Moa

Was diabetic for about 8 years and progressively getting worse...ended up on 2 insulins and 2 oral meds and still had fasting sugars of 150-250. Once my A1C was 12!
After VSG 11 months ago, I was immediately taken off all meds except metformin. Fasting sugars were 110-120. Since losing almost 100#, I went off the metformin 6 months ago and my fastings are 95-110. Can't wait to see the next A1C!
The only dispppointment has been that the DPN (diabetic peripheral neuropathy) in my toes and right behind them has not improved...I was really hoping for some relief from the pain and burning when my sugars decreased. But I guess the damage has been done and will not get better. Anyone have DPN reverse?

I have shredded menisci (both knees) but I still try to exercise as much as I can without my knees locking up or overwhelming pain. I love to exercise, but at 66 yrs old I can't do it every day like when I was younger.
Cardio: I power walk (16 min/mi) for 1-1.5 hrs every other day.
Weight training, upper and lower body: 45-60 min. every other day.

Sorry it took me so long to get back...this website wouldn't accept my password and it has taken me awhile to get back in.
To answer the question, yes...I have 13# to still lose to get to my goal, but am unsure if I can get there, so I'm not sure if I'm technically in maintenance-mode or should I keep trying to lose more. I chose my goal because I weighed that weight from age 18-40! So I know that I can get there, but my body doesn't seem to be responding. I eat 800 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal, no carbonated drinks, obey all the eating rules, low carbs, low fat, at least 65gms or more of protein/day and take multivitamins, B12 and calcium. I exercise for at least 2 hrs every other day (1-1.5 hrs of power walking and 45-60 minutes of weight training). I wear a size 4 or 6, medium-small (at surgery I wore a size 26, 3XL).
I saw my doctor last week and discussed this issue with him. First, he said that he thinks I look great and doesn't think I need to lose more, but said that if I want to keep trying then it's ok. He said that I'm doing everything right and didn't have any suggestions to try (did warn me NOT to go below 800 kcal/day, above 1,000 kcal/day and to keep my carbs very low). Since I'm only 16 months postop, he said that I might still lose more if I keep up my current regiment. He said that most people gain back some weight by 2-3 yrs postop, but that if I continue my plan (especially the exercise) he doesn't think I will gain any back.
I am very happy at the success I've had and am trying to stay focused on enjoying life now, but still wonder if I'm in Maintenance Mode or Losing Mode. Here are 3 recent pics and one from shortly before surgery.

It’s been a little more than 5 years that I had sleeve. I started at 225 lbs and went to a minimum of 145lbs. Then had some weight gain and peaked around 163lbs at 2 years mark. Since then I have been vigilant and last three years been 155Lbs with a couple of pounds variation.

Sorry for the long response.
Pre surgery, I don't think I had a sensation of full. Hunger and cravings were intense. Post surgery - Many of us experience times of real and head hunger. I'm not " really hungry all the time" Five years out, My hunger is manageable.
It normal to have less sleeve restriction years out, ( my sleeve is not stretched or back to full size) I can fill the extra space with real whole foods, stay within my maintenance calories, and feel satisfied. There is no reason to eat weight gain calories just because I can hold more food.
Only my experience, (you most likely have herd these things before)
Real hunger happens when I skip meals, eat the wrong food, eat under my calories, and working out. Head hunger happens when I'm bored, around temptation or stressed/emotional. I know theses things about myself. I learned how to satisfy hunger when it happens.
If I deny cravings, I just want them more. I keep healthy low calorie options for sweet and salty on hand. In weight loss mode, I avoid certain things. I cant stop at a small amount of chocolate or a bag of chips. *laughing* I know myself. My husband hides them from me.
Life should be lived in maintenance. I have times I indulge, take vacations, and carb load for sports. Afterward, I have cravings and hunger. I eat my bariatric plan and carvings/ hunger go away.
I eat dense protein, veggies and other items on my plan. (They stay in my sleeve longer than slider/soft stage foods)
peppermint tea calms my sleeve
I spread my meals out five/six a day, Schedule a protein snack before bed.
Head hunger and night snacking -I keep a veggie tray and fruit in the fridge, I allow my self to eat as much until full. If I try to bargain for other items I know its head hunger.

