Approaching sleeve date. How does it feel to be missing .75% of stomach?

[linda welker 7]

I find that I am fearful about what it feels like to have .75% of your stomach removed? Can anyone describe it?

[No game 14,437]

You get full very fast....

Edited December 24, 2013 by laura-ven

[joatsaint 2,814]

I'm with laura, you will fill up very fast - especially during the first month. Your new stomach will still be swollen and you won't be able to hold very much at one sitting. Other than the amount I could eat, I didn't notice my missing stomach.

It was like a dream come true for me. Swapping from eating 1lb or more of food per meal to eating only a couple of teaspoons to make me feel full gave me a lot of joy. Although as my new stomach healed I could eat more at a meal, at 12 months, I only eat 1 to 1 1/2 cups per meal.

Oh, and you won't get that gradual "oooh I'm getting full" feeling. I go from, "I can eat one more bite" to "Too full!" in just one bite. So I had to eat small bites until I learned how much I could safely eat before getting too full. I quickly learned, after a few "one bite too many" meals, to pay attention to how much and how fast I was eating. :-P

You might check out my blog post about it: http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31139-5-weeks-post-op-still-teaching-myself-to-eat-slowly/

Edited December 24, 2013 by joatsaint

[SassyTink 78]

Actually, if you did not have some sort of fear at having 75% of your stomach removed you wouldn't be normal. It is very scary and very permanent.

Let me tell you, it is so worth it. I am a little over a month out from my surgery and I feel great. Your stomach feels as if you just finish eating at an all you can eat buffet, stuffed, but all you have consumed is a half cup of no fat cottage cheese. I seem to want to eat things that I need to fuel my body instead of what tastes and looks good. I love being in control of portions.......because my stomach makes me be in control.

Good luck.........exciting.

[Recycled 2,182]

Can you actually tell there is a void in that section where the removed stomach was. And is there any pain sensation emanating from the cutting and stapling of the stomach. (or is it just the holes that hurt)

[No game 14,437]

You cannot feel a void, as I think everything just settles nicely back into place and no phantom limb syndrome..

The pain that you feel is mostly from the incision sites. Now your stomach will be making all sorts of noises but for the most part is numb, that's why it is so important to measure liquids and Proteins carefully. You will not feel fullness for several weeks sometimes.

Edited December 24, 2013 by laura-ven

[linda welker 7]

Thanks to every one who wrote. It is so good to hear your descriptions. That sense of a void is what I am talking about. For instance, people who have a leg or arm removed have a phantom sense of it still being there. At least some people report this. But since I am not aware of my stomach and its displacement of space in my body, I din't know if I would feel that void after the surgery. I appreciate also descriptions of your first post surgery day. Would welcome others' thought in this. I believe that in the long run it is worth it!! But every trip begins with that first step. I want to know what that first step. Is. Thanks everybody.

[McButterpants 2,846]

You won't feel your stomach is "missing". Your brain knows it isn't there, but it doesn't feel any different.

I was surprised at how quickly I fill up - I'm amazed that 1/2 an egg and 1/2 a turkey sausage patty fills me up at Breakfast time. It's surreal the first few times you sit down to a meal and you think, "seriously, this is all I get?" Then you leave some on the plate because you can't finish it.

I felt empowered once I started adding food into my diet. Empowered because I know that 1/4 cup of food is going to fill me up and I don't feel like crap from doing the latest fad diet.

It's an amazing process.

[linda welker 7]

You won't feel your stomach is "missing". Your brain knows it isn't there, but it doesn't feel any different.

I was surprised at how quickly I fill up - I'm amazed that 1/2 an egg and 1/2 a turkey sausage patty fills me up at Breakfast time. It's surreal the first few times you sit down to a meal and you think, "seriously, this is all I get?" Then you leave some on the plate because you can't finish it.

I felt empowered once I started adding food into my diet. Empowered because I know that 1/4 cup of food is going to fill me up and I don't feel like crap from doing the latest fad diet.

It's an amazing process.

Thanks for providing this helpful comment. Your reflection is concrete and nicely descriptor. Thanks for taking time to write.

[linda welker 7]

You cannot feel a void, as I think everything just settles nicely back into place and no phantom limb syndrome..<br>

The pain that you feel is mostly from the incision sites. Now your stomach will be making all sorts of noises but for the most part is numb, that's why it is so important to measure liquids and Proteins carefully. You will not feel fullness for several weeks sometimes.

Noises I can deal with. Good note on measuring. Thanks.

[linda welker 7]

Can you actually tell there is a void in that section where the removed stomach was. And is there any pain sensation emanating from the cutting and stapling of the stomach. (or is it just the holes that hurt)

Thanks for adding these questions. I wondered the same things.

[linda welker 7]

Actually, if you did not have some sort of fear at having 75% of your stomach removed you wouldn't be normal. It is very scary and very permanent.

Let me tell you, it is so worth it. I am a little over a month out from my surgery and I feel great. Your stomach feels as if you just finish eating at an all you can eat buffet, stuffed, but all you have consumed is a half cup of no fat cottage cheese. I seem to want to eat things that I need to fuel my body instead of what tastes and looks good. I love being in control of portions.......because my stomach makes me be in control.

Good luck.........exciting.

Great description about how it feels. Thanks for that and also the encouragement:

[linda welker 7]

I'm with laura, you will fill up very fast - especially during the first month. Your new stomach will still be swollen and you won't be able to hold very much at one sitting. Other than the amount I could eat, I didn't notice my missing stomach.

It was like a dream come true for me. Swapping from eating 1lb or more of food per meal to eating only a couple of teaspoons to make me feel full gave me a lot of joy. Although as my new stomach healed I could eat more at a meal, at 12 months, I only eat 1 to 1 1/2 cups per meal.

Oh, and you won't get that gradual "oooh I'm getting full" feeling. I go from, "I can eat one more bite" to "Too full!" in just one bite. So I had to eat small bites until I learned how much I could safely eat before getting too full. I quickly learned, after a few "one bite too many" meals, to pay attention to how much and how fast I was eating. :-P

You might check out my blog post about it: http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31139-5-weeks-post-op-still-teaching-myself-to-eat-slowly/

Thanks for your log ad detailed post. Sooo helpful. Thanks also for the like ink.

[newat52 1,613]

I don't feel a void where my stomach was. I just feel great. I am one that has a sleeve of steel. Nothing my little tummy doesn't like. Thats a blessing and a curse. I have to be responsible for everything I put in it. I can't depend on oh, my sleeve doesn't like this or that. Nope, it all goes down just fine.

Only difference besides of course, not being able to eat mass quantities of food is that I make the most amazing noises. I burp in techno noises and my stomach plays punk rock! Last week I made some repeated noises with my burps and stomach, my husband turns to me and asks, "did your surgeon lose a cell phone in you?" We about died laughing!

You will love your sleeve and you won't notice that something is missing.