Hello l had my surgery 17 days ago and it doesn't feel like my stomach is smaller. I had liquid for the first few days then moved to yogurt and cottage cheese and just last night l was able to eat Chinese lo mein. Today I had two slices of rye bread, all without incident. Has anyone else felt this way?

I posted something simiar to this around the same time post op as you. People told me that once you get to solids you feel more restriction. It is very true. I'm about 2 mons P/o now and it's night and day. salmon, steak, chicken, tuna, turkey...so little goes soooo farrrrr!

Thank you. I was worried the surgery wasn't successful after reading other people's stories. And I have myself convinced that I have already stretched my stomach.

It's part of the reason why I LOVE my sleeve--I can eat without pain, but my sleeve helps me to be sensible. My surgeon used the smallest bougie possible, but I was a bit early to "graduate" to soft solids, like you.

In fact, after the initial pain was gone, I told my husband "it feels like nothing happened!" Except, the pounds keep falling off, and my stomach tells my brain when I need to stop.

Consider yourself fortunate, and continue to listen to your sleeve, and its cues. Also, make sure you aren't drinking and eating at the same time (this can cause you to eat more than you could without the liquid to wash the food out of your sleeve). I'm guilty of drinking and eating at the same time (especially when its 100* outside, and I'm having trouble staying hydrated) and I've noticed that I can eat more than I should.

Oh yeah I agree with the other posters. I felt like I was the same until I hit solid foods. I quickly realized I couldn't eat barely anything when it came to solids! You will feel the restriction very soon and you will definitely feel the difference--I promise! And I think that eating and drinking at the same time is one of the worst things you can do. There was a video posted recently talking about why you shouldn't drink and eat at the same time. He had applesauce in a funnel and showed how much faster the food processes through with some liquid. You will feel full much longer if you don't drink and eat at the same time.

what is bougie?

I think a lot of us felt like you do now. I know I did. As others have said, wait until you get to solids. Especially meat. I had a cookout the other day at work and got a hamburger patty with a slice of cheese and no bun. Just the meat and cheese. I'm 7 weeks out and was only to eat about 1/4 to 1/3 of it along with two small bites of beans and one small bite of coleslaw.

what is bougie?

A bougie is a medical device that is used to dilate something. For example, when the esophagus is exposed to so much acid reflux and begins to scar, narrowing the opening, a bougie is used to stretch it back open.

In surgery, the bougie is used as a measurement guide to assist the surgeon in creating the sleeve. Different size people (and their stomachs) will have different diameters. So don't misinterpret if someone tells you their doctor used a 32 french bougie on them and you had a 38 (which is larger), that your stomach pouch may not be as successful. Your surgeon will use what is best and safest for your anatomy.