crazzeescrapper

Hello All:
I found this information today while cruising the internet at work (I know I know, but it is my first day back and I am trying to stay awake). I pasted the hyperlink at the end so you can figure out the source, but the information seems reasonable and accurate.
One of the first questions patients ask about food. The surgery has a nice benefit of reducing the hunger inducing hormone reglin. But ultimately, its the restrictive nature of a smaller stomach that leads to weight loss.
So its normal and smart to ask, “What happens if my stomach stretches and I gain weight back?”
Your Stomach Can and Will Stretch After Surgery
Our stomachs have the amazing ability to stretch and expand as a result of our food intake. The walls of our stomach are made up of folds of tissue called ‘Rugae.’ These are folds in the stomach wall that expand and contract as a direct response to food entering and flowing through your stomach.
Hunger and How Food Flows Through Our Stomach
When we eat food it enters through our mouths, gets chewed and swallowed. It then flows through our esophagus into our stomach where acid starts the process of breaking the food down. As we continue to eat, more food enters the stomach and joins the rest of the food – all of which is waiting to be broken down by stomach acid.
Our stomachs expand to accommodate all of this food. When our stomachs expand far enough a signal is sent to our brains telling us, ‘That is enough food, I’m full now.’ After you’re done eating, the food is slowly broken down by your stomach acid and then the folds in your stomach contract to push the food into your intestines where digestive juices further digest your food.
The Problem
The reason many people are overweight is not because they like food more than the rest of us. Its because their hunger and full signals are broken.
Once you continue to stretch out your stomach by overeating on a regular basis the signals your stomach sends to your brain indicating fullness and hunger start to get skewed. After a while your stomach only says, ‘I’m full,’ after its severely stretched out. And it may start saying ‘Feed me,’ when its still half-full. This is why losing weight is so difficult.
When Overeating Leads to Stomach Stretching
After gastric sleeve surgery its important to keep your stomach away from the overeating cycle that can lead to a stretched stomach. If you ate too much on Thanksgiving your stomach will stretch. If you binged one night on KFC, your stomach will stretch. Your stomach is just doing its job. The good news is that it will contract.
However, if after a large meal, your next meal is a large meal and you continue this on a regular basis you risk permanently stretching your stomach. The danger is not in the size of your stomach. The danger is that you will skew the triggers for hunger and fullness. This will lead to a continued cycle of overeating, which will then lead to weight gain.
How to Prevent the Stretch After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Eating one or two large meals will not lead to a permanently stretched stomach or issues with your hunger and fullness triggers. However, doing this multiple times can lead to issues.
The list below hi-lights key points to reduce the risk of stretching your stomach after gastric sleeve surgery.
Limit volume not sweets. Instead of totally limiting every aspect of your diet, give yourself a reward once a week with a special treat limited in size. But do not go out and eat a large meal – regardless of the type of food.
Reduce the amount of fluids that you drink when you eat. Its not a bad idea to drink before you eat so that you feel full faster. But its better to drink your fluids an hour or two before eating and/or an hour or two after. This lets the fluids digest and they won’t increase the amount of gas that can build
If you do have a bigger than normal meal, make your next meal small and make sure you don’t make larger meals a habit.
If you are always feeling hungry, then eat small amounts of healthy Snacks in between meals. Almonds are a delicious and healthy way to feel satisfied in between meals.
Get a good book with healthy recipes that are geared for people who have gone through gastric sleeve surgery. We’ve got a list of ourbooks here.
DO NOT get discouraged. If you fell off the wagon and binged one or two meals or even the entire previous week. The stomach and the mind is an amazingly resilient thing. Start over and start eating normal meals again. Call your surgeon and ask for help before it gets too far out of hand.
Get on the online forums and ask others for help. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Here is a list of our favorite forums.

So stretching your stomach after gastric sleeve surgery is not a myth. It can happen and it does happen. Be aware of it and prevent it. Remember how hard the surgery and recovery was? Remember what a big decision you made? Its never too late to change your habits and get back on the right track.
http://216.70.100.66/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeve-will-my-stomach-stretch

My doctor does not require any weight loss and no pre-op diet. Was told to just eat light for 2 days before surgery. However I want to do a pre-op diet on my own to ease the adjustment of eating such a smaller amount. My insurance didn't have any required supervised diet requirement, but my surgeon requested that I saw the NUT twice. It's crazy how much the rules vary from each doctor and insurance company.

I will be doing a pre-op diet and getting sleeved during this challenge, so not sure what I should make my goal. Sleeve date is 7/24. Starting and current weight. 295 Goal weight. 260. Thanks! Tracy

Can someone tell me the name of the group on Facebook or send me a request to join? Of course I'm a day late to join! Facebook pic is same as on here and full name is Tracy Cline Musselman. Thanks

Actually I'm great I'm able to drink my fluids and getting around good. The pain is minimal I only take my pain meds like twice a day I got a headache out know where today but I read that is normal cause of the rapid weight loss. I haven't weighted myself yet I decided to wait till my first follow up appointment to see how much I lose. I'm just focusing on getting my Protein and fluids in a walking my but off.

