Question about feeling yucky after eating

I had my surgery on 4/20/09. Since I have moved to solid foods, for the past 4-5 days after I eat (I try to chew well and take small bites) I feel yucky for about 20-30 minutes. I don't want to say I feel sick, because I am not in pain and not nauseous, but its more a feeling as if I had eaten "one too many" plates of food at the buffet.

Now, I don't take the recommended 45-60 mins to eat, because the food gets cold by then. I usually eat my 4 oz. in about 10-15 mins. Could that be the reason?

Hopefully it will get better with time. It's a small price to pay for being thin, but an unpleasant feeling for sure.

Thanks as always for sharing your experiences.

I know the hardest thing is to slow down your eating but you should try and stretch it out to 30 min. very small bites your still healing. Right now your much like a infant learning new foods and how you react to them as well as volume. I still look at the clock when I start and try to slow myself down. Now is the time to re-learn habits while you have the power of the surgery on your side. I had a hard time slowing down with eggs because I hate cold eggs. Good Luck! C'ya Bob

Ditto what Bob L. said.

It sounds like you could be eating too fast. Why don't you measure out 2 oz, put the rest in the microwave to sit so it stays warm, then get it out when you are done with the first 2 oz? Or just heat it up in the microwave if it gets cold?

I do also want to say that still, almost 3 yrs out, sometimes food makes me feel "ICK". Most of the time I cannot eat breakfast because food is too heavy for me. I do best with protein shakes for breakfast. Even protein bars make me hurt that early in the morning.

I noticed that when eating chicken, I feel yuck. It's so heavy. Sometimes I will get a combo of tofu and chicken in stir fry vegs so that it will settle on my stomach better. Overeating will also do the same thing to you...

Seems that several are having problems with pain after eating... so slow down, chew chew chew, and NEVER drnk if something gets stuck. It will settle like rock hard cement!! That was always our first inclination as NON ops, to drink something to get food down... but as postops, YOUCH!

Thanks! I definitely do not drink 30 mins before or after meals. That hasn't been as much of a problem as I thought it would be. However, I think my bites are too large and I eat too fat. It's not that I am hungry, I just want to get it out of the way and eat it while it is still hot.

I'll definitely take those tips to heart. It's so strange eating portion sizes fit for an infant. Liquids (and string cheese) go down with no problem- its usually the meat like chicken or turkey sausage that give me the yuckies.

Have a great Monday!

Use a baby spoon and fork. They are about the right size for a bite. Use them til you get used to eating that size of a bite each time.

I still can't eat steak or chicken ( with the exception of chicken out of a can) no matter how much I chew it without it setting heavy on my stomach.  My RNY was 2/9.  I am just like you,  When it doesn't set well, it just feels like I have eaten too much.  and I just feel YUCK! 

I just backed off the heavy meat and stick with talapia, wonderful white bean crock pot chili ( I love this stuff) and moist chicken and tuna.  Believe it or not, shrimp doesn not give me a problem if chewed well.  It's just chicken and beef. 

We have some very conscientious veterans out there who know allot more that me.  I'm just giving you my experience.   

I had my surgery in January (2006) so I know what you mean about the food getting cold before you can eat it. I was already freezing, the last thing I wanted was cold food.

I used to put my plate or small bowl on a heating pad to keep it warm while I ate. Definitely use the baby or toddler spoon/fork and a small plate or bowl. I still eat my chili out of a 6 oz teacup.

Also, I don't know what your 4 oz of food consists of but that may be more than your new tummy can handle right now. Try eating just 2 or 3 oz and see if you don't feel better. Your portion size will increase as your tummy heals and the swelling goes down. If you are eating something very dense, it may be a bit too dry too.

You are in the Trial and Error phase so slow down and find out what agrees best with your baby tummy.

I completely agree w/the yucky feeling after eating.  I really do have to force myself to eat--I feel better when I don't eat anything, but I make myself eat three times per day so that I can learn better habits then I had.

I don't take the 30-45 minutes to eat, either, but I am learning to.  Dr. Houston hasn't said anything about my "pouch waking up" (as Mel describes)---of course, Dr. Houston doesn't really do a "pouch", per se...., but I can tell you that lately I have had problems w/food getting "stuck" (ouch...that is really painful and Mel is right---trying to take a sip of water solidifies it....so much worse) so I have slowed way down.  The past two days I have used baby spoons & tee-tiny bites & chew, chew, chewed my food & I have had no problems w/anything getting stuck & no nausea.  So, it was user error for me!

It's normal to feel nauseous, but not to vomit (not that you are), so as long as you are just nauseaus send up a big "THANK YOU" that your RNY is working...lol!!! xo, Micheala.

Michaela, did you have the RNY gastric bypass procedure or another one?  I refer to the pouch because that's the terms that Dr. Houston has always used, and that's what I have always heard it called...  "new stomach" perhaps...  I was just curious because twice you have referenced my calling it a pouch and that Dr. Houston doesn't do them...  Did you have the sleeve done?