I am scared I stretched out my sleeve

[crazygoose 190]

I'm hoping someone can give me advice. >.< I had surgery April 6 and am on stage 2 of liquid diet and already I am starting to think my surgery has failed. I've been sticking to the pureed diet even though I'm living off of egg beaters (surgeon said I could have eggs) and premier Protein shakes, Jello, pudding, crystal light and cottage cheese. This is all I've been eating. I just moved and put all my money into the move and things I needed for the surgery so I'm not able to get elaborate with my diet yet and buy all the foods like veggies and meat to put into the blender.

Anyways I've been a little careless because I somehow started thinking the sleeve isn't working and I've been getting a little testy with my limits to see if I will get full. I eat fast (not on purpose but because I'm hungry) and nothing happens and I don't feel full anymore and started feeling like I can eat more, just my mind goes stop it you're going to mess up so I initially stopped eating when my mind did that but then yesterday I was hungry and got carried away with cottage cheese and ate almost an entire bowl. I ate as much as a normal person could eat but never felt full and I mentally had to stop myself. I even started eating and drinking at the same time lately and I feel full faster but nothing happens and I don't ever feel like I'm going to puke. I haven't thrown up not once since I had the surgery.

I drink crystal light really fast because it's sweet and I'm a diabetic but nothing happens so I don't know if I messed up my sleeve. I know what I'm doing is stupid because I'm supposed to eat and drink separately and really slow but everyone says the sleeve is supposed to make you feel full and I'm just not really feeling full anymore so yeah I'm a little worried and wondering what's going on and if I messed it up already.

Edited April 26, 2016 by crazygoose

[KristenLe 5,980]

You did not mess up your sleeve. Cottage cheese goes through rapidly. However - eat the suggested portion size and stop. It takes time for your brain to get the message you are full. You don't want to eat until your full. Concentrate on getting in your fluids and Protein. Track your food.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

There are probably a couple of factors going into why you aren't feeling full. The first is that your nerves in part of your stomach were severed in surgery. They were chopped up and haven't healed yet. Therefore, they can't convey accurate information to your brain about any sensations in your stomach. That is why it is SO important to measure out small portions, eat them, and stop! You can't rely on your stomach yet, so you must rely on the guidance from your surgeon about how much to eat. It is doubtful that something like cottage cheese could damage your stomach, but do you want to risk it? The worst case isn't stretching your stomach, it's a leak on the staple line.

Second, many people don't feel true restriction on puree type foods like cottage cheese. They are very liquidy so they just slip through your pyloric valve. So, it's quite possible to eat a lot of those types of foods without feeling much restriction, even later on when your nerves are completely healed. And that's another reason to stick with small portions -- if you choose to eat slider foods, you can eat enough of them to maintain your weight or even gain weight, especially later on. Right now it isn't so much of a risk, but you really need to use this time to build excellent eating habits.

So, measure your food very carefully. Set out the amount you are going to eat and put the rest away!

Also, you may want to consider whether the "hunger" you are feeling could be due to excess stomach acid. If you are not on a strong dose of a PPI such as Omeprazole (Prilosec) or Nexium, you may want to look into that. Many people experience excess acid after sleeve surgery and it feels very much like hunger -- an empty, rumbling stomach.

Good luck!

[tamila0624 11]

wow did you have that test in the hospital the endoscopy to see if the staples were in correctly and to make sure no leaks,

it sounds rough your drinking way too fast no cottage cheese just thinking how you are sabotaging yourself is making me sick

slow down you are not hungry just bored go for a walk but first join orange theory the best place to meet and exercise more than the calories you take in the less you will eat its in your mind you want to change you did change now live the change stop just drink broth, Water its hard a year later for me is hard to drink Water but I started at 252 I am now 179 was 18-20 now 10-12 I refused to eat if I am going to put weight on paid for the sleeve out of my 401 good luck

[Recycled 2,182]

First let's get one thing clear. A failed surgery would be an immediate issue. As in a "leak" or hemorrhage or some other medical issue. And would require your Surgeon to correct.

What you describe, is YOU failing to do your part. And to successfully lose all the weight you want will require you to follow a very rigid plan. If you don't, it will be you that fails, not the surgery.

Everyone here is explaining the basics to you again, which you have either forgotten quickly or have chosen to ignore. My suggestion is to pay very close attention and get back on track.

You need to learn new habits and stick with them forever to be successful. Stop challenging your sleeve to see if you can defeat it.

You can do this right. This is your wake up call.....don't blow it. Good luck.

[crazygoose 190]

Thanks for your replies! You guys told me what I needed to hear. I'm going to get in the habit of re-reading my weight loss manual at least every few days and checking this forum daily so that I don't forget anything. I think I had gotten fixated on this notion that after a handful of food you will feel full and part of the bad eating habit I had was that I was eating until I was full so I will take the advice to just concentrate on measuring and sticking to the portions no matter what vs.what my tummy/mind feels. I know that is very crucial. So I am definitely going to do what I need to from here on out, not going to eat and drink at the same time anymore and make sure I do it slowly because I definitely don't want to mess this up.