Hi all

I know that in the early days you have to chew your food to a pulp as you're still healing & swollen.

My question is, do we have to chew our food like this forever? If not, at roughly what stage were you able to take bigger bites or chew 'normally' again?

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I still chew a lot and I am 15 months out. Personal choice really as I seem to get more in if I do so and I am more comfortable after a meal. I also find that chewing a lot focuses my mind on what I am eating and why, Protein first blah blah. I seem to enjoy my food more when being mindful of it. I have on occasion wolfed food down, without chewing much and only ended up bringing it back up and feeling full after 2 bites.

Funnily enough my husband recently had to be rushed to hospital as an emergency. He had been eating chicken and some got suck in his throat. It was a dreadful time and he had to go to theatre whilst they fished it all out. The consultant told my husband, "You have teeth, use them, chew chew chew".

So now we both do lol.

At almost 17 months post-op, I can say that sometimes I forget to chew enough and / or eat slowly enough, and I am miserable quickly. As @@_Kate_ said, if I can take the tine to eat slower and chew well, the meal is more enjoyable and my stomach hurts less and I am often able to leave food on my plate as opposed to shoveling food in my mouth and then getting too full and miserable.

So, it does get easier. I'm. OT sure I can tell you exactly when but if you can build the habit and learn to hate that "rule" less, it is a great new helpful habit to embrace.

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I'm able to eat normally (5.5 months after) although I still try to chew meat more carefully (and overall prefer to have fish/vegetarian foods) but I can eat everything just far less. I can also eat a meal pretty quickly (which I sometimes have to) but I would strongly recommend that you try to stick to eating slowly and chewing well just because you have much less chance of overeating/doing any damage.

On the few occasions I have overeaten, although you would think it would be uncomfortable and then ease over time, in fact it got worse over time (30-45 mins) until I was sick. I think eating slowly will most prevent this.

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