No Carbs No Pasta for FOUR MONTHS?

[ashley.wells@purchase.edu]

Im only 6 days out and waiting 3-4 months for carbs is a REALLY long time...considering I used to eat McDonalds like almost everyday.

I'm not trying to complain, but what's wrong with mashed potatoes or brown rice in maybe a month? I thought it just had to do with how much you chewed the food...or if its purreed. You really cannot eat carbs for that long??

Can anyone explain why? Just curious!! Thanks!!!

[Msvetrn]

I've never heard of that. Most people have mashed potatoes around the third week. I had them twice but didn't really care for them. I only did pureed ONE DAY and it was eeeeeewwwww! So, I went right to soft foods which was fine. I also had carbs from fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, etc. I just started wheat bread in the last week or so. Every doctor has a different Post-op diet, I guess.

[mymasterpiece]

my Dr suggested no bread for a YEAR ! His reasoning is because bread expands in your stomach and it could stretch the sleeve, Good luck on your journey....

[ToDream]

Folow your own surgeon's post op diet for the best success. Tweaking will only lead to giving yourself excuses later on, and then to weight gain even later on. Processed carbs are the devil anyway... you don't need them. Drink your water and find something to distract you until the thought passes!

[Dee Leshuz]

I was told no untested bread, oatmeal, rice, pasta, etc. FOREVER. That might may help your perspective about a 4 month timeframe.

[Theresa]

Ashley.. can I ask you this... I haven't had surgery yet, because I have do to 6 months with a nutritionist (insurance requirement)... anyway.... I want to ask you, did you do anything before your surgery? and for how long? as far as changing your eating habits? or any group support etc?

I was just wondering if you did or did not... and maybe for the others... if you did, did it help you after the surgery?

[FlowerGalTX]

Ashley,
Did your surgeon not cover nutrition with you? Shame on him!

Nutritional awareness is key to your success.

One reason why you shouldn't eat bread is already mentioned - the possibility of stretching your sleeve. You need to be careful with your sleeve and utilize this restrictive tool to help you eat less and eat properly.

This procedure is a chance for you to break free of food addictions and change your eating habits for life.

In the materials I have from my surgeon the most difficult foods for a gastric sleeve patient to tolerate are:
Beef (steak, hamburger, etc.; but most patients can tolerate ground beef in a casserole or taco meat)
Chicken (especially white meat)
Noodles (but most patients can tolerate very soft noodles in sauce, such as macaroni and cheese)
Rice
Bread (un-toasted)
Pork
Some types of fish (tuna steaks, swordfish steaks).

"Not tolerate" means eating these foods are known to cause discomfort, can cause nausea/vomiting and is simply not a good fit for those with the gastric sleeve.

Additionally, my instructions say to stick to foods (after my 3 week post-op liquid diet) that have a low Glycemic Index of 55 or less.

The focus of the diet with those with a Gastric Sleeve needs to be protein. You need to somehow break your addict to carbs that you've expressed in this thread and other threads.

Ashley, I think you need to contact your surgeon tomorrow for a follow-up with him and/or a nutritionist to help you get a dietary plan in place for you that will allow you to heal appropriately and get the needed protein. From your multiple posts you have many questions that your surgeon and/or his support staff should have honestly went over with you prior to surgery and definitely before leaving the hospital. I'm sorry that they didn't and it concerns me how little information you seem to have at this stage.

Since we all have different surgeons and different nutritionists it is really better if you listen to and follow the advice of your own doctor/nutritionist. They know your personal situation and can best work with you to get you into a post-op diet that will help you heal and avoid potentially life-threatening complications from eating too soon or eating the wrong foods/drinks that could damage the functionality of the sleeve.

Your Surgeon will best know how to give you the care you need for your success with Gastric Sleeve.

[ashley.wells@purchase.edu]

Yes. Before my surgery, my surgeon required that I stay on a pre-op diet, 30 days prior to my surgery date. This diet consisted of: 1 protein shake for breakfast, 1 protein shake for lunch, and for dinner, a small piece of grilled chicken breast or any protein between 3-5 ounces, a small side of veggies, and some fruit. He encouraged me (well really told me to avoid) ALL CARBS what so ever due to the fact that they need your liver to be "less fatty" for the opperation. It was very difficult the first week, because as I said, my diet used to consist of two bagels and cream cheese for breakfast, McDonalds for lunch, and maybe like 2 or 3 large dinners. I was able to eat 5-6 LARGE meals a day! I also could not drink any soda/diet soda/anything carbonated for that matter. In terms of a support group, my insurance asked for me to attend one group at our local hospital. Other than that, I am only part of this group which I just joined...like 4 hours ago!

