Question:
I am 5 wks. Post Op and having difficulty introducing new foods.

I try to chew them well and eat slow but am having alot of vomiting. Things like soup and applesauce seem to be okay, but how long will I have to eat just these few things?    — Jonna B. (posted on April 26, 2000)

April 26, 2000
Jonna: This sounds like a question for your surgeon. I am just over 3 weeks post op and I'm eating LOTS of foods: scrambled eggs with cheese and Picante sauce, baked chicken, homemade soups and stews, Taco Bell's pintos & cheese, Burger King whopper without anything on it, Wendy's chili & baked potato, salmon patties, cereal, fried hamburger/avocado, etc. etc. I don't get to eat much (usually 1/2 c. portions) but the variety is almost endless. My surgeon fast tracks us to regular food with only one week post hospital on "full liquids". Then the next two weeks we cannot eat raw fruits and veggies but cooked or canned are ok. Meats are supposed to be ground during that time but hamburger is already ground. Tuna salad is good, as are deviled eggs. So, as you can see, I'm eating lots of stuff and I have yet to vomit or even feel like vomiting. I hope your surgeon has an answer for you. Best wishes.
   — Cindy H.

April 26, 2000
A few thoughts: are you blenderizing everything as you should be and secondly, are you measuring your amounts? Frequent vomiting can mean you're overloading your pouch. Portion control is key. No more than 2-4 oz. at one sitting. Use a baby spoon and eat really slowly. Each meal or snack should take at least 30 minutes. Use a timer. Take beverages 30-60 minutes before or after meals. Food should have a consistently smooth texture, no lumps or chunks. Hope this helps.
   — Jean S.

April 26, 2000
Hi Jonna: Try introducing just 1 bite of the new food at a time. I'd definitely talk to your surgeon, too. Frequent vomiting clearly indicates that something is not right. Your surgeon is the only one who can tell you what YOU need to be doing. Good luck!
   — Jaye C.

April 26, 2000
You have received very good advice. I had the same problem, I bought shrimp fork. Take smaller bites. A bite size smaller than you give a child. This will help you eat slower. Concentrate on the food in your mouth, make sure it is the same consistancy as the applesauce before swollowing. Make sure you don't drink for 30 minutes after you eat. I hope this helps some.
   — sue ann A.

April 27, 2000
Hi, I had the same problem, it took me until eight weeks postop to tolerate most foods. Everyone's stomach is different. When I started introducing new foods, some would make me vomit, and when that was the case I wouldn't try it again for a month or so. There are some things you might be able to tolerate: soft lowfat mozzerella, the kind that comes in water, has protein and is very easy to eat, put some spices on it, yum! I couldn't eat scrambled eggs for some reason until I was eight weeks postop, but egg salad made with nonfat mayo was fine. Also "krab salad" you can buy at the store, made with fake crab and lowfat mayo, is a way to get protein in and was easy for me to tolerate. I still can't eat any kind of lunchmeat, no matter how finely its chewed up, I don't know why. Lowfat string cheese was easy to tolerate early on, if you chew it really well. When I moved off of liquids I pretty much lived on cottage cheese, lite yogurt, egg salad and protein drinks for about a month since my stomach was so sensitive. I still can't eat pasta, any kind of chinese take-out (too greasy) bagels (discovered that this week when I ate a quarter of a bagel with lowfat cream cheese and threw it up immediately, I think its the gluten in the bagel) any kind of lunchmeat. I found I can eat a small 1 ounce piece of very lean beef tenderloin for protein, and I just bought one of those George Foreman grills so that I can quickly cook a small 1 or 2 ounce portion of meat, chicken or fish without heating up the entire oven.
   — Elizabeth M.