RE : CONFUSED ABOUT STRETCHING POUCH

Hi , I had my wls in nov. of 04 my 1 yr. is coming up too fast I started my wls at 203 now i weigh 152 . I still bounce up a little now and then. I hope to reach my goal of 140 . Im confused when i hear people say to me ... oh hopefully you wont gain all of it back when you stretch out your stomach again .... Wouldn't a person have to eat alot, get sick , and continue this until they stretched out their stomach. People make is sound like if you over eat ,, which when i do that i get sick ... duh not going to continue to do this so hey im confused what is up with this ....???? TRISHIE

HI I HAD MY SURGERY IN NOVEMBER ALSO I WAS 210LBS THE DAY OF SURGERY AND NOW I'M 125LBS. SO MY PROBLEM NOW IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN THE WEIGHT LOSS. I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW THE POUCH RULES AND EXERCISE THEN YOU'LL BE JUST FINE. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHAT PEOPLE SAY AS A GRAIN OF SALT, ALWAYS COMPARING ONE PERSONS EXPERIENCE TO EVERYBODY ELSES, IGNORE THEM. SHARONDA

Trish, I have heard that our stomachs will expand naturally but no where near the size that they were. I think you are right about the constantly eating alot etc to over stretch your pouch. I don't like feeling sick so I don't over eat. That is a good benefit of the surgery. Don't worry about it...just keep doing what you are doing.....we will be fine. Lori 241/231/147/136

Sounds like someone is being negative towards your success. And sounds like they don't understand how your lifestyle has changed. Just keep doing what you are doing and know you will not stretch it out that much.

Hiya Trishie, Unfortunately I am of the mind that we can stretch out our pouch. I think that we have to be very much on our guard to ensure this does not happen. It isnt as you say though eating so much and getting sick often - it is much more gradual and subtle. We eat just a little too much this time - maybe making ourself slightly uncomfortable but nothing too bothersoome. Then over a bit of time we do it again again and again and then we arent really uncomfortable at all, so we eat even a little more than that and get slightly uncomfortable. Thats been the process all along - we arent eating the same amount as we did just out of surgery. We have to make a conscious effort to ensure that we do not over eat and that we do not eat the wrong things. No, I do not think we can stretch our pouch to the point it was before - but I DO think that we can stretch it to the point where we will gain weight. This surgery was not a magical cure - I think we all realize that. We do have to do our par****ch what we eat and exercise - to make it a lifelong success. It IS DOABLE - THERE ARE SO MANY BEFORE US WHO HAVE DONE IT. Unfortunately there are also those that gain weight again - maybe not to the point of morbid obesity - but I did not go through what I have gone through to become unhealthy again. It IS up to me though. I have to make eating right and exercising an habit. I have had 10 and 1/2 months of practice - I now need to move forward in a way that is going to make this work. I dont think it is wise to fool ourselves into thinking that we dont have to worry about gaining weight again. I also dont think it is wise to obsess over it. Make a habit of making good choices and exercising and you wont have to worry about it. Of course this is only my humble opinion. God bless you and keep you, ~Andrea