HELP!!! 5 weeks post bypass and not coping very well

[Nounouche]

Hi everyone.

I have a question about portion size please for anyone who can help. I feel hungry all the time these days. Plus, I have eaten a few things which I thought counted as soft foods only to be in agony once it hits my stomach and sits there like a lump.

I don't know what's going on and am so scared that so early on in my journey I might have inadvertly stretched my pouch or burst something. Am feeling really low and don't know what to do.

I called the obesity team dietician on Friday and she was very helpful but somehow I don't feel like I got the reassurance I needed. I was really unwell following my bypass and can't imagine I might have sabotaged it all unwittingly. Anyone else feel hungry like this? And how would I know if I've stretched my pouch? I eat really slowly and stop as soon as I feel full but I just feel like it takes so much more for me to feel full, that's not normal. :'( This is causing me a lot of stress and I would appreciate any help I can get.

 

[shell13]

Sorry i carnt help as i am still pre op,but someone will be along to help you im sure.hope you get sorted and are feeling better soon.
Take care
Michelle

 

[Nounouche]

Sorry i carnt help as i am still pre op,but someone will be along to help you im sure.hope you get sorted and are feeling better soon.
Take care
Michelle

Thanks Michelle. I would advise you to really ask about the different stages when you go for your op, so that you don't make the same mistakes I made. When are you due for your op? X

 

[fjsinc]

Stop worrying about stretching your pouch, it is natural for it to stretch a little over time. It takes conscious and consistent overeating to stretch it abnormally. Also feeling hungry in the puree and soft stages is quite normal. There are a number of reasons: head hunger, your head takes time to adjust to the change in eating habits. Your stomach is still likely to be swollen and healing, so just isn't quite recognising you have eaten. And the food you eat, just slips through.
The thing to remember is that everyone is different, some people can eat much more than others. Research suggests that it isn't restriction that results in weight loss for us bypassers, rather its the biochemical changers in our bodies, that reduces hunger and increases satiety. From my own personal experience I can tell you, if I had waited for my restriction to do the work for me I would not be 7 stone down now!
I found the puree/soft stages to be very miserable, it does get better.

 

[Nounouche]

Stop worrying about stretching your pouch, it is natural for it to stretch a little over time. It takes conscious and consistent overeating to stretch it abnormally. Also feeling hungry in the puree and soft stages is quite normal. There are a number of reasons: head hunger, your head takes time to adjust to the change in eating habits. Your stomach is still likely to be swollen and healing, so just isn't quite recognising you have eaten. And the food you eat, just slips through.
The thing to remember is that everyone is different, some people can eat much more than others. Research suggests that it isn't restriction that results in weight loss for us bypassers, rather its the biochemical changers in our bodies, that reduces hunger and increases satiety. From my own personal experience I can tell you, if I had waited for my restriction to do the work for me I would not be 7 stone down now!
I found the puree/soft stages to be very miserable, it does get better.

Thanks for your answer. Well done on the 7 incredible stones weight loss!!!! Cant wait for the day I can say this too!

You talk about if you had waited for the restriction to do the work for you, you would not now be 7 stones down. Does that mean you had to make a conscious effort to eat less without the feeling of satiety, or do you believe that it's the malabsortive aspect of the bypass that helped more?

The thing that made me worry about my pouch is that I have eaten certain things that I was not meant to and it really felt like I had a massive hard lump sitting in my stomach. It was one of the most painful experiences ever and I was worried about my stomach not being able to handle it. Is is any better for you on normal food? Quantity wise I mean?

 

[tealovingsleever]

Why don't you stop eating the things you shouldnt be eating? Follow your teams guidance. A pain in my chest is a sign for me I've eaten too much or too fast. Try eating the right foods and slow down.

 

[lyzzyanne]

If you had Mr Whitelaw were you at Luton and Dunstable??

 

[Nounouche]

Why don't you stop eating the things you shouldnt be eating? Follow your teams guidance. A pain in my chest is a sign for me I've eaten too much or too fast. Try eating the right foods and slow down.

I wasn't aware they were not allowed. I had misunderstood some of what it entailed. And by wrong things I mean a bit of watermelon. Not chocolate etc. I am now, as you rightly advise, eating the right foods. Hopefully it will get better.

