Hi y'all! I'm 3 weeks post op and feeling great! I'm still learning and mastering how to properly eat during my soft foods stage.

Currently -- I can't help but wonder: Down the road -- does it still take, or should it still take, 20+ minutes to eat your food?

Also, do you not eat and drink at the same time? Sometimes when I am eating my food I feel like I need to take a small sip of water to just help me to get my food down. Prior to surgery, I've always drank my drinks before my meals and during my meals, and I would run through several cups of liquids during a meal...so it's a big adjustment for me to not drink and eat at the same time.

I'm trying my hardest to follow the "take 20 minutes to eat" rule as well as the "drink liquids 30 mins after meals" rule. I constantly have my timer out to help me.

Do these two "rules" change when you're further along the journey? Also, is there a rule about drinking liquids 30 mins before meals? I haven't found anything like that in my notes and paperwork...

Thanks!

Yea you are not suppose to drink for 30-45 minutes (To let your protein get absorbed) But if i feel like i have food stuck in my throat. i do take a small sip. I can eat a little quicker but i make sure not to. I take a bite like every few minutes. As for drinking before meals. This came up during my last nutritionist class and they said you can drink right before eating that its not a issue. But my paperwork says the drinking after eating thing is life long. (Tho of course all surgeons are different with their rules and such lol)

Seven years out. I probably SHOULD take 20 minutes to eat, but I don't always. I usually eat as quickly as I did pre-surgery, although slowing down wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe I wouldn't eat as much.

I still wait at least 30 minutes after I eat to drink anything. That's a lifer rule. You get used to it pretty quickly. But no, I doubt a small sip would hurt anything.

I don't really look at the clock when I eat but I'm not eating nearly as quickly as anyone around me. I do sip as necessary during meals.

Again, I don't look at the clock when deciding to decide when I drink before or after meals, but I'd say I would generally be rule compliant if someone had a stopwatch running.

Good luck,

Tek

I eat quicker than I should, but not to the point where it makes me sick or in pain, and my portions are still small enough that I won't get accidentally too full and not realize it.

I do follow the 30 minute rule before drinking, always.

Three years out & I take 30-60minutes to eat - probably average 40minutes for a meal. If I eat too quickly my restriction kicks in & then I’m done. I also do it because I don’t focus as much on the act of eating as I did before surgery. Still ask myself do I need the next bite or do I just want it & I often put food on my fork but then put it down again too. I still take small bites too. A lot of it is just habit now.

Remember it takes time for the full message to get through & when it does you likely have eaten more than you need & are more than full. My full message can be very slow, (30mins or so after I’ve finished) which also directs my slow eating but that is me.

I’m not someone who has been able to go back to skulling a lot of liquid. Two large mouthfuls at a time. A couple of minutes later I can have another mouthful. I can have a couple of sips up to 5 minutes before I eat & about the same after. But not mouthfuls as they can be too filling & wash the food out of my tummy more quickly.

So I guess it really comes down to what you’re able to do & what works for you. But certainly while you are losing keep waiting to drink before & after you eat & keep eating slowly.

Eight months out. I usually take 20-40 minutes. It takes time for the 'full' signal to reach my brain.

Depends on what it is. The softer stuff (eggs, ground meats, etc.) disappear fairly quickly for me. How much of an effect it has on my stomach depends on how fast, but the food is usually gone in about 10-15 minutes, depending on whether or not I'm distracted by something at the time - i.e. right here at the computer. But I still keep up the 30+ minute separation of drinks, even if a small tidbit happens to go down the wrong tube for whatever reason.