Overeating after Bariatric Surgery

Severe discomfort from abdominal cramps is the body's most common response to overeating after weight loss surgery. This side effect can make recovering from surgery difficult. Not only will you not be able to eat as much, you won't want to after you suffer severe abdominal pain.

Sometimes after gastric sleeve surgery, the body will reject food outright, resulting in vomiting. However, it can also occur if you eat the wrong foods at the wrong times. Diarrhea can also occur after gastric bypass surgery due to malabsorption as your digestive system trie to process the food you eat.

Dumping syndrome involves severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. This condition, also known as rapid gastric emptying, is triggered by foods, particularly those high in sugar, that move too quickly from the stomach to the duodenum of the small intestine.

These physical side effects can both deter and motivate patients. While highly unpleasant, they give patients a concrete reason for sticking to their diet. However, if you overeat regularly, this discomfort will fade because of the stomach stretching to accommodate more food. Ultimately, sticking to the prescribed diet is up to the patient.

How to Avoid Overeating

Avoiding the tendency to overeat mainly relies on improving old eating habits. While revisional surgery may be necessary in rare cases, your nutritionist is more likely to recommend the following tips for limiting your caloric intake:

• Snacking between meals: While it may seem counterintuitive, snacking can effectively curb overeating after gastric bypass. The urge to overeat is often strongest at large meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But by snacking in between these meals, you can reduce your appetite – and if you are not as hungry, the urge to overeat lessens.
• Eating small portions: By shrinking the size of your plate, the difference between your portions before and after surgery becomes less noticeable. Even when you theoretically know that the difference remains, it is easier to overlook without a constant visual reminder. Keep in mind that your smaller stomach can only hold about a half cup of food.
• No fluids during or immediately after meals: One of the essential elements of post-bariatric recovery is staying hydrated. However, liquids occupy more space in the stomach, providing fewer nutrients than solid foods. When attempting to consume sufficient calories, many patients accidentally eat more food than necessary. Consequently, it is important to drink liquids throughout the day rather than during meals to remain adequately hydrated but not lose critical stomach capacity.
• Moderation: Many patients default to one extreme or another: overindulging or extreme deprivation. However, neither is a good solution. Overeating has apparent consequences, but not allowing yourself a treat occasionally can make sticking to a diet more difficult – and make the temptation to overeat even more attractive.
• No exceptions: While a small treat now and then is a good idea, expanding the size of your meal is not, even around the holidays. This can make returning to small portions that much more difficult. Try switching out another part of your meal for a favorite indulgent food rather than eating large portions.
• Eating slowly: One of the most critical aspects of your new healthy diet is to chew your food thoroughly and eat slowly. This practice gives your stomach time to signal to the brain that you are full to avoid weight gain, side effects and other more serious complications following weight loss surgery.

Reach Out Today

The doctors and counselors coordinating with the Tijuana Bariatric Center are dedicated to ensuring the best possible results for every patient who undergoes gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, or one of our other bariatric procedures. Contact the network today at 1-800-970-0577 to take advantage of our post-surgical support and counseling.