3.5 weeks post op and it looks like we are going out for a late lunch early dinner today with friends. I'm super worried. What should I get? I have no idea. I'm currently on the soft foods stage.

Do you know where you are going? If you don't, find out. If you do, look online for the menu so you can choose ahead of time.

Sometimes fish might work, though chew a lot and eat slowly. Othertimes, if the have chili, that usually works pretty well (at least it did for me). You want Protein but mashed potatoes can generally work. If you are going somewhere that has Miso Soup, that is usually a good option. I know this isn't a soft food but it may work--edamame (don't eat the pod, just the Beans inside!) Refried beans if they have them? I don't remember my soft food phase anymore so please check your list with the menu or call your nut for ideas.

Oh, and eat something before you go in case you can't find anything on the menu. Have some yogurt or cottage cheese or a protein drink.

Thanks for your input! Won't the mashed potatoes have too much fat in them?

Good question. I don't know. I just know that mashed potatoes was always mentioned to me during that phase.

In fact, I was told to only count Protein grams at that phase so I never thought about the fat content. Of course, be sensible and don't eat too much, especially since there isn't any protein in them either! lol. but a few bites should be fine if you can have some protein of some sort first. I was usually eating a yogurt or cottage cheese before I got to the restaurant so didn't really need to eat much anyway. If I was with people that didn't know about my surgery, I would order the closest thing to what I thought I could eat and just pick at that. Sometimes I couldn't eat hardly anything but would just say that I wasn't feeling 100%.

In my opinion go, please don't cancel. The last thing you want is to be isolated.

If all else fails, eat before you go and explain your gallbladder is giving you the hardest time and eating any fat seems to set it off. Gallbladder attacks apparently are the worst. Read up on it. You are trying to see if it will calm down and you don't want to take a chance. Let them believe you can't pick anything from the menu because it all has too much fat. Hello most restaurant food is too high in fat anyway. They'll believe you.

Order a non chunky soup if they have and eat a couple spoon, if not, Water with a lemon twist. At 3 1/2 weeks you do not want to take a chance, right?

Potatoes don't have fat, it's the stuff you add to them that is fat!

Get a baked potato and mash it with some salt pepper it's great

Pretty much any kind of soup and if the restaurants good they Will purée it for you just ask

And if your stomach tells you that you are full - stop eating and take the rest home for leftovers. Dumping syndrome is not a happy place.

Look for soups or broth also! I always went out when invited and accepted the challenge to ask the waiters for what I needed!

Lwprice,

How did you do eating out?