After bariatric surgery, you should eat and drink only clear liquids while your stomach and body go through a much-needed recovery period. It is suggested that for the first two days following any type of weight loss surgery, you should consume only clear liquids. If you’ve had a gastric band, add another day to that estimate.
Gastric Band: First 2 days after surgery
Roux-en-Y: Days 1 – 2 after surgery
Duodenal Switch: Days 1 – 2 after surgery
Gastric Sleeve: Days 1 – 2 after surgery
Drinkable Clear Liquids
The good news is that the clear-liquids category may not be as restrictive as you think. More than just water, clear liquids include many satisfying items.
- Juices: Apple, grape, and cranberry (all with no sugar added)
- Water
- Tea
- Coffee (with no added dairy)
- Broth: Chicken, vegetable, and beef
- Non-carbonated, calorie-free drinks
- Protein shakes
Chewable Clear Liquids
Nothing is worse than being forbidden from food you can chew—somehow drinking all your meals just doesn’t seem that satisfying. Luckily, there are clear, chewable items that are safe for post-operative patients.
- Jell-O (sugar-free, with no added fruit)
- Sugar-free popsicles
While it might not sound like much, just being able to move your jaw and use your teeth while you eat adds a major dimension to your clear-liquid dining experience.
How to Consume Clear Liquids
When you take in your drinkable or chewable clear liquids, you may not do so with the gusto you might have approached food with before your surgery. Instead, you need to change the way you look at the liquids and the way you consume them.
- Take very small sips of all liquids. If you take large gulps, you may experience uncomfortable gas, or even become nauseous and start to vomit.
- When enjoying your chewable clear liquids, take small bites and do not take them in rapid succession.
If you follow these suggestions and still feel uncomfortable or sick, be sure to give your weight loss surgery support team a call.