<! -- Begin Random Brain Dump -->
So....there was a post on another thread that brought up the existence of studies that proposed that WLS patients who have plastic surgery to remove excess skin after massive weight loss are more likely to keep the weight off further down the road than those who didn't. I remember reading something to that effect a while back, so I did a little digging, and yep, there are studies that suggest this idea.
Here is is just two that were on the first page of my search results:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131001104541.htm
https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(15)00850-3/fulltext
So as I often do, I went down the research rabbit hole. I wanted see what other theories were out there that isolate certain behaviours or circumstances that increase the likelihood of long term weight control after bariatric surgery.
The regular stuff that we already know came up about the positive co-relation of the following with short & long term success in weight loss:
daily weighing (of body, not food, LOL) logging/tracking food intake weight training to maintain or increase lean muscle mass the above-mentioned body contouring Then there was one that sort of resonated with me, for some reason. That the likelihood of long term success is related to the amount of (or lack of) sedentary activities a person participates in. Those who spend less time watching TV, sitting at a desk, or spend time on their devices are more likely than their sedentary counterparts to keep the weight off longer term. And that this was the bigger indicator of "success" than the 4 points made above.
Since the PS, I have been pretty sedentary. I looked at my steps and I averaged less than 1000 steps a day the first 10 days post op. I felt ick and lazy and tired and really just didn't want to move (mind you, I was in recovery so there's that). Then I purposefully made the effort to walk around every couple of hours and felt better. Then I started going outside for longer and longer walks and started to feel normal. After yesterday's 2+ hours outside and this morning's 1 hour (with more to come throughout the day) I feel aaaalmost awesome. The more I moved, the more I wanted to move; and on the flip side of that I realized that the more I stayed still the more I didn't want to move. Funny cuz this is probably obvious to some/most of you, but it was like a light-bulb moment for me, duh. ?
So moral of the story: Keep moving, people.
<! -- End Random Brain Dump -->

@Moa: wow! congratulations on all your success! you look amazing, and comparing the two close up head shots before and after, you look about 15 years younger now! (the fab hair and clothes make a difference too ❤️)
As far as goal weights go, if you want to lose more (and your doc is ok with it), then by all means go for it. If you are happy where you are (and you do look great, lady) then that's cool too. Your goal-forever weight ideally is whatever you feel comfortable at and can maintain.
I agree, whatever loose skin you may have under there, you hide it well
P.S. I just had an arm lift, breast lift and tummy tuck 6 days ago. Of the three, its the tummy tuck that is the most annoying in terms of recovery (for me) because I can't stand up straight and my back is paying for it. With that said though, my recovery from my WLS was much, much more painful than this. But I've also read from others who have said plastics was more painful than WLS. ??‍♀️

https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions

Misconception: Most people who have metabolic and bariatric surgery regain their weight.
Truth:
As many as 50 percent of patients may regain a small amount of weight (approximately 5 percent) two years or more following their surgery. However, longitudinal studies find that most bariatric surgery patients maintain successful weight-loss long-term. ‘Successful’ weight-loss is arbitrarily defined as weight-loss equal to or greater than 50 percent of excess body weight. Often, successful results are determined by the patient, by their perceived improvement in quality of life. In such cases, the total retained weight-loss may be more, or less, than this arbitrary definition. Such massive and sustained weight reduction with surgery is in sharp contrast to the experience most patients have previously had with non-surgical therapies.

In my opinion, any WLS is what you make of it in terms of weight loss. WLS is only a tool to help you along a weight loss journey. It's entirely up to YOU to follow your dietary and exercise recommendations, not only for immediate post-op but to continue to eat healthy and exercise well past maintenance.

I wonder how much weight they gain back. A few pounds? All of it? Yes, the surgery itself is not the solution, it's just a tool. We still have to watch what we eat for the rest of our lives.

It's a valid fear when you look at the statistics. However keep in mind not a single person who has gone through WLS since it was originally invented, failed unless they simply ate too much.
Probably most of us got to an unhealthy weight becuase we drew off of our childhood eating habits, aggravated by today's corporate food pushing culture. We were never really taught how to eat well, over an extended period of time.
We have now been given an opportunity to begin again, and much like everone on here can probably learn any new skill for a job or hobby, we have to use this opportunity to learn new eating skills. After that, it's just a matter of being an expert at your own nutrition.
People learn new skills all the time. Kind of like "don't put your hand in a hot stove". It's up to each of us to learn, the just follow through. Hopefully if we keep this in mind, we won't be mere statistics.
luck!

