After the honeymoon period, could you live without sleeve

[originalrocklobster 3]

Hi all,

New with a burning question for long term post-op people - disclaimer, I have asked this on one other forum (not this site). I'm at a bit of a cross-roads and want to ask experienced sleevers specific questions. To begin, I haven't had VSG, however it's been on my mind lately. I'm 5"8, and weigh 280 lbs (after losing 20 lbs in the last 5 weeks after re-starting my healthy eating plan).

I've talked to a surgeon who said I'd be OK to get the sleeve (in 2 months). It'll cost $12k after a subsidy (which I get as BMI over 40). I've been feeling really good lately on my healthy eating kick, and thought maybe I should postpone it another 8 months so I can see how I go. I've cut out sugar, carbs and fatty foods, so cravings are thankfully gone. Although I'm not losing as fast as I would in the initial first restricted months on a sleeve, it is happening at an OK pace and the food plan is manageable. In my mind, it's almost like I've skipped forward to the 1-2 years post-sleeve timeframe where it's up to you to eat well after the honeymoon period. Long term though, I wonder if I should get the VSG to help going forward, I don't want to get down, then regain, which leads me the following questions:

1. Long term, do you still have the benefit of getting full faster / with less food. I believe you do, except of course the workarounds like chips etc which people can eat a large amount of.
2. Now that your stomach is kind of back to a bigger size, do you feel it is all on you to eat well and exercise, or do you think the sleeve is helping you long term.
3. And the hard to know question - if you felt exactly like you feel now (weight loss accomplished, control over eating, good routine in place), and your sleeve magically got replaced with your old stomach, would you be OK - i.e. is it basically all you these days this late in the game, or is the sleeve still helping? And would you swap back since your under control now so you don't have the odd things to worry about, e.g. Vitamins, drinking Water too fast, money back from surgery (if applicable)

The questions above kind of cross-over, so fine if you answer in one, but you get the gist hopefully - is the sleeve basically a 1-2 year window of opportunity to lose the weight and implement good habits, then it's back to all being you.

Thank you for your comments.

Edited April 28, 2016 by originalrocklobster

[Bufflehead 6,358]

1. Long term, do you still have the benefit of getting full faster / with less food. Yes, absolutely.
2. Now that your stomach is kind of back to a bigger size, do you feel it is all on you to eat well and exercise, or do you think the sleeve is helping you long term.

   The sleeve definitely helps me -- but I do still have to eat well and exercise. I have to make that choice and commit to it. The sleeve helps me keep that commitment. I hope that makes sense.

3. And the hard to know question - if you felt exactly like you feel now (weight loss accomplished, control over eating, good routine in place), and your sleeve magically got replaced with your old stomach, would you be OK -

   No I would not be okay, I would be well on my way back to 350+ pounds if not there already.

   And would you swap back since your under control now so you don't have the odd things to worry about, e.g. Vitamins, drinking Water too fast, money back from surgery (if applicable)

   No, I would not swap back, I am a pacifist but if someone threatened to operate on me and somehow reattach the rest of my old stomach I would get myself a semi-automatic handgun and take them out. My only addition to my Vitamin regimen is a daily Multi-Vitamin, not a big deal IMO. I don't worry about drinking Water too fast. I do have a couple of things I no longer enjoy -- bread and carbonation. Those are off the table. I no longer drink and eat together -- that's just a habit now, not something I worry about. But I cannot even tell you how little those things matter to me compare to my normal, healthy life, which I have every prospect of maintaining as long as I keep up my end of the bargain.

[Recycled 2,182]

So, your question is basically......Is the sleeve still necessary down the road after the weight loss.

Answer: For me...... Definitely. I simply had a birth defect corrected. My big stomach.

Even after developing the new habits.......measuring, Protein, fluids, exercise, blah blah blah.......and sticking to a rigid plan all during the loss period......I found all the benefits of the sleeve's honeymoon period faded with time and many old issues returned. Hunger, sweet taste, carb desire, grazing, and laziness with the exercise. All making the need for the sleeve's "restriction" even more important. The things that started me on the path to becoming obese didn't magically vanish. And because of the volume of my stomach, Portion Control was always my nemesis. But I feel confident that I can keep it in check now, because my body has been corrected to what was needed for my normal. My normal needed a correct size stomach to offset all of my other body's functions. Same as people are different heights and have different color eyes or hair, I have a different size stomach.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[FrankyG 1,450]

1. Long term, do you still have the benefit of getting full faster / with less food. I believe you do, except of course the workarounds like chips etc which people can eat a large amount of.

   Yes that is my understanding. I'm over a year out, and still very aware of a restriction and make sure to measure my portions so I don't feel overly full (because that still feels very uncomfortable).

2. Now that your stomach is kind of back to a bigger size, do you feel it is all on you to eat well and exercise, or do you think the sleeve is helping you long term.

   My stomach will never be "back to a bigger size" but it is slightly larger than it was right after the surgery. I can eat about 5 ounces of food and my doc said that was about the right size and I might be able to get up to maybe 6-7 ounces max over the years. The average stomach holds around 6 cups (a cup is 8 ounces so do the math).

   It has ALWAYS been all on me to eat healthy and exercise. The sleeve is only a tool to give me time help me deal with my food addictions and weight so I could take back control over my diet and lose enough weight to get more active. That's the whole point! I have no illusions about the fact that it is not the cure - my lifestyle change is possible through the sleeve, but it is 100% on me to work my ass off (literally) to change everything about how I eat and relate to food and exercise.

