CowgirlJane

I read this the other day, but wanted to think a little before responding. I think the OP and the discussion raises some enormously important points.
I am a project manager, I make "risk based" decisions everyday. That means, weighing the possible outcomes, trying to judge the probabilty and impact of those outcomes - and making a decision. I basically did that when I got the sleeve, and it took me a long time. I am not a medical expert, but i listened to them. I read as much pros and cons as I could and threw some grains of salt into the glowing pros because early euphoria is not really what I was looking for - I want long term success at weight management with minimal risk of bad side effects or consequences. I had EXACTLY the same reservations that are expressed here.
I was banded in 2001, right before it was FDA approved. I thought I had reseached it, but I was fooled by a group like this one, (it was a yahoo group called Bandsters). At that time, there was a lot of peer pressure - people who weren't having big success simply didn't reveal. There were a couple of dominant personalities in that group and basically, anybody who wasn't successful had "compliance" issues.
I did okay at first, but I was never super successful with the band. Worse then that, the reflux was a nightmare. I can go on and on. Anyway, I had the Fluid out about 2003/early 2004 due to uncontrolled reflux and lived with the band until 2011. I didn't feel shame for being fat, I felt shame for FAILING at a WLS that I thought pretty much everybody else succeeded with. It made me very skeptical of all the claims about WLS, it made me skeptical of myself. I was convinced that I had a "compliance issue" and would surely fail with the gastric bypass or anything else too. In hindsight, I realize I was pretty hard on myself.
I lost weight on weight watchers - kept that off for quite awhile, but then in recent years tried everything and couldn't keep weight off for more a few monhts... the regain was always so fast. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I saw counselors to find and hopefully cure my "eating disorders". They kept asking me how I felt when I wanted to eat... they didn't think "hungry" was a legitimate answer.. I really didn't make progress on that front either.
I was pushed hard by my sleep apnea doctor to get some weight off. The doctor that looked at my arthritic kneed and told me it needs replacing soon, practically begged me to get weight off. They were both compassionate, but very firm. I could always say "I am healthy" but in truth, I at 47 I was starting to have physical issues. They shared with me real stories of patients, and in the case of the surgeon, about his mother. They painted a picture of the road I was on... 300+ at 47; what is life going to be like at 57, 67... if I made it that long. They shook me up.
The sleep doctor convinced me to meet with a surgeon that he knew. Great guy, great reputation but he felt strongly I would fail with a restrictive procedure (oh, the non compliance thing again) so steered me toward the gastric bypass. I started the process, but at some point decided that I was just too scared and would rather die young then do that procedure. This may not be rational, but it is where my head was at.
I came across another place that advertised "weight management" services that required a two year commitment to their program and as I read about their program and thought... I need to try again. I got lucky and the director/founder of that business is who I talked to. She listened to my story and said... have you considered the gastric sleeve? I told her about me failing at the band etc etc and she said, please, before you do anything - talk to these guys and referred me to the surgeons they work with. (they have a weight management program that is non surgical but she identified that I was not a good candidate for that due to lifelong obesity and high BMI at the time. The stats don't lie - deck is stacked against people in that situation). She said something that stuck with me.... as much as the deck was stacked against me, a lifetime of obesity, one failed surgery she said I had going for me one very important thing - I never gave up. That little comment gave me some hope.
I met Dr Billing and he spent the time to really talk to me about obesity and theories, research and surgeries. He spent such a long time with me, I am so grateful for that. He gave a sobering assessment too about risks of revisions - things can happen. He agreed that the revision to the gastric bypass was riskier and stongly recommended the sleeve. One of the docs in their practice has had the sleeve, and another one's wife has had it done - they really believe in this procedure. He also referred me to a bariatric doctor (non surgeon) to work with. She, combined with Dr Billing changed my view of the whole thing.
