I have a new question to ask!

I am 6 weeks post op and without really watching what I was doing, devoured an entire Taco Bell bean burrito without any trouble. I didn't even feel full. This bothers me a little and am wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I don't want to be able to fit that much food in without discomfort. I worry that I will somehow take advantage of this freedom.

Well, part of that is that the refried beans are soft and they may have mushed right through your stoma. I found that the softer the food, the more I could eat. Yogurt I was almost a bottomless pit. When I tried to do the cottage cheese test it didn't work great because there was too much liquid in it, so I tried it with thick oatmeal instead and it worked a lot better to show that my pouch was indeed smaller than I thought. The thing that helps me is to make sure I eat bulky things that I know won't slide right through my stoma. When you are able to eat such things, you might try adding veggies that will bulk up and keep things from sliding right through. I know most can't have bread, but for me bread will help fill me up and keep things from sliding through - especially chewy bread like sourdough or bagels. So I will have a sandwich if everything else is soft (ie peanut butter). But some people have problems with bread, so I'm not necessarily recommending it, but just revealing what helps me.... Dina

I don't know how ya did it. I used to love burritos and chili. Now I can't even eat very much without feeling full and yucky. And can't imagine a burrito with the tortilla too. I have no problem eating lots of fruit - cantaloupe, watermelon, peaches, etc., but they are soft and mostly water. Heavier things I have trouble with. But can fill up on shrimp! Jerry

Breads have never been a problem for me, unfortunately but I understand many folks do. I have to watch the carbs or they will make me dump, but other than that, the soft stuff if it isn't too carby with no protein, it will go right through. I think it depends on how big your stoma is and I suspect my stoma is a bit larger than some others...might be why I will dump on some things others might not dump on too (like crackers and such). Dina

Dina ............was it you that told me to buy the drink called Carb-something.......I can't remember the name of it! I can't find the email either. Please help. rose

Yes! It's called Carb Countdown by Hood Dairies. It is in the regular milk section in most stores. I can get it at Fred Meyer, Winco, Ray's, Safeway, Albertson's, etc. I have trouble getting it at Food 4 Less but I think it's just a local issue though. Here is a link to what the chocolate looks like: http://www.hoodhomedelivery.com/pageFiles/ProdDetailTemp.php?id=568&itm=1853&strPageName=Milk Dina

I seem to be the exception rather than the rule on what I have been able to eat from early on. I have yet to find a food that I am not able to tolerate (believe me by now I have searched WAY too hard) and I have alway felt I can eat pretty "normal" amounts compared to my peers. So many people seem to hardly be able to eat a whole sandwich even after a year out, whereas I have been able to eat a whole sandwich since about six months out. I really understand your concern. What I have found out is that despite the fact that I don't dump, or have problems eating bread or rice, or tolerating sugar, and feel like I can eat more than I thought I would be able to.....it still works! I think the things that have helped it work the most are drinking all of my water every day (at least 60 oz.), not drinking until at least 45 min. after meals, and eating good solid proteins at each of my meals. I would concern yourself less with how much you can/do eat at your meals so long as you FEEL comfortable, and more with avoiding grazing between meals. In the first year even when I ate until I was really full at meals, it still wasn't enough of a calorie hit to make my daily amount go above maybe 1000-1200, which is plenty low to lose weight. Don't get worked up about thinking you have stretched your pouch or it isn't small enough. It is hard to be happy that it is going so well because you are so worried that it isn't working. Dr. Hong usually has to assure me during my visits that what I can eat is O.K. He said they use a plastic form to form the size of the pouch and we all get a very small egg size pouch. (Not that I was accusing him of making mine too big!). Overeating just doesn't have the same satisfaction physically that it used to. You really don't have the freedom you are afraid you do. Just work on making good meal choices. Patty

Thank you for your calming advice, Patty! You never cease to make me feel better. You have this "common sense" way about you that I like and understand. Though I sometimes feel "panicky", you make me feel like everything will be alright. Thank you. Thank you, of course to everyone that responds. I love this place! School starts tomorrow, so it is back to the hectic "real life" that we lead. No one looks forward to the end of those lazy, crazy days of summer. Sigh! The day before yesterday, I took the kids for one last hurrah and we left them at Oaks Park for the day. They loved it! (They love acting like little kids again). That night we drove to Newberg and went to the drive-in! We had so much fun. We have an old beater van that the kids lie on top of and eat junk food. We got a hotel that night (all four of us) and slept in Newberg. It was quite the little birthday gift. I was amazed at how thrilled they were at so little. Keep writing! Thanks again, Rose