I got the sleeve in October 2017. I was down 135lbs and it felt great. Last April I started to gain a little back. I wasn’t surprised since I wasn’t being as strict as I had been. Unfortunately, it has snowballed and I have gained 35lbs back. I feel like I never had the surgery and my sweet tooth is out of control. Could I have stretched my stomach out back to the size it was? How can I shrink it? Help! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

If you have a sweet tooth and that is what is causing the overeating and possibly the weight gain, consider stopping all sugar. For many people, if they do not eat it, they do not crave it. Some people find they need to give up fruit and artificial sweeteners too, but I didn't find that personally.

Keep the sweets OUT OF YOUR HOUSE! If someone else in your house NEEDS sweets, have them eat them somewhere not around you and ask them to put them in a certain cupboard that you don't go into, or keep them in their car or something.

Probably you have not stretched your stomach. You don't need to "shrink" your stomach (and really, there is no way to do that). You need to find a way to avoid the foods that cause you to overeat. Can you distract yourself when you have a craving? Talk a walk, watch a YouTube exercise video, take a hot shower/bath, read a book, color, etc? For many people, once they wait an hour by distracting themselves, they usually can make it without eating.

You may also consider meeting with a therapist who specializes in eating disorder, or call your original surgery center for help. I have noticed that not everyone has these options, but you do have the option to avoid sweets (I have a sweet tooth too, so I understand!)

Good luck!

There is not a way to shrink your stomach. Although I doubt you really stretched it. It sounds like your not necessarily eating too much food at one sitting but rather eating the wrong foods and perhaps even eating too many times a day?? If that’s the case you just have to go back to your weight loss plan and eat on plan foods. IF your stomach is “stretched” that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It can be done without the restriction. I have been able to physically eat more than I am supposed to at every phase of this process for some reason so I just have to measure my food and eat what I’m supposed to and that seems to be working. Yes, I do tend to want to continue to eat until I feel that full feeling but I know I really shouldn’t so I stop and in a few minutes I do tend to feel satisfied (I think that part is a mind thing).

Well, I am still on my liquid pre-op diet, and I don't find it heart-breakingly bad...I think if I need to jolt my system, I'll try that again for a week. (I have candy for visitors on my desk, and have not touched it, and I adore sweets, so..)

We have the same surgery date. I have also gained some weight back. I hate to blame the pandemic but its affected a lot of people. I lost my job and depression set in. I went back to drinking diet coke. It's my downfall for sure. I too have wondered if my stomach has stretched out. I've had a lot of health problems. Back pain. So I am very limited of what I can do for excercises. it takes everything I have to get a shower. I want the last four years back. I turn 52 in a couple of months but feel like I should be turning 92 lol

My surgeon told me that it's really a lot harder to stretch that stomach back out than people think it is. We all gained weight during COVID, do don't beat yourself up about it. Just get back to the basics of tracking your food, getting in your water, focusing on protein, exercising if you can, and the weight will come off. I've just lost 25 lbs since Labor Day and it's possible. You can do it . . . I believe in you! Remember why you had the WLS in the first place.

9 minutes ago, GradyCat said:

My surgeon told me that it's really a lot harder to stretch that stomach back out than people think it is.

This. Due to where the sleeve is made (we MGB'ers have one too, it's just not closed at the end), the stretch thing isn't all it's cracked up to be. The exception being if made by an RNY surgeon who makes it too high up in the stomach.

And I mean ... it's perfectly okay to need the additional help a bypass provides. For some, the sleeve may simply not adjust the set point down far enough. If I had knee surgery and, despite my best efforts, I couldn't walk properly, I'd go in again. If I feel this surgery doesn't work well long-term, I'll call my team. No shame in that.*


*of course, the mental side of eating and obesity could be what needs to be worked on. I'm typing this on my way to my bariatric therapist, as it were. Still going every 3 months to make sure I stay in a good mindset.