Can't wait to come home and not be glued to the couch all night due to lack of energy.
Never been a runner, but for some reason I want to be able to run for exercise.
Stop wearing sleep apnea mask!
Cross my legs, don't ever recall being able to do so.
Not worrying about fitting in booths or how sturdy outdoor furniture is.
Shopping in normal size clothing stores and not paying $60 for a pair of pants.
Being able to ride at amusement parks. I live 30 minutes from hershey park, plan on getting a season pass next year!
Not feeling like everyone is looking at you when you're in public.
Having my husband and son benefit from the new healthily eating and getting them more active with me.
Actually being in photos instead of always taking them.
Many more that I can't think of right now. I see July 24 as the start of many good changes to come

I'm being sleeved on 7/24 in P.A., can't wait to have it done. Feels like it,s never getting here!

Can't wait to come home and not be glued to the couch all night due to lack of energy.
Never been a runner, but for some reason I want to be able to run for exercise.
Stop wearing sleep apnea mask!
Cross my legs, don't ever recall being able to do so.
Not worrying about fitting in booths or how sturdy outdoor furniture is.
Shopping in normal size clothing stores and not paying $60 for a pair of pants.
Being able to ride at amusement parks. I live 30 minutes from hershey park, plan on getting a season pass next year!
Not feeling like everyone is looking at you when you're in public.
Having my husband and son benefit from the new healthily eating and getting them more active with me.
Actually being in photos instead of always taking them.
Many more that I can't think of right now. I see July 24 as the start of many good changes to come

Kd5wrz, love your avatar! Heisenburg, LOL.
I too agree with what everyone else is saying. The odds of dying under anesthesia is very low, I would rather take the chance to improve my overall health.

Can't wait to come home and not be glued to the couch all night due to lack of energy.
Never been a runner, but for some reason I want to be able to run for exercise.
Stop wearing sleep apnea mask!
Cross my legs, don't ever recall being able to do so.
Not worrying about fitting in booths or how sturdy outdoor furniture is.
Shopping in normal size clothing stores and not paying $60 for a pair of pants.
Being able to ride at amusement parks. I live 30 minutes from hershey park, plan on getting a season pass next year!
Not feeling like everyone is looking at you when you're in public.
Having my husband and son benefit from the new healthily eating and getting them more active with me.
Actually being in photos instead of always taking them.
Many more that I can't think of right now. I see July 24 as the start of many good changes to come

i can. really no problem. i am having two 25 oz Protein shake/milk drinks every day plus these little 10oz bottles of Water, and i'm using a half of a crystal lite in them for variety. having 3 of them a day if i can but yesterday i only got in 2.
i am really going beyond what my requirements are, but i am always concerned about dehydrating and such...i am 7 days out.

I had surgery on Thursday and I haven't had any issues with liquids. I'm having around 3 Optifast a day and a ton of Water. No problem. I thought I was the only one.

This is day five for me. I made a concerted effort yesterday and got all my Clear Liquids in, and it's 4 pm today and I have 8 oz to go. It helped to realize that I could have Water with lemon instead of plain water or those nasty fake sugar drinks.< /p>

I've seen a lot of post regarding people not being able to meet their daily Fluid levels for the first couple weeks post-op. Just wondering if anyone COULD get all of the recommended ounces in shortly after surgery?

You come to the realization that you were never "big boned".

Dinner: ham hock, cauliflower mashed "potatoes" and gravy

Ok, I was a bit of a stinker, messing with a couple people this week . Early in the week I ran into a client in the post office. He is kind of creepy, always smells of liquor (even at work) and one of those guys you can never get away from once he starts talking. When he saw me, he said "wow, you look so different, what have you done?" I explained I just got a hair cut. (Which I did). My mom was coming for a visit and she hates my long scraggly hair so I got it cut short just for her. He kept going back to the "you look so different" and I kept going on about how much I like my haircut, until I could finally drag myself out to my truck. (with him following me all the way....creepo!)
Well that was so much fun, the next day, when another client asked if I had lost weight, I simply said "no, but I sure wish I could". They just stared at me like a deer in the headlights and didn't say anything else. It was all my partner could do to not laugh out loud.
I know it's a little mean, but hey, my surgery and weight loss and adventures in diarrhea and fecal transplant have been a topic of interest and entertainment for others for so long I thought I should reap some of the entertainment value, too.

PA here too, about 20 minutes south of Harrisburg where I'm having my surgery.

SHARE YOUR STORY....Here's mine
My NSV.... I have been taking Water aerobics for a few years. You may know the exercise where you lift your left knee and bring it to your right elbow. Never could quite make the connection but yesterday I DID IT!!!!!! My pool mates cheered with me!!!! It was amazing.. Thank you Lord!!!!

I'm 7/24, I would like to be your buddy too!

I'm 7/24, I would like to be your buddy too!

I really wish I could work with people who have been abused and are overweight or obese, and help them get their power and self esteem back.

You look great, congrats!

I just can't get enough of my cat loving on my Sleeve