Question:
What does a full pouch feel like?

I'm still pre-op and I wonder what that "full" feeling will feel like. Does it feel like that full feeling after eating a big meal (where you have to unbuckle your pants?). Or does it feel like you just finished eating a regular meal? I'm curious because I have a tendency to eat when I'm not hungry. However, when I'm "full" to the point of being "stuffed" I don't even want to think of food. I'm having a Lap RNY in June. Thanks!    — Kimberly L. (posted on May 9, 2001)

May 9, 2001
Kimberly, I am almost 4 weeks post-op and I find my body will tell me when it is full. On the rare occasion where I ate more then I should have I ended up just throwing up, sorry about being so descriptive. It is not like before where I could literally eat a couple of pounds of food. I also have no craving for food anymore. I have to make sure that I eat enough during the day. This is from a guy who weighed in at 398.2 on the day of my surgery and who in almost 4 weeks has lost 50 pounds. This second chance we are being given is truly a gift, take full advantadge of it. Good luck and if you have any question e-mail me.
   — Barry R.

May 9, 2001
In my experience, a 'full' pouch and a 'stuffed' pouch feel like a full or stuffed stomach. I really cannot tell much of a difference, except I know my 'stuffed' pouch holds much less food than my stuffed stomach did. I have learned a neat new trick lately, though. Since I've lost 94 pounds, I can literally feel my organs and abdominal muscles through my skin. So when I think I am hungry, or want to graze, I put my hand on my tummy and can feel how full my pouch is. If it's full, I know it's head hunger and I can drink water or eat 1/2 a protien bar or find something else to do until it's appropriate to eat. How cool! What you will learn after surgery is to eat until your hunger is satisfied, and although you may feel full from time to time, feeling stuffed will be rare indeed.
   — Allie B.

May 9, 2001
The feeling of full to me was more of a inner voice that said "Do I really want that next bite" When I stop to look at that bite left on the plate or the fork I automatically know it's time to stop..
   — Victoria B.

May 9, 2001
For the first few months, after eating a very small amount of food, Id feel like I just ate Christmas dinner. If you eat TOO much, you feel the food in the esophagus (yuk) Now, I feel some tightness once in a while and if I eat too much, again like Christmas dinner except I am probably eating about 10% of what I ate before.
   — Jeannet