Questions for experienced bandsters (stretching the pouch)

[dina anderson 0]

Ok, so why do they say not to drink Water after you eat? Is it because it washes the food out of the pouch or because it stretches the pouch (or neither)??

Can you tell if you've stretched your pouch? I ate a rather large meal (about 2 1/2 - 3 cups of food) last weekend and it didn't feel bad or anything, but could I have stretched my pouch? How would I know if I stetched it and what happens if you do?? I should mention, I haven't had a fill yet, I'm scheduled for my first fill this coming Friday.

I'm still fairly new to this so I'm not sure about everything. Thanks for any help you can give me!! :help:

[Jachut 487]

How long did it take you to eat it? I find if I eat very slowly over a long time I can eat a LOT. Its like the meal starts moving through whilst I'm still loading from the top end, lol.

If you wolfed it all down in 5 minutes (not that many bandsters could do that even with less than perfect restriction) you'd have to be wondering where it was all sitting.

As to drinking after you eat, I ignore that personally. It absolutely does not make a difference to me with regard to fullness etc. It may indeed wash the food through quicker, but it does not make me hungrier, I cant notice a difference whether I do or dont drink after eating so I drink when I want to.

[dina anderson 0]

Thanks for the response!

It took me about 30 minutes to eat that meal I think. I didn't feel stuffed at all and I chewed very well, maybe you're right, it may have started going through while I was still finishing.

About the Water, I feel the same way, it doesn't make me hungrier or fuller or anything. I try to wait at least 30 minutes but not a whole hour usually.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

A friend and I just went to Mexico last week. We both happen to live in Phoenix and we both have the same surgeon. He was there for a fill, me - for tests.

It was really interesting to compare xray films. He has pretty severe pouch dilation and I still have the same newbie pouch. Mine is shaped like a tube and his is shaped like a full, overstuffed colon. No fine contours, no smooth edges, they are lumpy, stretched, and painful looking (although it is not painful in the least). My esophagus and pouch are small, smooth, and straight.

Here's the thing... he had a fill and had great restriction. After a week or two he lost all restriction and was eating anything he wanted. Thus, he went to Mexico for his fill this time vs. the NP that does not use fluoro here in Phoenix. He wanted a more accurate fill.

Turns out, he did have an accurate fill. In a 10cc band the doc hardly put any saline in because he didn't need it. Turns out he was filling his esophagus, or... as the doc explained he was using his esophagus as an extended stomach.

My friend is in total denial. He swears the dilation is because he grabbed what he thought was apple juice and it was really a diet coke (suuuuure). He claims he took one swig and that caused all these problems. So I asked the doc right in front of him if ONE swig of carbonated drinks could cause these problems. The doc said no, not one swig. Impossible. This happened over the course of a couple of weeks from repeatedly eating too much food.

My friend still swears he doesn't overeat and it was from one swig of Coke. We went to lunch on the way home from Mexico, he ordered too much food and ate it all. I ordered half of what he did and he finished first. He drinks with his meals.

Yet he still swears it was from one drink of Coke.

My pouch is the size of a small plum. I suggested he get an actual plum and set it on the table next to his food. If he is eating more than that, he's overeating. He won't do it and why??? Because he's not overeating.

Suffice it to say that he's on full liquids for a month to try and get his pouch and esophagus to shrink down to normal size.

But you know what? He'll make it or he won't. It's his choice. He can stuff himself like a T-day turkey or he can follow the rules, either way it is his choice. He's a big boy and able to make his own decisions so I'm not saying a word from here on out. He has another 150lbs to lose and it is his choice if he loses that weight or not.

[GayleTX 1]

The manufacturers of the band say do not drink for an hour after a meal. That is to keep the pouch full as long as possible and to help you control hunger. I think their guidance is the most reliable source of information.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

The manufacturers of the band say do not drink for an hour after a meal. That is to keep the pouch full as long as possible and to help you control hunger. I think their guidance is the most reliable source of information.

Hear hear!

[Kat817 19]

My issue with drinking as I eat is different. I was told not to because it washed the food through too quickly and you got no benefit from the restrictive aspects of the band. I have to remove the drink from the table, or I would grab it out of habit---and it did not wash my food through---it seemed like it caused it to float right up into my esophagus, and it hurt, and made it feel like a PB was on its way. I was able to spit & slime it away---but it is not a pleasant thing---so I don't drink!! My restriction is less than it was, but I have opted not to try it! Call me chicken!!!

Kat

[Daisalana 33]

This is going to be one of my demons, I am not looking forward to not drinking while eating. I think I will have to take Kat's lead and not have a drink at the table.

[Autumn444 0]

This is indeed a topic I needed to read. I was not informed of drinking/sipping while eating until after my surgery. Now that I am eating solids, I am taking two sips during my meal without problem. However, after reading WASa Bubble Butts post, this scares me.