There are physical reasons I am hungry all the freaking time!!!! I am not denying personal responsibility, i realize it is lifestyle and choices, but, I was swimming upstream trying to overcome the obesity cycle I had been deeply caught up in my whole life! He told me that it is possible to break free without surgery, but the odds aren't good.
He also told me my band needed to come OUT as it had slipped, I had pouch dialiation - it needed to go. I was not mentally ready for it, but I went ahead with the band removal surgery... still deciding about the sleeve.
About 2 days after the band came out, I was hungry hungry hungry even more! I couldn't believe it, even my failed band had been helping somewhat. My gosh, wonder if I would have weighed 400# if I hadn't had that crapband in there - maybe I should give it some credit.
I went to the bariatric doc (not the surgeon) and followed her program which kept me from gaining 50# but I was becoming frantic and even depressed over what was happening. The drive to eat was out of control. I am not sure what clicked, but at some point, I could no longer deny that I needed a tool to help me. I could not deny that my life was being negatively impacted by my obesity. I could not deny that I was starting to not be able to do the things I love and that everything was such an effort. (I could still wipe my butt, but I know what she meant, everything just gets so hard when you are that heavy). And I was miserable always feeling like food was the most important thing in my life since I just had a drive to eat.
I am reminded of the quote "I was going downhill faster then I could lower my standards"
So, because i had one foot in the door on this whole deal, I had some of the presurgery things taken care of including insurance approval. Then, in November 2011, I found out my insurance was changing. The new insurance specifically excluded the Gastric Sleeve, but still covered the gastric bypass. I did some soul searching and then booked it for December before the new insurance kicked in. At the time, I didn't like that pressure, but in hindsight, it was the kick in the butt I needed after dallying with this whole subject for a year.
I wound up with a different surgeon (who is also amazing) in the same practice because my doc was on vacation in December.
It was a huge leap of faith. I still don't really know what problems, or weight regain I might have in 5 years, 10 years. I have risked being "fooled again" by the hype - I know that.
For me, the risk was worth taking because I just could not keep gaining weight. I could not remain in that high BMI catagory - that wasn't me and wasn't the life I want.
Anyway, I am only 5 months out, but my success has already surpassed anything I achieved with the band. It has also been easier so far, and so far, I don't experience hunger all the time. My whole relationship with food is changing. I am not claiming the war is over, but I have been winning many battles. I have heard it said on this forum "the sleeve is everything the band promised but didn't deliver" - I agree with that statement.
My blood work is the envy of the medical and nutritionalist staff (like wow, fasting blood sugar of 77 for example and I was pre-diabetic, triglicerides all that are in the outstanding excellent catagory). I feel like a million bucks. I am doing stuff with my horses again and loving on it. I am so active, I have so many choices of what to do, where to go, where to shop - all that. I no longer feel like the morbidly obese person who has no business doing horse things. I no longer feel the constant drive to EAT. I feel more like ME. I still have lots of weight to lose (I am still obese even, but in a whole different weight class now), but I am so happy with how this is going I can't even express it adequately.
My life is becoming a life I want to live.
So, back to the original point. Yeah, I am skeptical. I still wonder sometimes when the shoe will drop and I suddenly have "mental issues" with food. There is a part of me that still believes this whole situation is a character flaw on my part, even though I fight that. Seems to me that my issues with food have pretty much gone away since I am not starving 24/7, but time will tell. My docs openly disclosed the limited data on long term results of this exact procedure, based on the stomach size they are currently using. I just couldn't wait another 10 years to see how the studies turned out, so for me the risks as I understand them now, are totally worth the benefits, as I understand them now.
Here's to a great next 10 years - I am determined to be one of the good statistics!
(my signature shows I still have 66# to lose, but I have lost over 80# in the 5 months and am much closer to normal sized person now)

