Ok so I am 20 months post op and still scared to eat rice. My doctor really put the fear of rice into me and I haven't touched it. My dr told me it could expand my stomach and basically rip it open. I need to switch up some food and my husband wants rice (he isn't sleeved), but I refuse to make it so I'm not tempted to eat it.

Is anyone else afraid of rice? Has anyone been able to eat it?

I believe your Dr was referring to early on in the journey. No rice until the staple line has completely healed over and fused. At 20 months out, your staple line is stronger than your stomach wall, so, it won't rip open.

I occassionally will have rice, but that is only because it is already mixed in with whatever I may be eating, avoiding it as much as possible. It is not for the whole expansion thing, but rather it is a volume of food which is, for all intent and purpose, nutritionally void. Would I rather eat 2 ounces of rice or two ounces of carmelized onions ... 2 ounces of meat ... 2 ounces of [fill in the blank]. It is difficult for me to justify renting out that much space for rice when there are so many better choices on my plate.

Wow, I'm kind of shocked a doctor would say that. I'm sure, possibly, if you sat down and ate an entire serving of just rice, then maybe...?

I'm in my seventh month and I started allowing *very little* rice in my diet around month five. Now when I say *very little* I mean whatever little tiny pieces are still stuck to the seaweed as I scrape the rest off of a sushi roll (I can only eat 1-2 pieces after my sashimi). Or when we have curry dishes, I might use 1-2 spoonfuls of rice. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. And I should note that we only have these foods 2-3 times a month. So, no, rice isn't a staple in my diet at all, and I make the judgement call if I feel like it's been a while or if I would rather not bother. And I always chew, chew, chew!

But it never expanded and made my stomach explode.

Thanks you guys. I'm not going to make it a staple in my diet, I just don't want to be paranoid if I happen to have a little or it's on my plate or anything like that. I've seriously been scared to let it even touch my plate for the last 20 months. The times when we've eaten somewhere that has rice I send my plate back if it's on there.

I'm almost four months out and my NUT has encouraged me to eat quinoa. It's very tasty and is a super food.

I am 3 1/2 months out and I can eat rice.... granted it's not much but a couple of bites and I am good.. I usually eat it when I indulge in sushi.. I fill up on 3 pieces of a roll versus 3 whole rolls!!! I love the fact that I can still enjoy my favorite foods in moderation! I also eat quinoa and bulgar.... Love my whole grains!!