Question:
I did the test!

Now, I'm 4 1/2 months out and have always been concerned about how much I could eat from the first day postop. The reults: MY POUCH IS 9OUNCES BIG! How aboutany one else? Should I bee freaked out???!?!?!!?!?!?!?    — Debby M. (posted on January 22, 2003)

January 22, 2003
That seems a little high to me but I am only 2.5 months out. I can only eat about 2-3oz of cottage cheese at a time. Did you eat it quickly?
   — Kelly T.

January 22, 2003
Hi Debby. I've always thought the cottage cheese test seemed kind of imprecise (and I've always been scared of what I might find out!), so I haven't done it yet. But you might want to check out this version of the Pouch Rules, which talks about what Terri is referring to below -- the fact that it's what we put into the pouch, more than the size, that predicts our outcomes. It's at http://www.nikkiinmd.com/pouch_rules.htm <P>Having said that, yeah, 9 ounces seems big for 4 1/2 months out. BUT -- Do you feel that you are overeating? If not, I wouldn't worry about it. If so, you can always ask the doc to do an upper GI series to see if there's a problem, such as a staple line disruption or an enlarged stoma (the part that connects your pouch to your intestines). It's just that as we heal, our pouches are SUPPOSED to stretch. It's a good thing, because we can't live on 600-700 calories a day forever (or whatever we manage to eat in those first few months). It's real easy to panic when you realize you can eat more -- and I've done it at every stage where I've realized that (panic!) -- but then I notice that I really can't eat very much of the course of a day (even if one meal seems bigger than before), and I realize it's just the healing process at work.
   — Suzy C.

January 22, 2003
I also think the cottage cheese test is somewhat imprecise. If you are eating and not feeling uncomfortable, I think you are probably doing okay. I think just about everyone worries about stretching their pouch. (I know I do). Sometimes it seems like I can eat a lot, and other times not very much. Also, I think the perception of what is a lot changes after you have surgery. Have you ever looked at someone else's plate and thought "Man, how can they eat so much!" and then think, "Hey, I used to be able to eat that much!" My mom weighs 92 lbs, and I used to think she ate very little - now I look at how much she eats and it looks like a lot to me! If you are still losing weight, you are doing fine. Your pouch is somewhat elastic, so the cottage cheese may be distending it temporarily, or you may have a good sized outlet that lets your pouch empty out faster. Try not to dwell on it and cocentrate on what you put in your pouch, instead of how much. I think you will be fine!
   — koogy