I read this the other day, but wanted to think a little before responding. I think the OP and the discussion raises some enormously important points.
I am a project manager, I make "risk based" decisions everyday. That means, weighing the possible outcomes, trying to judge the probabilty and impact of those outcomes - and making a decision. I basically did that when I got the sleeve, and it took me a long time. I am not a medical expert, but i listened to them. I read as much pros and cons as I could and threw some grains of salt into the glowing pros because early euphoria is not really what I was looking for - I want long term success at weight management with minimal risk of bad side effects or consequences. I had EXACTLY the same reservations that are expressed here.
I was banded in 2001, right before it was FDA approved. I thought I had reseached it, but I was fooled by a group like this one, (it was a yahoo group called Bandsters). At that time, there was a lot of peer pressure - people who weren't having big success simply didn't reveal. There were a couple of dominant personalities in that group and basically, anybody who wasn't successful had "compliance" issues.
I did okay at first, but I was never super successful with the band. Worse then that, the reflux was a nightmare. I can go on and on. Anyway, I had the Fluid out about 2003/early 2004 due to uncontrolled reflux and lived with the band until 2011. I didn't feel shame for being fat, I felt shame for FAILING at a WLS that I thought pretty much everybody else succeeded with. It made me very skeptical of all the claims about WLS, it made me skeptical of myself. I was convinced that I had a "compliance issue" and would surely fail with the gastric bypass or anything else too. In hindsight, I realize I was pretty hard on myself.
I lost weight on weight watchers - kept that off for quite awhile, but then in recent years tried everything and couldn't keep weight off for more a few monhts... the regain was always so fast. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I saw counselors to find and hopefully cure my "eating disorders". They kept asking me how I felt when I wanted to eat... they didn't think "hungry" was a legitimate answer.. I really didn't make progress on that front either.
I was pushed hard by my sleep apnea doctor to get some weight off. The doctor that looked at my arthritic kneed and told me it needs replacing soon, practically begged me to get weight off. They were both compassionate, but very firm. I could always say "I am healthy" but in truth, I at 47 I was starting to have physical issues. They shared with me real stories of patients, and in the case of the surgeon, about his mother. They painted a picture of the road I was on... 300+ at 47; what is life going to be like at 57, 67... if I made it that long. They shook me up.
The sleep doctor convinced me to meet with a surgeon that he knew. Great guy, great reputation but he felt strongly I would fail with a restrictive procedure (oh, the non compliance thing again) so steered me toward the gastric bypass. I started the process, but at some point decided that I was just too scared and would rather die young then do that procedure. This may not be rational, but it is where my head was at.
I came across another place that advertised "weight management" services that required a two year commitment to their program and as I read about their program and thought... I need to try again. I got lucky and the director/founder of that business is who I talked to. She listened to my story and said... have you considered the gastric sleeve? I told her about me failing at the band etc etc and she said, please, before you do anything - talk to these guys and referred me to the surgeons they work with. (they have a weight management program that is non surgical but she identified that I was not a good candidate for that due to lifelong obesity and high BMI at the time. The stats don't lie - deck is stacked against people in that situation). She said something that stuck with me.... as much as the deck was stacked against me, a lifetime of obesity, one failed surgery she said I had going for me one very important thing - I never gave up. That little comment gave me some hope.
I met Dr Billing and he spent the time to really talk to me about obesity and theories, research and surgeries. He spent such a long time with me, I am so grateful for that. He gave a sobering assessment too about risks of revisions - things can happen. He agreed that the revision to the gastric bypass was riskier and stongly recommended the sleeve. One of the docs in their practice has had the sleeve, and another one's wife has had it done - they really believe in this procedure. He also referred me to a bariatric doctor (non surgeon) to work with. She, combined with Dr Billing changed my view of the whole thing.
