Does anyone know if you have stretched your stomach sleeve? And if so, how do you or how does it feel? I need info on this topic. Just curious

I am not so sure you could have stretched your sleeve out this soon after surgery. Also how could you tell? I suppose you could eat a lot more. I do not believe the sleeve can actually stretch that much. Of course you can eat around your sleeve by grazing.

My understanding is that the sleeve doesn't generally stretch much - but over time it relaxes a bit and heals and can therefore hold more food over time. I think most people feel a bit different a few months out vs the first month or so. And after a year or so most people seem to be able to eat even more.

For people who really push it and overeat on a regular basis I believe there can be some stretch.

I'm only typing here what I've read and researched online. I have no personal knowledge other than that, so here goes:

1. For several months post-op, your new tummy is still swollen and healing. So the capacity of your tummy is smaller than it will be eventually (say, a year post-op) when the new stomach has completely healed. This conforms with what I see patients 6-8-12 months out saying about their increased capacity.

2. The portion of your stomach that remains post-op is the LEAST stretchy part of your stomach. I've also read that the maximum amount that anyone's new tummy could stretch is 70%. By that measure, your capacity after 70% stretching would be 1.7 times more than it was before stretching. So if you're eating 4 ounces before your sleeve stretched 70%, you could eat 6-1/2 ounces after it stretched. If you were eating 6 ounces before your sleeve stretched 70%, you could eat 9-1/2 ounces after it stretched. Neither of those are big increases.

3. Nonetheless, some WLS patients develop an "ability" (ugh!) to pack more food down into their gullets. I've read (and been told by medical staff) that some people develop a tolerance for storing food in their esophagus while the food below, in the stomach, eventually empties down through the pyloric valve into the intestine, making room for the food in the esophagus to then go down into the tummy. Again, ugh!

4. Some patients learn how to eat more food by grazing / snacking throughout the day and night.

5. Some patients also increase their food intake simply by not eating in accordance with their doctor's instructions. Instead of always eating Protein first, then veggies, and only then simpler carbs (if they have room), they make simple, processed carbs (like crackers, breads, pastas, Cookies, ice cream) a larger proportion of their diets.

6. Some patients also are unable to stop drinking sweetened and high calorie drinks (sweet tea, sugar sodas, high-calorie coffee drinks, etc.). In other words, it's not hard to cheat the sleeve.

The sleeve is a tool. But WE operate the tool.

Edited September 27, 201411 yr by VSGAnn2014

Nice overview VSGAnn! I was thinking about mentioning your point 3, but wasn't sure how common this is with the sleeve. I was a bit horrified and honestly embarrassed to discover that I'd stretched my esophagus when I had the band. Before I got sleeved I participated in a mindful eating program. I think it really helped me be more aware of my hunger, satiety and fullness levels to help me avoid going down that road again. It's amazing how easy it is for us to ignore our body's signals.

@@thesuse2000

I would love to hear what tools you developed from the mindful eating program you participated in.

Would you be willing to start a thread on that?

Further to the comments above. Some surgeons take out 80% while others like mine take out 85% leaving mostly the muscle behind. As it does heal and relax you are still unable to stretch it out very far. But what can happen when this much is removed is a pocket can form on the bottom of your sleeve and stretch there. This can then cause problems later on in the small intestine.

I'll think about doing that! I'm not as conscious about the practice anymore, but have changed my thinking... I'll have to think about the core principles a bit...

@@thesuse2000

I would love to hear what tools you developed from the mindful eating program you participated in.

Would you be willing to start a thread on that?

@@VSGAnn2014 nice reply. thanks for that info

I am not sure if you can stretch the sleeve by eating I do know that your doctor can go in an open it up some if needed (had to get it done) there can also be excessive swelling that goes away after a few months that gives you more space in there.

This is good to know. When I'm traveling and eating in restaurants it's hard to tell how much. I try to cut out a portion of the food to eat so I know how much. However I realized one day that I had eaten more than I cut out and I was still hungry so it freaked me out a bit. Maybe just a freak thing as I am back to eating less now.