I am only 7 weeks out and I really don't see how I did this. I am waiting for my surgery pics so I can get a second opinion. There is just no way.

Stomachs come in all shapes and sizes. Some are short' date=' some are long. If you have a long stomach, the banana portion left will be longer and hold more than someone with a short stomach and short sleeve. That may explain some of the differences in how much you can hold.[/quote']

Bingo and great visual reference.

Keep in mind the bougie is only a guide, not a strict pattern. Some surgeons staple tighter to the bougie than others, and I'm sure even the same surgeon at times goes tighter or less tight. I'm 6'2" and have a fairly large capacity compared to most sleevers. That means I have to be diligent about weighing my food and eating my pre planned portions...then stopping. Relying on the feeling of fullness is a sure fire way to failure for me. It certainly didn't work before surgery.

Even if they didn't take enough, they still took some. You shouldn't be gaining.

After reading through all of the posts on this thread, I have a question for the OP. There are different types of "sleeve" procedures. The common "sleeve gastrectomy" is done as described previously, where the stomach is stapled and then the excess is cut away, thus removing about 85% of the stomach. This requires activity and diet restriction to allow the stomach to heal properly.

There is another procedure called a "sleeve plication" surgery. This is where the entire stomach is left intact, however sutures are used to created folds in the stomach to make the stomach size smaller, however none of the stomach is cut away. This procedure does not require the activity and diet restrictions that the "sleeve gastrectomy" requires. To read more about this new procedures, go to http://www.alighterme.com/gastric_sleeve_plication_surgery.html

Given the OPs posts about her being able to exercise right away and her much fuller diet immediately post op, and also given the fact that others who posted on this thread who went to the SAME surgeon as her who had to do clear liquid diet for 2 weeks along with activity restrictions, it seems to me that perhaps she had the sleeve plication surgery and those sutures popped or tore open if you will. This would not pose the threat of a leak, it would just make your stomach larger again so you could eat more.

IMHO, the sleeve gastrectomy is a higher risk surgery because of the leaks, however there is much to be said about the role of ghrelin and how it affects your appetite. With the sleeve plication surgery, since you still have your entire stomach, you still have all of that ghrelin production. Again, this surgery is a very personal decision to have.

But just based on what the OP describes here, it appears to me that perhaps she had sleeve plication and not sleeve gastrectomy????

After reading through all of the posts on this thread' date=' I have a question for the OP. There are different types of "sleeve" procedures. The common "sleeve gastrectomy" is done as described previously, where the stomach is stapled and then the excess is cut away, thus removing about 85% of the stomach. This requires activity and diet restriction to allow the stomach to heal properly.

There is another procedure called a "sleeve plication" surgery. This is where the entire stomach is left intact, however sutures are used to created folds in the stomach to make the stomach size smaller, however none of the stomach is cut away. This procedure does not require the activity and diet restrictions that the "sleeve gastrectomy" requires. To read more about this new procedures, go to http://www.alighterme.com/gastric_sleeve_plication_surgery.html

Given the OPs posts about her being able to exercise right away and her much fuller diet immediately post op, and also given the fact that others who posted on this thread who went to the SAME surgeon as her who had to do clear liquid diet for 2 weeks along with activity restrictions, it seems to me that perhaps she had the sleeve plication surgery and those sutures popped or tore open if you will. This would not pose the threat of a leak, it would just make your stomach larger again so you could eat more.

IMHO, the sleeve gastrectomy is a higher risk surgery because of the leaks, however there is much to be said about the role of ghrelin and how it affects your appetite. With the sleeve plication surgery, since you still have your entire stomach, you still have all of that ghrelin production. Again, this surgery is a very personal decision to have.

But just based on what the OP describes here, it appears to me that perhaps she had sleeve plication and not sleeve gastrectomy????[/quote']

Good observation, it makes sense. Hopefully we will hear from her and find out how she is doing.

I feel the same way. I can eat a lot too. I think we all have different hunger and capacities after we are sleeved. I would love to be one of those people that is never hungry and who can hardly get 1 egg down. I sometimes feel as though I wasn't sleeved either. If I really wanted to I could eat horrible fatty foods and gain weight too. I'm just choosing not too. I didn't eat anything more than a few sips of broth in the hospital but by the 5th day I was really hungy all the time and still am. I'm 2 weeks out only. I do understand the people who say they are not satisfied with only 4 oz of food but I stop myself at 4oz so I don't gain weight.

