Frustrated Newbie--HOW DO I KNOW when I'm full?!

[TheLCSpencer 4]

Hi Everyone,

I had my surg with Dr. Aceves on 1/5. Currently 15 days out. Had a hiatal hernia repaired, but healed up just fine. Down 12 pounds so far. I just had a few questions because I'm pretty frustrated and feel that I had to re-learn everything about how to eat.

I keep hearing a few things:

-Eat slowly

-dont overeat your sleeve

-listen to your body

Here's the thing--I'm still clueless. I eat (drink, mostly at this point) slowly, but dont feel a restriction. What does it feel like? At this point, I can only tell when it's up near my throat (liquid)--in which case I know I've drank too fast. I measure and time with my liquids, but I have been hungry a few times in the last week and drank fast only to find that 15 m later I have the foamies.

I want to do this right, but I am having such a hard time understanding my body's signs. I feel like I'm not doing well enough on liquids, and that I need to figure this out before I get to mushies or solids. I don't want to stretch my sleeve, but this is so strange and new still.

Another example: I just ate about 3 oz of yogurt for the first time and I feel like I have yogurt up to throat. I don't think I overate, but...did I eat too fast (15 min)? Is this bad? Should I have eaten less? If so, when would I keep going? I am even using tiny baby spoons and yeah...not sure if it's helping.

Sorry, all. I just don't know what the signs are. In the past, I was full when I felt full. Does the "New Full"=the feeling you get when you aren't hungry?

Thanks for all the advice ahead of time!

[DUBrookie03 142]

I'm just a little ahead of you, and I went through all of the same gross foamies, only mine were more like slimes. I thought I was eating slow enough, but what I've discovered moving from mushy to soft foods is that I really need a good 3-5 min in between EVERY bite, and the bites need to be about the size of a nickel. The slower I go, the less I spit up. By comparison, 3oz of yogurt takes me at least 30 min to eat without sliming.

Try slowing down even more and see if that alleviates some of the side effects. If you give your body time to make sure it's fully in your pouch, it will be easier to tell when you're done b/c as soon as you feel the feeling in your throat, you'll know. You're feeling it now I think b/c you aren't giving it enough time to fully get down there before taking the next bite.

Hope it gets better!

[TheLCSpencer 4]

I'm just a little ahead of you, and I went through all of the same gross foamies, only mine were more like slimes. I thought I was eating slow enough, but what I've discovered moving from mushy to soft foods is that I really need a good 3-5 min in between EVERY bite, and the bites need to be about the size of a nickel. The slower I go, the less I spit up. By comparison, 3oz of yogurt takes me at least 30 min to eat without sliming.

Try slowing down even more and see if that alleviates some of the side effects. If you give your body time to make sure it's fully in your pouch, it will be easier to tell when you're done b/c as soon as you feel the feeling in your throat, you'll know. You're feeling it now I think b/c you aren't giving it enough time to fully get down there before taking the next bite.

Hope it gets better!

Thanks Brook!

It's really hard, isn't it? I feel like eating slowly is just hard, when something tastes good and there's a fair amount of head hunger (I hate that term). If I were to take 3 min in between bites it would take forever! I can still do it though. Is this how long you wait in between bites, even this far into your recovery? Or can you eventually eat faster? It would make sense if it was just slow, always.

[KevLev12282012 25]

I just started on soft food yesterday, Day 22. Yesterday was ok, I think i just played it safe and didn't portion too big. I concentrated on chewing well (30 times) per bite. I paced myself but nothing like waiting between bites. Everything seemed fine. I was comfortably full with each meal.

Today however, I went out to watch football, and ordered some tilapia and well steamed veggies. When the food came I immediately boxed up half of it and ate the rest. I felt over-full but not really uncomfortable. Tonight for dinner, I took what i thought were small portions. Had some turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes and even when I felt full, there were a few bites left.

The difference between feeling full and those next few bites.. is horrible! I ate them and when I was done I felt MISERABLE! I tried to walk around a bit then went to the bathroom where most of it came back up!

I need to get my head around pushing the plate away when I first feel full, because I don't want too many repeats of tonight's episode.

[SunnyCox 245]

It is much, much easier to tell once you move to solid foods. The solid foods sit so much heavier in your stomach.

If you are getting the feeling that food is coming up in your throat, you have had too much. Next time, cut back a little bit.

Don't worry about stretching things out right now. It isn't going to happen on liquids and soft foods.

That miserable feeling that KevLev mentioned when you have had too much is something you won't want to do to yourself. It is a very quick learning curve. More than once, I ate too quickly or tried to get down another bite, and I ended up in the bathroom. If I bent over, the food would come up with no effort. You will learn to make quick adjustments, and it won't happen too often.

