Several questions.....

Okay I have questions.  I am a little over 2 weeks post op and everything is still so much to figure out.  I have been cleared for soft foods but I didn't get clarification as to how much I can eat.  I have read more than once that at this stage I can't feel what a real full feeling is and over eating can be dangerous.  So obviously that makes me worry.  I have only eaten a few times and never eaten very much but I don't really know what is too much either. 

Is there a measurement guideline that I should be going by that I am not aware of?  1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 cup of food.  Does something like refried beans which is more of a puree have a higher quantity?

Then my next series of questions are about fruits.  My paperwork the NUT gave me says I can have fruits that according to the labels are high in sugar.  I remembered her saying something about it being a different kind of sugar and it should be okay.  So I have experimented with part of a banana, a few canned pears, and some no sugar added applesauce.  I had no problems with any and I am now thinking omg am I someone that doesn't dump.

So I guess the fruit thing is kind of a combo question regarding dumping.  Do some people dump on fruit?  And if I am to dump is there a timeframe in which I can expect it?

Thank you all for taking the time to give me a hand.  I really worry a lot that I am destined to be overweight my whole life even after I have had the surgery.  I think I must be the only person that isn't just over the moon happy right now.  I am dealing with a lot of emotions regarding food which is consequently making me very overly anxious about anything regarding the surgery.  I just feel like this is hard and I can't believe it has ever been considered the easy way out.

 Hi congrat on the surgery Iam 2.5 months out and I remember my first few weeks clearly and yes its very confusing . I dont get dumping either.  but I do throw up if I eat too fast or its not chewed properly . chew, chew chew. Slow slow slow. I bought  jars of baby food and just added a little salt. dont drink a half hour before and 45 to an hour after u eat. when I came home I grazed and drank water it washed everything out of the pouch fast and I was feeling hungry . I was getting scared thinking OMG this isnt going to work for me I shouldnt be feeling hungry. Iam down 18 pounds this month a total of 44 from sept 3 . Take your time and eat slowly. boild eggs, cheese. diet pudding, yogert, baby food, soup, cottage cheese. I can now eat apples with the skin. , with no problems. everyone is different ,some things u will tolerate and others u wont be able to at that moment .u can try it in a week or so be conciouse of your surroundings they can impact your eating speed and chewing  U will do fine .Take care
Kitty64

If I recall correctly I  could eat 1/4-1/3 cup at first and then I'd stop. I think those were my rules, and although I couldn't feel "full" for some time my nose would run or I'd get the hiccups or a sensation like I couldn't eat more or didn't want more. It really varied with what I was eating. Just go slow and see what happens. With purees if you eat slow its hard to get full or hurt anything because it drains through the pouch. I don't EVER think I wondered if I'd eaten too much early out because my body was pretty good about telling me YOU ARE DONE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT ANOTHER TASTE.

I dump on fruit, actually about 10x worse on fruit or fat that on just plain sugary things.. unfortunately. Don't test if you'll dump, just stay under 7-10g of sugar at a meal you'll be fine. Trust me, you don't want to dump.  Many people seem to do better with fruit, I am weird. NSA apple sauce worked well for me, and banana doesn't do it either - although banana ALWAYS gives me the hiccups. Weird eh? I've dumped on oranges, apples, grapes (grapes are evil), mango... I think that's it. Pears and peaches were ok and strawberries are very safe for me. I love fruit, I've always eaten a lot of fruit, so this is a bummer.

As far as the time frame, generally I feel it 15-30min after I finish eating. I get a stomach ache and a feeling like I need to go to the bathroom, and maybe even a tightness in my chest. The my heart starts racing, I get super sleepy, and either hot or cold, or both. Usually I feel hot and sweat and then I get the shivers. The heart racing is the most uncomfortable part. It usually lasts 15-30 min, and then invariably I fall asleep. Dumping bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.


Good luck!

Hey there!  For me during that time frame it was about 1/4 of a cup and same for me with the runny nose, sneeze or hiccups.  That was my "I'm full" meter. 

As far as fruits, we weren't cleared to eat anything raw until 6 weeks out so only canned fruits and I ate only those that were sweetened with splenda or other SF sweeteners.  Things like diced peaches, pears, nsa applesauce.  I was so scared to dump that I didn't chance anything.  I hate to throw up for sure.

I was at a 1/4c at that stage and increase to a 1/2 -  but my suregon just wanted to me to load on protein the first month and introduce steamed veggies and fruit at one month.  I was never full at this stage but I was never hungry. I ate using a stop watch and stopped at the 20 min mark. Oh and for a while I did not the that the suregon did surgery and I was making dinner for my son and hubby and took a tsp full of cream of mushroom soup (in condensed form) and I dumped.  Believe me - I NEVER want to do that again.  OY!!!

Oh I wanted to ask you about your oh yeah! shakes.  I have never heard of them but I was skimming through what people had eaten and saw that you are an addict.  Where do you buy them from and are they really that good?  I have never liked a protein shake.  Are they ready to drink or powder?

They actually taste like a chocolate or vanilla milkshake, and they are ready to drink just pop them in the fridge.   I saw them at GNC (they sell them singly) and I bought one of each and fell in love and ordered 2 cases.  I have not been a big fan of protein drinks since surgery.  I drink the OH Yeah and Chocolate Max Proten (also sold at some GNC's) because you can make the Max hot.  Someone also told me vitalady.com has the Oh Yeah shakes (she sells them by the bottle).

I hope this helps.