There are physical reasons I am hungry all the freaking time!!!! I am not denying personal responsibility, i realize it is lifestyle and choices, but, I was swimming upstream trying to overcome the obesity cycle I had been deeply caught up in my whole life! He told me that it is possible to break free without surgery, but the odds aren't good.
He also told me my band needed to come OUT as it had slipped, I had pouch dialiation - it needed to go. I was not mentally ready for it, but I went ahead with the band removal surgery... still deciding about the sleeve.
About 2 days after the band came out, I was hungry hungry hungry even more! I couldn't believe it, even my failed band had been helping somewhat. My gosh, wonder if I would have weighed 400# if I hadn't had that crapband in there - maybe I should give it some credit.
I went to the bariatric doc (not the surgeon) and followed her program which kept me from gaining 50# but I was becoming frantic and even depressed over what was happening. The drive to eat was out of control. I am not sure what clicked, but at some point, I could no longer deny that I needed a tool to help me. I could not deny that my life was being negatively impacted by my obesity. I could not deny that I was starting to not be able to do the things I love and that everything was such an effort. (I could still wipe my butt, but I know what she meant, everything just gets so hard when you are that heavy). And I was miserable always feeling like food was the most important thing in my life since I just had a drive to eat.
I am reminded of the quote "I was going downhill faster then I could lower my standards"
So, because i had one foot in the door on this whole deal, I had some of the presurgery things taken care of including insurance approval. Then, in November 2011, I found out my insurance was changing. The new insurance specifically excluded the Gastric Sleeve, but still covered the gastric bypass. I did some soul searching and then booked it for December before the new insurance kicked in. At the time, I didn't like that pressure, but in hindsight, it was the kick in the butt I needed after dallying with this whole subject for a year.
I wound up with a different surgeon (who is also amazing) in the same practice because my doc was on vacation in December.
It was a huge leap of faith. I still don't really know what problems, or weight regain I might have in 5 years, 10 years. I have risked being "fooled again" by the hype - I know that.
For me, the risk was worth taking because I just could not keep gaining weight. I could not remain in that high BMI catagory - that wasn't me and wasn't the life I want.
Anyway, I am only 5 months out, but my success has already surpassed anything I achieved with the band. It has also been easier so far, and so far, I don't experience hunger all the time. My whole relationship with food is changing. I am not claiming the war is over, but I have been winning many battles. I have heard it said on this forum "the sleeve is everything the band promised but didn't deliver" - I agree with that statement.
My blood work is the envy of the medical and nutritionalist staff (like wow, fasting blood sugar of 77 for example and I was pre-diabetic, triglicerides all that are in the outstanding excellent catagory). I feel like a million bucks. I am doing stuff with my horses again and loving on it. I am so active, I have so many choices of what to do, where to go, where to shop - all that. I no longer feel like the morbidly obese person who has no business doing horse things. I no longer feel the constant drive to EAT. I feel more like ME. I still have lots of weight to lose (I am still obese even, but in a whole different weight class now), but I am so happy with how this is going I can't even express it adequately.
My life is becoming a life I want to live.
So, back to the original point. Yeah, I am skeptical. I still wonder sometimes when the shoe will drop and I suddenly have "mental issues" with food. There is a part of me that still believes this whole situation is a character flaw on my part, even though I fight that. Seems to me that my issues with food have pretty much gone away since I am not starving 24/7, but time will tell. My docs openly disclosed the limited data on long term results of this exact procedure, based on the stomach size they are currently using. I just couldn't wait another 10 years to see how the studies turned out, so for me the risks as I understand them now, are totally worth the benefits, as I understand them now.
Here's to a great next 10 years - I am determined to be one of the good statistics!
(my signature shows I still have 66# to lose, but I have lost over 80# in the 5 months and am much closer to normal sized person now)

