VSGAnn2014

LOL! 62 is not old. Dude!
I'm 8 years older than you (the OP). And I have A LOT OF YEARS LEFT!
Seriously, my mother died last year at 96 and a half years of age. I expect to live at least another 20 years.
I plan to cause a lotta trouble and have a lotta fun during the next 20 years.
Auntie Mame's famous saying seems more than appropriate for a WLS message board: "Life's a banquet, and most poor fools are starving to death!"

LOL! 62 is not old. Dude!
I'm 8 years older than you (the OP). And I have A LOT OF YEARS LEFT!
Seriously, my mother died last year at 96 and a half years of age. I expect to live at least another 20 years.
I plan to cause a lotta trouble and have a lotta fun during the next 20 years.
Auntie Mame's famous saying seems more than appropriate for a WLS message board: "Life's a banquet, and most poor fools are starving to death!"

To @@heartofthetinman ...
Reading your initial and subsequent posts, I think you are related to some of the most ignorant, selfish people I have ever read of. Sorry to talk that way about your people.
They aren't educated about this surgery. Yet they refuse to be educated about it.
They aren't showing you any love -- probably because they aren't loving people.
Your husband really is an asshole. Sight unseen.
Here's what it boils down to: Ultimately, each of us is responsible for the life we get. No matter what others do that affect us we all have to then respond. You can respond by caving in and becoming *their* victim (probably wouldn't be the first time you did that). OR you can make your decisions and have the conviction to follow through with your convictions.
Accept that your family isn't going to support you -- at least not on the front end of this, and maybe not on the back end either. Maybe never.
And what if you were wildly successful with your WLS and they never supported you -- because they (semi-consciously) felt how wrong they'd been, but didn't have the balls to own up to their ignorance and errors? You could still go on and live a much, much, much better and longer life than you will live as an obese person with all the health issues that come with that.
You can bitch about them. And that's OK. But you still have to make your own decision. And you have to stick with it every day thereafter -- if you truly want to build a better life for yourself.
I honestly, truly wish for you a better, happier, healthier life than you've got now. Things can get much better for you if you choose that different life.

Superfluous,
I'm still looking for actual research on the subject, but in the meantime here's a good article.
http://seattletimes.com/html/health/2015195540_bari02.html
It stands to reason that a strained or unfulfilling or unmaintained marriage will be stressed further by all the changes that a person who is morbidly obese will go through while and after losing weight.
However, I've read on multiple boards and blogs many wonderful stories about how strong marriages are a tremendous resource for the WLS patient.
But 80% of bariatric surgeries of married patients produce a divorce? I find that very hard to believe on its face.
(Still looking.)
Ann

Dr. Huffman,
If you would share any study findings about the efficacy of phentermine for WLS patients used in the ways you describe above, rather than vague anecdotal testimonies about its efficacy for some of your patients, I'd welcome the chance to read those studies.
Otherwise, I'll trust my own personal anecdotal experience with phentermine and the anecdotal testimony of literally every other person I've ever known (dozens of friends and relatives).who was prescribed phentermine by physician-managed weight loss programs.
In my experience, phentermine is just another FDA-authorized version of Meth Lite.

Everything I'm going to say you already know as an experienced backpacker, but I'll remind you anyway.
I've backpacked and trekked in North America, Europe and the Himalayas. As we know, slow and steady is the way to go -- stepping, drinking, eating.
First, know that in a few months you'll be drinking a LOT easier, bigger and faster than you are now. By six months, if you're like me, you'll be drinking almost as easily as you did pre-op. So don't worry about getting enough Water down.
And you know how we're told not to drink our calories? On the trail that's actually a great way to keep our furnaces stoked.
Also, it's not just calories we need on the trail, but electrolytes, as in Gatorade and other good sports drinks.
Trail mix, chewed well throughout the day, has about everything you need -- some Protein to support muscles you're breaking down and building, natural sugars you need for energy, and Fiber for keeping your gastrointestinal system moving internally.
I don't think backpacking post-WLS would be tough at all. Your back, hips and knees will think you're a teenager again.
I'm nearly 70 years old. Two years ago I was ready for a double knee replacement. Last month my PCP told me not to plan on having the surgery anytime soon. I walk and hike again, and I'm mostly pain free. I don't take Aleve anymore.
My new goals for the next few years include hiking the Milford Track and the English Lake District. My life is new again.

I'm a veteran backpacker. I think the idea that backpackers "cram calories" to backpack is not true. I've been on the trail for as long as 30 days at a time (have done that twice) and did fine while eating 3 meals a day and eating some trail mix and drinking Gatorade during the day. You should be fine post WLS.
If you're just going out for a week or two, it's even less of a problem. After all, WLS never stopped anyone from grazing.
P.S. You're also in for a big surprise if you think you'll forever after be able to eat only a few tablespoons at a time.

You can create a private email thread with anyone here and chat back and forth that way. You don't have to use the chat function.

What the hell?!?
No, no shaving required. No shaving done.
Why in the world are you required to shave your pubic hair?
Out of curiosity, has any male patient ever been required to shave his pubic hair prior to laparoscopic surgery?