 

[Nounouche]

If you had Mr Whitelaw were you at Luton and Dunstable??

Yes I was. Were you as well?

 

[lyzzyanne]

Yes lots of us at L and D, If you eat the wrong things you will suffer!! I was not eating water melon at week 4/5 I was eating soft stuff such as scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes with cheese, yogurts, mashed banana that sort of stuff, in very small quantities. I am sure I could have eaten a bit more but I didn't want to risk it. The hospital have been very good with me and were extremely clear with what you can and can't do.

You need to take it very very slowly because you will feel rough if you don't stick to the rules. I was given a very explicit food plan do you not have that??

In those first few weeks you can make huge inroads into your weight loss. I expect you are suffering from head hunger!!!

 

[fjsinc]

You talk about if you had waited for the restriction to do the work for you, you would not now be 7 stones down. Does that mean you had to make a conscious effort to eat less without the feeling of satiety, or do you believe that it's the malabsortive aspect of the bypass that helped more?

Is is any better for you on normal food? Quantity wise I mean?

Current thinking is that there is no calorie malabsorabitive effect from the bypass.

What I mean is that I am able to make better food choices to make sure I get the best nutrition for the lowest calories. The op had meant that I am more objective about food. But I do feel satisfied. Simply, My restriction doesn't dictate how much I eat, I do! This responsibility has been a very important to me.

It takes a little time to learn to read your body post-op.

I can eat a fair amount, about 250g per portion. I know this is the upper end of typical, and I'm ok with that. Once I got on to normal food, my hunger largely disappeared. And psychologically it makes all the difference.

 

[Yvessa]

Hi everyone.

I have a question about portion size please for anyone who can help. I feel hungry all the time these days. Plus, I have eaten a few things which I thought counted as soft foods only to be in agony once it hits my stomach and sits there like a lump.

I don't know what's going on and am so scared that so early on in my journey I might have inadvertly stretched my pouch or burst something. Am feeling really low and don't know what to do.

I called the obesity team dietician on Friday and she was very helpful but somehow I don't feel like I got the reassurance I needed. I was really unwell following my bypass and can't imagine I might have sabotaged it all unwittingly. Anyone else feel hungry like this? And how would I know if I've stretched my pouch? I eat really slowly and stop as soon as I feel full but I just feel like it takes so much more for me to feel full, that's not normal. :'( This is causing me a lot of stress and I would appreciate any help I can get.

Just my tuppence as a patient from l&d, also bypassed by Mr Whitelaw. My experience has also been that I can eat more than many bypassers, but I do have restriction. Clear cut, cannot mess about with it, thou shalt not pass restriction. You cannot unwittingly damage your pouch I promise. If you eat past restriction (and at 5 weeks out you cannot feel it properly yet- that takes between 6 weeks and 2 months to kick in) you will feel overfull. It will feel like there is food in your oesophagus. A step further than that and you will be in agony. To stretch your pouch you would have to get to overfull all the time. it would have to be deliberate. If you're hungry eat. You may find you need to eat more often now as you cant eat as much in a sitting - I always have felt hunger.

Just one more thing - the size of your pouch does not affect weight loss.

 

[South Beach]

