Question:
My pouch has streched!!!!!!!
I am really really afraid my pouch has streched. I am currently 6 1/2 months post op and 100 pounds down, but I can eat more than ever. Last night I was able to eat a small bowl of past. I am also able to eat a six inch sub from subway. This does not seem normal. I have cheated and ha a Red Bull about once a week b/c I am addicted to them, but I don't see how that would strech my pouch like that. Please help.... — Nubicess62 (posted on July 6, 2007)
July 6, 2007
I went to a support group last night and the consensus of opinion is that
most of them thought their pouch was totally stretched out. If you are
still losing and even though it has slowed down, chances are you are like
every one else and are just afraid. Call the doctors office, or the weight
loss clinic and ask them before you freak out. It is most likely normal.
Most people cheat with something, I don't think a Red Bull is going to kill
you. Just don't drink it all in one sitting. Good Luck
— bderuiter
July 6, 2007
I am 8 months out and cannot even finish a half of a wrap...I doubt that I
could eat more than a few bites of a Subway sub. I still get full after
eating a small amount of food. Talk to your doctor's office right away and
go back to the basics of eating. If you are hungrier, eat more often but
smaller portions
— Sheri A.
July 6, 2007
If Red Bull is carbonated, you could have stretched your pouch. Like the
other posters state, call your surgeon's office and ask them. There is
also a "test" you can use to see if you have stretched your
pouch, do a search here on this website and you should be able to find it.
Good luck and God Bless!
— crystalsno
July 6, 2007
Carbonation will not stretch your pouch, as long as you have openings at
either end! It is normal to be able to eat more. Keep this in mind: when
you eat, food moves through the pouch continuously! It doesn't just stop
and sit in the pouch until you are done eating. If you eat slowly, the
food will move through and you will be able to eat more, and you should get
the signal to stop eating. (However, most of us morbidly obese people don't
recognize it, even after surgery.) If you drink with your food, it will
move through even more rapidly. And, bread also "looks" big, but
if you put a piece of bread in liquid, it really doesn't have a whole lot
of volume. There again, if you are chewing your food well, drinking while
you eat and taking your time, it will seem like you can hold a lot more.
And, a normal pouch will stretch over time to hold 6-8 ounces at a time and
that is NORMAL. (BTW, best not to drink with your food if you can keep from
it.)
— koogy
July 6, 2007
As Susan highlighted to you, it is tough to stretch your pouch-- and
carbonation just can't do it. However, if you are habitually eating and
drinking, particularly if you are eating starches that swell with liquid,
then you can stretch you pouch.
It is tough to say if the foods described having are part of your normal
eating routine-- however, even as "treats" at 6-7 monhts, they
are not the best choices. Your body does not need pasta- regardless of how
small the portion is. And, although the meat and the lettuce in the
sandwich has some good nutritional value, you don't need the bread.
Lastly, having a Red Bull (which I am hoping is the sugar-free one) once a
week is not a sign of "addiction"-- it is a sign of making a
less-than-great choice, a pattern of which can undermine your weight loss.
Listen, like you, I had great success early on. I, however, didn't embrace
all of the best practices that I should have and have struggled to keep the
weight off because some old, silly habits crept back in. Now, it is a
struggle to resist those daily urges- and many days, I just wish that I had
done a better job early on re-training my mind.
— SteveColarossi
July 6, 2007
if this helps any,today i am 5 yrs out and sometimes i can eat a half of
sub and other times just a couple bites of food.so go figure.
— deb44m
July 7, 2007
Wow. I am two years out, and cannot eat even half of a six-inch sub! I am
also not supposed to eat much carbs, so the bowl of pasta would be totally
out.
If you are still losing weight, then you are probably doing all right. I
would kick the REd Bull, though. I know it is hard, but I gave up my
addictioin to Diet Sprite when I had the operation.
— Novashannon
July 7, 2007
Unfortunately, Susan is wrong about her stating carbonation cannot stretch
your pouch. I did research on it and no one can dis prove nor can they
prove this theory. So I'd say to be on the safe side, be extremely
careful, and ask your surgeon.
— crystalsno
July 7, 2007
these meals are eaten within 15 minutes? or do you wait til the full
feeling subsides and then continue eating? try eating until full or 15
minutes and then get away from the food. If the Red Bull is regular, not
sugar free, you've got way bigger problems than the carbonation with it!
The concept that carbonation stretches a pouch was invented when I was
about 8 years postop, so I don't tend to give it much credibility. We
waited 30 days, then could have sugar free things, as tolerated. They tend
to make me uncomfy, but every now and then, I like a bit of diet soda. I'm
almost 13 yrs and I can eat more than I did at first, of course, but I
still have quite a bit of restriction. When I'm done eating, I'm done.
Being a volume eater by nature, I have to remove the food, though, before
that full feeling passes and then I'm ok with my reasonable portions.
— vitalady
July 9, 2007
pasta is easy to chew and it will go through the pouch faster, but if you
know you are doing the wrong thing then stop it.
— DonnaB.
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