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I actually don't think the original post is detrimental to information seekers. The point of the forum is to hear multiple viewpoints. If reading this one post makes someone decide against surgery, they're probably not ready, otherwise they'd continue seeking.
I also think it is just these kinds of posts that can stir the most interesting conversations. For me, it's made me think about:
1) What this process is like for a teenager or young adult. I've always thought "I wish I'd had this when I was 18." Now, I'm not so sure. As others have said, I'm not sure I would have been equipped then to be successful.
2) The downside of having surgery done far away from your home. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the Mexico option is out there. But I now think the ideal is insurance covers everyone, so you don't have to go out of country. I gotta think having your care team and support group nearby is a good thing.
3) I don't think even the best US providers are doing as good a job on follow-up psych care as they should.
4) Even though WLS has been around a while, patients and doctors are still "figuring things out." For example, there are new studies that suggest combining WLS with obesity drugs to improve results. Or a study suggesting treatment with growth hormone for six months post-op to prevent muscle loss. Or studies that indicate WLS does not impact depression. Conflicting studies about whether surgery leads to longer life for severely obese and/or those over 65. Or medical opinions that the BMI cutoff should be lowered to 30. There's just a lot we don't know about why this does and doesn't work.
My point is, these bigger issue questions are interesting (to me) and are usually only stirred up by raw posts. I'm glad we can also get advice from each other on cheapest Vitamins and share NSVs. But I'm also glad people feel free to share real fear and pain and anger. And I hope that doesn't change.

I was 39 when sleeved last year. My doc was happy that I was tackling this issue now rather than waiting years later - when I'd be heavier and sicker.

Hello all!
Before you come at me sideways with your remarks realize this is simply what happened and I do realize that I should have done much differently. Hindsight is simply what it is... Hindsight. So save it!
My surgery was on Thursday the 25th of February. It was actually moved from the 18th of February because I was sick and told my doctor I wasn't able to follow the diet accordingly. He moved it back a week. Still even when I felt better I didn't follow it like I should.
I was to be on shakes 3 times a day for two weeks prior to my surgery. I only got a few shakes I'm per week and for the rest of my meals I was not only eating what I shouldn't have been but I was eating worse than how I ever eaten before. Of course I didn't want to tell my doctor the truth because I wanted to just get it done as I figured it would be much easier to follow the post op diet.
Man I had wished that I got my surgery pushed back. I ended up with a ton of internal bleeding. I vomited blood shortly after my surgery while I was in recovery. My vitals were out of control and they had to call rapid response. Turns out I lost a litre of blood and I had to go back under surgery again to fix my issue.
While the surgeon didn't say that not following the diet caused such complications, I know that if I had choice again I wouldn't even think about going off the preop diet. The pain and scare from internal bleeding was so unbearable I wouldn't wish it on anyone and for what just a little extra junk food?
All is ok with me now. I had to stay in the hospital a couple of days longer than normal but I'm out and following my diet as I should be. So if you're reading this and you're preop and you're tempted to go off your diet... Please don't make the same mistake I did. My medical team was amazing but I put myself at such great risk just to get some junk food in. Please share any thoughts or questions!

Yup, as early out as you are, the sleeve helps control your hunger. That won't always be the case. It's great that you're hard and fast on the rules right now, because that definitely helps someone stay successful, but don't fool yourself. This whole thing gets harder and harder the further out you are as hunger slowly returns and restriction loosens a little. It's very easy to feel so confident as early out from surgery as you are. I know I was. But life happens, tragedy happens, Holidays and celebrations happen, "normalcy" happens. The weight is gone and compliments about your weight loss are less so your original motivation wanes, and it becomes harder and harder to resist the temptation to graze or over eat day in and day out. That, unfortunately, is the cold, hard truth. That's why it's so hard for some to keep it off.

My surgery was March 31,2015 and to date I am 110 pounds down. I started at 341lbs and today I weigh 229. Now I should be over the moon happy. My weight loss has been awesome, however I realize more now than ever there is so much more to losing weight because I feel more alone today than I ever felt at 341lbs. I'm sharing this to help anyone thinking about bariatric surgery to understands that the reality of not being able to eat through your feelings is hard. Worth it but hard. I just have to sit in the feeling of loneliness or whatever it is until it passes or I can sleep it off, even exercise helps but once the coping mechanism of overeating is gone things get real......fast. I knew this was a component of surgery and I thought I was prepared but I wasn't. Soooo one day at a time. But the struggle is real.

