Am 5 weeks post op. I have been out to eat 4 times. Each time I am rushing to get out of there feeling like I am going to pass out and vomit. But yet when I eat the food at home (including the left overs from the horrible out to eat experience) I feel fine. Any suggestions? My daughters soccer team is having a pizza party. I am going to get a small salad and hope I don't embarrass her or myself after I eat And in June (hoping this is better by then) I have to go on work trip for 11 days. That will be a lot of eating out with co workers.

Edited April 13, 201412 yr by Nowrys29

It sounds like when you are out at a restaurant, you are either eating too fast, taking too big of bites, not chewing well enough, or eating too much - or some combination of all of the above! It can be difficult to concentrate on your regular eating patterns when you are in a social situation like a restaurant, lots of distracting stuff going on. But really try to focus on your usual rules of eating slowly, small bites -- and push the plate away WELL before you think you are full. It might help. Good luck!

Thanks! I will make a small salad and be sure to eat slowly and chew a lot. Hopefully the salad sits well.

You also might be having a bit of anxiety/panic about what MIGHT happen if you're not careful. Your mind plays lots of tricks on you! At home, if something doesn't go right, you're at least at home and comfortable. Out, you feel trapped, embarrassed or scared.

If you can talk yourself through those feelings (I know this is my mind panicking, I know I will be fine, I will push these scared feelings away), you might have an easier time of it.

Make sure you focus on eating and do not try to talk while eating. If I were going to the pizza party I would eat before I went, and I would say the truth, I do not do pizza and I am dieting. We did not try salad until about 3 months post surgery and it now sits well with us, but I read so many posts here.....I was afraid to try it. We eat out at least once or twice a week with friends, and we focus on fun and talking, and food is not the focus. I also meet girlfriends for lunch at least twice a month and we all have go boxes. You probably need to slow down the eating a bit. My husband has mastered eating slower than me, and I am still practicing lol!

I agree that salad may not be the best choice to eat. It is harder for the stomach to digest and it is "empty" mostly in Protein. I would say, have a piece of pizza, but only the topping part, with the cheese... and maybe veggies... that would be your protein

Eat a salad at home first and see how you do. It may make you sick or cause a little discomfort and nausea Bc of the way your body digests it.