Can you stretch your stomach

First topic message reminder :

Hi All,

I have read almost every post on here the past couple of weeks and posted myself and received some valuable feedback. Now I am concerned though. Different topics have postings that talk about stretching your stomach out so fast by eating quickly or drinking too much water. I know we have all had different surgeons but I am worried that some give the impression that it's so easy to stretch it out. Is that true? Can anyone give some feedback that their doctors have told them so that I know? Thank you.

I can't answer the question but I have the same worry - seriously!

Like you a good part of the time I feel okay but I am still learning to stop taking "just one more spoonful" ...

hi guys
love this thread, just replying to it to bump it up

just a question though

if i drink 600mls of water in about 20 mins
so half and then half 10 mins later, is that bad - ie am i stretching my stomach?

sometimes - maybe twice a week i feel that i need to eat until i'm stuffed

ie i'll have a 225g tin of baked beans with a piece of toast - and eat it even if it takes me two goes
i'll drink lots of water so that my belly feels really full (not with food)

70-80% of the time i'm ok but it's the 20-30% i'm worried about

am i going to stretch my sleeve?

Thanks everyone for your really interesting comments and experiences.

I think I need to just stop thinking about what 'might' happen and try and focus more on eating properly and trying to get healthy. I'm sure if I put as much energy into eating well, not snacking and exercising as I did into negative thoughts i'd be in a much better place!

Thanks again everyone - your posts have really helped put this into perspective.

Mel

I have just got off the phone from talking to the practise support person (esp working here she rang me) and this was the first question I asked her and she said yes it can happen and yes they have had ppl whom they have re-sleeved due to the stretching but as she said it would mean eating to the over full point which would be uncomfortable/painful all the time to do so and it is a mind set about what you can eat and what your mind is thinking you can eat.

Apparently I was also one of their largest patients when I got my op done but they are now doing sleeving on patients who are 180kgs which of course brings increased risks to do the op but the risks of not getting it done would far out weigh the op risks.

She has also taken note of this site so she can pass it onto patients as well :)

Ruth :)

the stomach settles to approx 250ml. now how long that takes is an individual thing. some people are there in 6 months that is rare most around 12 months a few around 2 years.

100ml is the approx size when done with swelling etc. in the around 4 years I have been looking at the sleeve I am yet to see a single person who has had a stretched sleeve. I have heard it claimed and every single time when questioned one of 2 things is happening the sleeve is always around 250ml. the vast majority are people are snacking. the second is those who ended up stuck at that 100ml for an extended period of time and did NOT listen when told that the stomach would eventually settle at 250ml.

reality 250ml is the norm of a fully healed sleeve, it is not stretched from that 100ml that was swelling scaring etc causing the tiny size.

applesauce


applesauce

I'm over 6 months out and can certainly eat a lot more than post op but wasn't
expecting to get to the 60% pre op as quoted above. Just wondering everyone
elses thoughts......

I am now 14 months post-op and there is no way I can eat 60% pre-op I cant even eat a small amount and have a drink in one sitting yet before if I went out I would eat entree, main and a desert plus have drinks.

This is something that I have worried about as well but there again if I didn't loose any more weight I am happy at what I have achieved and I will never nor do I want to be a size 8-10. I only need to look at the shape of female members of previous generations to know that this isn't going to happen.

I do think that food choices play a big part in how much weight we loose and how quickly and I guess everyones weight loss is relevant to what they want from their op.

I have never set myself a weight target and neither did my surgeon which I am glad about because I am not unhappy with where I am now and I have never had anyone say "so you have XXX more kgs to loose"

People tell me all the time how great I look so I am happy with that.

