This issue is understandably a source of significant concern for Weight Loss Surgery patients. There is no single answer that fits all patients at all times following surgery, so guidelines are going to be laid out instead of a list of amounts and types of food.
First, during the recovery phase from surgery (1-4 weeks) it is normal to have no appetite. During this time you are likely to consume far less food than you would need over the long haul to stay healthy, but in this recovery period it is OK. Your surgeons want you to be sure you consume adequate fluids (zero-calorie) to stay well hydrated, but they do not want you to force food. At this stage, food should be used to begin to teach yourself new eating habits that will help you feel well and lose weight over the following year.
Next, a few teaching points about knowing when you have eaten enough:
- Don't eat until you feel full. The reason has to do with the fact that the nerves of satiety (feeling of stomach fullness and eating satisfaction) are "slow" nerves. There is a delay of around five minutes from the time your stomach pouch gets comfortably filled to the time that your brain becomes aware of that fact. If you swallow even one additional bite then the pouch will be overfilled and you will experience painful nausea. Realistically, every patient will experience this overfilled feeling at least once or twice, and it will not damage your stomach if it does not become a pattern. The goal is to learn from the experience - remember how much was consumed and what kind of food it was. Next time, use your memory and your eyes to know when to stop eating, before you feel full.
- An irritated stomach stays that way for a day or so. If you overeat or if you eat something that does not agree with you, the stomach pouch will be irritated for 12-24 hours. While your stomach is irritated it will be less tolerant of food and liquid than usual, and even small amounts of food can cause the overfull feeling to recur. The lesson here is that if you have an overeating episode, give the stomach pouch a chance to recover by taking only clear liquids for the next meal or two, then slowly add soft foods and eventually transition to solid foods. You can apply this principle to any situation where your stomach pouch is irritated - if medications or an illness makes you feel unable to eat, simply consume liquids alone to maintain your hydration...
(Information from WHMC Gastric Bypass Nutritional Guidelines Handbook)
