Hey All,

This is my first post. I have been lurking this board and using it as a resource for information for a few months now. This board, and the people here have been an amazing place to have questions that I couldn't ask anywhere else answered! Pretty much ever since I was approved for surgery I have been looking in here. I'll give you a quick blast about me before I get to my question.

I was 385lbs when I was approved for Gastric Sleeve. I had to do a 6 week liquid diet pre-surgery as the Dr wanted my BMI down. The DR wanted me down to 355lbs before surgery. Pre-surgery I lost 53lbs, and was down to 333lbs. I had my surgery on Sept 8th, and am now down to 319lbs. That's a total loss of 66lbs. so far and I'm feeling great.

Now to the question. I just started phase II of eating, blended meats, baby food consistency, no more than 1 cup per meal, etc. My question is, what does full feel like to you guys? I sometimes get near the end of my meal and I think I might be full, I feel pressure in my sleeve, but then my sleeve growls and I don't feel the pressure anymore. So I just finish my food. I don't think I am eating enough to stretch it out. But I would be lying if I wasn't concerned about doing that.

What does full feel like to you guys? Does it feel like full before we had the surgery? Or is that pressure the feeling of full and I am eating past what I should be?

Thanks guys.

5 weeks post op here.

I never felt full before surgery. Now, I feel it in my throat more than my stomach. Like a pressure not pain. My parents had surgery last year. My mom feels the same as me. My dad sneezes when he gets full. It's so weird.

I feel really uncomfortable... sick bloated and a strange sound like hiccups but louder...I know then I'm full.

I also feel full in my throat/esophagus area first and then my sleeve feels "full". I am 5 weeks post op and I are 3/4 of scrambled egg and was "full" and satisfied. I have 1 more week of pureed and then onto soft foods

Try not getting to the stage of feeling 'full' rather when you feel 'satisfied' is good. Feeling full (for me anyway) is a hair breadth between feeling like I have enjoyed my meal and my sleeve being happy and feeling like crap with a very pissed off sleeve. It can be very hard to judge.

On the odd occasion I have eaten to feeling full, I have felt as if something has stuck in my throat, I have felt sick and once I was sick which wasn't pleasant at all. It's all a learning curve.

YMMV

I get the hiccups. Actually I get the hiccups if I over eat, so I measure my food and try not to go over 6 oz.

Less than a month out you should be in the 2-4oz range per meal. You should try measuring that much, eating 3 oz, see if you feel satisfied after 20 minutes, then stop. 8oz is a lot of food unless your food is basically pureed to liquid.

Also that probably isn't your sleeve growling, it is more likely your small intestine if it is lower than your chest bone. It isn't growling, it is digesting your food. Early on you can feel when food empties into your intestines, well more like you can hear it.

At this stage, you should be eating about 1/3 cup per meal. At one year, you would be at the one-cup phase.

Don't eat until you feel full. Eat your 1/3 cup and be done.

IMHO, YMMV, yada yada yada.

What does your program say about your portion sizes? I went back and looked at my handbook and at 6 weeks it says 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of food in 20 minutes.

I agree it's a fine line for me between satisfied/full and a ticked off sleeve that ends up with me vomiting. I feel gassy/burp if I'm to full and get an upset/queasy feeling. I'm 3 months out and can't eat a cup of anything. The most I can do is 6 oz of yogurt. I typically eat 2.5-3.5 oz of meat and I'm full.

Thanks for the replies all.

Nope, Im not trying to feel full. I am just curious what it feels like. I havent had these gassy burps, and i have never vomited. I guess I always stop eating when i'm satiated.

As for my portion sizes. I am on track with where my Dr wants me to be. I am 3 weeks post op on tuesday. Stage I was liquids only, broths, milk, Protein shakes, no more than 1/2 a cup. That was for 7 days. Stage II is pureed foods, no more than 1 cup per meal. If your Dr only wants you eating 1/3 of a cup thats fine for you, but I'm going to follow my Dr's plan.

Edited September 20, 201510 yr by Giarc

I feel it in my esophagus area , for me that's like the first sign that I'm full . But measuring your food is the best you can do . Bc the mind will play games on you Jiji

@@Giarc you probably won't be able to do a cup once you fit soft foods. Then you will really feel the restriction.

A few replies mentioned the feeling in your throat that you're full ... I get what feels like a huge ball in my throat when I'm hungry .... it's very uncomfortable ... and when I'm full ... I get a red face and tingly on my skin and I get hot ... it's very strange ...

like another replied .... they didn't get full before surgery ... there were times when I didn't either ... but 6 cupcakes and a half gallon of milk usually did it !

SOOOOO glad I'm not that girl anymore

... but 6 cupcakes and a half gallon of milk usually did it !

SOOOOO glad I'm not that girl anymore

Lol! Mine was donuts. 7-12 throughout the day easily.

I get a strange tight squeezing feeling. Near where my sternum is. While eating my meal, the first time I feel that, I know it's time to push the plate away. If I don't and squeeze in more food, I get nauseated, although I've never puked.

As for my portion sizes. I am on track with where my Dr wants me to be. I am 3 weeks post op on tuesday. Stage I was liquids only, broths, milk, Protein shakes, no more than 1/2 a cup. That was for 7 days. Stage II is pureed foods, no more than 1 cup per meal. If your Dr only wants you eating 1/3 of a cup thats fine for you, but I'm going to follow my Dr's plan.

I misunderstood your original post. It sounded like you were eating and trying to feel full. And since I've never heard of anyone eating one cup that soon after surgery, well, I'm sure you can understand the confusion.