Question:
How come I dont have to chew food well for it to go down okay?

I am wondering why I don't seem to have to chew my food into mush before I swallow. I am almost 7 months postop, and other than feeling full quicker and not eating as much, everything is the same. Is my stoma enlarged? Also, I seem to be able to eat larger amounts than I thought I'd be able to. I am down 105 pounds or so.....so I am happy with the weight loss. I guess I just thought if I didn't chew food really well, it would get stuck or something. I also sip liquids while I'm eating...this has been the most difficult for me, as I was a gulper before surgery, able to gulp 6 glasses of ice tea down with meals. Thanks for any input    — MedTrans (posted on July 19, 2003)

July 18, 2003
You definitely need to NOT drink with meals. You are forcing the food thru your stomach quicker by doing this. In the long run you will end up feeling hungrier than you would if you didn't drink with meals.
   — [Deactivated Member]

July 19, 2003
hiya~ just because you DON'T have to chew as well doesn't mean you shouldn't. the reason behind chewing your food to mush is because your stoma is small and it aids in digestion of your food. your stomach pouch creates little to no stomach acid anymore therefore if you don't chew your food really well, it will pretty much pass through the pouch exactly as you put it in there which can lead to an obstruction AND malnourishment down the road. i too had difficulty not drinking with my meals but when i was told that drinking with my meals washes the food through too quickly to get adequate nutrients, i made the effort to not drink with meals. i have lots of info on my website if you're interested at: www.geocities.com/katebme2002 good luck, kate
   — jkb

July 19, 2003
Oh my..I'd be really carefully not chewing your food well. I HEAR it's VERY uncomfortable when the food gets caught in the stoma. I betcha some stomas are larger and more pliable than others. Some people seem to be more prone to stuff getting stuck. I too tiny, tiny sip water with my meals. I mean TINY little sips. I seem to WANT my water more when I'm eating. I too used to drink lots with my meals. <sigh> I do what I've been told to do by my surgeon. Things are going great because I so choose. ;) (Open RNY 10/30/02 down 175 lbs)
   — Ginger M.

July 19, 2003
Not chewing your food won't keep it from going down into the pouch; it will keep it from going from the pouch, through the stoma and into the intestines. And once you get something stuck, you'll know why you are supposed to chew. I am 19 months post-op and last weekend at some fish too fast and it got stuck. Took me about two hours to finally throw it up and feel better - it is very painful. Sipping while you eat will make it easier for you to overeat as it washes the food through the pouch. You really should try to stop that.
   — Patty_Butler

July 19, 2003
Speaking as someone who does have an enlarged stoma, not having to chew our food to mush is the least of our concerns. It is the quantity of food we are able to eat at one sitting that's the biggest clue. I can eat a quarter pound cheeseburger, fries and diet coke from any of the fast food joints, and not feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. I have to make a CHOICE to not eat like that. If you've lost 105 pounds in 7 months, then something's working very well for you. Very few of us with enlarged stomas have had that kind of sucess. What I do find is that if I take my time chewing my food, or am engrossed in a conversation with someone while eating, I fill up much faster and eat much less. It's a behavior modification technique taught in most diet classes, and I think it's one of the reasons they tell WLS to chew well (besides from blocking the stoma). Even with an enlarged stoma, I had an episode about 3 months ago where a piece of steak must have gotten stuck. I felt horrible for several hours and only when I got a case of the "dry heaves", did the steak dislodge and I immediately felt better. Also, I also drink while eating. I find it fills me up faster, so in my case, I'd rather fill up on no-calorie fluids with smaller quantities of food, than no fluids, but more food. But again...I do have an enlarged stoma...so my situation is different than most.
   — Cyndie K.

July 20, 2003
Like a lot of post-ops who respond to questions here, I realize how difficult this road is on which we have all decided to travel. I constantly remind people that we have had stomach surgery and not brain surgery . . . so working on all of our bad eating habits takes lots and lots of constant work. Even though I am close to goal (I have about 25 pounds left to lose after having lost more than 230 in my first nine months), I recognize that I am just one donut away from reverting to my past life. I'd suggest that you try to chew slowly and thoroughly as that bit of behavioral modification has been proven to control the amount of food that's been eaten. Also, the problem with drinking while eating is that the fluid washes the food out of the pouch and into the intestine (where it is absorbed into the body)-- this process then does not promote a feeling of fullness and leads to over-eating. I know that you've made significant changes since before WLS, but following the chew 'til mush and no drinking with meals rule will expedite your weight loss and help you not regain the weight in the future.
   — SteveColarossi