I read this the other day, but wanted to think a little before responding. I think the OP and the discussion raises some enormously important points.
I am a project manager, I make "risk based" decisions everyday. That means, weighing the possible outcomes, trying to judge the probabilty and impact of those outcomes - and making a decision. I basically did that when I got the sleeve, and it took me a long time. I am not a medical expert, but i listened to them. I read as much pros and cons as I could and threw some grains of salt into the glowing pros because early euphoria is not really what I was looking for - I want long term success at weight management with minimal risk of bad side effects or consequences. I had EXACTLY the same reservations that are expressed here.
I was banded in 2001, right before it was FDA approved. I thought I had reseached it, but I was fooled by a group like this one, (it was a yahoo group called Bandsters). At that time, there was a lot of peer pressure - people who weren't having big success simply didn't reveal. There were a couple of dominant personalities in that group and basically, anybody who wasn't successful had "compliance" issues.
I did okay at first, but I was never super successful with the band. Worse then that, the reflux was a nightmare. I can go on and on. Anyway, I had the Fluid out about 2003/early 2004 due to uncontrolled reflux and lived with the band until 2011. I didn't feel shame for being fat, I felt shame for FAILING at a WLS that I thought pretty much everybody else succeeded with. It made me very skeptical of all the claims about WLS, it made me skeptical of myself. I was convinced that I had a "compliance issue" and would surely fail with the gastric bypass or anything else too. In hindsight, I realize I was pretty hard on myself.
I lost weight on weight watchers - kept that off for quite awhile, but then in recent years tried everything and couldn't keep weight off for more a few monhts... the regain was always so fast. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I saw counselors to find and hopefully cure my "eating disorders". They kept asking me how I felt when I wanted to eat... they didn't think "hungry" was a legitimate answer.. I really didn't make progress on that front either.
I was pushed hard by my sleep apnea doctor to get some weight off. The doctor that looked at my arthritic kneed and told me it needs replacing soon, practically begged me to get weight off. They were both compassionate, but very firm. I could always say "I am healthy" but in truth, I at 47 I was starting to have physical issues. They shared with me real stories of patients, and in the case of the surgeon, about his mother. They painted a picture of the road I was on... 300+ at 47; what is life going to be like at 57, 67... if I made it that long. They shook me up.
The sleep doctor convinced me to meet with a surgeon that he knew. Great guy, great reputation but he felt strongly I would fail with a restrictive procedure (oh, the non compliance thing again) so steered me toward the gastric bypass. I started the process, but at some point decided that I was just too scared and would rather die young then do that procedure. This may not be rational, but it is where my head was at.
I came across another place that advertised "weight management" services that required a two year commitment to their program and as I read about their program and thought... I need to try again. I got lucky and the director/founder of that business is who I talked to. She listened to my story and said... have you considered the gastric sleeve? I told her about me failing at the band etc etc and she said, please, before you do anything - talk to these guys and referred me to the surgeons they work with. (they have a weight management program that is non surgical but she identified that I was not a good candidate for that due to lifelong obesity and high BMI at the time. The stats don't lie - deck is stacked against people in that situation). She said something that stuck with me.... as much as the deck was stacked against me, a lifetime of obesity, one failed surgery she said I had going for me one very important thing - I never gave up. That little comment gave me some hope.
I met Dr Billing and he spent the time to really talk to me about obesity and theories, research and surgeries. He spent such a long time with me, I am so grateful for that. He gave a sobering assessment too about risks of revisions - things can happen. He agreed that the revision to the gastric bypass was riskier and stongly recommended the sleeve. One of the docs in their practice has had the sleeve, and another one's wife has had it done - they really believe in this procedure. He also referred me to a bariatric doctor (non surgeon) to work with. She, combined with Dr Billing changed my view of the whole thing.
There are physical reasons I am hungry all the freaking time!!!! I am not denying personal responsibility, i realize it is lifestyle and choices, but, I was swimming upstream trying to overcome the obesity cycle I had been deeply caught up in my whole life! He told me that it is possible to break free without surgery, but the odds aren't good.
He also told me my band needed to come OUT as it had slipped, I had pouch dialiation - it needed to go. I was not mentally ready for it, but I went ahead with the band removal surgery... still deciding about the sleeve.
About 2 days after the band came out, I was hungry hungry hungry even more! I couldn't believe it, even my failed band had been helping somewhat. My gosh, wonder if I would have weighed 400# if I hadn't had that crapband in there - maybe I should give it some credit.
I went to the bariatric doc (not the surgeon) and followed her program which kept me from gaining 50# but I was becoming frantic and even depressed over what was happening. The drive to eat was out of control. I am not sure what clicked, but at some point, I could no longer deny that I needed a tool to help me. I could not deny that my life was being negatively impacted by my obesity. I could not deny that I was starting to not be able to do the things I love and that everything was such an effort. (I could still wipe my butt, but I know what she meant, everything just gets so hard when you are that heavy). And I was miserable always feeling like food was the most important thing in my life since I just had a drive to eat.
I am reminded of the quote "I was going downhill faster then I could lower my standards"
So, because i had one foot in the door on this whole deal, I had some of the presurgery things taken care of including insurance approval. Then, in November 2011, I found out my insurance was changing. The new insurance specifically excluded the Gastric Sleeve, but still covered the gastric bypass. I did some soul searching and then booked it for December before the new insurance kicked in. At the time, I didn't like that pressure, but in hindsight, it was the kick in the butt I needed after dallying with this whole subject for a year.
I wound up with a different surgeon (who is also amazing) in the same practice because my doc was on vacation in December.
It was a huge leap of faith. I still don't really know what problems, or weight regain I might have in 5 years, 10 years. I have risked being "fooled again" by the hype - I know that.
For me, the risk was worth taking because I just could not keep gaining weight. I could not remain in that high BMI catagory - that wasn't me and wasn't the life I want.
Anyway, I am only 5 months out, but my success has already surpassed anything I achieved with the band. It has also been easier so far, and so far, I don't experience hunger all the time. My whole relationship with food is changing. I am not claiming the war is over, but I have been winning many battles. I have heard it said on this forum "the sleeve is everything the band promised but didn't deliver" - I agree with that statement.
My blood work is the envy of the medical and nutritionalist staff (like wow, fasting blood sugar of 77 for example and I was pre-diabetic, triglicerides all that are in the outstanding excellent catagory). I feel like a million bucks. I am doing stuff with my horses again and loving on it. I am so active, I have so many choices of what to do, where to go, where to shop - all that. I no longer feel like the morbidly obese person who has no business doing horse things. I no longer feel the constant drive to EAT. I feel more like ME. I still have lots of weight to lose (I am still obese even, but in a whole different weight class now), but I am so happy with how this is going I can't even express it adequately.
My life is becoming a life I want to live.
So, back to the original point. Yeah, I am skeptical. I still wonder sometimes when the shoe will drop and I suddenly have "mental issues" with food. There is a part of me that still believes this whole situation is a character flaw on my part, even though I fight that. Seems to me that my issues with food have pretty much gone away since I am not starving 24/7, but time will tell. My docs openly disclosed the limited data on long term results of this exact procedure, based on the stomach size they are currently using. I just couldn't wait another 10 years to see how the studies turned out, so for me the risks as I understand them now, are totally worth the benefits, as I understand them now.
Here's to a great next 10 years - I am determined to be one of the good statistics!
(my signature shows I still have 66# to lose, but I have lost over 80# in the 5 months and am much closer to normal sized person now)