I can eat more than I see people posting here too. A whole cup of soup. 3-4 oz meat plus a Roma tomato for lunch yesterday. Now that I'm on solids (4 weeks out today) I'm getting much more strict on weighing and measuring. Just because I can doesn't mean I should right?

"Now to the question about lower BMIs having smaller sleeves... It is my understanding that they use a bougie to measure, which would mean that the sleeve sizes would not be drastically different, right? Maybe they give guys a little bigger sleeve than women, I don't know."

I wonder if some people have a longer stomach, which will mean a longer sleeve. The bougie will make a standard circumference but there might be more length involved for some folks.

I just wanted to comment here and see how many people get pissy, roll their eyes or groan because this thread is still going... Bwahahaha

Pissy! Right here and pouty too!!

Oh good....Pouty too, I forgot about that!

I can eat more than I see people posting here too. A whole cup of soup. 3-4 oz meat plus a Roma tomato for lunch yesterday. Now that I'm on solids (4 weeks out today) I'm getting much more strict on weighing and measuring. Just because I can doesn't mean I should right?

Exactly. I have a large capacity too. I just have to be more diligent about weighing and measuring my food. There is no rule that says you should eat till you're full. Quite the opposite. My NUT told me the goal is to never be full again. Of course, it's not possible for it to NEVER happen....but to stop short of full should be the goal every time you eat. I see so many statements on this forum by people saying they just want to eat like a normal person....well normal people stop short of full most of the time. The goal should be "not hungry".

I can eat more than I see people posting here too. A whole cup of soup. 3-4 oz meat plus a Roma tomato for lunch yesterday. Now that I'm on solids (4 weeks out today) I'm getting much more strict on weighing and measuring. Just because I can doesn't mean I should right?

Hmm, you are aware that you are not supposed to drink anything while eating, right? I would think "drinking" soup at the same time would be tge same thing.

Regarding bougie sizes, there is a minimal difference between them, and the smallest ones aren't even used any longer due to a higher potential of acid problems or a twisted sleeve.

This might help understand bougie sizes.

Also, keep in mind, that different surgeons operate differently. For example, a surgeon that uses a 32, but sews rather tightly might create a a sleeve that is smaller than another surgeon that uses a 28, but sees very loosely around it.

Well then OTR you should go over to the thread called...... "Bougie" size?... Because though I tried to say the same thing...all a lot if them cared about was the woman with the tiny bougie and her success !!!

Women!! What are you going to do?

Oh and by the way nice job not answering that PM I sent you!

Hmm' date=' you are aware that you are not supposed to drink anything while eating, right? I would think "drinking" soup at the same time would be tge same thing.

Regarding bougie sizes, there is a minimal difference between them, and the smallest ones aren't even used any longer due to a higher potential of acid problems or a twisted sleeve.

This might help understand bougie sizes.

Also, keep in mind, that different surgeons operate differently. For example, a surgeon that uses a 32, but sews rather tightly might create a a sleeve that is smaller than another surgeon that uses a 28, but sees very loosely around it.

[/quote']

I should have been more clear. Sometimes I just have soup for lunch and I can eat 1/2 can which is about 1 cup. I don't mix my solids with soup. And I don't drink with my meals. Big no-no.

I I almost forgot I haven't found 1 surgeon who doesn't order a barium swallow upper gi X-ray to ENSURE you don't have a leak that is standard practice in EVERY US hospital

My surgeon is considered the very best in the region, with great outcomes and very low complications, and does not routinely order such tests. When I experienced strange symptoms, he orderd one.

Even if they didn't take enough, they still took some. You shouldn't be gaining.

Not entirely accurate. It's possible to gain weight even with a correctly performed sleeve surgery. Eating habits still play a very important role in weight loss. It's possible to consume malts, milk shakes, fatty or buttery foods high in calories that slide through the sleeve more easily. It's also possible to keep eating as space becomes available. I had to watch for this during Christmas and Thanksgiving because the easily accessible food made it tempting to eat a little something every 30 minutes or so. Given the time during a day I could have easily consumed an entire pie as well as my dinner, especially if I avoided denser proteins and stuck with just the high cal foods.

I have a bad habit of skipping logging when I know I've been bad.