Catherine707

The gastric sleeve helped me realize that I experienced two types of hunger pangs. One was the real hunger of and empty stomach and the other was "head" hunger where my brain told me I need to eat and often something unhealthy or in large quantity. The restriction of the sleeve helped me learn the difference between the to, and now a year post surgery I only have hunger pangs when I am truly hungry. I still have to be smart and make good choices, but before the surgery I was constantly hungry and would never feel full. This surgery was a miracle in helping me control the quantities of food and to be much better at making healthy choices. Good luck on your journey to health!

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I work in the medical field and did extensive research in the medical literature when I deciding to get my sleeve surgery. I found peer reviewed research that shows that the complication rate with gastric bands runs at about 15% (I thought that was way too high to consider banding surgery) the complications are everything from reflux to slippage to erosion and embedding of the band in the stomach. The details were enough to warn me off the gastric band and point me toward the sleeve surgery.
In my research on the sleeve, I found that the complication rate was less than 1% and that the morbidity statistics (complications so sever that it caused death) were almost negligible. So that is why I decided on the VSG surgery.
The information on sleeve revisions is spotty because there just haven't been that many second sleeves done in settings that are being reviewed for the medical journals. I'm guessing that the nurse quoted you statistics about revision of Rouen X/Y surgery, and while it is useful information, what really matters is what your surgeon thinks about your personal situation. Do you have any other chronic health issues that make having a second surgery more complicated and risky? These issues would include bleeding disorders, lung issues, allergies to anesthesia etc (your doctor can discuss all the various contraindications).
If I were in your shoes, I would have a very serious heart to heart with my doctor and ensure that the surgery is really going to improve your situation, and that you are clear on your personal risks. I also think that anyone who isn't nervous before surgery is not in touch with themselves. I had a ton of doubts the week before surgery and even after when I was in the hospital laying there feeling like crap and wondering "what did I do to myself!" But when the anxiety wears off and you are looking at losing the weight that will make your life better, and solving other health issues, I think you will be glad that you made an informed decision about your unique situation.
Good luck to you, I hope the surgery is a really positive experience for you!

I got totally freaked out by the people on this site and others that lost 100 pounds in 3 months! I kept thinking - "What am I doing wrong?" but when I stepped back and realized that I was losing 2 pounds per week (Same as you!) and I had never done that before and kept it off, I realized that my expectations were not realistic, and that 2 pounds per week is DAMN good!
As Big Girl Panties points out, it is the long sustainable weight loss that really matters. It sounds to me like you are doing exactly what you should and reaping the rewards too. I would guess that you didn't have 5 months of 2 lbs / week weight loss with the HCG diet....

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I had a lot of those same doubts and concerns before my surgery last May. I only told my family and close friends, plus my co-workers that would be affected by my surgery before I had the surgery because I was afraid it wouldn't work for me. You don't mention any of your statistics, so I don't know where your starting weight is and how much you need to lose. For me surgery was a LAST resort - I had tried everything else before and watched my weight continue to climb out of control. I 2012 I tried a low carb diet because I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome - after a small weight loss, I ended up with an inflamed gall bladder and needed to have that removed. Once I recovered from that, I tried Medifast - again lost a small amount of weight but then had a major allergic reaction to the soy in the products. I knew at that point that I needed surgical help to get healthy. For me it took a lot of soul searching and "getting real" with myself to be certain that I was willing to make the lifestyle changes needed to be successful with this tool.
As for the age thing - in another 2 years you can either have a healthier body and feel better, or you can just be 2 years older! Either way time is passing. I chose to age with a healthier body; hair loss and wrinkles were a small price to pay for a body that would allow me to live longer and do the things I want to do in life. Only you can answer these questions for yourself!

The gastric sleeve helped me realize that I experienced two types of hunger pangs. One was the real hunger of and empty stomach and the other was "head" hunger where my brain told me I need to eat and often something unhealthy or in large quantity. The restriction of the sleeve helped me learn the difference between the to, and now a year post surgery I only have hunger pangs when I am truly hungry. I still have to be smart and make good choices, but before the surgery I was constantly hungry and would never feel full. This surgery was a miracle in helping me control the quantities of food and to be much better at making healthy choices. Good luck on your journey to health!