This diet gave me a glimpse of what kind of stuff I would be eating after surgery (except chicken and veggies is a couple months down the road)... I still miss carbs and chocolate don't get me wrong. Its all about self control (I really didn't have any before)...and its important you use coping skills and stuff like that!! I hope this helps!!!

[ashley.wells@purchase.edu]

I met with my surgeon ONCE and then I had my surgery the next time I saw him. The packet of information he had regarding what I can eat he gave me AFTER the surgery and it consists of two pages. Not very informative...that's why I still have questions...but that is also why I am on this website...so people who have already had the surgery can help me on my journey. I do remember him saying no bread, pasta, wheat, etc, but he never really explained why. He just said its "unhealthy". Oh well, at least I have the internet, and my mom had this surgery 2 years ago and so far, she's been really helpful! Thanks for your post!!

[janielou]

The reason I was told to stay away from pasta, bread and rice is that they become "gummy" and can clog up your new tiny tummy. Another good reason is that you have a window of opportunity to lose weight and should be focusing on protein, protein, protein. Since most of us do not eat more than 700 - 800 calories a day, one serving of bread of white rice would wipe out the day! It is just not worth it.

Wendy - I live on chicken breast and tuna steak. Neither has been a problem and they are both packed with protein. But everyone is different. Deli turkey - Boarshead Lower Sodium - carried me through the earlier weeks. It is soft and easy to digest.

These are not my surgeons, but I found this information really helpful post surgery. Make sure you click on the "Surgical Instructions" link. It gives you great information on what to and what not to eat, as well as info on medications. After Surgery | Peachtree Surgical & Bariatrics in Atlanta, Georgia

I will say I know that I have been really fortunate to not have the complications that other people have had. I was a carb junkie before the sleeve and now they just don't matter. I just make sure I get all my water and eat 4 small, high protein meals with 1 protein shake thrown in for good measure.

We are all here for you. Hang in there and keep the faith.

[janetlea1973]

I totally understand where you are coming from. I had to do the 6 month nutritionist thing for my insurance. That woke me up big time about my eating! The first question the NUT asked me was "Are you a sweet, salty or carb girl"...um, my answer was YES. Just depends on the time of the month. But once I started taking things out of my diet I learned that I am more consistently a carb girl.

The entire time I was on liquid diet I dreamt of bad food I can't eat. I was concerned with how my brain was gonna do with this, but once my Dr said it was OK to eat soft foods, that took away a lot of my carb cravings, so there is hope! I have always been alright at finding a healthier substitute for what I wanted to eat....lost 56 lbs in the year prior to surgery...guess I should change my ticker cause that is surgery on. Anyway...I was concerned about the carb thing too...I still kind of would like a piece of wheat toast for breakfast, but then I look at the calories and it's just not worth it. Before surgery I would think, well a couple of hundred calories extra today won't matter so I can have this bagel. NOW I don't want to chance destroying this precious tool I've been given. I have found so far that since I have been able to eat SOMETHING...that I can be happy with a protein shake or part of a protein bar (although still have to be careful with those) and they kill my craving. I would suggest you find 3-4 good sources of protein that you really like and when you are craving something.

Also, I have found that when I walk/exercise that I am not as hungry or likely to give into cravings. I have no idea why that is but I have talked to other people who are the same way. Something released when we do something and are active?

Give it some time. I'm not that much ahead of you, but it is not very hard for me to avoid those foods when I think about what my goal really is and where I want to be/feel/look a year from now.

[grammysyd]

I had mashed potatoes about 3 wks post op. Nothing wrong with that. It's an easy thing to eat and digest. At this point, you can hold so little, you have to concentrate on getting the protein and fluids in - that's the priority. Pasta and rice still bother me. You can have them, just know to limit the portion A LOT because about 15 min. after it's in your gut, it swells and if you eat too much of it, you will feel miserable. I just decided the other day, I just am not going to eat rice anymore. I just hate the feeling I get afterwards, even on a small amount. I can eat about 2/3 cup of spaghetti and put whatever sauce I want on it, usually turkey spaghetti sauce. It's awesome. Pasta doesn't bother me as much as rice. Potatoes don't bother me at all. Just listen to your body and start out very slow with only a couple of bites of whatever you are trying to make sure it agrees with you. Wait about 10 min. and see how you feel. If you feel ok, eat a little more. I know it's a pain, but speaking from experience, it's the best way.

