Hello everyone! And Happy New Year. I just wanted to ask a few questions.

I am almost to week 4 and have read lots of postings about eating a cookie here and there and treats around the holidays. Since I have moved to soft foods (off liquids - yay!), I have been concerned with the fact that I am able to eat more than most people seem to say they can eat on here.

I am reminded by my family and friends I am barely eating compared to pre-surgery, but I get nervous. I don't want to stretch my stomach or ruin the effects of going through this surgery.

Is it possible to stretch your stomach just 3 weeks out? How does it stretch, what foods stretch it and will it ever shrink again if you do stretch it?

I guess I just have been feeling like this is too good to be true, and getting scared that I may not continue to lose weight or be successful.

Has anyone else had these fears? Has everyone been perfectly strict since surgery or has anyone had "bad" days and then continued to lose?

I try to wake each day with a Protein shake, since I know it is hard to get enough with my solid foods until I get in a routine. But I am doubting my diet and education, and don't want to screw this up.

Anyone else going through this or feeling this way?

I am eating the foods on the allowed list, I guess I just feel like I eat too much. I think I am rambling, but I hope you all get the picture.

Share your experiences, successes, failures and thoughts please!

Thanks,

Rachel

Hey Rachel, it is getting to where at most meals I can eat anywhere from 4-6 oz of food at a meal now. like tonight I ate 2 oz of cube steak, with about 3 oz of different veggies. It is getting easier other than trying to find something to drink that really taste good and most meals I have no idea what to eat. I am getting so down and tonight I was talking to my husband and started crying. I haven't cried since my surgery. He had the RNY done on the 28th of Dec and has no problems with foods. He is already on soft foods and our Doctor is great with it. Mostly he still eats alot of muchie stuff but he can eat stuff that would really hurt me. He drinks so much better than me also and that is very frustrating.

he also wants me to stop reading all of this negative stuff on the internet about people losing the weight and then regaining it. i don't know he just thinks i am getting way too down.

I haven't read about anyone regaining, and I don't want to! I know you and I are in similiar situations. But just since watching what I was eating and being more meticulous, I have felt better and I know this will work for us. It isn't easy, but I know that it will be so much more wonderful when we get to goal weight.

PM me and we can exchange our numbers and call each other for support. I think that eventually we will be in a better place than the RNY as far as malnutrition, dumping and eating bits of everything once in a while without having to hide from certain things. That freedom was alluring to me.

We have both lost more than we would have prior to having surgery, at least for me that is true. I was down like you last week, I was really doubting the surgery and if it was for me, but I really do think it is and we can do this.

We can pick each other up when needed. Dry your tears and be glad we are already going through the hard parts, because it means we are that much closer to the good parts!

Hang in there, call or write me privately if you need some girl talk!

I can definitely tell that this will be on of those threads that I read and re-read when I am a few weeks out from my surgery. Thanks to all the "vetrans" out there offering support and advice - us "newbies" really need it.

I have also heard about people gaining the weight back after having RNY or lapband, but never heard of anyone gaining back on the sleeve. Sure some will naturally gain some after losing a lot, but I don't see how anyone could get back to their pre-sleeve weight. I mean, can anyone who has been sleeved sit down and eat a whole pizza, gallon of ice cream, 12oz steak, etc., I think a lot of us, especially me, will eat until no more will go in. Then I feel like I never want to eat again. I am hoping with the sleeve I will feel the same way after one piece of pizza. Hmmm, now I made myself hungry only one day left for the food funeral...

I have also heard about people gaining the weight back after having RNY or lapband, but never heard of anyone gaining back on the sleeve. Sure some will naturally gain some after losing a lot, but I don't see how anyone could get back to their pre-sleeve weight. I mean, can anyone who has been sleeved sit down and eat a whole pizza, gallon of ice cream, 12oz steak, etc., I think a lot of us, especially me, will eat until no more will go in. Then I feel like I never want to eat again. I am hoping with the sleeve I will feel the same way after one piece of pizza. Hmmm, now I made myself hungry only one day left for the food funeral...