The gastric sleeve helped me realize that I experienced two types of hunger pangs. One was the real hunger of and empty stomach and the other was "head" hunger where my brain told me I need to eat and often something unhealthy or in large quantity. The restriction of the sleeve helped me learn the difference between the to, and now a year post surgery I only have hunger pangs when I am truly hungry. I still have to be smart and make good choices, but before the surgery I was constantly hungry and would never feel full. This surgery was a miracle in helping me control the quantities of food and to be much better at making healthy choices. Good luck on your journey to health!

I had a lot of those same doubts and concerns before my surgery last May. I only told my family and close friends, plus my co-workers that would be affected by my surgery before I had the surgery because I was afraid it wouldn't work for me. You don't mention any of your statistics, so I don't know where your starting weight is and how much you need to lose. For me surgery was a LAST resort - I had tried everything else before and watched my weight continue to climb out of control. I 2012 I tried a low carb diet because I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome - after a small weight loss, I ended up with an inflamed gall bladder and needed to have that removed. Once I recovered from that, I tried Medifast - again lost a small amount of weight but then had a major allergic reaction to the soy in the products. I knew at that point that I needed surgical help to get healthy. For me it took a lot of soul searching and "getting real" with myself to be certain that I was willing to make the lifestyle changes needed to be successful with this tool.
As for the age thing - in another 2 years you can either have a healthier body and feel better, or you can just be 2 years older! Either way time is passing. I chose to age with a healthier body; hair loss and wrinkles were a small price to pay for a body that would allow me to live longer and do the things I want to do in life. Only you can answer these questions for yourself!

Probably EVERYONE has those thoughts at some point! I wasn't willing to seriously consider WLS until I knew I had "really" tried to lose weight through more conventional means. In 2012 I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and tried the low carb diet. I lost 10 pounds but ended up with gall bladder surgery. After recovering from the surgery I tried Medifast Meal Replacements and ended up with a bad allergic reaction to all the soy in the products. I was honest with myself and realized that I couldn't lose the weight I needed to via diet and exercise alone. My weight continued to balloon and I needed surgical help.
I can honestly say that I tried everything.... after years and years of failures, the VGS was my ticket to success. I think that having bariatric surgery is a huge step, and not an "easy" path. If I only needed to lose 40 pounds I don't think I would make the permanent changes that come with this surgery and the risk of complications. My reality was I needed to lose 50% of my body weight and over 150 pounds. Those numbers meant that I needed surgical assistance.
Each person has to weigh the benefits and risks out for themselves. Only you can say if you have really tried EVERYTHING and have no other method to weight loss success. Good luck on your personal journey!

I belong to several different support groups for bariatric patients and while everyone is losing weight, the ones that have the least complications and the best overall health are the ones that prepared for the surgery by dealing with their food issues AND have an ongoing relationship with their surgeon.
I suspect that you had an "Eureka"! moment and see the VGS as the solution to your problems, but I fear that your quick jump to surgery to control what is disordered eating will cause potential problems for you. If you don't understand why you over eat and how you rely on food to deal with emotions having the sleeve surgery can put you at risk for serious complications. What medical doctor is going to help you if you have a leak or other problem post surgery? Are you going to be a compliant patient and eat the foods that your doctor recommends? When you have a "bad" day how will you cope if you can no longer use food to sooth your emotional pain?
I'm not saying the sleeve won't help you. I'm suggesting that a slower preparation and understanding of your eating issues will ensure you will be successful and happy with the end results.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

I belong to several different support groups for bariatric patients and while everyone is losing weight, the ones that have the least complications and the best overall health are the ones that prepared for the surgery by dealing with their food issues AND have an ongoing relationship with their surgeon.
I suspect that you had an "Eureka"! moment and see the VGS as the solution to your problems, but I fear that your quick jump to surgery to control what is disordered eating will cause potential problems for you. If you don't understand why you over eat and how you rely on food to deal with emotions having the sleeve surgery can put you at risk for serious complications. What medical doctor is going to help you if you have a leak or other problem post surgery? Are you going to be a compliant patient and eat the foods that your doctor recommends? When you have a "bad" day how will you cope if you can no longer use food to sooth your emotional pain?
I'm not saying the sleeve won't help you. I'm suggesting that a slower preparation and understanding of your eating issues will ensure you will be successful and happy with the end results.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

If your eating is out of control, I highly suggest you find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and see them for a few months BEFORE your surgery. The surgery will not fix the psychological issues that make your eating out of control, and if you continue down that path you can very well negate the positive effects of your surgery. I really, really cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure your psychological health is taken care of before you alter your body.

