Stomach Stretching is a Myth

[OperaMom 15]

Hi Weight Loss Community!

I have my gastric sleeve surgery scheduled with Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana on September 5th! So excited. I have been watching and reading everything I can get my hands and eyes on about WLS. This week I found this Bariatric Surgeon in Michigan - Dr. Weiner's - Youtube channel. He's legit - a keynote speaker at the WLSFA and has a thriving practice. You should check out his youtube channel; very informative. Anyway, this particular video caught my attention because he says that we don't need to worry about pouch stretching! (*Gasp!*) have already asked for my post-op diet paperwork and my nutritionist states clearly in the packet that we have to be careful not to stretch out the stomach. What are your doctor's saying about stomach/pouch stretching?

[Introversion 1,876]

The majority of people who have had a gastric sleeve for longer than a couple of years (including me) will tell you that their stomachs have 'relaxed' enough to accommodate a significantly larger volume of food.

People are reluctant to use the word 'stretch,' but those early pre-op days of becoming full off 3 to 5 bites of food do not last very long for most sleevers.

I could eat no more than 3 ounces during the first couple of pre-op months. Now I'm 2.5 years out and can consume 8 to 10 ounces, depending on how soft or rigid the food is. In other words, my capacity has tripled.

It is up to me to not eat to my sleeve's capacity.....

[fruitandveggies 456]

My surgeon's office says stretching is a myth too. I had RNY, but it's the same for sleeve. I feel like once your stomach heals and no longer has swelling, you'll be able to tell how much you will be able to eat normally. It can feel like it "stretched" because it's so much more than it was when you were healing. I can eat so much more than I thought I would be able to--a whole salad from Sweetgreen (which is a ton of roughage if you've never been there)!

That's why it's so important to me to still use a bite timer (one minute between bites) and eat for 25 minutes at least. Otherwise I could easily eat too much, too fast.

Edited August 26, 2017 by fruitandveggies

[OperaMom 15]

Yes, exactly! You have to watch the video. He's not saying the stomach doesn't "stretch," he's saying that it is supposed to! That we have to use our "magic first year" where our metabolisms reset and our hunger are gone to make good choices and create healthy habits. He is saying that it's not the stomach stretching that causes weight regain – it is never changing your eating habits. If you don't change your diet and simply eat smaller portions of the same foods you always have, weight loss will only be temporary and in a year two you will gradually put on more weight as your stomach increases in size, since your portions will naturally also increase in size along with it. I guess I kind of knew that part – but thought that we were supposed to really work hard to prevent stretching. According to him, it doesn't matter.

A lack of follow through and real permanent change is my personal biggest fear! I hope I can really change. For good. I know food will always be a struggle and temptation, I just don't want to waste this opportunity. Something he explains is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. A "One time reset button." Revision surgeries don't come close to the same effect and show pretty minimal results in the vast majority of patients.

[HDScarlett 85]

My surgery was yesterday, my surgeon told me time and time again the the pouch can stretch - no more carbonated drinks (I held a ceremony for my last diet coke LOL). After what I have gone through to get here, the money spent, AND seeing people who have failed, I am following what my doctor has ordered!! I'm not going back. Thankfully, his office has a weekly support group too.

[OperaMom 15]

@HDScarlett That's what my paperwork says too. And pretty much every WLS video blogger on Youtube. According to this doctor, not the case. Either way soda (diet or regular) is terrible for our bodies, so I guess we should abstain :). But that's why especially his "Myths" video caught my attention.

[Busman20 38]

I have watched his videos as well, and I believe in his reasoning. Notice that he also believes that soda of any kind, regular or diet, is pure poison for our bodies and I believe he is on target with that as well. I also follow Dr. Alvarez in Mexico on You Tube, he does a weekly podcast and will take anyone's questions, not just his patients (endobariatric.com). And if you follow him on snapchat, you can see every stomach he pulls out daily, lol. But to the original post, like any other subject, each of us has to do our own research, and determine what we believe based on what we find, and there is certainly no shortage of opinions out there, and what works for some might not work for others.

[erica_ozzy73 241]

What's dr alveraz's snap chat name ?

[Crystal Manco 8]

[OperaMom 15]

@Busman20 I'll have to check that out!

[FluffyChix 17,409]

On 8/26/2017 at 10:43 AM, Introversion said:

People are reluctant to use the word 'stretch,' but those early pre-op days of becoming full off 3 to 5 bites of food do not last very long for most sleevers.

I could eat no more than 3 ounces during the first couple of pre-op months. Now I'm 2.5 years out and can consume 8 to 10 ounces, depending on how soft or rigid the food is. In other words, my capacity has tripled.

It is up to me to not eat to my sleeve's capacity.....

8-10 ounces of food per meal terrifies me, cuz that's MAYBE what I eat per meal now...maybe less (pre-op)! I probably eat closer to 6-8oz of food. *sniff* *gulp* *hic* *sob*

[Introversion 1,876]

28 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

8-10 ounces of food per meal terrifies me, cuz that's MAYBE what I eat per meal now...maybe less (pre-op)! I probably eat closer to 6-8oz of food. *sniff* *gulp* *hic* *sob*

I was a major volume eater prior to surgery...I was the type who ate 3 or 4 McDonald's double cheeseburgers with a large drink and still felt insatiably hungry afterward.

I'd eat 1 Subway 12-inch sandwich before eating another sub a few hours later and my hunger still wasn't tamed. I'd eat 3 or 4 plates of food at an all-you-can eat buffet and still feel hunger.

So, in that respect, the sleeve is great for those of us who once ate large volumes of food and still felt chronically hungry. It's knocked out 2 issues (hunger and portion control) with 1 stone.

Edited August 27, 2017 by Introversion

[FluffyChix 17,409]

@Introversion So for someone who isn't a volume eater--or who is keeping the volume eating under check for now, will the sleeve help long term? Cuz, I "could" theoretically eat the crap outta stuff like you could! I've eaten a Big Mac, Large Fries, Fish Sandwich, etc...at one meal. I've eaten 18-inches of sub at a meal. And now, it is a nail biter, but I am making myself be satisfied with the 6-8oz meal size. But in the back of my mind, I have been considering the VSG as a long term solution to the volume thing, thinking that it might take some of the nailbiting out of Portion Control. But it won't as long as down the road I will still be able to eat 8-10 fargin corksucking ounces of food! *insert annoyed smiley face here* le sigh.

[dcole007 21]

I was a major volume eater prior to surgery...I was the type who ate 3 or 4 McDonald's double cheeseburgers with a large drink and still felt insatiably hungry afterward.
I'd eat 1 Subway 12-inch sandwich before eating another sub a few hours later and my hunger still wasn't tamed. I'd eat 3 or 4 plates of food at an all-you-can eat buffet and still feel hunger.
So, in that respect, the sleeve is great for those of us who once ate large volumes of food and still felt chronically hungry. It's knocked out 2 issues (hunger and portion control) with 1 stone.

I have had moments where that has happened to me. Is there a reason why we can become insatiably hungry like that? I mean it doesn't happen often but it does sometimes. ???


Best wishes!

Dotty Cole

[Introversion 1,876]

33 minutes ago, dcole007 said:

Is there a reason why we can become insatiably hungry like that?

Before surgery, insulin resistance was the culprit that ensured my hunger was raging:

Quote

People with high blood insulin are hungry and nothing will satisfy their appetite like carbs!

https://www.liverdoctor.com/signs-of-insulin-resistance/