I have read that one of the concerns or downsides of this procedure is that the stomach tube can stretch to accomodate more. What I don't understand is,i can't even gulp 4 ounces without getting hit with a wave of nausea. So how is it possible to even make it expand?? Also,isn't the part of the stomach that was removed the part that is stretchy while what is left isn't supposed too??

Here's another topic with my standard reply:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/15965-my-dr-says-my-sleeve-can-stretch-really-quickly/page__p__135033__hl__stretching__fromsearch__1#entry135033

I'm sure someone else can answer this better than me, but yes, you can stretch your sleeve. But as you mentioned the stretchiest part was cut out. The part that we are left with is more muscular and therefore less liable to stretch. The healing process takes about 6 weeks after surgery, so the further out from surgery the more you should be able to consume due to loss of swelling (although my doctor said the swelling can come and go so each day is different). It takes about 6 months for our sleeves to mature so until then we really won't be able to eat to full capacity.

If it does it won't be much. As a matter of fact for myself if I had known how little the stomache was going to stay in size I probably would not have had this surgery.

I wasn't told it wouldn't stretch hardly at all. they said it could stretch if you didn't eat right but they left out the part about starting with a 4 ounce sleeve and ending up at about 6 tops. They did tell me they were taking out the part of the stomach that sent signals that you are hungry.

Well like I said if it stretches it won't be much from everything I have read, lots of good info on here and lots of folks who have been through this so a great place to find out stuff, wish I would have found the site a month ago lol.

Good Luck

well, from an oldie but goodie here, i am 18 months out now and i can just bearly finish a spa lean cuisine. Can't usually finish a breakfast taco, usually am not hungry at lunch, can just bearly eat a 4oz greek yogurt. . . but i can eat often, just not much. . . i still have lots of restriction here. . .

me too thin! I am nearly a year out and my comfortable fullness is about 6-7 oz depending on what I am eating... i still weigh my food!! =]

Speaking for my own personal experience, I'm nine months out and my sleeve is still very tight. I can usually only finish about 2-3 oz of meat, a little bit of veggie and *maybe* a few bites of another side dish. Not much at all really. I'm finding it difficult to get up to around 1200 calories per day. I have to mix in Protein shakes and soft foods to get there. If I had only 3 sqares solids per day I'd barely break 600 calories I'm sure.

Good luck! I don't think you need worry too much.

If it does it won't be much. As a matter of fact for myself if I had known how little the stomache was going to stay in size I probably would not have had this surgery.

I wasn't told it wouldn't stretch hardly at all. they said it could stretch if you didn't eat right but they left out the part about starting with a 4 ounce sleeve and ending up at about 6 tops. They did tell me they were taking out the part of the stomach that sent signals that you are hungry.

Well like I said if it stretches it won't be much from everything I have read, lots of good info on here and lots of folks who have been through this so a great place to find out stuff, wish I would have found the site a month ago lol.

Good Luck

You're not alone.

All the way through my program, which due to multiple issues stretched on and on, I was in more than one class where we were told that we would eventually end up eating 8 ounces of food, with that spread as a meal. Protein/veggies combined. We would have 3 meals with 2 small Snacks. That was why it was so important to eat that way for months before surgery. This was stated over and over in many different ways. Now 2 months out the story has changed. Now they are saying that what I have now (a 3 ounce capacity give or take depending on the density of the food) will increase by about 25% with maturity. Do the math. I pressed them simply because I hate that they are continuing to lie to people. They were not happy with being pressed and seemed to think maybe it was my responsibility to make this work.

Yes, in the support meeting there is no question that some people can do 8 ounces. Without fail they are called men. The longer the torso it seems, the longer the sleeve.

Truthfully, I don't miss food. I think that's just dumb luck on my part. So its not really an issue about not being able to eat but more that I feel I will not be able to have the nutrition I need and will not be able to support the two major surgeries I have coming....a hip and knee replacement. And it's the lie. Why don't they just say that some people may be stuck at 4 ounces of food per "meal"?

The truth is, I'd read enough to know they were probably not being truthful. But I guess every surgeon is different and I felt he did his procedure in such a way that he knew what the results would be. I was wrong. And I'm happy for those who love their sleeve. But I think people should know the truth before they are cut.