Hi there,
Congrats on your operation. It does get easier. Plus your body is still healing. If you are hungry make sure you are drinking enough water but don't drink anything for 30mins after eating else you are just pushing the food through. I think its about 2.5 litres of water a day which is lots of sipping all day long. I found that my head still tries to tell me I am hungry when actually I am thirsty because I forgot to keep sipping the water!
When you do eat try to stop drinking fluids about half an hour before you eat. Then make your scrambled egg or soft omelette (use only one egg) You will probably not eat all of it but even though it is soft still chew it heaps. If the lumps are too big when you swallow it will go down your throat fine but can cause pain because the hole to your pouch is tiny. I try to chew for 20-30 bites plus it gives my brain (which is greedy) to catch up that the body is getting food!
I still write down all that I eat. It helps to keep track of what aides the weight loss and protein seems to make a huge difference to how I feel. So I would choose high protein things ie greek lowfat yogurt with soft canned peach slice makes a nice change if you fancy something sweet on the soft stage. make sure its in juice not syrup though. To be honest I think everyone will try things we shouldn't and the pain that literally bites us on the butt is the kick in the rump we need to avoid the naughty stuff that got us in this mess along with other stuff. At five weeks I struggled with most fruit and I love fruit but I found canned fruit in juice drained ok. I kept it in the fridge and ate it for a meal (one to three slices of peach with tablespoon of lowfat greek yogurt , fage brand is good)
When you have a wobble then write down later on how it effected you.. It soon makes you rule out certain foods. Ie I will never ever eat a Dorito again! Plus everyone's body heals at different speeds and you might find some foods you will never eat and others you will be able to just much smaller amount. When serving yourself use a tea plate and small bowls so you are having a lot less. I used a sherry glass for my water and just kept filling it and sipping it. If the glass was too big I would take a gulp and get the pain.
Try not to worry but the pain is your body saying you can not have that food, or that size , or that fast. If you write it down you can then maybe try it again in a few weeks just take tiny tiny bites for now and still chew like mad so by the time you swallow its is like puree.
It does get easier. If on puree stage it should be the consistency of applesauce. if you have a lot of pain on soft go back to puree for a couple of days then try soft again.
Good luck and hang on in there. It does get a lot easier. x

 

[WitchInWorthing]

I am pre op so can't speak from experience - but is it possible the pain you are experiencing is dumping syndrome? I know some people on here experience that whether they are eating the right foods or the wrong foods, it varies from person to person.

Listen to your body and the experts and I am sure it will get better. xxx

 

[shell13]

Hi nounouche, i havent got a date yet.but ive lost the weight they asked me to,ive got to have yet another endoscopy on 4th sept.and was told 4-6 month wait.ive seen the dietician once.got to go to a meeting for pre op diet in september.
Hope you feel better
Take care
Michelle.x

 

[ThinnerJemima]

Witch, it's not dumping. Oh boy you KNOW when it's that :cry:

Horrible horrible horrible whilst being great. You couldn't ask for a better deterrent

 

[lyzzyanne]

Hi Nounouche, how are you doing today?? I hope you are settling down a bit.

Lyzzyanne

 

[JoJoTGirl]

So early out it is really worth grilling your dietician to make sure you know what you should and shouldn't be eating because, as you have found, some things will be a definite no, no for a while. Different people struggle with different things though even longterm. I get the feeling you describe from untoasted bread and pasta so I don't eat them at all and only eat potatoes, rice and toast in very small quantities and not all that often too as they make me feel bloated and leave little room for protein. Other people have no real issues. It'a lla trial and error but I would advise trialing these things a bit later on and although it's super boring to begin with, stick to the mush and then "soft" foods. It really does seem to be the case that those who stick to the rules religeously have less pain, vomitting and dumping etc.......not always the case but well worth a go! Good luck, early days yet and I'm sure you'll find your feet in no time. x

 

[Nounouche]

Yes lots of us at L and D, If you eat the wrong things you will suffer!! I was not eating water melon at week 4/5 I was eating soft stuff such as scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes with cheese, yogurts, mashed banana that sort of stuff, in very small quantities. I am sure I could have eaten a bit more but I didn't want to risk it. The hospital have been very good with me and were extremely clear with what you can and can't do.

You need to take it very very slowly because you will feel rough if you don't stick to the rules. I was given a very explicit food plan do you not have that??

In those first few weeks you can make huge inroads into your weight loss. I expect you are suffering from head hunger!!!

I suspect this might also be the case. But I also think I needed to adjust what I have so I don't get those hunger pangs. I have not been having enough liquids. I do have the food plan but as it only has a few suggestions I tried to vary it a little. I am now sticking to it religiously.

 

[lyturt]

I hope you are feeling better now its so hard this adjustment process. iwas told not to try to rush this stage but we have gone so long without chewing properly that its understandable that we want to try new foods. i found adding spices to soft foods gave me a lift the smell made me feel i was eating real food. i was reading about the gi index of food and was surprised that watermelon has a high gi index we should be eating foods with the lowest gi value as these will keep us satisfied longer and stop a sugar rush that may cause dumping. more info on gi index can be found on the internet. choosing low gi foods canalso help weight loss