Question:
BPD/DS patients: What was your pouch capacity immediately post-op--what is it now?

I'm hearing everything from 60 to 240 cc for the DS patients as their IMMEDIATE post-op stomach size, yet one recent patient--about 5 months post-op-- tells me she can eat 60-120cc max. Please clue me in as to what is typical, so I can plan my intake accordingly.    — [Anonymous] (posted on January 19, 2001)

January 18, 2001
The great thing about the BPD/DS is that you can eat like a normal person and one of the things that normal people do is eat more at some meals, and on some days, than others. Our stomach capacity seems to vary. Please note. We do not have an artificially constructed "pouch" but have a smaller fully functional stomach after surgery. Since the remaining stomach size correlates to the person's anatomy (the curvature of the stomach), we all vary to some degree -- one of the reasons why patients should not compare rate of lose. This should not be a concern since we all lose most of our excess weight and the malabsorptive component of the surgery guarantees that we don't put it back on. So try to relax and go day by date. Some things can't be planned too closely. However, just to give you some idea of what your life will be like, as I recall, my first meal home on day 5 was a grilled cheese sandwich, and I could only eat 1/4. 15 months later (and minus 165 lbs) I put away an entire Nachos Belle Grande last night for dinner. It was a personal best for me (usually I merely eat all the beans, cheese & beef and leave most of the chips -- but last night I ate every bite!). Also woke up in the middle of the night and had an entire peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Obviously I had a hungary day yesterday which seems to be balancing out today. Just made 4 sausages, 2 fried eggs and 2 buttered toasts. Fed almost half of the above to my dogs. It's really great to feel in tune with your appetite and body after years of just eating until the box or serving is gone. Jill Sokol, lap BPD/DS, 10/99, BMI 51/27, minus 165
   — Jill L.

January 19, 2001
Jill explained it perfectly. My experience has been very similar. Immediately postop, I only at a 1/2 of scrambled egg. Now I can eat 1 hotdog (minus some bun)-or- one taco -or- 4 oz fish, steak, chicken. My appetite varies. Sometimes I'm hungrier than others. Sometimes I can eat two Jack in the Box tacos, sometimes only one. Last night I went out to dinner & had a grilled salmon dinner. I ate just about 1/2 of everything: 1/2 salad, 1/2 fish, 1/2 veggies, 1/2 potato, water. Surgery 10/99. Pretty awesonme! -120#'s ---->>>
   — [Deactivated Member]