I had my surgery on 7/12/10 and can eat mostly anything. My dietary instructions were to avoid salads & fresh veggies until about 6 months. I miss them but I really miss salads. I tried a leaf of lettuce serving as bread for my tuna salad and had no difficulty. Is there a physiological reason that I should wait for salad?

I had to wait 3 months. My surgeon explained it that stringy, fiberous, high cellulose foods tend to hang out in the sleeve. The first time I ate pickles, I ate a pickle, and then hours later, and after a 2nd meal, I was burping up pickle skins. That was pretty disgusting so I avoided pickles for a few months months.

You can read this thread below for personal experience with raw foods. This was a concern my surgeon mentioned, but he was mainly worried that the food would hang out in there, and I wouldn't be able to get in my Protein.

http://verticalsleevetalk.com/vsg-complications-support-group/1615-obstructed-bezoar-has-anyone-else-heard.html

It is true that fiberous foods take a little longer to digest but I am exactly 2 months out and I have experimented with some tomato, cucumber, cold bean salad, green apple (with skin), and today I will try a wedge of orange with membrane. I'm not saying I chow down on all this stuff, just testing the waters. For me, it is a treat. I make sure I get my protein quota in and then I let myself have a treat of cucumber vinegar salad - when I can get my hands on some! The only foods I am still nervous about are tiny seeds and broccoli, because I've heard the tiny seeds can be dangerous and I've heard accounts of broccoli induced stomach pain.

It is true that fiberous foods take a little longer to digest but I am exactly 2 months out and I have experimented with some tomato, cucumber, cold bean salad, green apple (with skin), and today I will try a wedge of orange with membrane. I'm not saying I chow down on all this stuff, just testing the waters. For me, it is a treat. I make sure I get my Protein quota in and then I let myself have a treat of cucumber vinegar salad - when I can get my hands on some! The only foods I am still nervous about are tiny seeds and broccoli, because I've heard the tiny seeds can be dangerous and I've heard accounts of broccoli induced stomach pain.

I eat broccoli all the time as a small followup to my protein. Haven't had a problem yet. Still a little nervous about trying the salad though but I guess I'm far enough out to give it a go when the opportunity presents itself.

I have had quite a bit of steamed broccoli post op and I have had no issues. I always try foods very slowly. I try a couple small bites and see how it goes. If I have no issues I will add them in the next day.

I was served a tiny bit of lettuce on a taco I got the other day. I took two bites before I realized I hadn't tried lettuce yet (plus the warning about waiting on lettuce until later) so I pulled the rest off of the taco. I never felt any discomfort after it. I have been craving salad like a crazy person but I am going to wait on the raw veggies for a while longer.

I've had steamed brocoli, cooked carrots, slightly cookes tomatoes but Oh how I miss my fresh crunchy salads! I'm glad it's getting cold here in England so I can get my veggies throiugh nice warm veggie soups!

Dr. A's office cleared me for salad last week...I love Arugala salad and have had it a few times this week with no difficulties...chew, chew, chew.

I had my surgery on 7/12/10 and can eat mostly anything. My dietary instructions were to avoid salads & fresh veggies until about 6 months. I miss them but I really miss salads. I tried a leaf of lettuce serving as bread for my tuna salad and had no difficulty. Is there a physiological reason that I should wait for salad?

Wow that's so weird, because my surgeon said salad will go down pretty easy and that it was OK for me to eat it once I hit my 6 weeks...I wonder why information varies so much from surgeon to surgeon .

I WANT A HUGE SALAD! It has been on my mind a lot, of course I would get a huge one and eat 4 oz of it and be done lol.

I WANT A HUGE SALAD! It has been on my mind a lot, of course I would get a huge one and eat 4 oz of it and be done lol.

I don't even think you could get 4 oz in seriously...I'm still amazed how much we can eat, and it's FOR LIFE WOW!!!:svengo:Hahahaha!

At about 2 months I started eating salads and have had no problems.

Broccoli is one of the few veggies I eat.....but I sure miss corn which was my favorite veggie besides broccoli.

I've had zucchini and squash several times too. That's pretty yummy especially sauteed in a pan with some onion and bell pepper..or grilled.

I LOVE cucumber and tomato salads in vinegar also.

Man here it is almost 1 am and now I'm hungry! lol