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Bariatric Surgery/pouch exspansion
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Question
I had gastric bypass five months ago . Im worried that i have stretched my pouch so far that it won't work. some foods just go right through the pouch?
Hi Rueben,
At five months post-operatively, you would have had to work very hard to stretch your pouch.
At the stage that you are now, you are able to eat more. You may have noticed the quantity has increased. That is normal but you do not want to push it. Eat to the point that you are satisfied but not full. If you consider your pouch on a gauge, 1 is very low and 10 is full as you are when you eat a big Thanksgiving meal. You should strive to eat to a satisfaction level of around a 6 or 7. Don't push how much you eat and you will protect the integrity of your pouch.
Some foods will go through the pouch. Slider foods such as crackers or pretzels will go down very easily and don't stay with you. You should strive to eat lean protein that will stay with you longer in your pouch and give you the sense of satiety. Lean protein, vegetables, followed by fruit and complex carbs will stay with you longer in your pouch. These foods empty slowly you won't feel hungry again like you will with foods that go right through your pouch.
If you are worried about your pouch, contact your bariatric surgeon to discuss it with him/her or his nurse. If you follow your surgeon's nutritional protocol, you will lose weight and enjoy a healthy pouch for many years.
In health,
Cathy, ACC-ICF, CLC
Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator
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Answers by Expert:
Cathy Wilson, ACC-ICF, CLC
Expertise
I am a certified life coach and specialize in weight loss surgery. I am an ACC accredited coach with the International Coach Federation, the equivalent of the ASMBS in bariatrics, in the profession of coaching. As a successful RNY gastric bypass post-op since 2001, I've lost and maintained my weight loss of 147 pounds. I have worked in the bariatric field since 2002. Currently, I am the director of support groups for a weight loss surgery internet education and support company. I train weight loss surgery members that want to lead support groups. I teach the set-up and operation of support groups, overview of the various bariatric surgical procedures, and basic bariatric nutrition. I am a certified back on track facilitator and enjoy working with post-ops finding their way to get back on track and stay on track. I have written and teach a bariatric coaching workshop and conduct weight loss surgery group teleclasses and coaching. In my current position, I am also the Mental Health Professional Liaison and work closely with the leading bariatric mental health professionals in the country. Coaching weight loss surgery patients, pre-op and post-op, back on track are my passion.
Experience
I am a gastric bypass post-op since 2001. I lost 147 pounds and my other co-morbidities including diabetes. I conduct training in the areas of support groups, nutrition, all of the surgery procedures, and teach a bariatric coaching workshop. I am an international coach and coach clients throughout the entire United States. My website is www.LoseWeightFindLife.com.
Organizations
ObesityHelp.com, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, Obesity Action Coalition, International Coaching Federation, International Association of Coaches.
Publications
ObesityHelp Magazine, ObesityHelp Member Newsletter, eZine.com, SearchWarp and numerous on-line publications.
Education/Credentials
I am a certified life coach and specialize in weight loss surgery. I am an ACC accredited with the International Coach Federation. I have taken extensive courses in formal coach training including addition, group coaching, teleclasses, and bariatric foundational coaching.
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