Laurensloss

I just started whole 30 last week. I am not tracking Protein and do not miss dairy. I feel great and I lost 8 lbs in two weeks. I have been stalled for 6 months. I'll update when the 30 days are over but so far I am loving it.

I just started whole 30 last week. I am not tracking Protein and do not miss dairy. I feel great and I lost 8 lbs in two weeks. I have been stalled for 6 months. I'll update when the 30 days are over but so far I am loving it.

Great. As long as you are happy with your results. I just know I would rather KNOW I am getting enough Protein than to guess.

I am 2 years out from my surgery and was no longer tracking anyway. My blood work is normal and I feel good so I don't worry about it. Plus with the whole 30 you are not tracking anything. You don't count calories or even weigh yourself. The program is focused on eating healthy whole foods and breaking bad habits.

That is correct that most people will not lose 100% of their excess weight. I am 13 months out and have lost almost exactly 65% of my excess weight. I of course want to lose 30 more lbs. It will be much harder to lose that 30 than it was to lose the 82 that I have lost. I do not think I will lose 100% of my excess weight and it is not a goal of mine right now. My goal is the 85% and I am giving myself the next year to get to that. I do get discouraged when I see some people are at their goal already. I have to accept that my metabolism and body make up is different. I exercise 5 days a week but at a year out I can eat anything and I have to use my will power to stick to my diet. Regardless of what the doctors say just don't get discouraged and try your best to do above and beyond what they say. Remember they are giving an average and some people who have this surgery do not follow through with the lifestyle change. Good Luck!

Hi,
I think you are asking all the right questions. It is a big decision and you want to make sure that you really need to do it. Your weight is low but being that you are short I can understand why you want to lose weight. I am 5'3 and I have always been over weight. I think the number one question you should ask yourself is...If you tried to lose the weight on your own through diet exercise and dedication, could you do it? Getting the sleeve is like starting a diet that you can not get off until 6 months later. You will lose a lot in the beginning but it will not be as much as others lose. I think when you have less to lose you will experience less severe side effect. If your skin has not been stretched as much as someone who is 300lbs then you will not have much lose or saggy skin. Also you will experience hair loss from the hormone change but it might not be as much. In the beginning your social life will be effected because you won't be happy going out to eat or going to social events with food. For the first few months you will feel different about food and it might be upsetting. Now that I am over a year out I am fine going places with food and eating a little bit. I think losing weight will be good for your energy level and after you feel more normal (6 months post op) you will be happy you did it. For me I knew I wanted to do it because I had already tried several times and had lost a good amount of weight and always gained it back. I am now smaller than I have ever been. The last time I weighed this weight was in 10th grade. So I guess you have to look at the pros and cons and see what is best for you.

That is correct that most people will not lose 100% of their excess weight. I am 13 months out and have lost almost exactly 65% of my excess weight. I of course want to lose 30 more lbs. It will be much harder to lose that 30 than it was to lose the 82 that I have lost. I do not think I will lose 100% of my excess weight and it is not a goal of mine right now. My goal is the 85% and I am giving myself the next year to get to that. I do get discouraged when I see some people are at their goal already. I have to accept that my metabolism and body make up is different. I exercise 5 days a week but at a year out I can eat anything and I have to use my will power to stick to my diet. Regardless of what the doctors say just don't get discouraged and try your best to do above and beyond what they say. Remember they are giving an average and some people who have this surgery do not follow through with the lifestyle change. Good Luck!

That is correct that most people will not lose 100% of their excess weight. I am 13 months out and have lost almost exactly 65% of my excess weight. I of course want to lose 30 more lbs. It will be much harder to lose that 30 than it was to lose the 82 that I have lost. I do not think I will lose 100% of my excess weight and it is not a goal of mine right now. My goal is the 85% and I am giving myself the next year to get to that. I do get discouraged when I see some people are at their goal already. I have to accept that my metabolism and body make up is different. I exercise 5 days a week but at a year out I can eat anything and I have to use my will power to stick to my diet. Regardless of what the doctors say just don't get discouraged and try your best to do above and beyond what they say. Remember they are giving an average and some people who have this surgery do not follow through with the lifestyle change. Good Luck!

Hi,
I think you are asking all the right questions. It is a big decision and you want to make sure that you really need to do it. Your weight is low but being that you are short I can understand why you want to lose weight. I am 5'3 and I have always been over weight. I think the number one question you should ask yourself is...If you tried to lose the weight on your own through diet exercise and dedication, could you do it? Getting the sleeve is like starting a diet that you can not get off until 6 months later. You will lose a lot in the beginning but it will not be as much as others lose. I think when you have less to lose you will experience less severe side effect. If your skin has not been stretched as much as someone who is 300lbs then you will not have much lose or saggy skin. Also you will experience hair loss from the hormone change but it might not be as much. In the beginning your social life will be effected because you won't be happy going out to eat or going to social events with food. For the first few months you will feel different about food and it might be upsetting. Now that I am over a year out I am fine going places with food and eating a little bit. I think losing weight will be good for your energy level and after you feel more normal (6 months post op) you will be happy you did it. For me I knew I wanted to do it because I had already tried several times and had lost a good amount of weight and always gained it back. I am now smaller than I have ever been. The last time I weighed this weight was in 10th grade. So I guess you have to look at the pros and cons and see what is best for you.

