did i stretch my pouch?

andielmt · January 1, 2008

i am convinced that i stretched my stomach, i ate 1 1/2 pieces of pizza ( chewing very well) and it didnt even phase me. before surgery two pieces would have satisfied me. just a few days ago i still would get full on little amounts now in the past few days i can eat quite a bit. i am trying not to overdue it. it worries me that i can eat pizza and have no effect. it felt good in the beginning because i would get full on small amounts and i lost 20 lbs in a month now i havent lost and i am afraid that i am eating to much. should i go back on the diet that i was on when i first had surgery? i ate only Protein, eggs, turkey, ham, Protein Shakes and yogurt. they say that i can eat regular foods now but im not as full and i am not losing either. any advice? i need some feedback because i am feelling really bad right now. thanks

andrea

cindyg1212 · January 2, 2008

I'm having the same problem and have been reading similar posts. Apparently, we're not resticted enough. It's easy to lose right after surgery because of the restricted diet and the fact that the stomach is swollen for a few weeks after surgery. I had one fill and had to be unfilled 2 days later because it was too tight. I've been the same weight for weeks now but will try getting another fill thursday. This time, they will only add a small amount and it may take several fills to get a good restriction.

Ginaki · January 2, 2008

hi, i feel exactly the same way.. i was banded on October 30th and lost 15 pounds in the first 4 weeks,, i had my first fill on the 19th December.. there are days that i can eat lots and scared that i also have stretched my pouch but for the last couple of days im starting to feel restriction ,, struggle with my little meal.. it takes me 3 sittings throughout the day to eat it...is it normal to feel restricted some days and not much other days?...

Sades · January 2, 2008

I think we all have the same fear, especially over christmas where we have been really tested. I hope that it's because of lack of restriction rather than a stretched pouch. I will be banging my doctor's door down on his return because I can't imagine continuing along these lines without some restriction. I have an appoint on 23 jan but that's too far away. Good luck everyone while going through this period.

gaild3199 · January 2, 2008

I have been worried about the same problem. I was banded in Oct '07 and have had 1 fill. I do feel restriction when I eat, but am surprised at how much I can eat. Soon after I can still feel hungry although I can go longer without eating, and I certainly do not eat as much as I used to. I have been worried that I may have stretched the pouch. As I have not lost any weight since the op.

Am going to the gym tomorrow to start a new weight and cardio programme, hopefully this will help shift the kilos.

I lost 8 kilo at the beginning when I was first banded, been able to keep it off, but have not lost anything since.

Not due to go back to Doctor for 2nd fill til Feb 11th.

TitanVA · January 2, 2008

My advice would be to try and eat more whole Proteins and vegetables since you are recently banded. I don't think you stretched your pouch but pizza would not be on my list of weight loss foods. A slice and a half of pizza probably has 500+ calories or more depending on the size of the slice and toppings and minimal nutritional value. Definitely get in for a fill and try and clean up your diet and the weight should start coming off. Good luck.

kbinaz · January 2, 2008

I don't know when your surgery was, and if you have had any fills yet. It takes 3-5 fills (or maybe even more) to reach maximum restriction with the band. I had my third fill last week and I can still eat two pieces of pizza no problem. After my second fill I probably could have eaten three, also. You will get more and more restriction with each fill, try to be patient (I am in the same boat as you and I'm not that patient, either, so it's easy for me to tell you to be patient!!!) I don' think you can stretch your pouch. I may be wrong about that, but I have never heard that was a concern.

kbinaz · January 2, 2008

I think that is normal - I have the same thing - even differences from meal to meal. I know that eating really Protein dense food makes a huge difference in how much I can eat and how long I stay full. I can eat a lot of pizza and don't stay full very long. If I eat a turkey burger I can only finish 3/4 of it and stay full for HOURS. I also notice I stay full after dinner than after Breakfast. It's weird.

kagoscuba · January 2, 2008

Once you are optimally filled, pizza won't be an option, so you won't have to worry about a stretched pouch. I was eating small amounts of pretty much whatever I wanted to after my first fill and lots of weight loss. When I went in for fill #2, my band was wide open, and I asked why, since I had seen it dramatically smaller during the first fill. My doctor explained to me the saline and body-fat work together to keep the band at a certain diameter. If rapid weight loss occurs, then the opening of the band can become larger without an unfill. That is what happened to me. Now that I have the second fill, I am eating the cup to 2 cups of food per meal I am supposed to. I'd be lucky to force down 1.5 pieces of pizza in a day, much less one meal. Not to mention it wouldn't even be worth it because I'd feel partially stuck and waiting for a PB all of the time. Unless you are geting stuck and PB'ing a lot, you are not stretching your pouch. Your band is probably just too wide open.

juliegeraci · January 2, 2008

Time for a fill. Eat lean Proteins first, then vegies and then starches. Try and stick to 800-1k calories a day.

andielmt · January 2, 2008

thanks for all of the feedback, i am going to my doctor on friday and i will ask for a fill soon, as far as pizza i will stay away from it. i liked how i felt emotionally when i ate Protein and stuck to it especially in the first month. now that i have slipped and have had some things that i shouldnt i feel really bad about myself. it was awesome in the beginning when i couldnt eat much and i have to keep this in mind and know thats why i got the band is because it is adjustable its just so hard to be patient but for me to lose 20lbs in one month is more than i have lost in 5 years.

andrea