What's it like to eat with other people?

[cuchas 51]

Hey all!

I'll be getting the surgery this month and am wondering how do you eat around other people?

I know you have to eat your food very slowly and wait at least 30 minutes before you drink... how is this when you eat around other people or even when eating out at a restaurant?

[Tauruslady5 154]

Hi...

I had my surgery on 11/21/14.

I have already gone to restaurants and also family funcitons. I eat the way I am suppose to, and it does not bother the others I am with.

when I go to the restaurant, I eat slowly so it looks like I am eating along with my friends. It is no big deal. As for the drinking, I got use to drinking 1/2 hour before I would go out to dinner. Then 1/2 hour after eating. Most of my friends do not drink with their meals anyways, so it was no big deal.

You just eat like you normally would.....just smaller bites.

Enjoy this beautiful day !!!

[joatsaint 2,814]

It's never really been an issue with me. I just eat slowly and if anyone asks why, I just tell them it's part of my diet plan. Getting adjusted to not drinking with a meal took a loooooonnnnnnggggg time. It was very frustrating, in the beginning, taking a sip that was just enough to wet my tongue, but eventually I adjusted. Now it's an unconscious habit.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

Just as others have said, it isn't a big deal. Most people aren't paying attention to how fast you eat or even how much you eat or whether you drink with your meal. My experience has been that unless you bring it up, no one will notice or care.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

It depends on you. Some people are self conscious about eating slowly or eating differently. I'm not. I was back to eating out probably around 4 weeks post op which was when I was allowed soft foods. Since then I have been to several social functions and eat out as much as I did before surgery. If the waiter takes drink orders I either order nothing or just order Water and push it away. I also end up with lots and lots of doggy bags. In fact depending on where I eat, I actually order with the doggy bag in mind. Most meals leave me with a doggy bag that I can get 3 - 4 additional meals out of.

[Jendroppinglbs 24]

I was sleeved on 2/27/15, I have been out to eat with my family and enjoyed my grandsons birthday party. Going out to eat is just like before its just that I now order different food. My husband and daugher got hamburgers and I opted for scrambled eggs with cheese. I was still able to enjoy eating with them but I must say it was hard not to ask my husband for a small piece of meat off his burger because it smelled so good but I was still on the soft part of my post op diet so I couldn't The neat part was that I was able to eat my leftovers for 2 more meals so it really saves you your food budget. So far as food at my grandsons birthday party I just brought my own food and ate it while others were having pizza.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Jendroppinglbs

[sprocket 104]

I try to order off the small plates, appetizer, or light menus, if there's anything appropriate to eat on them. I also usually order with an eye toward leftovers - some things preserve better than others. However, there are times when you just need to order what sounds good regardless of how well it keeps, or just eat what you can and let the rest go. No one seems to notice or care about how or what I'm eating.

[JerseyCityGal 231]

How much time do you spend analyzing other peoples plates, what and how much they are eating and how fast they chew?

That's how much attention they are going to be paying to you - hardly any at all.

I eat out a lot. I always end up with a doggie bag. If anyone comments that I didn't eat very much I say "I had a huge lunch. Now I have lunch for tomorrow too!" and move on. It's just small talk. They don't really care.

I wait until I get home to have post-meal liquids.

Edited April 3, 2015 by JerseyCityGal

[liannatx 897]

I am close to 4 weeks post op and I have been out several times. We did a Chinese buffet and I had a bowl of Egg drop Soup, and took half of it home in a container for lunch the next day. I went with a group to a Mexican restaurant and ordered a single side serving of refried Beans. We went to a Chili's and I ordered a bowl of Tortilla Soup and asked for mostly the broth, which is all I ate.

I haven't had any problems finding something to order, and I don't mind sitting with others that are eating a full meal. I also know that soon enough I will be ordering appetizers or Entrees along with them... and getting several meals worth from mine! I am very comfortable for now saying " I just want a bowl of Egg drop soup".

[samuelsmom 670]

No problem at all! My first outing after surgery on November 19th was a work holiday party about 3 weeks later. I slowly enjoyed a bowl of Maryland Crab Soup. It took me about 1/2 hour to get it all in and guess what? No one noticed!