I read this the other day, but wanted to think a little before responding. I think the OP and the discussion raises some enormously important points.
I am a project manager, I make "risk based" decisions everyday. That means, weighing the possible outcomes, trying to judge the probabilty and impact of those outcomes - and making a decision. I basically did that when I got the sleeve, and it took me a long time. I am not a medical expert, but i listened to them. I read as much pros and cons as I could and threw some grains of salt into the glowing pros because early euphoria is not really what I was looking for - I want long term success at weight management with minimal risk of bad side effects or consequences. I had EXACTLY the same reservations that are expressed here.
I was banded in 2001, right before it was FDA approved. I thought I had reseached it, but I was fooled by a group like this one, (it was a yahoo group called Bandsters). At that time, there was a lot of peer pressure - people who weren't having big success simply didn't reveal. There were a couple of dominant personalities in that group and basically, anybody who wasn't successful had "compliance" issues.
I did okay at first, but I was never super successful with the band. Worse then that, the reflux was a nightmare. I can go on and on. Anyway, I had the Fluid out about 2003/early 2004 due to uncontrolled reflux and lived with the band until 2011. I didn't feel shame for being fat, I felt shame for FAILING at a WLS that I thought pretty much everybody else succeeded with. It made me very skeptical of all the claims about WLS, it made me skeptical of myself. I was convinced that I had a "compliance issue" and would surely fail with the gastric bypass or anything else too. In hindsight, I realize I was pretty hard on myself.
I lost weight on weight watchers - kept that off for quite awhile, but then in recent years tried everything and couldn't keep weight off for more a few monhts... the regain was always so fast. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I saw counselors to find and hopefully cure my "eating disorders". They kept asking me how I felt when I wanted to eat... they didn't think "hungry" was a legitimate answer.. I really didn't make progress on that front either.
I was pushed hard by my sleep apnea doctor to get some weight off. The doctor that looked at my arthritic kneed and told me it needs replacing soon, practically begged me to get weight off. They were both compassionate, but very firm. I could always say "I am healthy" but in truth, I at 47 I was starting to have physical issues. They shared with me real stories of patients, and in the case of the surgeon, about his mother. They painted a picture of the road I was on... 300+ at 47; what is life going to be like at 57, 67... if I made it that long. They shook me up.
The sleep doctor convinced me to meet with a surgeon that he knew. Great guy, great reputation but he felt strongly I would fail with a restrictive procedure (oh, the non compliance thing again) so steered me toward the gastric bypass. I started the process, but at some point decided that I was just too scared and would rather die young then do that procedure. This may not be rational, but it is where my head was at.
I came across another place that advertised "weight management" services that required a two year commitment to their program and as I read about their program and thought... I need to try again. I got lucky and the director/founder of that business is who I talked to. She listened to my story and said... have you considered the gastric sleeve? I told her about me failing at the band etc etc and she said, please, before you do anything - talk to these guys and referred me to the surgeons they work with. (they have a weight management program that is non surgical but she identified that I was not a good candidate for that due to lifelong obesity and high BMI at the time. The stats don't lie - deck is stacked against people in that situation). She said something that stuck with me.... as much as the deck was stacked against me, a lifetime of obesity, one failed surgery she said I had going for me one very important thing - I never gave up. That little comment gave me some hope.
I met Dr Billing and he spent the time to really talk to me about obesity and theories, research and surgeries. He spent such a long time with me, I am so grateful for that. He gave a sobering assessment too about risks of revisions - things can happen. He agreed that the revision to the gastric bypass was riskier and stongly recommended the sleeve. One of the docs in their practice has had the sleeve, and another one's wife has had it done - they really believe in this procedure. He also referred me to a bariatric doctor (non surgeon) to work with. She, combined with Dr Billing changed my view of the whole thing.
There are physical reasons I am hungry all the freaking time!!!! I am not denying personal responsibility, i realize it is lifestyle and choices, but, I was swimming upstream trying to overcome the obesity cycle I had been deeply caught up in my whole life! He told me that it is possible to break free without surgery, but the odds aren't good.
He also told me my band needed to come OUT as it had slipped, I had pouch dialiation - it needed to go. I was not mentally ready for it, but I went ahead with the band removal surgery... still deciding about the sleeve.
About 2 days after the band came out, I was hungry hungry hungry even more! I couldn't believe it, even my failed band had been helping somewhat. My gosh, wonder if I would have weighed 400# if I hadn't had that crapband in there - maybe I should give it some credit.
I went to the bariatric doc (not the surgeon) and followed her program which kept me from gaining 50# but I was becoming frantic and even depressed over what was happening. The drive to eat was out of control. I am not sure what clicked, but at some point, I could no longer deny that I needed a tool to help me. I could not deny that my life was being negatively impacted by my obesity. I could not deny that I was starting to not be able to do the things I love and that everything was such an effort. (I could still wipe my butt, but I know what she meant, everything just gets so hard when you are that heavy). And I was miserable always feeling like food was the most important thing in my life since I just had a drive to eat.
I am reminded of the quote "I was going downhill faster then I could lower my standards"
So, because i had one foot in the door on this whole deal, I had some of the presurgery things taken care of including insurance approval. Then, in November 2011, I found out my insurance was changing. The new insurance specifically excluded the Gastric Sleeve, but still covered the gastric bypass. I did some soul searching and then booked it for December before the new insurance kicked in. At the time, I didn't like that pressure, but in hindsight, it was the kick in the butt I needed after dallying with this whole subject for a year.
I wound up with a different surgeon (who is also amazing) in the same practice because my doc was on vacation in December.
It was a huge leap of faith. I still don't really know what problems, or weight regain I might have in 5 years, 10 years. I have risked being "fooled again" by the hype - I know that.
For me, the risk was worth taking because I just could not keep gaining weight. I could not remain in that high BMI catagory - that wasn't me and wasn't the life I want.
Anyway, I am only 5 months out, but my success has already surpassed anything I achieved with the band. It has also been easier so far, and so far, I don't experience hunger all the time. My whole relationship with food is changing. I am not claiming the war is over, but I have been winning many battles. I have heard it said on this forum "the sleeve is everything the band promised but didn't deliver" - I agree with that statement.
My blood work is the envy of the medical and nutritionalist staff (like wow, fasting blood sugar of 77 for example and I was pre-diabetic, triglicerides all that are in the outstanding excellent catagory). I feel like a million bucks. I am doing stuff with my horses again and loving on it. I am so active, I have so many choices of what to do, where to go, where to shop - all that. I no longer feel like the morbidly obese person who has no business doing horse things. I no longer feel the constant drive to EAT. I feel more like ME. I still have lots of weight to lose (I am still obese even, but in a whole different weight class now), but I am so happy with how this is going I can't even express it adequately.
My life is becoming a life I want to live.
So, back to the original point. Yeah, I am skeptical. I still wonder sometimes when the shoe will drop and I suddenly have "mental issues" with food. There is a part of me that still believes this whole situation is a character flaw on my part, even though I fight that. Seems to me that my issues with food have pretty much gone away since I am not starving 24/7, but time will tell. My docs openly disclosed the limited data on long term results of this exact procedure, based on the stomach size they are currently using. I just couldn't wait another 10 years to see how the studies turned out, so for me the risks as I understand them now, are totally worth the benefits, as I understand them now.
Here's to a great next 10 years - I am determined to be one of the good statistics!
(my signature shows I still have 66# to lose, but I have lost over 80# in the 5 months and am much closer to normal sized person now)

