Question:
When can you go back to normal food

I am trying to get answer before my husband goes in for his surgery sometime in Jan or Feb 2010. If someone can please help by sending me information before and after diet and if you will be able to eat normal again or do you have to be on specail diet for the rest of your life thanks Donna    — starchild (posted on December 9, 2009)

December 9, 2009
The doctor should have already given him this information. If he has not yet, he will in the hospital. He most likely will be on pure liquids for about two to three weeks. Then soft foods like cottage cheese, applesauce, eggs. He will never eat "normal" like prior to the surgery. This is what got him in this place to begin with. He will eat normal healthy. Lots of protein, some vegetables
   — Kathy Thomas

December 9, 2009
What kind of surgery is he having? It stinks the doctors don't give you the info until your preop visit on how your going to live the rest of your life. I had RNY and my DH just had the sleeve done a couple of months ago. I had to wait until 9 weeks before returning to "normal" foods (meaning sugar free, FF, lowfat, no breads or fast foods etc). My DH only had to wait 4 weeks, his diet moved much quicker than mine did. Each doctor has his own specific plan and it changes often as they learn more and more. Toni
   — ToniLee

December 9, 2009
Donna, I hope you or you both get to meet with a dietitian before his surgery. You didn't say whether he is having a banding or rny bypass. Either way he will never go back to eating as before and will always be limited in his food quantities. Everyone is different -- some can never eat steak, some it's chicken or pork, others can eat steak one day and not another you never know. I had my rny surgery nine months ago and have lost over 100 lbs. 289 to 185. I eat a pretty varied diet but very small portions. It's always protein first and then vegetables, fruits and carbs. He may or may not develop dumping syndrome which is triggered when too much sugars and/or fats and ingested. I personally don't have dumping syndrome but know many others who do. He still has time to talk with his doctor or nutritionist before his surgery and he should.
   — rkurquhart

December 9, 2009
My surgeon has a dietician on staff and you meet with her every visit so I knew from day 1 what to expect. I'm not sure what you mean by normal. I had RNY 18 months ago and I eat foods that anyone would eat on a healthy diet. It does require a change in eating habits. My tastes changed drastically. I was always a sweets lover but now not so much. I stay away from sugar. It can make you dump. Sugar makes my pouch ache. I can't eat hamburger buns, don't like eggs or turkey and ice makes me sick so I leave those foods alone. I never had food mourning but some people do. I'm so pleased with my new life that food is not so important.
   — JB1114

December 10, 2009
It's really so different for everyone. My surgery is in 4 hours (yes, HOURS). After surgery, I have one week clear liquids, 3 days full liquids (no chunks), 3 days pureed, 2 weeks soft and then regular foods. So for me, I'll be on regular foods, as tolerated 26 days after surgery.
   — Melissa C.