I Need Food...

[andreapaige 0]

Hey

I've been talking to a patient facilitator and I'm booking a surgery with Dr. Almanza for October!!

I'm just Really nervous about what happens after the surgery - in respect to eating. I can't seem to wrap my head around the idea of going out to dinner with friends, or a date and only eating 3 or 4 bites of food. How do explain to people that you don't hate the food, but that you really can only eat 4 bites. What do people think when you don't eat?

I am doing this whole process alone, I haven't told anyone... I guess partly because I'm embarrassed and partly because they would be less than supportive about me flying to Mexico for surgery. But if I come home, and never eat, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to tell them.

I'm only 25 and the idea of eating Soup or mashed potatoes for 50 years scares the crap out of me. I want to eat healthy.. I can order a salad, but I have to know that I can eat it....I need to know that I can eat solid food some day... I keep reading about vomiting, diarrhea, Constipation and I start to panic and wonder if I'm doing the right thing.

Any reassurance that I will be able to eat, drink and at least appear to be sane would be greatly appreciated !

[FishingNurse 1,211]

You will eat again! Even at 3 weeks out I'm eating eggs, ground turkey, string cheese, cottage cheese, refried Beans, super soft cooked carrots, tofu, yogurt, Soups, etc! I am sure i will be eating normal by week 6 to 8. I'm just not yet for safety reasons. food is different post-op you get satisfied easily and off of a few bites!

[Adri 40]

I'm 3 months out and can eat anything I ate before surgery...just much less. But just because I can eat it doesn't mean I do. I eat virtually no deep fried foods and no sweets...and it doesn't bother me. It also doesn't bother anyone else. At first, it will seem odd if you try to go out to eat...I avoided restaurants for almost a month after surgery. But after that first month it won't be a problem for you. Just tell everyone your sticking to a diet...they don't have to know about surgery.

[Indymom 132]

Early on you might only be eating a few bites, but after the first few months you can typically have 3-4 ounces of food at a time. Picture a 6-oz filet (which is a reasonable sized steak). You'd be able to eat close to half of that and perhaps a few bites of salad or salad veggies. That's a "dining out" meal I feel like I can work with, and cutting that steak into small pieces and eating slowly will make me enjoy it that much more.

Like Nurselisa I'm starting week 4 and eating Beans, cheese, etc.

[andreapaige 0]

Thanks Ladies

I guess that makes sense, in my mind I keep comparing it to what I eat now.. which is way more than I need.

I know this a good thing and that I worry to much!

[SuperMom 33]

I eat lunch at work with my friends everyday. Now I have a chicken breast grilled and a couple bites of veggies. I cut the pieces up small and chew well and take my time and ENOY food. Eating is not going to be a problem. Before even after I finished a big plate I always had the "muchies". That feeling is gone and I don't miss it at all. I am in my 40's ....wish I would have done this at 30 and have more years not being the fattest person in the room. Good luck on your journey!

[CT Fats 82]

50 years of mashed potatoes and Soup. LOL that sounds horrible. Check out some of the recipes and threads in here. You will be surprised at all the yummy foods people can still chow down on and lose.

[Raine 170]

I am 4 months out and just last Friday night I went out to dinner with a friend. I had steak with sauteed squash. I ate about 1/2 the meal and took the rest home to hubby.

[To Be Thin 2011 80]

Just remember b/4 surgery we eat, we eat,,, alot of times our days revolve around food or what to eat.

After surgery.... the focus of food is out of the spotlight...you start enjoy going out to eat with friends and actually look forward to talking to them and sharing laughs.. the focus is off of food as much. It is hard to get our minds to change, but it will happen. I am almost 8 months out... now when I am out with friends, in my mind I think I am eating so little and they are going to ask me whats wrong, or why am I am not eating right... and instead... I look at our plates and most of the time I am eating the same as my skinny friends.. I am eating normal resturant portion, which is so small and not what I was use too prior to surgery. It really is a mind thing after awhile.

Another example that just happened to me on Sunday, I went to a bridal shower, there was a buffett of food. I proceed through taking what I thought was a small amount of food. When I got back to my table and looked around at how much food the other women took..my plate was quite full comparied to them.. and I could not eat all that I took. My head has not caught up to what "normal" is,, in my head I thought I was taking small protion but in the real non-obese world I was still taking large portions.. I really need my head to catch up to my tummy!!!

Please dont worry about dining out - honestly, once you get your body healed up and you get rolling on eating real food, it will be fine. I love eating out now with my friends... fast food: McDonalds grilled chicken salad, I eat the grilled chicken and cheese,, pick at some lettuce and that is it. Wendy's - small chilli - Taco Bell - pintos & cheese add meat... Its all good.. I could go on forever! The nicer resturants all have great speciality salads.. if ever in limbo order a chefs salad.. you get plenty of meat, egg & cheese all great protien, then you pick at the lettuce...

Good Luck..