Question:
Should I continue eating after 2 or 3 bites?

I am 2 months post-op from open RNY and sometimes when I eat, I can only eat 2 bites, but then if I wait a minute, I can eat the rest - roughly about 2-3 ounces. Is that normal? I don't want to stretch my pouch. Should I stop after two bites?    — Tammy W. (posted on April 10, 2003)

April 10, 2003
Some people recommend that you quit eating after 15 minutes, or 30 minutes (depending on what it is, how far out you are, & how much you're eating). So long as you're eating slowly, but not stretching it out beyond 30 minutes (into "grazing" territory), I'd guess you're okay. But I look at it another way -- how much are you eating during the day? At two months, if you're past liquids and pureeds, it's not too soon to track what you eat once in awhile, just out of curiosity, to see if your protein grams are sufficient (50-60 a day or so), and how you're doing on your protein to carb ratio. I think it's good to think about retraining your eating habits even before you can eat a lot. So, in addition to the "what" (if it's soft, eat a little more at this stage to see if you can handle it; if it's dense, proceed with caution), look at your whole day and gauge how you're eating is going, overall.
   — Suzy C.

April 10, 2003
You're doing fine. At your stage my surgeon still had me taking 30 minutes to eat. His rule was 10 minutes per ounce. This encourages you to chew thoroughly and eat slowly.
   — LLinderman

April 10, 2003
Hi. I have the same problem. I am 3 months out, and have a very sensitive pouch-- I'm being evaluated for an ulcer or stricture. Anyway, I can only eat a couple of bites before I have pain or at least a feeling of fullness. I also wait a minute or two to see, and if I feel better, then I eat more. If I can't, I eat another mini meal later. If I don't get enough food, I don't lose weight, so I make sure that I eat, one way or another.
   — Beth S.

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