Chew everything to mush. You will eliminate a lot of problems that way!

I am finding that lots of people were just told by their surgeons to "chew everything well" and not told, as I was, to chew everything to mush (baby food consistency). My surgeon emphasized the importance of this for many reasons {really, autocorrect... Asians?!?}, and I truly believe that doing so helped me completely avoid a LOT of the problems that new pre-ops frequently have.  At almost 6 years out, I have never had anything get stuck, have never had the foamies, and did not vomit after eating even once (barium and illness don't count!****il I was 18 months out (and that was because I ate some dry chicken too fat and did not chew it enough).

Chewing food to mush will:

- completely eliminate the physical possibility of food getting stuck. 

- help ensure that you do not eat too quickly and therefore eat too much before your grain registers that you are full (it takes a while to chew some things that much!)

- keep you from getting as thirsty when you eat since it allows more of your saliva to mix with the food

- allow the saliva more opportunity to break down the food, which enhances the digestive process (which is needed since we have the bypass AND our pouch doesn't have the digestive juices that our natural stomach has)

- helps avoid (but does not eliminate) constipation (for the reason stated immediately above)

- helps avoid nausea since puréed foods are, in general, pretty easy on the pouch and chewing to mush (not just "well" or "thoroughly") will turn even things like chicken into purées.

 

Lora

 

I am pre-op still, Surgery is in 9 days. My surgeon said the same, chew to mush. And listed the reasons you did.

I can sympathize with those who have difficulty chewing to mu****'s a hard habit to break! But SOOO necessary! (Unless you like being woken up at 3am because your guts are having fits with improperly chewed salad; then by all means, return to eating things too quickly! Not that I'm speaking from recent experience or anything....)

Yes, I got lax chewing dinner the other night -- I chewed more than I would have pre-op, but not enough for post-op -- and I think the vegetables I had were what revolted in my digestive system.  It calmed down by bedtime, but I had several hours of  my intestines complaining bitterly...

Lora

I was told to chew my food until it dissolved in my mouth and I just swallowed it.  I have done this since I started chewing anything and could never understand why on earth anyone had to puree food when they had teeth to do it.  I completely agree chewing everything until it just dissolves in your mouth is the way to go, never had anything stuck and no idea what the foamies are and never vomited  either, and I like chewy, crunchy food, I don't like anything that is just solid, I like texture. I do drink with meals as needed, but I don't think this has anything to do with how I chew or what happens if you sip.  Otherwise how do you eat food like soup?

Great post, Lora!  In my soft foods stage I was getting the foamies on a VERY regular basis until you replied to one of my posts with this suggestion.  Haven't had a problem since!  You're my "chew it to applesauce texture" goddess! :D

I am so glad it helped! (Now be sure to pass it along to others...)

Lora

I was 18 plus months out before I ever got any food stuck too.  It's happened a few times since (2-3 more times) on ONE dang food....beef roast (usually a stew).  I don't think mine was a problem just from chewing enough but also the stringiness of the beef roast since other beef cuts, chicken, pork haven't caused any problems (maybe I should try it again with more chewing?).  I've had a couple of ugh moments with other dense proteins but only discomfort not pain.  And foamies, I have never experienced those either and I'm glad can't imagine having to spit up lots of thick mucus like spit, blech.