Question:
What

I had surgery on Sept. 23, and I'm longing for some real food. My doctor has put me on baked or broiled fish and chicken, also tuna. But I want other stuff. Can I have a low fat graham cracker, spaghetti in the can, barbeque chicken verses plain baked chicken. I dont want nothing fried just something different. Sausage links, without the skin. Help me!!!!    — noweapon (posted on October 20, 2003)

October 20, 2003
I know it is tempting but please try to do as the doctor says. Your new pouch is still healing and the last thing you want to do is throw up or get something stuck.
   — Tawnda C.

October 20, 2003
While the graham cracker obviously isn't protein, I doubt eating 1/2 of one will hurt anything, if you MUST munch something. As for the spaghetti--- don't do it! Pasta is really hard on that new tummy. At 18 months post op, I can't even eat it sometimes. Are you eating chicken already? Wow! I wouldn't have braved that at less than one month post op. How about the canned chicken, mashes up like tuna, add a little mayo, on crackers? Be gentle with that new tummy! =)
   — KelBurt

October 20, 2003
Not only is pasta a bad choice, but canned pasta is full of sugar! If you can have broiled chicken, make sure your Doc allows a sauce - then choose wisely. Again many prepared sauces (like BBQ) have sugar.
   — M B.

October 20, 2003
I am 2 1/2 months post-op and can pretty much eat all regular foods. But you are not quite one month, I loved some chili with mashed potatoe's and chedder cheese on top, it taste like shepards pie, also canned chicken with refried beans and chedder cheese, it taste like a chicken enchilada, another favorate was a little pasta sause,s/f. maybe a tablespoon, and some canned chicken with a parmaesn cheese baked for about 20 minutes. I just about lived on Vienna Sausage in the can and canned potted meat. Try a baked potato covered with chili and cheese. Go wild, just because you are limited in what you can eat, is no reason not to have normal food. But stay away from high sugar, and high carb foods, that is probley what got you in trouble...lol...I can not eat sausage at this point, when I tried it, it seemed to be stringey. Try shrimp, it seems to be easy to get chewed up, you can dip it in some s/f cocktail sauce. Or make some shrimp scampi, Go Wild.
   — cindy

October 20, 2003
I was told in the behavioral class last night, that we MUST start now, to get in the practice of eating better. Also, it will be less sittin in my stomach when I have surgery in two weeks. She was saying how meats can sometimes stay sitting in there for days and days before passing through. So, I'm trying ya'll!! . . . . . . . Does this sound like someone you know?????? Are you drinking enough water? Eating enough protein? Getting your vitamins?
   — Marrilee M.

October 20, 2003
Part of using the tool is following what your doctor says to do. We have to consciously alter our behavior for life following this surgery. It's so easy to fall back into old eating patterns. Please give yourself time to heal, so you won't have long term problems. Eat as your doctor has instructed.
   — Cathy S.

October 21, 2003
It sounds like your doctor is letting you have some softer foods now, so try a variety that includes eggs, refried beans, cheese, shrimp and other shellfish,hot dogs, deli meats etc. Be careful of chicken-it must be very soft, I would suggest stewed in a crockpot and stick to dark meat initially. Although spaghetti is tough, I was allowed to have ravioli from the can as a fairly new post-op-at least that has some protein in it, but with any new food, only try a little bit at first to see if the pouch likes it.
   — Cindy R.