HELP!! Am I Normal??

I am 3 wks and 2 days post op. I have been following all the protein rules by the book. The first 2 wks I lost 20 lbs but after this third week I am still the same weight. I have been eating very little except for tonight. I was starving. We went out to Sammy's and I ordered the grilled fish. I ate both peices, (they were small, prob 3 oz), 1/2 baked potato and a small salad. For the first time I had no feeling of fullness or restriction and that scared me. Ok, please don't think I,m stupid, I know this is a crazy question, but, my doc said when you eat too much you will throw up. Is there any risk of bursting your stomach open by eating too much? I know that may sound crazy but I am new to all this and was just wondering. Also, what about caffiene?? Why are you not supposed to have it?? Thanks in advance for any replys. Teresa

At about three weeks I hit a stall and didn't lose any for a couple of weeks. Your body goes into starvation mode and tries to desperately hold on to the fat. It will pass and you will start to lose again. I don't think you can burst it open but at three weeks out I wouldn't be putting that much in my pouch. It is steal healing and you don't want to stretch it out. I don't know about the caffeine I was never told I couldn't have it. Tina -126

Teresa, I think you are too soon after surgery to feel full. I think it takes a while to feel full. You really ought to measure your food. I used a shot glass in the beginning to make sure that I didn't overeat. I was probably eating only 1/4 cup at your stage. After a few more weeks, you will start feeling very full after just a little food. I don't think you should have caffeine until you are about 8 weeks out. Your pouch is still healing and caffeine can irritate it. But you really need to call your doctor's office for advice. Are you drinking protein shakes? I still drink protein shakes and will do so forever. I really think that it is important. Good luck to you.

Teresa, Are you a lap band patient. If so, that wll change the advice given above. Most of us have it listed next to our names because it's a part of our profile. I'm going to answer this question assuming you are lap band postop because you mentioned restriction and feeling hungry. Most RNYs are not truly hungry at 3 weeks. However, most lap band folks are starving at this point. If you are lap band and very hungry it's because you haven't had a fill yet. With restriction, the hunger gets much, much better. After a large initial loss (either surgery), it's common to experience a stall as your boddy adjusts to the rapid weight loss. An average of 10 pounds a week is a lot for both surgeries, so it makes sense that the third week was a stabilizer. You didn't describe enough food to cause any rupture. When you consistently eat too much, you can stretch your upper stomach (lap band route) and put yourself at greater risk of erosion and band slippage. I went to Sammy's two days ago. I ate much more than what you described, but I'm almost two years out. Either way, it's not enough to do damage. Doctors vary on caffeine. Most lap bandsters on the board are still allowed coffee and tea with caffeine. I've also seen RNYs who drink "full" coffee. The instructions vary. I know a nutritionist just left Vista, but if they have replaced her yet, that would be the person to ask most of these questions. Maybe Dr. B's staff can direct you to their current nutritionist. I hope I'm not wrong about the lap band with you. If I am, please forgive me. I'm often around Lane in the evening and we go to Sammy's quite often. We do need to hook up sometime soon. Take care, Frances

I agree, it depends on the type of surgery as to your eating restrictions. Sounds like a lot to me. As to caffeine, it is a natural diuretic and causes you to lose valuable fluids. If you drink caffeine, you cannot count it as intake, and you have to drink at least two extra glasses of water for each 8 oz of caffeinated beverage. There are too many decaf products out there that are just as good. Patricia 250/204/145??

Teresa, I have alot of the same concerns and questions as you,, about the caffenine, when I am out eating somewhere I do drink the tea they have and I am sure it has caffiene,, I believe the reason we aren't susposed to have it is b/c it acts as a diuretic,, I can't spell it!!!! And that is susposed to make you more hungry or thirsty,,, But I do drink tea every once in awhile,,, Also about the hunger , depends on the surgery you had,, but I eat fish ALOT,, and the problem I have with fish is , it goes down soooooooo easy for me that I end up overeating EVERYTIME, and barf after,, My sister jokes that she can't see how I can keep throwing it up and go back and eat it again,,, But it just goes down soo easy I loose track on how much I am eating,, The amount of food you went out and ate seems like a lil much to me, but I am sure you have to eat A TON,to literally burst the pouch, now you may stretch it but thats it,, I myself wonder how you can stretch it and how you can tell if it is,,, I seem to eat alot more than other people on this board,, they seem to be ok with 1-3oz's where I eat alot more than that,, I think it depends alot of the person also, b/c I also had a 2-3 week stall at that exact time frame as you,, and then all of a sudden I have lost 10pds this week alone,, I was thrilled,, So just give it some time girl,, it does get annoying and depressing for me, but again be patient!!!! Don't feel bad if every now and then you eat more than your "susposed " to ,, if you were perfect , you wouldn't of got the surgery right!!!! Good luck!

There are some times that I feel like I will never get full. Somthing that I started doing was eating foods with more density. Heavier foods. You might want to try that. Sarah