Question:
Help! I'm able to eat too much!

I'm only 16 days PO (open VBG 6-11-02), and I'm already able to eat too much. I've been very careful about spacing my water before and after meals, but I was able to eat over half a bean burrito with no problem. Is this normal? My doctor & hospital nutritionist said full liquids & soft foods for the first 3 weeks. I'm worried I can eat too much too soon. Help!    — Tami B. (posted on June 27, 2002)

June 27, 2002
How big was the burrito? How long did it take you to eat it? How many could you eat before surgery? There are days I feel like I can eat far more than I can other days. I can eat a toco bell toco. I ate a piece of veggie pizza (homemade and damn good!) Dont sweat it, this will work!~ For me (5.5 weeks out) there are days I need to FORCE myself to eat and others that I feel like I cant wait til my next bite. You will get the hang of it just let your body WORK FOR YOU for a change. Best of Luck!!!~ CM
   — Sassy M.

June 27, 2002
You're not alone! :) I also feel that I am able to eat too much for someone who had the surgery. I am 3 weeks post-op today and although I can drink about 6-8 ounces of water, juice, protein shakes.....actual food fills me up a bit quicker. I guess I'll see what happens when I start to actually eat solid food :)My Surgeon said liquid flushes out of the pouch quickly and your stomach empties, leaving you hungry. I'm sure solids will keep you full :) Good luck!
   — Kelly C.

April 9, 2003
I had by VBG on 1/28/03 and am now down 38lbs. Boy I know how you feel. Where I did not eat a burito, I could easily at five weeks drink down a cup of liquid where right after surgery only 1-2oz. I thought for sure I had a staple line leak but know I was ok. Liquids should go through quickly. I eat a taco or a half of a burito now. It takes me about 30 minutes to eat so I don't get that puking feeling. My friends who have had the surgery before me say that at about a year they easily ate one whole burito because your stomach should eventually hold between 4-8 ozs at a time.
   — Alma W.

May 20, 2003
7 years ago i had a vertical banded gastroplasty... and ive gained all but 25 lbs of it back, and im going in for a revision (hopefully if approved) to a Gastric Bypass. If i would have known then that the little pouch at the top leaking food slowly into your stomach would make you RAVINOUSLY hungry... i would have never had that one. I have been told that the Gastric bypass helps to reduce the amount of a chemical that makes you hungy.. and also, since your STOMACH actually is full.. and there isn't anything below SCREAMING hunger..it is more sucessful. Also, a person has to take the malabsorption factor in.. it helps also. I would never have another VBG EVER. The Gastric Bypass has almost the same risks and is just plain better.
   — Dawn P.