Question:
I am 8 days post-op and need some help on eating.....

My surgeon says puree for 8 weeks...Sally Sues surgeon says clear liquids....John Bobs surgeon says full liquid....Ima Jeans surgeon says eat normally just chew well....I am so confused. I have been trying to eat puree or really soft foods like cottage cheese for the last 5 days at home but find myself not wanting to eat at all if those are the choices I have. I would rather just drink (water) and skip it. This morning i took a slce of bologna and a slice of cheese and rolled them up and dipped it into a small amount of light mayo...i chewed until i thought i could get it through a straw...does anyone see a problem with this?? I dont have enough interest in food to deal with eating something that makes me wanna gack!! Help me on this post op eating thing......I will say I love chicken broth with seasonings in the evening...maybe i should do a liquid diet till i feel up to eating????    — Tracy L. (posted on May 8, 2001)

May 8, 2001
Tracy: Which surgery did you have? My reason for asking is the bologna you said you ate. With RNY, I'd say that was a poor choice. If your surgeon says puree for 8 weeks, then do it. Did you know this preop? Were you willing to do whatever it takes to get this extra weight off? At this point, you have to 'fake it til you make it' on the eating, so just do it. Puree your foods. Go by your surgeon's food plan. Now, puree can be done to most any food and you can add spices so you don't HAVE to eat bland yucko foods. And, some people have pureed the foods with their own teeth, but this is a bit risky until you get it down to a science, which will, of course, happen after learning it. The important thing is to get a plan and work that plan!!! I know you can do it girl, you just need encouragement. And, you are right, everyone's surgeon has a different plan -- we shouldn't be looking for the one we want, but the one our own surgeon says to follow. And, don't skip the food cause your body needs it to heal properly along with you B12 daily and other vitamins. Best wishes.
   — Cindy H.

May 8, 2001
Hi Tracy: I'm seven days post-op of an open RNY. I agree that you should follow your surgeon's guidelines, but I will give you a list of what I am eating. Breakfast is either protein shake(half) or runny cream of wheat. Lunch is either yesterday's leftover protein shake, broth or cream soup of my flavor(don't like beef)with or without three saltine crackers. Or three crackers with cream cheese and a container of sugar free jello. Dinner is usually a variety of the lunch stuff except the protein shake because it will keep me up all night. I'have been trying to be inventive with my menu without abandoning my doctor's orders. On my profile I will list the brands of the items I purchase and a list of what I'm allowed to eat. Maybe that will give you an idea. Also, a full liquid diet is not a bad idea, if you are ok with it, that's what I did until I started eating crackers.
   — Deyanira A.

May 8, 2001
Hi, I am also 8 days post-op today. My Dr. gave me very strict orders about what to do and not do. He gave me a specific list of things I could have, when I left the hosp. I have followed all his orders and I feel great. Until today it was all liquids. Starting today the list contains oatmeal, cream of wheat, scrambled eggs, baked or mashed potatoes, squash,asparagus,cauliflower,carrots,green peas. All the vegetables are cooked of course. Then theres bananas, applesauce, pureed fruit. Pasta,macaroni,noodles,spaghetti. And meats of chichen,turkey,fish no fried. Only baked,broiled,grilled. Skinless and diced up small. It may not look like much,but I had planned on all the things I would eat my 1st day, and the oatmeal filled me up. So later I'm having mashed potatoes and asparagus. I'm going to use chichen broth instead of water to cook them. I hope this helps you. Good Luck on your new journey. A positive attitude makes all the difference.
   — leah D.

May 8, 2001
Dear Tracy, I am 2 weeks post-op and my doctors orders were soft food. I was told no meat yet. I am enjoying a variety of foods. My favorite is Cream of Broccoli and Cheese soup. A can will last me two days. I use non-fat skim milk to mix it with. Mashed potatoes, cream of wheat and most of what has already been said. He also told me that if I was up to it Franco American spagetti. I am not allowed to have protein shakes, doctor says NO. Don't worry it does get better. Just be inventive. Someone sent me an e-mail and told me to mix cottage cheese and baby bananas. Haven't tried it yet. Maybe for dinner. I have lost 26 lbs. and about a total of 11 inches. Good luck and congratulations on your new journey.
   — Tere F.

May 8, 2001
We eat for a variety of reasons , one is to get some nutrition into our bodies. Follow your doctors advise , don't eat what I ate or what she ate or they ate. You doctor knows you personally , and what will suit you best. Don't feel like eating the things you should? Remember down the road we by and large suffer a hair loss , fear of baldness kept me on the straight and narrow. I hope this helps you some.
   — Rose A.

May 8, 2001
Hi Tracy~I was the same way about 2 weeks post-op.... trying this and trying that. I did the turkey bologna thing too! AND I had no problem with most foods 2 weeks out. I wasn't TOO adventurous, but I did dabble with things NOT on the diet my doc had recommended. BUT, here's where it got me..... NOW, at 5 weeks post-op, I throw up almost any meat or fish that I try. Was it because of my 'BAD GIRL' phase? I'll never know, and somehow, at 5 weeks post-op, cream of wheat, protein drinks and jello are just not cutting it anymore. DO WHAT YOUR DOC SAYS! Then if things go haywire down the road, you can go to him/her and ask what's wrong. I haven't been able to do that because I feel that my problems today are because I didn't follow instructions. I feel like I did this to myself. Sigh.... when will I learn?
   — Laurie L.