Hi Jess, this isn't really advice, this is just what I did. I'm now 12 months out
for the 2 months I stuck religiously to the diet sheet, this was no problem for me because I didn't fancy food anyways, so I considered it more a list of stuff I must consume than a list of stuff I may consume. Then I started to introduce really slight variety. I went straight to corn/popcorn and mushrooms in moderation which chewed thoroughly, because I test the problem foods... but mostly I stuck to the diet sheet for a full 3 months.
When I was happy that well chewed food wasnt going to cause me a blockage, I went straight the making hot veggie smoothies (soups, which typically have kale, spinach, carrot, broccoli and sweet potato boiled up for 15 mins and blended). This went through me pretty fast, but I felt the body needed it (and I was used to veggies pre op too) so I persevered. I personally think the healing sludge is great for my insides. It took 6 to 8 weeks before I started to get used to the soups (I had the soup 4 days a week with 3 days 'rest')
I still get a bit of gas and volume with soup, but it's a slurpy and dense food, so that's not unexpected. I tend to have it when I get home from work.
From that point I was eating everything and anything (5 months post op) with confidence. I shall re-iterate food does still affect me. I won't eat a big bowl of veggies of I have a long flight to catch, I will eat relatively small and safe food closer to the original food list (which if you think about it is the same as an in flight meal!). But I can go out for a meal and eat what I like, or go around family for Xmas and it won't break me. If I stick to diet sheet and eat in smaller volumes I go perhaps 4 to 5 times a day, or I can eat greasy danger foods and a big bowl of veg soup and be 7 or 8 times (most bathroom visits are in a steady 4 hot stretch of the evening)
I also take probiotics, 1x loperomide 2 x daily but no benefiber etc.