Tummy Stretching? Opinions!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Will our new tiny tummies really stretch? If so, HOW? My doctor made mine a 3 oz. Over time they said it will end up approx. 8 oz. How is that and can I prevent it, maybe keep it at a 5 oz? What causes it to stretch? I think I still eat too fast some times. Next Friday will be 8 weeks for me. I know I can eat one half cup of cottage cheese for instance, so I don't worry about the amount, I measure it and I can eat it in a little less than fifteen minutes. I think that is too fast, will THAT stretch my tummy or am I worried for nothing? Do I just need to pace myself? I normally take much longer, but I was hurrying this morning. I really am concerned about it getting larger. I eat so little, but I am worried long term. What causes us to start eating more...will that "one bite too much" do it? I'd love opinions from some of you that are further out....well, and some of you other newbies as well!!

[MINI-Me 196]

I think there are as many opinions on stretching as there are surgeons doing VSG. Mine said stretching is somewhere between non-existant and a minimal amount. I believe the main reason people can eat more later is attributed to healing and reduced swelling. I can eat more at 6 months than the few weeks after surgery. I also know that volume relies a lot on what I eat - 2.5 ounces of chicken vs 1/2 bag of small popcorn at the movies.

Would love to hear other peoples experience and surgeon results.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I know what you're talking about, I can eat ONE oz of chicken, but TWO oz of steamed shrimp and a half cup of cottage cheese! I don't want to do anything to mess this up!! I'm afraid when I have this, "oh, I have taken one bite too much" thing, maybe I've stretched it....in my mind I am pretty certain it is ALL IN MY MIND, but I just want to make sure!

I think there are as many opinions on stretching as there are surgeons doing VSG. Mine said stretching is somewhere between non-existant and a minimal amount. I believe the main reason people can eat more later is attributed to healing and reduced swelling. I can eat more at 6 months than the few weeks after surgery. I also know that volume relies a lot on what I eat - 2.5 ounces of chicken vs 1/2 bag of small popcorn at the movies.

Would love to hear other peoples experience and surgeon results.

[Catyroses 1]

I think what you can eat at 8 weeks out may be very different from what you can eat at 6 months out. But I, at 3 1/2 months out, feel completely healed, normal and very, very restricted. I am delighted to find that my new stomach very quickly tells me what I can and cannot put in there. And it's very different from what it was at 8 weeks. If you can, take a breath and give it some time before making conclusions and worrying too much.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I KNOW you're right, when I look at the almost laughable amount of food I eat now, compared to what I ate or could eat before....it is so little. I mean seriously, six medium sized shrimp! A half cup of cottage cheese for breakfast! OMG I just made such a life altering decision, just as we all did, that I do not want to do anything to mess it up! So, at 3.5 months out, you still feel very restricted? It worries me that when I measure something out, like the cottage cheese, I don't have to eat slowly, I can actually, if in a hurry, can eat it pretty quickly, in about ten or fifteen minutes. Do you think that is BAD or just a bad habit? As far as dragging a meal out for thirty minutes, when I am eating only an oz of chicken and an few bites of baked potato and two broc. florets...HOW can you do that??!!

I think what you can eat at 8 weeks out may be very different from what you can eat at 6 months out. But I, at 3 1/2 months out, feel completely healed, normal and very, very restricted. I am delighted to find that my new stomach very quickly tells me what I can and cannot put in there. And it's very different from what it was at 8 weeks. If you can, take a breath and give it some time before making conclusions and worrying too much.

[BJean 16]

I think I'm going through right now what it sounds like you're concerned about. I am scared to death that I'm not going to get all the weight off. I haven't really stalled yet but have actually WANTED to eat a little more lately and that truly scares me. I believe that perhaps the swelling from surgery is gone and that is why I can eat more than I was able to. At least that's what I'm hoping and that it isn't that my stomach is getting bigger.

And one other problem I have acquired is SLUSHIES! I have trouble getting in enough Water. If I drink more than a couple of drinks of Water at a time, my stomach hurts. I've found that a cranberry-grape slush from Sonic not only goes down easy, but it doesn't make my stomach hurt. I usually buy a small and drink half and save half for a while later. I'm afraid I'm becoming addicted because I'm wanting to do this almost every day!

I can't tell you how scared I am of stretching my "pouch" and not losing the rest of the 30 lbs I need to for reaching my goal and staying there. Maybe this is a common thought process for people who've dieted a lot and regained the lost weight and more. Also, I had the band prior to the sleeve and regained half the weight I'd lost with the band. This is scary stuff!

[Catyroses 1]

I would not drag that small of a meal out for thirty minutes. But if I wanted to eat a bit more than my sleeve can hold, I will make the meal last for that long. Whatever you can eat in five minutes is what can fit it your sleeve all at once.

[Morgandobes 0]

Totally hear where you guys are coming from on this deal.

My doc said my tummy would not stretch, that the stretchy part is mostly

removed, but then I hear other stuff here on the board.

I know there is a diff between being able to eat more because the inital swelling is

down and stretching my tummy. but I worry, worry, worry.

I am about 6 weeks out.

Tiff had some information about stretching that she is going to post,

not where she digs this stuff up at, but she is a wealth of info.

I know we are supposed to stop eating when we are full..but seriously, would

anyone have to have their stomach radically altered to prevent that if we could

stop at that extra bite? It annoys me when people say 'stop when you are full' after

the surgery. If I had that kind of control I wouldent be 300 lbs.