Adam,
This site has thousands of posts.
The best thing you can do is search the archives here and read / learn from others who've had the surgery.
However, remember that the majority of people with WLS do NOT post on forums like this one. The folk who did tend to be people who don't work outside the home, people who are internet-savvy, people who have (maybe) more than higher anxiety about the process, and people who are experiencing problems.
I can't give you the six months out version, but like you I am also five days post-op (was sleeved on Monday, August 18).
Happily, I'm doing great. I'm 68 years old, had an easy surgery on Monday morning, came home Tuesday afternoon, rested up on Wednesday (took only one dose of hydrocodone - hated that stuff), feeling stronger every day. (I'm not ready to run a marathon yet though.)
Today, I did three loads of laundry, some light housework, finally hit 60+ grams of Protein, drank 40 ounces of Water (so far), even got on my elliptical for a short (7 minute) stint.
I also spent longer than a year studying up on WLS before having the surgery and have been active on this and another board since last fall. In other words, I've learned a lot.
You know the national stats (I assume) about how effective it is, how rare the complications are, etc. But here's my plan:
I figure that a year from now I'll be eating modest amounts of most things I want to eat (eating Protein first, then veggies, then if have room, a little carb). I expect to drink occasionally. I plan to live my life more enthusiastically and more vitally than I have in a long time -- working, traveling, being a lot more social, and having a ball.
I honestly don't expect my sleeve to slow me down at all. At my age, I expect I'll have a lot more loose skin than you. I've seen LOTS of pictures of people your age and older who have virtually no issues with loose skin.
Frankly, I think you're worrying yourself overmuch.
Take a deep breath ... and relax. For now, just finish Day Five. And tomorrow do Day Six and after that Day Seven. Everybody says this and it's right: This is a long, long trip.

Adam,
This site has thousands of posts.
The best thing you can do is search the archives here and read / learn from others who've had the surgery.
However, remember that the majority of people with WLS do NOT post on forums like this one. The folk who did tend to be people who don't work outside the home, people who are internet-savvy, people who have (maybe) more than higher anxiety about the process, and people who are experiencing problems.
I can't give you the six months out version, but like you I am also five days post-op (was sleeved on Monday, August 18).
Happily, I'm doing great. I'm 68 years old, had an easy surgery on Monday morning, came home Tuesday afternoon, rested up on Wednesday (took only one dose of hydrocodone - hated that stuff), feeling stronger every day. (I'm not ready to run a marathon yet though.)
Today, I did three loads of laundry, some light housework, finally hit 60+ grams of Protein, drank 40 ounces of Water (so far), even got on my elliptical for a short (7 minute) stint.
I also spent longer than a year studying up on WLS before having the surgery and have been active on this and another board since last fall. In other words, I've learned a lot.
You know the national stats (I assume) about how effective it is, how rare the complications are, etc. But here's my plan:
I figure that a year from now I'll be eating modest amounts of most things I want to eat (eating Protein first, then veggies, then if have room, a little carb). I expect to drink occasionally. I plan to live my life more enthusiastically and more vitally than I have in a long time -- working, traveling, being a lot more social, and having a ball.
I honestly don't expect my sleeve to slow me down at all. At my age, I expect I'll have a lot more loose skin than you. I've seen LOTS of pictures of people your age and older who have virtually no issues with loose skin.
Frankly, I think you're worrying yourself overmuch.
Take a deep breath ... and relax. For now, just finish Day Five. And tomorrow do Day Six and after that Day Seven. Everybody says this and it's right: This is a long, long trip.

Par, you have some awfully sweeping opinions about things you probably haven't done any actual research about -- not to mention your sweeping generalizations about the "pot fixes everything crowd" and the anti-GMO crowd being stoners.
Nobody here said pot fixes everything. And the anti-GMO crowd I know personally are all chardonnay-sipping soccer moms.
For a competing opinion about medical marijuana by Dr. Sanjay Gupta NBC's medical corresponent, check out:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/10/sanjay-gupta-medical-marijuana-legalization_n_4932277.html
FTR, I haven't smoked marijuana since the 1970s. I smoked it then recreationally, but quit because it slowed me down way too much. That was my experience. It might not be everyone's experience.
I still enjoy wine recreationally. And my doctor says wine has medicinal benefits. So there's my drug of choice.

At almost two years post-op, I definitely still identify as a WLS patient. Will be very interested to hear what those who are much further out than two years say about this.

The deal about % of stomach removed is that if the surgeon doesn't remove all the fundus (the stretchy part of the stomach where ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is produced) you won't get the reduced hunger benefits of VSG surgery.
My understanding is that the fundus is around 85% of an intact human stomach.
You should do some more research about WLS -- to understand what it is and how it works.
Best!

Am chuckling here.
For a guy who wasn't going to have WLS, you are certainly ready to do it yesterday now.

Actually, I was JUST like you -- could not WAIT! I actually got so sick of waiting around for everything to happen that I put myself on a 1400 calorie/day diet and lost 11 pounds in a couple of months pre-op.
In fact (don't tell anyone!) I started sticking half-pound weights in my pockets, bra, underwear, etc. at my pre-op visits so I wouldn't trigger any "she's not fat enough" bells that would stop me from having WLS.
It all worked out.
And now, nearly two years later, I barely remember those frantic weeks and months of just wanting to be already sleeved.
It will be OK for you, too.

