stretching your sleeve?

I am 5.5 months out.  And I can eat.  I can get down a lot of food. I remember how it used to take me an hour to eat a piece of bacon.  Now days, I need a bigger shovel. 

I eat around 1700 calories a day.  Obviously I have stretched out my sleeve.  I still eat about half of what I used to at a sitting, but I eat a lot more often now.  I just feel hungry all the time.

How do you cope with this?  Do you keep a tight reign on your portions?  Do you shrink it back by not eating for a couple of days?

I think I was successful in keeping my sleeve small because I used, and still use, protein shakes a lot. My surgeon just says be careful not to become a "musher"...one that only drinks shakes or eats soft foods. I think he sees that a lot with his band over sleevers. Anyway, I still have small capacity at almost 6 years out...constant portion control, not days of shakes only to shrink it.

--gina

I have only a sleeve and am 5 years out.

It's normal to be able to eat a bit more a few months after sleeve.  A lot of times, part of the initial restriction is due to swelling from the surgery.  As that subsides, capacity increases.

Having said all that, I'm one of the few who never had a lot of restriction.  My surgeon did mention that my stomach was very long, which could play a part.  Even with that, five years out, I cannot eat anywhere near what I did pre-op.  For example, I took the kids to Chik-fil-a (chicken fast food restaurant--as I don't think they're everywhere) and ordered the chicken sandwich on a ww bun.  I didn't get fries or anything else.  I could eat about 1/2 comfortably.  Had I pushed myself, I maybe could have gotten in 3/4s of a sandwich.  This is five years out with not a lot of restriction.   Prior to surgery, I would have had the sandwich, waffle fries, a medium drink, and could have eaten an ice cream cone after.  I couldn't eat that amount today if my life depended on it.

Your sleeve should stretch some, but it is limited in the amount it can stretch.  The stretchy bit (the fundus) was removed.  

Historically DS stomachs were usually much much larger than sleeve-only stomachs... and people still lost weight quite well. :)  These days, with more experience with sleeves, some surgeons size them smaller, but usually not as small as a stand alone sleeve.

At your point and time, I was the same way.  I could eat and eat.  Then after Christmas, something changed.  I couldn't eat very much real food at all.  It was like my already "smallest sleeve made" got smaller.  I've struggled with real food ever since.  I've added another protein shake a day.  Then the last 2 weeks, I'm trying to add more food everyday.  Then there are some days that I just can't get food in.  Other days, its so unappealling, I have to make myself eat my yogurt and shakes.  Then other days, I can eat all day long (which was yesterday).

When having my EGD done a couple of months ago, my sleeve was so small.  The GI Dr said it was the smallest she had seen.

For instance, do you know the size of your sleeve?  Mine is a 30F Bougie which by my understanding is small for a DSr.

I noticed that it depends on what I am eating as to how much I can eat. I usually can only eat like a 1/4th of a salmon filet but half of a chicken breast. I can eat almost a full cup of peanuts. With chinese food I can eat half a garlic chicken meal in one setting, broccoli and chicken. It is weird. 

Sometimes I am nervous I am going to stretch it out especially if I over eat and get uncomfortable. I also have a 30F Bougi too. I can eat from 1-4 ounces depending on what it is I am eating. Sometimes I eat then 30 minutes later eat more because I am still starving. I drink a lot of shakes too like major Mom. 

I do not know the size of my sleeve.  Wish I did.  I have never gone back to my surgeon since the operation. 

I started tracking all food in Myfitnesspal.  I had no idea I was sucking down that many calories.  I've always drank 4 protein scoops worth of shakes (120 gms) a day, so didn't count my protein either.  Now I track it all.  No wonder my weight loss has slowed to nothing.  Wish I had started tracking this from the very start of this journey, just so I could look back and see how my food intake has almost tripled from the second month. 

Part of the problem also is I eat because I'm bored.  I eat because I'm not working (too much free time).  So I go out and do things, create projects so I'm not sitting here with my frig whispering to me.... but I am hungry every time I reach for food.  Maybe I don't know the difference between head hunger and real hunger.

BTW...if you want to commiserate....just PM me!

I am different from Major Mom (who has been my mentor since day 1).  I eat as much as I want, as often as I want.  If I keep WHAT I eat to protein and keep the carbs really low I can maintain my ridiculously low weight for my height.  I am 5'8" and wear a size 4.

My sleeve definitely stretched.  But as long as I stick to the plan I do fine.  I just go broke buying all the protein!!!

~Becky

I keep my carbs below 35.  But I eat a heck of a lot of protein. 

Do you do shakes?

I didn't for at least a year.  I am almost 4 years out.  I am back on them to try to get the carb/candy monster at bay.  It is bikini time and I have a belly to lose.  (5-7 lbs)

~Becky