How easy is it to stretch your sleeve? I have seen different topics where people have "stretched" their sleeve and are gaining weight. Are they binging and eating the wrong foods?

I am one week post op and am scared that this can happen to me. I know if I follow the rules I should be fine but once in a while I would like to enjoy the naughty things like a burger or hotdog.

And if your sleeve stretches how much stretching can it actually do?

Check out this post:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/28153-protein-shakes-as-meals-to-avoid-the-no-fluids-thing-smart-or-bad-idea/page__p__239465#entry239465

There are many threads about stretching the sleeve. Your sleeve is going to stretch a bit over time, but it is not going back to its previous size.

Search more threads on this topic for more details.

I don't really know, I just know that although they removed the really stretchy part of the stomach, it is possible.

I suspect that much of the regain is from people grazing, eating too often, eating the wrong foods, not being active, not following the sleever rules - not just from too much at one sitting. My doctor did say that you can stretch it enough to lose that feeling of good restriction pretty easily. I think you can also potentially cause esophagal dialation if you get over full too regularly.

Sounds weird, but the smaller I make my portions, the less hunger, the less acid I feel. Yesterday I splurged a little and I don't feel as well today so I am back on track with tiny portions!

I am sure you are aware, but those first weeks are so critical to avoid being over full while you are still healing to reduce risk of complications.

The way my Dr told me was this..............

"Your sleeve should not stretch, but it will become A LITTLE more accomodating for food over time. Meaning, like an old shoe does after it's been broken in, it doesn't really stretch, but it is a little less rigid and you're able to fit more socks (a little more food) onto your feet and still get into the shoe." It took me a second to catch what he was saying, but it made perfect sense to me. I'm almost 7 months out and I started noticing this around 4-5 months for me, but still far less than I could eat before the sleeve.

Great post in the linked thread, PDX.

I am still one who obsesses over the potential for the sleeve to stretch, but I am only 4.5 months out.

I think it comes down to previously failed diets....I have done GREAT so far, and now I am waiting on the other shoe to drop...for things to go off track somewhere then wake up right back where I started pre surgery.

Its a fear...and it may be irrational...but its a fear. And, time will hopefully show it to be unfounded, but until its been so long since I've had the sleeve, still enjoying the same size stomach as I have now, I will likely have that fear. For what its worth, my dr also laughed at the idea that the stomach could stretch, though conceeded that it would feel larger until all of the swelling was gone - about 6 months or so on average he said.

Maybe a bit of it is also that it all seems a bit too good to be true at this point??