I realized a few minutes ago that today marks 1 year for me that I took the journey and had the Gastric Sleeve Surgery.
It was the best thing I've ever done in my life.
1 year later, I have lost over 100 lbs, have muscle, I am more active and healthy than I have ever been.
Memories and flash backs come back as I write this, of the day I came out of surgery and had that gassy feeling like I was going to vomit, or having to put up with the awful diet after the surgery and then I remember how I cheated, had worries about everything and how it all turned out okay.
Thanks to everyone on here for your advise as its been much needed and so many questions have been answered on this forum. I thought I was crazy going to Mexico to get this surgery but everything was fine.
I'd do it again in heartbeat and as I've said before the only regret I have is that I didnt do it sooner.
I look back and realize how much of a lifestyle change I have had since the surgery. I've also become addicted to SOBE drinks thanks to this forum and the suggestions of members. I had trouble getting enough liquids in and someone suggested SOBE and also G2.
Protein was another concern I had, however I found that the Bolthouse shakes have been the best for me. I also drink a pre-workout formula before working out. I now workout with a personal trainer once a day, 5 days a week.
I'm still working towards that six pack. Hopefully I have it by this time next year or sooner.

My average loss was 1.76 a week. I'm almost a year post-op.

Well said, I agree with you - but I would ALSO like to play devil's advocate.
I think we all need to ask ourselves how WE contribute to "relationship" issues. How many of the obese/formerly obese experience issues, emotional problems, depression - whatever - that are not conducive to maintaining the most healthy relationships?
Relationships, true love and a purpose filled life take effort. It is easy to go down the "fairy tale" path of thinking that it is all about finding Prince Charming. Actually, I think it is more about finding a person that you have a mutual respect, love and values so you can nuture that relationship and hopefully each other.
I have been at goal since Feb 2013 and I continue to realize that once the "weight" of the nememis of obesity is off my back I have energy toward some of the big questions in life that i just didn't even have on my radar when I was in the struggle to save my life. Moving up Maslov's needs pyramid!

As of this week's weigh-in (Wednesday) I hit one of my major goals of 200 lbs lost since my highest weight.
Here are my stats:
HW: 491 (2.5 months prior to surgery)
SW: 422
CW: 290.5
Total loss: 200.5!!
I'm really exited to have hit this milestone. This month (and last month) has been my slowest rate of loss since surgery and it's been very frustrating for me (even though I'm thankfully not in a stall!), so it was good to make this goal this week! I'm still about 135 from my ultimate goal and my surgeon's ultimate goal for me. It's just crazy to think that I ORIGINALLY had about 335 lbs to lose and now I "only" (haha) have 135 to lose! It's been almost 11 months since my highest weight and I've come so far. It's mind-boggling to me.
So, I don't know if anyone else has done this, but I totally threw a party this weekend to Celebrate my accomplishment and invited all my friends/loved ones. I also happen to be moving (about an hour away) this week so I guess technically it was a farewell to my fat party and just a general farewell party! Haha.
Definitely something worth celebrating. This is the first proper party I've thrown since surgery, and it went really well. Just as an NSV I feel like parties have historically been very food-centric for me. Snacking the entire time, always going back for more. But this was different. I thought it would be tempting to keep snacking on small amounts and that I would over-eat, but I absolutely did not. This really is a new me!
Oh! And I made a really yummy cheesy riced cauliflower dish (made the recipe up myself) that everybody loved! So that's always a plus!

I read somewhere that BMI correlation to healthy body fat percentage is almost always correct for overweight and obese categories. So something like 95% of people who are overweight or obese by BMI measure are also overfat by recommended body fat levels. But 30% of people who are normal weight by BMI measure are overfat by recommended body fat levels (i.e "skinny-fat"). So the real flaw in BMI is that it doesn't work super well as a health indicator for people in normal BMI range. So once you get close to normal range BMI (if not sooner), I would start also measuring your body fat percentage to see if you are in healthy range for that measurement.

