Question:
Can my pouch be stretched out already?

I am almost 6 weeks post-op...I have only lost 26 pounds..I have been on a plateau for almost 3 weeks...I notice that I can eat more than before..Like this morning for breakfast I had 1 scrambled egg and a piece of BURNT Toast!!! and dinner was almost 1 half of a small baked potato and a couple bits of chicken..It just seems like a lot for me right know...I have only got the feeling of being full today after I ate dinner...It scares me because I hear some people can only eat 2 or 3 bites and they are stuffed and I can eat a lot more than that...Could I have stretched my pouch out so soon???    — [Anonymous] (posted on January 6, 2002)

January 5, 2002
I've read about a "test" for pouch size on here....it's eating cottage cheese until you feel "full" and measuring how much you've eaten. Since it is a protein, it will not "rush" through the pouch (like cheerios do) leaving room for more food. I haven't done that, but, I'm 5.5 months out - and have at times worried that my pouch is stretched because I seem to be able to eat a lot. Then, when I start my meal with "dense protein" (yesterday, dry-ish tuna) I can only eat a small amount of the protein with a tiny bit of carbs (bread or crackers). That rassures me! I'm sure you're fine. Are you transsected (is your pouch cut from your main stomach)? You might want to read more about that in the Library here. Considering your post, it sounds like you're okay.... Best of luck to you - and congratulations on your loss so far! OPEN RNY 7/17/01
   — blee01

January 5, 2002
That was supposed to read "that reassures me" ... no spell check, sorry.
   — blee01

January 5, 2002
I has lost 22 pounds at 6 weeks, 27 at 7 1/2 weeks. I was horrified! I had been doing everything right, walking, and swimming for exercise, only water to drink, protien to eat, you name it.<P> My doctor sent me to the dietician who validated that I was making good food choices and doing ok with my eating. <P> I was so upset I started eating more and exercising less. I lost 15 pounds in the next 4 weeks. LOL Dr and I talked about it and we think I was not eating enough - my body was in "starvation mode" and fighting every oz of weight loss.<P>What you are eating is ok, but you may not be getting enough protien. I was told that initially you pouch is swolen (sp) from the surgery. After a few weeks the swelling goes down and you can eat more. The doctor in Thursday night's dr chat said how much you eat is not as important as how much you exercise. The exercise will keep your metabolism up. If you don't exercise it slows down. You won't burn calories as fast so you won't lose as much weight. <P> You're doing fine. I know it's hard to believe that when others have lost that much in a week or two, but you can't compare yourself to others. Keep doing the right things and the weight will keep going down.
   — [Anonymous]

January 6, 2002
Sounds like good food chices, but keep a food diary for a week or so, and write down every single thing you put in your mouth. Then see your dietician. Pouch stretching is a overrated problem according to my surgeon. Yours has the swelling go down. Relax and you will get there.
   — bob-haller

January 6, 2002
From what I have heard, it is virtually impossible to stretch out your new pouch so early on in the game. I think that maybe the swelling has finally gone down and so you are seeing that you can "fit" more food in your pouch. With what you say you are eating, I don't see anything that indicates that you are eating much more (or AS much in some instances) as others I have heard from. One thing that could affect "how much" you can eat is what size of a pouch your surgeon left you with. One girl who had surgery at the same time I did was eating almost triple what I could eat at a meal and come to find out her pouch was made to the size of 2 oz and mine was made 1/2 oz. This explained why the huge difference in what we both could consume. Try the cottage cheese test and when you do eat, try and eat protein first, then vegies, then fruit and lastly starches... Take care and if you ever want to talk, feel free to e-mail me.
   — Kellie Jo B.

January 6, 2002
Right after surgery your new pouch is swollen and you can't fit much in it. Now, at almost 6 weeks post-op, some of the swelling has gone and you can fit a little more in it. I had slowed down in my weight lose between 4 and 6 weeks post-op too and I also noticed that I could eat more. But, the other thing I noticed was that as I felt better and was able to consume a little bit more I became much more active and the weight started coming off faster again. You need to eat to lose and you need to eat the right things as well. You also have to get regular, daily exercise! I am 2 months post-op, open RNY and just in the last week to 10 days have been feeling really great and am losing at a good pace again. Somedays I can eat 3 to 5 ounces at a meal and other days I can't choke down more then an ounce or 2. I usually do not take in more then 500 calories a day and most of that is protein. I do get plenty of daily exercise, both at work and taking my very active dogs for long walks on off time. Relax! Your plateau will break soon and the weight will copme off. You haven't stretched you pouch. In fact, you sound very normal to me. Everyone loses at a different pace and hits plateaus at different times. You are doing fine.
   — Susan M.

January 6, 2002
When we had the chat with the surgeon a few days ago someone asked about this & he said that almost everyone worries that they may have stretched their pouch, but that in actual fact, it's pretty hard to stretch it much. I thought that was very interesting.
   — Kathy W.