SteveT74

Yes . ... That is the one constant that every surgeon requires.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

Sent the last I reply too. You need the Protein to heal but also because during the rapid weight loss phase you will lose muscle mass if you don't have enough protein. The concern isn't about skeletal muscle, but critical smooth muscle tissue like your heart! A couple of days not meeting your protein goals won't hurt you, but if you are not eating any calories from protein you are going to end up back in the hospital with serious complications.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

Yes . ... That is the one constant that every surgeon requires.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

Be careful Hannah Protein helps your body heal. I think it’s the only think consistent across the board.

Anyone care to show their battle scars??   

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

I trust my surgeon and his group. He was one the earliest surgeons to use the sleeve as a primary procedure in 2002 at the University of Pittsburgh. He's done over 3000 sleeves alone. He believes this is the better peri-operative protocol, so I will follow his instructions. I know other groups do things differently, but this is what my group recommends.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk

Based on most studies, the average person with a sleeve looses 60-65% of their Excess body weight (meaning the amount they weigh above the normal BMI for their height). This 60-65% number is based on a study of multiple studies of VSG outcomes at 1, 3 and 5 years. The average person in the study started with a BMI of 42 and 80% of the participants were women with an average age of 45. Men seem to do a bit better with weight loss using the sleeve than women for reasons that are no fully understood (while men and women perform equally well with the RNY). People that start the weight loss process with a lower BMI (under 40) tend to do very well with the sleeve (often with losing more than 80% of excess body weight and sometimes 100%). Co-morbidities pre-surgery seem to have some impact on outcome. People that smoke seem to have better weight loss numbers (not that you should take up smoking) and people with diabetes tended to perform less well (depending on the study).
Finally, there are people that have a genetic predisposition to responding to metabolic surgery. Some people are predisposed to be super-responders. These are the people that seem to lose 100% or more of the excess body weight and can do it without following their post-op diet religiously--and they keep it off forever (or so it seems). Other people have the opposite outcome. They can follow their diet religiously and they lose very little weight and have a tough time keeping it off. Most people fall somewhere in the middle--those are the people that lose 60-65% of their excess body weight.
If losing 60-65% of your excess body weight does not seem sufficient to you, there are other procedures available---including RNY, a duodenal switch or a newer procedure called SIPS (or modified duodenal switch). These other procedures promise better total weight loss results (particularly for the SIPS procedure), but the trade offs may not be worth it. That's really between you and your doctor(s).

Based on most studies, the average person with a sleeve looses 60-65% of their Excess body weight (meaning the amount they weigh above the normal BMI for their height). This 60-65% number is based on a study of multiple studies of VSG outcomes at 1, 3 and 5 years. The average person in the study started with a BMI of 42 and 80% of the participants were women with an average age of 45. Men seem to do a bit better with weight loss using the sleeve than women for reasons that are no fully understood (while men and women perform equally well with the RNY). People that start the weight loss process with a lower BMI (under 40) tend to do very well with the sleeve (often with losing more than 80% of excess body weight and sometimes 100%). Co-morbidities pre-surgery seem to have some impact on outcome. People that smoke seem to have better weight loss numbers (not that you should take up smoking) and people with diabetes tended to perform less well (depending on the study).
Finally, there are people that have a genetic predisposition to responding to metabolic surgery. Some people are predisposed to be super-responders. These are the people that seem to lose 100% or more of the excess body weight and can do it without following their post-op diet religiously--and they keep it off forever (or so it seems). Other people have the opposite outcome. They can follow their diet religiously and they lose very little weight and have a tough time keeping it off. Most people fall somewhere in the middle--those are the people that lose 60-65% of their excess body weight.
If losing 60-65% of your excess body weight does not seem sufficient to you, there are other procedures available---including RNY, a duodenal switch or a newer procedure called SIPS (or modified duodenal switch). These other procedures promise better total weight loss results (particularly for the SIPS procedure), but the trade offs may not be worth it. That's really between you and your doctor(s).

Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. That goes for pretty much everyone regardless of whether or not they have surgery. However, the gym is great for improving muscle tone, fitness and cardiovascular health (with high impact interval training being the best combination of the above). You don't want to rush back to the gym after surgery because your body needs time to heal!!! Every time you lift weights or work out, your causing damage to your muscles, which then heal (which is how you improve muscle mass and strength). This process requires your body to consume Protein and other key nutrients. That's fine under most circumstances, but after surgery you need the small amounts of protein and nutrients you are able to consume to be used to help your body heal. So, it's best to take it slow and not do any heavy workouts for a few months until you settle into a healthy routine and get used to your new body. After that time period (and if your surgeon says its ok), you can hit the gym as hard as you like.
As for Doctor Vong, I have mixed feelings about him. I have watched a lot of his videos, but I find him to be very preachy. He says controversial things at times just get his viewer count up. It's not that he doesn't have valuable things to share (he does), but it's like his way of doing things is the only way to do things--and it's not. As for youtube surgeons, I really like Dr. Matthew Weiner. If I lived anywhere near Detroit, I would have gone to him for a consultation. He just has such a nice way about him. I even bought his book, A Pound of Cure--which suggests that your post-surgical diet should focus on vegetable Proteins and whole foods etc. Dr. Weiner's recommendations are pretty actually similar to Dr. Vong's--but without the messiah complex included. I will try to adopt some of Dr. Weiner's recommendations into my post-surgical diet when it's appropriate, but otherwise I am going to follow the advice and counsel of my own surgeon and his group's staff (after all they have my charts and should be in the best position to guide me through this journey).

Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. That goes for pretty much everyone regardless of whether or not they have surgery. However, the gym is great for improving muscle tone, fitness and cardiovascular health (with high impact interval training being the best combination of the above). You don't want to rush back to the gym after surgery because your body needs time to heal!!! Every time you lift weights or work out, your causing damage to your muscles, which then heal (which is how you improve muscle mass and strength). This process requires your body to consume Protein and other key nutrients. That's fine under most circumstances, but after surgery you need the small amounts of protein and nutrients you are able to consume to be used to help your body heal. So, it's best to take it slow and not do any heavy workouts for a few months until you settle into a healthy routine and get used to your new body. After that time period (and if your surgeon says its ok), you can hit the gym as hard as you like.
As for Doctor Vong, I have mixed feelings about him. I have watched a lot of his videos, but I find him to be very preachy. He says controversial things at times just get his viewer count up. It's not that he doesn't have valuable things to share (he does), but it's like his way of doing things is the only way to do things--and it's not. As for youtube surgeons, I really like Dr. Matthew Weiner. If I lived anywhere near Detroit, I would have gone to him for a consultation. He just has such a nice way about him. I even bought his book, A Pound of Cure--which suggests that your post-surgical diet should focus on vegetable Proteins and whole foods etc. Dr. Weiner's recommendations are pretty actually similar to Dr. Vong's--but without the messiah complex included. I will try to adopt some of Dr. Weiner's recommendations into my post-surgical diet when it's appropriate, but otherwise I am going to follow the advice and counsel of my own surgeon and his group's staff (after all they have my charts and should be in the best position to guide me through this journey).

Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. That goes for pretty much everyone regardless of whether or not they have surgery. However, the gym is great for improving muscle tone, fitness and cardiovascular health (with high impact interval training being the best combination of the above). You don't want to rush back to the gym after surgery because your body needs time to heal!!! Every time you lift weights or work out, your causing damage to your muscles, which then heal (which is how you improve muscle mass and strength). This process requires your body to consume Protein and other key nutrients. That's fine under most circumstances, but after surgery you need the small amounts of protein and nutrients you are able to consume to be used to help your body heal. So, it's best to take it slow and not do any heavy workouts for a few months until you settle into a healthy routine and get used to your new body. After that time period (and if your surgeon says its ok), you can hit the gym as hard as you like.
As for Doctor Vong, I have mixed feelings about him. I have watched a lot of his videos, but I find him to be very preachy. He says controversial things at times just get his viewer count up. It's not that he doesn't have valuable things to share (he does), but it's like his way of doing things is the only way to do things--and it's not. As for youtube surgeons, I really like Dr. Matthew Weiner. If I lived anywhere near Detroit, I would have gone to him for a consultation. He just has such a nice way about him. I even bought his book, A Pound of Cure--which suggests that your post-surgical diet should focus on vegetable Proteins and whole foods etc. Dr. Weiner's recommendations are pretty actually similar to Dr. Vong's--but without the messiah complex included. I will try to adopt some of Dr. Weiner's recommendations into my post-surgical diet when it's appropriate, but otherwise I am going to follow the advice and counsel of my own surgeon and his group's staff (after all they have my charts and should be in the best position to guide me through this journey).

I agree. Everyone needs to do what's best for them. Frankly, you don't have to tell anyone anything. I don't discuss my health condition with anyone that doesn't need to know. When it comes to close family that loves me, they are going to notice significant difference in my lifestyle as well as my appearance (eventually), so I think it made sense to share this information with them.
P.S.
You are wrong about one thing though. In the medical professional labels matter and these procedures are being called "metabolic surgery", not just weight loss (or bariatric) surgery. That's why the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery changed its name to add the term "Metabolic" a few years ago. This is the case because these procedures, which were originally popularized for weight loss benefits, are now being used to treat many different illness that are not necessarily related to obesity. Even the American Diabetes Association strongly supports the use of "metabolic surgery" to treat Type 2 Diabetes. This surgery is also used to treat very thin people that suffer from treatment resistant gastroparesis and other GI and metabolic illnesses. Sure, a large number of people are having these procedures done primarily because they are tired of being overweight, but to call it weight loss surgery does make it seem like "the easy way out" to the outside world. Metabolic surgery has a different connotation to the layman's mind as well as the minds of insurance companies. So, I suggest getting away for the use of the term "weight loss surgery" as much as possible.

Im 8 days out and everything is going amazing. My plan had me on puree on day 2 and I have tolerated everything that I have put in my little tummy so far. Even some chili that I got adventurous and blended the heck out of! Four days out I went to a community Christmas display thing, I was feeling so good! Its kind of bizarre how well things are going, I almost don't want to jinx it. I see my nut on the 17th and I start phase 3 foods on the 20th. So looking forward to some chunks in my life omg lol! Oh, and I have lost 8lbs already, I did a dance this morning around my house it was hilarious
Im happy to see you guys are getting your surgeries and things are moving along! Good luck to those of you still waiting! ❤️

congrats man. You're over the hump. Hiccups suck!!!! Is there anything they can give you for that?

@AFVET
I say, you know your wife best and stick to your guns. It's never good to lie to your spouse, but you don't always have to tell the whole truth either. White lies save marriages. Just tell her you love her Cookies, but you didn't get 80% of your stomach cut out so you could go to town on them--no matter how wonderful they are! Everyone is happy this way! Good luck with everything!!!
P.S.
Endowment Member here. Molon Labe brother!!!

My surgery is on the 17th as well. On day 8 of the liquid diet... which I can't stand!!!!!! This has to be the worst part of the process since the hunger is suppose go away after the surgery.

@AFVET
I say, you know your wife best and stick to your guns. It's never good to lie to your spouse, but you don't always have to tell the whole truth either. White lies save marriages. Just tell her you love her Cookies, but you didn't get 80% of your stomach cut out so you could go to town on them--no matter how wonderful they are! Everyone is happy this way! Good luck with everything!!!
P.S.
Endowment Member here. Molon Labe brother!!!

congrats man. You're over the hump. Hiccups suck!!!! Is there anything they can give you for that?