I am in no means eating huge amounts of food. As a matter of fact, I am about 1/3 of a cup of food per meal. But it seems I always need that two sip per meal.... Do you think this will hurt me?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

This is indeed a topic I needed to read. I was not informed of drinking/sipping while eating until after my surgery. Now that I am eating solids, I am taking two sips during my meal without problem. However, after reading WASa Bubble Butts post, this scares me.

I am in no means eating huge amounts of food. As a matter of fact, I am about 1/3 of a cup of food per meal. But it seems I always need that two sip per meal.... Do you think this will hurt me?

The whole reason for not drinking liquids with meals is because it makes the food in your pouch soupy. The whole idea of eating solids instead of Soups and such is that it takes so much longer to drain into your big stomach. The longer it takes to drain the longer you stay full and don't want to eat more food.

If you drink fluids with your meals the food drains faster and you are hungry sooner. I'm not one for lots of rules and such. If something is working, why change it? If you are not over eating, if you are not eating too often, and most of all if you are losing weight, do what works for you.

BTW, you are not going to have a stretched pouch and esophagus with 1/3 cup of food. You are doing fine!

[kacee 3]

I currently drink with my meals (I'm not banded yet...) but if you are just used to flushing out your mouth with liquid between bites of food, why can't you just swish some Water around in your mouth and spit it out? I tried it for a few days and it didn't seem to bother me at all... the drinking for me is the "pallette (sp?) purging" to get the mouth ready for another taste of a different food...

[SPOILED ROTTEN 0]

From my understanding sodas can extend you pouch or make your band move due to the carbonation. I have also been educated that drinking while eating can wash your food down faster. I personally can not drink during meals. I attempted once and it wasn't pretty. Soooo ever since then no drinks w/ food. I have been waiting the half an hour before and after meals before drinking. I know eventually I could move that to an hour. I thought it was very hard to not want to drink before and after meals. NOW though (6mths after surgery) I have no problem. Even my husband is use to it and knows when I can drink if someone offers me a drink. I find w/ carbonation ( only tried once) my stomach feels bloated like something isn't right. The one time did it for me and I have not had a soda since. Don't really miss them at all.

[speshelk 0]

Ok, Im having a slight nervous breakdown. I got banded on May 24. I went to work today and was so busy all I had time for between 11 and 7 was 2 Yopliat light smoothie drinks...Thay are 8 oz each...When I came home I was starving so I put a can of 98% fat free cream of chicken Soup with Water to thin it down in the majic bullet. Then I ate the WHOLE thing...I didnt wait to long and I was still hungery so I did the same with a can of 98%ff Broccoli cheese soup. Now Im comfortably full... I can believe I binged on soup...Im so emabarrased...Has anyone done this??? Did I hurt my pouch??Band???

[Jachut 487]

I think it depends a bit on where your eating problems lie. Drinking while eating may make your food soupy so you get hungry sooner. I get that totally.

For me my problem was ALWAYS eating too much at a sitting, not eating constantly. So it doesnt matter if I get hungry at 4pm, to me I just eat something. The band makes me full very quickly and once I'm full I stop, so I get full on an apple now instead of an entire packet of biscuits. I dont need to "not feel hungry" for hours at a time since the band assists me in managing my hunger in that I get full very quickly.

With regard to pouch stretching though, wouldnt you feel it? I cant get my head around overeating and not knowing it. Perhaps I do since I can eat a sandwich - well 3/4 of one anyway, and not a fat one. Occasionally I will eat until I feel stuffed, but usually I dont. Who knows? But I've lost my weight and kept it off so I'm not sure its worth caring about.

I'd bet money most bandsters are walking around with slightly dilated pouches. You dont go from being a huge overeater to not simply because your body tells you its full sooner. Most people have a gradual decline in what they eat and a gradual improvement in how well they listen to their bodies. Very few bandsters are perfect from the get go.

[bitteroldhag 0]

Ok, Im having a slight nervous breakdown. I got banded on May 24. I went to work today and was so busy all I had time for between 11 and 7 was 2 Yopliat light smoothie drinks...Thay are 8 oz each...When I came home I was starving so I put a can of 98% fat free cream of chicken Soup with Water to thin it down in the majic bullet. Then I ate the WHOLE thing...I didnt wait to long and I was still hungery so I did the same with a can of 98%ff Broccoli cheese soup. Now Im comfortably full... I can believe I binged on soup...Im so emabarrased...Has anyone done this??? Did I hurt my pouch??Band???

Bingeing on soup is a lot different from what you used to binge on, no? I wouldn't worry about this too much. Have you had a fill? If not, you can eat just about anything with no problem. After you get filled, you will find that you can't eat as much as you used to. I think you're doing pretty well to just binge on soup. So don't worry. You're going to lose weight and I seriously doubt if you hurt anything.