tannak

My surgeon told me at my one month check up that he had to cut my sleeve larger then most only after I complained to him that I wasn't even sure he really did anything at all. He said it was because of scar tissue left on my stomach from the lap band i used to have. I understand his reasoning but disappointed that he was not up front about it in the beginning. I thought I was going crazy that first month ! I am old fashioned dieting. I don't feel hunger so I am trying to use that to my advantage. But I have to exercise lots of will power to keep my portion size small! I have now lost 70 pounds. 45 since surgery on 3-25-13 and 25 post op.

Not every sleeve is cut the same size!! My doctor admitted to cutting my sleeve large after the surgery. I am a bit disappointed by that! For me the sleeve is a bit defective . I am trying to take advantage of the lack of hunger I feel but I have very little restriction to the quantity of food I can eat! So disappointing. Everyone's Story is different. Every doctor is different. There is room for error in these surgeries so we should never judge or compare others weight-loss with our own. Just because you can only eat a little doesn't mean someone else can only eat a little. So please don't equate someone's slow weight loss to a lack of trying. Everyone' experience is different. I know mine has been like no one else's. I wouldn't want anyone to judge me and say I am not trying! I am trying probably harder than most!

What was your starting weight and how much do you want to lose total? How many calories do you eat on average? There are so many different variables that can slow the weight loss! But there are ways to address them! I track my food and exercise with myfitnesspal and fitbit. I make sure I have a 1000 calorie deficit every day so I can average 2 pounds loss each week. I have to approach things this way because my doctor gave me a very large sleeve unbeknownst to me until after surgery. I feel very little restriction! I am very disappointed by this but I am determined to lose weight so I am working as hard as I can to figure out what works for me! I eat on average 1200-1300 calories a day and walk or jog 5 times a week for an hour! I could eat a lot more but exercise a ton of willpower. I can't count on my large sleeve to stop me . I am 3 months out and have lost 40 pounds postoperative and 25 pounds preop for a total of 65 pounds since I started this journey! I am determined to succeed even with my defective sleeve!!

It is important to remember that everyone's feelings associated with this surgery and its individual results are real for each person who posts and while others may view it as negative posts I think it is more helpful to our VST friends to acknowledge their feelings and not disparage them because you personally feel more hopeful about your own success then some others do!

Thank you both! And good luck to the two of you as well!!

Thought i would put out my update for everyone who has considered themselves a slow loser like me! Today is my two months surgery anniversary and I have officially lost 56 pounds. 31 since surgery. Not to bad considering I have a larger than normal sleeve because of scar tissue left behind from my lapband and I feel like I have been a slow loser compared to other Sleevers. I eat around 1000 calories a day which is more than most Sleevers because I don't ever reach satiety eating less because of my larger sleeve and I take brisk walks at least 3 times a week! I have noticed a pattern developing with my weight loss, I tend to stall for two weeks at a time going up and down the same 1 or 2 pounds and then I will wake up and surprisingly weigh 5 pounds less!!! This must be how my body is going to lose this weight I guess!! Just lost 5 pounds in the last two days so I bet I will stay steady for another two weeks and wait for the next swoosh!! Good luck to us all on this journey!!

Keep it up! I am celebrating 52 pounds loss with about ninety more to go!! We can do this

You look terrific!!

I am always looking for modest swimwear for me and my daughters for religious reasons myself! Thanks for sharing this info!!

Awesome!

Thank you!! This was a very good article!!

Wow! I just did that formula on myself and it said I should be eating 2200 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week! Maybe I figured it wrong. It is definitely way more than I can eat with my sleeve but it is similar to what weight watchers says I should be eating. I still go to WW and they say I should have 41 points a week which equates out to approximately 2050 calories give or take a few! I only eat between 800-900 calories a day with my sleeve! And my weight has stalled for two weeks now at that!! LOL! Doesn't make sense!

I force myself to stop at about 800-900 calories a day. I hope that is about right! My NUT and doctor didn't give me any calorie limits. They just said eat Protein first then veggies if you have room and then carbs if you still have room! This way of eating will definitely NOT work for me because my sleeve is so large that I will eat way way too much!!

Thank you all. I am trying to follow my NUT's instructions and I am tracking all my calories. The good news is that I don't ever feel hungry so that part of this surgery is working just the way it should! I will definitely use this to my advantage as much as possible. I definitely need to beef up the exercising! I am determined to make this work even with the cards i have been dealt... my large sleeve!

He used a 40 inch bougie but he said he had to cut out a little larger in one section of my stomach that had the scar tissue. What would you consider a 40 inch bougie to be? A median or large bougie. He told me he uses tat size on all his patients to prevent possible leaks.

I went to my 1 month check up today with a list of questions for my doctor! The most important question I wanted answered is whether my sleeve is bigger than it should be Because from day 1 I have felt like I can drink and eat way more than every other sleeved patient I know or have read about here on this web sight. And guess what the answer was....YES. He said that because I was a band to sleeve revision he had to cut around instead of through the scar tissue on my stomach from my former lap band leaving me a larger than usual sleeve! I am so glad to know that I am not losing my mind but now I am incredibly disappointed. And I am a bit upset with my surgeon for not telling me this was a possibility before I ever had the surgery and most of all not telling me afterwards. It has been such an emotional month for me knowing I can eat way to much but trying my hardest to stop eating before I ever reach satiety. I never feel full when I follow my NUT's diet plan. I feel so cheated. Now I know why I am a slow loser compared to others.

You look terrific!!

You look wonderful!! Good job!!

I am in the same boat! I am only four weeks out but the wait loss is very very slow so I am going to try and up my calories to at least 1000 a day and see if that helps my metabolism!!

Awesome job!!!

I got my masters in Texas and it was the same degree program for those interested in working in the schools or wishing to become an LPC! I was only ever interested in working in the schools.

I also have a masters in Counseling. I have worked mostly as a school counselor.