Ruth :)

Hi there

I am coming up to my 2 year sleeversary and I want to say that there is no way that I am eating 60% in one sitting of what I consumed pre-sleeve. I do eat a bit more than I did in the first 12 months but I think that is due to my stomach now being fully healed. My usual consumption, and this varies daily as somedays I can eat more and some days less, is entree size meal in one sitting. Of course I can graze if I chose, or eat every 1-2 hours if I chose, but in one sitting ie lunch or dinner it is entree size, ie steak (palm size thereabouts), tablespoon of mashed potatoes, 1-2 tablespoons of vegies. If I want desert after this I would need to wait around 1 hour first (but only rarely have desert). I might have a snack before bed or sometimes mid afternoon and sometimes these are not good food choices but has nothing to do with stomach capacity.
My weight has now been stable since last November, go up and down the same 2kgs since then.
The sleeve is a tool only, food choices are up to you. Eat healthy and DON'T GRAZE and it is unlikely that you will regain much and if you do, go back to basics.

Hi everyone,
This topic has really been playing with my mind and taking up a lo of headspace.
Mainly because I'm paranoid about putting the weight I've lost back on.
I was looking at this website www.dsfacts.com and it says:
"the stomach will stretch over time; 9-12 months post-op it will eventually
double in size and patients will be able to consume approx 60% of what they
did before surgery"

So, I'm wondering if this is what most of the longer timers with the sleeve have
experienced? Does that sound accurate?

I'm over 6 months out and can certainly eat a lot more than post op but wasn't
expecting to get to the 60% pre op as quoted above. Just wondering everyone
elses thoughts......

Thanks!!

Hi All,

I haven't been around for ages but I have come back in to read about peoples experiences with stretching. Certainly some interesting comments! I will be seeing my surgeon for my very late 18 month check up soon, so I will ask him then, but I thought I would share my experience and ask any pregnant ladies or ones who have had children post sleeve what their experience has been.

I fell pregnant (with the blessing of my surgeon) at 9 months post op, which from what I have read is exactly the same time the stomach starts to settle on its size. I was 6kg from my goal weight. I was in awe of feeling hungry again! I had bad morning sickness and accordingly my eating habits changed, most notably GRAZING! My Ob, who has had a few sleeve patients, said like every part of me my stomach would stretch, so I allowed myself to indulge my grazing.

I put on 13kg over the pregnancy and was 6kg heavier 6 weeks after he was born than when I fell pregnant.

Now I am breast feeding (my little man is nearly 11 weeks old) and I am still grazing and as I suggested above, my head has gone to thinking about whether I have stretched my stomach. I haven't lost any weight since he was born and I think its because I haven't been trying - BUT I haven't gained any weight, so the sleeve is doing its job! I get that same feeling that I am eating too much which others have also described. I got my trust bowl out, and as suggested by Apple, I am not over eating at any one sitting, I just dont get by on three meals that size a day, more like 5 or 6.

So as far as adding anything to the discussion, I haven't come to any conclusions and will certainly tell you all what my surgeon says. I am hoping that I will start to feel more restriction as the hormones leave my body (?). Realistically though I think I need to get back to the basics of exercise and better eating, granted probably eating more often (as I am still eating for two). I need to loose 12kg and I need to reassure myself that I have done it before and can do it again!

I can hear that piece of advice again - the sleeve is TOOL it really does depend on how you use it!

Trace

My doctor said that it does stretch a bit over time. I've now got a 120 cc stomach and he said that in 5 years time it could get up to 250 cc (from overeating etc). He said that although now it's swollen and not quite flexible, that in 5 years time it's not only that it's gonna be larger but also that it's actually gonna be more flexible. But it's never gonna be 1200cc and flexible (like it was in my case).

I was told there was no evidence cause it is still a new procedure. Dr Greenslade said however it can't get as big as it was BUT there may be options to resleeve later on down the track if needs be.

There is a lotof conflicting info on this topic. Our Drs cant say for sure if the sleeve can or cannot stretch because as a WLS there just isn't enough long term information/rearch.

