For Vets - ? on Restriction After Two Years

 Thanks, yup.  It sounds the same

I'm 4 1/2 years out and I still have A LOT of restriction.    I went out to dinner tonight and over the course of about 1 hour I ate a 6oz (pre-cooked weight) steak  and 2 bites of mashed potatoes.  This is pretty typical for me.

 Glad to know there are some of us with that much restrtiction.  My brother, also a DS'r as me, same surgeon, can eat a ton more than I do.  

At almost 9 years post-op I feel sometimes I have no restriction at all. I can eat at least 6 ounces of protein, plus a small amount of sides (maybe 1/2 cup of starch and 1/2 cup of vegetables). For breakfast every day I eat 2 eggs, english muffin, cheese and bacon. To put it into perspective -- a 6-inch subway sub is perfect. If I eat a frozen meal for lunch (favorate is Marie Callendars) I can eat the whole thing and feel satisfied.

This is why I love my DS. I can eat this way and still maintain my weight because of the malabsorption.

 Janet
Were you able to eat that much years ago, or did you find that it just keeps increasing?  No way can I eat that much now, and I'm wondering if I will be able when I'm years out like you are.

We're about the same distance out and my experience with change (though not volume) has been about the same as yours. After I started to be able to eat well at about 3 months out, my capacity increased stedily (with a few very dramatic increases) through about the first year.

Sometime during this second year it has stabilized, and like you, I haven't had any change in restriction for 6+ months. I know several people have talked about an increase in capacity further out as well (2-3 year range) so we'll see.

At this point I can eat a steak that is somewhere around 8 to 12 ounces (depending on just how hungry I am) and part of an appetizer or side. Sometimes not though, and that's new for me. Friday night we went for BBQ. I could eat part of the pulled pork nachos we got as an appetizer but I was close to done after that. I couldn't eat all the brisket I ordered (usually I would be able to) and only a few of the cheese and bacon fries. I ate all the ones that had bacon on them though.

 Chad,
You men - My brother, also a DS'er could eat that big of a steak, too.  No way could I.  

I also heard people say they still incease their capacity further out, which is what kind of has me worried.  I'm easily maintaining my weight now, but if I all of a sudden had the abilty to eat more, I'm sure I would.  

 Tara
We eat very similar stuff and amounts, good to know!

Like you, I have those bottomless pitt days, too.  I dont know what goes on in there!  Some days I can barely eat a few bites, and every once in awhile it's as if I never had surgery at all.  

I have my days - some days, I feel like a bottomless pit, and some days, I feel like I'm DONE after 3-4 chicken wings! It's really very individual and can even vary from day-to-day for the SAME individual!