Question:
How do I know if my pouch is working.

I had my surgery on July 7,2009. I dont feel like my pouch is working bcs I dont get the full feeling. I just stop eating myself. The first ten days on liquid I was fine but now I'm on pureed foods and I never feel full. Please help    — DonnaRo (posted on July 18, 2009)

July 18, 2009
I had my surgery 6/8/09 and began feeling hunger at about 4 weeks. But it is not difficult for me to work with it and 'fill up' , so far any how. I eat / drink 4 - 5 small meals a day and that works for me. Are you feeling true hunger or the lighter feeling of less food? There is a difference. Also when you are able to eat more solid foods that will prob really help. Best wishes!!
   — bluewater09

July 18, 2009
The nerves to your stomach have been cut. You aren't getting the same signal to the brain anymore. For a lot of us folks we don't get a full feeling but nor do we get true hunger pains. You're most likely experiencing head hunger (you think you are hungry because you see only the tiny portion in front of you or the reduced caloric intake if you are food journaling). This is why it's so important to MEASURE your food with an actual measuring cup so you don't overeat and make yourself sick or stretch your pouch. You have to learn portion control instead of relying on your stomach to tell you that you're full. Eat the foods and the amounts designated by your surgeon's eating plan and continue pushing those fluids to make sure you are getting a minimum of 64 oz in each day. That pouch will begin to 'wake up' and you may find that you have the opposite problem and it will be hard to get in both 64 oz. of fluids and 50g+ of protein in each day. Again, just measure your food until you become adept at recognizing proper portion and know that you will always have to stop eating yourself when the portion has been consumed. The tastebuds don't rule anymore, that pouch will. :o)
   — Arkin10

July 19, 2009
My surgeon told me I wouldn't feel hunger for at least 8 months. Ha! I've been feeling the gurgling rumbling hunger pangs for at least two months and I just had surgery on March 2nd. I just try to ignore them, or have REALLY low fat, low carb, high protein snacks around to help satisfy my hunger.
   — Erica Alikchihoo

July 19, 2009
AT 15 months post op.. I still don't have any hunger pangs..I know I have to eat by thinking what I ate for the day...I love it though....Its easier to make better food choices.
   — okbuffy

July 19, 2009
You can no longer rely on what you used to think of as full or hunger. You need to just eat slowly and stil to the portion your doctor told you to. I am now a year out and I don't get hungery but I get very cranky if I don't eat for a long time, like 3 or 4 hours. I have learned to eat a small amount every couple hours to keep feling good. I know I am too full if I get burping.
   — trible

July 20, 2009
One way to be sure your pouch is full, is to mentally prepare your mind for a food divorce, as you will. I had to mentally prepare my mind to sever the tie with food. It really is important that you do this, pre op but post op is okay too. I just kept telling myself that I am doing this for my health, I don't need the food to rule my life, I also had to prepare for smaller size portions. For me, I was full on just two tablespoons of pureed food, just listen to your pouch and really focus in on not full but satisfied, eat slow and you will soon realize you had the satified feeling all along. If you do feel the full feeling then you have eaten too much. And that in turn could cause you to throw up. Best wishes and I hope you do find you do do have the feeling, watch out for head hunger and the feelings pre op shouldn't still be there of over eating.
   — Kristy