Hi everyone,

I was sleeved on Mar. 23/12 and before surgery I didn't do a preop diet, so I will always remember the surgeon saying to me that when he took out my stomach he said " you had a really big stomach". Then he used a 32 boogie (if that is what it's called), and so I think my stomach is like an accordion and because it was stretched out so much when he cut it that it is actually too small now!

I don't enjoy anything that I use to like to eat... Last night I was eating cod, rice and salad I had a few mouthfuls and I had to throw up! I have lost 30lbs, so far which I am happy about, but at the same time I think I have only 30lbs left to go and if I don't find a way to increase the amount that I am able to eat then I will probably starve to death ...(slight exaggeration), I remember seeing some pictures of girls with anorexia and I think 'I don't want to be extremely skinny'! I heard that drinking coffee can expand your pouch so I was thinking of doing that.

I am wondering if it will ever get any better, because I eat so little now, I think that I can't possibly maintain my weight after I am at my goal weight... scary thot..

I'm wondering if it's the rice that made you throw up. I hear its hard to digest and normally its not suggested being eaten until much later than where you're at now. Just a thought...

That's what I was thinking. I'm 3 months post op and can't tolerate rice. Ill try again at 6 months. Interested in hearing if coffee stretches the sleeve? I hv a cup of decaf every morning.

I have heard soda will stretch your sleeve.

You drink coffee every day? How much are you able to eat now, and how far along were you before you started drinking coffee? I am tempted but I know it dehydrates you and I have a hard time getting in all the water needed. I just don't have an appetite anymore, and I hear of people on here that still love to eat, and I mis that...

If you got in a few mouthfuls of anything, I promise you that your sleeve is bigger than mine! I am 3 months out and can still only hold an ounce. That is two regular bites. If I take the 3rd one, it will come back out; either spit out or thrown up. I really think that they took too much of mine out. I believe it is about the size of my finger. I also never want to eat. I don't really like anything any more. I have already lost 76#. That is wild! I truly hope mine relaxes over time. It is every hard existing like this. I would still have it done though. I would just tell him, not so tight, if I could go back.

I had my surgery March 20, 2012 and was so tight that I was miserable ALL the time. I burped uncontrollablely more so when I ate but it occurred even when I wasn't eating. My NP told me my surgeon made my stomach really small but I would adjust as I continued to heal. And sure enough as each day passes it's getting better and better. I'm able to eat a little bit more and the burping only occurs when I'm full. My fear of never being able to enjoy food and be "normal" has now been replaced with have I stretched my stomach is my restriction gone? This whole journey has been one big huge mind trip I tell you but I am trying like mad to make this work for me. Hang in there...it WILL get better.

Wow!! A sleeve that is so tight that you can't more than a few mouthfuls, that sounds like me too! Don't you fear that when you are at your goal weight that you have to eat more than that to maintain? That is what I fear.

HopeThruFaith are you saying that you feel like your restriction has eased up quite a bit? What did you eat to make it so? Thanks for sharing!!

Yes my restriction has "relaxed" quite a bit. I'm sure with the healing process and the reduction of swelling I'm able to eat a little more. One thing I did notice and am excited about is being able to drink more. I am JUST now getting to the point to where I can drink my 64 oz of water. I'm still struggling with my protein shakes though.

I think you are trying to eat too much. Remember, start with your Protein. If there is room for anything else, then you can try it. We went out to dinner last night. I had less than half a chicken breast and a few bites of mashed potatoes. I didn't have any rooom for the roasted vegtables. I brought home 80% of my dinner and will eat from it for the next couple of days.

food doesn't interest me anymore. I used to live to eat. I'd be planning my next meal while eating. It's a great feeling to feel in control. May this is how an person w an eating disorder feels. This difference is, I still follow my program and work to get my protein and Water in. I'm losing slowly and know that one day I'll have to work harder at losing weight. Our sleeves do stretch out. So take advantage of the tightness now and loss all you can.

My doctor told me no caffeine as it can cause ulcers.

That is a really good point, that I should look at it as a temporary situation and that the stomach will eventually expand. I was just getting scared that I would fade away slowly, because I have never eaten so little in all of my life, I eat less that my 8yr. old and she is a very light eater. So, I will count my blessings because I too remember all to well what it was like obsessing about food!!

That is funny that your doctor said that, why would having a smaller stomach make it develop ulcers when a larger stomach can handle coffee just fine. There are also many people on here that drink coffee all the time. It is hard figure out.

Even now at 9 months post-op I have to be careful about mixing foods. I can do it, but I really have to pace myself or else I will vomit. I have a sensitive sleeve though.

It might have just been too much for your sleeve to handle at 3 months post-op. The raw vegetables in the salad mixed with the cod and rice probably upset your sleeve. And like other posters said, you might have eaten too much (or too quickly). You should be OK

My surgeon calls this the "Eating squeeze". I dont know "how small" my sleeve is but my stomach goes into spasam when I eat food which dramatically restricts the amount of food I can eat (I can eat 2 small forks of soft egg currently). But my surgeon said as I heal that the "eating squeeze" will go. He said most cases it take 1-3 months, but is not unusual for that to go on longer

You drink coffee every day? How much are you able to eat now, and how far along were you before you started drinking coffee? I am tempted but I know it dehydrates you and I have a hard time getting in all the Water needed. I just don't have an appetite anymore, and I hear of people on here that still love to eat, and I mis that...

Yes I drink coffee every day. I pour a full cup but probably get down about half. Decaf only. I started drinking coffee at 6 weeks out. Surgery was 2/23/12. I was 217 I'm now as of last Thursday 176 (i only weigh myself once a week).

I don't drink all the water I need to but I am getting there. I try to eat mire food then anything because I'm sick if taking pills.

I've done very well. I've never thrown up. I do try to measure everything I eat to avoid over eating. And I follow the 30/20 rule with drinking.

I think they only took 60% of my stomach