New Gastric Balloon

[bellabell]

Well today is D Day - going to the hospital for 12. Very nervous now, amd preparing to be ill for the entire weekend!!! I doubt I will be on now till later in the weekend but will keep you all posted. Thanks for your support and advice : )

 

[bellabell]

Hi Bellabell.

The first few days are definetely fluids,i drank slim fast and soup but i was in hospital from weds to saturday they wouldnt let me out until i kept the fluids down but that was nhs.
As for perscription drugs i came home with liquid gaviscon,soluble disprin and some little tablets to stop the stomach craps which were a god send and i cant remember what they were called now.

The diet i was told to follow is as follows with some meal ideas as well.

First 3 days - Liquids ONLY



It is important that you take a daily multivitamin and multi-mineral supplement and we recommend Centrum Chewable (1/day) and Basset Blackcurrant chewable. Take these for the 6 months that the balloon is inserted.

For the first three days you should have liquids only.

Aim for 8 cups per day and have the drinks in small, regular sips.

Drinks to choose are:

• Semi-skimmed milk - 600ml (1 pint) per day/including Slim Fast if you wanted to.
• Low calorie / reduced sugar squash
• Tea / herbal teas
• Coffee
• Diluted fruit juice (1/2 juice, 1/2 water)
• Bovril, Oxo, Marmite diluted in water

3 - 10 days - Soft Food ONLY

• You will be able to introduce blended / soft foods into your diet in very small portions (using a tea plate instead of a dinner plate can be helpful).
• You should follow the healthy eating advice given at your assessment.
• Your food should be taken as 4-5 small meals a day
• Highly seasoned foods and hard fruit and vegetables may be best avoided.-(Also oranges and other acidic fruit)
• Continue to have semi-skimmed milk – 300ml (½ pint) per day.

Ideas for Meals


Breakfast

1 Weetabix or 3tbsp porridge with 150ml milk from allowance

Mid-morning

1-2tbsp low fat yogurt
1-2tbsp soft/blended fruit

Lunch

1-2tbsp lean meat/fish/egg blended with gravy or a sauce
1-2tbsp mashed potato or well cooked rice
1-2tbsp soft/blended vegetable

Mid afternoon

1-2tbsp low fat yogurt
1-2tbsp soft/blended fruit

Evening meal

1-2 tbsp lean meat/fish/egg blended with gravy or a sauce
1-2tbsp mashed potato or well cooked rice
1-2tbsp soft/blended vegetable

Bedtime

1-2tbsp fromage frais
1-2tbsp soft/blended fruit

Between meals

Low calorie drinks, e.g. tea, coffee, Bovril, diluted fruit juice

10 days and over - "Normal" diet

• By this time you can resume a more normal diet!
• Pasta has a tendency to ‘stick’ and may be best avoided.
• Make sure to drink after each meal to rinse the balloon - water is best.
• You should continue to take your vitamin and mineral supplement.
• Follow the healthy eating guidelines you were given before you operation when planning meals.
• Do not lie down immediately after a meal
• If you vomit after a meal follow the soft/blended ideas for the next three meals.

Ideas for Meals


Breakfast

150ml/¼pint of unsweetened fruit juice
High fibre cereal, e.g. 1 Weetabix
or 3 tablespoons of porridge with 150ml/¼pint semi-skimmed milk
or 1 slice toast with low fat spread

Mid morning

Sugar free drink

Lunch

60g/2oz lean meat, chicken, fish, lentils, baked beans or one egg, 1 slice bread
or 1-2 tablespoons of cooked rice or pasta
or 1-2 tablespoons of mashed potato
or 1-2 boiled eggs sized potato (no added fat)
2 tablespoons vegetables or salad
1 portion fruit or low fat yoghurt


Mid afternoon

Sugar free drink


Dinner

60g/2oz lean meat, chicken, fish, lentils, baked beans or one egg
1 slice bread
or 1-2 tablespoons cooked rice or pasta
or 1-2 tablespoons instant potato
or 1-2 boiled eggs sized potato (no added fat)
2 tablespoons vegetables or salad
1 portion fruit or low fat yoghurt

Bedtime

Sugar free drink


Hope this helps ,and once again good luck and keep us posted.

xx

Hi Di,
Well you didnt exagerate about the first few days, lol! I got out Thursday night, very ill then and all Friday. I'm not as sick now, probably just 2 or 3 times a day but I am struggling to find anything that sits OK in my stomach. Loads seems to give me indigestion - I tried a small fromage frais earlier but it only stayed down for a couple of hours....

Any ideas?

 

[fairyringuk]

Sorry to hear you have been having a problem with your diet bellabell but sure with Dis help and the others you will soon be on the level again Good luck

Jay xx

 

[BlondeMoment]

Hi Bellabell.

Great to see you posting again,hopefully things will settle down a little more for you in the next few days.

For me personally at the beginning i carried on having the muller light yogurts as they seemt to be runnier than most and slimfast which i made slightly more milkier than normal.
For breakfast i would have a weetabix but i would let it soak the milk up first then add further milk to make it sloppy,i found that went down easier and stayed down .
When i started on the sloppy i would have mash with a fish finger(as that tends to break up easier) and gravy,infact i had gravy and mash with anything(except salad ) as it made it runny and easy to go down.

It is all trial and error unfortunately but you will find a happy medium,and as you have said your getting indigestion gaviscon liquid is a godsend.

Dont forget a tea plate size is about the right portion or a side plate size as i would call it.

Maybe eating little and often if it suits you better and you manage to keep it down.

Good luck hopefully you have gone thru the worst now .

Keep us updated.

xx

 

[bellabell]

Hi Bellabell.

Great to see you posting again,hopefully things will settle down a little more for you in the next few days.

For me personally at the beginning i carried on having the muller light yogurts as they seemt to be runnier than most and slimfast which i made slightly more milkier than normal.
For breakfast i would have a weetabix but i would let it soak the milk up first then add further milk to make it sloppy,i found that went down easier and stayed down .
When i started on the sloppy i would have mash with a fish finger(as that tends to break up easier) and gravy,infact i had gravy and mash with anything(except salad ) as it made it runny and easy to go down.

It is all trial and error unfortunately but you will find a happy medium,and as you have said your getting indigestion gaviscon liquid is a godsend.

Dont forget a tea plate size is about the right portion or a side plate size as i would call it.

Maybe eating little and often if it suits you better and you manage to keep it down.

Good luck hopefully you have gone thru the worst now .

Keep us updated.

xx

Thanks for ongoing advice, still no joy so spoke to doc last night and he said sometimes it takes a little longer to settle. Im still on water, herbal tea and bringing stuff back up about 4 times a day...bit worried the weightloss is quite extreme at the moment and when I can eat it'll pile on. Glad I took 10 days off work as I am very tired due to not keeping much down but each day I seem to feel more normal. Just desperate to even keep one weetabix down a day to get something into my system..oh the joys! I will keep you posted...BB

 

[bellabell]

Well I am back at work now and getting back to normal. I've struggled a bit with what to eat - the bizarre thing is i DO feel hungry but just need to work out how much i can actually eat now!

So far seems to be a yogurt for breakfast, mint tea and then a small roll with ham or low fat cheese for lunch. Im trying to be healthy and I think I have dropped over a stone now since my first weigh in but officially get weighed on Friday so fingers crossed......

Struggling with things to drink though - cannot touch fruit juice as the acid indigestion is sending me through the roof! So diluting juice only so far - which is fine till I have a night out and want to have one or two alcoholic drinks. I would normally have vodka and diet coke or vodka and cranberry but both are out of the question - any ideas guys??