Feeling better!

Hi Guys I had a review with my surgeon today and also saw the nutritionist and exercise physiologist.  I had been feeling despondent 6-7 weeks after my vsg.  My mood has been to do with difficulty eating and drinking rather than weight loss as I have lost 34lbs. The surgeon is engaged in a study to measure the amount a patient can eat over a 2 year period following surgery.  Hence the 'hit' you with a tin of creamed rice and ask you to eat until you feel close to your limit. This is an easy food to digest [unlike some meats for example] and I managed about 8 oz. I was told my progress is fine and normal.  I was also reassured that on my next visit, in 6 weeks, eating rougher textures will be much less of an issue. Thanks for your support. Rick

Rick, Glad you are doing better.  Thats a lot of food at one sitting dude. I'm just getting to that and I'm at 6 months, not weeks.  I guess its a good thing but it would sure be sad to have endured the surgery and stretch you new pouch out too fast and kinda defeat the purpose of all the stuff you are enduring to change the way you can eat the rest of your life. My sister had RNY 12 years ago and started losing her hair.  They told her she needed to intake more protein.  Her hair being more important to her than her weight loss, even though the hair will grow back, she forced food.  She kept her hair but only lost about 50 pounds.  She is trying the eating regiment agaisn since I've had my surgery but the real motivator is, I have learned,...no one in the family want s to be the first one I weight less than.  Whatever works.......... Good luck with your new tool.  Don't try to go too fast too soon.  Get your protein and your water.  The protein feeds the muscles, the water keeps the kidneys working.   A little exercise and minimal caloric intake and the new slim you is a sure thing.  We've got some really good examples on the mens board. Check out some of their profiles if you haven't already. Joe

Rick, Congratulations on a positive check-up and the 34lb loss. The 8ozs sounds about normal for a VSG this early out. Here in the States the same sort of “Volume/capacity” test is done with cottage cheese. Dr. Latham Flanagan, MD – (website is at The Oregon Center for Bariatric Surgery) Developed the test/protocol for the RNY He indicates the average size of the ‘mature pouch’ (for RNY’s) is 5.5 ounces. He also states that –  “…sizes ranging from 3 to 9 ounces have NO IMPACT On the person's success in weight loss.  The pouch actually grows Rather than stretching as most think.  For most of the patients that have the surgery, The pouch stops growing at about 6 oz and the largest is about 9 oz.” Compare this to normal stomach sizes between 24 to 64 ounces. Flanagan was the one who presented the “Cottage Cheese Test” To the June 2000 meeting of The American Society for Bariatric Surgery. (ASBS) Although he had been using it for quite some time. The “Cottage Cheese Test?” It is meant to be a standardized, reproducible measurement Of the physical size of the stomach pouch in a person Who has undergone a gastric bypass procedure. It goes something like this- Purchase a container of small curd low-fat cottage cheese. Begin the test with a full container, And perform the test in the morning before eating anything else  (this will be your breakfast on that day). Eat fairly quickly until you feel full (less than five minutes). Note that the small soft curds do not require much chewing. The idea with the rapid eating is to fill the pouch Before there is much time for food to flow out of it. After eating your "fill" of cottage cheese,  (just to first feeling of full, not to pain.) You will be left with a partially eaten container that has empty space Where cottage cheese used to be. You can measure the remaining amount and calculate the amount. Dr. Flanagan’s Protocol suggested-  “Start with a measured amount of water (16 ounces, for example), And pour water into the partially empty container of cottage cheese Until the water is level with the original top level of the product.” Obviously, the amount of water poured into the container, Equals the functional size of the pouch. In your case I’m assuming that the same sort of test was done with creamed rice to determine the size of your “banana shaped” altered stomach? I’m curious if your VSG is somewhat unique in . We are always told here that in , Lap-Banding is the prevalent Bariatric procedure.  Is this so?  Just curious….. Hang in there. No matter the procedure, It does keep getting easier each week/month. Best Wishes- Dx