I'm only 5 months out, but I just can't see gaining back any significant weight. Granted, I still have 27 pounds to go to reach goal and the get to live the life of maintenance. I just can't eat that much and just one bite to many makes me feel awful. We made homemade individual pizzas last night (during the Cowboys game) and I made one about the size of a small bread plate for myself. Loaded it with Protein and veggies. There was NO way I could eat it all. In fact, I only at 1/4 of it and a couple bites of salad and I was DONE. Nothing else for the evening except a cup of hot tea and bottle of Water hours later.

I know that there are always slider foods (milkshakes, high calorie smoothies) that can contribute to weight gain, but that's just not me. I like to eat real food that requires chewing. With my sleeve, I tend to gravitate naturally now to the protein and just can't eat much of it.

Thank you Linda, it is always good to hear from the veteran sleevers. I am getting excited (start my preop diet tommorow). I have been shopping online for my goal reward to myself.. LOL.. kinda premature I know, but things like that will help keep me on track. I think I want to be "not fat" and in shape more than about anything I can think of.. So tired of this,, heard a little kid say to his mom the other day while I held the door open for them,, "nice fat man".. auughhhh,, ruined my day for sure...

All that vegetarian food is fine. I would watch the carb count on yogurt though. eggs and cheese don't have carbs! Do you eat fish? fish is a great protein!

Honestly, this is all so simple, it could not get any easier. I know in the beginning, I had all the thoughts that all of you are having.

Once I moved to solid food, it was difficult to eat. I had a hard time figuring out how much to eat and ate too much and it was painful. It does take your brain the 20 min. to tell your stomach it's full. I had to go by

looking at the size of portion. I ate a lot of those tiny cans of already made chicken salad in a can that is right next to the tuna in the store, when I was on the mushy/soft stage. Then, on solids, I would look at the food, and imagine if it would fit in that can.

Head hunger is another story completely. It does get better for most people. There are still people who struggle with head hunger all the time, because they are used to being able to eat anything they want, whenever they want.

I was hungry on the liquid stage. My stomach growled and I could not wait to get to the next stage, but I was too worried about that staple line to move to the next stage before I was supposed to. I just drank liquid whenever my stomach growled.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you need to. We love helping. I don't know that I consider myself a veteran, because there are people who have had their sleeves for a couple of years now. All I know is now, I don't worry about anything and I eat because I am supposed to. There are times that I eat because I know I haven't eaten anything in a long time, not because I am hungry.

Honestly, I am tired of buying new clothes. I am tired of liking something and the next time I try it on, it's too big. I know it's a good thing, but I am glad I am at goal now and I try to stay out of the stores.

I hope this helps someone!

anyone that wants to ask me anything, send me a private message and I will be happy to answer if I can! I lost 100 lbs and it was easy!:001_smile::lol0:

thank you so much for your encouragement and help! i guess it feels too good to be true! i asked another question in a new thread about swallowing and swelling! maybe you can help!

My Doctor also said (after my direct question) the part of your stomach that is taken away is the part that stretches, the thicker harder muscle part is what is left. And it is very hard to stretch it. He said it will only stretch about 2 extra oz's. and that's it.

.

My doctor also told me when asked that the most my sleeve will stretch is 3-5 % over 5yrs

I am almost 3 months out and I love the info you newbies are giving about the streching issue. I guess I did not know it was possible so I did not have it as a question in my mind. I eat 1/8 of what "normal" people eat and I am completely satisfied. That is about 4 or 5 large bites of a gormet type hamburger. Loved every bit. But, I was ful!!! I just eat part of what my hubby orders. If I order any thing it is soup and that I only eat 1/2 of when it gets there. It is starting to feel normal to me. I have so much energy, and sleep like a baby on valium. I take no pain meds or sleep meds. I am going to the Dr. to get a complete blood workup done. Just to make sure all levels are good. on the 15th. I kind hope I can get off of the thyroid meds I am on. It would be so great to be 63 and no meds! With what I am eating, there is no way I can gain. I will continue to loose until I get to goal then I will probably have the chore of trying to stay up to goal weight. I am just all giggly thinking about that. What a chore to have!

This works, this works, this works!