Question:
How long will it be until you don't have to chew so much?

I'm going on my third month post-op..and this chewing is killing me, but I know I need too. I just want to know when will I be able to eat more normally? How many months?    — Marian B. (posted on October 19, 2003)

October 19, 2003
You are supposed to continue chewing well FOREVER!! If you don't things might get stuck & you might vomit.
   — Saxbyd

October 19, 2003
Marian, Congratulations on your surgery! I, like Kim, started noticing I didn't have to chew like crazy at about 5 or 6 months. I don't even think about it anymore (I'm 10 months post op). It does get easier ~ And the end results are amazing! Again, Congrats!
   — chelle3081

October 19, 2003
Most things that can't be chewed easily I deposit in a napkin...like tough pieces of meat. Other things I've chewed normally since about 6 to 8 months.
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 19, 2003
Well Marian - I would have agreed with other post. I'm out 1 year and started experience major pain and disconfort in my side after eating, sometimes so sever that the only relief was vomiting. After almost 2 months of this I started chewing longer and waiting about 30 sec between bites and the pain has stopped. So for me, I'm back to CHEW,CHEW, CHEW.
   — Jeana S.

October 19, 2003
1 year out here. I thought the chewing was a lifetime commitment. It feels natural now.
   — **willow**

October 19, 2003
I too thought it was a forever thing. Chew well and eat slowly. Your tummy will tell you if you are doing it all wrong. I will be a year post op Oct. 30.
   — Ginger M.

October 19, 2003
Well... you end up getting so used to chewing so throughly, that you don't realize you are even doing it anymore! LOL! I am 22 months post op and chew things up really well... It BECOMES the normal way to eat!!
   — Sharon m. B.

October 20, 2003
I still try to take small bites and chew fairly well, but its such second nature now. It was at about 3-4 months post-op that it felt very normal. I know that I eat fairly fast too, which is no different that pre-op, just get filled faster.
   — Cindy R.