It's day 2 of mushies, and I found out what my pouch will hold. I had bought 4 oz. ramekins pre-op. I filled one with refried Beans and put a little cheese on top to melt in the microwave. I could eat 3.5 oz of it, but weirdly I feel physically pouch- full yet hungry at the same time. It's not the kind of hunger where you must eat something, but lower than my pouch, more like in my intestines--ok I just admitted I am a freak lol!

Does anyone else have this?

Give yourself some time to figure out what is hunger, and what is just rumbling. Some foods you can get more of than others. Maybe refried beans are like that for you. You can always call your Dr. and ask what size you have and how much it should hold without stretching it. I am 7 weeks out and have been off liquids for about 4 weeks, and still have trouble figuring out what hunger feels like now. I know that emptiness felling, and it could be attributed to the hunger hormone they removed, but is still in your system for a while. Your body has been through a lot, give it some time to figure out what the new sensations are. I understand how you feel...it is really strange. It has gotten a little better and I attribute it to digestion...kinda rumbles below the stomach..(like hunger). Good luck with your journey!

I've only ever eaten until I feel satisfied, never to test how much I can eat as I fear I'd eat more than I actually need that way and stretch my pouch.

what is a ramekin?

I know you are curious and that's normal. However, you are way too early to be testing your tummy. It's healing and you don't want to do anything to disrupt that process.

Also - it's very hard to tell "full" with mushies. You may be "feeling" it lower, but it could be head hunger or even acid causing issues. Just follow your plan and take it one day at a time.

what is a ramekin?

It's a small dish, like a bowl, sometimes also with a handle and a lid. Good for making things like creme brulee, pudding, or really, anything that looks better than it comes in individual servings rather than from a big plate.

I dont' know why people even want to test it. The idea is to lose weight. Just follow the directions, and you'll be fine. The amount your smaller stomach will hold, depends on the density of the food you eat. The only hard part is figuring out when your full. I try and stop when I know I have had enough. It takes a while for the brain to get the connection that your full, and if you eat to much, you may be sorry. It's happened to me a couple of times. Not fun. Also, you may not be able to eat everything you ate before. I just found out I cannot eat peanuts. I NEVER had an issue with peanuts before, but now I do. Cashews are fine, thank god. Best of luck.

Just to clarify--I wasn't testing my pouch--it's just that the size became obvious since I was using a measured 4 oz portion. I feel like I can't interpret what true hunger is yet.

Donna, I know what you mean. I too am having trouble determining what is the just right amount of food for me.

Of course the idea is to lose weight but it doesn't make sense not to eat until you are comfortably satisfied. I mean I can do that for a while but not for the rest of my life. If I could eat just what any diet proscribed with no regard to hunger, I wouldn't be obese.

I'm a month out, I've tried refried beans with a little cheese on it twice since I've been on mushies and both times it hasn't gone over well at all. Maybe its too thick for you.

If the beans are too thick, add some beef or chicken broth...

I know exactly what you mean about the rumblings!!!! The other day, I had this rumbling feeling...like I was starving! So, I got some cottage cheese and ate that. I only got a few spoon fulls down and could feel that I was full...but still had these rumbling feelings that I equated to being hungry, though obviously I was full from the cottage cheese. So, I decided to take an antacid that my Dr. had given me...and voila, the hunger pains were gone!!!! At that point I realized that my supposed "hunger pains" was actually acid even though it didn't feel like acid. TRy that, it really helped me!!!

Merry

I know exactly what you mean! My stomach was full but I was hungry (or so I think).

I'm with Lisalu on this one ("Of course the idea is to lose weight but it doesn't make sense not to eat until you are comfortably satisfied. I mean I can do that for a while but not for the rest of my life. If I could eat just what any diet proscribed with no regard to hunger, I wouldn't be obese.")