Question:
NEED TO KNOW, if pouch is the size of a thumb, how does it hold 8 oz of solid food

solid food eventually? If it has stretched to hold 8 oz, does it ever go back to the original size? Why does it stretch?    — [Anonymous] (posted on June 20, 2001)

June 20, 2001
What's the hurry? I paid big bucks (twice!) for a tiny pouch, so I am keeping that way as long as possible. It will stretch a little, of course, since I am at goal wt, but I would freak if it became 8 oz! Why does it stretch? If you graze, it stretches much like a balloon. If you try to blow the full wad of air, it won't go, but if you add air gently, it will go up, up, up. Let the air, blow it up again, goes up much more easily each time, right? Of course, human tissue isn't QUITE the same, but you can get the idea. They usually use the less stretchy part of the stomach to make the pouch so this does not happen prematurely. Some of us are taught to work hard to keep the pouch from stretching, others are taught to stretch the pouch early on.
   — vitalady

June 22, 2001
I am afraid I was misunderstood on this question. I want my pouch to go back to being able to hold only 4 oz. I am 6 mos out and it seems to hold more. I can be completely empty and if I eat a small Jr. cheesburger with bun, I am very full. I wish I could figure out how much it can actually hold right now. I think this would scrunch up to about 4 oz? I have heard of the cottage cheese test that you do by eating as much cottage cheese as it takes to feel full and seeing how much you can hold. My problem is I am not sure what full is! Is it just comfortably satisfied or is it feeling like you ate Thanksgiving dinner in the "old days" before surgery??? Sorry to keep harping on this subject but I really feel worried that I am eating too much. I am not transected and it has worried me since day one. I do burp a lot and read that that means a good tight pouch that is intact. Thanks for any opinions on this!
   — [Anonymous]