Absolutely no restriction...I dont' thing surgery worked

Yes.  I've been able to get in all my water and protein since I woke up from surgery.  Doctor said I was probably lucky to have very little inflammation and probably won't suffer from hair loss or other deficiencies because I'm not restricted.

2 cups of chili were 540 calories.  According to My Fitness Pal, I average 800-1000 calories a day.

I plan on contacting my doctor tomorrow to see if he is concerned that puree goes down as easily as liquid.  He might order tests or he might say the same thing you said about it leaving my pouch just as quickly.  We'll see.  Fingers crossed.

In addition to what all the others have said, you are eating pureed foods, which are very close to liquid. They most likely pass through your stomach a lot faster than solid foods will and that could explain your ability to eat more. It could also depend on how long it's taking you to eat it. Is it taking you 30 minutes or two hours? If it's taking you longer, then your stomach is emptying some of it as you're eating, allowing you to consume more.

As for restriction, I'm a little over 10 weeks out and I have trouble eating the 4 ounces of dense protein that my program says I can have. If I eat something softer, like yogurt, I eat my 4 ounces and still feel like I could eat more.

My advice, only eat what your program plan says you should be eating at this stage and go slow enough that it takes you 30 minutes to eat that much. After 30 minutes, stop eating. Once you advance to solid proteins, you'll probably start feeling the restriction.

Good luck!

My program says to eat until I am full.  I'm wondering if that might be the general rule but because my inflammation is minimal, it's allowing food to pass right through.  Either something is terribly wrong or fabulously right!

Your last comment about feeling restiction once I advance to solid proteins might be right on.  When I talked about how easily fluids go through, the nurse laughed and said "wait until you start eating".  But I was hoping to feel something once I got to pureed.  Honestly, if it weren't for my incisions, I would have never known I had surgery.  Not sure if that's a blessing or a curse.  :)

Well, if it helps, I can tell you what my program guidelines are.

Days 1-15: 2 oz

Days 16-29: 2-3 oz

Days 30-59: 3oz

Day 60 (2 months): 4 oz

3-5 months: 4oz

6-7 months: 5oz

8-9 months: 6oz

10-11 months: 7oz

12 months and on: 8oz

Those are the maximums you should be eating per meal, according to my program's plan. If I can't eat that much at that timeframe, that's ok, but I should never eat more.

You have to weigh and measure your foods and stay within your guidelines.  Many, many people think their surgery "didn't work".  It works fine.....but you have to follow the program.  Track your food using myfitnesspal.  My plan calls for:  Under 600 calories, Under 40 carbs, and at least 65 grams of protein. And a minimum of 64 oz. of liquids.  When you get to solids, make sure your eat all you protein first, and then your non-starchy veggies.  

Keep reading here - every day.  Use the search feature too - search "stalls" and "head hunger" and "surgery failed" and "dehydration" -- you'll learn so much.

Your surgery works - just use it properly!

Good Luck

Mary 

Thanks all for the replies

I guess I will have to wait and see when I start solid foods if the surgery has helped. 

Or, you can weigh and measure your food now instead of waiting for divine intervention.

Surgery works if you do your part.

For the first month, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU WERE GIVEN.  At this time, your hunger is not a good indication of what is in your stomach.  Even if you THINK you are hungry, do not eat 2 cups of chili or anything at one sitting. That is no where in the instructions that you were given.  Of course you will not lose weight if you eat like this, and you may do real damage.  I was hungry alot, and there were times in that first 1-2 months after surgery when I just went to bed and slept through the hunger. That worked for me, but you will need to find something that will distract you from the hunger - video games, sex, exercise, a new hobby.  It will get better when you transition to real food.

I still get hungry, and even now, almost a year out, usually what I think is 'hunger' is 'thirsty.'  I had to learn how to sip and not overstretch the pouch. It sounds as though you, also, need to retrain yourself on how to eat with your new pouch until your hunger level gets calibrated to your new pouch. Two things helped me in that first month:

1-I found a little metal cup that they serve ****tail sauce in and drank out of that.  It only holds an ounce or two, so I couldn't gulp it.

2- I used SF popcicles because they are about 4 ounces of fluid and take me awhile to eat.  I figured that had the same effect as sipping those 4 ounces.

If you are still hungry after you have eaten what you are supposed to: here is my suggestion.  Stop eating after that few ounces of protein that you are supposed to eat at this time.  Wait an hour, or however long your surgeon wants to you wait, and start sipping fluids or eating SF popcicles.  Stop fluids 1 hour before your next meal. This is the NEW BEHAVIOR that you need to learn. AND YOU WILL LEARN IT. STOP TESTING YOUR POUCH - it is too soon. 

You might need to write down a daily plan of what to eat until you are on dense protein and things stay in your stomach longer.  The first 6 weeks are the worse, but you need to find a better way to get through this period without damaging or stretching your new pouch. And you will find what works for you.

If it is still like this after you are 12 weeks out, and have been on dense protein for a few weeks, that will be a different story. Until then, you will need to 'white knuckle' it through.  It is worth it!!!!

PS - OMG, I remember 11 months ago, shortly after surgery, I cried because I just wanted one bite of a crab cake (just ONE bite) instead of all the fake food (protein shakes, SF jello, SF popcicles, etc).  I look back and lol at my silliness.  I resisted, and am glad that I did.  My pouch healed, I lost 112 pounds (and  my saddlebag thighs).   

I do not mean to be harsh, but your current behavior needs to stop.  I spent time writing this because I care about you, and I want to see you succeed, and don't even know you. Your medical staff will help you, but right now you just have to wait out the healing period.

One last thing, my sister-in-law, always a sound person, told me that it takes twice as long for your insides to heal as your outsides. So whatever you incisions look like on the outside, they are only half as healed on the inside.  You have to deal with your hunger in a different way until you are further out. IT WILL GET BETTER, just don't &^%& it up now.

If you need something to occupy yourself and take you mind off the hunger, while you eat a SF popcicle, please add more info to your OH board, so people can more fully respond to your posts.

My written instructions from the clinic are to eat until I feel full.  It is me who is concerned about the quantity.  No where does it say to wieght or measure or give me any guideline regarding quantity.  Funny how many people on this boards have decided to preach portion control when that wasn't my question at all.

It may not have been your question but its the answer that you need to hear.  It may seem like people are being mean to you but they are just trying to help you not only succeed but not hurt yourself.  Listen to what everyone has told you and measure your food and stop eating until you're full.  Eating until you're full isn't the best idea because your stomach will likely be full before your brain knows it.  Let's be honest, most of got overweight by not only eating the wrong things but eating until we are full.  Good luck