Question:
If you're not suppose to have milk, what cheese products can you have.

I'm one week post-op and am craving cheese, cottage, american, string and all others. I had RNY distal and want to know what cheeses I can eat, I don't want to get sick.    — [Anonymous] (posted on October 6, 1999)

October 6, 1999
Hi. I had the same surgery you have had and I was never told that I wasn't supposed to have milk. I am one year post op and have been drinking milk every day. I eat cottage cheese, yogurt, american cheese, any kind of cheese I want and I don't get sick.
   — Kathy K.

October 6, 1999
I was told by my doctor not to eat any cheeze for at lease 6 weeks postop and after that may have some cheddar for before six weeks it could get stuck.Be careful for this is only the beginning of the cravings but they do pass.Good Luck!!!!!!
   — Patricia B.

October 6, 1999
In terms of lactose intolerance, hard cheeses will be your best bet. Aka,Cheddar, Mozzerella, Swiss etc. So-called soft cheeses like cottage cheese, as well as "whey" cheeses like feta and ricotta are high in lactose and could cause digestive problems. I guess you'll never know if you have a lactose intolerance unless you try some dairy products and see, but it is probably too early in your recovery for many of these things. Good Luck!
   — Lynn K.

October 6, 1999
I eat all of the cheese you mention (and have milk daily on cereal) with no problems at all. I will be one year post-op proximal RNY on 11-4.
   — dboat

October 7, 1999
cottage cheese, 1% or non-fat should be one of your staple foods. It is easy to get down and pass thru the pough opening, has no sugar, limited fat and high protein. The other cheeses I would go slow with, just nibble. They have higher fat contents so might limit your weight loss
   — Bruce B.

October 7, 1999
Lots of us become lactose intolerant after surgery, but I avoid it so as not to compromise my weight loss. What I'm avoiding is lactose, so that's mainly milk and ice cream type products. I do hard cheeses, just not American and Velveeta types. I do low sugar yogurts and cream cheese, for example, but not ranch dressing, unless I make it myself with a milk sub. Does that help?
   — vitalady

October 10, 1999
My doctor told me I could have all pasturized milk products except milk because of the lactose. All cheeses are fine, cream cheese, cottage cheese. Just not milk or ice cream.
   — bperrin