tdubbz

I got the sleeve in October 2017. I was down 135lbs and it felt great. Last April I started to gain a little back. I wasn’t surprised since I wasn’t being as strict as I had been. Unfortunately, it has snowballed and I have gained 35lbs back. I feel like I never had the surgery and my sweet tooth is out of control. Could I have stretched my stomach out back to the size it was? How can I shrink it? Help! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I got the sleeve in October 2017. I was down 135lbs and it felt great. Last April I started to gain a little back. I wasn’t surprised since I wasn’t being as strict as I had been. Unfortunately, it has snowballed and I have gained 35lbs back. I feel like I never had the surgery and my sweet tooth is out of control. Could I have stretched my stomach out back to the size it was? How can I shrink it? Help! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

We have the same surgery date. I have also gained some weight back. I hate to blame the pandemic but its affected a lot of people. I lost my job and depression set in. I went back to drinking diet coke. It's my downfall for sure. I too have wondered if my stomach has stretched out. I've had a lot of health problems. Back pain. So I am very limited of what I can do for excercises. it takes everything I have to get a shower. I want the last four years back. I turn 52 in a couple of months but feel like I should be turning 92 lol

Well, I am still on my liquid pre-op diet, and I don't find it heart-breakingly bad...I think if I need to jolt my system, I'll try that again for a week. (I have candy for visitors on my desk, and have not touched it, and I adore sweets, so..)

There is not a way to shrink your stomach. Although I doubt you really stretched it. It sounds like your not necessarily eating too much food at one sitting but rather eating the wrong foods and perhaps even eating too many times a day?? If that’s the case you just have to go back to your weight loss plan and eat on plan foods. IF your stomach is “stretched” that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It can be done without the restriction. I have been able to physically eat more than I am supposed to at every phase of this process for some reason so I just have to measure my food and eat what I’m supposed to and that seems to be working. Yes, I do tend to want to continue to eat until I feel that full feeling but I know I really shouldn’t so I stop and in a few minutes I do tend to feel satisfied (I think that part is a mind thing).

If you have a sweet tooth and that is what is causing the overeating and possibly the weight gain, consider stopping all sugar. For many people, if they do not eat it, they do not crave it. Some people find they need to give up fruit and artificial sweeteners too, but I didn't find that personally.
Keep the sweets OUT OF YOUR HOUSE! If someone else in your house NEEDS sweets, have them eat them somewhere not around you and ask them to put them in a certain cupboard that you don't go into, or keep them in their car or something.
Probably you have not stretched your stomach. You don't need to "shrink" your stomach (and really, there is no way to do that). You need to find a way to avoid the foods that cause you to overeat. Can you distract yourself when you have a craving? Talk a walk, watch a YouTube exercise video, take a hot shower/bath, read a book, color, etc? For many people, once they wait an hour by distracting themselves, they usually can make it without eating.
You may also consider meeting with a therapist who specializes in eating disorder, or call your original surgery center for help. I have noticed that not everyone has these options, but you do have the option to avoid sweets (I have a sweet tooth too, so I understand!)
Good luck!

So I had my first gain! I have been doing great and down 70lbs. Didn’t have a great week so I am not surprised but still upset. Scared its going to keep happening! Feel like I have been needing more food to feel satisfied and have been eating more! Any suggestions to get back on track?

Surgery date was July 17/2017
Lost Almost 65-70 lbs. I have a couple questions! Why do I crave sugar so much to the point where I seem like a person that needs their drugs! I was NOT like this before having surgery! Also can some doctors not make your pouch very small? I feel I can eat wayyyyy more then other sleevers! Also how much Water should we drink an hour? Or does it matter? I try to drink as much as I can to meet at least 64 ounces a day! I hear some people say only 4 oz and hr but then I wouldn’t meet my goals bcuz I don’t wake up that early! Please people I’m so scared I feel from eating all the junk I’m stretching my pouch more and more! I talked to the nurse that is with my surgeon and she said I shouldn’t be craving this early! Like what! Did my surgeon do something wrong? I stop myself from eating sometimes bcuz I crave so much bad stuff!!! Could it be stress eating? I know this surgery is just a tool! But I thought I wouldn’t crave! He fixed a hernia at the same if this helps!! I’m ready to just give up on all this! I use to crave burgers and tacos before surgery and that’s why I got so big! But now! All I want is donuts and Twix I’m so lost people! I wish I never had this surgery before! I wish there was no such thing named food

Yes all she did was give me a copy of a sample menu & told me to not eat more than a 1,000 cal per day! But I noticed this cute little small plate that was divided into 3 section. I asked her about it, first she told me she bought it from target & then told me that that plate can hold 1 cup of food which is what my entire meal should be for each sitting! that was a encouraging reminder so she did help a little!

