Yesterday I posted the thread about being hungry and it got lots of awesome discussion and I read every one of them, several times!  It was great to know that I am not alone.

But one response concerned me, and I hope it is not true, but if it is I really want to know.

The post said:
We should only eat 3 times a day because eating 6 meals a day stretches our pouch.

So I asked how?  If I eat 3 4 ounces meals or 6 3 ounce meals, what is the difference as long as the amount that we eat at one time is still small.

They said:
It stretches the bottom part of our pouch I guess because there is always food in the pouch.

Really?  Is that true?  Her doctor told her this.  But my doctor told me to eat as many as 6 times a day, the more I eat the more I lose....

Now I am confused!!!   My biggest fear is to stretch out this great new tummy the doc gave me!

My doctor told me to eat small meals frequently. Eating large meals is what stretches out your stoma. Also drinking too much at one time or drinking sodas can stretch out your stoma. Eating more frequently keeps your engine reveved up so  you are always burning calories. Your body never believes it will be starved. It also keeps your blood sugars even through out the day.

I eat 2-3 oz about 4-5 times a day. I could eat more at a time or even more often. I keep it small and eat again in two hours. I never really get hungry.

Go with what your doctor tells you. That's the safest bet

How would drinking a lot at one time or drinking sodas stretch your stoma?  When you say stoma, you're talking about the opening between the pouch and the small intestine, right?  Not the pouch, but the stoma?

So Kelly,

Why do they recommend not drinking "fizzy" drinks?  Is it because it can cause pain, or is it because it will do damage to the pouch?  Because if carbonation does not cause us pain, can we drink a carbonated drink now and then and not mess up our new internal system?

Why do they say no straws?  Is that also due to too much air that can make us uncomfortable or does it cause damage like stretching?  I love to drink from a straw.  I could care less about carbonated drinks, but I do see post RNY patients with diet sodas.  Is this bad for them?  

there are so many mixed messages! 

When you say why do "they" recommend not drinking fizzy drinks, who is they?  Some people recommend it because for some reason there is a very popular myth that carbonated drinks can stretch your pouch.  If you understand just a little bit about your new anatomy, though, you would understand that that really cannot be true.  There is an opening at the top of your pouch where food and liquid come in.  There is another opening at the bottom of your pouch where food and liquids go into the small intestine.  Liquids don't stay in your pouch more than a minute or two, and since there are two openings, it's not like gas could build up or anything.

Some people get painful gas if they drink carbonated drinks, but they don't bother me.  I don't drink them often.  I don't like the chemicals in them.  But drinking them will not damage your pouch.

Drinking with a straw cannot stretch the pouch either.  Think about the anatomy.  How could that possibly stretch the pouch?  If drinking with a straw gives you gas, though, don't do it (unless you wanna have gas).

I love the way you put things Kelly!  No bull**** with you, just honest straight forward answers!  Thanks YOU ROCK.

Now I won't feel so bad when i drink my protein shakes with a straw cause it the only way I can get it down....LOL 

 I used to get flack from people because I always drink thru straws. Then Kelly posted about it. I still use my straw all the time. No gas no pain and guess what I get in a ton of fluids...so do what works for you.

I told the doctor I drink more with a straw and got those back at 3 months.  I do not drink carbonated beverages but that's because I was never a soda freak.  I get my groove on iced tea and all that caffeine...

I also told him I don't drink enough and he recinded that stupid NO DRINKING BEFORE rule...

My surgeon ultimately allows sodas, just doesn't like them to begin with because they can cause discomfort.
edited to add - he also recommends 3-5 scheduled small meals / snacks a day

In RNY the stoma is the pouch. Your stomach just kind of hangs out doing nothing.