[KillingForCupcakes]

I'm a month out and I incorporate SOME carbs into my daily routine. I work out pretty steadily and I burn plenty of calories in an hour at the gym on the elliptical, in salsa aerobics, zumba and swimming laps in the pool so it's important that I have some carbs in my diet to help keep me balanced. I'm diabetic (still) so I can't avoid carbs completely or my blood sugar drops TOO low and I get dizzy. I can tell when I need to eat something that has a bit of carbs in it because when I get up from the seated position, whether in the car or out of a chair and stand up...I get dizzy right away. When I'm sticking to a more rigid eating schedule with a balance of protein and a small amount of carbs...that doesn't happen. I can handle things like yogurt (usually less than 4 oz) and pureed soups. I was definitely a carb addict...I used to eat large bowls of rice saturated in soy sauce, copious amounts of sushi rolls with tempura battered fillings and what not...and yeah...Mickey'D's and the like. I don't miss the carbs like I thought I would because now I'm getting HEALTHY carbs. I recently discovered the Hungry Girl Flat Outs which is a flatbread. One whole flatbread is only 100 calories, the multi-grain with flaxseed version has 8 grams of fiber and like 17 or 18 grams of carbs (so it's like 10 grams of net carbs) not to mention it has 8 grams of protein and only 2.5 grams of fat...now...I cannot possibly eat a whole flatbread...I make a pizza with some ****** marinara sauce, some ground turkey that I've seasoned and browned and I sliced up one stick of string cheese (the only kind of cheese I keep in the house other than parmesan and cottage cheese) and I pop it in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble a little. I cut it into FOUR piece and eat ONE...wrap the rest and refrigerate and eat it another day. I got in some carbs, satisfy the MENTAL desire for a little bit of bread but I'm not doing it with high calorie high carb stuff. I'm looking for healthy alternatives to things I used to enjoy and I am loving the challenge and the variety.

The thing is...EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. What I can tolerate at 33 days is way different than what someone else at 33 days might be able to handle. You do need to stick to your doctor's advise as best you can and slowly add different foods in each week to see what you can tolerate. My doc said to start on soft mushy foods and that I could add new things as I could tolerate it...and the only things he FORBADE me to eat were fruits with skins/small seeds, red meat and raw veggies. I was told to eat my proteins FIRST and then starches/carbs LAST and to keep carbs to a MINIMUM but I wasn't told I couldn't have any at all. Balance is essential but for some of us, if the addiction is strong...it's best to break yourself of the addiction before trying to add the carbs back in because you WILL if you haven't already go through a detox phase and believe you me...IT SUCKS! Carb withdrawal is nearly as bad as getting off alcohol or drugs, at least it was for me....the headaches and nausea were the worst...even my body ached. My back hurt and I felt so tired and run down for weeks. I don't wish it on anyone and I don't EVER want to go back to being that addicted again. Carbs are necessary for fuel for energy for my body to burn up while I'm exercising...I don't want to abuse them, I just want to use them as my body needs them and then move on with my day. Just equip yourself for success and stick with your physicians advice as best you can and you will see how well you feel in a few months time for having done so!

[slim&proud]

what's wrong with mashed potatoes or brown rice in maybe a month? I thought it just had to do with how much you chewed the food...or if its purreed. You really cannot eat carbs for that long??

I've been eating pasta, potatoes and toast from week two, and been losing weight, you can eat them if you want to.x

[gastricband2gastricsleeve]

Personally, I've avoided things like pasta, bread and mashed potatoes purely because there is so much more nutrition in some fish and vegetables.. or chicken and veg.. why would i want to fill my tiny tummy with anything else? For me, I had to make some permanent lifestyle changes, and re-educate myself about protein's and carbs and what each give me in terms of energy and nutrition..

I know had I not have done this I would have had stalls, and become disheartened with the weight loss.. Also, it's these very foods that got me 100lbs overweight in the first place.. BUT.. Each to their own.. We are all different, we are all going to have different views, approaches and diets.. and different approaches to our weight loss..

My advice is, educate yourself about 'real' foods, not just diet foods which we all know about.. "learn about how food is digested, which are the best digestible foods, which foods speed your metabolism etc.. and I assure you, you will then begin a lifestyle change without ever feeling deprived..

Since my op I have become vegetarian, and gone off of loads of different foods, thanks to that hunger hormone and a smaller tummy since about 4 weeks post op I have become very particular about what I put into my mouth..

See how you feel in a few weeks time hun, my tastes have changed over and over in the past 11 weeks..

Good luck with your journey whatever you do, there is no right or wrong here.. Just experiences.. and thats all we can share xx