[PEvette 297]

when you move to solids you will know, trust me, you will know....I felt the same when I was on pureeds, and my NUT told me to just wait until I move to soft solids...and when I felt it I was pleasantly surprised...

Now everyone has a different full signal, from pain in the shoulder to like me, you just feel uncomfortable if you take another bite.....I have spat up before, mainly because I wasnt paying attention to eating and I was shoveing food in my mouth and talking...that was a lesson learned....

you will know when you are full...

[*Dean* 1,594]

I'm just a little ahead of you, and I went through all of the same gross foamies, only mine were more like slimes. I thought I was eating slow enough, but what I've discovered moving from mushy to soft foods is that I really need a good 3-5 min in between EVERY bite, and the bites need to be about the size of a nickel. The slower I go, the less I spit up. By comparison, 3oz of yogurt takes me at least 30 min to eat without sliming.

Try slowing down even more and see if that alleviates some of the side effects. If you give your body time to make sure it's fully in your pouch, it will be easier to tell when you're done b/c as soon as you feel the feeling in your throat, you'll know. You're feeling it now I think b/c you aren't giving it enough time to fully get down there before taking the next bite.

Hope it gets better!

Yeah, I think the best tip is what Brookie said.

Plan to eat at a ridiculously slow pace - and then eat slower!

Cutlery down, talk between bites.

Plus your tummy is still in trauma. All those things your looking for will take a while.

All the best,

Deano

[TheLCSpencer 4]

Thanks so much for all the advice, everyone. It's really hard to eat slow but it sounds like the continues to be the only way to prevent overeating the sleeve. Hopefully like some of you, I'll feel the restriction much more when im in mushies or solids.

Thanks all!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Hi Everyone,

I had my surg with Dr. Aceves on 1/5. Currently 15 days out. Had a hiatal hernia repaired, but healed up just fine. Down 12 pounds so far. I just had a few questions because I'm pretty frustrated and feel that I had to re-learn everything about how to eat.

I keep hearing a few things:

-Eat slowly

-dont overeat your sleeve

-listen to your body

Here's the thing--I'm still clueless. I eat (drink, mostly at this point) slowly, but dont feel a restriction. What does it feel like? At this point, I can only tell when it's up near my throat (liquid)--in which case I know I've drank too fast. I measure and time with my liquids, but I have been hungry a few times in the last week and drank fast only to find that 15 m later I have the foamies.

I want to do this right, but I am having such a hard time understanding my body's signs. I feel like I'm not doing well enough on liquids, and that I need to figure this out before I get to mushies or solids. I don't want to stretch my sleeve, but this is so strange and new still.

Another example: I just ate about 3 oz of yogurt for the first time and I feel like I have yogurt up to throat. I don't think I overate, but...did I eat too fast (15 min)? Is this bad? Should I have eaten less? If so, when would I keep going? I am even using tiny baby spoons and yeah...not sure if it's helping.

Sorry, all. I just don't know what the signs are. In the past, I was full when I felt full. Does the "New Full"=the feeling you get when you aren't hungry?

Thanks for all the advice ahead of time!

Weigh and/or measure your food. I am 2 yrs 7 months out and I still do this and also keep an on line food log. When you aren't hungry it's very difficult to know when you're full!! Being uncomfortable can sneak up on you very quickly!!! I still don't experience 'hunger' - not like before, my new hunger is an empty feeling. Something I can definitely ignore if I choose to.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

3 oz of yogurt is a LOT of yogurt so early out. I'd say about triple what you should try and eat at one time. Take it easy, eat 'UNDER' your sleeve.

[Lorraine Freeman 47]

This is totally normal at this stage. My nut told me that it should take you no longer than 20 mins to eat something, as soon as you get to 20 mins whatever is left should be put away.

As you get on to solid foods the feeling of restriction becomes easier to determine and the stuck/full to the top of your throat feeling subsides, you feel it in your stomach like you did before your op. everything just takes time to heal and get back to 'normal'

When you get on to solids just remember the 20 rule, chew everything 20 times at least, wait 20 secs between bites, and anything left after 20 mins should be pushed away.

Hope this helps. XXxxx

[Shelly12 17]

I get this horrible, embarrassingly loud gurgling....which has now prompted my husband to say "whelp..guess you're done". lol and sad to say....I actually have to have him "burp" me sometimes. I still have pain when eating/swallowing food at times and have to have him help me burp by rubbing my back. Feels good actually.... But my throat feels like its closing. and yeah...thats my "dinners over" sign.

[SaraLaughs 23]

I counted bites. It's the only way I could figure it out. I find I can take six bites, very well chewed, before it starts feeling like its coming up my throat. Sometimes that's still one bite too many, but at least it gives me an idea of what I can eat.

Eta: I get that gurgling noise too, my kids laugh but it's a little embarrassing.

[ashelaine 382]

I hiccup- that's my I'm full sign.