I don't know what the statistics are, but a lot of WLS patients DO gain back weight. Maybe not all of it (although some do...), but big gains aren't all that uncommon. I think the biggest reason is that people start slacking off once they hit maintenance (if not before). You really have to keep on top of your eating for the rest of your life or you WILL gain weight.

Sorry it took me so long to get back...this website wouldn't accept my password and it has taken me awhile to get back in.
To answer the question, yes...I have 13# to still lose to get to my goal, but am unsure if I can get there, so I'm not sure if I'm technically in maintenance-mode or should I keep trying to lose more. I chose my goal because I weighed that weight from age 18-40! So I know that I can get there, but my body doesn't seem to be responding. I eat 800 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal, no carbonated drinks, obey all the eating rules, low carbs, low fat, at least 65gms or more of protein/day and take multivitamins, B12 and calcium. I exercise for at least 2 hrs every other day (1-1.5 hrs of power walking and 45-60 minutes of weight training). I wear a size 4 or 6, medium-small (at surgery I wore a size 26, 3XL).
I saw my doctor last week and discussed this issue with him. First, he said that he thinks I look great and doesn't think I need to lose more, but said that if I want to keep trying then it's ok. He said that I'm doing everything right and didn't have any suggestions to try (did warn me NOT to go below 800 kcal/day, above 1,000 kcal/day and to keep my carbs very low). Since I'm only 16 months postop, he said that I might still lose more if I keep up my current regiment. He said that most people gain back some weight by 2-3 yrs postop, but that if I continue my plan (especially the exercise) he doesn't think I will gain any back.
I am very happy at the success I've had and am trying to stay focused on enjoying life now, but still wonder if I'm in Maintenance Mode or Losing Mode. Here are 3 recent pics and one from shortly before surgery.

Because of this tendency, my doctor told me to do these forevcer: eat a maximum of 800-1,000 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal and continue to exercise. I'm rarely hungry and 800 kcal/day satisfies me. It's hard to believe that I haven't lost more weight, but maybe it'll still happen.

Sorry it took me so long to get back...this website wouldn't accept my password and it has taken me awhile to get back in.
To answer the question, yes...I have 13# to still lose to get to my goal, but am unsure if I can get there, so I'm not sure if I'm technically in maintenance-mode or should I keep trying to lose more. I chose my goal because I weighed that weight from age 18-40! So I know that I can get there, but my body doesn't seem to be responding. I eat 800 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal, no carbonated drinks, obey all the eating rules, low carbs, low fat, at least 65gms or more of protein/day and take multivitamins, B12 and calcium. I exercise for at least 2 hrs every other day (1-1.5 hrs of power walking and 45-60 minutes of weight training). I wear a size 4 or 6, medium-small (at surgery I wore a size 26, 3XL).
I saw my doctor last week and discussed this issue with him. First, he said that he thinks I look great and doesn't think I need to lose more, but said that if I want to keep trying then it's ok. He said that I'm doing everything right and didn't have any suggestions to try (did warn me NOT to go below 800 kcal/day, above 1,000 kcal/day and to keep my carbs very low). Since I'm only 16 months postop, he said that I might still lose more if I keep up my current regiment. He said that most people gain back some weight by 2-3 yrs postop, but that if I continue my plan (especially the exercise) he doesn't think I will gain any back.
I am very happy at the success I've had and am trying to stay focused on enjoying life now, but still wonder if I'm in Maintenance Mode or Losing Mode. Here are 3 recent pics and one from shortly before surgery.

I love this!! So true...any weight gain isn't going to be an "accident"...it will only happen if I help it happen. I am in control over my future health and weight status. Thanks for that motivating thought!

