I had my revision in January 2013. I have gained 10 pounds since then. I feel like I can eat a lot. In the beginning I couldn't tolerate anything but now I feel like I am always hungry and can eat a lot. I'm confused about wether you can stretch your sleeve out or not. If so could I have done it in this short of time? How do you know if its stretched? I have a hard time knowing when I am actually full because it doesn't feel the same as with sleeve and I get over full easy. I exercise daily so it is totally a nutrition issue. I am hungry constantly and food is consuming my thoughts. I'm so mad for gaining ten pounds but I literally am thinking about food all day. I have also introduced foods back into my diet that I couldn't eat with the band (carbs). I was at goal weight when I had my revision. I just can't seem to stay full all day on limited calories. Anyone else have this problem? Suggestion?

I'm still banded, but curious about the replies. I do wonder about weight gain after band to sleeve for the reasons you mentioned. Foods I can't eat now, I'll be able eat post sleeve.

Congratulations on being so close to goal.

It's really hard! With the band I physically couldn't eat a lot of foods and over eating was painful. The last year my band was prolapsed so I really could only eat a spoonful here and there. Now I'm on binge!! Yikes

Wait - I want to clarify something.

You said you were at goal when you revised? So you have ten pounds to shed with the regain, right?

What's your diet like? I think a balanced diet of Protein (lots of protein), good carbs and healthy fats is very important because without a good balance I think it's easier to feel unsatisfied and turn to binges or grazing on poor food choices.

To shed weight, I'd focus on tracking exactly as you're eating right now and then pare it back by 20% to see if that budges the scale for you.

You cannot stretch your sleeve that much, that quickly and without some serious pain. Overeating is an incredibly uncomfortable feeling and it doesn't last too long because you wind up sicking up your last bite.

It's simply not possible to stretch that part of the stomach very much. It will, however, relax and heal, leaving you with a slightly larger capacity.

We're talking 3-4 oz. of dense protein or 1.5 cups of food at three years out, in my case. Not a huge difference.

It sounds like despite the fact that you're a vet (due to reaching goal with the band) you still need to learn how to maintain. It's something every one of us has to deal with - learning what foods we can eat in moderation and those that trigger us to eat more. Making good choices when we're at goal is tougher than doing it when we have a goal we want to achieve.

It's possible to shed this weight and it's possible to find a balance and maintain. The band was helping you by making those "bad" foods difficult to consume. You just need to find a way to eat that satisfies your desire to eat those foods without sabotaging your success on the scale.

~Cheri

Search out the old threads on binge behavior and grazing. There's some great info there as well as reassurance that you're not alone. After being denied these foods for so long, it's easy to lose control.

~Cheri

maybe your not getting in the protein you need? Are you exercising?

I had my revision from band to sleeve in July of 2010. Here are some things that I've discovered with sleeve vs. band. My band was very unpredictable. In the mornings I generally could eat very little as the day went on I could eat more. Eating anything not well chewed was a problem... I find with my sleeve, it's good to eat slowly. BUT over chewing allows for more food intake. I'm not saying "gulp" but chewing until food is pureed allows me to consume more and it "processes" faster. I know that's contrary to most advice. Secondly, you will feel hungry more quickly with the sleeve because you don't have an artificial gizmo holding back your food. I've lost a total of 100 lbs. I fight with about 10... but would really like to lose another 20. I recently decided to try the 2/5 diet. Calm down... it's not as horrible as it sounds. And it's working for me. Two non consecutive days a week during a 24 hour period (you pick your own start and end time) you only consume 500 calories, for women, 600 for men. I start mine right after supper. So at 6:30 PM, I quit eating until morning. I eat a scrambled egg and toast for breakfast, and nothing until lunch. A typical lunch is a small grilled chicken salad with low cal dressing. I keep raw veggies and gum handy for the afternoon! Then at 6:30 PM my 24 hours are up! I can have a normal supper; not making up for lost time... just a typical meal. The bonus is that during the time I'm not restricted, I find my appetite is reduced and I'm grabbing the raw veggies and gum rather than higher calorie snacks. It's very flexible. So easy. The pitfalls could be overeating during the off time. But my sleeve helps with portion control and a little good judgment goes a long way. It might be good to just record what you typically eat before starting any weight loss plan. Making sure that you keep your total monthly calories below your normal has to result in reduced weight over time. And that's key... we didn't gain all of our weight at once... maybe less than a lb. a week... and in 3 years... yikes 90 lbs. to 150 lbs. BTW, I lost 5 lbs in 2 weeks with my 4 reduced calorie meals per week! My sister is also doing this (she has a band) and has lost a similar amount. Don't bother to buy the book if you are thinking about it... it's really that simple and the book is just a lot of personal testimony. (Sis bought it...I didn't.)

Just curious, how were you treated after getting your revision? I mean in the hospital? I weighed 174 last week the day before my revision. I was 144 18 mths ago and managed to gain 30 lbs following a slip and unfill. Only 14 lbs from goal. The nurses all thought I was crazy for having 85% of my stomach removed to lose 45 lbs.

It's not the fact that I want to lose the 45 lbs, but that I would like to keep off all 130 lbs of lost weight. It seemed like most of the nurses thought I was crazy. I was even told by one that I was the skinniest weightloss surgery patient she'd ever seen! Felt good to be called skinny, but I don't think they realize that once your tool is gone, the chances of putting the weight back on increase dramatically.