Foods you can't eat after gastric bypass surgery

A lot of people seem to focus on what they cannot eat after bypass surgery and seem to forget that there is a plethora of things left in their diet to enjoy. The bad news is that sugar and fats produce adverse reactions, the worst of these is "dumping" syndrome. This results in uncontrolled, oily, and foul-smelling bowel movements. It is very uncomfortable. Almost as important as what you eat is how much you eat and how you eat it. Similar to lapband surgery, the procedure controls how much you eat at a sitting. You cannot bolt down food either. You are forced to eat slowly and to chew your food well.

Foods to be avoided are fatty meats such as bacon and well-marbled beef, anything containing refined sugars such as candy, chocolates, ice cream, sherbet, cakes, cookies etc. However, that still leaves fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, tofu, lean meat and fish. That's a lot of food and endless recipes.

You might as well become interested in reading the labels on food, processed food in particular. Many dry cereals have sugar as a main ingredient, even so-called "bran" cereals, Cheerios, oatmeal and many other breakfast cereals that are not considered "sugar-coated." Ordinary orange juice is laced with fructose and often, dextrose, so read the labels. It is a much better idea to simply eat an orange or squeeze your own juice. Try small amounts of juice because fructose, is a natural ingredient in OJ, even fresh-squeezed. Since fructose is a sugar, it is conceivable that a person with a bypass might react to it. Experiment before you indulge is a wise policy. Milk contains lactose, which is also a natural sugar that might create a reaction. If you like milk, you might try Lactaid. But caution is still a byword. Try small amounts, really small amounts of any food of which you are suspicious.

Okay, you can't eat filet mignon anymore or have bacon and eggs. If they were a favorite food, you might feel that you are being deprived of one of the joys of life. But remember what morbid obesity was depriving you of-sex, job opportunities, friends, the ability to sit in a booth at a restaurant, not to mention many years of life. Think about how wonderful life is without diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and incontinence. Think of a life without fear whenever you go out to buy clothing or have to use a public restroom. Think about little children not looking at you and pointing out the "fat person" to their parents or siblings. Think about simple pleasures such as the ability to walk comfortably, sit in a movie theater or show, or flying in an airplane without assistance. Think about removing all of those bottles of pills from your medicine cabinet for the rest of your life. When you think about all of this, and a lot of other things too numerous to mention here, your "sacrifice" seems almost laughable. Is a bowl of ice cream or a thick steak worth the suffering it will cause, irrespective of the bypass sydrome? Are they worth being laughed at and made fun of for the rest of your life? Are they worth shortening your life by about 20 years? Think of the happy times you would have spent with your children and close friends in that time.
And do not forget that, along with your operation, has come new responsibilities to take care of yourself. You have to take vitamins because your body can no longer process them through your digestive tract as you did prior to the operation. And you have to see your surgeon on a regular basis for the rest of your life to, not only monitor your progress, but your health as well.

Why wouldn't I be able to eat filet mignon or bacon and eggs anymore. 
I still do just very little and not everyday.... I disagree with some of this but thanks for sharing.

Well we have to keep in mind that no two patients are alike. I can tolerate scrambled eggs ONLY but not fried or hard boiled. Some others I know can tolerate hard boiled but not scrambled and some cant take eggs at all. That was one of the first things my surgeon told us at orientation when I first considered surgery. He said eggs are a GREAT protein source but more then half of you will NOT be able to tolerate them after surgery and no two patients will be alike. I know people that can tolerate Peanut Butter well and I get the foamies from it and it use to be a FAV of mine. I cant tolerate milk at all either now I will get sick quick. So I think it depends on the person that is why that Doctor on the link says EXPERIMENT because you wont know unless you do. I can tolerate pizza but that doesnt mean its a good idea. lol I can tolerate steak too but I hate how it sits in my pouch.  I can tolerate bacon rather well BUT I wont have more then 2 slices at a time. I dont want to be back to 300 pounds again ever...never ever. lol

Yes I know what you mean but that is not what it said... 

Ok, so far I can eat ANYTHING I want, I had ONE slice of crispy bacon, All was ok, I had TWO chocolate chips, All was ok, I had ONE piece of sausage, all was ok. 

This was just a few of the no-no things I had just to kill cravings. I kept portions to the absolute minium, but it was enough to kill cravings I had driving me nuts. I don't know if I am an exception to the rule, but it seems if I keep the portions small,, I am ok.

Tom

Tom - that's awesome!  I love the way 2 choc chips got rid of the craving.

OMG Tom really? That is nuts!! I look at choc and
I get the foamies LOL

what the heck are the foamies???

 

I'm with you.  If I want something, I'll have a little bite. I'm not going back to "I can never ever ever eat that ever again" dieting.  Yesterday I had 3 pieces of candy corn.  My daughters were mortified.  I was happily satisfied with that tiny little bit. 
Joanna

Exactly Joanna that is how I am too. I can have 3-5 M&Ms and be satisfied and my kids will look at me like "Doesnt that make you want more?" but it really doesnt. Just a few satisfy me before I get the "OH NO IM GONNA DUMP" feeling LOL