I read somewhere that BMI correlation to healthy body fat percentage is almost always correct for overweight and obese categories. So something like 95% of people who are overweight or obese by BMI measure are also overfat by recommended body fat levels. But 30% of people who are normal weight by BMI measure are overfat by recommended body fat levels (i.e "skinny-fat"). So the real flaw in BMI is that it doesn't work super well as a health indicator for people in normal BMI range. So once you get close to normal range BMI (if not sooner), I would start also measuring your body fat percentage to see if you are in healthy range for that measurement.

I read somewhere that BMI correlation to healthy body fat percentage is almost always correct for overweight and obese categories. So something like 95% of people who are overweight or obese by BMI measure are also overfat by recommended body fat levels. But 30% of people who are normal weight by BMI measure are overfat by recommended body fat levels (i.e "skinny-fat"). So the real flaw in BMI is that it doesn't work super well as a health indicator for people in normal BMI range. So once you get close to normal range BMI (if not sooner), I would start also measuring your body fat percentage to see if you are in healthy range for that measurement.

Hi everyone, just a quick update on where I am - three months (wow) after I last posted.
I was sleeved on 1st March - starting weight 292lbs and BMI of 45!
Today, I am 194lbs and my BMI is 29.4!
So there's been some pretty big milestones for me - falling below 200lbs, falling below 30 BMI (I'm officially not obese anymore!). I'm now fitting into jeans with a waist of 32 inches! I went shopping a week or two ago and couldn't find jeans in my size - because the jeans that I wanted were only in store in sizes too big for me! I don't think I've ever been unable to buy something I wanted because they didn't have any that were small enough.
Most days I don't even remember I've had a sleeve. I can eat everything without trouble, I can drink everything without trouble.
This is good because it means that when I go out to eat, there's nothing I can't order - though naturally I tend to stick to starters, or else to food that can be easily boxed home and brought away. It also means that I can go out and drink alcohol - I'm not a big drinker but there are times when I do like to go out with friends and drink and, yes, get drunk. I know it's empty calories etc - but my view from the start is that I want to be as healthy as I can be while still living the life I want to live.
For the same reason, I do allow myself carbonated drinks - only diet - even though I know a lot of people on here are dead against it. Has it stretched my sleeve? I don't think so - my appetite is still pretty low.
My eating habits before surgery had two big problems - Snacks and meals. Snacks is still a problem in that I can eat chocolate, popcorn, crisps etc as if I never had surgery. So I need to be really careful with them - I haven't cut them out completely. I know some people find it easier to cut them out completely rather than try and control them but I didn't want to do that (and I know it wouldn't be sustainable for me) so I focus on control and making sure I count any snacks when I count my daily calories.
Meals are where the sleeve has really helped me. I loved chips (proper British chips - not American chips) but now I can't eat more than two or three with a meal, so I never order any, instead I might steal one or two from my partner when we eat out. Before surgery, I could have a big burger, big plate of chips and a side of onion rings, and still had room for a doughnut or sweets afterwards. Now, if I was going to have a burger, I might just about manage a hamburger on its own. Most of the time, I have a sandwich at work, and I can just about manage a standard sandwich (i.e. two slices of bread and some ham or chicken).
So even though I'm not perfect on snacking (and I do need to be more disciplined), I've cut down so much calories on meals.
So I'm pretty happy with where I am. I still have another 30 or so lbs to lose. I know that will be slow and I'm OK with that. I also know that I need to start being more and more aware of the risk of slipping back upwards.
But so far so good.

As you read these forums you will find your heartfelt fears are shared by many. I would encourage you to look at the big picture questions. Example, you will likely be unhappy not being able to turn to food for comfort.. do you welcome that big "upset" because you want to change? I liken it to the "bad boyfriend" who really gives you nothing in exchange for your devotion...but isn't so easy to walk away from.
I am older and by the time I had my surgery I was so "over" food as a friend (lying, false friend) but it wasn't always easy..old habits fight back on their way out the door. Through the process I discovered it was easier for me to give up overeating than it was to give up obesity. Interesting..I NEVER expected THAT! I think this is why I went through more turmoil after goal than before.
I am 3 years from surgery been maintaining my transformed body for two years now...it is so worth it but the real journey is much bigger than weight loss.

