Advice and some reassurance please!

[whodatgirl 58]

Can someone please help me know when I'm full? I have had no problems drinking as much Water and Protein as I need, so I'm so scared that I've stretched my sleeve. I have been on pureed for about three days now. I've mostly eaten refried Beans with some melted cheese and Greek yogurt on top (boy, are they good!). I just heat up three tablespoons and eat that. I wouldn't dare eat another bite for fear that I'd rip my stomach open or some other horrid complication. I just really don't know how to tell if I'm full. I guess that may have been my problem for the last 50 years, but it seems like it's a really necessary skill now. I keep reading that I will know, but I haven't. (I haven't felt hungry either.)

I don't know if I should try to eat more or keep measuring my food. If I should keep measuring, at what point do I up my intake? The surgery and recovery have been so easy, but I really need some answers on the amount to eat. I've emailed the nutritionist who works with my doctors in Mexico, but I didn't feel like I got a real answer from her. I've tried to find a nutritionist here who has experience with bariatric patients, but, so far, they all seem to be associated with a surgery program. They will allow me to make an appointment, but only after I attend a seminar describing the surgery that I've already had.

I just read a post on here about someone who had to be sleeved twice because they left his/her stomach too big the first time, so now I have a brand new concern! :-) What if this is my problem?!?!?

I'm really not usually such an alarmist, but I think the fact that I had my surgery in Mexico, and my insurance will probably not pay for complications arising from surgery outside the US, has me in fear. Also, I'm worried sick about my hair falling out, so I have protein on the brain constantly. Any advice, reassurance, or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

[BKLYNgal87 503]

First off, it would be good for you to determine what your insurance will and won't pay for, and generally unless they specifically say they will not pay for elective surgery complications or complications from surgery done outside the US, you'll be fine in terms of coverage . I'd check your policy handbook to rest your worries.

Secondly, I am also in the pureed stage and I've been able to eat about 1/4 cup of fat free refried Beans and a little cheese. I eat about 2oz of meat Protein. The only food I can eat about a half cup (4oz) of is greek yogurt. I have been trying to gauge the full feeling too, and since my surgery that has manifested in the gut feeling that I've eaten enough. I don't know how else to explain it! I eat pretty much exactly what my nutritionist outlined and no more and usually about 5 minutes after I eat I stop thinking about eating entirely and go on about my day. I'd say always measure your food because you don't want to inadvertently eat too much.

Personally, I'd go to the seminar because I am one of those people who needs guidance. You may only need a few sessions with a nutritionist before you have the skills you need to move forward. In the meantime, use whatever take home guidelines you got in MX and eat the recommended Protein each day so that hair loss will be less of a worry!

[T'snewstart 251]

Because this has been a problem area for you my suggestion would be just to continue to measure your food. Someone one here ( sorry 8 am not sure where it is) has a list of weights and measurements for food. It is probably on the food and nutrition part of the web site. There are list of different varieties of foods and portions for each stage. Please don't be in fear..... Just wiegh and measure everything and you will be safe. Some of us never will gain the ability to judge when we are full.... I agree I with BKLYN I would see what your INS covers and go to a seminar if I had too to get into a Nut. Best wishes

[LipstickLady 25,682]

You will know it when you are full. Some people get a runny nose, some sneeze, some hiccup, some burp. I get the sensation of a gumball stuck right in my sternum that will not move. I feel as if I have to burp but it doesn't budge. It lasts for a good 30 minutes and I do not like it at all. This tells me I've taken one bite too many and it's a 50/50 chance if it's going to move down or come up.

I am learning to eat MUCH more slowly and take smaller bites. I am trying to put the fork down for a full minute between bites, too.

I am five weeks out and I can get a 5.3 oz yogurt down (it takes about 45 minutes) or an entire Protein shake (11 oz, also in 45 min), but if the food is any more solid (Babybel cheese, refried Beans, really purified chicken salad, peanut butter), I can't get in more than a tablespoon or two.

DO NOT compare yourself to me as far as quantity, though. I am on the lower end of consumption. I should be on soft foods by now and graduating into everything on Friday, but I've not been approved to move past pureed.

Good luck to you!!

[BigFatLoser 331]

I believe I wrote a similar thread when I was on puréed. I was told, and they were right, that the fullness doesn't really show as much as it will when you're on adaptive soft/solids. Don't stress. Measure just to keep the calories in check. And to avoid accidental sickness if you don't know your full signs just yet.

I'm 3 months out and I know when I'm full now. It took a couple of months to learn. (you really do have to learn!)

I have a belly pain that my hubby has named Donk. If Donk gets upset, I usually ate too fast, or one bite too many. I like to keep Donk happy. He's mean, lol. I also get the hiccups if I push myself. Or the physical feelings of an anxiety attack. If I stop when I should, I feel satisfied. Not full. Yay! You will get there.

[notime 340]

Don't worry about the things you are worried about. You haven't stretched your sleeve and, given that you are complication free at this point, it is unlikely you will have a problem later. I don't know how far along you are, but it appears perhaps only about two weeks. Eating too little is not a concern at this stage. What you need to concentrate on is getting the necessary Fluid and Protein amounts. If you are doing that you are eating the right quantity. It won't hurt to try one more bite the next time. Believe me, you will know when you have eaten too much and it won't take but a few times to learn what your "full" indicators are and to heed them. The hair falling out is a temporary situation and almost all of us have it happen. My doctor says there is nothing that can be done to keep it from happening, so there is no point in spending time worrying about it.

[Vivian19 4]

You don't need to eat until you are full. Keep measuring and eating slowly. As long as you are not feeling hungry, don't worry about eating until you are full. Stay strong and well. Contact your nutritionist.

[marfar7 1,528]

About stretching your sleeve: My dr explained it to me like this: They take out 85% of your stomach, including the part that makes Ghrelin (the hunger hormone, about 75% of it is made by a part of our stomach, the other 25% comes from the pancreas) and also the stretchy part of our stomach. At the time of surgery, they leave you with a stomach thats capable of holding about 2 oz. Over the next year, you can stretch it to about 8oz, but thats it. The elasticity stops there. I think thats the beauty of the sleeve vs gastric bypass. Gastric bypass pts still have the stretchy part of their stomach, thus making it a little easier to gain back what they've lost.

So rest assured, even if you've stretched it out a little (and I doubt that happened already), it's not enuf to worry about.

If anyone has contradicting info out there, I'd luv to hear it. I'm always open to any and all info out there!

[MrsPierre 67]

You will know it when you are full. Some people get a runny nose' date=' some sneeze, some hiccup, some burp. I get the sensation of a gumball stuck right in my sternum that will not move. I feel as if I have to burp but it doesn't budge. It lasts for a good 30 minutes and I do not like it at all. This tells me I've taken one bite too many and it's a 50/50 chance if it's going to move down or come up.

I am learning to eat MUCH more slowly and take smaller bites. I am trying to put the fork down for a full minute between bites, too.

I am five weeks out and I can get a 5.3 oz yogurt down (it takes about 45 minutes) or an entire Protein shake (11 oz, also in 45 min), but if the food is any more solid (Babybel cheese, refried Beans, really purified chicken salad, peanut butter), I can't get in more than a tablespoon or two.

DO NOT compare yourself to me as far as quantity, though. I am on the lower end of consumption. I should be on soft foods by now and graduating into everything on Friday, but I've not been approved to move past pureed.

Good luck to you!![/quote']

I've noticed that I get hiccups when I'm full.