Question:
How much is too much?

When I was about 16 days post-op, I was able to eat about 4 oz. fat-free cottage cheese. Is that too much? So far (3 weeks post-op today) I have NO DIFFICULTY in eating food. As a matter of fact, when I was about 10 days post-op, I was able to eat mushed up mashed potatoes. I am concerned that I have s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d my pouch beyond what it should be and I have completely destroyed the purpose of this surgery...    — Marti T. (posted on November 10, 2003)

November 10, 2003
I feel there is more to it then just mashed potatoes! I posted with the same question when I was where you are. And I was eating Alot more then I should. I can eat about 7oz and im only 6 weeks out. Alot have people told me o spoon out 4-5 oz and go slow. I still will be ssssoooo hungrey and will take 3 BIG bits and it's gone. I am having a hard time with that. But All I can say is if you can eat it don't think your doing something wrong,it will make you feel bad. Think I can eat this much,but do I need to eat this much!!
   — Amy M.

November 10, 2003
Just keep in mind that a lot of how much you can eat depends on what you are eating. You can eat 4 oz. of cottage cheese, but when you are cleared for meat, you probably won't be able to eat 4 oz. of chicken or beef. Some of the softer, mushier foods will slide through the pouch. Pasta's, puddings, yogurt, etc. It's all soft and pretty much turns to liquid by the time it gets to the pouch and therefore, just slips on through. For now, just follow your surgeon's plan and remember, it takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks for you to be healed internally, some say it takes months. Just give yourself time to heal properly and try not to worry. Fluids should be your first priority, followed closely by protein. Work on those and everything will be fine.
   — Carolyn M.

November 10, 2003
Until about 2-3 months, I didn't have the 'feeling' of being full, I just stopped out of fear of stretching the pouch. I would hear people say that after 3-4 bites they were full. Everyone has different descriptions of a bite. I was told that after surgery a bite should be the amount that fits on a baby spoon, not a tablespoon. Everyone will be different, surgeons do the best they can to make the pouch as small as possible, but in some cases, it can't be done. A very good friend of mine was not able to get her pouch as small as her Dr would have preferred, but it is still do-able for weight loss, in fact she may not hit as many tough platues, due in part to being able to have a little more calories at a time, therefore, not quite reaching the starvation mode. This surgery is a tool and each person needs to find "their" comfort zone in using the tool. To stretch your pouch you need to eat to the point of discomfort, or consistantly be eating. The desired outcome for all would be to stay on liquid/pureed until the healing process is complete, then you accomplish two things 1 . your body stops craving the high calorie foods we were addicted to prior to surgery and 2. you get more in touch with what your body does and doesn't like for you to put into it. I don't see any problem with 4 oz. of cottage cheese, just eat slow and listen to your body, it will let you know.
   — Dana B.

November 10, 2003
I had a 4oz. pouch to start out with, so I don't see how eating 4oz would have been an issue with me. What size pouch do you have? And I do agree with the previous posters, if its mushy....you can eat more of it. Thats called (whispers) cheating. Well, only if you do it intentionally. Don't worry about stretching your pouch after 3 weeks...in order to do that you would have to be stuffing yourself silly for quite a while. And even then it only stretches so much. Good luck hun.
   — RebeccaP

November 10, 2003
I haven't done the cottage cheese test yet, but I too have been able to eat since day 1, nothing makes me sick and sometimes I can eat quite a bit. I think everyone is different, don't worry you will do fine!
   — Saxbyd

November 11, 2003
I'm with you and Denise. I am 15 days post op and have more than once thought, is my stomach smaller or not??? Last week, I found I was hungry A LOT. I was still on liquids at the time. But as soon as I began to eat soft foods, I started to get that "full" feeling. I can also eat 4 oz. cottage cheese with no problem. Applesauce goes down like a dream. I did try scrambled eggs last night and after 2 or 3 bites I knew I wasn't ready. I think the other posters are correct; after we begin eating chicken or other denser foods, we will find that we get full faster. Good luck with everything! :)
   — Louise D.