Well, there are about 10g of fat and 12g of Protein in two eggs (0 carbs). If you skip the yolk and only have the whites, there almost no fat and it's pretty much pure protein. I can't see how egg whites wouldn't be on the pre-op diet (as long as you don't cook them in anything that adds fat or calories)--hence hard boiled egg whites. I think some of these guidelines they come up with a general rules intended for "uneducated" patients that don't know the difference between having a hard boiled egg white and cheese omelette fried in butter. I like Premier shakes just fine, but how can a processed chemical protein mix be preferable to natural pure, egg whites???

I wanted to go with the RNY, but my surgeon convinced me that sleeve was the better option for me. If you're at risk for GERD due to a hiatal hernia, you should definitely go with the RNY. GERD sucks and it can really damage your quality of life. In terms of weight loss, RNY does have better overall results long term. Missing your sleeve date will not be the end of the world if it means you avoid serious GERD issues. Go for the RNY!!! You'll do great!!!

Wow, good luck to you guys that have surgery tomorrow. That's exciting stuff. I am on my third day of my 14 day pre-op diet. This is not easy. I am suppose to have 5 Protein Shakes a day and then I am limited to sugar free Jello, plain yogurt, broth etc. I don't know how I am going to do this for 11 more days! I already "cheated" twice---with hard boiled eggs. Not technically on the diet, but they have no carbs and lots of Protein and at least it's something to chew!!!

I'm 3 weeks post op and my program cleared me for "exercise" at 2 weeks post-op. The surgeon suggests AND recommends just doing brisk walking or elliptical, but nothing too strenuous until 4-6 weeks. Remember your calorie intake is pretty low and your body probably not used to it yet so don't go crazy. I walk 45 to 60 minutes on the treadmill every morning and I've done well with that until he tells me I can do more.

BUT....I would call the surgeon's office and ask anyways, just to be sure.

I agree with James. There can be some temporary stretching of the RNY pouch or sleeve if you over eat, but the idea that the pouch or sleeve can be permanently stretched out is urban legend based on outdated theories. What does happen is that over time, your hunger can return (this can take 5 years to happen with RNY and 3 years or so with Sleeve). The stomach capacity, however, remains where it was at the time of surgery and you still get full with small portions. People can then defeat the benefits of surgery by eating bad foods more frequently, slider foods (milk shakes, potato chips etc.) or by over eating (which ends up resulting in stacking food in your esophagus--which is bad for many reasons). Surgery is just a tool so if you don't use the first couple of years post-op to change your bad lifestyle habits, weight regain is possible (even likely).
As for the bounce, that's a normal part of the process. The surgery changes your set point weight, so your body thinks it's suppose to weight 190 pounds instead of 300. This is called the set point theory--which is how your body maintains a certain weight. When you're on your way down the scale post up, you'll likely drop below your new set point if you follow the new dietary guidelines so you might hit 170 or 180 at your lowest. You'll then gain some weight back and stabilize at your new set point (190). In truth, if you follow the guidelines and do your part, you probably aren't "regaining" weight in the first year or two post op. Your body is just adjusting for your new set point. If you don't follow the guidelines and you eat the the wrong foods, your weight game can be genuine and that's issue. If you're working with a nutritionist (which will be required as part of post-op care), you'll know if you're going out of bounds with the food. If you have RNY, you'll probably get that info every time you have a dumping syndrome episode.

I am scheduled for surgery on the 12/17 as well. Start the liquid diet on 12/3. 😞 It's not purely liquid in my protocol though.... I am allowed one egg per day, sugar free/fat free pudding etc. during the pre-op diet per day. I'll deal with it, but I am NOT looking forward to it at all. However, I should probably loose around 15-20 pounds on this pre-op diet, so it is a nice jump start to getting the weight under control in a twisted sort of way.

Funny how every practice has such different protocols. I am a lower BMI patient (35 BMI) and I have to do a full 2 week liquid diet, which kind of sucks. I am not sure how I am going to do this and have the energy to work (and deal with all the crap in the office that we have around Christmas time). On the plus side, being a December sleever means I'll be one of the few people I know that will be losing weight this Christmas season. That'll be a first for me!!