The Month-Four Freak Out
Hello all!
This message is for all you newbies who are approaching the four-month post-op mark. There's a common thread that I see for folks who are somewhere between 3 months and 5 months out and I wanted to point it out, if you haven't already noticed it.
Around the 4 month mark you'll notice that you can eat more than you could just a couple months ago. And this phenomenon tends to freak folks out. As in... Big Time Freak Out! I've dubbed this time as the "Four Month Freak Out"
So here's the deal...
In the weeks right after surgery your pouch is still healing from the major reconstruction it just went through. Even though you might feel fine and fully recovered after just a few weeks, it takes your innards a lot longer to fully heal. Your pouch is very swollen and it has a lot of work to do as it creates scar tissue to heal the wounds of surgery. This healing process takes about 3 months or so and then the swelling reduces and your pouch becomes it's normal post-op size. And once this healing takes place, you are suddenly able to eat a bit more than the 1/4 cup of food that you were restricted to in the first few months of surgery.
SOOOOooooo..... if you're a newbie and you're worried that you stretched your pouch or you're worried that your stoma is too big, rest assured that none of that is true. It's just that you're moving on to the next phase of your post-op life. Your insides are healed and you're able to eat a bit more to nourish your body (which is all your body really cares about - nourishment). That's a good thing. That's exactly how it should work. You're normal and you are not a failure and your pouch is not broken. Everything is OK.
Your pouch does not stay exactly the same as it did on the day of surgery. Your body learns to adapt to the damage you created with WLS and your pouch evolves and changes over time. It might start out as a 1oz size pouch, but it doesn't stay that way. As your pouch matures, it'll grow to about 6-9oz is size and be able to hold about 8oz to 12oz of food when you're about 2 years out. So by the time you hit the 4-month mark, your pouch is working toward "maturity" not failure. This is normal. This is how WLS is suppose to work. Everything is working exactly how it should be working.
If you'd like to read more about Understanding Your Pouch - you can read my blog post about it here: http://pamtremble.blogspot.com/2008/09/understanding-pouch.h tml
No more freaking out, OK?
Pam
This message is for all you newbies who are approaching the four-month post-op mark. There's a common thread that I see for folks who are somewhere between 3 months and 5 months out and I wanted to point it out, if you haven't already noticed it.
Around the 4 month mark you'll notice that you can eat more than you could just a couple months ago. And this phenomenon tends to freak folks out. As in... Big Time Freak Out! I've dubbed this time as the "Four Month Freak Out"
So here's the deal...
In the weeks right after surgery your pouch is still healing from the major reconstruction it just went through. Even though you might feel fine and fully recovered after just a few weeks, it takes your innards a lot longer to fully heal. Your pouch is very swollen and it has a lot of work to do as it creates scar tissue to heal the wounds of surgery. This healing process takes about 3 months or so and then the swelling reduces and your pouch becomes it's normal post-op size. And once this healing takes place, you are suddenly able to eat a bit more than the 1/4 cup of food that you were restricted to in the first few months of surgery.
SOOOOooooo..... if you're a newbie and you're worried that you stretched your pouch or you're worried that your stoma is too big, rest assured that none of that is true. It's just that you're moving on to the next phase of your post-op life. Your insides are healed and you're able to eat a bit more to nourish your body (which is all your body really cares about - nourishment). That's a good thing. That's exactly how it should work. You're normal and you are not a failure and your pouch is not broken. Everything is OK.
Your pouch does not stay exactly the same as it did on the day of surgery. Your body learns to adapt to the damage you created with WLS and your pouch evolves and changes over time. It might start out as a 1oz size pouch, but it doesn't stay that way. As your pouch matures, it'll grow to about 6-9oz is size and be able to hold about 8oz to 12oz of food when you're about 2 years out. So by the time you hit the 4-month mark, your pouch is working toward "maturity" not failure. This is normal. This is how WLS is suppose to work. Everything is working exactly how it should be working.
If you'd like to read more about Understanding Your Pouch - you can read my blog post about it here: http://pamtremble.blogspot.com/2008/09/understanding-pouch.h tml
No more freaking out, OK?
Pam
My Recipe Index is packed full of yumminess!
Visit my blog: Journey to a Healthier Me ...or my Website
The scale can measure the weight of my body but never my worth as a woman. ~Lysa TerKeurst author of Made to Crave
Thank you! While I did expect the stretching of the pouch and hunger to return again, it was still a disppointment when it arrived. So this was timely for me. I was just wondering what the heck I'm going to have for lunch. It's not as easy any more. Used to be I could eat virtually anything (and hardly any of it) and be satisfied. Now it takes bit more planning! LOL
(deactivated member)
on 11/22/10 1:47 am
on 11/22/10 1:47 am
OmGosh Pam! I am so glad that I found your blog! I just had my surgery 7 days ago and it has made me feel so much better, like I haven't made a mistake. I can't wait to try some of your recipes soon. And, what is the deal with Flintstone vitamins? My doctor has me on them.
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