Haven't been here in a while! Update

[JillianMarie 0]

Hi all!

Hopefully everyone is doing great, I haven't posted in quite some time so I wanted to update. The last time I posted i believe I had mentioned that I wasn't feeling restriction anymore, and that it took quite a bit of food to make me full. This was NOT the case post-op initially. For about 6 weeks I had great restriction, but after moving to solid foods i got where i could gradually eat more and more, and when i say that I don't mean that i was testing myself and trying to stretch my sleeve, I mean that my hunger was returning and I felt satisfied only when I ate more. I have tried several things over the past few months to try to experiment and see if it was just my eating behavior, the foods I ate, the timing, or something I was doing wrong. Well, I tried going on a liquid diet to re-shrink my sleeve, and it was unsuccessful. I also tried the 5 day pouch test, and found that I can eat MUCH more dense Protein (cottage cheese, grilled chicken, etc...) than I should be able to eat at this time out (a little over 4 months). My hunger has returned and my stomach actually growls again! It hasn't done that since I was pre-op!

I had an upper GI done about a week ago, and it showed that my stomach has stretched quite a bit. Probably due to the fact that it was abnormally elastic to begin with. I feel NO restriction anymore, and if I chose to, I could literally sit and eat for two hours straight. I of course, practice self control and don't let myself do that. But, I have found myself having to try to diet and go hungry again. This isn't fun. I have talked to my surgeon who thinks that I should either undergo the DS or be re-sleeved. I am greatly considering being re-sleeved. Does anyone know someone who has had to have this procedure revised?

Thanks!!

[educationrulz 18]

I'm sorry to hear about what's happened with your sleeve. I guess this is one of those outcomes that many of us worry about. It sounds like you're finally getting some solid info that you can work with to make an informed decision. Hopefully you'll be able to get enough info from your surgeon about the specifics of your sleeve immediately postop (such as how small it was, oversewing used, stretchy part remaining etc.) to be able to decide if the revision or DS is the best option for you. If possible, I would consider getting a second opinion - just to be cautious.

Best wishes and please keep us updated. I know everyone else will be rooting for you as much as I am.

[Nantie 0]

Hello, I'm from Tuscaloosa and I had my sleeve about 7 weeks ago. I too can eat more than I was told I would be able to. I have been trying hard not to over eat also, but today has been harder than most. The doctor told me 2 weeks ago that it would soon kick in that I would feel the restriction that I want. I am still hoping and praying for that. If I had a chance to go back and redo I would and tell the doctor to take out more stomach so that it is very tight. I will be checking back to catch up on what you do. good luck and prayers are with you.

[Tiffykins 672]

Jillian, I hope you find resolution and maybe a reason why your stomach continues to stretch unlike all of the other sleeve patients that do not experience this phenom issue that you have with super elastic stomach tissue.

Are you gaining weight? Or have you been able to maintain your weight? You didn't have much to lose at just 35lbs, so I'm wondering if you were able to lose those pounds.

I can eat double what I could at 2-3 months out, but I still can't eat more than 1 cup of food. If I were to try, I'm sure I'd be puking. I know you struggled in the beginning with eating more than the recommended amounts, do the doctors think this contributed to your stretching?

I'd be really careful at your current weight looking at getting DS. The malabsorption is nothing to play with, and getting the sleeve made smaller is a super risky, and dangerous surgery. It's not even recommended by some of the top notch surgeons, and I highly doubt your first surgeon has ever performed one himself. Considering you didn't get any support from them when you were struggling, I really hope you consider going to an experienced revision surgeon especially if you want the sleeve made smaller. Which if your stomach is just super elastic, and you overeat again early out, making it even smaller won't last forever.

Good luck in whatever you decide is best for you, and your future health.

[mp8btpc 32]

Well SH*T,

I have been worrying that this same thing may be happening to me also. I think I can eat wayyy to much for my 6 week post op status. Compared to what most of the "successful" sleevers report being able to eat, my appettite is huge. Don't get me wrong I get full on a lot less then I used to but I can still eat a fairly large amount. The other day I ate a half a small sub sandwhich from Port of Subs. I was pretty full but I figure most people at my stage couldn't eat that. I worry I am going to stretch it. I wondered also if it did happen if for some reason my surgeons pouch was not small enough if it could be revised. That is looking like it is not the case huh?

Your avatar pic looks great. Hopefully you have not had a regain.

[sleeve 4 me 910]

Hi all!

Hopefully everyone is doing great, I haven't posted in quite some time so I wanted to update. The last time I posted i believe I had mentioned that I wasn't feeling restriction anymore, and that it took quite a bit of food to make me full. This was NOT the case post-op initially. For about 6 weeks I had great restriction, but after moving to solid foods i got where i could gradually eat more and more, and when i say that I don't mean that i was testing myself and trying to stretch my sleeve, I mean that my hunger was returning and I felt satisfied only when I ate more. I have tried several things over the past few months to try to experiment and see if it was just my eating behavior, the foods I ate, the timing, or something I was doing wrong. Well, I tried going on a liquid diet to re-shrink my sleeve, and it was unsuccessful. I also tried the 5 day pouch test, and found that I can eat MUCH more dense Protein (cottage cheese, grilled chicken, etc...) than I should be able to eat at this time out (a little over 4 months). My hunger has returned and my stomach actually growls again! It hasn't done that since I was pre-op!

