Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

size of sleeve / portion stomach removed matter?



Recommended Posts

Hi all.

I am considering having a VSG. I thought I would seek advice regarding this. I have a very large appetite, largely emotional eating, I am sure, but I am able to consume large portions of food, and tend to get hungry fairly easily. Result has been many years of yo-yo dieting. my BMI is now in the mid 30's.

does anyone know if the post-op portion of food is affected much by sleeve size? Ie, I believe it is common to take 75-85% of the stomach.... has anyone ever had say a 45-55% reduction to remove ghrelin cells, but a larger stomach size remains? I would still like to be at least able to enjoy family meals once in a while. thank you all kindly for any advice.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That would be pointless. That still leave most of the stretchy part of the stomach.

You can still enjoy family meals. You can only eat small amounts for a short time.

I'm a year and a half out. I eat with people and no one can tell I had surgery. No I am not downing a 12 ounce steak but I can make a decent dent in my plate. Also as time goes on you learn what you can eat more of.

The amount of time you can only eat a few ounces of food is just a few months. You can eat more at 3, 6, 9, 12, and onward.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, OutsideMatchInside said:

That would be pointless. That still leave most of the stretchy part of the stomach.

You can still enjoy family meals. You can only eat small amounts for a short time.

I'm a year and a half out. I eat with people and no one can tell I had surgery. No I am not downing a 12 ounce steak but I can make a decent dent in my plate. Also as time goes on you learn what you can eat more of.

The amount of time you can only eat a few ounces of food is just a few months. You can eat more at 3, 6, 9, 12, and onward.

thank you so kindly for your input. it is great to hear from someone who had this experience.

Would it not help by removing the ghrelin producing cells of the stomach though, therefore reducing hunger ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree that taking only part of the stomach would be pointless. You are basically asking for the surgeon to leave you the ability to continue to same negative behaviors that made you fat in the first place. The removal of ghrelin helps in the early stages, but hunger comes back. If you can still back away a pound or more of food when that happens you will quickly regain everything you have lost.

I still can eat most of the foods I could eat before. I just eat a few bites, to enjoy the flavor, rather than mindlessly eat until it's gone or I can't fit anymore in.



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They remove the Gherlin by removing most of the stomach, that is what the surgery is. And the Gherlin part only lasts for so long, your levels go back up eventually, not to what they were pre-op but they go up.

By not having the full procedure, you are basically handicapping yourself. It is like buying 3 tires for a car. It is pointless. A well formed sleeve, once you heal has more capacity, eventually for some people up to 2 cups. If you have even less removed than other people you are going to end up with almost a full sized stomach in the end. You will just stretch the stretchy part out with over eating. With a sleeve you don't have that stretchy part left at all, that is how the restriction works.

If your biggest concern is being able to eat large meals post-op, then surgery isn't a good option for you. You aren't in the right mental place for it. You should be more concerned about your health than if you can eat a lot on family holidays. Think about what really matters to you long term.

Edited by OutsideMatchInside

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

  1. Trust me you can eat everything you want in a while. I am struggling over three years out, because I keep gaining. My husband and I are a no carb family due to diabetes and love of carbs, we don't eat out, yet I am not that far from where I started. My surgeon has a life coach in his office, I also work with her.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you remove 75 to 85% of your stomach you will never eat more than a cup of food for the rest of your life. That's a fact. You can eat most things. But you will feel awkward eating out and at family gatherings. You may also have food aversions. bread, Pasta and rice may cause issues

Your stomach won't stretch and its permanent. I can't imagine a surgeon will agree to only removin 40 to 50% .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ultimately, whether you can eat one or two cups of food doesn't matter. You are now eating one to two quarts, so there will be a drastic reduction.

The bigger question is why it matters whether you put 3 ounces of steak on your plate, or 12. Either way, you are there, enjoying the atmosphere and conversation. Does it really matter the size of your plate?





Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a lot of variation in the size of sleeves depending on the size of bougie that is used. Typically a larger bougie is associated with less complications. The upper part of the new sleeve/stomach can dilate considerably after time which is probably where people are seeing their increase in volume capabilities.

I agree with the others, if you are worried about the size of your meal weight loss surgery might not be for you.

I too had concerns, I wanted to be able to eat 1 cup of food in a sitting eventually. I think that piece was one of many reasons why I chose sleeve over rny.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

thank you all for your feedback everyone.... I hope it makes sense, I am not worried about my typical meal size, I WANT to eat less, MUCH less, I realize my battle with food is putting me down a dangerous path....

....I am just SO self conscious about others knowing, people thinking I am weird, or weak, or "took the easy way out". I do not intent to tell any family members besides my spouse.

Your posts have been so very helpful.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, bariboy said:

thank you all for your feedback everyone.... I hope it makes sense, I am not worried about my typical meal size, I WANT to eat less, MUCH less, I realize my battle with food is putting me down a dangerous path....

....I am just SO self conscious about others knowing, people thinking I am weird, or weak, or "took the easy way out". I do not intent to tell any family members besides my spouse.

Your posts have been so very helpful.

I recommend you take time before you make this decision. Ppl will notice because you won't be able to eat more than a cup of food several months or year down the road. Early on it will be only a few table spoons. It will feel so awful if your very worried about being self consicous. I am pretty self aware as well and I simply avoid eating out now, I don't like all the questions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just now, AnneElliot said:

I recommend you take time before you make this decision. Ppl will notice because you won't be able to eat more than a cup of food several months or year down the road. Early on it will be only a few table spoons. It will feel so awful if your very worried about being self consicous. I am pretty self aware as well and I simply avoid eating out now, I don't like all the questions.

I am too, Anne.... I think you basically capture essentially what I am worries about.

I found this image from this forum, I guess if it makes sense, what I'm thinking of is wondering it it possible to have "B" instead of "A".

_supersleeve.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's a great question for your surgeon. I know most stomachs are cut to bougie sizes from 32 to 60 fr. But most surgeons do them around 36/40.

Print the photo and ask during a consultantion.

Another alternative for you is a Gastric Ballon, coupled with a strict Keto diet. You wont eat much as you lose weight and its temporary

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Boogie size is baloney. I can eat as much as I did before surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Pescador said:

Boogie size is baloney. I can eat as much as I did before surgery.

Seriously? That's pretty odd. Can you give us an example?

What did you eat before that you can eat now? How long does it take you to eat said meal?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×