How easy is it to stretch the sleeve? How do you prevent it with confidence?

How easy is it to stretch the sleeve? How do you prevent it with confidence?

I'm not sure how "easy" it is but for me I see how this is a time to learn your body and read its signals or in other words, "listen to it"! I've been to enough WLS meetings and work with more than a dozen people who've gained a significant amount of weight after Surgery. It tends to start in the 2nd year for many.

I guess that's why they call it a tool. Now that you have the method to get the weight off, you have to learn how to use it and listen to your body to assure you keep it off. Maintenance is hard for everyone who loses weight, that's why time and again I hear it's a life style not a diet. That lifestyle requires vigilance and daily commitment. Really no different than any other goal we achieve in life. For example, I can't have great credit and the opportunity to make my money go further, if I consistently make choices to spend beyond my means.

I do know of someone who actually died from a gastric bleed after stretching their "pouch". They were on a cruise and had to be helovac'd out to the mainland...He actually had been sliding back into bad eating habits, during his third year without looking back. It was a terrible, as his wife was not allowed to go with the helicopter, so by the time she arrived she got the tragic news he didn't make it.

I'm using this time to put a plan in place, (food and exercise) and find ways to stick to it.

Best wishes on developing your routine!

Vanessa

According to my surgeon, you really can't stretch your sleeve. When the surgery was done, most of the stretchy part of your stomach, or the fundus, was cut out, leaving the muscle of the stomach behind -- the part that is much harder to stretch.

You can do a little damage with consistent overeating but your stomach will never stretch out to where it was. Of course, over the first year or so after surgery, your stomach will heal, the swelling will go down and the muscle will relax, allowing you to eat more than you could at your third or sixth month out so many people seem to assume they've stretched their stomach. (We don't have a pouch, that's bypass.)

I have a hard time believing someone died from overeating unless they had other problems going on with their sleeve. It sounds like one of those "I know someone who knows someone who" stories, but that's just MY opinion. You know what they say about those.

My best advice is to weigh and measure everything until you figure out your full signals. I used to love eating until I was full--almost stuffed--but now I hate it. HATE IT. I am more than happy to eat every few hours over the horrific feeling of eating one too many bites.

I was worried about stretching my sleeve too, pre-surgery. I didn't want to go through all of this and then have the possiblity of gaining all the weight back. From everything I've read, the stretchy part of the stomach (unlike the RNY pouch) is almost completely removed and only the tough non-stretchy part remains.

How Easy Is It To Stretch Your Sleeve

I can tell you from 2 years of experience, you will know when you're beginning to stretch your sleeve - you will not like the feeling and avoid doing it in the future!! During the 1st few months, when I would get close to stretching my sleeve, it would hurt like Hell! On the occassion that I do begin to stretch it now, it is merely really uncomfortable.

How to Much Can You Safetly Eat

I learned real quick how much I could eat in one meal. I started using a small plastic bowl for every meal. I'd fill it up and know that's how much I could saftely eat. I started with a 1/2 cup bowl for about the 1st 9 months. At 1 year, I moved to a 1 cup bowl, and I've been at 1 to 1 1/2 cups per meal for the last year.

Signs You're Getting Full

I am aware of the signs that I'm getting full - feeling bubbles moving around the food in my sleeve or feeling a poking sensation in my chest where the sleeve and throat meet. The days of that good old, "Ohhhh, I'm sooooo full" stretched stomach feeling are gone for good. And I dont miss it one bit!!!!!!!!

I'm sure if someone really worked at it, they could stretch their sleeve. After all, it is tissue, tendons and ligaments can be stretched and lengthened over time. But they would not be enjoying the sleeve stretching process at all.

How easy is it to stretch the sleeve? How do you prevent it with confidence?

I personally don't worry about stretching. If my stomach did stretch out to the point that I was gaining weight because of it I'd then realize that 1. I need to eat better. 2. I'm going to have to spend another $4k to get surgery again.

I don't think I'm going to stretch my stomach. My eating habits have changed. I haven't even had soda since my surgery.

I would not worry about stretching. I don't think it is that feasible.

So far the thing I love the most about my sleeve is my ability to now eat what I like without feeling the need to stuff myself. It's n like my brain is ok with saving food for later, or coming back and eating a bit more without feeling like I'm losing a best friend. I almost never get over full now, I stop when I feel satisfied and if I have another bite, I feel full and definitely stop! And the best thing is, I feel ok doing so! I'm not worried about stretching my Sleevie, I think we will be ok.

I DID have a friend who died from bypass (not sleeve). He was 488 lbs. He died a week after bypass. He could NOT stop eating. His stomach ruptured and he died. I work at a hospital. A co-worker told me that a man had died on the previous shift because of the same scenario. Our heads tell us what to do. It's NOT a simple formula ( don't eat = lose weight). It's biologically and psychologically complex. It's so sad that WE are demonized and shamed to the extent that we are.

It would be very hard to do. You'd have to be a very serious food addict willing to be horribly sick to do it. For me, the restriction is fool proof.

My NUT said the sleeve will stretch if you constantly overeat at a sitting, the stomach can stretch because the pouch is too small to hold a large amount of food. However, if you eat and wait about 30+ minutes and eat again, then the pouch should not stretch.

Sleevers don't have pouches.

Lipstick lady I love your never trust a fart line. Im learning really quickly what you mean by that

@@LipstickLady, of course I know sleevers do not have a pouch! I am referring to the stomach as a pouch! I know the difference between a sleeve and bypass. I am a well informed sleeved person. Thanks!

@@cdenney123, you don't have to take everything you read here. Do your homework and become well informed about your weight loss journey.

My NUT said the sleeve will stretch if you constantly overeat at a sitting, the stomach can stretch because the pouch is too small to hold a large amount of food. However, if you eat and wait about 30+ minutes and eat again, then the pouch should not stretch.

@@LipstickLady, of course I know sleevers do not have a pouch! I am referring to the stomach as a pouch! I know the difference between a sleeve and bypass. I am a well informed sleeved person. Thanks!

No offense intended. You used both the word stomach and pouch in the same sentence which sounded as if you were indicating sleevers have pouches.

I don't have a pouch, so I would never call my stomach a pouch.

Nothing more meant.

@@cdenney123, you don't have to take everything you read here. Do your homework and become well informed about your weight loss journey.

I'm curious why you are telling this person to do her homework and become informed. What about her comment indicated that she needed such advice?

@@rgrunge87 Hi! I don't know if you can technically stretch your stomach or not. Some say you can some say no but just try not to overeat. Follow your surgeons plan and you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Good luck to you!