Did anyone have trouble eating during the soft food stage? I am having so much trouble eating and my stomach hurts.

Hi Jgirl.

Just to give context to your post you want to update your profile to show what surgery you had, when you had it. What food is causing pain, etc etc. Hopefully it won't be long before you get a response.

Alternatively you could tag on to the monthly thread for your surgery, you will find people at the same stage as you going through the same things.

There will be people experiencing the same as you for sure. Have you checked in with your doctor or dietician for guidance?

If you are in pain you should call your doctor. Soft foods are so close to puree that you really should not be in pain unless you are eating too fast and then it is more of a pressure in your chest than a pain. I hope you feel better and please reach out to your dr as they will know best.

Keep us posted!

14 hours ago, Jgirl2000 said:

Did anyone have trouble eating during the soft food stage? I am having so much trouble eating and my stomach hurts.

It looks like you are a month post-op after RNY gastric bypass surgery. According to my meal plan, I was restricted to full liquids for the first 4 weeks after surgery and then pureed foods for the next four. It wasn't until week 9 that I was allowed to transition into solid foods. So when you said soft foods I am interpreting this as pureed foods, something with the consistency of mashed potatoes. I was given a detailed meal planning book that listed what foods were acceptable at this stage.

The three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight.

Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. You begin at 2 ounces (1/4 cup) per meal and gradually over the next year and a half increase the volume to 1 cup per meal. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as protein shakes.

So make sure you are meeting your protein, fluid and vitamin daily requirements.

If all is good at this point, then I would look for possible medical conditions. Generally they fall into 2 major areas: strictures and ulcers.

According to the internet:

Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints after bariatric surgery, and they are typically associated with inappropriate diet and noncompliance with a gastroplasty diet (ie, eat undisturbed, chew meticulously, never drink with meals, and wait 2 hours before drinking after solid food is consumed). If these symptoms are associated with epigastric pain, significant dehydration, or not explained by dietary indiscretions, an alternative diagnosis must be explored. One of the most common complications causing nausea and vomiting in gastric bypass patients is anastomotic ulcers, with and without stomal stenosis. Ulceration or stenosis at the gastrojejunostomy of the gastric bypass has a reported incidence of 3% to 20%. Although no unifying explanation for the etiology of anastomotic ulcers exists, most experts agree that the pathogenesis is likely multifactorial. These ulcers are thought to be due to a combination of preserved acid secretion in the pouch, tension from the Roux limb, ischemia from the operation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and perhaps Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence suggests that little acid is secreted in the gastric bypass pouch; however, staple line dehiscence may lead to excessive acid bathing of the anastomosis. Treatment for both marginal ulcers and stomal ulcers should include avoidance of NSAIDs, antisecretory therapy with proton-pump inhibitors, and/or sucralfate. In addition, H pylori infection should be identified and treated, if present.

14 hours ago, Jgirl2000 said:

Did anyone have trouble eating during the soft food stage? I am having so much trouble eating and my stomach hurts.

I had RNY on the same day. Just take a step back and stick with puree for another week. My plan has me transitioning to soft foods next Monday. When you try soft foods like tuna or dark meat chicken, chew the crap out of it and eat one bite, wait a minute or two after swallowing and see how it feels. You have to get the sense of when your pouch is full. It takes practice. I'm still learning.

I'm in the soft food stage. Sometimes I have trouble eating as well. I just make sure I chew my food really well and try not to rush the next bite. Some foods are easier than others but I'm loving this phase. Sometimes I will revert back to other stages if Im not to hungry. Soup is always a good go to. Hope it gets better for you...

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Take your time. These are just guidelines. We all reach them at different times and it's you stomach that will tell you when it's ready not the book. And it will let you know for sure what it likes or not. Plus your taste buds will change big time. I'm still learning and still trying to get settled in. But if it's a pain that is not going away you have to call your doctor always.

On 1/15/2019 at 8:42 PM, Jgirl2000 said:

Did anyone have trouble eating during the soft food stage? I am having so much trouble eating and my stomach hurts.

I am in the soft food stage as well and I can tell you it has been VERY challenging. Most days I really don't even want try soft foods and just stick to liquids. When I do, I use a timer to monitor my intake, 3-5 minutes between bites, and only 11 or 12 bites total. It makes eating unpleasant (which is maybe the goal). When the pain occurs it's usually 20-30 seconds after I swallow something, just at or below the level of my rib cage. After a few attempts, I can get down a few bites, but as soon as I feel any pain I stop immediately. A few times the pain was so bad I had thoughts of going to the ER, so it's made me pretty wary.

The worst foods I've found have been finely ground turkey and scrambled eggs. Chicken salad can be ok, but it has be like utter mush. Veggies seem ok as long as they are mashed like very loose baby food. I should add that I'm still having issues drinking any unthickened liquid as far as pain and resistance. I'm able to get by by taking very, very small sips at a time. My dietitian said it's normal for this stage and that people heal at different rates. One thing's for sure, I'm losing weight. So far my calories never reach what the program calls for, but I don't feel hungry.

I am in the soft food stage as well and I can tell you it has been VERY challenging. Most days I really don't even want try soft foods and just stick to liquids. When I do, I use a timer to monitor my intake, 3-5 minutes between bites, and only 11 or 12 bites total. It makes eating unpleasant (which is maybe the goal). When the pain occurs it's usually 20-30 seconds after I swallow something, just at or below the level of my rib cage. After a few attempts, I can get down a few bites, but as soon as I feel any pain I stop immediately. A few times the pain was so bad I had thoughts of going to the ER, so it's made me pretty wary.
The worst foods I've found have been finely ground turkey and scrambled eggs. chicken salad can be ok, but it has be like utter mush. Veggies seem ok as long as they are mashed like very loose baby food. I should add that I'm still having issues drinking any unthickened liquid as far as pain and resistance. I'm able to get by by taking very, very small sips at a time. My dietitian said it's normal for this stage and that people heal at different rates. One thing's for sure, I'm losing weight. So far my calories never reach what the program calls for, but I don't feel hungry.

Today is still pureed for me, but tomorrow begins soft, and I am struggling also. I get pain and pressure in the middle of my chest where the sternum is with eating and drinking most things. This is only my third day out from surgery though. Every bite or drink is a challenge for me also right now.

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