How Do You Know When Your Full?

I got these really cute little glass espresso glasses- I think they contain about 50 to 100 ml. I am eating about 1/2 to 3/4 of that glass. Later today I am going to mail down exactly how much that is. Since I haven't really been hungry, I don't know when I am full so that is sort of confusing. I decided to stick to the nutritious fluids for a while (while still accomodating my doctor's request that I limit myself to three meals) but in that I am including yogurt, ricotta cheese, and an egg- poached. Those are my three planned out meals for today. Then my snacks can be ice pops and jello even a weight watchers fudgicle. Does this make sense? Mytummy is still very sore when the percoset wears off and I really want to take it easy.

It is sort of difficult because i am taking my doctor's suggestions, as well as Chris' and Applesauce and trying to roll them up into some sort of coherent meal plan.

Hugs to all :[img]http://sm

That's fantastic, Lou. Congratulations. Your baby tummy must be a bit bigger than mine, because no way can I fit in 3/4 of a cup of food yet! Way to go with the clothes, too!
Chris

Guess I'm having real good luck. I opened a can of boneless chicken breast in broth and measured out a 1/4 cup as per doctor's instructions and a 1/4 cup of string beans. I also included a 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes (instant). Steamed the string beans until they were soft and heated the chicken in the microwave. Mashed potatoes prepared with non-fat milk and margarine of appropriate ratios per the box instructions.

Man! What a meal! I broke up the chicken and beans into, essentially, mash. It didn't look like much on the plate, but it was sure filling! No problems afterward and, other than my crystal light in the evening, I was totally satisfied.

I went out and chaired an Eagle Scout Board of Review (Eagle Scout is the equivalent of Queen's Scout, btw) and when I got into my uniform, which I had not worn for about two months, I found I was swimming in it! The belt, which used to fit just right, now wraps a quarter way around my waist! I have a uniform that I haven't worn in about 5 years (outgrew it horizontally), which is smaller, and I may be able to get into it again. Wow!

Yep, I hear you - hard to change a lifetime of habits, isn't it?
Good luck with the chicken and veggies - I went backwards after a problem with chicken last week (4 weeks post-op). I'd make sure I had a lot of sauce or gravy with that, though!
Chris

chrisbychic: Believe me when I say, that I stared at that plate for a while, trying to figure out if I should continue (old habit of always cleaning your plate), or stop. Then I moved the plate from the table to the kitchen counter, thinking that I may come back to it later. Finally, I realized that this was the whole idea and I scraped the remaining food into the trash. Both liberating and sorrowful at the same time. Again, a first for me.

I went back to strained soup for lunch (remainder from the first batch from yesterday, kind of finishing up on what's already been opened), but for dinner, I'm planning on finely chopped chicken breast and some over-steamed veggies. We'll see how that goes.

Hey, KahunaLou, you're doing well.
I still have trouble pushing away a plate with food still in it, but that's my brain, not my stomach, talking. I do it, but not without some regret!
Some things will take longer than others, I guess!
Chris

Hey KahunaLou just wait until you go out to a resturant & order from the entree's and can't finish it!

Whoa! I just had my first "mushy meal." A (one) loose scrambled egg and a pureed sausage patty. Before surgery I could wolf a couple of eggs and patties down, along with a couple of pieces of rye toast, coffee, and I'm off. All of 10-15 minutes.

Well, this morning, I followed doctor's orders by chewing very slowly so that the food became liquid. Half of the eggs and sausage later, and a half-hour later, I am completely satisfied, so I immediately stopped.

I felt "full" once during the liquid stage when I had just a little over 8 oz. of soup and it felt like the food was in my esophogus. Not painful, just uncomfortable for about 20 minutes.

Today, I feel what I've eaten is just below the esophogus, not uncomfortable, and as was mentioned, very satisfying.

For the first time in my life, I pushed a plate still containing food aside.

I think I'm going to like this!

Congratulations on the prize Nicole. You did well sticking with the cruskits there. I had 2 party pies at lunch time and peeled off the pastry and just ate the meat. It was delicious.

now what a door prize that is you go girl :)

applesauce

hi guys,

Well everything went ok last night....i endded up sticking to the cut up cruskits and dip....i found it extremely tempting having everything on the table in front of me. But having this tiny tummy is great as i had a few pieces of cruskits and i was full. I took a bottle with some apple juice along with me....i got a funny looks as it was a licenced bar and i think some people thought i was drinking something else. Towards the end of the night the sausage rolls got the better of me and i took one peeled the pastry off and ate the meat very slowly.....mmmm i was satisfied.