I couldn't reach my butt anymore to wipe it. I didn't go in a moment too soon. That's all I know.

I personally felt a little blah at the 6 week mark. some people get downright depressed... losing 40# is great, I wonder if you are just feeling kind of blue due to the system shock. Alot of us go through that.

I personally felt a little blah at the 6 week mark. some people get downright depressed... losing 40# is great, I wonder if you are just feeling kind of blue due to the system shock. Alot of us go through that.

Misty, thanks so much for your prayers that is best thing that anyone has ever done for me. I am doing great. When I got there doc didn't want to do the DS so I just got the resleeve. He said before surgery that the area of stomach where previous lapband was could be too big, but I am not sure about that cause my band was removed six months before first sleeve in states. I have lost 20pounds at six weeks post-op and my sleeve is now working like everyone elses does. I have more restriction and don't feel hungry all the time, I just pray that these postive things cont. Thanks again for caring enough to checkup on me.
Vickie

A year ago yesterday my life changed forever! I made the best decision I ever made besides marrying my darling third husband lol. I had a VSG with Dr. JOhn Feng of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation- my hero.
I started this journey at 280 pounds, depressed, reclusive, hibernating and in constant pain.
Last week I hit my surgeons goal of a normal BMI and 118 pounds lost....WOW! Still losing and am not sure where I will end up.
I went from that reclusive existance to doing nine Zumba classes a week, 8 Water classes, walking three miles a day with my husband and dog. I am toned, energetic, ALIVE!!!! Alas the pain is stil there but the lightness of being helps so much.
VST was such a wonderful support for me, and though I have gone on the many Facebook pages that give challenges and daily support, I will always come home to this Forum!

I wonder if your baby sleeve has woken up fully and is sending all the signals back to your brain. I suggest you follow the guidelines given, for both types and quantities of food even if you "can" eat more you should stay with very small portions as you are still healing.

I think it is great you are reaching out. I figure it is never too late to get back on track!!!
A thought would be to start with doing the 5 day pouch test - google it for details.
This is supposed to help you feel like you have some restriction again.
I might also suggest that you start using a tool like myfitnesspal.com and journal EVERYTHING - no exceptions. Target for at least 60 g of Protein and less then 50-60G of carbs. That is not super restrictive but is low enough it will keep the sweets out. There are different ideas of how many calories you should have but it seems like most people are getting around 800 or so during the active weight loss phase. I work out alot, so do sometimes eat more, but 1000 is a pretty big day for me.
I suggest that you not belabor the past, since you can't change it, but each day think about what you will do this day, this week and look forward to much success!

I am just over 2 months post-op and I am finally thinking, "Hey, this might actually work." It's like I am so afraid to let myself hope because I hate being disappointed.
Going through this radical solution is either a great step of faith or insanity. But then, even if I don't lose hundreds of pounds, I *am* losing weight, not gaining, and I'm *not* hungry, and unless all of the other successful VSG posters on this website are delusional I *will* continue to lose weight.
And so will you

As I reduce in size, I'm getting rid of my fat clothes and my closet is emptying out. I've never done that before because I was never sure if I would need them again. I know, now, that they are a thing of the past..

Mine is 38, I am happy with my weight loss results - I have had steady losses month after month and I am really thinking I can lose 90# by the time I hit the 6 month mark which would be great. I was a band to sleeve revision too. I can eat more then a tablespoon of food for sure, but my portions are very nicely controlled. I feel quite happy with where i am at, but i think someone already mentioned that the bougie measure is just a guide, there is more to it then that in determining your stomach capacity.

Awesome! I am sure you will inspire and help many people with your new career.

I think it is great you are reaching out. I figure it is never too late to get back on track!!!
A thought would be to start with doing the 5 day pouch test - google it for details.
This is supposed to help you feel like you have some restriction again.
I might also suggest that you start using a tool like myfitnesspal.com and journal EVERYTHING - no exceptions. Target for at least 60 g of Protein and less then 50-60G of carbs. That is not super restrictive but is low enough it will keep the sweets out. There are different ideas of how many calories you should have but it seems like most people are getting around 800 or so during the active weight loss phase. I work out alot, so do sometimes eat more, but 1000 is a pretty big day for me.
I suggest that you not belabor the past, since you can't change it, but each day think about what you will do this day, this week and look forward to much success!

I am so incredibly pleased with my progress. I feel so much better losing 75 pounds - even this has changed my life for the better. I know that the second half of the journey is likely to go much slower, but I feel so wonderful that doesn't bother me at all!

I had alot of those same doubts. the doc I see for sleep apnea gave me the best counter argument.... he said "so, lets say in 5 years you gained back some weight and in 10 years all of it - you still had 5-10 years of a much higher quality of life! 10 years of less pain, of being able to do the things you want to do. 10 years of having your life back."
I couldn't help but think he had a good point.
Even post surgery, I saw the NUT a month post op and had lost 30 pounds. I can remember telling her that I was still skeptical and I would know it is really working once I lose at least 50#. Well, I am at almost 70# off and even though I am still obese, I feel soo much better. It is hard to describe the incredibly good it feels.
As i have headed down this journey I am becoming more convinced that long term success is possible. I am not naive, anybody can regain after ANY weight loss surgery. I guess I am just starting to think that it is really possible to get this weight off... and keep it off permanently. The journey continues...

Dooter, that pretty well describes me too. I wasn't a binge eater, and though my portions were obviously too big, I never was one to eat a whole pizza or multiple burgers at once or anything like that. It is really more like I just consistently ate too much AND often the wrong thing too. I ate alot of healthy foods, but then would have ice cream for dessert like every night.
The sleeve has helped me in two important ways. First, small portions sizes and second, reduced appetite so it easier to make good choices. I still have to make deliberate good choices (protein and veggies and exercise!) but it just isn't the struggle with that "drive to eat". I sure hope this continues!

I am thrilled with my results, I think that people can get discouraged from time to time, or perhaps hope that the rapid wieght loss will continue, but it always slows down.
I have gone from 26W pants/3X tops to now buying 18W/20W pants and 1X some smaller2X tops. I have a long way to go, but it has made such a huge difference to lose even this much! Clothes look better, it is easier to do activities, I just feel more "normal."

