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Your sleeve isn't stretching. The extreme stomach tightness most of us feel during the first few months post-op is due to healing and the inflammation process. Therefore, most people feel full after a few bites of food in those first few months. It takes 3 to 6 months for a typical sleeve to fully heal and reach its normal size. Once it heals, your capacity usually doubles from 2 to 4 ounces up to 4 to 8 ounces. This is normal. The profound fullness you feel in the immediate post-op period doesn't last forever, and it really shouldn't. Surgeon Dr. Matthew Weiner explains it in his YouTube videos. He says that by the 3rd to 5th year, a typical sleever can eat two-thirds to a full plate of food (8 to 12 ounces). It's not about how much you can eat. Rather, it's about what you eat. In other words, expect your sleeve's total capacity to continually increase from this point forward. As long as it doesn't exceed 8 to 12 ounces, there's little to worry about. Good luck to you.

I want to thank you all for the well wishes. I am now four days post-op, and I'm feeling pretty well. It's so true what they say about not being hungry. I am forcing myself to get in the little bit that my body allows. It is so strange not being able to eat or drink like I normally would. It's like my body has an automatic shut off valve that says stop, that's it, and I just can't get anymore down. The hospital experience was so much better than I expected. The only thing that would have been awesome to know in advance was that they required TWO IV ports. One was for fluids and medications, and the other was in case I needed blood. So... the part I feared the most was doubled. Other than that, I can't complain about a single thing. They made sure that I never even had a chance to feel much pain because they were on top of it. Even now that I'm home, there is only a little bit of soreness. I'm not even taking the prescription painkillers. I have taken Extra Strength Tylenol a few times because I'm sore and a little stiff when I wake up in the morning. Be sure to do your coughing and breathing exercises because they do help so much. I was a little freaked out because I gained weight in the hospital, but it's already almost gone. I'm told it's from being pumped full of fluids. Anyway, now I'm on the other side and am so excited for this journey towards the new me. No regrets!

I wish I would at least have that option at least I'm going to the pharmacy tomorrow to see if they have something that's over the counter they need a get better quick over the counter lol

I had similar experiences when I started eating solids after surgery - it improved over time. Four months out and no more gurgling!

Thanks guys for your advice. Everything is ok with me. I guess i am not drinking enough fluids and i got a script for my nausea..

Definitely a no no. The pre diet is to shrink your liver before the op and alcohol will have the opposite affect. It could even prevent you having the op. Might have to wait a couple of months p.

Yikes, my incisions did not look that red around them....you should call your doctor. I did experience similar stuff though only a week out...felt this like burning and pulling pain, could barely sit up and down and laying down and getting up was terrible...it felt like I was pulling stitches too. Just take it easy and be as gentle as possible when moving but you should reach out to your surgeon's office and ask if that redness around the incision site is normal...I had glue not stitches on the outside and it just looked like tiny scabs where the incisions were...

Haven't been here in a while...today out of the blue I get an e-mail from a member asking me questions (?) How (or why) they found me I don't have a clue. For you newbies, I was banded Jan 2011. Met my goal weight (100lbs down) in one year. Band did everything I had hoped it would. Suppressed appetite, cravings, limited portion sizes. blah blah blah. Because of this I was forced to develop a new lifestyle, new foods, new eating methods, throw in some exercise and presto...a new me. Got my life back. Now, every day is just like any other day...I don't worry all that much about what I eat or how much (thanks to the band) it all comes natural now. I'm not worried, or have been since a few months after surgery about gaining any weight back...how can I? Over eating is impossible....and certain foods are just as impossible....It all comes very natural and effortless. I know, I probably already pushed a few buttons but I am only speaking for myself and my experiences. Prior to surgery I was a insulin diabetic, plus I had all the other ailments you read on this forum associated with obesity...could not get anything under control no matter how Dr. s regulated all the drugs they were prescribing. I also had coronary artery disease resulting in heart surgery. While they were in there they noticed I had had a Heart Attack, although I never knew it which is common for diabetics ( and women) but I am fortunate to be here. All that is behind me, and at age 65 my Dr.'s still are amazed...My cardiologist said I am getting younger, not older. I am going to make an appointment with my surgeon.....I am contemplating having the band removed...not because I am having issues..I have never had problems with the band. It's just after years of forming new habits, perhaps I can continue without the aid of something foreign in my body. Besides, one of the selling points was that it is reversible. At the least I will ask him to take out all the fluid and see how that goes for a while. Ok, so where have all the veterans gone? Are they still out there? Successful? The answer is yes..we are out here. No Offense, but there is not much happening here for us. When I logged in today, which hasn't been in a while, I looked down the list of trending topics and they are all the same as they were 6 years ago. The same hot topics also. And after a while, after you're thru the early stages, you start to realize things. I used to get roasted for saying some of the things I did from someone who just went thru the surgery whereas I after years, had a different take on things. The majority of people here are new to this, and sorry, just don't have that much in common with veterans. Ok, that should make up for years of not posting. But to all my fellow banders out there, remember this...THIS THING DOES WORK !! Don't sweat the small stuff...give it chance, it is adjustable and takes a little time to get it just right. After that it is all easy-peasy. See ya!

Hey there! I was just wondering how soon after surgery people were able to do yoga? I haven't received great guidance on exercise from my surgeon (will be following up tomorrow) but in the meantime was wondering what people thought. If not yoga, when did you get back into exercise (besides walking)? Thanks!

I started with 2 days of "bariatric clear liquids" then 7 days of "bariatric full liquids" followed by 20 days of the puree foods stage.