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Was just talking to my surgeon about this earlier this week. It's normal, especially if you've been working out. He says generally give it a week or two and it turns around. Make sure to record your food, as mentioned above. If you've upped your workout, you may need to slightly up your calories as well. Your body can react. But I agree, maybe up your Protein, reduce your carbs. Keep up with the Fluid. and keep exercising.
good luck!

From what I’ve read. More Protein.< br>

no sugar - less that 10 added sugar per day) no more than 3 pieces of fruit per week and never drink fruit juice
low carb - under 80 grams per day
if you have any meals with very little fat try to add fat to that meal. Fat makes you feel full but doesnt spike blood sugar which in turn keeps insulin down.
make sure your hitting Protein target.
use food app or go back to food app if you have drifted away from recording every item you eat
the feeling you need more food sounds like low fat diet to me.
Take all daily with A HUGE grain of salt (lol)
and read the comics daily cause lord knows the rest of the news is depressing as hell
good luck

I am kinda freaking out! Had gastric sleeve in October and my hair is significantly falling out. I know it is a part of the weight loss surgery journey but I feel if it keeps falling out at the rate it is I am going to be bald. What is everyone’s experience with this? Will it stop? If so when?

According to my discharge directions "avoid alcohol (it's empty calories, and irritates the new stomach)". There are two phases to weight loss surgery - the weight loss phase and the maintenance phase. The weight loss phase is short - perhaps 2 years for sleeve patients. It is important to maximize your weight loss during the weight loss phase, so I recommend not drinking an occasional glass of wine during the first 2 years.

Congrats on you weightloss!! I am in the same boat and I am freaking out but just hang in there take it one day at a time!!!! You can do this!!!!

It's Lily's chocolate--I ordered it from Walmart, but I know Amazon sells it, as does Thrive Market online. I'm sure there are other places as well

Hi there. My surgeon and dietician both said no carbonated drinks. Of course I was like you and said why? They both said because it will cause bloating as it's a gas, in turn it will cause swelling of the pouch, causing pain and fullness.
Hope this helps. I'm avoiding them all together.

There is powder packs you can buy similar to Crystal light, but has flavors like the sodas squirt, root beer, orange crush, strawberry.
I've had them and I like them.

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I can somewhat relate since I'm also hypothyroid.
You won't lose weight every single week. Sleeved life involves losing weight with occasional stalls and plateaus, then perhaps even gaining Water weight before the pounds start dropping again.
Accept the reality that you won't lose every week. Accept the reality that you won't lose 20 to 30 pounds monthly due to hypothyroidism combined with the fact that you weren't super morbidly obese on surgery day.
Once you accept these realities, sleeved life will be more tolerable.
It took me 17+ months to lose 100 pounds and reach my goal weight. With the exception of the first 2 months, all of my losses had been single digit (1 to 7 pounds lost each month).
Keep plugging at it. The speed and rate of your weight loss doesn't matter in the long run. What matters is your ability to keep it off for life. Yes, it's the maintenance phase that carries all the weight (no pun intended).
Good luck to you and be patient. You've got this.

No but it sounds great! You got it at the Vitamin Shoppe?

CRAZY noises and stinky farts for whatever reason. Certainly not from the foods, since that's minimal.

Oh yes - my stomach is very talky right now, and I think this is absolutely normal. I even love that - this just reminds me that I still have one (at least a tiny part of it!!!)

350 cal is fine for a week out. I didn't get nearly that many. Calories don't matter this early.. spend your time counting Fluid and Protein.
You're doing great!

Mine sounds like an amplified symphony of percussion intruments!!! And I am struggling to get in Water goals and Protein to an extent - shakes are filling and getting old - ack! I am barely consuming 350 calories and that's not good.

I think it's still gas from the surgery. My tummy was super loud for the first month, then things gradually became more normal.

I have them too especially when I drink the shake! It's so embarrassing when I'm around people!! Argh !