Feeling full on the sleeve. What it like?

[Brockcrawford 5]

Hey guys n gals

Im just wondering what it feels like to be full on the sleeve since im still in the liquids stage and ive never got that feeling of full yet. I mean the most ive got on Soup was a lil bit of a sore stomach then alot of gas burps and a feeling like the food or liquid is pushing out gas.

So please share your experiences i would like to know thanks.

[Janae 12]

I'm almost 6 months out and can honestly say the feeling of "full" for me has changed. At first, when I started mushies, full was very hard to pin down. It was just a feeling that I shouldn't take another bite. A kind of sensation at the bottom of my esophagus. If I ate another bite, I didn't throw up but was uncomfortable. I had to take a bite and wait a couple of minutes to see if I had the feeling. When I started eating solid Protein, I could eat about 1 oz and then the thought of another bite was nauseating.

Now, it is just the normal "I feel full" I had before I was sleeved. There is no "little sensation" anymore. It is full on "DON'T EAT ANOTHER BITE!" I still have to remind myself to eat slowly. It is so hard for me still. If I don't eat chicken slowly, I get a horrible pain in my stomach as the chicken makes its way to the bottom of the sleeve that reminds me to slow down!

[Brockcrawford 5]

Well its funny cause i know im knew at this but it feels like i didnt even get a sleeve.

I mean i know it depends on allot of things (size of sleeve , length of stomach) but u would think that after drinking a yoghurt drink quite quickly (5 mins) i would hit that "uckh i need to stop now " feeling that i use to get pre op , if i ate too much but all i get is a feeling of bloating and burping.

I read about other people who are having problems with a little Water or Protein Drinks but i actually wish i felt that way.

I also read about peoples choice of foods and there tastes changing because of that feeling and i wish i felt it so i could make those concious decisions too cause head hunger is really messing with me

[Brockcrawford 5]

Well its funny cause i know im knew at this but it feels like i didnt even get a sleeve.

I mean i know it depends on allot of things (size of sleeve , length of stomach) but u would think that after drinking a yoghurt drink quite quickly (5 mins) i would hit that "uckh i need to stop now " feeling that i use to get pre op , if i ate too much but all i get is a feeling of bloating and burping.

I read about other people who are having problems with a little Water or Protein drinks but i actually wish i felt that way.

I also read about peoples choice of foods and there tastes changing because of that feeling and i wish i felt it so i could make those concious decisions too cause head hunger is really messing with me

p.s maybe its the nerves?

[Indymom 132]

Remember anything liquid is going to flush through quickly so you may never get a feeling of "full" from a yogurt drink or even a Protein Drink. From what I've read on here, once you start on regular solid foods (like meat) you'll quickly figure out what "full" is.

[Brockcrawford 5]

Thanks for the info Indymom

[Sassygirl06 962]

when i get the feeling its like i know if i have anymore im gonna have it come back up on me. my chest feels tight, and i have a lot of burps. sometimes even 'burping' myself. i also get this foamy stuff along with my burps if i drink Protein Shakes. not pleasant. i have to take it slowly, and wait a while after every sip so that i make sure not to fill up to fast and have the awful feeling come back.

[Stacy160 201]

You know that Thanksgiving Full where you've eaten to the point where you feel sick, and it feels like every nook and cranny in your gut is stuffed with food? It's not like that.

Think about it--your stomach, the stretchy "feed bag" part of it, is gone, and right now not only do you have a skinny little tube for a stomach, it's not gonna stretch. Plus, there'll be swelling in there for a good long while, before it completely goes away.

For me, early on (when "full" was 1-2 oz. of refried beans), it was just pressure right there where the stomach is, kinda between the ribs, feeling like it maybe could chuck right back up through the esophagus (which thankfully only happened a couple of times). As the swelling goes down that feeling subsides, unless you overeat, but "full" is still in that same area... you'll never have the bloated, distended abdomen again. Which is awesome, 'cause you don't have to unbutton your pants after eating anymore!

[Brockcrawford 5]

Hey guys

Thanks for the feedback. I don't know really. For myself i tried eating a serving of Jello really fast (4oz) and the only thing i got was pressure and a feeling like allot of gas is being misplaced and then burping with a tiny bit of gas pain. I don't feel as hungry anymore but i still have the occasional head hunger craving for a good steak. But honestly im worried i wont feel full and can just keep eating like before. I don't drink when i eat anyway so ill just have to wait and see in a few weeks time when im back to solids.

I have my next appointment tomorrow to get the stitches out so ill ask my doctor as well

[AutumnLily 77]

Hey guys

Thanks for the feedback. I don't know really. For myself i tried eating a serving of Jello really fast (4oz) and the only thing i got was pressure and a feeling like allot of gas is being misplaced and then burping with a tiny bit of gas pain. I don't feel as hungry anymore but i still have the occasional head hunger craving for a good steak. But honestly im worried i wont feel full and can just keep eating like before. I don't drink when i eat anyway so ill just have to wait and see in a few weeks time when im back to solids.

I have my next appointment tomorrow to get the stitches out so ill ask my doctor as well

Your nerves have been cut and it will take awhile to feel a full sensation. Try not to push it as you could cause undue stress to your staple line and then possibly cause a leak. Just have your recommended amounts of liquids and soon enough you will know what it feels like. I felt the same way in the beginning I thought did I really get a sleeve. Well when my nerves healed I knew quickly that Yes I did get a sleeve.

