Question:
Am I eating too much at 6 weeks out? Can I already have a staple line disruption?

I had an open RNY on 3/22 and have lost 37 lbs. However, all of that was in the first 4 weeks and I have not lost anything for the past 2 weeks. I still had some stomach pains as of this past week if I sometimes had that one extra bite, but Friday night, I was able to eat a whole garden salad from a local restaurant. The bowl had to be about an 8-10 oz size with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and a little cheese. This worried me so yesterday, I deliberately measured out over 3 oz of food and was able to almost eat it all. I think I could have ate it all, but i stopped myself. My doctor only recommends we eat 2 oz of food at a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since I have not lost any weight and it appears I can eat more than 2 oz at a time, could I possibly have a staple line disruption or am I just being paranoid?    — Tparker (posted on May 5, 2002)

May 5, 2002
I don't know if I can eat that much and to be honest, I don't want to know! One day I ate almost an entire seven-layer dip from Taco Bell. I could have eaten the whole thing, but I stopped myself. Lettuce and cucumbers are a lot of bulk, but I'm sure less so when it is chewed. I wouldn't worry about a SLD right now. It seems there are a lot of people concerned with the amount they can eat (including me) and plateaus are inevitable.
   — Lisa N M.

May 5, 2002
I read frequently about people being concerned they've stretched their pouch or disrupted the staples and the only "symptom" they have is the amount they can eat. I spoke with my doctor because i didn't want to be "worrying" all the time and ruin my new found "freedom" from food. My doctors response was to "listen to your body" !! Our new tool (the pouch) makes us more sensitive to what our body is telling us. Kind of like having a microphone on the sensations lol If you know that extra bite will cause you discomfort then listen (which it sounds like your still doing). Unless we're talking eating a whole medium to large pizza, (and who of us with WLS haven't done that in our days or years before surgery)lol, then relax and enjoy your new life. Let your doctor worry about those other problems as long as you are doing what you need to do. One or 2 times of overeating (which with us is 1 or 2 bites) isn't going to ruin your tool !! God's blessings.
   — Brenda F.

May 5, 2002
It sounds more like fear than anything else, but you could always be tested by your Doc. Our pouches, when functioning properly, can always be retrained at any time. For instance, fluid loading. Make sure you stay hydrated all day long. Mainly, drink a lot prior to the meal. Stop drinking 10-15 minutes prior to eating. The liquid sends full messages & can keep you fairly full for up to 30 minutes. But, it definitely will keep you from overeating. Then do NOT drink for 1-1 1/2 hours after eating your meal (so you don't cause your pouch to empty sooner, causing hunger quicker). Eat your scheduled meals and snacks. If you are on regular foods by this time, be sure and eat 50 % of your meal in a dense meat & chew it well. With crunchy veggies and fruit. I have been very happy with my weight loss. There was a time, I was very concerned that I had a staple line disruption. My surgeons PA told me that I might...but, it must have had some good scarring on there, if it existed at all, because the plateau broke and I continued on -157 pounds :-)
   — Barbara B.

May 5, 2002
My first concern is not the amount of weight you have lost or that you have platued.....it's that your eating Lettuce 4 weeks out... I saw my sister get so sick on lettuce at 5 weeks out Our Doctor now doesnt allow it until 6 months out... Relax the veggies you discribed would munch down and be mostly water weight... You are platueing that is common for some of us I would platue for 3 weeks and then drop 5 -10 pounds keep walking and drinking the water and eating proteins concentrate on the proteins..fill up on those one of the Docs in our group said the only reason we like salads is for the dressing and he is right... he says if you really love lettuce then just eat plain lettuce...if not then your eating it for the dressing... he did hit the nail on the head Kathy -120 Open RNY distal 11-1-00 TT 4-9-02 ( tummy tuck)
   — Kathleen M.