Question:
Does the l/4" passageway from pouch to intestines ever become bigger ?

The reason I ask is that I read posts by post-ops a year out who state they can eat anything they want. I know that right after surgery and during weightloss you are warned to steer clear of foods that will clog the tiny l/4" opening from the pouch to the intestinal tract. How then, can you later eat beef, coconut and other foods that use to clog up your pipes? I'm confused. I assumed we would have to avoid certain types of foods forever after. I know the pouch stretches to 3 or 4 oz eventually but had never heard that this little opening would as well.    — Sherry M. (posted on October 28, 2000)

October 28, 2000
I can only tell you what I know about my own body. That opening for me is the size of an M&M, according to my surgeon. He wraps something around it to keep it from ever stretching. I've never been told to avoid foods that can clog this - but I was told to ALWAYS chew everything small enough so that it can pass through. I had surgery almost 7 months ago and I have never thrown up or had anything get stuck. I've eaten meats since about 3 or 4 weeks out. The key, for me, is always chewing things very well. One helpful hint, if you think you might forget, is to cut your bites up small enough before you ever put them in your mouth. Don't ever chew gum either - that would be awful to get stuck!. I think some people get clogged up for the reason of not chewing well, or else that area swells up and closes on them soon after surgery. That's more likely what you've been hearing about. Hope this helps.
   — Cindy H.

October 28, 2000
Yes, it can, but you'd prefer that it does not. That's what helps you feel full right on schedule. As long as you stay very well nourished (keep an eye on your labs) and stick with the main "rules", it probably wil NOT happen. No milk, no sugar, no drinking with meals, no grazing. A bunch of small meals, say 2 hours apart is not grazing. Grazing is leaving the box of crackers beside the computer all day. You want to feel somewhat comfortably full, then feel empty, then feel full, then feel empty. Feeling perpetually full defeats you utterly, in your pouch, in your head andin your wt loss.
   — vitalady

October 31, 2000
Al - thank you for that explaination. I have an upper GI on Monday because the surgeon thinks that may have happened to me. I don't graze and have never eaten to discomfort but I can eat a lot and rarely feel full. He said if the opening had stretched we would have to use a different strategy but didn't say what that would be. I appreciate the information. I have about 30 more pounds to lose and have been stuck for more than 2 months with no loss.
   — kaydeeb16