Question:
Feeling like I must have eaten through my surgery and ruined my pouch...
I am 8.5 months post op RNY surgery. I can't help but feel like I've eaten past my surgery (stretched out pouch beyond usefullness). I'm perpetually worried about this. I can't get it off my mind, of course, you'd think with all that pondering I'd be able to "stick with it" but I just don't seem to. I haven't lost anything in about eight weeks; although, I did loose almost six inches last month. I am grateful for that. I'm well versed on the importance of going to support group and talking to others. I do this as much as possible. This dread I have feels like self-sabotage, I guess. I guess what I'm really reaching for here is additional support and/or reassurance that maybe I DIDN'T actually ruin my pouch. As always, I do appreciate all of you and the input you give to not only me but all the other folks that post questions as well. Gratefully, — LuvNSummer (posted on August 2, 2008)
August 2, 2008
Only your Surgeon is going to tell you you have streched your pouch, but
that is not easy to do and I doubt you have. As time goes on we can eat
more and more food slides through the pouch. Also you may have started
drinking wit meals and that causes more food to past through the pouch
without sticking. Try to get back to a routine of what you should be
eating and see who that goes. It is alfot that we hit palatius that cause
us not to loose for up to 30 days, so don't feat and just tru to get on the
track again and see who things are going.
Bill
— William (Bill) wmil
August 2, 2008
Hi Leslie, thanks for writing. It is not uncommon at all for your pouch to
stretch. It is a natural occurance, but unless you are stuffing yourself
all the time, it is a muscle, and it will retract, at least some. What you
are going through is self sabotage, it is a head game to lose weight, not
just a weight or diet issue. You need to find foods that satisfy your body
and don't lead you to eat more. Then you have to fight those head issues
that make you eat more anyway. I am 4 years post op, and my lust for food
is big as ever. Surgery did not change that. I choose to do right, most
of the time, and when I find myself heading the wrong direction, I soap the
food and throw it away. If I can't eat it reasonibly, then I get rid of it
until I repent of that attitude about that food. I eat all things in
moderation, and try to make choices that are good. If you really want to
know what size your pouch is you can do the cottage cheese test. Buy a
container of small curd cottage cheese and in the morning begin eating 1/4
cups full (measure out about 6 of them), eat for 5 full minutes, or when
you feel full. When you feel full or 5 minutes is up, stop. How ever much
you ate, that is the size of your pouch. 1/4 cup is 2 oz, 2 is 4 oz, etc.
Do this first and see if it does not help you at least in the inforamtion
you get. Also, be sure you are eating protein and drinking your water. If
you are getting caffine or soda in, you could be doing much more damaga
than good. At 4 years out, I do drink other things now except alcohol,
that is a forever no no for me, but I didn't drink soda for 2.5 years after
surgery and 9 months prior to surgery. You have to protect your pouch, and
if you don't, the consequences of that is more than you want. Just
remember the choice is yours, but so are the consequences if you choose
wrong. It is tough, I know all too well, but I also know you can win, it
is just a huge fight, mainly with your own head. Take care. Patricia P.
— Patricia P
August 3, 2008
Hi Leslie! Have you tried doing a 1 or 2 day full liquids only fast (no
sugar liquids; not milkshakes!) ? I find I physically feel SO much better
after doing this. It also allows me to mentally reboot; for that day I
know I am doing liquids only so mentally everything else is off bounds.
This also gives you a chance to really think about how you FEEL physically.
Are you honestly physically hungry or just wanting to munch? My
intestines feel so much better after I do this. It's just a nice physical
and mental reboot and reflection. Try taking a day and just drinking your
liquids and protein shakes and see how your guts feel and what you are
feeling mentally. WE CAN DO IT! ~ Melanie g.
— MAG
August 3, 2008
The cottage cheese test has some major flaws. It assumes that no cottage
cheese will leave your pouch while you eat... your pouch is not a balloon.
It has a hole at the top and the bottom.
