Eating solids- noticing a consistent pattern

[gwbicster 257]

I notice a consistent pattern regarding my ability to eat solids. I am almost 5 weeks out.

No matter how little I put on my plate- if I am able to go as slow as I should and listen to my body, I can NEVER finish it in one sitting. I'm supposed to be up to 3 ounces now but most times I still put 2 ounces on my plate. Whether I put 2 or 3 ounces on my plate, there is ALWAYS a small quantity of food left after a meal (so unusual for me- since I was a small child my grandfather's "make a clean plate or you won't get custard" always rings in my ears). And what's funny is, it's usually the same amount remaining! (Is this psychosomatic?) If I clean my plate now, I almost always will have to spit up the little extra amount.

The other thing is, to be honest, outside of my head hunger, if I had my choice I'd still be back on the previous phase or Protein Shakes and purees. It is just easier to process, still. Is this an indication that the swelling in my pouch is a little bit behind in the healing process? Should I go with this feeling or do I have to "tough through" the process with solids so it will get better? Or am I just pushing myself too hard?

It's always the same with solids. I am tremendously excited about eating them when I am hungry, followed by a very faint nausea about half way through the eating process, followed sometimes by about a 15 minute process of debating whether I need to throw up or not (usually not). With liquids or purees or Ricotta cheese this never happens.

Thoughts?

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

It's simply the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive foods. Hence the reason to stick to eating foods that cater to restriction and digest slowly.

[jess9395 5,449]

Totally normal. I mean everyone is different, but this is a pattern many of us see.

My doc/nutritionist didn't tell me specific amounts I had to get "up to" but I couldn't have eaten 3oz at 5 weeks. I still have days I can't eat 3oz of a Protein like chicken. Other days I can. And I am four years out!

And I had no interest in food for months.

Some people are different, but this is totally normal!!! Don't push to eat more than satisfies you, it's a bad bad habit to get into... it's over eating.

And it will change and improve. You will be able to eat more and the desire to eat WILL come back. So make the most of this window!

[Berry78 4,259]

Sounds exactly like my experience. I would weigh out 3 oz, then weigh out how much I didn't eat. Say I didn't eat 1oz. The next time I had the same thing, I would just weigh out 2oz, and I usually could then finish it. I only increased from 2 to 2.5oz when I was consistently cleaning up the 2, and started feeling like I could have eaten another bite. In this way, I worked up to 4 oz, but stopped there. I now measure out 4 ounces of most things, whether I could eat more doesn't matter. Sometimes I finish, sometimes I don't. No biggie. Leaving one bite left happens about 30% of the time.

Funny story.. ordered a cup of chili at a restaurant, and some wings. Ate 1 wing, and all but one spoonful of chili. Was stuffed! The waitress comes to collect my chili cup, and says.. come on, there's only one more bite! I politely declined. *shakes head* everyone wants people to belong to the clean plate club! (My family finished the wings). I think I was about 3 months out when that happened.

[gwbicster 257]

Well see that's what's weird about it. I weigh out 3 ounces, can't finish it. So the next time I weigh out 2 ounces, STILL can't finish it, the same amount of food is left as when I weighed out 3 ounces. I wonder what would happen if I weigh out 1 ounce, hmmm...

[Newme17 3,444]

Also depends on the food too. I found that I can finish 3-4oz of a light salad but only 2 oz of anything else and I'm 9 weeks out, today.

[Brandeis 401]

If I put 4oz of solid chicken on my plate, I'm sure that I would STRUGGLE through eating it. But when it's 4oz of a mix of things, some chicken, some fruit, some cheese, etc -- it's much easier. So in this case, it could have less to do with how much you're eating as WHAT you're eating?

Honestly, until recently I found many meats very difficult. I'm 8 months out now and its' settled a lot, but it's still easier for me to do cheese...

[gwbicster 257]

That's a good point. My NUT told me not to add veggies until week 6. But it makes sense that the reason I struggle is that I'm eating all Protein right now.

[jess9395 5,449]

Well see that's what's weird about it. I weigh out 3 ounces, can't finish it. So the next time I weigh out 2 ounces, STILL can't finish it, the same amount of food is left as when I weighed out 3 ounces. I wonder what would happen if I weigh out 1 ounce, hmmm...

Keep notes and see it's different types of food, times of day, etc. Some days I can eat more some days less. I can typically eat more at lunch than dinner. I can eat more yogurt than chicken and more chicken than tuna.

[jess9395 5,449]

If I put 4oz of solid chicken on my plate, I'm sure that I would STRUGGLE through eating it. But when it's 4oz of a mix of things, some chicken, some fruit, some cheese, etc -- it's much easier. So in this case, it could have less to do with how much you're eating as WHAT you're eating?
Honestly, until recently I found many meats very difficult. I'm 8 months out now and its' settled a lot, but it's still easier for me to do cheese...

Very much this! Even at four years out.

[Berry78 4,259]

This is funny, cuz cheese sits like a brick in my tummy (except cottage cheese). I'll eat it on rare occasions (and it IS getting easier), but on a day to day basis, I don't touch the stuff. Meanwhile I'm eating steak, chicken, pork chops, etc. etc. Some of the meat is really dry too! (I take my time with it, but it goes down just fine). Well... hamburger patties can be dry, and it's fine.. but dry chicken breast is still a no-go. Keep in mind I'm 4 months out.

Maybe just serve up the 1oz, and go back for more if you want. 5 weeks is still really early, and 2-3oz is probably just too much... and you likely are overeating when you are faced with the larger amount. I think I pretty much lived off of cottage cheese at 5 weeks out, so 2-3oz made sense. 1oz of tuna salad would have been my limit. (Too bad I didn't write this stuff down, so you're just getting cobwebby memories).

[Brandeis 401]

Yikes, I missed that you said only 5 weeks out!! XDDD I was mostly still eating scrambled eggs at that point...

[Apple1 2,572]

You got some great answers here so I'll just add that my experience mirrors them. Dense Protein fills me up fast and most times I can only eat 2-2.5oz and then 1 oz of veggies. I usually put 4oz on my plate, but even now at 9 weeks post-op I don't always finish it.