Question:
Bread, Rice and pasta

i was told by the nutri not to have any bread rice or pasta months post op, im only 3 weeks now...i was wondering if anyone else was told this and if you listened and if you did or didnt how was it for you to go back to the carbs...im a carb lover and thats all im craving lately    — vmidiri (posted on March 10, 2009)


March 10, 2009
When I returned to regular food I eat toasted wheat bread, wheat pasta (2 oz), and brown rice (2 oz) with no problem. Marti in San Jose
   — Marti P.

March 10, 2009
I was told to avoid these things until at least reaching goal weight. Then, only in a healthy manner such as whole grain, whole wheat if and finally, when. Being addicted to carbs is what has gotten us to the point of needing WLS. Avoid them as much as possible and you will lose the craving. It's no different than an alcoholic avoiding what they are addicted to. Best of luck, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

March 10, 2009
Many post ops are unable to eat these foods. If you do eventually eat them, be careful and eat small quantities of them. Personally I can eat bread, little rice, and typically the only kind of pasta I "can handle" is angelhair spaghetti. Natural carbs in foods are far better than the types of carbs in the foods mentioned. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

March 10, 2009
I think most Docs and nutritionists steer their patients away from those foods you mentioned. I am told that they swell in your stomach and can make you pretty uncomfortable in the beginning when you return to solid food. Personally I have not tried any bread except a kind of toast which comes from the Netherlands and is usually sold in the international food section of the grocery store. I use it to eat my peanut butter. I get the powdered peanut butter which by the way is yummy and low in fat and calories! Hope this helps. Hang in there.
   — katiecakes

March 10, 2009
A friend of mine decided to eat some whole wheat pasta when he was ten weeks post-op ... He ended up in the hospital with an obstruction and I think his intestine was twisted or something to that effect. From the pasta. He had to have surgery for it. I am ten months out and I still won't touch bread (in any form), rice, pasta (whole wheat or otherwise), or tortillas ... It's just not worth it. You'll get past the cravings ... BE STRONG! :-)
   — lauren_marie

March 10, 2009
My husband's first dumping episode was from eating pasta.That was 5 years ago,he will not touch pasta ever again.
   — Virginia H.

March 10, 2009
Not sure what surgery you had. I had RNY just over 4 weeks ago. We were told not to have rice until after week 7. Our diet program allows "very soft" pasta (in small amounts obviously) during weeks 4-6 where I'm at now. I have had rice noodles in a stir fry for example - again, just 1/4 or 1/3 cup total. We also have things like soft boiled egg on about a 1/3 piece of well toasted whole-wheat toast. They also suggested we could have minestrone soup with the broth strained off - and of course there's soft pasta in that. I am way too scared of screwing with the pouch or dumping to go off the diet they gave me. My advice is to follow what the Nut and surgeon recommended. I wish you luck.
   — mountainmike

March 10, 2009
Not sure which surgery you had - I had RNY 6 months ago, and have been eating bread, pasta and rice since about a month out. Granted it isn't much, but I do eat it and haven't had any problems with it.
   — Ursie77

March 11, 2009
I still rarely eat bread or rice or pasta. I am almost 9 months out. I eat my protein first which for me is usually meat. I do eat totillas occasionally-wheat- and put tuna or chicken salad on and can eat about 1/2 of it. SOmetimes I just use lettuce -roll it into that. My nutritionist said to avoid the white breads, etc because of the empty calories. Wheat products atleast have some protein and are harder for the body to break down etc.thus making us feel full longer. Don't be in a rush. lol It will happen..after a while you will be able to eat most anything. Try eating potatoes. I ate mashed taters for several weeks after surgery. I added cottage cheese to them sometimes, and mozzerella too. get your protein in, as we need it to heal and to make sure our bodies take it from food and not our muscles and organs. Good luck to you and congrats on the surgery! Hugs, Kim
   — gpcmist

March 11, 2009
Don't do it yet. You will feel horrible. The bread will feel like a rock in your tummy and if you accidentally eat too much rice it will feel like your tummy is going to explode. Wait until you are farther out and know what your limits are. Hang in there!!!
   — Carlyn M.

March 11, 2009
Victoria, the surgery you had is only about 50% of the solution, in my opinion. You have to make choices to be sucessful, and sometime they may not be popular choices. You will need to do your best to follow the guidlines set forth by your surgeon. I am over 11 months out from my VSG and I still stay away from breads/pastas, etc, for the most part. If I eat it at all it is one bite of bread or very tiny bits of pasta. I always loved them and know it could be my downfall. I wish you the best.
   — corky1057

March 11, 2009
Once you get past the cravings it will be ok. Stay away from carbs as they are just extra calories you do not need. I do eat carbs in small amounts like a few crackers with my soup. But I try to limit them since they slow the weight loss greatly. Find favorful foods that are protien, like omelets and taco salad. When you have lots of flavor in the foods you need, it is easier to avoid foods that hurt your weight loss.
   — trible

March 11, 2009
I was told my my surgeon's registered dietician to strictly avoid ALL white carbs - including white rice, white bread, potatoes, popcorn, white pasta. And that really ruins one of my favorite foods - sushi. She DID say that I could do very limited amounts of whole grain carbs, but that I had to remember to keep the ratio of protein to carbs at 75% - 25%. Many doctors will tell you different things. It's best to listen to your doctor
   — Erica Alikchihoo

