Relax!!! You'll be fine. For me I was on clear liquids for a week then full liquids for 2 then puréed for 2wks then soft foods for 2 wks. I started taking my vitamins at one month. As far as protein no less than 60g a day. Good luck to you!

I agree with lundbergmn that immediately postop most people are on liquids for a certain amount of time. However, Every doctor seems to have different postop instructions related to what specifically you can have or can't have, when you should be taking meds and vitamins (I started on chewables as soon as I was home and my meds I had to open the capsules bcuz the pills were too big to swallow), so you might want to call your doctors office just to get confirmation on their specific requirements. Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine.

First 2 weeks I was liquids, I was told to get at least 64 ounces of liquid and between 60 to 80 grams protein.

The didn't give you a schedule of what to eat/drink when?

Call your team (doc). They all seem to have different requirements. Get them in writing so you can scan when needed. It's all confusing at first it gets easier to understand with use. Good luck. Relax.

Originally Posted by sraebaer

First 2 weeks I was liquids, I was told to get at least 64 ounces of liquid and between 60 to 80 grams protein.

The didn't give you a schedule of what to eat/drink when?

The only thing they gave me was something they had printed off the internet for post lap-band surgery. I figured not the same thing exactly. So I felt better asking people who have actually had the same procedure. Again, even the info they gave me about post lapband surgery diet was not very comprehensive.

I would suggest that you contact your team or nutritionist and ask them to provide some guidelines on what you should be eating. I can't even imagine not being told what you are to eat before leaving the hospital. Get it in writing and do what they tell you to do. Good Luck!

My nutritionist told me before surgery that I needed 87 grams of protein a day. Where she got that number is a guess. My water is supposed to be 64 oz. a day. The more protein you get the less your hair loss will be. At least that's what I've been told. It will get easier. The two weeks after surgery was the hardest for me. I am six weeks out and the last two weeks have been easier. You will figure out what works for you just hang in there. Good luck!

Actually my "Bariatric Center of Excellence" puts lap band patients (not that they do many of those anymore) and sleeve patients on the same post-op diet. However, everyone's post-op diet is different. My center only had us on clear liquids for the two days in the hospital. After that full liquids for 4 weeks. However, full liquids included refried beans, oatmeal, cocoa wheats, and yogurt without fruit on the bottom. We were instructed not to start protein shakes until day 5 - and only then if we had started passing gas. We are to get 64 - 84 ounces of fluid every day, and after day 5 to get 75 - 95 grams of protein. (To be fair it took me a month to work my way up to 75g.) Meals were to be a 1/4 cup three times per day, protein shakes were to be in addition to that.

They have the diet on their website: mybrandnewlife.org under Patient Stories and Support - eating guide yellow pages. (FYI - the yellow pages are actually the Rouen-Y diet, but the first 8 weeks are the same.)

Hope that helps.

I would call your surgeon for clear instructions; however, I was put on clear-liquids for the first week. You should just be focusing on liquids right now. After 5 days, I was advised to start adding in protein shakes, but it was very difficult. I was lucky to get in 20-30 oz of fluid in a day that first week and was really tired because of it. Week 2 was full-liquids. A shake (3-4oz of 1%milk and 1 scoop of powdered protein) 3 times a day, and then chicken broth, strained cream soups, tomato juice, etc for 3 meals (attempting to "eat" a 1/4 cup in a 1/2 hour). I could not space meals and fluids the way advised and still get everything in. My nut told me not to worry, just to do my best. Weeks 3-4 was pureed for me. I bought baby foods to eat as meals and saved the jars for portioning at the soft foods stage (week 5-6).

Each surgeon has his/her own guidelines as to when to add food back into your diet.

I hope this helped, but I would be sure to call your doctor for more detailed instructions.