Question about new Pouch & Eating

I have a fear of stretching my new little pouch. Don't feel hungry at all and don't get a full feeling either. Is that normal at this early stage...not a week yet. One of the papers they sent me home with said to be careful about stretching my pouch by eating too much too soon. To eat about 2-4 Tablespoons at a time. Or do they mean 2-4 Tablespoons/1oz every ten minutes.  Little confused here.At the same time they want me to get 60-80 grams of protein a day. Help explain this to me.

Thanks for any incite.

Your nerves are cut during surgery and you will not get any type of full feeling until they heal and also until you start eating dense food.

4TBSP is a quarter cup, yes at this stage you shouldn't be eating more than that at a meal- whatever they are allowing you for food at this point....like yogurt or cottage cheese...You don't want to overeat and put pressure on suture lines that are healing.

The 1oz every ten minutes has to do with the liquids you are drinking. You can't stretch your pouch from liquids, but they wan to make sure you are steadily taking liquids in. More people go back to the ER for dehydration in the beginning than not eating enough food/protein. Most of your protein is going to come from protein drinks at this point. I would drink the ready made of shake them up, not use a blender or ice, creates too much volume and froth. You won't hurt yourself if you drink fsater than that....just drink.

60-80 is the goal, 1 protein drink-30g, 1/4c cottage cheese x2= 15g, 1/4c greek yogurt x 2= 12-15g ...an example of how you can do it.

Good Luck

Exactly what Cynthia said.

Once again, Cynrhia, thank you for the great advice and incite. I truly appreciate it!

You'll need to call your surgeon's office ( or the nutritionist ) and ask them to clarify the instructions. I wouldn't want to give you advice on that for fear of getting it wrong. You won't stretch out your pouch. It will get bigger with time; it's designed to do so. We can't keep our pouches tiny forever; we'd never take in enough calories to sustain us if it stayed small. 

You won't feel full. Your nerves have been cut. It's completely normal. 

Don't be surprised if it takes you a few months to reach those daily protein goals, especially if you forego protein shakes. If you do use shakes, it could still take a few weeks to hit goals. You'll be okay if you work towards the goal but don't hit it right now. As long as you are trying, and you're staying hydrated, you'll be fine. 

It's good you don't feel hungry. I didn't either at first. 

Thank you, Audrey, for the advice. I reread my instructions and it did say to eat/ drink no more than 2-4 Tablespoons per meal. I have been adding a half scoop of unflavored protein powder to my Premier protein shakes for added protein. It takes me about 3 meals to drink 1 protein drink. I am sipping my water all day, so I am making my water intake of 64 ozs.

I think someone said it, but I will say it again.  Many of your nerves have been cut, so feeling full will not feel like before, esp early after surgery.  Some people hiccup.  I had to train myself to drink slowly - once I took a gulp and it was not good.  I was afraid I ripped something.  Then, I drank out of a little metal cup that they serve melted butter in or only poured a little into a small mug until I really got used to sipping only - no matter what size bottle I was drinking from.

You may also need to wait along time after a meal until you can drink that 1 oz every 10 min.  I never could.

I drank 2 cans of pure protein shake - 12oz for 35 gms protein,  I got alot of my fluid in early in the am before breakfast. 

Even with that, it took awhile before I could get everything in.  Remember all fluid counts - even the fluid in your prot shakes, coffee, tea.

Than you, Sharon, for your impute. I greatly appreciate and also learn alot from all the veterans.

Your very welcome! Glad it was helpful to you also.