Question:
Why is it that some people can eat only 2 bites and some can eat a cup full?

I was assuming when I had my surgery (RNY) that they pretty much make everyone's pouch the same size. So why is it that even months out after surgery, some people can only eat a few bites and others can eat much more?    — PaulaJ (posted on May 8, 2009)

May 8, 2009
I had RNY about 10 weeks ago and except for the few times I ate too fast or didn't chew enough, I'd swear they didn't even do the surgery, lol. I can probably even eat more than a cup without feeling backed up or anything. I've only dumped from Jello sugar free pudding (of all things!) and bread-y type things when I do try them, make me feel ucky later. It's still going to be a good tool for the rest of my life and I had a very easy recovery, but I wonder this often too. You hear these people who can't get enough food in and can only eat so little and I still have to consciously control my portions rather than my pouch doing it.
   — opheliafl

May 8, 2009
I had assumed that I would have a lot of restriction, only be able to eat a few ounces, and would dump when I ate the "wrong" type of food. In fact, I was looking forward to it as I am such a food/carb addict. Unfortunately, I turned out to be one of those folks who can eat anything (at least anything I have tried thus far) with no problems. I can easily eat more than a cup per meal, but I measure everything so that I don't. I can drink normally-no sipping here. I wish it had turned out differently for me but that being said I am using the tool to the best I can and have lost 100 lbs in 5 months.
   — Kristi K.

May 9, 2009
Different Doctors make the pouch size different. So it really depends on how big your pouch size really is. I can eat up to 4 oz without feeling yucky and others have told me that they eat 2oz and are stuffed. So it really depends on what size your pouch is.
   — laurabingham

May 9, 2009
Hi Paula! I wanted to say this much. As we all are not professionals and can only state what we know, what I do know is that if one has a good healing and no stomach or intestinal sensitivities, they can stretch their new pouch very easily with out even realizing it. By eating more than what our Nut's have guided us to we are taking a big chance of damaging this wonderful gift we have given ourselves. Why would anyone want a REVISION. Not to mention the Doc being disappointed if it was needed because of a bad decision we made.I hope everyone is doing well and continues to do so.
   — 1stReneeMarie

May 9, 2009
When we first have surgery, we can only eat a few bites...As time goes on, our pouches are SUPPOSED to stretch to a point that we can eat like a regular small person...We are not supposed to eat only a few bites forever...Our pouches are like balloons that instead of air they fill with food...After the food dumps into the intestines, it deflats again...It takes months to be able to eat a cup of food but that is what is expected by a year. It's a gradual progression...Some people over eat daily and so stretch their stoma (opening of pouch) which allows food to pass faster and therefore not getting that full feeling...Revisions often are to correct a stretched stoma, because stretching the pouch is a lot harder than some think...it takes a lot of abuse to stretch the 2-4 oz pouch that your surgeon gives you...There are other ways of eating around the restriction too, by over eating, grazing or snacking all day long...eating high calorie foods and not exercising. I only ate 2-4 T of food my first months...half a sandwich by 3 mos...by a year i was eating 3-4 ounces of meat a side of veggies and a few bites of salad...At five years, I eat 4-6 ounces of meat, and veggies along with a small serving of grains or starchy veggie... I will not allow myself to ever eat more than that general amount...If I begin gaining, I regroup...I pull out my food scales and measuring cups to make certain I am not eating more than I normally do...I measure out servings most tiems...But after 5 plus years, I just know what a 1/4 C vs a Cup of food looks like visually...i can guess exactly 4 ounces of meat! I know that when I feel full, I have over eaten...I focus on what I eat...We can never walk around at a party and eat from snack tables...Those days are over...It's so easy to over eat...and doing it regularly can stretch your pouch...but I do not believe it is easy to do...I think it takes just as much "WORK" to stretch your pouch as it does to mind it! That's my opinion!
   — .Anita R.

May 9, 2009
i took tiny sips at first, timing them out exactly as instructed. as time went on, i was told to increase the liquid as i could tolerate it, with guidelines on what would probably be how much i could handle. after that i could increase my liquid intake by quite a lot, and i feel that i can probably drink TOO much. it makes me want to request some sort of scan so that my dr can see if i've stretched the pouch out too much! on the other hand, i still can't eat a whole lot. i had lap rny on 1/13/09, so not quite four months, and can eat a good half of a cup over about half an hour. if i eat more than that i feel EXTREMELY full, and it causes pain and a definitely desire to throw up just to get all of that tons of food out of there! note: i do not force myself to throw up, and have only thrown up twice since surgery (whew. knocking on wood right now!)...just didn't want anyone to think i was developing an eating disorder. :) anyway. my point is i think it just turns out to be different for everyone. people that say that at this point they want to eat more, or are hungry, make me feel fortunate that i'm not. i have very little appetite, though food has started sounding good again. i know that at some point it'll be too easy for me to eat more than i should. i think the best thing for you to do is stick to the amounts the dr/nut has recommended for you, and either make an appt or at your next appt discuss these concerns with them. maybe that dr DOES make the pouch larger than mine does, so that you could eat more sooner than i can. it definitely is a great question for your doctor. good luck!
   — rachieo