Question:
I am afraid I will not be able to chew my food small enough .

I am pre-op, 41 days but who's counting, and I have been practicing chewing my food into mush and I am having a hard time doing it. I am afraid I will not be able to chew well enough and will hurt my new pouch. Has anyone had a hard time chewing well post-op? Is it something I will get used to in time? Thanks everyone!!    — Elizabeth C. (posted on June 15, 2001)

June 15, 2001
My personal experience has been that post op I do not have trouble chewing well enough. I believe it is a "mental" thing. I know that I HAVE to. I have felt lousey when I haven't. I think that pre-op, you don't have that same deterrent and therefore it is harder to do. Post op you know that this is not an option. I don't like feeling sick and nauseous, so I do it. It has become a habit and I don't think much about it. Early post op, I would concentrate on small bites and chewing extremely well. This really wasn't difficult. I didn't try it pre-op, but I don't think I could have truly understood the consequences of not chewing well.
   — Shelley.

June 15, 2001
You know I had a hard time doing this pre op too!! But after you actually have the sugery you are more aware of what you eat and how you eat it. And belive me after that first time of not chewing something well enough and it getting stuck....LOL you WILL chew your food. Not a plesant feeling.
   — Alison B.

June 15, 2001
I guess I'm the "exception to the rule." I was extremely worried about this prior to surgery. Well, after surgery I still can't chew my food, I gulp it. I've tried, but I have it halfway down my throat before I even remember that chewing thingy. Mine has never been stuck, I've never been sick, BUT, I have heard this is a major cause of intestinal blockage, which will require another surgery and can be serious. Does that MAKE me chew? No. If you find out how to combat this, please email me (or if anyone else has any ideas). [email protected] I have been unlucky, in that I don't have to chew, it doesn't stick, and I don't dump, which I wanted to so I wouldn't want to eat sweets and chocolate. Good luck!
   — Tina C.

June 16, 2001
I would say keep practicing too, that way you know what you will and won't like to chew that much post-op. I have found in "practicing" that there are a LOT of things I really don't like. But others say that after the surgery it'll come mentally, so I guess we'll both see on the other side =)
   — Elizabeth D.

June 16, 2001
Oh I remember trying to practice pre-op - I thought - this is never going to work - I was too much of a gulper - well let me tell you - I have had no problems chewing enough post op - once the surgery is done and over with and you know that something has been done to your body - you take every precaution - you dont want to eat too much at one time or it will be painful so you just eat small bites and chew chew chew - it feels natural to me now.
   — Sharon Jones

June 16, 2001
chew chew chew. Just practice and it will get easier.
   — Dawn H.