My Dr said the above and added that there can be residual swelling in the stomach lining for many months after the operation so when it has all settled and one can eat more it seems like the stomach has stretched. He also said if one keeps pushing the limit with overeating, over a period of time there is an excellant chance it will stretch somewhat. However it will never stretch to the size it was as it is physically impossible. The part of the stomach that stretches the most is the part that is removed.

Weight gain is more related to poor food choices.

Maybe in another 5 odd years there will be some concrete evidence.

Peazles wrote:

I know that quite a few people on this forum are of the opinion that a sleeve, if done correctly, cannot stretch. Can people please tell me if their surgeon has told them this specifically, or if they've just heard it 'somewhere'. Alternatively, could you please also post if your surgeon has told you that your sleeve can stretch.
If you've read a good, science based article that gives valid reasons as to why your sleeve cannot stretch, could you please point me in the direction of it, as I cannot find anything that tells me that a sleeve can't stretch.
Thanks so much.

I was informed at the hospital that if I really "worked hard" by eating large quantities over time, it was possible to stretch the stomach nearly back to the same size it was before surgery. Thats why the long term (5 years +) sleeve results was not so promising indicating that most people gained some weight back. Even another reason to stick with the diet regime after all overweight is gone!

Kaysa

Whilst in hospital last week I asked my surgeon could the sleeve be stretched.
For the life of me I can't remember his fascinating explanation well enough to even try & post it correctly here LOL!
But in a word his answer was NO.

My impression is that it can. Now 12 months past my operation, I can eat a good bit more food in one sitting than I could six months ago. I'm trying to focus on portion control, but it looks like this may keep me about 15 pounds away from my final target weight. No biggie, but would have been great to get under 200.

The POSE and the ROSE procedcures are close to 100% total failures if you read the american boards in reguard to RNY surgery so there is no way on the planet I would let anybody do it on a sleeve.

You also have to remember ALL research and ALL information that will come in about weight gain and sleeve size will come out of the USA and that their sleeves where so much bigger than anything ever done here in Australia, they where way behind us in making the sleeve the size it is now. So do remember that when the figures come in because they are going to be based on those way bigger sleeves.

applesauce

Thanks for the posted info guys, I think I might be able to cope with a 250ml tummy....its gotta be easier than a 1L one! (I'm sure mine is that big...the food I can put away....Ha,ha)

When I went to one surgeons info session with his practice manager, she showed a graph of weight loss' from his patients. The gastric sleeve graphs showed an increasing in weights at around the 6-9month mark. When I queried this, she said that it was then that the sleeves capacity tends to increase.

She said that it was important at that time to increase/ramp up exercise and be vigilant with diet, and that people who had a history of deprivation/binge eating were sometimes lured into old bad habits (especially if they'd lost weight easily until then without having to modify their lifestyles and healthy eating) and that psychological support helps at this stage too...
I noted that the weights then decreased again until the 12 month mark when they were almost all at goal...

No further info after that.

Can the sleeve stretch?...yep its possible...
Will that happen on me?....maybe,if I let it....if I binge or make poor choices or dont exercise...then probably
What will happen with me?.....we'll see...I'm gonna do all I can with the support around me, not to have it happen. But we'll see.

I'm expecting to have to deal with some kind of stretch/increase in capacity at some stage. The jury seems to still be out as to how many will, when and how much.

Its OK, I'm comfortable with that. Its a risk I'm still prepared to take.

Would still be a bummer though.....

Deb

I posted such a link earlier in this thread to the main study i found on this :)

There are new procedures to "fix" a stretched Sleeve. The are still in the experimental stages, but doctors in the United States are doing the surgery...It's called incisionless weight loss surgery. Here are the 2 types: the new endoscopic POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal) Procedure and the ROSE (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal) Procedure for post-gastric bypass weight regain....
Here is the information on it:
The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana offer two incisionless weight loss options to our patients:

* A procedure that helps restore gastric bypass patients’ stoma and pouch after post-gastric bypass weight regain – ROSE (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endoluminal)
* A new incisionless weight loss procedure that decreases the capacity of a patient's stomach - POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal)

The POSE procedure procedure Registry is currently closed. However, if you are considering paying cash for this procedure you may contact our office for information. You may qualify for the ROSE procedure procedure if you originally lost significant weight following gastric bypass but now find yourself regaining weight. To determine your candidacy, we will perform an initial screening followed by series of evaluations including nutritional and dietary counseling, a full medical exam and endoscopy.

