Question:
i saw something about the cottage cheese test

what is the cottage cheese test? and how does it work? i didn,t know there was such a test. if i understood correctly its to see if you have stretched your pouch. i will be 8 months post-op the 12th of april and i have lost 121 lbs, and like many of the posts i have read here, i can eat more now than i did at the beginning, and because i can do this i wonder if i haven,t stretched my pouch. my daily meals consist of a protein shake for breakfast about 300 cals, 30 grms protein, cup of yogurt 80 cals, 8 grms protein for snack, usually beef and cheese stick for lunch not sure cals or protein, a sm salad with lt dressing and a Michelena lean meal either salsbury steak or lasagna for dinner. before bedtime if i,m hungry i eat either a small amt of 98% fat free popcorn, pork skins, or drink a cup of flavored caffeine free tea. all in all i don,t think this is too much, but i would like to take this cottage cheese test for my own peace of mind. is it accurate? please comment.    — patricia M. (posted on March 21, 2004)

March 21, 2004

   — Kathy M.

March 21, 2004
I did the cottage cheese test when I was about 8 months post-op (lap RNY) and I could each about 1 1/2 cups. Yikes!<br><br>Then had a contrast study approx. 1 month later. My pouch size (confirmed by my surgeon and PA - and I could even see it on the screen for myself) was about the size of a small egg.<br><br> My opinion here, but the cottage cheese test is not exactly a scientific study... and any WLS surgery can be "outsmarted"... if we have smaller stomaches, we can still graze all day and eat enough junk to gain the weight back. A lot more of it has to do with control and behavioral changes that will be <b>healthier</b> choices for the rest of our lives. <br><br> I realize you want to know <b>if </b>you have stretched your pouch - but I guess I always wonder why people want to know? It's kind of like finding out that you don't dump on junk food. Because we know how much we need to consume (calories, protein, sugar) to make the surgery successful. If you KNOW that the new pouch is bigger than you'd like, will you be more likely to overeat? Your mindset has to kick in to use the tool your surgeon gave you. YOU are the one making the decisions here. Not your organs :)<br><br> Wishing the best for everyone, shelli
   — kultgirl

March 22, 2004
Kathy M...I used to make that same snack when I was on my Adkin's diet before my Open RNY. It is very good...especially if you are in the mood for something sweet.
   — Renee B.

March 22, 2004
I was in an Obesity Help chat once and one of the surgeons was saying something about not using cottage chesse, I can't remember what else he said though?????
   — Saxbyd

March 22, 2004
This is a test used to determine how big your pouch is? This is taken from Barbara Thompson- Weight loss surgery book Finding the thin person hiding inside you. A method to check for the quantity that your stomach will hold is to do the cottage cheese test. Do not try this until your are two or three months post-op, so that you are not putting too much pressure on your stomach. Also, you dont want to check the size while your pouch is still swollen from the surgery. Take a full 16-ounce container of small curd cottage cheese. Eat the cottage cheese out of the container for five minutes until you feel comfortably full, but not so full that you are going to throw up. Leave the remainder of the cottage cheese in the container. Using a 16-ounce measuring cup, fill the cottage cheese container with water so that the water is taking up the space of the cottage chesse you have eaten. Check to see how much water you have emptied into the cottage cheese container. That is the size of your pouch. After doing this little exercise, you will have a better visual perspective of the size of your pouch.
   — Katrina B.

March 22, 2004
You do realize that you are supposed to have a bigger pouch at 8 months than you did immediately post-op, correct? If you are concerned about the volume you eat, I wouldn't waste time with an inaccurate test, that could just serve to confuse you more. I'd go see my surgeon and get their opinion. Good luck to you.
   — LMCLILLY