[kellyw74 258]

For me, I really undereat my sleeve for fear of puking. I don't really know what full really feels like!

However, lately, I have been eating a little more and I have, on a few occasions felt a sensation in my throat. Just like it was sitting there. Like if I took another bite it would be bad. I also gurgle alot. That has ALWAYS been my cue to stop. I don't know if it really means anything, but that has always been when I would quit. One bite or ten. I measure my food, but never eat it all.

Kelly

[janinemaire 7]

At almost 10 months I still love feeling full after a few bites of food. Sometimes I think or want to eat more but my sleeve says no way. A few times in the beginning I had one bite to much and got sick, I also thought by having some Water would help me feel better which was a hugh mistake. So I learned I need to stop eating before I was too full and never ever try to drink with my food.

[Helen the Cat 42]

I am now 10 weeks out, and in the last few weeks, my "full feeling" has changed.

Initially when I started eating solids, I would feel full all of a sudden, without warning. The full feeling was just that, I knew I was full. Several times I did take one more bite after I got to full, and then I was miserable! I mean REALLY sick! Everything seemed to be sitting right at the bottom of my esophogus, and it seemed like nothing would go down. It was a really miserable feeling, painful, nauseating, uncomfortable, etc. In fact after the first time it happened, I was careful that if that "full feeling" happened when I had food in my mouth, I would spit it out!!! I KNEW if I swallowed even ONE MORE BITE I would be miserable and feel sick for hours!

Now however, it seems like I can eat more, and when the full feeling comes, I know in advance, if I eat slowlly. My one problem however, is slowing down my eating. I have been a labor and delivery nurse for over 40 years. When you work L&D, you learn to eat fast, or you may not get to eat. That is working against me now. After years of eating as fast as I could (so I could eat my meal), I need to slow down and try to experience how the food feels when and after I swallow. I have to tell myself over and over again, "SLOW DOWN!!! Don't eat so fast!" It seems like if I eat fast, I get to the full point and beyond before I know it, and I am miserable all over again! So I am working on eating slow, chewing well, and concentrating on enjoying every bite slowly!

The other thing I have found is that my food tastes have changed. I no longer like the taste of sweets. And pre-op I had a REAL sweet tooth. Now I take a bite, and it tastes OK, but not something I want to eat a lot of. The head hunger is still there however, and sometimes I let it trick me into eating sweets. However, if I stop and THINK about it, I know that I don't want to overdose on sweets. Also fried foods don't taste as good to me as they used to. So I think my body is responding well to my sleeve, I just need to stop and think before I eat. It's a hard habit to learn!

[Brockcrawford 5]

I am now 10 weeks out, and in the last few weeks, my "full feeling" has changed.

Initially when I started eating solids, I would feel full all of a sudden, without warning. The full feeling was just that, I knew I was full. Several times I did take one more bite after I got to full, and then I was miserable! I mean REALLY sick! Everything seemed to be sitting right at the bottom of my esophogus, and it seemed like nothing would go down. It was a really miserable feeling, painful, nauseating, uncomfortable, etc. In fact after the first time it happened, I was careful that if that "full feeling" happened when I had food in my mouth, I would spit it out!!! I KNEW if I swallowed even ONE MORE BITE I would be miserable and feel sick for hours!

Now however, it seems like I can eat more, and when the full feeling comes, I know in advance, if I eat slowlly. My one problem however, is slowing down my eating. I have been a labor and delivery nurse for over 40 years. When you work L&D, you learn to eat fast, or you may not get to eat. That is working against me now. After years of eating as fast as I could (so I could eat my meal), I need to slow down and try to experience how the food feels when and after I swallow. I have to tell myself over and over again, "SLOW DOWN!!! Don't eat so fast!" It seems like if I eat fast, I get to the full point and beyond before I know it, and I am miserable all over again! So I am working on eating slow, chewing well, and concentrating on enjoying every bite slowly!

The other thing I have found is that my food tastes have changed. I no longer like the taste of sweets. And pre-op I had a REAL sweet tooth. Now I take a bite, and it tastes OK, but not something I want to eat a lot of. The head hunger is still there however, and sometimes I let it trick me into eating sweets. However, if I stop and THINK about it, I know that I don't want to overdose on sweets. Also fried foods don't taste as good to me as they used to. So I think my body is responding well to my sleeve, I just need to stop and think before I eat. It's a hard habit to learn!

I agree a very hard habit lool

[Rainydayz 27]

Two months out and the only way I know if I'm full is if I've eaten almost 2 oz. of Protein and maybe a little veggie and I don't feel like I'm hungry anymore, then that's my full. I don't get the burping, hiccoughing, sneezing soft signals that I've heard about. I just try to eat only enough to where I know I will be satisfied until my next meal. It's my new goal, not to feel stuffed full, but just to be satisfied. I do however, get a pain in my shoulder if I eat that one bite too many or eat too fast. I've been told this is my vagus nerve. It only lasts a few minutes and is uncomfortable more than painful, but it is a great motivation for me not to eat too fast/much.

I guess you just have to try and not eat to fullness and figure out what works best for you to accomplish this. With the sleeve I know that I'm not to get that frantic "I'm hungry and I NEED to eat everything in the house right now" feeling, so it's easier to eat small amounts knowing that I'll be satisfied until the next meal. Regular planned meals of Protein and maybe a little complex carbs are the ticket for me right now.