I am 7 days post op and have had a remarkably quick recovery physically. However, I think that I made a mistake this past weekend (days 5 & 6 post-op) when I decided to go out of town with my family to visit my husband's family with an overnight stay. I thought that it would be good for me to get up and stretch my legs while shopping but found myself getting off track with my Water intake and getting dehydrated. I also kind of lost it in a food court when I was surrounded by people eating delicious smelling food while I had absolutely nothing but my water. I had brought a bowl & strainer and planned to get pho broth from a particular restaurant but because of traveling with others, actually wound up somewhere that had nothing that I could eat. I was having one of those mornings where I would have rather have nothing than drink any more Protein shake so I hadn't eaten anything since the night before. The other adults actually wandered off so I couldn't just get up and shop and leave the kids there by themselves. So I just set there fuming. When I did manage to get out of the food court, I did get to drink some of the awful Protein Shake that I keep in the car in case I need it.

I seem to have aversion to almost every food that I am allowed but they are fleeting aversions. I have bought about 8 different kinds of acceptable Soups and have different Protein shakes. I found that I might absolutely detest something one morning so I pack something else only to find that later my taste has changed and I now detest what I have packed, I tried to take at least two different things, savory and sweet, when traveling but I still find that I just can't keep up with my changing taste.

My parents have asked me to go on a 3 day trip with them this next weekend. I love the idea of getting to go somewhere with my parents but I told them about how difficult this last weekend was (several experiences being stuck watching others eat with nowhere to go), They said that they would make sure to drop me off somewhere else when they go out to eat. I am just not sure if I should even be traveling at this point. Maybe I should just stay home where I can go into my kitchen and select whatever food my stomach currently finds acceptable. I don't know how I am going to deal with this when I have to return to work in a couple of weeks. I am going to have to pack food with me and I don't know if I will be able to stomach what I've packed.

So sorry to hear about your struggles. You are 7 days post op and this will be the biggest adjustment period for you during this first 6 weeks. Your struggles are understandable and you will soon discover how much our lives revolve around food!! You don't HAVE to eat when others are eating and you can't close yourself off from the world because of it.

While still on full liquids, I went out of town for 4 days. We drove and therefore packed a cooler. I put items in the cooler like Protein shakes, bottled waters, and applesauce. Because I knew if nothing else I could have that. I would drink a shake in the morning, or have a small bowl of oatmeal for Breakfast. Sip on Water or have a cold applesauce as a snack during the day. We went out for dinner a couple times. My hubby is very supportive and knows the drill. We have similar taste and therefore share our meal. In front of others I may say, "you know I'm really not that hungry hun and I don't want to waste food I'm just going to share with you!" No one thinks anything of it.

As time goes on, you will learn how to work it. Now that I am on regular foods, If I'm out with friends and see something healthy that I want off the menu, I just order it and have them bring a to go box from the start and typically it becomes breakfast lunch and dinner for the next day. Most times I just share a meal with my hubby or the kids. Focus more on the time with your family not the food.

Edited August 22, 201610 yr by Candygyrl

let me encourage you that as time goes by this is a situation that resolves it's self.

but for me personally? that first month I wanted to be at home with total control.

Thanks for the advice. I know that this will just be something that I will just have to adjust to and eventually it will resolve when I am able to eat off the menu. I guess that I should be thankful that I am doing so well and not having real problems with eating or drinking post-op- just psychological ones. I might consider staying home for awhile longer because for whatever reason, I am ok at home, even preparing meals for others as long as I have access to whatever food my stomach feels it is in the mood for.