Question:
I am able to eat too much, I think.
I am so depressed. I am 12 days post-op and eating a lot. I thought that I would be able to only eat 2-3 Tablespoons. and I am eating 3/4 to 1 cup of food. Is this strange or what? I lost 12 pounds the first week, but in the last 5 days I have lost NONE, in fact I have gained a pound. (cry Cry) I also have not pooped in 5 days. Maybe it's the water. Maybe I should still be on soft foods or liquids. Am I stretching my pouch. I need some help from the veterans quick, cuz I am making myself crazy and not enjoying my last 4 days off. Help, Please? — April L. (posted on December 4, 2002)
December 4, 2002
hi there. sorry your making yourself crazy. everyone is different and pouch
sizes vary so im not sure that 3 fourths or 1 cup is too much or not. for
me personally it would have been. at 12 days out i could maybe get half cup
in but it depended on what it was. as far as not pooping in 5 days. please
dont let it worry you. i went 5 or 6 days without one and just thought that
something was terribly wrong. habits change after surgery. some have the
runs everyday while others dont go but every few days. i now go about
every 4 days. i wish you the best of luck and if you are very scared about
the amount of food you are eating dont hesitate to call the surgeon, ask
him what his other patients were able to eat at 12 days out and if he feels
that 1 cup is too much then he could order an upper gi to be done to see
whats going on in there. god bless and hang in there.
— carrie M.
December 4, 2002
I'm 3 1/2 mths out now and still am worried if I am eating too much or too
little-- can't decide from day to day. But I have found that the amount I
can eat varies greatly depending on what it is. For instance I can only eat
one ounce of meat at a time but can eat/drink a whole cup of soup with no
problems. I started documenting my daily intake on fitday.com and as long
as I fall within "my goals" for the day I try not to think about
it too much.
As far as the BM issue, I found that the only way I stay regular has been
to resume my one cup of reduced caffeine coffee each morning. While
caffeine is a no-no as far as the surgeon is concerned, it is the only
thing that works for me. And yes, I stop at one cup.
— dorothy S.
December 5, 2002
April, you are not alone. There are many others (including myself) that
have concerns about my pouch being *stretched* to accomodate more food than
I should be able to eat. It's frightening to me, but I'm not going to go
into depresssion about it. The mere fact that you are losing as was told to
me is an indication that the surgery works! It's still too early to come to
any conclusions~you're only 12 days post-op. Gotta give your body time to
make the adjustment. Your body is probably saying, "what in the world
is going on here"? Lubricate your internal organs by drinking more
water (sipping). Don't make yourself crazy over this, April. I realize it
may seem easier said than done, but rest in the fact that your
mental/emotional well-being is just as important as the physical healing
process.. You may tire of hearing this, but everyone is
different...Different body build/makeup, different surgeons use different
techniques. Sometimes our bodies may have retained the fluids given to us
while we were in the hospital. I was concerned about not having a bowel
movement early on, but from the advice I received through this community
was to do all that you know to do, drink/sip the water, get your protein
supplements in and anything else that you have been instructed by your
doctor. Call your doctor's office nurse. Let him/her know of your concerns.
The nurse can inform the doctor who will make the necessary decisions about
what to do~~it may even involve an office visit and x-ray (UGI) or
endoscopy to see if anything unusual is going on. Please don't cry and get
yourself worked up...This process takes time, and everything will work
out~give it time, sweetie and know that were here for you. Don't give up.
Hope this helps..."
— yourdivaness
December 5, 2002
What kinds of food are you eating? Liquidy foods will flow thru your pouch
while solids should not. Are you drinking while you eat? Taking longer than
20 minutes to eat? All of those things can affect how much you can eat. If
you can eat a cup of solid food, I would DEFINITELY go to the dr and have
them do some kind of testing. Sounds like WAY too much to me.
— ctyst
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