Hello All:

I found this information today while cruising the internet at work (I know I know, but it is my first day back and I am trying to stay awake). I pasted the hyperlink at the end so you can figure out the source, but the information seems reasonable and accurate.

One of the first questions patients ask about food. The surgery has a nice benefit of reducing the hunger inducing hormone reglin. But ultimately, its the restrictive nature of a smaller stomach that leads to weight loss.

So its normal and smart to ask, “What happens if my stomach stretches and I gain weight back?”

Your Stomach Can and Will Stretch After Surgery

Our stomachs have the amazing ability to stretch and expand as a result of our food intake. The walls of our stomach are made up of folds of tissue called ‘Rugae.’ These are folds in the stomach wall that expand and contract as a direct response to food entering and flowing through your stomach.

Hunger and How Food Flows Through Our Stomach

When we eat food it enters through our mouths, gets chewed and swallowed. It then flows through our esophagus into our stomach where acid starts the process of breaking the food down. As we continue to eat, more food enters the stomach and joins the rest of the food – all of which is waiting to be broken down by stomach acid.

Our stomachs expand to accommodate all of this food. When our stomachs expand far enough a signal is sent to our brains telling us, ‘That is enough food, I’m full now.’ After you’re done eating, the food is slowly broken down by your stomach acid and then the folds in your stomach contract to push the food into your intestines where digestive juices further digest your food.

The Problem

The reason many people are overweight is not because they like food more than the rest of us. Its because their hunger and full signals are broken.

Once you continue to stretch out your stomach by overeating on a regular basis the signals your stomach sends to your brain indicating fullness and hunger start to get skewed. After a while your stomach only says, ‘I’m full,’ after its severely stretched out. And it may start saying ‘Feed me,’ when its still half-full. This is why losing weight is so difficult.

When Overeating Leads to Stomach Stretching

After gastric sleeve surgery its important to keep your stomach away from the overeating cycle that can lead to a stretched stomach. If you ate too much on Thanksgiving your stomach will stretch. If you binged one night on KFC, your stomach will stretch. Your stomach is just doing its job. The good news is that it will contract.

However, if after a large meal, your next meal is a large meal and you continue this on a regular basis you risk permanently stretching your stomach. The danger is not in the size of your stomach. The danger is that you will skew the triggers for hunger and fullness. This will lead to a continued cycle of overeating, which will then lead to weight gain.

How to Prevent the Stretch After Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Eating one or two large meals will not lead to a permanently stretched stomach or issues with your hunger and fullness triggers. However, doing this multiple times can lead to issues.

The list below hi-lights key points to reduce the risk of stretching your stomach after gastric sleeve surgery.

1. Limit volume not sweets. Instead of totally limiting every aspect of your diet, give yourself a reward once a week with a special treat limited in size. But do not go out and eat a large meal – regardless of the type of food.
   
2. Reduce the amount of fluids that you drink when you eat. Its not a bad idea to drink before you eat so that you feel full faster. But its better to drink your fluids an hour or two before eating and/or an hour or two after. This lets the fluids digest and they won’t increase the amount of gas that can build
   
3. If you do have a bigger than normal meal, make your next meal small and make sure you don’t make larger meals a habit.
   
4. If you are always feeling hungry, then eat small amounts of healthy Snacks in between meals. Almonds are a delicious and healthy way to feel satisfied in between meals.
   
5. Get a good book with healthy recipes that are geared for people who have gone through gastric sleeve surgery. We’ve got a list of ourbooks here.
   
6. DO NOT get discouraged. If you fell off the wagon and binged one or two meals or even the entire previous week. The stomach and the mind is an amazingly resilient thing. Start over and start eating normal meals again. Call your surgeon and ask for help before it gets too far out of hand.
   
7. Get on the online forums and ask others for help. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. Here is a list of our favorite forums.
   

So stretching your stomach after gastric sleeve surgery is not a myth. It can happen and it does happen. Be aware of it and prevent it. Remember how hard the surgery and recovery was? Remember what a big decision you made? Its never too late to change your habits and get back on the right track.

http://216.70.100.66/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeve-will-my-stomach-stretch

If you ask our surgeon (Zare) he will confirm that In fact the stomach can stretch. That's why it is so important to not eat to extremes.. Easier said than done some days

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by laura-ven

yeah I figured it could but I was kinda looking for information about what causes it to stretch, how long it takes to stretch and things like that. Especially since I, like you, can eat an entire yogurt at one sitting

I haven't seen Zare since I left the hospital. I go this Thurrsday for my first post op appt.

yeah I figured it could but I was kinda looking for information about what causes it to stretch' date=' how long it takes to stretch and things like that. Especially since I, like you, can eat an entire yogurt at one sitting I haven't seen Zare since I left the hospital. I go this Thurrsday for my first post op appt.[/quote']

It's because he gave us fat girl stomachs

Tell him I said hi!! I go in for my year next month...

Edited November 4, 201312 yr by laura-ven

Very good to know. I did ask my NUT if my stomach could stretch and she said yes. Kinda scared me. Never got the reasons why....Thanks this is good info to keep in mind!

It's because he have us fat girl stomachs

Tell him I said hi!! I go in for my year next month...

I will definitely tell him hi Laura. I did mention you at my pre-op appt. He was asking if I needed any names or "buddies" for support. I let him know that I met you on VST and how helpful you have been. Of course he played it cool b/c of HIPPA and didn't say much. You know he can't confirm you are a patient.

I definitely have the fat girl sleeve. But "fatty" has lost 13 pounds in 13 days since surgery. So far "fatty" and I are getting along just fine.

B.

oh no I must have a fat girl stomach....lol... I can eat a whole yogurt too.... but seriously is that really too much for us to eat at once ???

Don't tell anyone, I can eat a whole banana!!!!

Fat girl sleeves anonymous

Yeah I was definitely worried about this until I started pureed protein food and found that I can't even get down 2 tablespoons at one sitting. I am not nearly as concerned about the yogurt thing anymore after all it is 12 grams of protein and only 80 calories.

Don't tell anyone, I can eat a whole banana!!!!

Fat girl sleeves anonymous

Oh so it isn't so! LOL

Great information. Thanks for posting this.

Excellent information! I, too, can eat more of the soft foods like yogurt and soup. Dense protein really does make the difference. I can barely get 2 ounces in.

I've been able to drink a lot of water in one sitting. Will that cause my stomach to stretch?

I've been able to drink a lot of water in one sitting. Will that cause my stomach to stretch?

I can drink 500ml of any liquids in 30minutes. Can anyone else drink this much in one sitting, is it too much....I suppose liquids run through quickly and thats why Im able to drink a lot. I have no trouble getting my fluids in, in a day. Im in my 7th week post op. I am really enjoying my sleeve now. Its so nice to talk to you guys and know we are all in the same boat. Love chatting to you :-)

Great information! I'm still on liquids for another week or two.

I for one HOPE, yes "hope" that my stomach stretches. I will take care of the calorie-content meals, and cut back and stuff, but my greatest hope and desire is to have a stomach big enough that enables me to occasionally go out with my family and have dinner; I'm not talking about a big dinner, and no buffets, no seconds, etc. but to have a decent dinner, and not one from the kid's menu. If I could do it all over again, I would have asked for the surgeon to use the biggest bougie available, or to just cut off ONLY one-half of my stomach. Anyway, if anyone has anything (scientific-based) to add, I would love to read it. thank you