Honestly, how much can you eat now?

Hello all,

I had surgery back in August 2006, and I can certainly consume more food now than when I first had surgery!  I've never been to a support group and I don't know any post-op patients here at my university.  So, the only input that I get is from the people on this website.  I'm just wondering:

(1) On an average day how much food do you consume?

-calories
-amount / grams of protein, fat, carbs, etc.

(2) Do you ever find yourself binge-eating, if so, how much food can you tolerate?

(3) Do you still get dumping syndrome?  If so, is it still as intense as when you first had surgery?

I would GREATLY APPRECIATE any responses!  These are questions that I have had for a while.  I just wonder how I compare to my post-op peers.  By the way, my surgery type is RNY-proximal (I've heard there are differences in food tolerance depending on the surgery type).

So, if you have the same surgery type and at around the same time that I had my surgery then your input is highly valuable to me!  Please be honest; it's more helpful!

Thanks in advance for reading and responding.  Hope you all have a great day!

Sincerely,
Roosky

Hi Roosky,
Here is my menu for Tuesday, but if you check out the Cafe & Cardio post that will give you an idea of what BOTT members are eating.  Most of us post there daily, just to make ourselves accountable and to get menu ideas.

EM - EAS Chocolate Protein Shake (my usual)   17g
          Decaf Hazelnut Coffee
B -    Egg Beaters Spinach Cheese Omelet    12g
         w/ turkey bacon   4g
S -    Cottage Cheese w/strawberry jam  12g
L -    4oz Tuna w/ mixed tossed salad  27.3g
         5 Ritz whole wheat crackers  1g
D -    McDonald's Grilled Chicken Caesar   30g
         Newman's Own LF Italian Dressing   1g
S -    Homemade Vegetable Soup  4.2g

Calories    1025  (176cal under daily requirement)
Fat               25.7g
Fiber              9.4g
Carbs          87.9g    
Protein      108.2g

2)  Do I ever binge eat?  Well binge eating for us is different then what other people consider binge eating.  If I eat 3 whole chicken wings or a half of a Subway hoagie for me that's binge eating.  How do I feel after eating that which most of the time I can't...I am miserable. Half of a half hoagie, 2 chicken wings or 1 chicken leg is my limit.

3)  Do I still get dumping syndrome?  Yes, yes, and yes its still as bad as the first time I ever dumped.   I try to avoid it at all cost. Our bodies are strange creatures, one day I can eat something as simple as a bowl of cereal and be fine and the next time I eat it, I dump. Dumping wipes me out for the entire day, and I try to avoid eatting things that will cause my body to reject any foods.  Just like my taste buds or appetite some days I can...some days I can't.  It's all in how the Pooh Pouch is feeling that day.

Since being "Back On Track" I find that if I eat things out of my normal food routine, I have a problem.  If I'm going to eat something I haven't had in a while I try to eat it at home as to save myself the embarrassment of possibly dumping while out in public.

Hope I've been helpful in my response.

If you want, www.myfitnesspal.com estimates your daily nutritional intake (calories, protein, etc...) for you. You enter your weight, height and lifestyle and it tells you what you need to maintain.

I eat too much sometimes, yes. Misjudging or something too dry gets stuck and things get backed up. It hurrrrts. Like a punch in the side. Generally I can eat about half a grilled chicken wrap. As far out as you and I are, we should be able to hold from 8-10 and even up to 12 oz of food. There is a "Pouches for Dummies" sort of post I reposted earlier. I talks all about that.

Ohhh yes I still dump. Sugar and high fatty foods ever since surgery and its as bad as any dumping before. I find I can handle a little more than the reccomended 10 g of sugar per serving, but not much. Couple cookies, couple M&m's... can't do much more than that. Hoo, been a while since I have, wonder if that means I've learned my lesson.

Keep posting and welcome to the boards.

1) When I am on a diet and watching what I eat, I do 1200 to 1300 calories, I try to get in 100g protein, but I don't and my blood work tells the story. I track it all on SparkPeople. I don't pay attention to the other things. They give me a range and I try to stay in that, but if I keep my calories down, I really can't do bad with the others, except protein...

2) I eat too fast, so I get that full feeling faster  and so it doesn't really allow me to binge, but I could eat now, then in 20 minutes, etc. I still love food, that hasn't gone away. But no, I no longer eat a full gallon of ice cream in one sitting. I think I would go in shock.

3) I only dump if I have eaten WAY too much sugar... so like cake and ice cream like everyone eats at birthday parties is too much sugar for me. Yet one or the other and i am ok. A Snickers is ok, but too much milk based food and I am bad in about an hour. Orange Juice is EVIL! But I don't throw up, though I wish I could! And I still vomit if something gets stuck of if I ate one bite too many. It is horrible. And I am 5.5 years out! No, not as intense as when I first had surgery. Oh, and Alcohol is hard. I get smashed very fast and sometimes it hurts when I drink. I think in the last year I have drank maybe 4 times, just not worth it. A wine cooler pretty much does it for me too.

I had RNY. I don't know which one though, sorry.

WOW, so many great and detailed responses ALL READY!

Time to read and learn! 

Thanks everyone!!!

