I've been watching sleevers on YouTube and one girl said she's fallen off the wagon and is eating eating eating and is really struggling. She's had the sleeve for a year or so. Now she said that she still can't eat as big a portions as before the surgery, but she can eat two servings at dinner.

What do you do when this happens? Does your stomach stretch out a lot? What if you start re-gaining weight?

I think it's grazing that does us in. I can't eat any more now than I could a few months ago and I know some people 2 years out who can't eat any more than they could at 6 months out. But there is nothing to stop you from eating 1/2 c. at dinner, waiting 30 min. and eating another 1/2 c.

In fact, sometimes I do that to get all my Protein in. (Well, not 1/2 c. two times... but I'll put out 1/4 c. of veggies and 3 oz. of chicken and eat it in two sittings.)

The difference is that I'm in control. I'm still tracking my food and I'm still aiming for certain nutritional goals. I am eating to a plan because I decided to do this before I did it. I didn't put out my dinner, eat it all, and then go get more even though I hadn't planned on it and don't need those calories and nutrition.

It's the out-of-control eating that causes problems and I'm not sure exactly what causes that. Maybe head hunger. Maybe ghrelin coming back. Maybe some kind of unhealthy relationship with food.

I agree with Mac but it also depends on the size sleeve the person received as well as the skill level of the surgeon. When it comes to eating, you can have a full portion of food that is 300 calories or you can go high fat & calories. You're in control of what goes into your body.

I've been watching sleevers on YouTube and one girl said she's fallen off the wagon and is eating eating eating and is really struggling. She's had the sleeve for a year or so. Now she said that she still can't eat as big a portions as before the surgery, but she can eat two servings at dinner.

What do you do when this happens? Does your stomach stretch out a lot? What if you start re-gaining weight?

One of the things the band did to me was teach me to eat too slowly. Unless it is something like a piece of steak I can eat all day long if I want. Soft foods go down pretty easily and since I take forever to eat now (since banding it did something to my head, it still takes me 45 minutes to eat 1/2 cup of tuna salad, I can't force myself to eat fast) I could eat for hours. The key is to eat normally and in about 20 minutes or so, stop.

Surgery doesn't fix head hunger, that one is on us.

Since I began eating solid foods, Ive always been able to eat more than what most Sleevesters can eat.

I still, to this day, eat things that I shouldnt. I fall off the wagon on a weekly basis, hence the reason I havent lost more weight..

However, I have found that even with those problems, its truly not so hard to get back on the wagon...it just takes some willpower..which Ive never had before, but am learning.

My biggest issues is carbs....when I eat too many, I either gain or defintly dont lose...when I can cut those carbs out for about 2 days, I dont really want them as much. So, it makes it easier to get back on it.

This journey defintly doesnt end when u have surgery. Surgery is not the "cure-all" that many think it is..including me, which is what I stupidly thought before surgery. Sure, I knew I would have to do my part, but always thought it would be easy. Its not! Its a work-in-progress...an every day thing for the rest of my life type of thing. The surgery makes it easier. For those that can eat more, sometimes its due to the size of bougie that was used by the surgeon...for others, its a matter of eating way too much. And for some of us, I just think, even tho my surgeon used an average sized bougie, I believe he just made my Sleeve alot more loose than others. Sometimes I wish I could go back and get him to "tighten" it up...but I cant afford to do that....so I make the best of what I have.

So....when u fall off the wagon...get back up and try again...bc it will happen....Ive never met anyone who eats perfectly 365 days out of the year...ya know?

What size bougie do you have? You're right about everyday being a struggle and the surgery not being a cure. It's all about choices.

WASa is right about the calories too. I tell people that when I was eating 1200 calories a day that I could easily eat 1500 just by making different choices and not changing my frequency or volume or I could eat 800 a day just by making other choices.

Right now I'm actually trying to eat more so I stop losing weight, but I want to do it in a healthy way that doesn't encourage bad habits.

I'm 7 months out now, and I too have a problem with eating, but it is mental more than anything.

There are times when I forget to eat and other times, I just eat, due to habit.

If you can't control what you eat, or how often and aren't losing weight, then you may want to consider doing the DS.

There is now another thing out there that is supposed to help if things get to out of control and your stomach stretches is the Stomax I think it is called, where they put something in your stomach and it makes zig zags to make your stomach smaller.

I lost 81 lbs since Nov 3/08 but still have 160 lbs to go, and it is hard, I just have to watch my calorie and fat intake better and if that doesn't work, my surgeon said from day one, I would probably need the 2nd stage of the DS, due to the fact that I had so much to lose.

Nancy

The Stomaphyx is for RnY, btw. It wouldn't work with a sleeve.

The Stomaphyx is for RnY, btw. It wouldn't work with a sleeve.

Sadly, it doesn't work for bypass either. It's turned out to be a huge failure.

They use clips and essentially tack the folds of the pouch to tighten it up. They have Stomaphyx, Rose, and Revise. None of them work. It appears the tacks break as soon as the person starts on solid food.

People usually lose about 20# on the post op diet and as soon as they start on solids they regain their 20#. Very sad considering most people are self pay and the procedure is anywhere from $5K - $10K. Honestly, I do not understand why doctors are doing a procedure they know is not going to work.

The Stomaphyx is for RnY, btw. It wouldn't work with a sleeve.

I didn't know that, see, lol.

Thanks for letting me know, cos I thought it was for our op as well.

Nancy:tongue_smilie:

It IS possible to fall off the wagon, especially in my line of work - I'm a pastry chef:) I always struggle with carbs!!! I have finally come to the conclusion that if I'm going to have to test product that I have to do WAY more excercise. The trouble with carbs is that once you start back in it's hard to stop. I am trying to move my biz into a retail location so that the bad stuff is not always around. I'm not particularly tempted when I'm busting my butt to get a cake done, but afterwards if there is leftover buttercream and cake or other crap it calls my name:(

Wish they would do a lobotomy with the procedure! LOL!

Tammy

LOL - that's gotta be hard, being a pastry chef and trying not to eat carbs :confused1: I run a small side biz, making "comfort food" casseroles for my computer geek friends in the area (they're single and don't really cook) so they aren't eating out every meal. It can be difficult not to eat it all myself - I'm pre-op, so it really is hard not to just keep packing on the pounds tasting my food.

I'm remembering the mantra of a couple friends of mine - three bites Protein to one bite of anything else.

Yes, that is good advice! Also an old WW trick - chew gum while you're cooking to avoid BLT's (bites, licks and tastes).

Hummmmm, chewing gum while cooking, never thought of that, and it just might work, lol.

Thanks for the idea.

Hugs,

Nancy

I also had someone mention that if you work with sweets and pastries, sip on something very tart like lemonade or water with lemon juice in it while you're working, as it doesn't go well with icing and such because it's so sweet.