Liquids after Surgery

After your surgery you will generally be on liquids  –  usually this is for 2 weeks it could be longer depending on your bariatric provider.

You may find it a struggle to manage enough nutrition in the early stages however it is important to stay hydrated and take in enough protein to aid healing after your operation.

A rough guide to fluid requirements would be around 2 litres daily but the best way to see if you are taking enough is to go by your urine colour – it should be pale and straw coloured. If it is darker than this and strong smelling then you need to drink more. We would recommend that you  avoid alcohol at this stage. Please avoid fizzy drinks also

 Examples of protein containing liquids are:

• Meal replacements
• Protein shakes
• Protein water
• Milk – add skimmed milk powder for extra protein
• Blended soups with peas, beans lentils
• Ordinary soups with added milk powder
• Drinking / pouring yoghurt

A minimum of 60g protein a day would be an average guide. You can use free Apps such as MyFitnessPal to track this initially if you need to

As a guide to a portion size aim for around 6 protein containing drinks daily and around 200 mls as a serving size. However, it may be best to sip almost continuously throughout the day to meet these guidelines – remember to take small sips and have at least a 20 second rest between mouthfuls. It is not advisable to use a straw

It is normal not to feel hungry or like you can't manage much at all – take it slow