I'm just over two weeks post op. I was cleared for the pureed stage of foods, so I've been eating pureed foods since Monday. But no matter what I do, it just sits too heavy in my stomach. I feel too full despite eating the same volume as I did with liquids. There was a meal or two where I felt ok, but mostly too full. So I'm going back to liquids. Have I damaged anything by eating purees too soon? Have I set myself too far back in my recovery?

I wouldn't worry too much about if you have done any damage - I highly doubt you have! Especially if you have been following the recommendations of your surgical team.

It is a little bit of hit and miss learning in the early stages - what feels good, what doesn't etc. If you think a puree is too thick, just thin it out a little bit and then gradually increase! For example, I'd have yogurts but just thin it out with milk.

My surgeon literally recommended that I have a week on each stage, so that just goes to show you that the gap can be quite small!

So long as you aren't in any severe or prolonged pain, I think you should be okay! Always reach out to your surgical team if you are worried though

Going back a stage for a little while is never a bad thing. We are all different and heal at different rates. In a few days, maybe try a smaller portion, thinned out a bit like @Bypass2Freedom suggested. You can always supplement with protein shakes and just try new things when your home and don’t have a lot going on.

Also just to add, in those initial weeks post-surgery, my team recommended that I limit each meal to around 8 mouthfuls (using children's cutlery), just because the signals which tell us we are full aren't healed just yet, and that limited the over-eating!

Thanks!

I've been blending tuna and yohurt so it's about yoghurt consistency, but I wonder if purees weigh more. 4oz of liquid is fine, 4oz of puree is too much. I might try the guidance of 8 small mouthfuls. I have a small spoon that is smaller than a normal teaspoon so I will try that.

1 hour ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

Thanks!

I've been blending tuna and yohurt so it's about yoghurt consistency, but I wonder if purees weigh more. 4oz of liquid is fine, 4oz of puree is too much. I might try the guidance of 8 small mouthfuls. I have a small spoon that is smaller than a normal teaspoon so I will try that.

Yea 4 oz is a bit much to start. I believe my guidance was 2oz to being puree stage. My team allowed me to eat more often but some programs frown upon that. Maybe ask about that at your follow up and just do even smaller portions to start.

Edited October 25, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

53 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

Yea 4 oz is a bit much to start. I believe my guidance was 2oz to being puree stage. My team allowed me to eat more often but some programs frown upon that. Maybe ask about that at your follow up and just do even smaller portions to start.

I didn't really get a lot of guidance other then 2 weeks liquid. 2 weeks purée 2 week soft than normal. I think I'm going to try smaller portions of purée

10 minutes ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

I didn't really get a lot of guidance other then 2 weeks liquid. 2 weeks purée 2 week soft than normal. I think I'm going to try smaller portions of purée

10 minutes ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

I didn't really get a lot of guidance other then 2 weeks liquid. 2 weeks purée 2 week soft than normal. I think I'm going to try smaller portions of purée

yea I think mine was like 1-2 oz. I didnt have my stomach operated on because it was a revision this time so I was able to do the top of the range right away which was 2 oz. I would call your team and ask to be sure but maybe start with just one tiny bite and wait and see how it goes and then SLOWLY go up. You should hear back from them before you get to 1 oumce. I think that was the lower end but you always want to hear it from your team anyways. Or check to see if it’s written in any or the papers they gave you.

Edited October 25, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

2 hours ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

Thanks!

I've been blending tuna and yohurt so it's about yoghurt consistency, but I wonder if purees weigh more. 4oz of liquid is fine, 4oz of puree is too much. I might try the guidance of 8 small mouthfuls. I have a small spoon that is smaller than a normal teaspoon so I will try that.

When I had Tuna for the first time, it was in my soft food stage and it was heavy to eat. In puree, I stuck with cottage cheese, creamy soups, yogurt, mashed beans, and "ricotta bake". I would say try puree, but nix the tuna for now.

I wasn't eating more than a 1/4 cup at a time.

Edited October 25, 20241 yr by Chatterboxdea

I never did puree because the idea of eating blended food was just BLECH. I went from liquids to soft, mushed foods. So I did liquids for 2 weeks, then I did soft, mushy foods for 3 weeks. I ate things like creamy soup, refried beans, mashed potatoes, avocado spread, hummus, yogurt, mashed black beans, and then the 3rd week I ate tuna, cottage cheese, SUPER steamed veggies, etc... But I only ate about 2 to 2 1/2 oz each time because there was NO WAY I could eat more.

My puréed stage was mainly slightly thicker cream based soups with solid strained out like broccoli cheddar I managed max 1/2 cup in small sips twice a day

tuna for me was solid Phase

I think it may be too much volume too. I was advised 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup from purée. Also try thinning the purée more so it’s more liquid like for a coupe of days & see if that helps. But yes, going back to liquids for a couple of days or so won’t hurt either. Maybe try one meal puree, the other two liquids?

I found tinned fish pureed disgusting and survived a lot on thicker soups & yoghurt. Luckily I could have thin scrambled eggs and thin instant oatmeal as well.

I've definitely been puréeing the tuna so it's the right texture, but I think you all might be right about the portion size itself. I got handed a leaflet about what to eat post op, but they don't actually suggest any food ideas with measurements until the solid phase. I do ok on 4oz of liquid, but I think I will try half of that for purée and see how I get on. I'm trying not to be in a hurry to move on to the next stage, but I'm really miserable at this stage.

5 hours ago, NeonRaven8919 said:

I've definitely been puréeing the tuna so it's the right texture, but I think you all might be right about the portion size itself. I got handed a leaflet about what to eat post op, but they don't actually suggest any food ideas with measurements until the solid phase. I do ok on 4oz of liquid, but I think I will try half of that for purée and see how I get on. I'm trying not to be in a hurry to move on to the next stage, but I'm really miserable at this stage.

I was definitely allowed tuna and egg salad on the purée stage BUT, I did not have those until near the end of the stage. Think about it as a continuum and think of all the stages between liquid and purée that they did not name. You have however, long you’re on purée phase to slowly work your way up to the thicker purées. So if the blended tuna does not go well, then try some thinner. 2 ounces doesn’t go well then try one ounce. I did at the opposite way and tried the 1 ounce really thin to start and then worked my way up instead of trying and going back. Honestly, honestly, after experiencing what you had, I would probably try one bite and wait a while but it’s up to you as long as you’re within your recommendations. Also, there were foods to avoid until way down the road such as fibrous veggies or fruits with seeds or stringy things like oranges. can’t remember all the others maybe other people will chime in if your boo didn’t give you the guidance I mean, they are puréed. They are not advised.

Edited October 26, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

Some other advice I was given was to only try new foods at home and try them one at a time so that if you do have an issue, you know exactly what caused it. Sometimes it’s not about texture at all. Some people just have issues with certain foods that can last a while. I think eggs is a pretty common one. And for future reference (when you back to normal food) lettuce is another one that tends to give people issues. The chopped lettuce is a little better. It actually is the food that gives some people issues who didn’t have surgery. The chopped lettuce is way easier on our digestive systems. I saved steak and lettuce for last.

Edited October 26, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

TBH the smell and look of puree made me puke. I skipped it all together. I bought Heinz soups and seived the bits out. I had to go back to the last stage a few times.

It gets easier when you can feel your restriction. Before that I had to rely on a runny nose or a sneeze to tell me I was full. This really is the hardest stage to master because its all new and we are so frightened to get it wrong. This forum helped me loads in this stage