I had an upper GI done about a week ago, and it showed that my stomach has stretched quite a bit. Probably due to the fact that it was abnormally elastic to begin with. I feel NO restriction anymore, and if I chose to, I could literally sit and eat for two hours straight. I of course, practice self control and don't let myself do that. But, I have found myself having to try to diet and go hungry again. This isn't fun. I have talked to my surgeon who thinks that I should either undergo the DS or be re-sleeved. I am greatly considering being re-sleeved. Does anyone know someone who has had to have this procedure revised?

Thanks!!

What size sleeve did you have done?

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I worry that I am able to eat too much, I can eat an entire small boneless breast of chicken, I have no idea how many ounces that is, I guesstimate it at 4-5 ounces. Mixed up with some mayo and mustard as chicken salad I can eat the entire thing over the course of an hour. And it is suddenly psychologically difficult to stay within my 600 calories, I wonder if I am self-sabotaging...

[educationrulz 18]

I worry that I am able to eat too much, I can eat an entire small boneless breast of chicken, I have no idea how many ounces that is, I guesstimate it at 4-5 ounces. Mixed up with some mayo and mustard as chicken salad I can eat the entire thing over the course of an hour. And it is suddenly psychologically difficult to stay within my 600 calories, I wonder if I am self-sabotaging...:sad0:

Why on earth are you trying to eat 600 calories a day?! :ohmy: I don't think that would keep an invalid's body going all day. That doesn't seem like a healthy amount to intentionally eat and it's going to cause big stalls at some point. Sorry...off topic.

[Tiffykins 672]

I worry that I am able to eat too much, I can eat an entire small boneless breast of chicken, I have no idea how many ounces that is, I guesstimate it at 4-5 ounces. Mixed up with some mayo and mustard as chicken salad I can eat the entire thing over the course of an hour. And it is suddenly psychologically difficult to stay within my 600 calories, I wonder if I am self-sabotaging...:ohmy:

I can eat that same amount over an hour if I eat super slow, and use Condiments.

For my program, it specifies to keep meals to no longer than 30 minutes to avoid overeating. Just sharing my experience. . .

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Tiff - Yeah, I worry that my meals are stretching out so long they are starting to resemble grazing and I really miss vegetables.

Mary - I'm on 600 cals because that is what my surgeon told me to do. I don't want to second guess him, but at the same time, I'm just not seeing results. This is supposed to be the serious honeymoon period where major weight should be melting off and it just isn't. I just don't know what to do.

[chilo1 62]

Tiff - Yeah, I worry that my meals are stretching out so long they are starting to resemble grazing and I really miss vegetables.

Mary - I'm on 600 cals because that is what my surgeon told me to do. I don't want to second guess him, but at the same time, I'm just not seeing results. This is supposed to be the serious honeymoon period where major weight should be melting off and it just isn't. I just don't know what to do.

MAybe the inches are coming off if not the pounds? Do you not have a way to contact your surgeon. I feel that your organism needs a good kick somehow to start losing again, I know you don't have many options out there, but maybe make some changes in what you're eating? Just a thought, it's confusing though that eating so little you're not losing though:confused1:

[Globetrotter 1,340]

MAybe the inches are coming off if not the pounds? Do you not have a way to contact your surgeon. I feel that your organism needs a good kick somehow to start losing again, I know you don't have many options out there, but maybe make some changes in what you're eating? Just a thought, it's confusing though that eating so little you're not losing though:confused1:

Yeah, I'm going to email him today and ask but the last time I did that I was only 5 weeks out or so and I wrote him, worried about my slow loss. He told me at that time that if I stayed within 600 calories and got at least 30 minutes of exercise a day that I would lose. Well I do both and I average only 1-2 pounds a week. :sad0:

[Lori21769 14]

I have been able to eat half a sub since about 3 months out. I can eat two slices of pizza. I have always been able to eat more than Tiff, and some of the others on here. I am losing, and not unhappy with my progress at all. I am eating less than half of what I ate pre-surgery, and that is good enough.

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

Yeah, I'm going to email him today and ask but the last time I did that I was only 5 weeks out or so and I wrote him, worried about my slow loss. He told me at that time that if I stayed within 600 calories and got at least 30 minutes of exercise a day that I would lose. Well I do both and I average only 1-2 pounds a week. :confused::sad0:

How much have you lost overall (and how long since your surgery)? I was losing fast at first, but over the last 3 weeks it seems that about 2 lbs/week is the norm for me. I do 4-5 hours of moderate-high intensity exercise per week - think dance or weight-lifting, not cleared for running yet, and I make sure to walk about 30 mins every day. While 1-2 lbs/week is pretty much how I'd lose weight pre-surgery, when I look at the overall amount of weight I've lost since the surgery, I've definitely lost more than I ever could have without the sleeve - not to mention, I don't have to worry about hunger or resisting binge urges. Even if you are losing 1-2 pounds weekly, it's still a breeze compared to dieting pre-sleeve, IMO. There's 52 weeks in a year, so you are looking at losing 50-100 lbs in a year at this rate!

[Lisalu 89]

Jillian,

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It sounds very frustrating and discouraging.

I have a bunch of questions. Did they measure your stomach after surgery (once the swelling went down)? I guess they would need to do this with an xray and some contrast medium like barium. If they didn't, I'm not sure how they could know your stomach stretched as opposed to having a too large sleeve. Also do they know why your stomach stretched? I think it could be because you have a super-elastic stomach, but it also might be because you don't have the same full sensors that others have. I'm NOT blaming you for your predicament, but I am curious about the origin of your problem. It might make a difference in how it can be treated.

Please keep us posted.