Is there a way to see if your stomach has stretched out?

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

I found this article very helpful:

http://obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeve-will-my-stomach-stretch

That article contradicts what three surgeons told me. I was advised our stomachs will not stretch significantly as the stretchy part was cut out and the muscle was left intact. It will relax, but not restretch.

I was told that the very bottom of your sleeve can expand. Also if pushed or abused you can form a pocket where the stomach connects to the sleeve. I was shown pictures and documentation of these facts myself. The muscle that is left after surgery will relax but does not stretch out. However abuse of the sleeve can cause a bulge at the base of your sleeve and it will stretch. Now what I was told is that pop or any carbonated beverage is the number one enemy of the sleeve. If you drink it it is a huge red flag. Diet or not.

Just like every surgeon has his own pre-op diet plan and things we can eat and not eat. Exercise now or later. Success is 60 lbs. off. while others are 80 lbs.The differences go on and on.......

Now for me, with all the difficulties I have been through and how my team stuck with me through thick and thin. I will believe them because they have been right in everything so far FOR ME!

[LipstickLady 25,682]

And my doc said no soda because it causes it discomfort, gas, bloating and takes up valuable room that should be used for Protein. I was also told the high acid content is bad for our stomachs. Never have I heard about the stretching at the bottom of our stomachs before this very moment. I will send my surgeon an email inquiry about that today.

[slvrsax 301]

I work with a nutritionist that works with mostly WLS patients. Take this for what it is worth, I have no idea if this is valid. She explained to me that the skill of the surgeon is important because if the sleeve is not shaped correctly in the beginning, later on it can hold more food. She compared it to being shaped like a bell when shaped incorrectly- wider at the bottom. She said that while you would lose weight fine, it could hold more food later and make gaining easier, she told me this is why it is so important to select a surgeon with a good track record.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

And my doc said no soda because it causes it discomfort, gas, bloating and takes up valuable room that should be used for Protein. I was also told the high acid content is bad for our stomachs. Never have I heard about the stretching at the bottom of our stomachs before this very moment. I will send my surgeon an email inquiry about that today.

Let me know what he/she says eh......

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

I work with a nutritionist that works with mostly WLS patients. Take this for what it is worth, I have no idea if this is valid. She explained to me that the skill of the surgeon is important because if the sleeve is not shaped correctly in the beginning, later on it can hold more food. She compared it to being shaped like a bell when shaped incorrectly- wider at the bottom. She said that while you would lose weight fine, it could hold more food later and make gaining easier, she told me this is why it is so important to select a surgeon with a good track record.

I watched my 600 lb life a few weeks ago and the surgeon made her stomach go from a football size to a banana size. I nearly fell off my chair. Mine is the size of a thin marker......the size of the sleeve can make a difference as well I think

[History Maker 4]

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but I work in the medical field for a living, not important what I do, but I'm pretty high up in the ranks. YES, the stomach does stretch out, I'm not sure how much it can stretch out, but we need to keep in mind our stomachs are made mostly of smooth muscle, and muscle is a stretchable tissue. I am doing lots of research, especially on foreign websites to see if they've done studies on patients who had the surgery done, and to learn how much a post-gastric vertical sleeve does stretch. One of them was about a study done in Chile, in South America, where they followed a number of patients; after 5 years they said that in some of these patients, their stomachs TRIPLED in size, but they still kept the weight off. Another eye opener is a video posted on Youtube by "Slimmfast", her 5 months video.. She said that she went to see her doctor, and he has in his office x-rays from a patient that abused the sleeve, and in about 8 months his stomach was stretched out almost to its original size, YIKES!!. The secret to success is not to overeat, and to stick with low carb-high Protein foods along with regular exercising in order to keep the weight off.

[Oregondaisy 2,020]

I'm 5 years out and I don't think my sleeve has stretched all that much more than say at the 2 year mark. Of course we can eat more than we could immediately post op. We were never told we would only be able to eat 5 bites for the rest of our lives.

I know that if I eat more than half of my 6 oz steak, I am way too stuffed. The restaurant advertises that it's 6 oz so I am assuming that's before it's cooked. I can eat almost half of that and about 1-2 bites of veggies.

Being too full is very uncomfortable and painful. It's pretty hard to abuse that.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Oregondaisy