Hi,
I think you are asking all the right questions. It is a big decision and you want to make sure that you really need to do it. Your weight is low but being that you are short I can understand why you want to lose weight. I am 5'3 and I have always been over weight. I think the number one question you should ask yourself is...If you tried to lose the weight on your own through diet exercise and dedication, could you do it? Getting the sleeve is like starting a diet that you can not get off until 6 months later. You will lose a lot in the beginning but it will not be as much as others lose. I think when you have less to lose you will experience less severe side effect. If your skin has not been stretched as much as someone who is 300lbs then you will not have much lose or saggy skin. Also you will experience hair loss from the hormone change but it might not be as much. In the beginning your social life will be effected because you won't be happy going out to eat or going to social events with food. For the first few months you will feel different about food and it might be upsetting. Now that I am over a year out I am fine going places with food and eating a little bit. I think losing weight will be good for your energy level and after you feel more normal (6 months post op) you will be happy you did it. For me I knew I wanted to do it because I had already tried several times and had lost a good amount of weight and always gained it back. I am now smaller than I have ever been. The last time I weighed this weight was in 10th grade. So I guess you have to look at the pros and cons and see what is best for you.

High Weight 255.
Current Weight 175.
15lbs till my goal.

Hey guys 7months 1 week post op and 100 pounds gone wow excited
20 more to go

OK, let's start off by saying you are fine. Totally agree with Stephanie about being conscientious about taking smaller drinks. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Since you had VSG, know that you do not have a pouch, it is called a sleeve because it resembles a long sleeved shirt whereas RnY procedures actually create a little pouch about the size of a golf ball. Your food is still going to pass through the pyloric valve. Most of the stretchy part, the fundus, was removed, so when you say stretching, it is not like how our stomach's distended after going large at Thanksgiving.
So, what is happening? You are still early out. You had 85% of your stomach removed. Surely you know your stomach is going to be swollen, right? At this time, you cannot drink very much as you have a tiny stomach now and what you do have is quite swollen. As you heal, that swelling is going to go down, so it will appear you can drink more. Also know that you are consuming liquids. This passes right through the pyloric valve and into the intestines. Once you get on eating "real" food, you will begin to feel the restriction. Until then, just take small drinks and stay off the scale.< /p>

I'm actually feeling very well. My surgery was 4-1 and I was home on 4-2. I had almost no pain whatsoever. The week of Clear liquids was not fun. Towards the 6th or 7th day I was very hungry. I was able to walk about 3/4 mile on 4-3 and as of today, I'm back at the gym doing 45 minutes of cardio (treadmill and elliptical) I don't know how much weight I have lost, but it feels significant. Scheduled for my 2 week postop on Monday. The full liquid diet from day 7-14 has not been terrible. Protein shakes and cream based Soups have been enough to satisfy me. Definitely looking forward to progressing to soft mushy foods on day 14. Good luck.

My surgery was on wed april 9th. Everything went well but the gas was so painful. Im feeling so much better but I woke up feeling very shaky and weak. Is this normal? I am getting all my fluids in. The doctor doesn't want me to start Protein drinks until monday. Any advice would be helpful.

Thought I would post this to encourage someone. I feel like a totally different person and have learned a lot about myself through this process. I've learned that I'm very goal-oriented, I've learned that when I take the time to take care of myself I'm a more balanced person, I've learned that the sleeve doesn't "cure" emotional eating & I've learned that success takes really, really hard work & perseverance! :-)
Anyway...my "official " 6 month pics :-)

I have had both the lap band and the sleeve and I can difinitively say that I love my sleeve far far more. I also don't miss the other 85% of my stomach. C'est l'vie. The other 85% helped me fit in way too much food and got me to over 300 Lbs and on my way to 400. I am going on my 4th year post op and my Sleeve still saves me all the time.
Good luck with your decision!

Let me share a personal story with you that may have you second guessing if you really need to tell everyone you had weight loss surgery. Back in 2004, a woman who is a friend /mom in my son's playgroup lost a lot of weight. She claimed she was doing Weight Watchers and lost over 100 pounds in a really short amount of time. Now of course I couldn't really tell you the exact time frame of her weight loss, because I was too busy leading my own life and attending to my own family and career to pay attention. This friend has successfully kept over 100 pounds off (sometimes going up/down 15 pounds) over the last 10 years. I have found myself jealous on occasion. How has she been successful when statistically speaking, most people regain their weight over time? Never once did I even consider she had WLS. It wasn't on my radar because WLS wasn't a part of my world.......yet.



