I think I have stretched my pouch :-(

[rosejohnson]

Hi
I am coming up to 9 weeks post op, and I think I have stretched my pouch. I am hungry all the time, constantly nibbling, and I can eat loads more than I could say, 3 weeks ago.

I feel so depressed. My weight loss has slowed too, I only lost a pound in a fortnight.

Have I ruined everything. I just told my husband my concern (after he pointed out I was eating a lot lately) and he said something along the lines of "well that was a waste of £10,000". Now I just want to cry.

Is there any way back from this or have I ruined it forever??

Rx

 

[dreamofbeingslim]

I haven't had surgery yet but are you really eating like you used to? Are you eating foods that go down too easily because I have read before from others that they are tending to eat slider foods rather than foods that they have to chew chew chew. Also make sure you are drinking as well. I am sure someone with experience will be along to help you soon. Take care.

 

[Fashionably Late]

Have you thought about doing the 5 day pouch test? I have heard that helps lots.

 

[Bullyfun]

five day pouch test?

 

[tesmaralda]

what are you eating? are you having enough protein or are you having meals that are carb heavy. Are you having your minimum of 2 litres of water/fluid.

 

[swizzlestick]

Rose

Please dont beat yourself up, you sound low to me. Is there something else that is making you 'pick'. There may be other reasons why you are doing it.

You would have to go some I would imagine to manage to stretch your pouch after just 8 weeks.

Are you sure you are hungry or is it head hunger or comfort eating?

Sounds like you could do with a great big shoulder to cry on and instead you get an insensative harsh comment from OH. Maybe you need to have a calm chat with him ands explain that you need emotional support through this.

Firstly though I think you need to get in touch with your dietician and talk this through with them, they will be able to tell you if you are not getting enough protein. Are you taking your vitamins? and as Tes points out, it is very important to keep up fluids.

I'm not sure what the 5 day pouch test is, I will take a look and see if I can find out though.

What you need to know is that all is not lost. You can get back on track.

Also consider that as I have mentioned before a lot of people have mood swings at this time of year, is it possible this may be playing a part? If you think you may be depressed speak to your gp as sometimes this can be triggered by surgery.

You have had some big changes to deal with in your life with the wls.

Try to stay on track, tomorrow is a new day.

If you want to pm me your welcome too

Xx

 

[hopelesscase]

Hi rose before commenting it would be helpful to know what type of foods you are eating, how many meals a day and if you are snacking between meals, How much you are drinking and how much time do you leave before and after meals and finally when eating do you eat to restriction is it painful and are you ever sick?
lots of questions i know.
carole

 

[Glorfindel]

I've not had the op yet either, but I read 'Dummies guide to Weight Loss' and that was extremely helpful with dietary advice after the bypass. Obviously I have not experienced this first hand, but I'll write what I read.

It explained you should very rarely nibble/snack, three solid meals a day. Make sure you eat your protein first and try to ensure about half of your plate is protein and that you eat it with every meal. Eat your veggies/fruits next and the carbs last. Make sure the carbs you choose are wholemeal as they tend to stay in your stomach longer. Avoid foods which are easily meltable, high calorie liquids etc.

 

[BlueDiamond]

Hi all this is wot info I found on the 5 day pouch test, not sure if its accurate as never seen it before...HTH

These are questions many weight loss surgery post-ops find themselves asking occasionally during their journey. Perhaps it feels like we can eat more food or we know that we are eating more food. Sometimes these questions are asked when there has been a weight regain.
This is the 5-day plan that I have developed and used to determine if my pouch is working and return to that tight newbie feeling. And a bonus to this plan, it helps one get back to the basics of the weight loss surgery diet and it triggers weight loss. Also, it is not difficult to follow and if you are in a stage of carb-cycling it will break this pattern. Sounds pretty good, right?
Order the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual
The 5 Day Pouch Test should never leave you feeling hungry. You can eat as much of the prescribed menu as you want during the day to satiate hungry and prevent snacking on slider foods and/or white carbs. You must drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day. A reduction of caffeinated beverages is suggested, but do not stop caffeine cold turkey.
Weight loss is not the intent of the 5 Day Pouch Test, however, many who have tried this plan report a significant drop in weight. More importantly they celebrate a renewed sense of control over their pouch and eating habits and easily transition back to a healthy post-surgical weight loss way of eating.
Understanding Hunger, Appetite and Satiety
Below you will find a brief list of the menu for each day. Please click the "Read more" links for further detail and hints and tips that will enable your success with the 5 Day Pouch Test.
Days One & Two: Liquid Protein
low-carb protein shakes, broth, clear or cream soups, sugar-free gelatin and pudding. Read more.
Day 3: Soft Protein
canned fish (tuna or salmon) eggs, fresh soft fish (tilapia, sole, orange roughy. Read more.
Day 4: Firm Protein
ground meat (turkey, beef, chicken, lamb), shellfish, scallops, lobster, fresh salmon or halibut. Read more.
Day 5: Solid Protein
white meat poultry, beef steak, pork, lamb, wild game
Read more.
Good luck! I believe you are going to like the results when you give this plan an honest try.

