
 
People should follow the eating plan for sure, but some taboos embraced by healthcare workers are subjective--even stupid. Caffeine can't undo surgery. Carbonation can cause pain, but also can't undo.

We are over-cautioned because it's obvious we ain't hooked up right. Obesity is a symptom of a problem burned into our brains. WLS is a great tool, but IMO, our goal should be relearning how to eat foods everyone else eats.

There are foods I can't stand that I used to binge on. But I'll make a cocktail of fruit juice with seltzer and I drink one cup of coffee every day. I'm almost 70 but feel like I'm in my 30s.

If you're working on your eating, you'll figure out what you can tolerate
 
GentryGirl said:
I will be 6 weeks post op on Monday, the 28th of December. I can pretty much tolerate everything I have tried food wise besides bread or breading.

With that being said, how long before I can re-introduce caffeine and carbonation? More specifically the carbonation because I still have nausea and think a little bit of Sprite Zero would help settle my belly.

I also struggle with protein. Protein shakes seem to be “too potent” and give me “bubble gut” and just don’t sit too well. Any suggestions would be great!
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I'm also one of those that was told no carbonated beverages after surgery. My surgical team said that it could cause ulcers. I was also told the same thing about caffeine.

Contact your surgical team - they should be able to answer your questions and they could also give you a prescription for nausea medication.

I also had nausea - my surgical team prescribed a nausea medication and told me to open a diet ginger ale - let it get "flat" then take a few sips.

Protein is a crucial part of your daily life. Make some broth - put a scoop of unflavored protein in it - drink it. Eat oikos triple zero yogurt - make your own protein shakes, you could use a ready to use shake and add some carnation instant breakfast packet, add a cup of milk, add ice and turn on the blender. I do this A LOT - and it starts my day with 40 - 50+ grams of protein right off the bat. This makes the shake a milkshake consistency and less protein shake tasting. I truly hope you get it figured out.
 
GentryGirl said:
I will be 6 weeks post op on Monday, the 28th of December. I can pretty much tolerate everything I have tried food wise besides bread or breading.

With that being said, how long before I can re-introduce caffeine and carbonation? More specifically the carbonation because I still have nausea and think a little bit of Sprite Zero would help settle my belly.

I also struggle with protein. Protein shakes seem to be “too potent” and give me “bubble gut” and just don’t sit too well. Any suggestions would be great!
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I started drinking coffee again 3 months after my surgery. I drink one to two cups per day if regular light roast. This hasn’t bothered my stomach. I was told to stay away from carbonated beverages because of the pain and bloating. Occasionally I have a couple sips of Diet Pepsi but haven’t reintroduced that.
 
Flat ginger ale would be a possibility to help with nausea, Sprite, not so much. Ginger is an antiemetic, although I don't know what the actual ginger content is of that, but it's a pretty common home remedy, that or hard ginger drops. Carbonation won't do much for you except make you feel bloated and burp a lot, probably. Some people can tolerate it more than others. Some people get really uncomfortable.

I would recommend waiting 3 months for regular coffee to be extra sure your stomach is well healed. There are no major issues with coffee or caffeine, but come more acidic coffees can be an issue with ulcers.
 
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