Dealing with food after total gastrectomy

Firstly welcome to this group.  There are many people who have gone through the same journey as your father as well as some who are still going through it!  Recovery takes time and does vary for each individual.

Eating becomes like taking medicine rather than the pleasurable experience it was before!  Little spoonfuls often is a good idea.  Try foods that are high protein and high calorie.  I ate things that I had never eaten before.. porridge with coconut nut milk with maple syrup or honey, full fat yoghurt, scrambled eggs, baked potato with cheese..

It is very early days for your dad and so soft foods and small amounts are the important thing just now.  Don’t drink anything just prior to eating but fluids are important between meals. 

Advice from a dietitian might be helpful and they can give Esure drinks that contain all the nutrients you need.  I am sure others will share their experiences with you too!

Good luck!

Was you not given a dietitian when he was in hospital, my husband came out of hospital with a months supply of fortisips , then the dietitian on their monthly phone calls told the doctor to prescribe another month of them, there not very nice but do the job. My husband was the same when he came out of hospital, he didn’t want to eat, he’d dread every couple of hours when I gave him something small to eat but knew he had to,  Now 10 months on he still has smaller meals but a lot more than he had at the beginning, he also finds it hard to put weight on but it goes on slowly. I put protein powder in  a lot of things and always count the calories ( this time to add them haha) 
Good luck to your dad x

Hi, I found eating strong flavours helped, e.g. lasagne, chilli’s, curry’s etc but not spicey and with mince as I struggled (still do) with whole meat (chewing it). I absolutely loved jelly, rice pudding with jam. Crisps especially soft ones like quavers or wotsits (I would suck on them)… white chocolate too… soft cheese with garlic and herbs mixed in small pasta…                    It took me a while to trust myself with eating as you are very nervous about swallowing and yes you don’t feel hungry so I set an alarm for every 2 1/2 hours to make sure eat something even if it was a biscuit dunked in tea/coffee. Try protein shakes too, that he would’ve had in hospital. I couldn’t take them as they gave me ‘dumping syndrome’ as there was too much sugar… Also contact your dietitian or specialist nurse if this continues… 

Take care 

Michele 

Thanks you guys for all your kind answers, they were very helpful!

My aunt went through this a few years back, and we spent ages experimenting in the kitchen. It felt like navigating a whole new culinary landscape!We discovered some things worked wonders. Small, frequent meals were key.  Smoothies became our best friend – a fantastic way to pack in nutrients without overloading the system.  Think creamy avocado blends, vibrant berry concoctions, or even savory options with spinach and protein powder.For solid foods, slow and steady wins the race.  Think soft, easily digestible options – puréed vegetables, poached fish, scrambled eggs.  We even found mashed potatoes with a sprinkle of herbs were a winner.  Culinary tips on CooksCrafter has some brilliant tips on low-residue recipes that might be helpful!