3. And the hard to know question - if you felt exactly like you feel now (weight loss accomplished, control over eating, good routine in place), and your sleeve magically got replaced with your old stomach, would you be OK - i.e. is it basically all you these days this late in the game, or is the sleeve still helping? And would you swap back since your under control now so you don't have the odd things to worry about, e.g. Vitamins, drinking Water too fast, money back from surgery (if applicable)

   I'm not at goal, but getting close but still, no, I would not be okay and I would not go back to having my old sized stomach even if I could get all the money back, and I was self pay. I made a huge commitment and had much thought and effort and went through major surgery to improve my life. If I was put back to how I was before, but at the current weight, I'd not have the same motivation to keep improving and moving forward. I need the fact that I invested the time and energy and money into this to keep me honest. I also need the reminder that the sleeve's restriction gives me to help to not fall off the wagon.

[Healthy_life2 8,319]

I'm 2 years out.

do you still have the benefit of getting full faster / with less food?

I still have good restriction and feel the sensation of full.

Now that your stomach is kind of back to a bigger size, do you feel it is all on you to eat well and exercise, or do you think the sleeve is helping you long term?

Combination of both. The surgery does not do the weight loss for you. It is your commitment to the life style changes that keep the weight off. The surgery helps me feel less hungry.......I cannot eat a big meal even if I tried. Eating healthy and exercise is normal for me now.

would you be OK without the surgery.?

I would be still struggling with obesity and health problems without my surgery.

Do I worry about, e.g. Vitamins, drinking Water too fast, money back from surgery (if applicable)?

Understand life is normal and uneventful after you hit your weight loss goal.. I live, eat and play just like everyone else in the world. People I meet have no idea I had surgery. They just see me eat healthy and take care of myself.

[Rainy Days 73]

what great questions and answers!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I'm 20.5 months post-op. I've lost 100 pounds and have been maintaining at 135 pounds for many months now.

I'm with all the other VSG patients here who've lost all their excess weight and are maintaining well now (most of us for the first time) by eating healthily and mindfully and exercising / moving more than we used to do.

NO WAY would I be as successful now at maintaining my weight loss without my sleeve. My restriction is still strong. My hunger is still less than it once was. I feel for the first time in my life like I am in control of my appetite and eating impulses.

Having said that, I've also worked my ass off to build new eating habits. I've learned tons about nutrition and apply that daily. I still use My Fitness Pal to plan my meals and track my eating. I use a walking app on my cell phone to track my steps. My life and my focus on health is very different now than it's ever been.

That said, I think you should not undergo WLS if you are uncertain about the decision. If you want to continue your weight loss through diet / exercise and see how that works for you, then I say go for it, and I wish you the very best results! The odds are you won't be one of the 2-5% who will maintain most of your weight loss without WLS. But you could be.

If or when you are ready for WLS, you will know it.

[jane13 2,256]

As an old "newbie" (almost 1 year post-op) I really enjoyed the questions and the answers from the "Vets"

THANK YOU!

[originalrocklobster 3]

Thanks everyone for your time writing these answers.

They provide fantastic information, especially as I fear the "regain" phase, aka life post sleeve honeymoon.

If you've had your sleeve for 4-5+ years, I'd also be interested in your current experience re the above.

[lunarose 97]

Hi, I will be six years out this Aug. I still feel the restriction just last month we were on a cruise and I ate too much too fast and had to leave the table and walk around the boat until I felt better (30 min). It definitely is still helpful because while I still have to watch what I eat without it would be a lot harder to stay on track. I would not want my pre sleeve stomach for anything.

[originalrocklobster 3]

That's great after 5+ years. Thank you

[Sophie74656 1,572]

I'm not exactly a vet yet, I got sleeved this past September. Right now I can definitely say that I still feel the restriction and I still NEED it.

I do have a different relationship with food, but I still LOVE food. I still think about food all the time. Driving home past all the fast food places I do still think about burgers and nuggets and fries. My restriction and horrible feeling after eating greasy fried foods stop me from going in those places.

I think that without the sleeve and restriction I would very easily slip back into my old eating habits and regain all the weight, probably plus more, very quickly

[PayItForward 207]

@@originalrocklobster

Have you lost large amounts of weight in the past?

By the time I had the surgery, i had lost major amounts of weight at least 3 or 4 times over a 30 year period. The losses ranged from 80 to 125 lbs. Each time, I would regain the amount I lost plus more. So, for me, I am sure that the surgery is my only hope of maintaining my weight once I get to my goal.

I don't know your past history. If you haven't had a lot of experience with maintaining weight loss than it wouldn't hurt to try the old fashion way and put off the surgery for now. Either way, best of luck.

Edited May 5, 2016 by PayItForward

[Andrew0929 1,101]

I'm 2.5 years out, down about 150 pounds, and still have significant restriction.

I've been at goals since 9 months out and definitely could not have maintained without the restriction. I'm thankful for it every day and am convinced that if the restriction prevails, I will continue to be successful.

[Anna Nim 196]

For what is worth; 5 years ago I had the sleeve approved/scheduled and ready to go. I cancelled. I had lost some weight & other factors. Later gained it back, lost it again, had a breakup and lost about 40, re-gained that, plus more and kept it all on for over a year and a half. So now, 5 years later I am now a good 40 lbs heavier than the day I walked from surgery...and now, today, rejoined this forum and discovered that I NOW will be a 11K out of pocket patient. (Lotto anyone). I am terrified to have surgery and have it fail, but at this point, in my 40's with a big booty and a bum knee it might be my best bet..