I am going into my 5th week and I am finding eating so unpleasureable and an unhappy event. I miss looking forward to eating. Now, I just do it out of survival.

I still feel comfortable with shakes, Protein bars, Soups, yogurt and cashews flat pretezels with no yeast. Everything else is a struggle. I try grilled chicken and chewing 1000 times is hard for me. Many times I have gotten the chicken stuck and I have had to throw up to feel better. Same thing with very soft moist roast pork. Doesn't work. I am really starting to wonder if it is not about swelling, but the stricture. Is it something they can loosen up?

I miss gulping cold Water when I am really thirsty and the relief that comes with it. I can be in the hot sun and wanting to drink water, and I have to sip it slowly and frequently, it sucks and not satisfiying.

I went to a festival today at a park. The food section had that strong fried smell. I was repulsed. I couldn't even breathe with out wanting to throw up. That smell was horrible. A smell that didn't bother me before. They had your typical stuff, fried cheese, donuts, corn dogs, hamburger, pizza, fries, fried fish, etc. I could not find one thing that was decent for me. Thank god I had a Protein Bar in my purse, it got me through the day. I kept looking at other people as they ate and I see kids with plates full of Cookies and sugar. I see heavy set girls with a plate full of fried, greasy food. You know the kind that you bite and the grease pops out? Yeah that. Eww. I would look at other people and the amount of bread in their sandwiches. Others were eating funnel cakes with lots of powder sugar and downing it with a regular pepsi. I was like wow. The things one notices when you are a bariatric patient post surgery is amazing. You start paying attention to all these details. At least I did. I was even looking at my BF as he was eating his fish and chips and thought wow....I need to get a life insurance policy on him. lol. Sounds mean I know, but paying attention to how he is eating and others, reminds me what I used to do. How can I not understand why I was fat? It is so obvious as to why.

All I want now is to just be able to sit and have a normal dinner without worrying if it is going to get stuck. That is all i ask for. I don't care if it is a tiny portion. I just hate eating scared. It is how I feel about food now. I fear it.

I felt that exact same way. I am 7.5 mos out and still cringe at a meal but not nearly as much as I used to. I snack all day so when The do sit down at a meal I don't feel so "depressed" and fed up about food.

I starting to get my taste back for food which is good.

Give it time. You'll enjoy food again but this time it'll be the right kinda like veggies and good proteins.

I sure hope so.

I felt that exact same way. I am 7.5 mos out and still cringe at a meal but not nearly as much as I used to. I snack all day so when The do sit down at a meal I don't feel so "depressed" and fed up about food.
I starting to get my taste back for food which is good.
Give it time. You'll enjoy food again but this time it'll be the right kinda like veggies and good Proteins.

I understand. The smell of food i cringed my nose! After 4 months it wasnt so bad. Iwhen i see others eat i think same thing. I eat to live now n not live to eat. Which is how i changed my thinking awhile back.i eat small allday it works for me. When we sit a family i eat but vry slow put fork down an chew slow. After about 5 btes im done. I am able to drink water faster now. Took some time but good now.your taste buds will change again. But i stopped processed foods yrs ago an all refined sugars an flours pasta starches awhile back . Hang in there we are reteaching ourselves to whats healthy. Its difficult to overcome head hunger..brain cravings our bodys were addicted!! Its withdrawls are tuff but can be gotten thru..xx

Dear blondebomb, I truly understand your predicament. I had sleeve on July 2013 and it's been WELL over a year and I still throw up almost every meal! It's horrible to feel slight hunger and to know you cannot eat. But I'm the one who chose this instead of all the excess weight I was carrying around. I feel your pain but I honestly have no good advice to offer you. I pray for all those going through the same thing. I'll be praying for you. Bless your heart.

All I want now is to just be able to sit and have a normal dinner without worrying if it is going to get stuck. That is all i ask for. I don't care if it is a tiny portion. I just hate eating scared. It is how I feel about food now. I fear it.

Don't forget what a big change you've just bargained for, a very large section of stomach is gone, it changes how you need to eat. You, and even 6 months out me, are relearning something that was natural for us for our lives up until now. You need to learn the signals from the sleeve, and care and feeding. For me, eating too fast, it doesn't like it, things like sandwiches (the bread) it doesn't like it, but we're getting to know one another and we're working together and I'm getting healthier. It's still early, its going to take a while for swelling to go down and to acclamate to this new lifestyle. Take your time and be patient, you and your sleeve are going to be together for a long time. Good luck!

Well that sucks to know. I was hoping this throwing up fest will subside after a while. I don't think I would be comfortable living like this for the rest of my life. There has to be some kind of happy medium. I hope.

