Post-Surgery Pouch Reset

Have you ever tried a pouch reset after surgery? I hear (see) so many posts on the Facebook support groups about stretching your pouch and doing a pouch reset. It kind of confused me so I decided to look into it a bit more. Is it worth it to do a Post-Surgery Pouch Reset or will it just set you back even more?

Just after surgery, I followed my diet guidelines to a T. They became my new lifestyle. 3-4 ounces of protein, eaten first, then healthy grains and vegetables. All in all, a very healthy and fulfilling meal. No snacking, no sweets. As I have gotten further and further away from my surgery date (15 months now), I’ve gotten a bit more lenient. I still make my meals up the same way as before, but now I may have a little snack here and there. Or sometimes even a Justin’s Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cup.

Can your pouch stretch?

I could have sworn that the doctor told me that your stomach doesn’t stretch. I thought that your stomach always remained the same size. So it stretches like a balloon to fit all your food, and then as you digest, it goes back to the same size. And just about all people have the same size stomach – regardless of their weight differences.

So after bariatric surgery, can your pouch stretch?

I guess over time, with continued over eating, your stomach CAN stretch out – whether or not you’ve had surgery. If you constantly overeat after surgery, your pouch will stretch…

What IS a pouch reset?

Essentially, a post-surgery pouch reset is a diet to help reset the stomach back to it’s original size by limiting food. So it’s essentially like going back to the beginning and having a few days of liquid only, then pureed foods, soft foods, and back to whole healthy foods.

Is a Post-Bariatric Pouch Reset worth it?

Now, I am NOT a dietician. I’m not going to tell you that you should or shouldn’t do a pouch reset. I’m purely asking questions and maybe giving you my opinion. BUT. Prior to having gastric bypass surgery, I tried every diet known to man. Well, maybe not EVERY one, but quite a few. And what happens when we limit food intake? We binge. So is it really worth it?

Will you be able to successfully reset your pouch without going into a binge? I guess the choice is up to you….And I have to ask: Are you resetting your pouch or are you resetting your mind?

At the end of the day, you have to make a choice. The choice starts with healthy food, and ends before you’re full. If you need to do a pouch reset to get back on track, then I say, go for it. But if you feel that you’re just going to binge because of all the restrictions, then maybe you just need to go back to basics of eating healthy, not drinking during meals, and stopping before you’re full.

Some of my favorite foods

Spaghetti Squash

Stuffed Bagel Bites

Mini Cheesecake Bites

Chicken Salad