I just keep thinking about this and cant see how it can stretch since the majority of the stretch part is taken out.

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I think a bit of relaxing and stretching is normal with time, but I don't think you can stretch it by simply overeating. Maybe consistently overeating to the point of throwing up I suppose? Dr. Matthew Weiner has a good video about it on YouTube. He doesn't believe it stretches too much, either.

To put it in perspective, I will be 4 years out April 17. I can now eat up to 12 oz of food in one sitting (depending on what it is, really. Sometimes less). That's quite the difference from up to about 2 years ago where I started at a few ounces newly post op and went up to around 6 oz. Over the next couple of years, I noticed a natural progression of being able to eat more. I think it happens to everyone to a certain extent. I think I'm pretty much topped out at 12 oz, and that's still a lot less than what I could eat before! At this point it's quality, not quantity. I make sure I'm eating healthy, clean food 90% of the time to keep my weight off the best i can. I think when people depend on restriction alone is when they get into trouble, because it obviously wanes over time. It's the natural progression of things.

A fully healed sleeve is more relaxed than a freshly cut one. And yes, it WILL stretch if put under duress. It will become lazy if you consistently eat against the diet. BUT because it's muscle, it will bounce back very quickly - at least in my experience. I have tested my sleeve to the limits - on purpose, out of bad habit, from bad diet... it's harder and harder to recover these days. But if I do liquids for a day, I can feel initial restriction again -- and then bust right through that barrier if I want. Bodies are wild. Short of amputation, nothing is off limits.

I got this advice below from my surgeon this week (I get an email from them most weeks with helpful info and videos - it’s kinda cool). I’m Australian so it’s using the metric system but it might be helpful to you.

We often get asked from those patients with a sleeve gastrectomy whether the sleeves will stretch over time.The short answer is yes, all sleeves do stretch over the years. The sleeve reduces the size of the stomachs capacity from around 1.5L down to 200ml. This good news is this sleeve will keep this capacity down to 200 ml for several years. After the 3-4 year mark the capacity will increase to around the 300- 400ml mark but it stops at that size.

It’s important to remember that the sleeve is merely a tool to help on hunger control and portion control. What's just as important is to modify our eating behaviours - getting used to small regular portions, eating proteins first and being mindful of our eating patterns. We need to be mindful of the difference between when our body needs fuel versus eating for emotional issues (tiredness, stress, boredom etc.).

The emotional (non hungry) eating patterns are what often drives weight regain. Make the behavioural changes in the first 2-3 years when the sleeve is at it’s tightest and you’ll be rewarded by long term weight control and you'll be able to avoid weight regain. Watch the video below for more insights.

I got this advice below from my surgeon this week (I get an email from them most weeks with helpful info and videos - it’s kinda cool). I’m Australian so it’s using the metric system but it might be helpful to you.

We often get asked from those patients with a sleeve gastrectomy whether the sleeves will stretch over time.The short answer is yes, all sleeves do stretch over the years. The sleeve reduces the size of the stomachs capacity from around 1.5L down to 200ml. This good news is this sleeve will keep this capacity down to 200 ml for several years. After the 3-4 year mark the capacity will increase to around the 300- 400ml mark but it stops at that size.

It’s important to remember that the sleeve is merely a tool to help on hunger control and Portion Control. What's just as important is to modify our eating behaviours - getting used to small regular portions, eating Proteins first and being mindful of our eating patterns. We need to be mindful of the difference between when our body needs fuel versus eating for emotional issues (tiredness, stress, boredom etc.).

The emotional (non hungry) eating patterns are what often drives weight regain. Make the behavioural changes in the first 2-3 years when the sleeve is at it’s tightest and you’ll be rewarded by long term weight control and you'll be able to avoid weight regain. Watch the video below for more insights.

What video? Thank you for your response it's very helpful.

You guys answered exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you.

8 hours ago, LaLaDee said:

I got this advice below from my surgeon this week (I get an email from them most weeks with helpful info and videos - it’s kinda cool). I’m Australian so it’s using the metric system but it might be helpful to you.

We often get asked from those patients with a sleeve gastrectomy whether the sleeves will stretch over time.The short answer is yes, all sleeves do stretch over the years. The sleeve reduces the size of the stomachs capacity from around 1.5L down to 200ml. This good news is this sleeve will keep this capacity down to 200 ml for several years. After the 3-4 year mark the capacity will increase to around the 300- 400ml mark but it stops at that size.

It’s important to remember that the sleeve is merely a tool to help on hunger control and Portion Control. What's just as important is to modify our eating behaviours - getting used to small regular portions, eating Proteins first and being mindful of our eating patterns. We need to be mindful of the difference between when our body needs fuel versus eating for emotional issues (tiredness, stress, boredom etc.).

The emotional (non hungry) eating patterns are what often drives weight regain. Make the behavioural changes in the first 2-3 years when the sleeve is at it’s tightest and you’ll be rewarded by long term weight control and you'll be able to avoid weight regain. Watch the video below for more insights.

This X 1,000,000,000. Hits the nail on the head.

There are some rare cases where you hear about somebody really stretching their sleeve out, but I think these are extremely rare and/or the person had to seriously be punishing themselves to the point of misery to do that. I think it's easy for people to want to place the blame on the sleeve stretching because they don't want to admit the above - not eating proteins first, grazing all day long, reverting back to slider foods, etc. Head hunger sucks more than anything and that's a battle I'm always going to fight.

My doctor said it rarely stretches. I'm 15 months out and can do about 1/2 cup total food over an hour period of time. That's about how long it takes me to eat. If I shove food in fast and run, it's 1/4 or less that I'm capable of eating.