Question:
Do we have to continue to chew our food to mush for the rest of our lives?

I don't understand if this is the case how people are gaining back the weight. I would love to take a bite of something and actually enjoy it again. I want to use this tool but I was hoping that sometime in the future I would be able to take a decent bite.    — Karen S. (posted on September 16, 2003)

September 16, 2003
As far as I know, your stomach will be limited in its ability to process the food since the acid isn't there to do the breakdown - this doesn't really change from right after surgery on to the end. People gain back the weight because they consistently overeat and consume large volumes of calories this way.
   — bethybb

September 16, 2003
I am 6 yrs. post. I do not have to mush my food. I can eat my food like normal and enjoy it. I still eat small portions. Not like right after surgery small, but maybe small child small. I personally can eat anytype of food. My weight is still down. I worried very much that my weight would go back up. But it didn't. If you follow everything the dr. tells you, you will do great, and you will enjoy your food again.
   — christine M.

September 16, 2003
I am 3 1/2 years post-op, and I found that I was able to chew my food into a "normal consistency" by 3-4 months post-op. However, eating slowly, taking small bites and chewing your food "well" will need to always be part of your new eating lifestyle, particularly with more dense foods, such as meats. Otherwise, you will quickly find yourself pretty uncomfortable and not enjoying your meal at all. The "babyfood consistency" stage passes fairly quickly, but so will your window of opportunity for maximal weight loss. After about 12-18 months, appetite begins to return to some degree, as well as your ability to eat slightly greater amounts of a wider variety of foods. Focus on the positives and take advantage of this next great year, all the while learning new eating habits that will help you maintain the wonderful weight loss for a lifetime. Best wishes!
   — Diana T.

September 17, 2003
hiya~ the reason you need to chew your food to a "mush" is because your stomach does not produce the amount of acid it did pre op and it does not churn like before AND (if you had roux-en-y, not d/s) you do not have the pyloric valve which opens to allow small amounts of food through at a time. before surgery your stomach would churn and mix with acids & enzymes to digest your food into a liquid state which would then pass in small amounts into your small intestine for continued digestion and absorption. now, you only have the anistomsis between your "stomach/pouch" and your small intestine (which is now connected around the jejenum and not the duodenem) so if your food is still "chunky" you have a higher risk of it clogging that anistomsis, there will be less digestion/absorption of nutrients because the particles are still too big for the jejenum to adequately digest them, and this can lead to greater incidences of diarrhea and/or intestinal upset (including gas). also, there is some evidence that people who consistently overeat enlarge their small intestine (where connected to the pouch) making a "holding area" or almost a second "stomach" therefore they can eat more food than before. i am 27 months out and having no problem maintaining my weight. i exercise regularly, continue to take my protein supplement, my vitamins/calcium/iron, and i eat healthy. i still chew my food very good because i want my body to get the most out of what i put into it (which is also why i don't eat lot of junk food...yes i do eat some "treats") good luck to you, if you want this to succeed, YOU have to be the one in control. {{hugs}} kate
   — jkb

September 17, 2003
Karen~~You will always have to chew your food well, but you don't always have to take miniscule bites. After a few months out, I was able to take bigger bites of food (not full mouthfuls, but more normal-sized bites). This dramatically improved the sensation of eating so that I do enjoy it. I'm sure you'll be able to do the same.
   — Vespa R.