I have a question about the pouch everyone keeps refering to. When you are newly banded do you have a pouch? Or does it develope as a result of getting fills?

I am 3 weeks out and on the mushy stage. I was wondering if it is ok to eat a cup of mushy food at every meal. A cup fills me up nicely. I am not too full, and I am not hungry. According to my meal plan I am suppose to eat 3/4 cup at one sitting. Does 1/4 cup make a lot of difference? I called my doctor to ask him but he is out of town until November 8th. His receptionist booked me in for a fill on the 15th.

I need advice because I did not spend all this time and money to wreck my band over 1/4 cup. I have decided to change my ways and just suffer out the hunger and eat the 3/4 that is recommended. However I now I am worried that my 1/4 extra for 7 days has caused damage. Can you shed some light on this for me.

I thought when I got my band I would be stronger than this!

Also drinking water:

Is it 30 minutes before and 1 hour after?<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Hi hon,

Hmmmm good questoin, I was told by my surgeons office when I asked them the same thing that you can't overfill the pouch on mushies cos they just pour through ( I was moaning to them about being hungry all the time) and that this was why I wasnt getting the full feeling.

I wasn't given any Portion Control info, and I am wondering if the 3/4 cup thing is to make sure that you keep losing weight as opposed to resting the band.

I am in the UK by the way so that might be why I get different advice???

Nina x

If you do not have a fill yet most things pass thru pretty easy. Why not call and ask your doc. if you are worried. Donna

I thought when I got my band I would be stronger than this!

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Amy you are only in the HEALING stage. Your band will not begin effectively working for you until you have a fill WITH RESTRICTION (the two don't nevcessarily go hand in hand, at first). It's going to get a LOT easier, believe me. I got my first GOOD restriction with fill 3 and fill 4 was a "top off" to perfection. I have retrained myself with the aid of the band and I'm about 5 months out and NOT fighting anything. For me it is relatively easy. But that first 6-8 weeks can be a bugger!

i am not quite to the mushies, but i have been eating thick liquids. i called my doctor yesterday because i could eat a whole can of Soup (chicken tortilla) very easily. my doctor said that as long as i do not consume over 800 calories that i can eat the whole can.

they told me that at this point portion does not matter and that i will begin to feel less full with the food, and i have to figure out what i can eat and feel satiety without exceeding my calories (i have a pretty lenient food plan anyways). last night, i ate an entire 8 oz. can of great northern Beans pureed to the point of looking like a milk shake. (i flavored it with bacon and boy was it gggoooooddddd).

i went over yesterday (i had no idea gatorade and stuff added up so quickly). today, however, i can actually feel my band (morning tightness i think) and i am watching it.

I'm sorry but I think only eating 800 calories a day is nuts.

Yes, you should be able to eat a cup of food. Yes, you have a pouch. You just can't feel the pouch restriction yet since you haven't had a fill. Good luck.

The restriction causes the hole where things drain out of the pouch to shrink.

So you have a pouch, but likely with a large opening. Food drains through quicker, you get hungrier quicker. It's not only about portions you can eat, but how long that portion keeps you full.

When you get a fill, that hole gets smaller from being tightened.. thus food goes through slower, and you can't get as much in, because it takes longer to empty.

I'm sorry but I think only eating 800 calories a day is nuts.

i'm starting to think it is nuts too. it is actually 500 to 800 calories in the beginning. it is very hard to follow that when i am actually blending up real food. i have 200 calories for Breakfast and 200 for lunch, then i usually have 300-400 for dinner.