Nomorethickchick

I had my sleeve done on 9/17 and I asked for a smaller size sleeve because I am am aware of restretching the sleeve. I was given a 40 bougie with an "oversew" to 36 I am presuming. I wanted and asked for a 32 but he has never done a 32 in his practice, he does 40's. He oversewed it smalller because I asked and asked for a small tight sleeve. Well, I woke up from surgery hungry. I got liquids down from the very start with seemingly no interruption or restricton. So the office told me to wait until I have solid foods- that that would make a difference. So I moved through yogurts and soups- still no restriction. Yesterday and today, I had minced canned chicken and minced canned tuna. Both were 5 ounce cans. Both days I ate all of it with no need to pause and no feeling that I was pushing it. And I still feel like I could eat more but I'm not. I feel like I am starving myself to lose weight. Obviously- I should not have this kind of ability at 2 weeks out to get anything like this amount in. From what I read, 1-2 ounce limitation is normal for this stage. Not 5 ounces. Please advise I am scared SHITLESS that I Will have to go back for a revision surgery when I didn't do anything!

I meet with him next week I'll tell you what I heard.

@@Babbs I'm going on Thursday to the PA and next week to the surgeon follow up- The PA probably won't order the drink test- I am betting he will- but I kind of want to bring in a tub of cottage cheese and say, lets skip the expensive medical test and just watch me actually eat this.

@@LittleBunnyFooFoo could that sphincter really stretch that large? I would imagine if it did I would be running to the bathroom since that would mean things are pouring into my intestine.

@@kranky813 yeah, no, that's not a feeling I recognize. I can eat 4 oz without any of that feeling. I did have that feeling the first week, so I know that feeling, it just went away after about a week and a half. Now when I eat, I don't feel discomfort or pushing it- now of course I'm not trying to push it- Im saying that when say I ate the can of tuna, there was no feeling of hitting a wall like i felt the first week.

@@JamieLogical that's good to know! I can easily get in 80-90 grams if I eat and drink a Protein shake. Its not hard at all. I had a Protein Shake and a 1/2 yogurt and that was 40 grams right there. I guess this is where the larger stomach benefits you. I like your story,

@@Mandala27 I AM TOO!

@@Babbs I will lose with restriction, if I have it you mean! I have a photo of my stomach and it is indeed as I describe it. There is a large pouch at the bottom of the banana. Actually there is really not a banana as the illustrations appear. Not on mine at least. And I don't overeat. I eat until I am satisfied. I am not and I wasn't a volume eater. I was an occasional overeater- bad choices- but not a volume eater. I am going to ask about a stronger acid reducer though I cant say I feel any acid. I feel hunger like I felt hunger before the surgery. I'll find out more at my next appointment.

@@CowgirlJane If I could show you the scan, I would. My stomach fluroscopy doesn't really show a banana shape. It shows a distinct stomach pouch- circular- at the bottom of the banana. Which is what am assuming is allowing me to eat and not feel restricted. I have an appt with the PA Thursday, and with the Surgeon next week. I am going to ask about the amounts I can eat, the hunger, and the shape not looking like a banana. It looks like a banana with a melon under it. I appreciate hearing that you didn't feel restriction at the beginning. I do wish there was a way to upload a pic I would.

@@OutsideMatchInside My surgeon told me I just don't have any swelling. I looked at my stomach on the swallow test, I have a copy, it's not the shape of a banana. It's more like the shape of a banana with a melon at the bottom, which is the pouch. There are nerves. I can certainly feel when my stomach has had too much liquid. If I eat Soup or say last week when I ate soup, I could feel that I couldn;t eat alot or eat quickly. Because mostly i had a gassy feeling. I no longer ahve that now I am on pureeds. And my hunger is real I think. I don't really notice any difference in my hunger feeling before/after surgery. Really. When I go in on the 8th I will see about the fill test they do and see what that shows.

@@OutsideMatchInside it takes me about 20-30 minutes eating and chewing.

@@CowgirlJane I don't know that I can eat 2 oz food and be satisfied when I can eat 5 now? How would I do that? I mean that's essentially starving myself if I am actually hungry and able to eat more? The lack of feeling of restriction is what is bothering me the most. I got this procedure spefically to feel restriction when I eat larger portions than I should. That enforced portion control is what I need. I was not a huge volume eater before the surgery, maybe that is why others lose more than me. I just need a reminder on portion size. Not a psychological reminder, a phyiscal reminder. That's why I got the restriction surgery.