As others have said, it's difficult to stretch your pouch more than it
naturally stretches. You lost 6 inches last months... that's pretty
amazing. Go by the inches rather than the scale, especially if you are
exercising. Muscle is denser than fat... one square inch of muscle weighs
more than one square inch of fat. One pound of muscle takes up less space
than one pound of fat. The weight loss you would normally see from losing
fat may be "hidden" if you are gaining muscle.
Good Luck!
— mrsidknee
August 3, 2008
Just get back to the portions you are supposed to have. Eat the protein
first as it fills you up more than anything. Avoid slider foods. I eat on
the same tiny plate every meal. Half of that little plate is my protein.
You should never have more than a cup of food at a time. My nut used a
tennis ball to show the biggest your pouch should naturally stretch to over
time. Good luck and stick with it. You have gone thru too much, to let
yourself go back to old habits now. Good luck
— lesleigh07
August 3, 2008
You probably did not ruin your pouch...or stretch it beyond repair. That
takes a LONG time of abusive eating to do that. You've been doing
something RIGHT because, darlin', you look fabulous! I'd tell you to try
the 5 Day Pouch Test and start logging your food intake and cut back, eat
leaner, cut out carbs, yada yada yada...all the things I think you know
(just because you know you are sabatoging yourself)...So I won't...I will
say that you probably need to first find the reason that you don't think
you are worth the effort...It starts in your head, sweetie...You have got
to face that part of your life that makes you self destructive and search
your soul for peace and self worth. Then and only then can you truly work
on loving yourself enough to work hard at a new, improved, head healthy,
body healthy...gorgeous woman that I can see in your photos! Do it for your
DD...Show her good eating habits and self discipline of being a normal,
thin person...You are there! You can do this...Find your demons in your
head and slay them...I think that's yoour first step, because you certainly
did not ruin your surgery and as long as you don't gain all your weight
back...I'd say you still have quite a head start on getting your head
straight...You , like many of us, have an eating disorder...that doesn't go
away...But confidence will reinforce new good habits...Find what it is that
tiggers your binges and put your foot down on it...FACE IT..>CRY out
loud...SCREAM in the car (so no one can hear you and think you've lost your
derned mind) But DON'T eat because it feels good...
Big hugs...You are worth it...Say it more often to yourself (another thing
that might get people wondering if you walk around giving yourself hugs and
verbal kudos! ) LOL I do sometimes, but my family already thinks I half
nutso anyway...LOL
— .Anita R.
August 3, 2008
I reached a weight loss "plateau" after 7 or 8 months past R-N-Y.
For 7 or 8 months past that, I continued to lose inches instead of weight.
My weight was redistributing, fat "changing" to muscle, etc. If
you are not getting DAILY exercise now, you should start -- and stick with
it as if it is your #1 priority. Find something you like to do (I like ride
my bicycle).
— [Deactivated Member]
August 5, 2008
HI...just read your post..I am 4+ yrs post op....thought maybe my pouch was
ruined too after gaining 7lbs... I started to panic. I went to
5daypouchtest.com and tried it...I feel 100% better and actually lost 12
pounds in 8 days...it just brings you back to the basics and breaking the
carb cravings...Im now eating normally again and I can definatly feel a
difference in my pouch...dont eat as much and fill up faster. So what Im
trying to say is sometimes you just need a little tweeking...pouch stills
works , just have to work with it. Check out that site alot of good info.
Good-Luck!!
— KimberlyH
August 17, 2008
I am so happy to see the comments posted here. I felt that my pouch was
"beyond repair". I had RNY in Sept 04. My start weight was 290.
I lost weight the first 4 months and got down to 230 -- that was all I
lost. By about the 8th month, I was able to eat pretty good sized meals.
And push the clock to today, I was 274 the first of last week. I've
started trying to get back on track by dieting in ways I did before I had
RNY. As of today, I am 269. Now that I know about the pouch test, I hope
that I can do it and get the feeling of fullness again and get the quick
weight loss going again. When you love food, no matter what type surgery
you have, if you want the food bad enough, you'll find weighs to work
around your "tool" to get what you want. That's what I did and
have pretty much gained over half of my weight back. It's not fun going
back to the heavier weight and I'm getting encouragement from reading your
posts. Thanks for that!
— Poodie01
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