So, I just had my blood tests and MRSA swabs in advance of surgery next week (1st March) and decided that I would detail my journey here. Partly because I want to remember to come back on here when things get tough and I need a reminder of why I am doing this, and partly because I want to have a record of what I’m doing anyway, and I figure that having one that others can read, contribute to and, maybe, learn from (if I ever get to the point of having any lessons to teach) is as good a way as any.
So, my background…
I’m 29, living in London. I’ve always been overweight, ever since I was a kid, but my weight has fluctuated a lot. Generally, when I move to a new place, it falls, until I discover all the good places to eat, when it rises again. About five years ago I managed to get down to about 200lbs, but since then have crept steadily up and now I am about 290lbs.
I think as I get a bit older, I’m realising a bit more the impact my weight is having on me. Over the last couple of years – walking has become more of a chore, for the first time, tying a seatbelt on an airplane has become a problem, I feel less and less energy and more strain on my joints. And I simply don’t want that to get worse. I haven’t felt any motivation to lose weight since that last time in 2009, and I had to admit to myself that I never will be able to do this on my own.
So I have a choice.
Continue to put on weight. Face into my thirtieth birthday at nearly 300lbs, maybe my 35th at 400lbs – who knows. And continue to see my body become more and more unable to cope.
Or I stop. I take action, accept that I’m not going to be able to do it alone and take measures that will force me into a position of being healthier.
It’s also driven by the fact that I want to have kids. As I’m gay, the most likely way for that is to adopt, but I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t be approved as an adopter at my current weight. And even if I was, I don’t think I could be a good dad as I just wouldn’t have the energy to be rolling around playing with a kid and giving them the attention they deserve.
I decided to self-fund for the operation. I have been diagnosed with sleep Apnoea (in December) through the NHS, and since that’s technically a comorbidity, my GP did say that I could be put on the NHS waiting list. But faced with a wait of two years or more, I decided it would be better to just get it done privately. So I met with my surgeon, Ameet Patel, before Christmas. I had hoped to have it done before Christmas, but I was due to start a new job on the 12th, and he said that if I had the operation on the 3rd or 4th January, he wouldn’t recommend me going to work on the 12th. So I decided to wait until Easter when I could take some time off work.
As it turned out, there were no available dates at Easter, and leaving it later brings me too close to a trip I have planned at the end of May. So I ended up plumping for 1st March.
I’ve had no pre-op diet to follow, so I’ve probably been a bit naughty in what I’ve been eating since I found out my date. I know I shouldn’t but I have been seeing these last weeks as an opportunity for one last hurrah with food.< /p>
Biggest Fears
I was sent my consent form in the post, and seeing the risks in black and white terrified me – especially where it just bluntly lists ‘Death’ as a risk. Even though I’ve talked them through with Dr Patel, and even though I know the risks are very low, they feel very real now.
I’ve started to think about things I need to do in case the worst happens, and again, I know it’s a very low risk, but my family live in a different country, so I’m making sure my partner has their number in case he needs to call them etc. The reality of that is kinda scary.
I’m also scared of complications – and not knowing whether pain is normal or a sign of something more serious.
But my biggest fear is that I just won’t be able to be happy when I can’t eat what I want to. I keep telling myself that being able to go shopping for clothes or go for a run or exercise without wanting to collapse will all make up for any feeling of deprivation – and that I won’t feel that deprived because I just won’t have the same appetite that I have now. But it is probably my biggest fear that I will spend the rest of my life regretting what I’ve done.
To combat that I just keep reminding myself that the price of having that total freedom to eat what I want is looking and feeling like I do now – I plan to keep a photo diary of my journey to remind myself that however much I regret not being able to eat what I want when I want, it will be nothing compared to the regret I would have if I had the opportunity to get healthy but turned it down.
My Hopes
This is the bit that keeps me going.
My main hope – what I desperately hope – is that the tales I’ve heard of your tastes changing are true. I would dearly love to wake up from the operation and be revolted by the foods I used to love and suddenly find love for the foods I used to hate. If only I could like vegetables and low fat foods more! My biggest hope is that my tastes will change, so that when I can’t pig out on chips it won’t matter to me because I don’t want to pig out on chips.
The same applies – big time – to Diet Coke. I’ve never been one for full fat soft drinks, I find them syrupy. But I love diet coke, and I am really dreading not being able to have it. If I could wake up and not desire it, that would be super. I’m not claiming these hopes are realistic.
More generally – like everyone – I hope this works. My thirtieth birthday is in October and I have a vision of how I will look and feel for it. I hope that vision becomes a reality.
I also hope that my relationship withstands the change. My partner has been incredibly supportive. I think one of the reasons I put on weight is that he loved me and found me attractive when we first met and I was overweight (but still, I was only about 200lbs) – I think my mind went ‘yay, you found someone who’s attracted to you even when you’re fat…eat away’. But my weight gain has made me feel less attractive and so has impacted on our relationship. As I say, he’s been really supportive and I just hope that the changes don’t result in any changes to how either of us feels about the other.
So, having rattled on for too long, let the journey begin…

