Question:
This past two weeks I have been shoveling in the food. I can't tell if it's head

hunger or not, but I do feel my pouch growl?? I also can't even do the cottage cheese test, because some times I can eat about 3oz and be stuffed and other times I can eat 8!!! Last night I ate 3/4 of a Lean Pocket and 3/4 of a small banana with about 2 cups of Crystal Light. I know we're not supposed to drink, but I have to. Why am I eating so much??? I'm almost 9 months out and down about 145 pounds, but still have another 75 to go. I'm very depressed. Oh, and did I mention I GAINED 3 pounds in the last week???    — Paula Prichard (posted on October 23, 2002)

October 23, 2002
I think you may have answered your own question: you're not supposed to drink with your meal for a reason! Why do you have to? I know it's hard - but I bet if you retrained yourself to stop drinking with your meals, you wouldn't be able to eat as much. Congratulations on your loss - 145 lbs. is awesome! If you try really hard to follow all the rules, you'll be at your goal before you know it:0). You can do it!
   — Shannon D.

October 23, 2002
It is possible to stretch out your pouch, but I do think the drinking while you eat is a big part of your problem. HOWEVER, you need to put this in perspective. 3/4 of a lean pocket, and 3/4 of a banana is what, 300 calories? The real question I have for you is are you Exercising? Your weight will fluctuate, your hunger will fluctuate, and your amount you can or want to eat will fluctuate. I have these fluctuations, and many long-term posties do too. The main thing is to make sure you are making wise food choices, and excercising. Good Luck to you.
   — Cara F.

October 23, 2002
Paula, think of it this way. You drank about two cups of Crystal Light with about a cup and a half of food. Where did it all go? It can't fit into the pouch all at once, even if you did stretch it somewhat (and stretching is *normal* as we get further from surgery). So what happened? The Crystal Light washed the food from your pouch into your jejunum, that's what. And so your pouch, feeling still empty, "told" you that it needed and could accommodate more food. I'm afraid you're going to have to stop the drinking with meals, unless you want this problem to keep happening. I am really not clear why you "have to" drink with your meals. Is it because you've always done it? Or because you get physically uncomfortable if you don't drink? If it's the latter, think about it: the discomfort is your signal to STOP EATING. And don't drink for at least half an hour, preferably an hour or two, afterward. To stop yourself being thirsty during this time, you should have been drinking non-caloric fluids up til about 20 minutes prior to your meal, anyway. The best way is to start drinking about an hour or two after a meal, just sipping your drink. Over the time between meals, you should be able to get through a litre (quart) or so of fluids. About 20 minutes prior to the meal, you can chugalug as much water as your pouch can comfortably hold. Top it up with a few sips, just until you reach the point of mild discomfort or fullness, and then STOP. When you eat, 20 minutes later, the water will keep your pouch from emptying too quickly, and will hold the food that's already in it in place, and keep it from draining out too quickly. It will also keep you from eating too much at any one time, which should solve your volume problems. Can you let us know how it goes?
   — Karen I.

October 23, 2002
ORIGINAL POSTER HERE: Well the main drink while I eat problem is this....if I don't drink, then I'm only eating 1oz of food and then I get the shakes so bad I almost pass out...even if I eat 6 times a day...that is not enough to sustain me. I also have like ZERO spit, so in order to chew and not get stuff all jammed up in my pouch I have to drink or I get the heart attack feeling and need to throw up. I will try the water loading tomorrow and let you know...
   — Paula Prichard

October 23, 2002
The hardest part of this whole process for me has been training myself to NOT DRINK WHILE I EAT. Before surgery I drank 2-3 glasses of milk or water with EVERY meal. Felt like I had to chase every bite down with a drink of liquid. Then postop found out I couldn't do that or I would throw it all back up. My solution, which I'm not saying will work for you, but sure helped me, was to have about 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce in a small cup with every meal. If I got that "stuck" feeling and felt like I had to drink something or choke, I took a tiny spoonful of the applesauce. It seemed to be close enough to liquid to help things go down but didn't make me lose it, either. Don't know if it was physiological or psychological, but it worked for me! Good luck!
   — Carolyn I.

October 24, 2002
Paula, at 9 months post-op you should definitely be able to eat more than 1 oz at a meal. If not, Iwould check with your doctor. Has your eating and drinking together effected your weight loss at all, other than the recent 3 pound gain, which can happen at any time to any of us..? Maybe you could try sipping a little bit of water with meals instead of 2 cups of liquid. A little water may help your thirst but keep the food in your pouch. Your just washing food out of the pouch and not staying full-not good.
   — Cindy R.