Dear blondebomb, I truly understand your predicament. I had sleeve on July 2013 and it's been WELL over a year and I still throw up almost every meal! It's horrible to feel slight hunger and to know you cannot eat. But I'm the one who chose this instead of all the excess weight I was carrying around. I feel your pain but I honestly have no good advice to offer you. I pray for all those going through the same thing. I'll be praying for you. Bless your heart.

Thank you for that. Let me ask, how long did they tell you what the average time is for the swelliing to go down. I heard 6 wks. I am on my 5th week and I don't see that happening.

Don't forget what a big change you've just bargained for, a very large section of stomach is gone, it changes how you need to eat. You, and even 6 months out me, are relearning something that was natural for us for our lives up until now. You need to learn the signals from the sleeve, and care and feeding. For me, eating too fast, it doesn't like it, things like sandwiches (the bread) it doesn't like it, but we're getting to know one another and we're working together and I'm getting healthier. It's still early, its going to take a while for swelling to go down and to acclamate to this new lifestyle. Take your time and be patient, you and your sleeve are going to be together for a long time. Good luck!

I was never disgusted by food, but I would get so so stressed out and anxious before a meal, I would sometimes have to take an anti-anxiety pill! Now, at 10 weeks out, if I am eating at home, or my mom's, or out by myself, I am okay. No more anxiety. I'm working on the anxiety in other situations, it's still hard, but I am doing way better than I was at 5 weeks. It gets better, slowly but surely, it gets better!

@Pac-woman... I can't really comment about your symptoms regarding eating because I don't even start soft foods until tomorrow. ???? But I know exactly what you mean about seeing others eat and being amazed. I especially notice the outrageous portion size in fast food commercials. I always think "now I probably couldn't even get down more than one bite of that triple, bacon and cheese and whatever burger" though in the past, I would have super sized the combo and finished it all! I agree that being post-op makes you open your eyes and realize a lot.

Yeah, I have gone to McDonalds with my five year old and looking at the amount and kind of food people have on their trays is mind boggling. I'll see people with TWO big mac meals, whereas since my surgery I can't even finish a Happy Meal - my 5 year old can out eat me. And I'll be at 7-11 getting coffee and I'll see people literally getting a gallon of coke. That has to be more than your daily recommended calorie intake!

I've been out to dinner with my husband and also my book club, and I just can't wrap my brain around getting an appetizer AND dinner AND dessert. How did I used to eat that much?!!!

I couldn't eat a thing for the first 5 weeks not even a bottle of water aday . I was told it was because of the swelling. I was petrified to eat anything outside the guidelines because I was so scared to be in pain ( even water hurt the first month). When I got discharged my husband got pizza right before picking me up and the car smelled horrible and I threw up. I've gone out to restaurants just for the social part I get appetizers and can't even finish that but I had the same thoughts as you " omg I used to be able to eat appetizers dinner and deserts with a 12 oz soda even more ." I used cry about not being "normal" and I thought !will food be a challenge forever! I was jealous of the portion size they would be able to eat Now (12 weeks postop) i cant eat almost anything chicken nuts,toast, salads but of course 1/2 cup portions usually, MAYBE 1cup if my stomach lets me. I'm not saying it's 100% better because I'm not I have struggles almost everyday. Still learning ..... But it WILL get better I promise. MY normal is better healthier and I feel energetic. I think about it this way. I used to be in pain (had a hernia) tired AND fat and now after some few struggles finally getting skinny. Which is better??

I was driving home from work dreaming of a meatball sub from subway of course. It is nice to dream.

Got home and BF did homemade grilled burgers. Two bites and it got stuck. (I chewed! I drowned it in bbq sauce)

So aggravated!

I was driving home from work dreaming of a meatball sub from subway of course. It is nice to dream.

Got home and BF did homemade grilled burgers. Two bites and it got stuck. (I chewed! I drowned it in bbq sauce)

So aggravated!

Start taking your chicken or other meat and cut it up in a salad. Eat lettuce with the meat and see if that helps it stay down. That's what worked for me when my band was too tight. It's too early to know how my sleeve is going to react

I am afraid. I get full with just 2 ounces, 3 is pushing it. If I put lettuce, it will take up the space for the Protein.

I have become afraid of solids to be honest. The only thing I know that goes down easy that is somewhat solid is Protein Bars. I have a follow up with the surgeon next Wed. I will be asking what is up with this.

Start taking your chicken or other meat and cut it up in a salad. Eat lettuce with the meat and see if that helps it stay down. That's what worked for me when my band was too tight. It's too early to know how my sleeve is going to react

I have trouble with meat too and I'm 8 weeks out. I can only eat a 1/4 of a turkey patty and I'm done. But give me turkey chili and I can eat 4 ounces no problem. i don't really mind about the meat thing because it just confirms that I actually had surgery done. I actually questioned whether my surgeon did anything because I could drink without any problems after surgery and felt zero restriction while drinking.