Worried About Stretching: Is It Easy Or Hard To Do?

[johnt471 4]

I am 5 weeks out. Been doing pretty good with different foods. Still not doing any breads. talked with my dr fri and was told just listen to my body. Told me the sleve is well passed healed and not to worrie about leaking. So Don't realy try measuring anything just when im full that's it. And I eat on the left overs all the nex day.lol. Went and had some " chard broiled oysters" sleave loved it and so did I.

[WLJourneyJ 89]

all great advice... the last few meals i've been eating slower... I had a flatbread sandwich yesterday (double meat for protein) and it took me all morning nibbling to eat not even half. (which is about the size of a deck of cards... so 4 hours to consume that) but I didnt get sick or too full. so i'm assuming i could prob. eat 1/4 in one 'mealtime' if i was out...

i'm goign to hav to try to get a visual cue so i can mentally measure i think when i go out...

[Wheetsin 714]

I'm coming up on 5 mos post-op. There are some times of day, and some foods, I can eat about 1 oz. Others about 4 oz. 4 oz is probably my upper limit on most food (true oz as in weight, not volume like referencing the capacity of a 4 oz cup). But I also tend to eat over longer periods of time.

I can eat sashimi in larger quantities, and strawberries/fruit. The fruit makes sense.

I rarely hurt any more (my "hurt" = weird stabbing pains up in my throat), though I do often get pressure. I don't really ever feel "normal" when I eat, regardless of how much or little.

I think the key is to learn to focus on "no longer hungry" rather than focusing on "full". There's a large margin between the two, and "no longer hungry" will do us just fine.

ETA: BTW, I've still never puked with the sleeve.

[Wheetsin 714]

BTW, I would love for someone who intimately knows the GI system to chime in on the issue of stretchability. I know high level the overall system, but I don't know the composition of the part of the stomach that's left behind. In my mind, it's about the same makeup as -- steak. That's what I picture, anyway. Though it's organ. Yet even though it's organ, it's tough organ. I suspect its ability to stretch is extremely minimal. Yet most surgeons warn us of "stretching" out. I don't know how much this can stretch, and I'd think that if we got to the point where we really overstuffed ourselves enough that we were in danger of stretching, the food would come back up. Or feel really, really miserable until it went down.

We will loosen up over time. I wouldn't be surprised if at the 1 yr mark we're still noticing differences in how much we can eat. It's not unheard of for swelling to linger that long, and we don't really know what else we're doing that can cause changes (i.e. does eating a bit too much, but not so much that we're sick, trigger swelling?)

I just don't see how we could stretch - noticeably. What's left behind isn't built to be stretchy. But who knows. *shrug*

[Katie713 423]

Wheetsin....I've heard that the area leftover after surgery is the tissue that is more fibrous and not as stretchy. They cut the "bulbous" side of the stomach out.

I know from working with tripe at times (cow stomach) the tissue is relatively thin and membrane like, not like steak at all. When you work with tripe in the food industry, there is tougher tissue near the fold and very stretchy tissue at the other side so I can visualize it is similar in our bodies.

[Katie713 423]

joyv...I'm a little over 4 months out, and I still have to really watch how much volume I try and take in. I over ate at Breakfast on vacation last week, and even though it was maybe two bites too many, I had to take a quick walk, and then head to the bathroom to throw up. I immediately felt very relieved. Just a reminder to me not to try and test the limits...

I can eat about 1/2 of a 6" flatbread sandwich but cannot tolerate any other bread products. I rarely eat bread, Pasta, rice or potatoes at all but once in awhile it is nice to have a light sandwich for a picnic at the Hollywood Bowl!!

[7carol3 212]

I am at 9 months out. I feel like I eat all the time and stretching is also one of my big worries. I totally agree with those of you who have said, as my doctor has, that we need to stop when we no longer feel hungry...not when we are full. Sounds the same, but it is totally different. I too have never thrown up since getting my sleeve. I have had a few close calls where I was sure it would happen, but I have managed to get by.

I don't eat bread or Pasta. Occasionally I will eat a tortilla. I do, however, eat Belvita Breakfast biscuits and I can eat the whole package. It worries me because I LOVE (no really I LOVE them) them. I have also started eating rice cakes with Peanut Butter. I had to tell myself no rice cakes with Peanut Butter today. Anyone else doing these things? I feel so naughty!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

still have to watch how much volume I take in

katie

its nice to hear someone else talk about measuring per volume not oz -

i know all NUTS are different, but I was told to always measure/eat per volume

when i met w/my NUT prior to WLS - she instilled in me to eat per volume only, i was allowed 1/3 cup after my different stage- about 5 months later i was allowed 2/3 cup woopie

my weight loss is slowing down now, but at goal i will probably be allowed 1 cup

i was told never measure according to oz

Carol, back to you

per my NUT a sleeve can not stretch

when I was a Newbie - I was afraid if i ate 2 bites extra - oh nol - look out - or if i ate too fast, or if i didn't chew enough- I ws a nervous wreck

If I just looked at a cookie, OMG, i would gain 15 lbs - and bye bye sleeve

our sleeves should last a lifetime - unless certain exceptions i guess (don't know exactly know what they are) , just covering my ass

don't stress yourself

kathy