Question:
has anyone had any problems socially.

I can only eat (if I'm lucky) 5-6 bites of food. How do you deal with this in social situations? I can't order my own plate of food it will go to waste. Everyone comments on how little I eat and I agree most of the time that it is unhealthy to only eat 5 bites of food. I am 3 months out of surgery and can not tolerate most foods also. I can only eat soups, soft eggs, chicken and cheese. I eat the same thing every day. I can not tolerate salads, vegtables, fruits or other meats. Is this just because it's early in my surgery or will I never have these things again? Do people eventually eat more at a meal? Do people eventually eat a bigger selection of food? How do I deal with eatting with other people? Please offer any advice, I really need help with this. Lap RNY    — [Anonymous] (posted on January 1, 2001)

January 1, 2001
5-6 bites sounds reasonable. I assume you are taking a protein supplement, 60g per day and all your vitamins & minerals? If so, then your health is not in danger. How much is on your plate is kind of not their concern, is it? Are you watching THEIR intake? You can learn how to sort of move food around on your plate when in public. I wouldn't compromise your health to LOOK more normal in this way. Skinny people nibble, too. If I am having an off day, sorta queasy, and folks have the nerve to question my intake, I just tell 'em I'm watching my total that day. Since everyone "diets", a new person to my life won't question it. If it's someone who "knows", then I really don't care if they see how little I eat. I paid good money to eat this little bit! Hahah!
   — vitalady

January 1, 2001
Pretty much everyone I know knows I've had the surgery, so this isn't really an issue. As far as ordering too much, I take it home in a doggy bag for my girls. Amazing how $5 can feed all of us now! I can tolerate any food, but I've heard that as you become further post-op, you will be able to tolerate more foods. Good Luck and hang in there!
   — Allie B.

January 1, 2001
Not one problem. When I go out to eat with my kindergarten and preschool daughters, I order one child's entree for each of them, and usually nothing for me. The waiters have always offered to bring an extra plate. When lunching with friends, we usually choose a restaurant that has country cooking. I'll get just one veggie/side. If, however, I don't have such choices, I'll order and appetizer or full meal. You can always doggie-bag the rest. I have the restaurant card, but have never used it. I wouldn't worry about what others thought - take advantage of eating that little while you can, because you will be able to eat more later down the line. If you're just really uncomfortable, post-pone dining out until you feel better about the situation. Best wishes.
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 1, 2001
I would have to say that I havent had to many problems with foods. But I have had problems with a few things like spinach and greens of a toough nature. If you try things like plain iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, colliflower(raw is good)I find that I have to build up a tolerence to some things. and i too am only 3 months post-op and and am still in the hit or miss stage. about the small portions thing just don't worry about it order what ever you want and you'll find most people wont even notice if you pretend your eating while holding food on your fork and talking at the same time as waving it around until you hit one of them when they make a rude comment about how much or little your eating. so just remember that in notime youll be thin and they wont even notice anymore and by that time you'll be eating larger portions.lol alot
   — Heather K.

January 2, 2001
Why care? Before surgery everyone worried that "other" people worried about how much we ate and what we had on our plates, now after surgery are we supposed to worry what "other" people think about how much we eat and what we have on our plates? I don't think so. Order what you want and can have, eat what you want and can have, take the rest home (even skinny people take home "doggy bags." We all need to quit worrying about what "other" people think! Do your own thing and enjoy your life. There are more important things to worry about than how we deal with food--like when we can buy that cute little black dress (smile).
   — Connie G.

January 2, 2001
This is not a problem. I love ordering soups or chili. No one thinks this odd behavior. Or, perhaps a salad and soup. Or, my teenage daughter and I will share an entree. Actually, I've observed other "thin" women sharing meals alot -- and they've never had this surgery. Women are expected to have smaller appetites than the HUGE portions which most restaurants serve these days. You could consider yourself "normal" now, instead of like we were before -- when we could clean our plates and then the leftovers off of our family's plates! Best wishes.
   — Cindy H.

January 2, 2001
My surgeon told me that it can take our stomaches a full year to heal from the trauma of the surgery. It is not uncommon to only be able to eat a few, soft, types of foods in the first few months. Eventually you should be able to eat "most" of the foods you enjoy...some you may not ever be able to eat. As far as eating out socially...I personally do not enjoy it any longer. Before surgery, when I would go out to eat, I would order the meal, eat the meal, and leave. Now I have to sit and try to be patient while my company finises their meal... this is new and hard for me. One of the things that works me, which I noticed someone else had stated, is to order chili or soup. That doesn't seem to fill me as quickly, and most "normal" people wouldn't think twice about it if you do order it. I had surgery seven months ago and I have started to notice that I am now able to eat more food, and different varieties of food, then I did for the first few months after the surgery. Give your body some time...You are doing great!!!
   — twenc