I am 6 weeks post op but was wondering for those 2+ years with sleeves if the feeling of restriction is the same as at first. Portion control has always been my main weakness and was the biggest motivation to have the procedure. Is it always going to feel like this though or does it gradually regress after the honeymoon phase?

Generally capacity increases over time and eating until full years out may put you at risk for overeating/ excess cal intake.

At 18+ months out, my capacity is way different than in the early stages. Also hunger may return. I manage mine by eating healthier low cal sugar free versions of foods whenever possible and salads when I'm ravenous. I only indulge rarely these days instead of everyday.

You may have to be very diligent now while you don't have either an increase in capacity or extreme hunger prompts to really nail down making a habit out of portion control, but you can do it! Luckily you have a tool to help you in the initial stages to make the transition easier!

The lifestyle change is real for a lot of people to maintain instead of gain.

Good Luck ?

Edited June 12, 20197 yr by GreenTealael

Usually there will fit in more into the sleeve or pouch with time. There seems to be a growing in portion size up until to a certain point as it seems (everyone ist different though) and then there won't be much change.

Dr. Weiner has interesting videos on this.

@summerset - that second video is interesting. Have you experimented with eating vegetables first? I'm curious about the effects of that type of diet vs. the protein first approach so many surgeon's recommend.

I posted about what I eat here. At the moment it's working fine. So while it's not the pound of cure diet I eat quite a lot of fruit and vegetables.

3 hours ago, Cameo325 said:

the Protein first approach so many surgeon's recommend.

“Protein first“ is the bariatric mantra of the first stages out from surgery. (your calories are so low its all you can fit in). Over time it’s easy to hit your protein goal and all other foods on your plan.

I'm almost 3 years out. I eat about 1500 calories a day because I work out like a maniac (I'm a nationally-competitive fencer in my age group so I work out either doing weight lifting or fencing 2 hours a day 6 days a week.) If I weren't working out like this, I'd probably eat about 1000 calories daily.

Here's what my 1500 calorie days sort of look like

Breakfast - Skyr Icelandic Greek Yogurt with Granola Factory Granola and 1/2 c. fresh strawberries

Lunch - 4 ounces of protein (chicken usually) and about 2 cups of green salad stuff with 1 tablespoon of dressing

Afternoon snack - Protein shake made with A2 milk, handful of frozen tropical fruit and protien powder

Then I usually have my workout from 6-8 or 7-9.

Dinner - 4 ounces protein and a serving of a green vegetable. Sometimes, I'll add a carb - like half a baked potato.

I vary what I eat with the following macros - 115g protein, 115g carbs. I can usually eat no more than 4-5 ounces of protein at any given time and then I'm not hungry for a while.

If i have eggs in the morning, I'll scramble 2 eggs with a bit of taco cheese and have one piece of whole grain toast. My stomach still makes it very clear when I over-eat. Your mileage may vary.

15 hours ago, Cameo325 said:

@summersetI'm curious about the effects of that type of diet vs. the Protein first approach so many surgeon's recommend.

One effect I can think of is that constipation is not an issue.

I am 3 weeks from being 2 years out and have great restriction. I made chicken teriyaki with broccoli and rice last night for dinner. I ate 2 broccoli florets and 2 oz of chicken with a couple of bites of rice and I was stuffed. Hope that gives you an idea. Just make sure you eat protein first.

I'm 2.5 years out and I can tell you that although I had some restriction after surgery (mostly, I think due to the swelling of the wound and the time it takes to heal), by 6 months out I could eat what others could only do at 2+ years out (full chicken breast, some veggies, etc.). I never felt a restriction the same way that others have mentioned - I could move ahead much faster in trying new foods post-op than what was recommended (I didn't, but could have). Now I'm looking at getting a revision to bypass because clearly the restriction of the sleeve did not work for me. I know it's not just the sleeve, part of it was the mental side of things. For me, I've come to realise that there is no going back to normal eating patterns. The new food/portion control is for LIFE. Fail at that, the sleeve can fail (at least, it did in my case).

I remember the day after my surgery crying to one of my doctors that I didn't believe that they did the surgery (despite the scars and tubes and everything else) because I wasn't in any real pain, had no nausea, and was full of energy, the complete opposite to every other patient in the hospital when I was there. She told me I was one of the lucky ones that come out of surgery feeling good and that I should be thankful for it. She then showed me a picture of my stomach that was cut out (to prove it) and said that it was longer than usual. I sometimes wonder if, because of that, I didn't have the same restriction as others.

Anyway, long story short, everyone has a different reaction post-op to surgery. You may be someone who feels restriction years out so it will help you keep portions small. You may be someone who feels less restriction as time goes on, which means you have to have the mental strength and determination to stick to what is right, and not be distracted or influenced by others in what you eat. Either way, the best way to keep your sleeve small and unstretched to be vigilant in portion control and drinking protocols. Maybe forever.

Edited June 16, 20197 yr by biginjapan

This was very helpful thanks everyone.