 

[tesmaralda]

tbh its a bit early for the 5 day pouch test

 

[Rising_Sun]

Rose,

You wouldn't be the first bypasser to worry that you've stretched your pouch. Chances are that you've not streched your pouch. The way I understand it is that your surgeon will have used a hard to stretch part of your pouch. That being said, the normal working of the pouch is that as you heal and go further from surgery, the pouch will will have more give and a higher capacity for food. You will be able to eat more at 3 months than you did at 6 weeks post op. Just follow your surgeons guidelines for post surgery eating and you will be fine.




Best advise around I've picked up (there is more I'm sure) is:

• to eat solid, dense proteins first and food that is generally drier/crunchy. Soft or wet foods tend to exit the pouch faster.
• Don't drink with your meals. Stop 30 minutes before food and wait a minimum of 30 minutes after. Others advise waiting longer after eating and even then starting with small sips then gradually incresing the amount of fluid.
• Measure your food so you know how much you're eating. Just like pre-op dieters might underestimate how much they eat, it may be that you are overestimating how much you are eating
• Eat to restriction. This is very important because it is only when the pouch is comfortably full that the satiety signal goes to the brain. Your pouch needs to be full to trigger this. Satiety lasts for as long as there is food in the pouch so again, choose what you eat based on how long it will stay in your pouch.
• Only eat pre-planned snacks and even then, reach for protein first.
• Might you be sensitive to artificial sweeteners. For some, these create intense feelings of hunger?
• Carbs. Review how much and what types you are eating. All carbs digest into sugar but you want to severely limit or cut out the simple carbs.
• H.A.L.T (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) Is your hunger in your head.
• Some people advise the 5 day pouch test others think it's just a fad. Read about it and make up your own mind. The 5dpt won't however give you any clues as to the food capacity of your pouch.
• Another way to get reassurance about the size of your pouch is to measure out 4 oz portion of cooked lean protein (chicken is best). Eat it fairly quickly but chewing well. Chances are at 2 months out you won't be able to eat it all. If you can (and it is possible) you will be very full indeed.
• Know that somedays your pouch will accomodate more of the same food that it will on another day.

x

 

[Gail-michelle]

I also think it is to early for the 5 day pouch test. I think you need to be more like 12 weeks. But hey ho!! I eat a lot more than other days too! so dont worry. You will also find that sometimes you will have a stall for upto 3 weeks again dont worry! because you will get on those scales and WHOLLOP! the Lbs have gone again. But like caz says or she adviced me try to cut out the carbs and up the protein and drink more fluids. Also get your meals prepared so you dont grab the 1st thing. A good food right now in these winter months is a good old hearty winter broth. I do mine minus the spuds, but I add a small cap full of pearl barley. Dont worry you will be fine. Gail.x:flirt2:

 

[hopelesscase]

Rose,

• Eat to restriction. This is very important because it is only when the pouch is comfortably full that the satiety signal goes to the brain. Your pouch needs to be full to trigger this. Satiety lasts for as long as there is food in the pouch so again, choose what you eat based on how long it will stay in your pouch.

x

I very rarely eat to restriction its the most uncomfortabl sensation going and for me to be satisfied i have to be comfortable.
Mr Ammorie told me that if i felt full i had eaten 1 mouthful too much. I think anyone who knows me here who has eaten out with me would tell you that i know when i have had enough long before i feel restriction as i get hicups.
There are days whe i can eat more than others but like the others have said its too early for the pouch test Its about checking that you are doing everything else first solid protiens, plenty of fluids, learning to listen to your body,

 

[Sambucca]

Hi Rose

Sorry you are struggling hun, and I am one day behind you so we should be eating similar foods/quantities now. Im not saying my diet is perfect (far from it) but this is what Im eating in a typical day and this keeps me comforably full - how does it compare to yours?