Maybe because I am still obese, but I can't realy relate to judging other heavy people. I appreciate somebody admitting it, because I notice alot of posts that sort of brush by the issue but certainly imply "disgust" with people who are still obese.
I personally feel that we can be our own worst enemies. I wonder if some of the self loathing that many obese people have get shifted to others as they lose their weight? i don't know if that is the case or not, but I find that MOST thin people accept obese people and I hope once I am "formerly fat" that I don't become judgemental. (You know, how ex-smokers are often pretty obnoxious about smoking, for example)
As to the original post, I kinda think that the experience for women (5'5" in my case) being overweight doesn't equate to people being intimidated. I think it more equates more to being ignored/and considered very unattractive. For women, looks is a big part of our identity in this culture, and at least in my corner of the world, being thin is critical to those "looks", so being so outside the range of normal kinda takes away some of your participation in being considered a "woman". I am not really finding the right words, but I feel that obesity sometimes makes women appear as invisible, non-sexual beings to the outside world.
I say all that, but I also believe that the obese person contributes to this by behaving in a low confidence/ I am trying to be invisible way. I am a naturally outgoing person, and as I get thinner I notice myself engaging in a lot more pleasantries with complete strangers, but i think that is mostly because MY attitude is changing, I am feeling better physically and just feel more comfortable in my own skin. I was not embarrased to be seen when I was 300+ pounds, but I was physically uncomfortable and felt like an overstuffed sausage kinda thing and I am sure that uncomfortableness was visibible. That attitude shift shows up to the outside world, and i think people respond to that unconscious message.

I didn't direct this to any of those who were giving good, sound advice and such. I was directing it at the statement:
"My first thought is why would you write this here? So your cheating and trying to reverse everything that you have accomplished so far? I think you need to see a counselor. I mean, what do you want anyone from this forum to say to you, that you haven't already heard or know.
There is nothing to say other than you need to see a professional about your problem."
There's no denying that she was making bad choices and needs help (which appears she is getting as she stated in a later post) I just felt the above statement was harsh,,we can agree to disagree,,I respect the the poster but not the part of the message where he is asking her why she would post here and what does she want anyone to say to her...even if she already knows the answers,,she deserves the right to post as well as the rest of us. It appeared to me she was looking for answers not just a sounding board that she was cheating.

I hope you can hear that people are saying what they are saying out of caring. I implore you to get some help, you are risking your health. Weight loss is not the priority right now - it is getting that staple line healed. I am scared for you that you are putting your health at risk. I am also very empathetic to that whole "wake up everyday and promise yourself you will do better" - I have gone through that emotion in years past and it is not a good place to be.
I know it isn't easy, but I would like to offer you some comfort - it gets easier. What I mean by that is you don't have all these restrictions later. I love that I can eat anything as long as I keep my Proteins in and watch the carbs. I generally don't crave junky food, and this whole "how to eat" is just becoming less of a production. I don't eat fast food, but I am in a mindset rightnow that just wants good nutrition for my body. I started this journey at 300+ so it is not like I have a long history of being a healthfood nut, it is more like that now that I am not starving all the time, I find it much easier to control my choices.
I read somewhere that people who eat healthier don't really have more willpower but rather set themselves up for success. for example, they don't have to fight the mental struggle over "should I eat that ice cream" because they just never buy the ice cream. They don't walk down the aisle with the ice cream. It seems really true, that the further away the "temptation" the easier it is to resist.
When you go back to work, focus on Water and having your Protein drinks and other things appropriate for your "stage" really handy. Make it easy for yourself to be successful. Focus on those things, rather then focusing on what you CAN'T have. Hang in there and keep us posted - I am rooting for you to get through this!

Just wanted to share with my fellow December sleevers that i have hit a major milestone - 50# which is 1/3 of the weight I want to lose to get me to my personal goal. ( I am including the 8# on my two week preop diet) I am thrilled and excited!!! I guess this sleeve thing might just work!

You and have a similiar profile - fairly high starting BMI, and a lot to lose. I would love to get down to 160, that is my personal goal.
I totally agree with everything that everybody said, but I also have another thought. I started this journey at 308 - if I only get to 200# and can actually maintain that, it has been totally worth it even if 160# alludes me. Even now, I am more physically capable and my health is improving. I simply refuse to fall into that "all or nothing" thinking that only if I hit a certain magical number on a scale will I be a "success". That thinking has not served me well over the years and I am not playing this time.
I have set for myself a series of goals because for my brain, that works better and is less overwhelming then having to think about losing 148 pounds (from my starting weight). For me, that number is just... awful.... it carries some emotional baggage I guess that would bring me down if I spent to much time thinking about it.
I am viewing the fact that I am on the journey and making the most of it as my success for right now. I was discouraged because the scale is moving slow right now, but I saw a friend yesterday that hasn't seen me in 2 weeks and she was shocked - she said I looked thinner in two weeks even though the scale only gave me a couple of pounds. I keep celebrating the small victories rather then being crushed by the possibility of failure or the enormity of the task.