stomach expanding- to the nuts

Dear Nuts, I would love the real story on the probability of our pouches expanding. I have heard that soda and carbonation can expand the pouch. Or drinking at the same time that you eat can do it as well. BUT I wonder if this is a scare tactic in some ways. My surgeon put the fear of god in me about dumping with sugars. But then I came to find out that only half of us dump. I would like the really honest to goodness truth about the probability of us sabotaging our surgery.  Thank you for your help and honesty...

Surgeons want you to succeed with WLS and that'a the primary reason they do warn about dumping. They want you to develop new healthy ways of eating, so the rest of you life will be better. Yes you can eat some things as a "treat", but don't treat yourself multiple times each day, or you'll be back like you were prior to surgery.  Yes you can sabatoge your own surgery. The surgery is only a tool, you have to work at it also. The surgery alone will not assure long term weight loss, only short term weight loss. IT takes work on your part for long range success. This does include daily exercise. I rarely walked much prior to RNY surgery. Now I walk 1 1/4 miles daily, sometimes 2 or 3 times if it's a very nice day.  You can expand your pouch, or portions of it over a long period of over eating. My sister in laws roomate had RNY surgery, and made me aware our same insurance covered it. I then had the surgery about 18 months later. She lost weight, but then gained about half of it back. I work at it, and try to exercise daily, go to support group meetings for additional moral support, and try to eat reasonably. Yes I do treat myself, but I stay within a 3-4 pound weight range. I started at 345. I had surgery on May 10, 2006. I know weigh 203 today.  I weigh myself daily to make sure I stay around this weight. If I find a pound or two has been gained, I exercise more that day, and really watch my diet for a couple of day. Over Super Bowl weekend, I got to 206.  Paid attention, and was back down to 203 in a couple of days. This is as realistic as I can describe it. Oh, for long range "comfort" I'd strongly recommend daily stool softeners. I take 2 each evening and one in the morning. Support meeting are of immense help to me, so I strongly suggest that you too atttend them. You'll get additional support that you may need to help you through some tough times.