Frustrated Newbie--HOW DO I KNOW when I'm full?!

[Grace]

I did what Terry did. I measured everything. 1/4 cup was it the first 6 wks. I could cram 1/3 cup down but it hurt after 20 min when it all got down and settled. Then when I got to 1/2 cup at 8 wks out that was it for about 3 months. Do eat slowly. If you find your food gets cold, try a baby warming dish. Use an infant spoon at first, then a toddler spoon. Sit. Eat. Do nothing else. No TV, No books. Just eat. Taste it, Enjoy it, note texture, the little lumps of peach in the yogurt maybe. I still can't eat more than about 1 1/2 cups of mushy food like thick soup, or 5 oz of dense protein and I'm 18 mo out and my pouch is now "full sized". It's easier if you have some special small plates and cups for yourself. I have some 4 inch bread plates for reg food, and 1/2 cup and 1 cup ramekins for liquid-y meals. Then it doesn't look so tiny on big plates and bowls. As far as knowing when to say when, I also noted in my journals that I would feel gurgles and then maybe belch and I'd better stop there. Just listen to your pouch "she" will tell you, sometimes quite loudly (I called it my Wookie) when you are done...
If you are sliming you are eating about 2-3 bites too much. Good luck from an old timer

[Lucy61]

I keep my scale on the counter and weigh all the food... 4 to 5 oz is it, if its soft food 5oz, meat, 3-4 oz at the most with an ounce or so of potato or something soft. I have only had foamies once (when I ate meat too fast), but I for the most part have made sure to eat slow, I reheat my food 2-3 times in a 1/2 hour. I am 9 weeks out now, and the feeling I get is at the top of my stomach it just feels kinda tight, like another bite and its not going to fit and the foamies will happen. I had a hiatial hernia fixed too, and at 15 days you still have swelling in in both your stomach & hernia repair, so what you feel now, will slowly change.

[Its_Me]

I feel like I still have trouble with this sometimes. I can only eat 1/2 cup of solids at this time, and my signal is burbing. Nice huh? Not huge belches, but little baby burps, like 3 or 4 in a row, thankfully they tend to be quiet. My tummy also makes a racket.

[Ambra]

I get the feeling in my esophogus, like it is stuck there, my first sighn that I am full is burping, which I am not normaly gasy so that is my sighn to slow down and will only get one more bite in. When I was on full liqueds I felt like I was eating to fast. I went to soft foods in 10 days after surgery,I find that crackers and cheese go down really good. Lunch meat goes down good to. I am really looking forward to eating salad!! All drinks go down good but have to sip, and can not drink from a straw. I try to eat 4-5 meals a day. I am off protein drinks now so have to make sure I get it from my food choices. I think it helps to plan my meals and portion my part off in little containers. Also if I go out to eat I always have a to go box. I can get 3 meals out of 1 plate lol. So weird. On soft diet fish goes down good. I am blessed though I have had no nausea or vomiting. It will get better. On day 7 I was really depressed and not sure I was doing it right but my friend who had the surgery a year ago told me that I was. You just got to develop your own way and what feels right to you.

[Cindola]

It really is going to take time for you to discover what your full feeling is like for you. I know that when I eat soft proteins like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt I can eat more than when I am eating chicken or fish. Liquids -- I can drink a 11 oz. shake without a hitch in about 20 minutes. I almost always measure my soft proteins, high protein cereals, and cheese -- after years on Weight Watchers I can eyeball chicken and fish. Cooked vegetables are a whole other ball game -- I love my veggies, and my eyes are always bigger than I am able to handle after having my protein.

[Scubagecko]

At 4 weeks out my wife made my favorite chicken and I tried to jump into it like pre-sleeve and quickly was reminded that was a bad idea. I didn't vomit but I felt very nauseous until the gas was able to pass the food I'd stuffed down my gullet.

Once you do real food you'll know when you've eaten and when you are full. Just remember to eat slowly and chew chew chew...