In late Sept 2011 I finally had my failed band removed. It had been implanted for 10.5 years (March 2001) and i really grieved that failure.
I was going through my "bariatric notebook" that had all my sleeve instructions and found some things i had written - sort of journaling. I dared to dream of maybe getting under 200#, I dared to dream of being able to exercise, ride better, normal clothing sizes, all that stuff.
That time between the band removal and sleeve (Dec 2011) was a sad and scary time for me. I was sad about my "failure", I was so incredibly hungry, I was at a level of obesity that was a tipping point for me meaning I felt like crap! I wrote down the things I hoped would be better... and for the most part, my eventual results way exceeded those dreams.
One reality check though - I noted the hip pain even then! I forgot about that because it went away after losing weight. Now, it has come back as I have bad arthritis.
Anyway,I was glad that I had a complete record of my weight loss journey (in numbers including average weight loss per week etc), and at least some notes (the journal part was short) as it really really reminded me of how far I have come!

I think the question has been answered....
but here is some of my experience. I lost and maintained (for several years) an 85# weight loss via Weight Watchers. I never got to a normal or even "overweight" status. I could not get below 240, but 240 was way better than 332! Over the years... weight started coming back on. As I got older, even commercial programs like nutrisystems etc didn't really work anymore. I even did that horrible hormone drops combined with a starvation diet of 500 calories for a month. I lost some weight... but it came back on faster than I lost it!
Obesity is a disease state, and it depends on how advanced your condition is but in my case - I simply lost the ability to even lose weight, much less get to "normal" and maintain it.
So far, I have been able to do that with the sleeve.
I don't really care if others think I should have done it another way -- I know I tried just about EVERYTHING (including lapband) and it wasn't until I was sleeved and experienced some of the metabolic and hunger hormone benefits that I found significant success.

I agree. I just want to add this.
When I was in high school, a group of kids use to take my food away from me saying they "were doing me a favor". The teasing eventually got worse. It was so bad that when I moved i was so scared to meet new people that I sat in my house and did nothing but eat until I gained almost 100 pounds. I used food the wrong way to cope with the stress of divorce and my mom battling cancer.
One day I saw someone on Facebook post a video about someone's gastric bypass journey. I watched it and it led to hours of watching her story. It was ONE person who put their journey out there that made me look into having this for myself. I care about education because I was the quiet person sitting in my house battling my food addiction alone, and was completely unaware that this was even an option for me. Before I heard her story I thought gastric bypass was for 800 pound people trapped in their houses. I thought I was condemned to a body that fought against me every time I changed it. Me speaking about a personal subject is my way of paying it forward. There are a lot of people who don't consider this because they don't know, they hear horror stories from surgeries 30+ years ago, or they know someone who fail. My doctor didn't suggest this. My mom didnt give me the idea. I wouldn't have known at all and I probably would've let obesity kill me because I didn't think there was an option for me. I heard it from someone who didn't care about private or personal information and it changed my life.
I knew putting it out there that people will say things back that I wouldn't want to hear. I'm not upset about what she said. I'm upset that I don't know how to respond. But the liver explanation was great. That was definitely what I was looking for.

so very very happy that I have made my goal.not to bad of a struggle but the best thing ive ever did!!woohoo!!!

My advice...give it one last try to lose and maintain. You will either be wildly successful and not need WLS, or your doubts will disappear. I firmly believe that one of my success factors was knowing that I had tried everything and I damn well was gonna make this sleeve thing work!

