Question:
I am concerned that I am able to eat too much food--Can anyone help?

I am 6 mos. out from a proximal, open RNY gastric b/p. I was 100 pounds over my ideal weight at the time of surgery. I have lost 70 lbs to date but I have been concerned all along that something is wrong because I can easliy eat a large plate of salad greens and a chicken breast or a 6 oz. filet mignon, a small salad and a few bites of a potato. I have eaten 2 pieces of pizza before as well. Some mornings I eat 1-1/2 cups of unsweetened non-fat yougurt with 6-8 strawberries and 1/3 cup of grapenuts on top and I can eat that amount easily. I feel satisfied with the above mentioned amounts of food but I am concerned my pouch has been stretched out or expanded and is too large or that perhaps my outlet is too large. At 2 mos. p/o my surgeon had to go in and ballon dialate the outlet because it had closed up to 3 mm. What if he opened it up too much? Am I eating too much? My weight loss has tapered off and I feel like I am plateauing now but my biggest concern is the amount of food I can comfortably hold in my pouch. I read an article recently where a patient ate one good bite of a hamburger on a bun and was completely full. I also read an article that stated that the most the pouch should hold is 1 cup of food or 4-6 oz. I think I can and do eat more than that at a sitting. Any feedback you can share?    — ChelleBelle (posted on June 25, 2008)

June 25, 2008
Hi Michele! First congrats on the 70 pounds! Everyone is different on how much they can handle and take in. I am 9 months out and I can't hold that much. You may want to try cutting yourself back if that would make you feel better or if you think the doctor may have stretched your pouch and you are concerned then call him. Thats what he is there for. So it won't hurt for you to voice your concerns to him/her. God Bless You and keep up the good work. HAVE A BLESSED DAY! Bev
   — okiegirl

June 25, 2008
I agree that everyone is different, but it does seem to be a large amount of food you are eating. If you aren't keeping a food diary, that might be a good idea. I know it's an invaluable aid to me. In fact, I use what I've logged for breakfast & lunch to determine what I should have for dinner & snacks. I use a free online food diary at www.fitday.com. It gives not only calorie totals, but also protein, carbs & fat percentages. It has been a life saver. I am 5 months post-op and have lost 78 pounds. In addition to that, you should voice your concerns to your doctor and see if he/she can refer you to a nutritionist. All the best!
   — eddyrider3

June 25, 2008
You're doing great, keep up the good work! I recommend that rather than eating UNTIL you feel full, you should just continue to measure out your food and only eat what you need. You said that the smaller amounts still satisfy you, so it's not as if you're left feeling hungry. Use smaller bowls and plates so the amounts look bigger, if that helps. I think we all have to really adjust how we look at our food and stop thinking of eating until we're gorged, but rather eating until we've had what we need. Best of luck!
   — suezahn4me

June 26, 2008
Everyone is different, as you know. I am 6 months post-RNY, and I have a hard time eating enough... which can also cause plateaus. My suggestion is to ask your nutritionist or surgeon for specific amounts for meats, veggies, etc. The weights and volume will vary based on the density of the foods. I believe you should eat until you feel satisfied, not full. I suggest measuring to keep you on track. And eat minimal amounts of foods that do not get you proper nutrition (as a bypass patient).
   — gonnadoit

June 26, 2008
I AM 5 MONTHS POST-OP FROM A RNY AND I ALWAYS FEAR THAT I AM EATING TOO MUCH. I HAVE LOST 70 POUNDS BUT I CAN EAT MORE FOOD THAN SOME OF MY POST-OP FRIENDS. WHAT I HAD TO START DOING IS CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT MYSELF. I HAVE A FOOD SCALE AND I MEASURE MY FOOD AT EACH MEAL. I FIGURE THAT IT IS A GOOD HABIT TO GET USED TO. I KNOW FROM PAST EXPERIENCE THAT I AM BY NATURE AN OVEREATER AND TO AVOID A REPEAT PROBLEM WITH WEIGHT, I CAN'T TRUST MY PERCEPTION OF WHAT ENOUGH LOOKS LIKE. IT ALSO ASSURE THAT I EAT THE RIGHT THINGS. THE FOOD JOURNAL ALSO KEEPS YOU HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR PROGRAM. GOOD LUCK!
   — tigerlil58

June 26, 2008
I don't know that you actually need this, but if you do, then there is a new procedure out there that seems designed just for you. It is called stomaphyX. You can get the basic idea of the procedure from here: http://www.themorbidme.com/2007/09/stomaphyx-incis.html . Do some research on your own and see if you can find a surgeon in your area that can do the procedure. Basically, the short version is that they place a device down your esophagus and use some posts to draw the sides of the pouch up and make the available volume of the pouch smaller. There is no cutting involved. The entire operation is done through the esophagus and inside the pouch. I hope this helps, Hugh
   — hubarlow

June 26, 2008
I'm probably going to get slammed in some way for this response - but in addition to the good suggestions already provided, take a moment to think about how much you were able to eat in a sitting BEFORE you had surgery. If you believe that you are currently consuming that much or more, you need to find a way to get back on track. I will not recommend anything in particular, because we are all different. We can all eat differently and we all lose differently. Look at WHAT you are eating -- salads process through our systems faster than denser protiens like chicken - so you may be frustrated to realise that you have no problem eating that large, restaurant sized salad! How fast or slow you eat also plays into this equation. Your idea of slow and mine may be different, but the slower you eat, the more time there is for your food to make it's way down the pipeline between bites. Of course, if you eat too fast, 2 or 3 bites will be more than enough before you feel like you've over done it. Also, do you drink with your meals or are you religious to the rule on waiting? Personally, I have to have a few sips of liquid when I eat, otherwise I have experienced the food being stuck in my throat - not pleasant. I've STILL lost over 100 pounds in 7 months! BUT, the tradeoff is that the liquid carried the food through your pouch faster, making it take longer to feel satisfied/full, so you need to monitor what you eat, when you eat and how much to make sure you are on the right track for you. These are just my thoughts. Be proud of what you have accomplished - it's not easy. But in the end, look at how much you could have eaten before the surgery....and you'll probably realise that for as much as it seems like you are eating now, it's a lot less! Good luck.
   — zandeldm

June 27, 2008
I'm curious to know how much/little you could eat before your dilation procedure after your RNY? It does sound like you are eating quite a bit at one serving, having said that.... do you eat until you are satisfied, or do you eat until you are full? Head satisfied or pouch satisfied? Suggest you really tune in and listen to your head hunger. Size of pouch varies, I have heard from a large egg to 6-8 oz. My surgeon really wants us to stay under 4 oz at one meal with a good amount of restriction with our LapBands. If you try to picture how much this is, it is one of the smallest Glad disposable containers or 1/2 cup. I know RNY'ers are a little different, but the ones in my support group usually can't eat more than 1 cup at one sitting of WLS appropriate food. Protein and veggies. Why are you eating pizza? Even if you CAN, should you be? If you have stretched your pouch, as another author wrote, there is the Stomaphyx procedure you can look into. Good luck to you, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic