Question:
When will the diet get better?

Hi family. I am 4 months post op, down 61 lbs. which is great. I feel alot better. BUT I have lost this weight by mainly STILL at 4 months eating only soft foods, protein bars and shakes, cottage cheese, soup, etc. Any time I try to eat any kind of meat I get so sick. The only meat I CAN eat is chicken & dumplings, and I use a fork to get the shredded chicken out and it goes down okay. I ate some grilled fish one day for lunch (at home) and it laid me out flat in the bed all day and evening and I had to delay a trip to visit my daughter out of town. Here's my question: Does it get better? I know I am re-learning eating habits, but does it ever get to the point where I will be able to eat meat, slowly? Ironically, one of the things I CAN eat also is pizza, I make them at home, eat a slice and give the rest away to a neighbor. And pizza is something I couldn't tolerate before the surgery, which I think has alot to do with having my gallbladder removed. So will I eventually be able to add more food to the menu variety? I am starving....even if it is in my head!    — blank first name B. (posted on February 27, 2002)

February 26, 2002
Carolyn, I am a 5 month postie and am very limited to what I can eat too. Our diets sound much the same :) I have had to learn HOW to eat more than WHAT to eat though. Are you taking tiny bites? Are you chewing it up really good? Are you keeping eating and drinking seperate? By not doing these three things (even though I thought I was doing it all good enough) I threw up more times than I can count! It's just a thought :)
   — DonnaCarol

February 26, 2002
I remember 5 months out thinking "I will never be able to eat again" I could take only a few bits of everything. That is when I lost the most weight and miss those days. Appreciate these days because eventually you will be able to eat lots more and the weight will slow down.
   — ZZ S.

February 26, 2002
Trust me (4 years post rny), it does get better! No one one really knows why some people have a more difficult time than others...but we all get through the rough spots. It's weird how our tastes for certain foods change after surgery. I had no trouble with meats...if I cooked them soft and chewed very well...but...I couldn't eat eggs for two years. I still can't eat rice...it fills me right up....ditto with bread and rolls. You just have to use trial and error and figure out out what works for you...making sure that you keep the carbs on the low side and the protein on the high side. Watch that pizza! (lol) It's ok now because you can only eat a very small amount. But, in a year, when you can hold more food...it could be problem.
   — [Anonymous]

February 26, 2002
I don't know if this will help you or not. I can eat almost any meat if I cook it in the crock pot until it has the falling - apart texture. Just put in the meat, add a tasty sauce or broth and cook it all day. Then you can divide it up into portions and freeze the leftovers.
   — Bobbie B.

February 27, 2002
I've seen several ladies on this site talk about how any meat is easier on the system if you eat it with some type of sauce or gravy. My hubby made me a small hamburger patty with a slice of lowfat cheese melted on the top. The first tiny bite got stuck in my throat and it felt like it would NEVER go down! It dawned on me that I always put mayo on my burger before so I grabbed the fat free mayo and slapped a blob of it over the top. It went down very easily and settled just fine -- no laying on the bed with nausea afterward! You may want to give the gravy/sauce theory a try! Good luck!
   — Pam S.

February 27, 2002
Hi, Iam almost a 10 weeek post-op and I was hoping I would be able to eat meat by the time Iam 4 months. Right now I can eat can tuna, can pink salmon, can turkey, can turkey and can crab meat. They are all very tender and easy to chew. I mix a can with salad with Diet creamy Italian dressing and it goes down so smooth for me. It makes two meals for me for the day.TASTY!!! I love eating veggies.Best of Luck. I can't eat scamble eggs to save my life!!!
   — Laura G.

February 28, 2002
I know all dr.'s are different. but... Mine had us eat baked fish the 2nd day in the hospital. He suggested to us to eat deli-shaved turkey, ham etc. because it is moist and seems to go down rather smoothly. why don't you try it? I am 9 weeks and can not seem to tolerate chicken breasts of all things... I puke. but beef goes down good, if i chew chew chew!!! i did not care for beef that much pre-op, now i love steak (tender). i loved chicken, now I can't eat it go figure.... The diet gets better and you can eat more foods, just introduce slowly, like a baby and see what you cn tolerate.
   — Cindee A.