@@CowgirlJane You didn't feel hunger? I feel my stomach hungry about 4x a day. And at night. I don't eat at night- but I eat during the day and I do feel that hunger, it's weird! I will check on the acid- though I don't FEEL acidy. I don't have any in my throat. I also had my gallbladder removed at the time of surgery.

@@JamieLogical I went home on full liquids- after 2 weeks I'm on purreed. So easily! Do you know there are a growing number of bariatric programs where they send people home on SOFT foods? Every program is different. So chicken and tuna go down very easily. Never had a problem with getting anything down, food or liquids. Not from the very first day in the hopsital.

@@proudgrammy I can certainly eat more than that. I think you're responding from the feeling of restriction. Like, even though you know you shouldn't eat more, you know that your tummy will let you know if you have. I do not have that feeling. When I say I can eat an entire can of tuna without feeling like it's pushing or burpy, or gassy, or tight, or anything different than before surgery, I mean just that. It's worrisome!!!! I have only lost 9 lbs since surgery. People are flying by me. By all accounts that I read, the tummy should be able to hold between 1-2 ounces at this stage, possibly a bit more. Not 5-6 ounces at 2 weeks out. No where does it say that ---except in literature where surgeons discuss a failed sleeve.

@@CowgirlJane because I am hungry- because there is no restriction. There is no feeling of tightness when I eat. There is no feeling of reaching a point of restriction. The entire GOAL of the surgery is restriction. I can eat 1-2 ounces and I am completely hungry not because I have acid, but because my stomach holds alot more than someone with a small pouch does. I have to assume- but I will be tested for it to be sure- that I can hold 5-6 ounces of food at one time. Possibly more.

Hello, I am a week out. I have been planning on the Sleeve for over a year. Mainly because of the lower complications. I am 5'4 (and 3/4) and I am 210. A 35 BMI with a comorbidity of Apnea. I am really very much a sugar head. I am not really a VOLUME eater, although I do eat too big portions - certainly bigger than is allowed by the sleeve. The reason the sleeve is attractive to me is that it provides restriction. And I am hoping- a little dumping- so I can teach myself to keep away from the stuff that goes down easy- like sugar. Like Reeces Peanut Butter cups. Or licorcice. Or Chunky bars. It's not like I eat them every night, but let's say my body weight has always been heavy, not ever to severely obese, never above a 36 BMI at my highest. I have always thought that a low BMI'er is better off with a sleeve than a bypass. But thinking about this over the last week and half as I've been eating (and eating less - in prep- no liquid prep until the day before) I wonder if I am getting the right procedure for long term success. I want to be confident that I have selected the right tool for my toolbox.

@@*Lexie* you can get them at Whole Foods or I got mine at Stop & Shop too

@@Kindle I have tried, but not been able to find, any data comparing success rates of Sleeves in Mexico vs. USA. I know the surgeons have been performing and perfecting the Sleeve surgery, but that in an of itself can't be the barometer, I have actually been looking even for testimonials from people long out- who had the Sleeve in Mexico- and I really can't find much out there. I do know the sleeve dialates eventually- and so it makes sense that over sewing and a smaller 32 bougie would have an effect- at least on intial weight loss. I just havng looked at the pages over and over over the last few years see happier patients in Mexico. I never thought about the fact that everyone there is self pay and the relationship that has to weight loss commitment.

@@*Lexie*, I am and have been working on my sugar intake- sticking to fruits like grapes (cotton candy grapes are the bomb!) and just saying no to sweets. It's so hard and it is a mind game. For instance, I just now left a birthday party before the cake was served. Because I don't want to see it. I am craving it. I just don't want to have it around me. I will go eat some watermelon.

@@*Lexie* Its incredible to me that you are doing a 12 mile anything!

@@Djmohr, my surgeon is the one who told me there were statistically more complications with the bypass. I would suppose they come from a variety of reasons not the least the re-routing and mal-absorbtive issues. My doctor said that the sleeve is quickly becoming the gold standard for bariatric patients due to the ease of the procedure and low incidences of complications. That weight loss is faster with the bypass but at the 5 year look back, the weight losses/regains tend to be around the same. I just fear the rerouting part. I don't think at 65-70 (really hoping for 75) lbs off that it necessarily calls for a bypass type of change to my body.

@@Niki15 I hear what you mean. I was just thinking- that even though I qualify for insurance for both, that it seems like a drastic surgery move for less than 100lbs to lose. @@AvaFern your BMI is very sexy. ahhaa

@@AvaFern THAT'S what my logic is. That I might not be cured of my sugar ills, but I won't be able to go as far with it afterwards. That is realistic. Real life. Thanks.

It's a really hard decision. I am leaning towards the sleeve just from a fright of complications. But it might not be the right decision making.