On rising 1 coffee - half milk, half water
Breakfast - 1 weetabix with SS milk, or special k about 20g
Morning snack - Petit Filous
Lunch - if at work 3 melba toast with cream cheese or pate. If at home maybe soup or some sliced ham rolled up with Hoummus inside.
Afternoon snack (only if hungry) handful of nuts or 1 biscuit. If not hungry a milky coffee
Tea depends - chilli (no rice), shepherds pie, fish pie, chicken casserole, beef stew.

Ive found the only way I can tolerate meat so far is if it is casseroled so it is really moist, or in something like a shepherds pie. I have tried "solid" meat a few times, like off a roast chicken but it hurts me after one tiny bite so will try again in a week or two.

I also make sure I get in at least 2 litres of fluids a day, which is a mixture of coffee and sugar free cordials.

I would be very very surprised if you have stretched your pouch at this stage hun. Just make sure you are not confusing hunger and thirst, and that you are not drinking with meals, and that you are eating foods as solid as you can tolerate them so they stay in the pouch for longer.

Your weight loss is fab by the way. I bet if you add up how many calories you are eating it will be very low. Have you tried the food focus website to log your food intake.

Hope you are feeling better this morning xx

 

[jan23uk]

Oh Gosh, i am so glad you posted that you have just made me feel so much better. I had surgery on 29th sept and so far have lost 18lb, in the last couple of weeks i have discovered i can eat anything!! so at the moment am relying on willpower which got me in this mess in the first place!!
My dietician has booked me in for a fill on 24th nov, so i have to be strong till then. Did not realise this would happen i thought the choice would be taken away from me totally, but now i am still having to be good and it is really hard.
Don't worry you will be ok just speak to someone in the know ie: your dietician.
xx

 

[Rising_Sun]

I very rarely eat to restriction its the most uncomfortabl sensation going and for me to be satisfied i have to be comfortable.
Mr Ammorie told me that if i felt full i had eaten 1 mouthful too much. I think anyone who knows me here who has eaten out with me would tell you that i know when i have had enough long before i feel restriction as i get hicups.
There are days whe i can eat more than others but like the others have said its too early for the pouch test Its about checking that you are doing everything else first solid protiens, plenty of fluids, learning to listen to your body,

Interesting as we had the same surgeon but different advice or did we understand it differently?. Mr Ammori to me: "Eat until comfortably full, that is the point of your restriction". The key word here is comfort. Triggering early satiety is part of the point of a bypass. Eating to restriction does not mean get stuffed to bursting. There is initial discomfort yes, but it's nothing to be afraid of. For some, like me, the satiety signal can be delayed by as many as 10-15 minutes so as long as I've eaten to comfortably full I know I've had enough. The key is to be present when eating, i'e listening carefully to your body's signals. I suppose the key point here is that each bypasser reacts differently and each needs to find their own way. For others it may be that eating below restriction is a sure way of preventing feelings of satiety.

I personally think the 5 day pouch test is a fad but isn't the point of it to stop a carb cycle, which people can fall into at anytime? (so anyone who has started eating solids can do it at anytime)

 

[wannaloose18stone]

I'm hungry all the time aswell, I just have to resist the urge to eat to much.

 

[iinklii]

Don't panic, this happened to me too! But I was lucky enuf to have spotted other people stalling at about the 8 week mark

Your pouch has not stretched, but the swelling may have gone down!

I finally worked out that dumping was causing the hungry! Carefully monitor your carbs, try keeping a diary of your responses, check for hidden sugars etc

Water! OMG Water is unbelievably important. I kinda got the feeling that although each cell of my body was shedding it's load it didn't shed the body until there was sufficient water to flush out each indivdual cell! I was on holiday at the time and not eating and drinking at the same time was difficult to organise, but when I got home and gave myself a good drenching it all floated off, a real kick start and a boost. Just like you I was doing the whole have I made a mistake thing. Don't listen to him he's just scared it was an expensive mistake too.

It's all good, today is the first day of the rest of your life and you are moving to thinland and moving is never easy!

Good luck and all the best
Lizzy

 

[Gail-michelle]

Hi Tes, I should know better I know but does tea & coffee count instead os water I HATE! water or cold drinks in the winter months. Gail

what are you eating? are you having enough protein or are you having meals that are carb heavy. Are you having your minimum of 2 litres of water/fluid.

 

[BlueDiamond]

Hi there

I was not suggesting that she tried the 5 day pouch test, as I am not qualified to do so, but someone else asked what it was and thats why I posted it in the this forum .

All the best - MeJulie xx