Question:
During your first year of post-op can you stretch your pouch?

   — hartnell (posted on May 26, 2006)

May 26, 2006
Yes. And some clinics think that's a good thing. My doc is old school. His teaching is to keep the pouch as close to original as possible until goal wt. So, we eat 5-6 meals of 1-2 oz each. No grazing, since that's painless pouch stretching. What is your eating regimen like and what is it supposed to be like?
   — vitalady

May 28, 2006
Well, I am not going to post from a doc point of view because i am sure they would all say not to allow for stretching, however, during that first year, it is more difficult to stretch your pouch because it has not become so use to food and elastic-like. Towards the end of your first year, i would say that its quite possible, but not to a major degree. I am 5 years postop and i can eat a normal size plate of food at dinnertime, so yes, mine has stretched, but its due to my eating habits, not because the surgery did not work. Best way to keep from stretching your pouch is to only eat until you are comfortably full, and do not eat and drink together. Hope this helps Kim
   — Kimberly Felan

May 28, 2006
I am three years out and I have gained a lot of weight back. I visited a nutritionist recently and she said that she has had a lot of people coming back having gained large amounts of weight back. The two traits that were common in weight gain (myself included) were drinking carbonation (diet soda) and drinking while eating. I went for almost a year and a half without doing these things and then I had to fool around and ...the next thing you know. I am not a doctor but I do regret not listening.
   — igot2lose

July 2, 2006
I was told that my pouch would eventually stretch from the size of my thumb (an ounce) to the size of a golf ball and then the size of a small lemon (holding 1/2 cup of food at a time). I keep that in mind and comply with that rule to keep from overeating and stretching the pouch any further than that.
   — CHARLYLVN