Confused

So, I am seriously confused (it doesn't take much lol). I had a post op appointment today and I am not quite 2 weeks out yet. Well, the physicians assistant is who I saw today and she told me that she wanted me to start eating food. EATING. FOOD. I asked like 2 more times cause I felt like I didn't hear her correctly. The binder they give out at the initial appointment states liquids and soft stuff -- like yogurt, cottage cheese, soft scrambled eggs --- the first 2 weeks. Weeks 3-4 should be pureed and soft foods. Week 5 is when food is introduced. So, it made no sense to me why on earth she wants me to start already. I can barely get down what I am drinking now. I told her I wasn't comfortable with that yet cause what if I rupture something. She assures me my stomach is fine to have finely chewed foods. Has anyone experienced this????? I know I have been having some uncomfortableness (is that a word lol) when drinking, but she says that's because of the hiatal hernia repair and not my stomach and should not worry. So here's my dilema, I don't think I am ready for food and scared to death to try it. But at the same time, I don't know if I should follow what they are telling me to do. 

What do you all think???

I would call and ask for a phone appointment with the surgeon to discuss the issue.

That said......If you are not comfortable with the idea of eating food yet, wait. My surgeon gave guidelines as to when I was allowed to progress to the various stages. He explained his guidelines gave the earliest acceptable time to move to the next stage. However, if we were not ready, we were to progress at our own pace. So, postponing was never a problem. 

I was allowed to be on softs/mushies at 2 weeks. I waited until closer to 3 weeks. I felt more comfortable with purees and full liquids. AT six weeks post op, I went back to purees and full liquids for a few days because eating was stressing me out. 

Your experience is why I avoid PAs. I'm sorry if I sound snooty, but they're not doctors, and I've received several misdiagnoses from them over the years, which resulted in extended misery and ending up seeing an MD anyway. Now I refuse to go to one at all, even for minor medical matters.

Check with your surgeon, and tell him/her your concerns and about the PA's apparent lack of interest in them. If you don't feel ready for real food yet, you probably aren't ready.

psychoticparrot

Well the problem is...she is part of his practice and is the one you see at after care visits. I mean, I can call my surgeon at any time or email him and ask, they provide both for all his patients to contact him with concerns. I usually would never see a PA but that is how they set it up there so I don't know if she's speaking on behalf of him or just going with what she feels is right. 

Since you have the option of calling or emailing your surgeon at any time, do that. Explain your reluctance to follow the PA's instructions, listen to what he says, and go from there. 

psychoticparrot

My non-doctor opinion is that the PA is giving out wonky information.

Unless your surgeon is using some new super staple, I'd wait on the food.

There is nothing mandatory about advancing the food stages.

I extended each phase by a week with my surgeon saying it was fine.

You only get one chance to heal and you know what's up.....

frisco

I saw my surgeon yesterday and he told me the same. He said for me to chew it really well. 

Call your surgeon to see if you can talk to him/her directly but bottom line if you don't feel comfortable doing that then don't do it! Two weeks seems really early to start eating food.

My surgeons office told me the same thing and it worked out fine.  Their recommendation was to listen to my body.  I was able to skip the pureed set all togther.  Just stick with soft foods, moist meats and fish and you will be fine.  Its most important to stick with the ounces they recommend as over eatting will do damage.  Good luck!

Ditto to this. Went straight to soft/mushy foods without issue. I have read that more surgeons are advancing their patients out of liquids faster, because it has been shown to decrease issues with food tolerance and food-related side effects. At this stage in the game, portion size is waaay more important (with some obvious exceptions- so "no" to super dense proteins).