OK Don't have a sleeve yet...do have a band....am I wrong to think I will be able to eat normal..don't have to chew my food so much it is gross....larger pieces take longer to digest....I will seriously reconsider if I still have to eat "weird" one of the reasons I hate this band..can't eat chicken, fish, wouldn't even consider a piece of meat!!! (Did eat some ham over Christmas chewed the hell out of it and it still got stuck!)

Just starting to log on this board gotten some good info lurking (I think that is the term?)

THANK YOU!

D.

Welcome! I am a former bandster as well. At the doctor's seminar I went to before my surgery someone asked him about how much you should chew food. If I remember correctly, he said overchewing was not good with the sleeve because it went through the stomach too fast causing you not to feel full as long. I was soooo glad to hear that!

Good luck!

I'm a band to sleeve revision patient, and during the post-op diet, you do have to chew food very well especially when you first get to solids.

Now that I am 7 months out, I can eat anything and do not have to chew things to a mush consistency. I eat steak (medium well), ribs, brisket, chicken breast (cooked anyway except I'm not a fan of fried chicken), venison. Really, the only meat that doesn't work for me is pork. We (my family) cut 95% of pork out of our diet months ago. I did try some pork chops once, and they just didn't work. We don't eat sausage or bacon. We did have a ham for Christmas and I was able to eat it. I still have the habit of eating really moist, or wet meat. I picked that up with my band. I used to have to drown all meats in some sort of condiment. I swear I should of bought stock in Heinz Ketchup and A1 steak sauce because I never ate meat without one of them for 7 months. Now, I don't have to use much, but I still like to have something on the meat I eat. It's a habit now, and I think I like the way it all tastes. I haven't had anything get "stuck" in months. Just to let you know, the "stuck" feeling with the band is completely different than the "stuck" feeling I got with the band. When something did get stuck, it hurt for a second then it would just kind of creep back up the esophagus and come out. I did get a bit of overproduction of saliva, but nothing like the band. The bite would come up, and then it was over. No gagging, no wretching at least that has been my experience.

I still take small bites, and eat slow. But, it's what works best for me. The slower I eat the more satisfied I feel. Plus, I can get in a bit more food.

I agree with Tiff, with the band I wouldn't eat any meats at all, unless it was ground up and cooked and mixed in with some cheese dip! So far (and I'm only 4 weeks with the sleeve) I have eating meatballs, deli meat and fish. The throwing up is not the same, food simpy comes back up when I've eaten a bite too much or i'm intolerate (that milk I tried to drink, UGH). So far just the one bite comes up, not all I've eaten. Hope this helps!

I am 5 months post-op and can eat ANYTHING. And, I often don't chew my food very well. I am trying to slow down, but old habits die hard. Of coarse, since I am still trying to lose weight, I am careful about my choices. But if I really, really want that Cheeseburger (or whatever), I have it. The sleeve just limits me to a couple of bites. My sleeve is EXACTLY what I was hoping for when I signed up for WLS. :thumbup1:

I am 4.5 months or so out and I can eat almost anything. If I try to eat fast I am in for it though. Also tough meats are hard to digest, I chew them well or avoid them.

I can't eat most bun type breads. Out for me is burger buns, hot dog buns, subway sand style buns. That is ok I don't need the carbs anyway. Dry breads are ok in small amounts, like scones, a few Sun chips (I don't overdo it because they sit heavy in my stomach), a few crackers (same, heavy).