What does it feel like?

[JacobsMommy 27]

Good morning everyone,

I have my surgery date, May 22! So I'm wondering what does a sleeve feel like? Can you feel that a part of your stomach is gone? I am an emotional eater, how do you move past that feeling? I have so many mixed emotions. But after eating a Subway foot long the other day (with the band) I need serious help.

[MetroDetroitChic 86]

My sincere suggestion is to get through the emotional stuff before your surgery. Delay surgery if you need to. This isn't a sure-shot way to be thin and healthy... You have to work at it very hard and if you don't stick to the plan you can and WILL make yourself very sick.

To answer your question though, a sleeve feels like someone replaced your stomach with a two year old's stomach. Thirsty? Don't guzzle Water.... That won't work. Hungry? (I never lost the hunger part post op) well, don't eat too fast or too much because you will HATE yourself when your stomach is too full. Feeling like you have no energy? You probably screwed up and haven't been taking your Vitamins. Want a pop? Beer? Bummer, because that has carbonation and will stretch your sleeve. Want some Pasta or chips? Well good luck eating something so low in Protein and so high in calories and still making your calorie and Protein goals for the day -- not gonna happen!

I want to reiterate that It is a LOT of work! You HAVE to be ready mentally. But man, if you stick to the plan, it is a crazy effective tool. Would I do it again? Yes..., a hundred times over. But my husband is overweight and he is considering surgery. He still struggles with being able to say no to candy sweets pop and beer. Until he can get his head in the game, I am going to try to talk him out if surgery every time.

I sincerely wish you luck.

[pancake1271 57]

I asked my surgeon before i had my band to sleeve revision what happens to my body one part of my stomach is out, will i have this empty area where it used to be? He told me that the body is air tight. The body will squish in and take up the area of the missing stomach. I feel the same as if i have a whole stomach, but with only being able to eat small portions of food. I now look at portion sizes differently. When i go out to eat at a restaurant, I know that it's going to be too much for me to eat. I eat part of it and take the rest home. I also never lost the hunger post-op. I get hungry between meals but i usually eat a piece of fruit, like an apple or an orange and that tides me over until my next meal.

There will be no way you'll be able to eat a foot long sub any more. I'm lucky if i can eat half a 6in! and by then i'm really full.

Good Luck!

[JacobsMommy 27]

I asked my surgeon before i had my band to sleeve revision what happens to my body one part of my stomach is out, will i have this empty area where it used to be? He told me that the body is air tight. The body will squish in and take up the area of the missing stomach. I feel the same as if i have a whole stomach, but with only being able to eat small portions of food. I now look at portion sizes differently. When i go out to eat at a restaurant, I know that it's going to be too much for me to eat. I eat part of it and take the rest home. I also never lost the hunger post-op. I get hungry between meals but i usually eat a piece of fruit, like an apple or an orange and that tides me over until my next meal.

There will be no way you'll be able to eat a foot long sub any more. I'm lucky if i can eat half a 6in! and by then i'm really full.

Good Luck!

Wow!! I REALLY cannot wait! !

[pancake1271 57]

I dont even think of my WLS anymore like I did with the band. I feel really good and dont even realize im missing part of my stomach. There's no worry about food getting stuck, throwing up because food is stuck, worrying the band has slipped or fear the bite you just took was too big and its gonna get stuck.

It is easier to over eat with the sleeve though. You have to make sure you stop when youre satisfied and not full. That takes some practice because sometimes what your eating tastes so good and you want more of it! But take your time eating and enjoy the food. Measure out your portions and stuck to that and not to go back for more.

I just wish I had the sleeve originally and never had the band to begin with.the sleeve has been great!

[triplezero 3]

Overeating is easier with the sleeve? I was under the impression that the sleeve would physically stop you from overeating more than the band does. Would you still be able to eat large portions with the sleeve if you ignored the feeling of "satisfied"?

[danaevett 179]

I can't feel that most of my stomach is gone. The only time it's apparent is when I eat and get full quickly.

[pancake1271 57]

Overeating is easier with the sleeve? I was under the impression that the sleeve would physically stop you from overeating more than the band does. Would you still be able to eat large portions with the sleeve if you ignored the feeling of "satisfied"?

Nothing will physically stop you from overeating but yourself. You have to decide when you are full or not. You have to make the conscious effort to stop. You will no longer be able to eat large meals like you used but if you ignore your "I'm satisfied" signal and you continue to eat because it tastes so good, or I don't feel full or satisfied yet, you will overeat and cause yourself being miserable. Eating too much at any one sitting over and over again on a continuous basis will cause your sleeve to stretch and you'll gain weight. Yes you could end up eating a large meal (what you consider to be large meal, a normal person wouldn't be full on it).

Any WLS is just a tool. It won't do the work for you. It's a not a magical device that will cure all your bad habits of overeating, eating junk and candy, and everything else that got you in the situation to have WLS. It will only help you eat less of what you did before. It won't stop you from eating a bag of chips, or a bunch of Cookies, or a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. . You still have watch what kinds of foods you'll eat, exercise, and stop eating when you feel satisfied and comfortable, not when you fill full.

Before you have WLS i suggest you do lots and lots of research about it and make sure you fully aware of what the sleeve or any WLS can and can't do, what is true and what isn't. This isn't a magic potion you can take and in 2 months you'll be thin. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication for the rest of your life to get the results you desire.

[triplezero 3]

Thank you for the response. I'm trying to figure out if getting my band revised to a sleeve is worth it. I know the stomach functions more physiologically with the sleeve, so you don't get all the esophagus problems and potential for pouch dilation or slips. My band anatomy is normal and I don't have to have it removed due to complications. I'm wondering if not needing to eat/getting full/staying full is superior with the sleeve. I feel like the band is somewhat helpful but not nearly enough to drastically control my weight long-term. I suspect that the sleeve would produce superior results and be a more permanent operation with less risk for long-term complications. In my situation would you get the revision if your band did not have to come out?

[pancake1271 57]

I had to have my band out because it slipped twice within 1 1/2 years. It would have been 3 years this June that I had mine put in. Would I have the sleeve even though there were no complications?? Probably not. Why fix something that isn't broken! I liked my band. I have a friend that had the band about 7 years ago and she still has it and is very happy with it. My husband has had his band for 2 years and his hasn't slipped yet. He said the only way he would have his removed is if a complication can up. And he wouldn't get the sleeve. Hes taken up running and has lost 40lbs since Dec and is convinced he can now do it on his own. I don't think he has much of a restriction because of the amount of food he eats!! But he's burning it off with running. He ran his first marathon 2 weeks ago and plans on doing more!

I just wish when I went in for WLS would have considered the sleeve. It wasn't as main stream as it is now. I was so worried about not having my whole stomach I didn't research it at all. Now that I have the sleeve I wish I had long time ago because I feel so good. I don't have to worry about small bites, chewing 2500000 times, worrying about something getting stuck or the PBing and sliming when something is. But jsut to remove it with no complications, I don't think I would have.

[pancake1271 57]

But if your relying on just WLS to keep your weight off, you will fail. You have to be focused on making lifestyle changes. You need to find an activit and adopt a healthy eating plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off. Thinking that wls will do it all for you is the wrong thinking. Remember it's just a tool. I won't do it for you.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

If you decide to delay surgery, I suggest that you can get a headstart on weight loss by going to Mark's Daily Apple (marksdailyapple.com) or research Paleo and Primal eating sites. The dietary guidelines are similar to what we are already doing now by eating fresh whole foods as close to their natural state as possible, and give Protein the priority. But still, any eating and lifestyle changes will still take committment to work. Godd luck to you for whatever you decide to do.