By the way i won one of the door prizes...a $55 voucher to have my hair done.... :D :D

Nicole

You guys are great!
Thanks for the tip about the rice crackers - I used to eat so many of them, but haven't been game to try them post-op - I will now, though!
Chris

Thanks for that info Applesauce because I've just eaten a whole row :lol!:

This is week 4 for me too Nicolev. On Monday I begin week 5 post-op.

Good luck and hope the snacking works.

sakatas take up no room but compaired to chips have hardly any fat. I found chips tasted like dirty oil so prefered the sakatas as my snack. One row 100 calories :)

applesauce

ahhhhhh thanks, i will try not to eat to much, but because i will be snacking, it will be hard to know how much i have had.

Me on their team....i dont think they will have much of a chance at winning :lol!: :lol!:

Nicole, be careful with them because when I say easy to eat I really mean EASY :lol!:

I can get a bit carried away with them and they don't seem to take up any room but I haven't had them with dip, only plain.

Have fun tonight, hope you win.

steph :flower:

oh thanks steph, i have got some of them in my pantry i will take some tonight and try them

Hi Nicole,

Another good one is the rice crackers, like Sakatas. They are great with dip and really easy to eat I've found.

steph :flower:

thanks for the info wobblymummy. What week are you in, i have been sleeved for 4 weeks now. I tried a bit of lasanga today and it didnt sit very well.

It all depends on what i eat as to whether i feel full or get a pain. definatley got the pain today and had to walk around for awhile. its the first time that i have had that feeling ( chris i know what you mean about a blockage now)

Im going out to a quiz night tonight. Im going to take a dip and some cruskits broken up ( so i can eat something :lol!: )
God i love whoever told me to have cruskits :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Nicole

3 months out small sips of carbonated drinks was not a problem. low carbonated ones I had tho and only sips. Now 7 months out both the male of the species and I can drink diet coke diet pepsi no problems at all. tho a beer still has to be drunk slowly by him. If you want to try it I would suggest waiting until you are 3 months out and start with the lower carbeonated ones poured into a glass and just a few sips. Odd thing is I tend to drink about 300ml of diet coke when doing my walk, I like the bubbley effect. I tend to have a sip of diet coke when eating out with my kids as that is what they drink and I can even now never manage a full drink of even water and a meal so being a tight bum prefer to have that sip of their drink. This is how I discovered I could do diet coke in very small amounts to start with. I am tho not much of a cold drinker winter prefering my cups of tea :)


applesauce

Man, I haven't been here for a few weeks and things move ahead so fast!

I don't feel full - I get a really uncomfortable feeling generally and sometimes have to lie down. I also feel the food at the base of my oesophagus and realise I have probably had too much. Hiccups occur if I eat too fast - I have to wait for the air to come up to the top of my tuby tummy before I can put another mouthful in when i am paying attention.

The reason we aren't meant to drink with meals is that we can either fit in food or we can fit in fluid. When it is mealtime I guess they want us to eat a meal and recognise when we are satiated. And also, liquids help the stomach contents drain into the intestines quicker than just food.

I am still meant to be on my transition diet but seriously have had no problems with foods since I came off the nutritious liquids in the first 2 weeks. So i have zoomed ahead and eat everything I have always eaten - just slower and with a lot more chewing involved.

But I have had a problem occasionally with fish and chicken. I had the same scenarion with the fish and chips after we had been at the hosp most of the night with my 2 yo. I peeled off all the batter and attacked it. And it sat on my chest and hurt like you wouldn't believe! I had to drink some water to help it go down. And then I remembered what the male nurse in SNU had said in the first few hours after surgery when we were talking about diet etc. He said that fish and chicken 'balls' up and blocks the tummy off. So he said to make sure you have it with a sauce or some water to help it to go down a bit better. It works better for me now.

And both my surgeon and dietician warned me off fizzy drinks because of the gas. They siad I could have some flat lemonade if I wanted something like that but the fizzy bit is a problem for reflux.

Jacquilove, my dietician told me I'd have to stay off carbonated drinks, and I asked did she mean short term, or forever. She double-checked the booklet, and said "sorry, but it's forever".
Chris

Thats what ive been doing steph, when im out i just get a latte, mocha or hot chocolate. Its easier than trying to find something that i can eat......or the expense when you are just going to eat a tiny bit. I will have to remember and take a container with me for my doggy bag :lol!:
I must confess to having been a diet coke or pepsi max addict before also, but i havent even felt like one yet.

Nicole