March 11, 2009
Hello! I am 2 years post op lap RNY and still struggle with bread, pasta, and rice. Occassionally I can eat rice (very small amounts and if its moist - no sticky rice). I can only eat either whole wheat or rye bread heavily toasted. The only pasta I can really tolerate is angel hair. All other pastas are too dense. If I am craving carbs, I eat some kind of crackers and that usually does the trick. I am at goal weight and my weight has been stable for over a year. Good luck!
   — waferqueen

March 11, 2009
6 months out RNY and I still have issues with bread and regular pasta. I eat potatoes and rice pasta in very small amounts and it fixes my car cravings. I grew up in NY and was raised on Itialin food.... carbs were a part of my life.... just be careful since carbs now make me very sleepy.
   — phyllismmay

March 11, 2009
I too was told not to eat the those foods. Such bad bad foods. I can eat rice and have had bread sticks but noodles and other pasta didn't feel good enough to steer me away from such foods. Very true they arn't good and very fatting, after 4 months I platoed for 3 weeks and I think it was the pasta that I was eatting even the little bit I did eat it wasn't good. It has been a week since I had any and started to lose again. not worth it! good luck Scott
   — Scott Ambrose

March 11, 2009
I was told to stay away from carbs. I eat Oatmeal for breaksfast and mashed potatoes once a week. I feel that if you have a problem with carbs then stay away from them. I believe that it is mind over manner. Also, do you want to eat carbs or be down a couple of dress sizes? I opted for the lap band surgery so that I could lose weight and be healthy. Think about why you had the surgery. Good luck.
   — shortnoni

March 12, 2009
I was told that and I still avoid these items, but I had lap band and I tried just once and once was all it took and I am 11 months out. Diane
   — dyates2948

March 12, 2009
I'm 1 month out from lap rny, and about 1 1/2 weeks out I WANTED carbs so bad that I tried to eat a piece of toast. I figured if I chewed it really, really well and only ate tiny bites it would pretty much disintegrate, right? I can't describe to you the pain I felt. It's the most excruciating feeling I've ever had - like the toast was going to rip through my pouch and my abdomen. I almost wished it had - anything to stop the pain! I didn't vomit or dump, but the pain lasted for hours. I finally laid down and went to sleep because I was so exhausted from it. I still want carbs every day, so I can tell you it's not easy. But I haven't had any today, and hopefully I won't have any tomorrow. I'd suggest you not try it until you're well and truly healed, and even then - don't! :)
   — cathycros

March 12, 2009
The first year, I couldn't eat those things if I wanted to...and that is why my registered dietician said to stay away and revisit them in moderation after the rapid weight loss period and to keep them whole grain and complex such as anything as close to it's natural state...I was told I would eat like a regular small person and could add back all foods in moderation...and I have! I eat just like a regular small person, only heathier and with persistant good choices 80-90 % of the time! I do not eat anything made with white flour...If it says "enriched flour" it means they stripped that flour of all its nutrients and had to add back vitmins to make it healthy again...NO THANKS...Multi whole grains...I eat rye and pumpernickle breads.. whole wheat...Not a problem in moderation. I eat a little rice...and still enjoy sushi (usually get the brown rice sushi)...pasta and potatoes as well...but only in moderation and if they take a perfectly healthy potatoe and deep fry it...I dont pick that route...I will get it baked...Where those white carbs used to be staples in my family meals daily...They are only once or twice a week now...Only one meal per day might have grains... Like a half a sandwich on bread for lunch...so for dinner I will not make a grain...I will make two veggies...usually a steamed or pan fried in olive oil veggie and a nice salad with all kinds of salad add ins...tomatoes, onions(couldn't eat raw onions for 2 years po)peppers, ham, boiled eggs, feta or goat cheese, apples, dried cherries or cranberries...My salads are SUPER creative and loaded...So you feel like you are getting something worth eating healthy for! LOL My faimly doesn't even miss eating white carbs daily...But I have not given anything up completely...I just do it in moderation. When reading labels I look for low sugar, high fiber and protein...and low to no saturated fat (protein has enough of that!) NO trans fat ever! Too much fat makes me dump...So do too many white carbs! 5 years later I still cannot eat white carbs comfortably anyway...Potatoes and rice gets stuck and hurts...pasta is horrid! Can't chew that stuff and it get's all stuck in my stoma and I regreat eating spagetti every single time! LOL So I steam cauliflower and mash it and fry up garlic in a olive oil and toss in some parm cheese as an alternative garlic spaggetti side with Italian foods...You just have to find healthy creative alternatives or do those things you love in moderation...
   — .Anita R.

March 23, 2009
I am sure by now you have experimented and found out which breads, rices and pasta you can tolerate, but I thought I would throw my 2 cents in anyway in case there is someone reading with the same questions. If you are wanting rice or something like that I would suggest a smaller grain liek couscous or quinoa. according to the post op diet my dr. gave me they suggest trying those at least 3 weeks before regular rice. as for bread and pasta, they say 1/4 -1/2 slice toasted (not a doughy bread tho) and pasta cooked really soft. hope this helps
   — SnuffyLuvsJesus




Click Here to Return
×