Wow I ate a lot...at 6 weeks how is this possible?

Hello all,

Tonight I finally succumbed to some old cravings. I know it's because I waited to long to eat and skipped my afternoon snack. I ate 12 oz (whole can) of Chef Boyardee ravioli and 6 squares of the Lindt 70% cocoa bar. With everything else I'd eaten earlier (which was within guidelines) my calories totalled over 1200. I confirmed that I don't dump, that's for sure. I got a bit queasy but that was it.

How can I eat this much at six weeks? I know the nerves are cut but shouldn't all that stuff have backed up or given me a pain or made me burp or SOMETHING? I'm sure I haven't stretched my pouch or stoma because this is the first time I've eaten in excess since surgery. Nothing like pig-outs of times past but still. I suppose it's possible the ravioli slid right through because it's basically thin sauce and mush.

I'm not beating myself up but the ability to do this so soon scares me. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Rachel

I'm a bit surprised eating that much didn't make you throw up, especially that much pasta.  I'm really not sure I could eat that much now, and I'm nearing the three year mark.

I doubt overeating one time will stretch your pouch.  However, overeating on a regular basis can stretch the pouch.

I know we see posts a lot where someone says they ate one cup of yogurt or something and are worried they ate too much, but this seems different to me.  It's fairly dense food, not a slider like yogurt, and it's a pretty large amount.

I'm not real concerned you hurt your pouch by doiing it just this once but I am very concerned about the future for you.  Pasta and chocolate don't see like something you should be eating at all at just six weeks out, especially in that quantity.  What are you going to do the next time you skip a snack?  And the time after that?

I encourage you to make an appointment with your dietician and to consider making an appointment with a therapist as well to work on some coping skills to help you resist these cravings in the future.

Hi Kelly,

I totally agree with you. Fortunately I have my second post-op appointment with the surgeon (or rather his P.A.) next week. Maybe they need to check out my pouch to see why I can tolerate such volume? I want to find a different nut because any question requiring an answer beyond "so-and-so is about the size of a deck of cards" gets a blank look. I really need a dietician who inspires my confidence in her/him and actually understands eating disorders.

I've been seeing a therapist who specializes in eating disorders for years. I've grown and improved in many aspects but not enough yet to stop my binging and overeating on my own.  I was hoping that physical limitations produced by the surgery plus hard work and continuing therapy would finally be the solution. Until today I've been doing really, really well and the fact that I admitted this screw-up in my food records and talked about it in public instead of hiding it and feeling ashamed is a really big deal for me. I'm going to do my damndest to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I definitely think being able to talk about it is a very good thing.  And I hope it doesn't upset you if some of the responses you get to this post are basically just saying "You shouldn't eat that much!" like it's that easy and like you don't already know you shouldn't eat that much.  It's not really surprising that you would slip once in a while.  Surgery plus hard work and continuing in therapy probably is the solution but that doesn't mean it fixes everything forever.  It's a process, a journey, not a destination.

Find a new dietician.  If you have to pay out of pocket for it, then do that.  You probably won't need to see them that often and it would be worth the money.  You need one that is familiar with RNY (ask them if they are familiar with the ASMBS nutritional guidelines) and experienced in working with clients with eating disorders.  Make sure they are a registered dietician.

You may already be trying to do this, but I'll mention it anyway in case it's not something you tried.  If you know that waiting too long to eat can trigger you to eat too much, in addition to trying very hard to eat on schedule, try having really quick and easy foods available that are good for you and that are already measured out into the right portion size.  If ravioli is going to be an option, divide that can into two or three separate containers.  Yeah, you could heat one up, eat it, then heat up another and end up eating the same amount.  But that extra step of getting up to get out another container and heating it up might give you enough time to think through what you're doing.  Just go buy a bunch of cheap plastic containers and measure out everything you can in your kitchen.

Kelly, do you always measure even this far out?  Portion size is still an issue for me.  I think it is caused by years of volume eating and stuffing myself.  Stretching my pouch really concerns me because I feel I am conquering some habits while others are still a battle.  Needing that stuffed feeling is one of my biggest issues. 

I measure most of the time.  I was definitely a volume eater too and it's hard to stop myself as soon as I start feeling full.  So what I do is measure my food and if I still feel like I want more when it's gone, I tell myself I'm going to wait 30 minutes and then if I still feel hungry, I will get more.  Most of the time by the time 30  minutes is up, I'm OK and don't need more after all.

Wow! that's a lot of food! I couldn't eat that much. I don't even get hungry and I am 3 months out. I don't snack at all, it's not allowed.

Personally, I think that if ate that much (and that bad quality) of food at six weeks, and then came here and admitted it, I would consider that the bravest thing I'd ever done.  And I've done many, many brave things in my 43 years on this planet.  I really respect your strength. Just don't do it again. ;)

I agree :)

Hey Rachel.  I am just a few weeks ahead of you and like others I have a difficult time imagining eating that amount.  You should in NO WAY beat yourself up over this but maybe examine why you did what you did.  I had kind of the crazy freakin' day and for the first time since surgery, I blew it and did not have food for breakfast , snack or lunch and had to "survive" on 2 protein shakes but had a great dinner with eggs, cheese and chili.   I am not sure what I really wanted to say, except to say that we are here for you.   I also  agree that you should seek some advise and some perspective on what happened.   I am a little worried for you - are you feeling OK now?