OK, guys -- I have a theory that has occurred to me this morning, and I'm now conducting a science experiment to test it out.
For the last few months I've been trying to stop losing weight. For the last 6 months I've been averaging 1700 calories daily. So a few weeks ago I upped my daily calories target to 1800.
I have eaten those extra calories (and maybe another 100 of the 1700) in the form of simple carbs -- dark chocolate, bread, Pasta. Nothing awful -- just trying to get more calories in and to enjoy myself.
During that time, as I've been eating more, I have started to fight the hunger monster again. My MFP records show that 7 of the last 30 days I've eaten 2100 - 2500 calories a day. That is WAY more than I need to maintain my weight. But I've legitimately *felt hungry* on those days. That's not a good change.
So I started thinking last night -- hmmm, hunger. Hmmm, stomach acid? And I realized that my stomach DOES feel more acidic than it used to feel post-op. That shouldn't be surprising, given that I'm eating more simple carbs these days, which does cause more stomach acid.
So this morning I decided to start using my PPI antacid for a week (Omeprazole once a day) to learn if that will have an effect on my newly increased appetite.
Science. It's a good thing.

I would urge you to seek professional help sooner rather than later -- and if you can find a therapist who also works with bariatric patients that would be a great resource for you.
Very best wishes to you. And welcome to the board.

Dub, I don't have any magic solution. But I will share what I've said before -- my knee pain didn't go away completely until I lost the last 15 pounds.
And yes, inflammation and friction are at the heart of this problem. Things swell up inside the knee, creating more friction / irritation / pain. So don't forget ice packs.
What about also adding some topical pain medications to the mix? There are multiple kinds that do different things.
Finally -- are you a fan of chiropractic or massage? Those practices have been a Godsend to me at times for various problems. As we know, problems can show up in Part X of the body that are really being caused by something going on at Part Y of the body.
That's all I got.

What the hell?!?
No, no shaving required. No shaving done.
Why in the world are you required to shave your pubic hair?
Out of curiosity, has any male patient ever been required to shave his pubic hair prior to laparoscopic surgery?

What the hell?!?
No, no shaving required. No shaving done.
Why in the world are you required to shave your pubic hair?
Out of curiosity, has any male patient ever been required to shave his pubic hair prior to laparoscopic surgery?

Shaking my head.
To the OP -- you can be miserable for no good reason or you can act like an adult. And yes, I know you're *only* 22 years old. You're still an adult.
None of that drama llama crap you're wallowing in is going to happen.
Just follow your surgeon's instructions.
Jeez.

Well, that's a whole lotta new info.
Once again, you experienced your experience. And you understand things from your perspective (based on what you think you know). But there's a lot you misunderstand and don't know.
As others have noted, your lack of knowledge revealed in your OP about how WLS patients can retain most of their muscle mass (or even increase their muscle mass) while losing weight is unfortunate -- not just because it's wrong and sad, but because you're using it to rationalize your own experience. And that and your other rationalizations will block your future progress.
Before I had WLS surgery, I did learn about the nutritional and exercise best practices for post-op WLS patients. I learned that post-op while losing weight I should eat a lot of Protein and exercise regularly to avoid losing a lot of muscle mass.
And it turns out, because I followed my bariatric center's instructions, that's exactly what happened. Of the 90+ pounds I've lost after WLS only 12 pounds of it was muscle. I'm not guessing or assuming this. I've had pre- and post-WLS body mass measurements taken. As a result, my lean body mass has increased 15%.
BTW, all of the things you started doing 1 week ago (3 years after your WLS) -- tracking your calories and other macronutrients and tracking your steps -- I started doing 2.5 months before my WLS. In other words, I never considered that WLS alone was going to fix me without me also changing my own behaviors / lifestyle.
I'm sorry that WLS didn't work out for you. For that, you have only your own impulsiveness and your continuing lack of education about WLS to blame. But that's in the past. Looking forward, you'll be well served by not continuing to remain ignorant. More importantly, your rationalizations about WLS won't serve you well either. If you really want to debug your weight challenges, you'll need to keep trying to understand accurately what caused your post-op weight gain.
For others reading this, the OP's posts here illustrate some important truths about WLS:
(1) WLS should not be undertaken lightly.
(2) WLS patients MUST take responsibility for understanding nutritional, exercise and other behavioral requirements for post-op self-care.
(3) WLS can be a wonderful aid to losing and maintaining one's weight loss long-term IF patients don't suffer the delusion that surgery is all they need to achieve success.
Best wishes to everyone out there who's considering WLS. Educate yourself as much as you possibly can. Seek therapy if you need it. As the saying around here goes, "They operate on your stomach, not your head."

In yoga class, you look down and don't recognize your own legs!
This morning. I swear to God!

Coming up on twenty years married and two years post-op. Our marriage is stronger than ever.

Coming up on twenty years married and two years post-op. Our marriage is stronger than ever.