Question:
I am a little over 2 weeks out. Ive been snacking alot.

When I got out tf the hospital I was 25 pounds lost. I went to my Dr. here in Tn and I was only down 11 pounds. Im alittle over 2 weeks out, Im scared that I ahve streched my pouch out. I cant seem to stop the snacking. After I eat 2 or 3 bites im stuffed, but within an hour or 2 I want to eat again. nothing big, just snack, like nuts, rice cakes, sugar free fudge pops. ect. usually healthy foods. I am so worried that I ahve messed my pouch up, anyone got any suggestions or anything? please help im a nervous wreck.    — Christine B. (posted on September 7, 2003)

September 7, 2003
You have not messed up your pouch but you need to decide you will stick with 3 meals if that is what you are supposed to be eating. Use sugar free jello in between if you need to. My surgeon put the jello in the liquids category but it does give your head a feeling of eating something solid.
   — zoedogcbr

September 7, 2003
Christine: I doubt seriously from what you say you're doing (which I would call grazing) that you stretched your pouch out. If you really are a nervous wreck, and none of us can calm you down, I suggest you talk to your surgeon and see if he'll scope you to see. I know the first couple of weeks are really hard, but I'm sure if you've been on this site reading, you know the habit you're starting isn't a good one to help you reach goal. It will get easier by month three or four I promise. But for now, if you eat every 1-2 hours, even if it is good choices and only a few bites, you're probably not getting in the amount of water you should. Especially if your doctor has the no drinking x amount of time before and after eating. It's hard enough when you are eating every four hours at first. So my suggestion to you is to try to get over the desire to eat as often by filling up more with liquids. I promise you I know this is easier said than done, but that's my best advice. As far as you being down 25 pounds post op and now only 11, I have to guess it's not from real weight gain. I am guessing there was a difference in the scales and probably you were more dehydrated at the lower weight than you are now? I'm not exactly sure, but even if you grazed all day long for two weeks, on two or three bites, you shouldn't have gained 14 pounds back. I hope you get some peace of mind over this. If you want to email me personally with more details I'll try to help you figure it out. Good luck. Sherry
   — sherry hedgecock

September 7, 2003
i read an article on wls and it talked about when a person grazes, or snacks all the time or drinks things flavored with artifical sugars, it keeps the bodys insulin levels up and they body uses that as energy and so it does not burn the fat cells it does not need them, the excessive insulin levels tend to make our bodies store the calories as fat for later, so that is the reason we are told to eat 3-4 meals wiht a few snacks, but not constant amounts, which is hard because i want to do that myself! i am hungry all the time and it is not head hunger it is down right hungry!
   — janetc00