A gentleman never tells

I know this wasn't directed at me, but I've had two skin removal surgeries (8/18 and 3/19). LBL was rough - but worth it. The recovery on my upper body procedures wasn't as bad (had some issues with the incisions on my upper body procedures, so it wasn't as smooth as it could have been - but it wasn't as painful as the LBL recovery)

I think you look fine. You don't look like you need to lose any more weight.

based on your photos, we look like we're roughly in the same age category. There are a number of physicians now who think their "older adult" patients (I assume they mean 50+ or 60+) should be in the 23-27 BMI range. So basically at the higher end of their BMI range to maybe 5-10 lbs overweight. Supposedly it's the healthiest range for us as it gives us a little cushion in case we get sick. My PCP freaked out when I got down below a 22 BMI. I now sit right around a 25 and she's happy as a clam. So anyway, what I'm trying to say is, you're probably at an optimal weight right now (and you look it!) - and yes, you may actually be a bit lighter if you factor in the excess skin. I think you look perfect!

my "indulging" is probably a normal person's typical Thanksgiving meal. It's not putting away 3000 calories like I probably did before surgery - and I don't let it go on for days afterward, either, like I used to. It's one and done now, and only on special occasions. But I did eat much more yesterday than I normally would. I had about 2 oz of turkey, 2 oz of ham, 1/2 C sweet potato casserole, 1/2 C of stuffing, maybe 1/2 C of Brussels sprouts/bacon/cheese casserole. And probably 1/3 C mashed potatoes. I had some cranberry sauce on the ham, and gravy on the turkey & potatoes. After dinner, the pies came out. There were four different kinds. Before surgery, I probably would have had three whole pieces so I could taste most of them. This time, I decided on the two I most wanted, and I had half a piece of each. With whipped cream. So essentially, one piece of pie. SO....one plateful of food, plus a piece of pie.
this wouldn't have been the case my first couple of years post-surgery, though. Back then I would have had maybe 2 oz of turkey with some vegetables. And the second year post-op, I think I added about 2 T of stuffing and 2 T sweet potato casserole. And both years I brought my own Light & Fit pumpkin yogurt to have for dessert while the others were eating pumpkin pie.
anyway, I don't really feel guilty because I rarely eat as much as I described above, and I get right back on track the next day. If it was a usual thing, I would gain my weight back pretty fast, unfortunately. I spent this morning at the gym - two fitness classes plus walking the track - and I'll really push fluids and eat lightly the next couple of days to offset any damage...

Sorry it took me so long to get back...this website wouldn't accept my password and it has taken me awhile to get back in.
To answer the question, yes...I have 13# to still lose to get to my goal, but am unsure if I can get there, so I'm not sure if I'm technically in maintenance-mode or should I keep trying to lose more. I chose my goal because I weighed that weight from age 18-40! So I know that I can get there, but my body doesn't seem to be responding. I eat 800 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal, no carbonated drinks, obey all the eating rules, low carbs, low fat, at least 65gms or more of protein/day and take multivitamins, B12 and calcium. I exercise for at least 2 hrs every other day (1-1.5 hrs of power walking and 45-60 minutes of weight training). I wear a size 4 or 6, medium-small (at surgery I wore a size 26, 3XL).
I saw my doctor last week and discussed this issue with him. First, he said that he thinks I look great and doesn't think I need to lose more, but said that if I want to keep trying then it's ok. He said that I'm doing everything right and didn't have any suggestions to try (did warn me NOT to go below 800 kcal/day, above 1,000 kcal/day and to keep my carbs very low). Since I'm only 16 months postop, he said that I might still lose more if I keep up my current regiment. He said that most people gain back some weight by 2-3 yrs postop, but that if I continue my plan (especially the exercise) he doesn't think I will gain any back.
I am very happy at the success I've had and am trying to stay focused on enjoying life now, but still wonder if I'm in Maintenance Mode or Losing Mode. Here are 3 recent pics and one from shortly before surgery.

Because of this tendency, my doctor told me to do these forevcer: eat a maximum of 800-1,000 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal and continue to exercise. I'm rarely hungry and 800 kcal/day satisfies me. It's hard to believe that I haven't lost more weight, but maybe it'll still happen.

Because of this tendency, my doctor told me to do these forevcer: eat a maximum of 800-1,000 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal and continue to exercise. I'm rarely hungry and 800 kcal/day satisfies me. It's hard to believe that I haven't lost more weight, but maybe it'll still happen.

Because of this tendency, my doctor told me to do these forevcer: eat a maximum of 800-1,000 kcal/day, no more than 1 c. food/meal and continue to exercise. I'm rarely hungry and 800 kcal/day satisfies me. It's hard to believe that I haven't lost more weight, but maybe it'll still happen.