Be patient! The entire process takes time but it is so worth the end result. There are times when just jumping through all the hoops required seem insurmountable but they are not.
I would do it again in a heart beat!

This time last summer I was sitting at the beach with my family and friends discussing the fears/doubts/hopes that we all felt about my decision to undergo VSG that coming September. I could never had imagined then what a wild ride id thrust myself upon and where id be now.
As my one year anniversary approaches (9-8-14) I think of how far I've come as a person, The self-esteem I feel now and the power within myself that I never knew I had is overwhelming. This time last year I had a few goals for myself going into surgery...
1. Don't Die-- I assure you now I didn't!
2. Don't Cheat, Not even once!--I'm human, and somehow then I guess I thought I'd come out perfect after surgery didn't happen.
3. Get To Your Goal Weight.-- My goal weight at the time was 170 and I thought that was good enough as I didn't have any high hopes for myself.
As of today I have lost 96lbs from the 255lb uncomfortable person I was to 159lb person who is comfortable with herself and willing to do more in life, Who puts herself out there and is thriving. It's Amazing to me that I could ever be where I am. And like a lot of others out there, I wish I had given myself this gift sooner!

I actually don't think the original post is detrimental to information seekers. The point of the forum is to hear multiple viewpoints. If reading this one post makes someone decide against surgery, they're probably not ready, otherwise they'd continue seeking.
I also think it is just these kinds of posts that can stir the most interesting conversations. For me, it's made me think about:
1) What this process is like for a teenager or young adult. I've always thought "I wish I'd had this when I was 18." Now, I'm not so sure. As others have said, I'm not sure I would have been equipped then to be successful.
2) The downside of having surgery done far away from your home. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the Mexico option is out there. But I now think the ideal is insurance covers everyone, so you don't have to go out of country. I gotta think having your care team and support group nearby is a good thing.
3) I don't think even the best US providers are doing as good a job on follow-up psych care as they should.
4) Even though WLS has been around a while, patients and doctors are still "figuring things out." For example, there are new studies that suggest combining WLS with obesity drugs to improve results. Or a study suggesting treatment with growth hormone for six months post-op to prevent muscle loss. Or studies that indicate WLS does not impact depression. Conflicting studies about whether surgery leads to longer life for severely obese and/or those over 65. Or medical opinions that the BMI cutoff should be lowered to 30. There's just a lot we don't know about why this does and doesn't work.
My point is, these bigger issue questions are interesting (to me) and are usually only stirred up by raw posts. I'm glad we can also get advice from each other on cheapest Vitamins and share NSVs. But I'm also glad people feel free to share real fear and pain and anger. And I hope that doesn't change.

I don't understand why the response to the original post is so vitriolic. I for one can't agree or disagree with much of the post because it's her personal experience. She thinks she rushed into this? Maybe she did. That's for her to decide and own and seems like she is.
What I do disagree with is the factual assertions. I don't think they are supported by any medical evidence. I'm not aware of any studies, for example, that support the idea of extreme muscle loss caused by WLS.
There may be a time in the future when WLS is not needed. There may be a time when the food industry is reined in. There may be a time when children aren't set on the path of obesity by sugar, sugar everywhere. Maybe the magic pill will be developed next year that melts fat. For now, the outcome-based evidence is clear that for severe and morbid obesity, WLS is the only long-term successful treatment. This doesn't mean a minority won't have complications or inadequate weight loss. But for most people it works, and it's the only thing that works.

I don't understand why the response to the original post is so vitriolic. I for one can't agree or disagree with much of the post because it's her personal experience. She thinks she rushed into this? Maybe she did. That's for her to decide and own and seems like she is.
What I do disagree with is the factual assertions. I don't think they are supported by any medical evidence. I'm not aware of any studies, for example, that support the idea of extreme muscle loss caused by WLS.
There may be a time in the future when WLS is not needed. There may be a time when the food industry is reined in. There may be a time when children aren't set on the path of obesity by sugar, sugar everywhere. Maybe the magic pill will be developed next year that melts fat. For now, the outcome-based evidence is clear that for severe and morbid obesity, WLS is the only long-term successful treatment. This doesn't mean a minority won't have complications or inadequate weight loss. But for most people it works, and it's the only thing that works.