Flash forward almost 10 years later. A few months ago I met this friend and a few other moms for a mom's night out. A few days before this, I had attended a WLS orientation at my hospital. Fresh on my mind were the eating habits I would have to implement after WLS - eat Protein first, chew slowley, don't drink while eating, etc. I watched my friend eat her dinner. She ate her chicken breast first and left most of it on her plate. She ate some veggies second and avoided the rice. She didn't take a sip of her drink. Not even once. Could this friend in fact had WLS back in 2004 and chose to only tell a select few? Maybe. I could ask her, but at this point I've decided not to. If she chose not to tell people, I'm going to respect her decision. Not once in the 10 years did it register on my radar that she may have had WLS. Not. Even. Once.



Here's the point I'm trying to make Weight loss surgery and the process is kind of like buying a new car. Once you buy one, you suddenly become more aware of every car on the road that looks like yours. People tend to be egocentric and aren't as focused on what we are doing as we may think.



I am so much more than a woman about to have weight loss surgery. I am a mother. I am a wife. I have built a successful career. I have many hobbies that I enjoy. I am a private person, in general. I don't want my weight loss journey monitored by everyone in all of my social circles. For me, I'm telling close family and that's it. These are the people who live with me day to day and who I really need support from. Who knows, maybe with time (and proven success) I may choose differently. For now, that is a decision that I'm comfortable with. If someone asks about my weight loss and asks how I did it, I plan to answer with a very simple, "I made some lifestyle changes and the weight is falling off" or "With a lot of hard work!"



That's the truth, right?



Trust your intuition and make a decision that's right for you.

I have decided to go with the sleeve. The reoperation rate is high with the lap band and its more maintinance than the sleeve. I don't want to take a chance with multiple operations. Thanks for all the advice I can't wait until my surgery in April.

I have decided to go with the sleeve. The reoperation rate is high with the lap band and its more maintinance than the sleeve. I don't want to take a chance with multiple operations. Thanks for all the advice I can't wait until my surgery in April.

Hello! I had my band removed then was sleeved a few months later (my doctor's plan - I was willing to do it in one surgery).
My experience as far as the surgery goes was the sleeve surgery was easier to recover from. I seemed to heal faster and could do more things sooner, with the band I had a stricture (?) and it kept pulling on left side of my stomach muscle as incision healed. Sleeve is soooooo much better - no vomiting, no stuck feeling, if I want I can eat bread again although I generally choose not to as I really want to lose the weight and carbs with low Protein are not our friends . With the band I lost about 30lbs in the 2 years I had it (then gained it back in last few months of that time frame) but best of all in the 3 months since sleeve surgery I have lost almost 50lbs!!!! It is so fabulous! Good luck to you and if I can answer any questions feel free to message me.

I had the lapband and it was slow and steady to get my fills every two months. I too thought the way you do now.
However after years of going through so much and never getting the sweet spot of fills then leaking and kinked lapband. My spirit was broken I was lead to believe I had done something wrong. It took awhile to get enough strengh in my heart to fight for me and get what it took to get this lapband out of me and the sleeve done.
When I woke up two weeks ago from having the revision surgery I felt great! I was walking the hallways and told the staff and doctors this time my surgery felt like I had Cadillac treatment vs Pinto treatment in level of care and how i felt as a patient. My stomach was flatter then when i had the lapband. I am a Happy Camper!!
Good luck in your decesion for what is right for you. Do alot of research and by all means pray about before you decide.

Thanks everyone this has been really helpful

I too was adamant about the lap band. It was something that wasn’t permanent, I could remove it later if I wanted to, make adjustments as I pleased, etc. My doctor, like yours, was an advocate for the sleeve. He said he would do the lap band if I wanted, that it cost the same as the sleeve, but that the complications and the eventual removal of the band was of greater risk. He also said that at first doctors believed that the band was something that could remain permanently in the body, but with new research and the countless cases of slippage and erosion, that the band now has a limited life span (I don’t remember what the number of years was). I did the research and sure enough there were MANY horror stories and fewer successes. After I became a member on this site, I searched and searched, read and read through people’s experiences, the good and the bad. I didn’t come across that many horror stories, and I liked that the national percentage of complication rates were below 2%, and even lower than that for mortality. My doctor’s numbers were far below the national average, which I loved even more.
Ultimately, I asked myself: do I want a tool that will help me out for a lifetime? I have been struggling with weight for a great deal of my life already. Will I be able to control it with a non-permanent solution? Obesity runs in my family. Am I doomed like many of them? With the help of this forum, especially the veterans who were 2, 3, even 5 years out, I made the best decision of my life. I LOVE my sleeve and I haven’t looked back!

whatever you decide to get, all the best