Question:
Can you stretch your new stomach too far at 6 months post op to do any damage?
Hello. I am a little more than 6 months post op and have lost 63 lbs. I can eat anything! I have started keeping track of my calories, protein, carbs, and fats and notice some days I can eat 1500 calories in a day. I know this has to be too much. I have a hard time planning what I am to eat. Does anyone have a good plan to follow? I don't care if it is strict or not; I think I would do better if someone told me exactly what to eat and what not to. I have been on a plateau for at least 2 months now and am getting very depressed. Sometimes I get so upset I make myself sick. I have read a lot of great support from lots of people on this site and hope someone out there has some suggestions for me. Thank you so much! — Cheri H. (posted on August 7, 2002)
August 7, 2002
My surgeon says pouch stretching is overrated. He recommends eating protein
first, and then following the no low sugar low carbs, and get in the
liquids.
— bob-haller
August 7, 2002
I was told to increase exercise to get over a plateau. My pouch has the
opposite problem, I can't hold down food. Good day is 450 cal and 40g
protein. They just gave me a pill to get my stomach to empty faster...but
I can tell it is having trouble which means the stoma closed a third time.
Yuck.
— Thomas M.
August 7, 2002
Hi. Normally, 1500 calories per day would be a good amount if you want to
maintain a weight of about 150 lbs. At 6 mos post-op it seems a little
higher than what most people are eating. A good site with (what I
consider) good nutritional info is Liv Lite Weight Management. It lists
recommended foods and gives sample daily menus. Remember; water, water,
water, high protein, low carbs and exercise! Good luck!
— Rebecca T.
August 7, 2002
You might want to look into a program such as Weight Watchers or TOPS. As
soon as I feel I can eat normal amounts and start having to worry more
about what I am eating and how much, I plan on joining one of these
programs. I feel it will help keep me on track and learn how to eat
sensibly, and at the same time I will probably have more will power than I
ever had when I tried these things previously.
— Jennifer Y.
August 7, 2002
Were you transected? You sound like me @ 6 mos post op after my original
nontransected rny. I KNEW that I was eating too much and for 3 mos I
fought so hard to lose, watched calories, protein, exercised like a mad
woman. I managed to lose 10 lbs all summer last year. In September I had
an upper GI and then it was discovered my staple line had disrupted. I had
it fixed and transected and now I am doing great. I am still not the
fastest loser but hey, I have lost 110 lbs now and I am still losing. It
takes work even with an intact pouch. I am not saying you have a SLD but
it is something worth investigating if you are not transected. Ask your
surgeon if you are transected and if not, ask for an UPPER GI to see if all
is still working as it should. Good luck to you and I wish you the best!
— Mylou52
August 8, 2002
Hi Cheri. I wish I could give you advice, I just want you to know you are
NOT alone. I, too, am just over 6 months post-op and have the same problem
you do. I can eat absolutely ANYTHING. The only restriction I have is on
portion size. Although I have not counted my daily caloric intake on a
consistent basis, I would not doubt that I have been able to consume 1,500
calories per day. I was transected, so I know I do not have a staple line
disruption. So many post-ops have problems keeping things down, I guess
you could say we are the lucky ones. Sadly, I don't see it that way. I
had an unrealistic expectation of what my life would be post-op, because I
read the majority of posts on here where people can only eat about 600
calories per day and their weight would just fall off. Here I am almost 7
months out and I have lost 75 pounds. Not too shabby, but certainly not
what I had anticipated. Please know you are not alone. If you find
something that works for you, please share it with me! If you would like
to see any details about my post-op history, please check out my website at
www.geocities.com/jaxsites/christie Good luck!
— Christie S.
August 8, 2002
This is both to the original poster and the previous poster. Just because
you "can eat anything" doesn't mean that you "should eat
anything". From what my nutritionist says, a 1500-calorie a day diet
is more suited to someone that is a year or more out - it's heading more
towards a maintenance-level diet. I'd say at 6 months that you should be
doing 800 calories tops if you are eating right.
<p>
Are you doing proteins first? These are needed more than the carbs (even
though they have the same caloric value per gram) and definitely are better
for you than fats (9 calories per gram). I am only 3+ weeks out, but
there are many meals that all I have is protein. Getting your fluids in
every day helps too - battling dehydration as well as giving you that full
feeling in your pouch.
<p>
Remember that the WLS is only a *tool*. You have to use this time as a
"window of opportunity" to change your eating lifestyle in order
to make the surgery totally successful.
— John Rushton
August 8, 2002
Hi Cheri, I am celebrating my 6 month anniversary today and have lost 72.
Not as much as others, but I am quite happy with it. I don't even count
calories or fat grams anymore like I used to do when I had to DIET. I
don't want to hear that 4 letter word again. I do count protein grams,
always reach for protein first and try to keep the carbs and sugar grams
low but not eliminated. I have protein/carbs/sugar every day. To me, that
is normal eating and I had this surgery to be normal. To give you an idea
of what I eat, here is a typical day for me:
Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with 1 slice melted provolone and a tablespoon
of chili on top (I have this almost every day)
Lunch: Either half a meat sandwich (yes, with mayo and bread) or grilled
chicken over salad (yes, with regular salad dressing).
Snacks: handful of nuts, few peanut butter crackers, fruit, 1/2 a protein
bar, cup or two of popcorn (this one I have almost every night-keeps ya
regular) or SF ice cream. Sometimes I eat mini bite size chocolate chip
cookies, or have a bite or two of donuts or danishes at work. I don't dump
on sugar unless the grams are over 10 or so, but I keep the sugar grams low
so as not to raise the blood sugar levels in my body which I know from
experience starts me on sugar cravings!!
Dinner: 3/4 of a Lean Cuisine or grilled meat/fish/chicken with a steamed
veggie. Yes, I eat a little potato, rice, pasta but not much because I
would fill up too fast and I try to get in the protein before I get full.
Yes, I do go to a fast food place on occasion- I have had 1/2 of a junior
cheese whopper, or 1/2 of a junior chicken whopper at Burger King, and I
can eat 3-4 inches of a 6 inch sub at Subway. I don't deny myself, I just
try to concentrate on protein first.
Also, are you getting in all your water? Are you exercising? I have found
that when I increase water, protein and exercise, the pounds start moving
again. But my plateaus have lasted for almost a month and others have had
them for several months in a row so you are not alone.
— Cindy R.
August 8, 2002
Hi there, 8 months out open RNY Distal...88lbs lost so far. I am considered
a "slow loser", I say, by whose standards...I have not been able
to lose 88 lbs before, I am verry happy, remember, "slow & steady
wins the race"! I also can eat anything...by that I mean, you hear
some people that can barely keep anything down and cannot eat so many foods
now...I think we are lucky, I also agree with the "no diet"
philosophy. I get my protein in first, then veggies, then carbs...I keep
sugars under 12 grams per serving and actually rarely eat them. Some days I
can eat alot, some days less....If you really tracked it for awhile and
consistently ate 1500 calories, I would say, cut back..but you said
"some days" you can eat 1500 calories...Like everyone else
said..protien/water/exercise. If you really have a problem with food and
need help, go to someone who knows your situation and can
"prescribe" a personal plan for you...remember advice from here
is great, but some things are best done through doctors and nutritionists
for your best results.
best wishes
— Patricia R.
Click Here to Return