Question:
I just got done eating lunch, I'm 7 months post op and am able to eat a whole lean

cusine lunch, ya know the cheese tortenilli, It's about 9 oz of food, I don't fill ill and I'm comftably full. I'm trying to be a good girl and watch what I eat, sticking to things that won't do me wrong. Eating lite and eating wise, However I was just wondering this still seems like alot of food to be able to eat. Is it ? Also I have another question regarding water intake, I usally wait 2 hours after eating beofre I resume my water drinking regimin, what is the time line to wait after I drink, when is it ok to eat, should I wait 15 minutes, 30 minutes, after drinking before I eat ? Please help... Post Op 7 months down 109 pounds    — tannedtigress (posted on January 7, 2003)

January 7, 2003
Hi Dawn, I think you are doing fine. After 7 months your pouch has stretched (it is supposed to) and you will find that you can eat more than you could early on. Soft foods like the cheese tortellini and other soft foods you can probably eat more of than if you tried to do 9 oz of a solid, like steak. Don't worry about it. Just try to concentrate on getting in your protein at every meal. As for drinking water, 2 hours is too long to wait to drink after a meal. I've heard anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour. As for when to eat after drinking, my doctor suggested 15 minutes but I have heard 1/2 hour for others. Hope this helps and congrats on 109 in 7 months-good job!
   — Cindy R.

January 7, 2003
Dawn: Congrats on your weight loss. I wouldn't be concerned about the 9 ounce portion, especially if you took your time eating and chewed thoroughly. The pouch stretches over time. I wait only 30 minutes after eating to begin drinking fluids again and was told same by my surgeon. Continued success!
   — JoanneML

January 7, 2003
I've been told by my doc to not drink 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating. I think most doc's have their own opinion, but usually the answer's range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes. Hope this helps :)
   — sibarra

January 7, 2003
I stop drinking about 20 to 30 minutes before I eat, and wait 30 minutes after. I think 2 hours is too long to wait, you need that precious time to up your fluid intake. Congrats on the super weight loss! Hugs, Kim S. Open RNY Nov. 4/02 (-71)
   — Kim S.

January 7, 2003
I don't drink for 30 minutes before or after I eat. The reason for not drinking before is so that you aren't full of water and can't eat enough and the reason for not drinking for 30 minutes after is so that the food leaves the pouch on it's own and isn't washed out too quickly. I could eat close to a whole lean cuisine at lunch at 7 months but I find that they offer too many carbs and not enough protein.
   — Patty_Butler

January 7, 2003
I am 7 months post RNY and have been able to eat almost a whole lean cuisine for a few months. Now I can't because I am pregnant with some bad morning sickness of course! But my doc said that's fine to be able to eat that much. I also question him endlessly about the drinking thing because I have to sip water when I eat. He said sipping is fine and to really get s substantial amount of water down, I should typically wait around 30 minutes after I eat. He said not to be a clock watcher though and try to do things instinctively and normally. I'm down from 269 to 174.
   — emilyfink

January 7, 2003
Hi Dawn--like the previous poster, I could eat a whole Lean Cuisine at about 3 or 4 months out and wondered what the heck that meant. At seven months out now, I find I usually *don't* eat a whole Lean Cuisine, but for some items (tortellini would be one, ravioli's another), I can. It hasn't seem to trigger a noticeable increase in pouch capacity overall though, I'm not eating much more now (by volume) than I was at three or four months out. Concerning water, I give it at least 30 minutes on either side of a meal before I drink liquids -- but two hours for me would be too long, I'd never get all my water in if I had to wait that long I think!
   — Suzy C.