Ok off my rant now

[SParkle 4]

I would not drag that small of a meal out for thirty minutes. But if I wanted to eat a bit more than my sleeve can hold, I will make the meal last for that long. Whatever you can eat in five minutes is what can fit it your sleeve all at once.

I can totally identify with this..... at home I probably take between 5 and 15 mins to eat my small portion.... whereas if we eat out I can eat more - I usually order an appetizer and make that last while my hubby eats his and then his main course... so comparing to two I eat more when I am out because I am stretching the eating time....but if I was to have the same at home it would probably be left as I'd be full after maybe 5 or 6 bites.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that worries about this stuff!! What about the slushies, are they sugar free? If not, do you worry about things like that? I even obsess about bar-b-q sauce and things like that, even though there is so little on the things that I've had! I've got to calm down some! :thumbup:

I think I'm going through right now what it sounds like you're concerned about. I am scared to death that I'm not going to get all the weight off. I haven't really stalled yet but have actually WANTED to eat a little more lately and that truly scares me. I believe that perhaps the swelling from surgery is gone and that is why I can eat more than I was able to. At least that's what I'm hoping and that it isn't that my stomach is getting bigger.

And one other problem I have acquired is SLUSHIES! I have trouble getting in enough Water. If I drink more than a couple of drinks of Water at a time, my stomach hurts. I've found that a cranberry-grape slush from Sonic not only goes down easy, but it doesn't make my stomach hurt. I usually buy a small and drink half and save half for a while later. I'm afraid I'm becoming addicted because I'm wanting to do this almost every day!

I can't tell you how scared I am of stretching my "pouch" and not losing the rest of the 30 lbs I need to for reaching my goal and staying there. Maybe this is a common thought process for people who've dieted a lot and regained the lost weight and more. Also, I had the band prior to the sleeve and regained half the weight I'd lost with the band. This is scary stuff!

[NtvTxn 1,262]

But "being stuffed" then was uncomfortable and our pants where tight, whereas now, one bite too many, yikes, I can feel it in my throat, uncomfortable is a different feeling, and I really pay attention and am usually successful in avoiding it. My pants are NOT too tight now, which is nice, but the tight feeling in my throat and chest is not pleasant!! It is a deterrent!!

Totally hear where you guys are coming from on this deal.

My doc said my tummy would not stretch, that the stretchy part is mostly

removed, but then I hear other stuff here on the board.

I know there is a diff between being able to eat more because the inital swelling is

down and stretching my tummy. but I worry, worry, worry.

I am about 6 weeks out.

Tiff had some information about stretching that she is going to post,

not where she digs this stuff up at, but she is a wealth of info.

I know we are supposed to stop eating when we are full..but seriously, would

anyone have to have their stomach radically altered to prevent that if we could

stop at that extra bite? It annoys me when people say 'stop when you are full' after

the surgery. If I had that kind of control I wouldent be 300 lbs.

Ok off my rant now

[Morgandobes 0]

Yeah, that was my point to getting the surgery, is that ONE of these days I WILL learn to not take that extra bite, as its uncomfortable, even yukky.

I will ge there one day, I will, I will, I will

-)

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I'm listening to my tummy now, before, not so much. Not until my pants were too tight!! :thumbup:

Yeah, that was my point to getting the surgery, is that ONE of these days I WILL learn to not take that extra bite, as its uncomfortable, even yukky.

I will ge there one day, I will, I will, I will

-)

[BJean 16]

Nativtxn: I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that worries about this stuff!! What about the slushies, are they sugar free? If not, do you worry about things like that? I even obsess about bar-b-q sauce and things like that, even though there is so little on the things that I've had! I've got to calm down some! :thumbup:

I believe that the small slushie (which is not sugar free) is probably around 200 calories. And I have half at one sitting which is about what other everyday snack foods (not low-calories ones) would cost me. So although it does have sugar, I allow for that in my overall caloric intake. I haven't been actually figuring out my caloric intake everyday like I was but I must be staying around the 1000 to 1200 range because I'm not gaining weight.

When I first had something with sugar in it after surgery, I was worried that I would, like a gastric bypass patient, have the "dumping" syndrome. But I didn't. One of the biggest benefits of the sleeve for me at this point though is that ice cream makes me very uncomfortable - even in extremely small quantities. Ice cream has been one food that I've never been able to do without and when I was really obese, I ate massive quantities of it all the time. So not being able to eat and enjoy it is absolutely fantastic!

I think that's another reason why I enjoy the slushies so much is because I love the cold and they're not as high calorie as ice cream - or as addictive. And they help me get in some Water even if it's frozen. Hope I'm not just justifying something I really shouldn't be having.

I had a barbeque rib last night with part of a baked potato. It tasted good but I didn't like the way I felt afterward. Not uncomfortable from being full, just yukee from that heavy smokey barbeque taste. I've found that the simpler my foods are, the better they sit with me. How about you?

[BJean 16]

Morgandobes, I never let my tight pants slow me down. That was the problem. I just kept buying bigger ones.

I think that having had the band and all the problems it caused has helped me identify real early when I am getting to the point of eating too much. You'll learn and improve, it just takes time to figure it all out. And you've lost a really good amount of weight so far. You're doing great... you WILL get there!

Now I admit that I'm trying to believe it for myself as well!