Welcome Roosky.  I read your profile story and you are really working it, keep up the good work.  I just know you will make your goal for August at the rate you are going now.

I am currently at 2 years out from surgery.  Like you I had the RNY but mine was laproscopic.  I have been working on losing the last 50-60 lbs and it has been really slow.  But as Happylapbander is known to say it is not a race but a way of life.

I have tried to answer your questions, I hope this helps:

(1) On an average day how much food do you consume?  Approximately 1-1.5 cups at a meal.  I try for 6 mini meals

-calories   1400-1600 calories
-amount / grams of protein, fat, carbs, etc.  Protein 80-100 grams, carbs < 50 grams (complex carbs only), low fat (but not nonfat, need fat for elimination!)

(2) Do you ever find yourself binge-eating, if so, how much food can you tolerate?  Binges are not the same as pre-op, but I think of a binge of when I don't stop with my mini meal but keep adding to it!

(3) Do you still get dumping syndrome?  If so, is it still as intense as when you first had surgery?  Yes, I am very grateful for dumping.  It is natures way to keep me honest.  I can tolerate very little sugar (< 7 grams/serving) and white flour is a no, no.

Hope this is helpful to you..................Best regards, Carrie

Hi Carrie,

Thanks for the words of encouragement! 

Your post was very helpful.  About the fat needed for elimination.  I know that when I have like nearly 0 grams a fat for a day or a few days in a row that I end up getting constipated, and not until I have a little fat like some almonds or something will I be able to have a real bowel movement.  I really like almonds a lot, so I have to watch it b/c they have quite a bit of fat.

Good luck on you last 50 lbs.  I have to tell myself everyday that it's not about how fast I lose it, but about losing it and MAINTAINING.  I've lost a lot of weight quickly before, but I need to keep up with those lifestyle adjustments to keep it off!

Hey Dreamgirl,   This was EXTREMELY HELPFUL. I was wondering what is wrong with me… Sometimes I’ll eat something and feel fine; another time, I’ll eat the exact same thing and my stomach is cramping, I’m sweating, my HEART IS RACING… and those are some of the worst things to occur, physiologically, when in public.   I really like the structure you have with your meals; I completely lack that… I’ll just have this or that whenever I “feel like I’m hungry." What ends up happening is some days I might literally have 1 or 2 small meals or I’m snacking/grazing on food all throughout the day.  If I set an actual quantity this will probably help me get into a normal, healthier eating pattern.   Oh yeah, sometimes I can eat a 6" sub from Subway and feel just fine.  I haven’t done so since I’ve been trying to avoid fast food, but I wonder if I’m able to tolerate more food than the average post-surgery patient???    Hey Sionnaingeal,   I am definitely going to enter my data into that website. I have never heard of it before. Also, I need to find your old post about the “Pouches for Dummies." I always like to find out new info that’s helpful. I have definitely had some really bad dumping episodes, but I’ve been able to eat an entire candy bar and not have dumping; it’s kinda scary because my logic is “Oh crap, I broke something" LOL. I’m doing my best to stay away from the junk altogether now. I wonder if dumping intensifies if you go without sugar/carbs for a long time???   Hey Toddsgirl,   I laughed so hard when you said you might go into shock after eating a gallon of ice cream!!! The mental imagery was very comical! I know that there are many days that I don’t get in enough protein. Again, I think this goes back to me not planning meals for the day. I’m going to work on that. Here’s another site I’ve never heard of, SparkPeople, I have to check that out now too.   I’ve also noticed that OJ does not sit well with me, unless I dilute it… which usually means I won’t drink it, b/c it just ends up tasting weird!   Thanks ladies for all of your responses. Very informative, indeed!

Roosky,
   My weight loss adventure has been a lot like what you are describing.  For months now I thought I'd screwed up and my weight loss had come to an end.  From the start I have been able to tolerate foods that most WLS folks can not tolerate to include sugar, breads and so on.  My dumping events have been few and far between so I thought.  Come to find out my dumping consisted of some slight stomach discomfort followed by several trips to the bathroom.  Nothing like many other people have described. 
   What I've been made to realize is that you have to become disciplined to an eating schedule.  As most have stated in these posts, you must plan ahead and eat at a specific times and eat specific amounts.  It's when I deviate from the schedule that I find my self grazing or eating more than I should.  The more I keep to a schedule, the easier it is to stay full and not want to deviate from eating correctly.
   I recently completed the "Five Day Pouch Test" which helped me in a couple of ways.  It got me back to eating on a schedule and it help to return to me the feeling of being full when I ate correctly.  There is a website you can go to that explains everything.
   Good luck and keep in touch with this group.  I'm new to this group and I have learned more in the short month I've been here than in the two years before.

Ed 

Hey Ed,


I just completed the 5DPT, I think it was about 2 weeks ago.  I think that really help me to see that I wasn't getting in enough water each day which might have been why I felt so lethargic.  Also, it really helped me to stop drinking with my meals which allowed for me to eat a lot more.  I had started to lose weight again before doing it, but I lost a lot of weight that week while continuing my exercise.  It is an amazing and quick program.  What's more, I actually felt VERY FULL after small meals which hasn't happened in what seemed like such a LONG TIME.