Now that Im on somewhat normal food I constantly worry about stretching my tube. I pay close attention to my portions and how fast I eat. I stop when I feel that feeling of fullness. Is this needless worry?

I have same question. .

There is some debate as to whether you can stretch your "sleeve".

At about the six month mark or so, it does "relax" some making it possible to eat more... but for the most part it will stay small

Certainly smaller than you started with.

Now if a doctor does not make the stomach small enough the first time by removing all of the fundus (the stretchy part or the stomach) All bets are off...

My intake is about 5oz. I dont dare try more or I would be sick

My intake is about 5oz. I dont dare try more or I would be sick

Yes you shouldn't eat yourself sick.

4 to 5oz seems to be correct for me..I know a person who had a sleeve and ate till they gained the weight back. Very sad.Thank you for the advise. Bill

Whats weird for me is that Im a newbie.. Almost a full two weeks and i feel like i can drink more than that.. I havent gotten that "FULL FEELING" yet.. Also im scared to even feel it.. is there something wrong?

At my checkup I asked about why I could drink more water tham food. Doc said it was because liquid goes thru a lot faster.

4 to 5oz seems to be correct for me..I know a person who had a sleeve and ate till they gained the weight back. Very sad.Thank you for the advise. Bill

It is easy to gain the weight back if you are not careful. That's why it's always advised to eat your Proteins first. You will feel your restriction more with dense proteins over everything else.

Some people eat "around" their sleeve by eating large amounts of "slider" foods. Highly processed junk food will go down easy, making it possible to eat a lot more. It is advisable to limit the junk type foods.

I dont eat junk food at all

I keep a journal to keep myself accountable.

Whats weird for me is that Im a newbie.. Almost a full two weeks and i feel like i can drink more than that.. I havent gotten that "FULL FEELING" yet.. Also im scared to even feel it.. is there something wrong?

At my checkup I asked about why I could drink more Water tham food. Doc said it was because liquid goes thru a lot faster.

Yes ^

Here is a good explanation...

The Pyloric Valve function and how it pertains to your VSG.

The function of your Pyloric valve is the single most not talked about important part of understanding how and when you should eat and drink.

The Pyloric Valve is just that....It is a valve that is located at the bottom of your stomach/sleeve. This valve is in between your sleeve and the lower intestine. The basic definition of a valve is an apparatus that opens and closes.

When open this valve it is about the diameter of a dime. When closed it’s opening is closed down to the diameter of the head of a ballpoint pen.

Dense Proteins and harder to digest foods will cause the Pyloric valve to close to hold the food in your stomach for pre-digestion...... stomach acids breaking down this “Rough” food.

That’s why we are told to eat dense proteins first.....To close the Pyloric Valve so food stays in your stomach/sleeve longer so we have a sense of satisfaction.

It takes about 30-60 minutes for the food to clear the Pyloric Valve...... Than it’s OK to drink.

That is also where the term slider food comes into play. A slider food does not close the Pyloric Valve and as the term is intended.....food slides right past an open Pyloric Valve.

There is a video that gets posted every so often that is supposed to explain food going past the Pyloric Valve. The guy uses a funnel and has apple sauce or something in it....and it shows the apple sauce dripping out the end of the funnel very slow. Than he pours water on top of the apple sauce to dilute it, illustrating drinking after eating.....and the diluted apple sauce runs through the funnel end faster. Than he concludes that this is how your pyloric valve works.

Well, it is a great video that only tells half the story.....remember it’s a valve...and he is only showing it in the open position....

So now the other half of the Pyloric Valve function..... You eat a dense Protein like chicken that causes your Pyloric Valve to close. Say for example your sleeve has a 4oz. capacity.....and you eat 4oz. of chicken.....your sleeve is full and holding all 4 oz. of chicken for pre-digestion because your Pyloric Valve is closed.

