Question:
Has my pouch expanded??

I really need some advice! Last night, I came home late and was really hungry. So, I popped in a Marie Callender's microwaveable meals in the nuker. I ate the ENTIRE thing! I was horrified!!! I figured I would eat half and put the rest away for later. I went to look at the box and it said 14 OUNCES!!!! Has my stomach stretched back to the way it used to be? I called the doctor and made an appointment for tomorrow. (It was approximately 4 or 5 Swedish meatballs and the rest were egg noodles.) Has this happened to anyone else? What should I do?? Thank you. marie    — Marie H. (posted on June 18, 2002)


June 18, 2002
Please do not panic. The texture of your food really matters with this surgery. Sure, you might have been able to eat 14 oz. of mushy stuff, but could you eat 14 oz. of chicken? That is the true measure of how big your pouch is.
   — Terissa R.

June 18, 2002
I wouldn't panic just yet. Like the previous poster stated, texture of your food is a factor. Plus, how well did you chew? If you chew until it's liquified then swallow it's probably passing right through you. I ate an entire slice of pizza last night and felt panicy. But then had a talk with myself and anazlyzed how I ate and decided I had chewed too well ;) So don't panic just yet. Now if you're able to eat baked chicken, plus sides and still not feel full, then panic ;)
   — Renee V.

June 18, 2002
If it was like most frozen meals, a lot of the weight was in the sauce. That also helps liquify the food so it passes thru more quickly. I don't think it is a bad idea to check with your dr, but if you are really worried about it use cottage cheese or stiff oatmeal to check the volume of your pouch yourself. I did that cuz I can often eat more than I think I should and my capacity at a year out is a little less than a cup. Also you said you were really hungry. My dr recommends that I eat frequently to avoid getting really hungry. I do tend to eat a much larger volume if it has been 4-5 hours since I last ate, then I panic and am miserable. Best for me to avoid the whole situation! :P
   — ctyst

June 18, 2002
The average female stomach is 6 cups, male up to 8 cups. Your pouch will, at some point, stretch to 1 cup -- that is 16oz, but that will be it's limit. This is according to my surgeon and my dietician. Put it in perspective. Based on this, you will be able to eat only about 1/6 of what you used to. It may look like a tremendous amount over what you've been able to eat since surgery, but it is relatively little, particularly when you consider the consistency. Trust me, I am pre-op and have moments when I could probably eat 4 or 5 of those easy. :o) Take a deep breath. You're fine.
   — Jennifer W.

June 18, 2002
Just a note: One cup is 8 oz. A pint is 2 cups or 16 oz.
   — ctyst

June 18, 2002
If it was just this once, I really wouldn't worry about it. Did it take you a while to eat it? The longer you take to eat, the more you are able to eat because food starts to move out of the pouch. I have also noticed that I can eat more at different times of the day and around that time of the month.
   — Virginia N.

June 19, 2002
I don't really have anything to say about the pouch strectching...but aren't the Marie Callender meals REALLY high in fat and other not-so-great things?
   — fropunka




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