Starting Purees Monday! Two questions.

Hey, Sleevers!  It has been one long month of liquids and I am really excited about starting purees on Monday.  I am a little nervous at the same time, though, and want to ask a couple of questions.  Did it feel strange the first time you ate something solid?  I'm scared it's going to hurt or something.  Granted, by solid I mean mushy, but it still something much more dense than the protein shakes I've been drinking.  I've had a nearly ideal surgery experience from beginning to end.  Little pain, zero gas pain at the hospital, tolerated all of my liquids, etc.  The only instances of nausea I had were medication or dehydration related.  So, I have every reason to believe that my body has just handled this transition well and I can hope it continues on to food.

 

Also, I'm curious about cheese.  Do most people tolerate that okay?  My approved list of food's is fairly small.  I'm okay with that, because I'm all for keeping it simple this early.  I'm going to stick to eggs, tuna, chicken... stuff like that to see how it goes.

Everyone is different but I tolerated everything really well.  In the beginning, I could only take two or three bites of something mushy/pureed and then I was done.  Just remember your eyes will be bigger than your stomach at this point...you probably won't be able to finish one whole egg.  And be careful with scrambled eggs! Sometimes they can give you the gurgles.  I tolerate cheese very well now and it's a staple in my diet :)

Hi Kati

Congratulations on getting through that first month!  Happy to hear that you've had a good experience with your sleeve. 

Eating at the purees stage isn't a problem.  It doesn't feel strange -- it feels GOOD to have REAL food again.  I remember LOL  Every person is different, but my experience was that it didn't hurt at all.  I did feel sated faster, but it wasn't uncomfortable.  Just take your time -- half a teaspoon per "mouthful" of whatever you're having should be about the right amount to start with.  And while it seems weird to say it, chew as best you can.  It's a good habit to get into anyway.

 

Cheese wasn't a problem for me.  Eggs still sit heavy on me some days, though.  The trick, at least to me, is to chew things to death!    And as you progress, do whatever you can to keep your dense protein moist.  And remember to eat only until you're satisfied -- do not eat until you are full.  Frisco preaches well about under eating your sleeve.  While I was just still lurking on here prior to getting Myrtle, I read Frisco's posts about under eating our sleeves and I took his advice to heart.  I have had NO problems with my sleeve at all............she's a good one and gives me a hiccup or two if I eat too fast or start verging on too much.  Learn what your sleeve means when you get hiccups or a running nose or even sneezes........they are warning signs.

I wish you the very best as you move into this next phase.  Good luck!

Ree

Out of curiosity, what does it mean for you when you get the hiccups?  I've gotten them more than a few times on my liquids.  As I sit here, I realize it's probably been a week, but before that, about once a day I got the harshest hiccups.

Also, when people eat eggs, do they usually eat them scrambled?  I've always enjoyed an egg over easy and a little runny.  Does it matter?  I'm clearly overthinking this.  I'm just ready to start!  xD

I took my hiccups as a sign that I drank too much too fast. I'd slow down a bit, and they'd go away. A friend of mine, with RNY, said that was her sign to stop eating or drinking. At first, I ate my eggs scrambled soft. I like mine a little mushy. After I got to solids, I was able to eat boiled eggs and deviled eggs. (My FAVORITE!) Now that I'm a bit further out, I eat mine over easy with a bit of lowfat cheese on top. I haven't tried my old usual, yet. (Over easy, with cheese and Taco Bell Fire Sauce)

Take your time and take REALLY small bites. Think the size of a pencil eraser. Also, when food started going down, I did feel a bit of discomfort. I ended up calling my friends asking if it was normal. After 3 voicemails of panic, they told me to settle my butt down and relax, that it was normal. This feeling, if you have it, will go away. Just eat small bites, chew them 30 times, THEN swallow. Yes. I chewed my puree's. lol

I am on purees too and I eat eggs in two forms - scrambled eggs which I scramble then purée and egg salad which I make with low fat mayo then purée. Seems like you could do an egg over easy then purée - it would just be a little gooey for a firm egg eater!

Sorry Kati -- I should have explained better.  Myrtle gives me the hiccups if I eat too fast or try to eat too much.  She just doesn't like being rushed or overfed, so hiccups are my sleeve's sign to stop!  Other people get the sneezes or a running nose.  I'm sure there are other signs sleeves give, but those are the 3 I've read about most.  Maybe your hiccups came from drinking too fast? 

As for how to cook eggs......scrambled are okay to start with, but I ended up frying mine in a little Pam or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray.  I prefer over medium -- pretty much like you like yours.  Keep in mind that a a lot of people find eggs to sit heavy on their new tummies.  I'm 8 months out and they still feel heavy often.  When I started eating eggs, I could eat maybe a half of one.  Took me a couple of months before I could eat a whole one.  I think that's why most plans call for scrambled -- you can get a better sense of how much you're eating.  I log my food on MyFitnessPal -- so I weigh and measure everything -- even this far out.  If you are looking for a good food diary/logging system MFP is great.  I'm Justme72847 there if you join and want to add me to your friends.

Don't worry about over thinking things.  We all did it -- and sometimes we still do it.  This is new and wll become your regular lifestyle -- no harm in getting all the info you can.

Good Luck!

Ree

I start purées on Thursday and I'm worried about it too. I know about blending soups and stuff but what about the soft/mushy foods? What foods can you eat like that? Cottage cheese? Scrambled egg?

Cottage cheese and scrambled eggs were on my puree list. I also ate baked chicken breasts with a little broth VERY well blended. It took a while for me to be able to eat the full 2 oz that I eat now. Word of advice, make your purees, then put them in an ice tray and cover it with saran wrap, then freeze it. It will save your servings so you don't feel like you're wasting. (Big problem for me.)

Thanks for the idea. I need to get over the mental grossness of puréed food.