Stretching your sleeve

I was wondering, how easy/difficult is it to stretch your sleeve?


I am eating roughly 2-3oz each meal and just starting to introduce meat. If I overeat I have pain that comes in waves. I am sort of gauging when to stop eating by that. (I can get 2oz down very well. 3oz is when I start to feel that pain, so I usually stick around 2.5oz)

 I am so afraid I am going to stretch my stomach.

Right now I am in the phase where, I haven't technically eaten in 6 weeks so I am really excited about food. I am sure once this excitement of now being able to eat "normal" food again goes away, I will care less about eating. I am just terrified of stretching my stomach out. Also, and I am sure this is a no no....At dinner I will eat my 2.5oz and then go back 1- 2 hours later and eat another 2.5oz. I have only done this twice.

Someone either slap me on the wrist and tell me to knock it off... or ease my mind.

Thanks!

first you should stop eating before you start getting uncomfortable

I is hard to stretch a properly made sleeve, they start at around 2 oz and after 1 1/2 years will stretch to 8-12 oz (1-11/2 cup)

a pre surgery stomach holds 32+oz   so it will be much smaller after it stretchs than it started

 if you try real hard and over eat lots of solid food all the time you might stretch it more ,liquids and soft food will not stretch it it will just flow out the top or bottom of your sleeve

I know your a regular poster and by looking at your stats you have done very well and I wish you continued success and I'm sure your surgeon has given you accurate numbers for his/her procedure but I need to clarify something about eventual sleeve capacity.

A properly sized 32f sleeve at about 2 months out has a capacity of about 2oz and will normally mature to 3-5oz. by volume.

Just look at the Whatcha Eatin posts and see what the people that lost the weight are eating.

I don't think I'm alone when I say this, but at 4.5 years out and if I could and did eat 8-12oz. there is absolutely no way I could maintain without working out vigorously for 3 hours a day.

Most lean protein is about 50cals an oz. with nothing on it. 12oz. would make that a 600cal meal

6 medium eggs is a cup and a half.

This is one of the problems with the VSG as it is not a standardized procedure and this is why eventual capacity can range from 3oz. to 16oz. and a major reason why the EWL average is 50-60% and seems to be going down.

frisco

I normally just pass over these kind of posts because it shows a very low level of guidance by a professional medical practice. 

I'm going to blame your surgeon and practice and give you the benefit of the doubt.

According to your surgery date you are about 22 days out.

Several "Red Flags" come up.

- You shouldn't be worried about stretching your sleeve, you should be worried about hurting yourself by blowing out your staple line and ending up in the hospital for many months and a million dollars in medical bills.

- Eating 2.5oz comfortably at 22 days whi*****ludes meat is... well, a lot.... and an indication that you may have a very large sleeve to begin with. Although release plans are different, most are advancing to soft solids at 4 weeks out which would be like a 1/2 of a scrambled egg.

- Eating a second dinner 1-2 hours later..... Really?

No slapping.... don't hurt yourself, call your surgeon ASAP and get some firm clarification and follow it. After the healing process your on your own.

frisco

AMEN FRISCO..

Hello,

You will likely find a variety of responses, most of which will not match one another.  Remember, this is an Internet forum and we are not doctors- so we tend to speak from our experience.  You are still at a phase where your stomach nerves are not fully healed, so measuring is critical.  I was eating about what you are posting at that time period, and I was experiencing the same type of doubt also.  Just relax!  First, 2.5 ounces of meat will not cause you to gain weight nor stretch your stomach.  If you are able to be satisfied on a little less though, I would go with that.  Try not to eat until you feel "full" since the nerve damage will cause that signal to be mucked up.  

As far as frequecy of eating.  I ate 6 times a day... 3 meals and 3 snacks.  I put myself on a schedule, otherwise early out I could have easily grazed all day.  The schedule helped me to be very aware of portion size and think about my nutrition over the course of a day instead of a meal.  I would plan and pack food for the day.  I was rarely hungry with this approach.  If I noticed hunger being fairly consistent I would take some acid medication, and sure enough the "hunger" went away.  Acid mimics hunger for me and others on the board so be aware. In general though acid was not an issue.

As far as stomach stretching goes.  I just don't buy into it.  I have a larger sleeve and if there was a person on the boards that was going to stretch her stomach out it would be me.  My restriction is excellent and I am over 2 years out.  If I eat loads of carbs than I can way over eat.  If I eat clean (protein first, veggies) then my restriction is plenty strong enough for me to maintain.  If I regrain, it will not be because of restriction issues- it will be because of sugar issues and my failing to stay away.  

Hang in there, weigh and track everything, protein first, ... good luck!

I agree to contact your surgeon.  My dietician has told us not to eat sooner than 2.5 hours after finishing a meal, but to eat no later than 4 hours after finishing a meal/snack.  I am 5 months out, and only sometimes can handle 3 ounces of dense protein - it's often 2 to 2.5 ounces, plus an ounce of a vegetable or fruit.  The easiest to tolerate still is non fat Greek yogurt.  Good luck!

I'm a month out and I can only get 1.5 oz dense protein down at best. I only eat to feel satiated (not full) and I have no interest in getting foods continually stuck so I'm sticking to smaller and listening to my body. I get most my protein through drinks. I eat "real food" three times a day. 

My bougie size was 36. 

Like everyone else here, I can only tell you what has worked well for me and what I believe.  (Although some might lead you to believe that they know the Right, True, and Only Way!)  

I'm at 5 weeks out and I measure out 4 ounces at each meal - normally 3 ounces of protein and 1 ounce of veg.  Like you, I normally eat 2 ounces with no problems and often have no trouble with 3 ounces.  But sometimes I can eat 1 ounce and sometimes I can eat all 4.  It just depends on the day and the phase of the moon, I guess.  I don't sweat it.  

I'm sure you haven't stretched your stomach, that seems like it would be pretty impossible to do on such small amounts of food.  But if you're worried, call your surgeon and find out what the capacity of your sleeve should be!  

I do recommend kicking the "two dinner" habit.  This is the time to form new, good, healthy habits that you'll keep for life.  :)  

Amen Gwen!