Incisionless weight loss surgery is performed under general anesthesia entirely through the patient’s mouth without any external incisions into the body. In addition to the absence of visible scars, this technique results in fewer complications, less trauma, and shorter recovery time. The procedure uses a flexible tube with multiple channels for surgical instruments. The surgeon advances the tube and a small endoscope – a video camera so that the surgeon can view the operative site on a nearby video monitor – through the patient’s mouth, into the stomach. The surgeon then inserts the surgical tools through the channels of the tube to grasp the stomach tissue and create suture folds in the stomach to reduce its volume capacity in the case of the POSE procedure, or restore the original stomach pouch in the case of the ROSE procedure.

I know the risk luv and how you must feel. First step is to get out of hospital, sip sip sip, and follow the guidelines that the dietitian gave you or will give you. Take each day as it comes, try to listen to the dietitian very carefully in which food groups belong where and try to stick to what she recommends for you. See you on the other side when I return.,, :)

Thanks Miss, Thanks Sharon,

Miss I am scared because I am very obese, and I do not want to risk EVER getting back to being this large once the surgery has been done, whether it is 1 year or 5 years.

Im not scared of the operation, Ive made my decision and it will be done.

Its the fear of it not working that worries me.

Nat

Pierced Mumma08,
Try not to worry,you will be fine.
I would not change a thing,I love my sleeve and so will you.

Sharon.

PiercedMumma08 you are funny, how are you scared? Just go in as cool as you can, you choose the surgeon so I believe that you should have complete faith in him! The surgery should go to plan!!! Goodluck anyway.

God this whole thread is scaring the bejesus out of me.

YIKES!

Would have replied earlier but missed this thread somehow. Anyway sleeve size change has been studied the abstract below is the results

Quote :

Evaluation of the radiological gastric capacity and evolution of the BMI 2-3 years after sleeve gastrectomy.

Braghetto I, Cortes C, Herquiñigo D, Csendes P, Rojas A, Mushle M, Korn O, Valladares H, Csendes A, Maria Burgos A, Papapietro K.

Department of Surgery, University Hospital, University of Chile, Santos Dumont 999, Santiago, Chile. ibraghet@edclinicauchile.cl
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure for treatment of obese patients with different body mass index (BMI) and presents good results in terms of a reduction of percentage of excess weight loss and BMI. There is no consensus which is the optimal technique regarding to the diameter of the gastric tube, but a capacity of 100-120 ml has been suggested. In this prospective study, we compare the gastric capacity evaluated with barium sulfate or computer-aided tomography (CAT) scan early and 24 months after operation compared to the changes in body weight and BMI reduction in a small group of 15 consecutive patients submitted to sleeve gastrectomy. METHODS: Fifteen successive obese patients submitted to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were included. They were studied in order to measure the residual gastric capacity with barium sulfate and CAT scan early (3 days) and late (2 years) after surgery. RESULTS: The early postoperative gastric volume was 108 +/- 25 ml (80-120 ml) and 116.2 +/- 78.24 assessed with barium sulfate and CAT scan, respectively. The gastric capacity at the late control increased to 250 +/- 85 and 254 +/- 56.8 assessed with the same techniques. However, patients remained stable with a BMI close to 25 without regain of weight at least at the time of observation. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric capacity can increase late after sleeve gastrectomy even after performing a narrow gastric tubulization. It is very important to measure objectively residual gastric volume after sleeve gastrectomy and its eventual increase in order to determine the late clinical results and to indicate eventual strategy for retreatment.