Probably EVERYONE has those thoughts at some point! I wasn't willing to seriously consider WLS until I knew I had "really" tried to lose weight through more conventional means. In 2012 I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and tried the low carb diet. I lost 10 pounds but ended up with gall bladder surgery. After recovering from the surgery I tried Medifast Meal Replacements and ended up with a bad allergic reaction to all the soy in the products. I was honest with myself and realized that I couldn't lose the weight I needed to via diet and exercise alone. My weight continued to balloon and I needed surgical help.
I can honestly say that I tried everything.... after years and years of failures, the VGS was my ticket to success. I think that having bariatric surgery is a huge step, and not an "easy" path. If I only needed to lose 40 pounds I don't think I would make the permanent changes that come with this surgery and the risk of complications. My reality was I needed to lose 50% of my body weight and over 150 pounds. Those numbers meant that I needed surgical assistance.
Each person has to weigh the benefits and risks out for themselves. Only you can say if you have really tried EVERYTHING and have no other method to weight loss success. Good luck on your personal journey!

Try softer Proteins, you will be able to eat more and get more Protein....cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, tuna salad, refried Beans, spam, skim milk, split pea Soup, cheese, eggs.
As for Protein shakes, which ones have you tried? There's dozens and dozens of different brands and at least as many flavors. You don't have to stick with just the thick, sweet, chocolate/vanilla/strawberry ones. The RTD shakes would make me gag, but I learned to dilute them with milk and have tried at least 15 different products to find the ones I like. I'm enjoying a cherry lemonade Syntax nectar Protein Drink on ice right now. There are also pea Protein, egg protein, hemp protein and sprouted seed protein products out there if it's the whey/milk that your body doesn't like.
It's important for you to get your protein or your body will suffer. Even at 6 months I can't eat enough to meet goals without at least one shake /day.

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

I recommend trying different Protein shakes until you find one you like. You will be drinking a lot of them during the course of your gastric sleeve journey. I like the Premier Protein (chocolate and Strawberry) from costco. GNC has a lot of different flavors and will exchange any that you don't like the taste of. Having 60+ grams of Protein per day is important for weight loss and healing from the surgery! Good luck on your VGS journey!

I couldn't function on less than 850 calories per day and that was right after surgery. Now 1 year out I have been eating 1200 calories per day and my weight loss has also slowed. I am upping my calories to 1400 per day to see if that helps. I think our bodies need time to catch up and it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I hope your doctor gives you some options to change to jump start your weight loss again.

I couldn't function on less than 850 calories per day and that was right after surgery. Now 1 year out I have been eating 1200 calories per day and my weight loss has also slowed. I am upping my calories to 1400 per day to see if that helps. I think our bodies need time to catch up and it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I hope your doctor gives you some options to change to jump start your weight loss again.

I waited to clear out my closet until my clothes were falling off of me. I think this is something that each person needs to decide for themselves. Would it be motivating to have fewer clothes in the closet? It took longer than I expected for those original sizes to become so big that I couldn't really wear them. Good luck on your surgery!

I waited to clear out my closet until my clothes were falling off of me. I think this is something that each person needs to decide for themselves. Would it be motivating to have fewer clothes in the closet? It took longer than I expected for those original sizes to become so big that I couldn't really wear them. Good luck on your surgery!

I waited to clear out my closet until my clothes were falling off of me. I think this is something that each person needs to decide for themselves. Would it be motivating to have fewer clothes in the closet? It took longer than I expected for those original sizes to become so big that I couldn't really wear them. Good luck on your surgery!