Question:
Could I have stretched my pouch already? I feel doomed

Yesterday I had 1 slice of meatloaf, I ate about 1/4 to a 1/2 of it from a restaurant, a few bites of mashed potatoes, and a few bites of spinach. Then maybe not even an hour later I had a few more bites of the meat loaf,mashed potaotes and spinach-I never finished the whole meatloaf, but thought that if I waited like 15 mins I probably could have eaten the whole slice. Then an hour later I ate a sugar free popsicle,and about an hour after that I ate like 5 nuggets from mcdonald's. Which was alot for me because just two days ago I could only eat like 2 or 3 of them. I should note that yesterday I did not eat anything until dinner, just drank water all day I have not had much of an appetite at all, and nuggets for the past few days seem to be the only thing I will force myself to eat. I am just wondering if this sounds like typical behavior, I wanted to cry myself to sleep for eating all that food, I felt like Miss Piggy Pig-does anyone else have days where they can take in alot of food-and the next day their eating returns to a few bites of food? Does eating all that food mean that I have stretched my pouch??? I am a little over 2 months and down 45lbs-please help me...Thanks everyone-Tori    — TotallyTori (posted on May 17, 2003)

May 17, 2003
It's not that I think you're eating too much, only too OFTEN! Are you actually hungry when you eat an hour later or just feeling the "need" to eat? Is it head hunger or actual hunger? Highly unlikely you've stretched your pouch, but if you typically are this hungry (really hungry) this often after that quantity of food (and the quantity is really not the issue here) there's a chance you may have a SLD or an enlarged stoma. Oh and are you drinking soon after you eat?
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 17, 2003
I'm almost 3 months out and there are days where I can pack it away and eat a lot more than other days. I would get worried about the amount that I ate but the next day I would return to normal again. If you didn't eat anything but dinner then your body was probably really craving nourishment. I would suggest you hold yourself to a eating schedule most of the time. Also if you feel hungery before it is time to eat... try drinking water. Often time we feel hungry when we are actually just thirsty. Hope this helps. <p> Take Care, Be Well, BE Happy!
   — John T.

May 17, 2003
I worried a lot about this too.. but I know that it does stretch eventually.. I can eat more now than I could before... and yes, I could eat every hour sometimes... the key is not to.. at least not all the time. I think longterm, eating that often, even just a bit, is a good way to defeat this surgery, big or small stomach. But some days I can eat a lot more than others... it varies.. you might want to keep track overall of what you eat during the day -- calories, protein and carbs and fat... that will give you some idea if overall you've eaten too much. I use http://www.fitday.com to do that for me. Even when I have a day like that, I don't often eat way too much, just more than normal.
   — Lisa C.

May 17, 2003
I would think waiting an hour and eating again would not be a good thing to get started. We probably all could do that, but it might sabbotage our goals. There are all kinds of ways around this WLS. Really, skipping meals is a mistake. When I am hungry, I FEEL I could eat just like I used to. If I eat my three meals a day, I seldom am hungry. A bit of the head hunger can creep in some times, but I recognize it for what it is. Like John, I drink water when that happens and wait for my 'normal' next meal. I do have days I eat MUCH smaller portions than other days. I just listen to my body and never push it. Most the time the head and stomach are in sync. Sometimes it helps to go for a walk when you 'feel' hungry a small time after you have already eaten. Remember too that protein is more sustaining. High carbs can provoke a feeling of hunger. Has to do with our blood sugar. Okay..enough pontificating from me. (Open RNY 10/30/02 down 148 lbs.)
   — Ginger M.

May 17, 2003
oh.. and one more thing -- when I'm doing everything right.. here's how I manage that kind of stuff.. I wait at least one full hour before drinking, probably 99.9% of the time.. and so, I shouldn't be eating something when that hour is up, I should spend at least an hour drinking water... that will curb some of it I would think. Try that? Maybe it will help. It helps me.
   — Lisa C.

May 17, 2003
yeah actually after eating the meatloaf, I was so parched that I did drink some water, and I was thinking that maybe that had something to do with it, most days I wait about 45 mins before I drink something and then I wait another hour or so before I eat anything again. I usually eat every 2 to three hours but for the past week I have had no appetite and have not been eating anything I know I'm taking in under 500 calories a day, I am getting calories from crystal light, and I do try and eat like 4 nuggets or something just to have some food in my system but I am never hungry, I suppose I will get it over it, I was trying to supplement with protein shakes but now I am getting full off of a few sips of it, and then it makes me feel sick to my stomach, I was doing good with them before I don;t know what happen, I really do think that the drinking with my meals is what allowed me to eat more. I don;t usually eat evey hour like that if I gave some of you that impression. I would just keep drinking fluids for 2 hours after my meal and just try and keep myself busy, okay starting tomorrow it's back to a scheduled meal plan, I am gonna make myself eat breakfast tomorrow. Thanks guys for your help, I feel much better now-Love all of you...Tori(Original Poster)
   — TotallyTori