Question:
I will be 3 wks. post-op on Monday and am on soft foods. I started eating pasta and

I think I have stretched my pouch. I ate 6oz. at breakfast, lunch and dinner. About 2 hours later I was hungry again and just made another plate of pasta and I don't know how much it was. Could I have already stretched my pouch? I didn't get sick or anything. I feel like I have failed this already. Thanks for any advise.    — Lisa H. (posted on June 19, 2003)

June 19, 2003
Lisa, let me share something about carbs. They are very "glycemic" and white carbs (pasta, potatos, rice, bread) turn to sugar almost immediately upon hitting your stomach and cause an insulin reaction which triggers big time hunger. Stick with your soft protiens and always eat your protien first. Pasta will also swell in your pouch causing discomfort. After a period of time, your pouch becomes more elastic and "gives" when you eat giving the impression of a stretched pouch. Go back to liquids for a few days (include protien shakes if your doctor allows) and kick in your ketosis again. Carbs will knock you out of ketosis in a hurry, causing hunger and hindered weight loss. God bless you on your journey... Lisa 291/255/150 5.5 weeks post op.
   — Happy I.

June 20, 2003
Lisa- Don't feel like you have "failed this already". Last any of us checked, we just had our stomachs and intestines reconfigured and not our brains-- so years of bad eating habits don't go away immediately following surgery. You made an eating mistake having pasta-- Lisa gave you all the reasons why. After you get back on track, stick to protein and you will be on the road to a new life of health. Good luck.
   — SteveColarossi

June 20, 2003
Lisa, listen to Lisa and Steve! Protien FIRST... get RID of that pasta!!
   — Sharon M. B.

June 20, 2003
Pouch stretching is VERY overrated according to my doc. His group is well over a 1200 surgeries so he should know. Get your protein in, right now use your tool to take advantage of the fast loss phase for best weight loss. Eating carb will have you regretting it when you are 50 pounds from goal and stalled out:(
   — bob-haller

June 23, 2003
This note is meant in a spirit of friendship and caring: Please, please, please, do not eat pasta, starches or basically, anything white and processed. You will thwart your weightloss, believe me. Protein first, and then non-starchy veggies. Water BETWEEN meals and that's it. You can add fruit when you get close to goal. Soft foods means take that protein, put it in a mini-food processer and puree it. Pasta is not a good choice. It'll make you crave food within an hour, as you said. It has no real nutritional value. Sorry, but if you start eating pasta now you are developing habits that will cause you grief later. Remembner, it's carbs (sugars and starches) that made us fat. Diane Check out my food tips at the site below. They might help. Best of luck to you, http://www.WeightlossSurgery.ws
   — DianeN