So now try and drink something....where is it gonna go? Up.....Up until it hits another valve of sorts..... the Esophageal Sphincter (valve) and above that is a flapper valve. The function of these two valves is to hold food, bile and stomach acids in your stomach and not backing up into your air way. This is a very high pressure system. Thats why when you eat to much or drink after eating a hard to digest food and your Pyloric is closed.....It hurts cause you pressurized your intake track. Vomiting would be a natural pressure release.

So you can see how learning and understanding how the Pyloric Valve works is important as it pertains to eating and drinking with a Gastric Sleeve.

From frisco

Yes ^

Here is a good explanation...

You can do it. Sorry to hear you are disheartened about all this, just hang in there! What is the phyloric valve (excuse my spelling) that you mentioned??

The Pyloric Valve function and how it pertains to your VSG.

The function of your Pyloric valve is the single most not talked about important part of understanding how and when you should eat and drink.

The Pyloric Valve is just that....It is a valve that is located at the bottom of your stomach/sleeve. This valve is in between your sleeve and the lower intestine. The basic definition of a valve is an apparatus that opens and closes.

When open this valve it is about the diameter of a dime. When closed it’s opening is closed down to the diameter of the head of a ballpoint pen.

Dense Proteins and harder to digest foods will cause the Pyloric valve to close to hold the food in your stomach for pre-digestion...... stomach acids breaking down this “Rough” food.

That’s why we are told to eat dense proteins first.....To close the Pyloric Valve so food stays in your stomach/sleeve longer so we have a sense of satisfaction.

It takes about 30-60 minutes for the food to clear the Pyloric Valve...... Than it’s OK to drink.

That is also where the term slider food comes into play. A slider food does not close the Pyloric Valve and as the term is intended.....food slides right past an open Pyloric Valve.

There is a video that gets posted every so often that is supposed to explain food going past the Pyloric Valve. The guy uses a funnel and has apple sauce or something in it....and it shows the apple sauce dripping out the end of the funnel very slow. Than he pours Water on top of the apple sauce to dilute it, illustrating drinking after eating.....and the diluted apple sauce runs through the funnel end faster. Than he concludes that this is how your pyloric valve works.

Well, it is a great video that only tells half the story.....remember it’s a valve...and he is only showing it in the open position....

So now the other half of the Pyloric Valve function..... You eat a dense Protein like chicken that causes your Pyloric Valve to close. Say for example your sleeve has a 4oz. capacity.....and you eat 4oz. of chicken.....your sleeve is full and holding all 4 oz. of chicken for pre-digestion because your Pyloric Valve is closed.

So now try and drink something....where is it gonna go? Up.....Up until it hits another valve of sorts..... the Esophageal Sphincter (valve) and above that is a flapper valve. The function of these two valves is to hold food, bile and stomach acids in your stomach and not backing up into your air way. This is a very high pressure system. Thats why when you eat to much or drink after eating a hard to digest food and your Pyloric is closed.....It hurts cause you pressurized your intake track. Vomiting would be a natural pressure release.

So you can see how learning and understanding how the Pyloric Valve works is important as it pertains to eating and drinking with a Gastric Sleeve.

From frisco

Laura! Thank you greatly for explaining this! I never knew that and i understand now! Greatly greatly appreciated. I guess since im still in stage 2-3 i haven't had the opp to put anything in that will cause this valve to close and sense when I'm full.. IS this right?

Laura! Thank you greatly for explaining this! I never knew that and i understand now! Greatly greatly appreciated. I guess since im still in stage 2-3 i haven't had the opp to put anything in that will cause this valve to close and sense when I'm full.. IS this right?

Yep!

Most of us went through the "did they take enough of my stomach out" stage

it's a combo of things really, in the early stages your stomach is still somewhat numb, plus you are consuming mostly liquids. When you are cleared to eat, you will feel very full...

Aha I see!! girl your awesome! Thanks!!! PS.. i had a chuckle with my BF when I read your "did they take enough out".. LOL.. Ive said that a couple times this week! LOL

Will we ever be able to eat a slice or 2 of pizza? Or a full dinner at a restaurant?? I love shrimp parmagiana over linguini... That alone makes me have second thoughts. I go in next wed 8/21 for surgery.