thesuse2000

Sounds like a rough road! Great that you're finally getting the care and treatment you need! Wishing you the best with the second part of your journey!

Just want to add that I see a lot of posts like this, so you're very much not alone. You might want to search the site for regain etc. Also - take a look in the vets forum. I think that's where there's a thread about the 5:2 method, where you eat normally for 5 days of the week and 2 days a week you eat very low calories - about 5-600 I think. Apparently it really helps jumpstart losing again.

I'm about 7 months out, so in a different place for sure. But in the last couple months I'm finding I'm much hungrier than I was early on. What helps me feel more in control is keeping as low carb as I can. The more carbs I eat the hungrier I am the rest of the day. And eating more veggies helps of course to keep overall calories down at each meal. Not everyone likes to track, but I just can't lose without doing it. It helps me stay honest with myself and think before putting things in my mouth. Great you're catching this now! You can absolutely take control again.

Hi there - you should be just fine. I changed my date before surgery and all was just fine. I have Aetna too, and I think I had a 6-month window to get the surgery completed by once approved. Hope you can do it on time or soon after!

Was down to 171, but back to 172 today. Alas...

I agree with everyone else. Don't let anyone else make this decision for you. People think this a cosmetic procedure. They also erroneously think that diets work. Neither is true! Over 90% of peope who lose weight on diets gain it back, and usually end up heavier than before they started. I have so much more energy already. I'm loving working out. I find myself running to get places when I'm not even in that much of a hurry! I've just got energy and am enjoying the freedom I now have to break into a run anytime. I'm certainly much less concerned about an early death due to an obesity-related illness. This surgery is truly life-changing. Yes, there are risks. But the benefits outweigh the risks by miles.

Congrats! What a difference already!

Wow - amazing transformation! You can do it again!

You're not alone - the vast majority of people who lose weight with diets end up gaining it all back. Our bodies have ways of making us fail - we get hungrier after dieting for a while, and our metabolisms slow down. Statistically, your chances of long-term success are much better with bariatric surgery. It's true that not everyone succeeds, but I think the fact that you've been so successful with dieting in the past will work in your favor. You've proven that you can make changes to your diet and stick with them for a good while. The surgery will help curb your hunger, at least for a while, and you'll make the changes to your diet that you'll stick with long-term. As long as you make good choices and stay on track you and the benefits of the surgery should help you find success. I wish you the best!

Yep, I had that, and it seems to be common and normal. It heals up and goes back to normal in time!

172! After my holiday regain, I'm delighted to be losing well again! Thanks again for this Susan!

Hi Cori, Wow - you're in quite a situation! My feeling is that it doesn't feel right for you to jump into either surgery tomorrow without having time to really think it through with a level head and consider the pros and cons and what's best for you. Surgery is such a big deal and you need to be well-prepared in every way. With that big caveat, I'll share some thoughts. The lap band is a safer surgery - significantly lower deaths in the first month after surgery vs the sleeve - about 1 in 2000 for the band vs 1 in 500 for sleeve (these are just sample stats; every study is a little different). Weight loss with the sleeve is a little higher on average, not sure this is exactly right, but I think average weight loss for sleeve is about 60% of excess weight vs about 50% for the band. I'm not sure what the exact stats are, but I think close to 50% of people with bands eventually require another surgery to either fix something with the band or revise to another surgery. I've also seen many reports from people (like me) who converted from band to sleeve that the eating experience is much better with the sleeve. These are just a few pros and cons I can think of in terms of averages experiences. For me, I loved my band for the first 6 months or so. I lost 70 pounds and felt a huge change in my hunger making it very comfortable for me to stick to a plan. But then my band slipped and all went downhill fast. I had a revision surgery which for some reason didn't fix my night reflux issues. I went back and forth with fills and unfills, but ended up with it unfilled. My hunger came back with a vengeance. I struggled and had ups and downs, but in the end over 5 years I gained the 70 back - plus a few more. I revised to sleeve last summer and now I'm slimmer than I've ever been as an adult! 91 down from my highest. My sister got the band the same day as me. She's shorter than me and wasn't as heavy, but she lost about 40 pounds and pretty much kept it off for the last 6 years. But she started having issues recently and had to have the band loosened and has gained a little back, and is contemplating revising to sleeve as well. Gowalking has been tremendously successful with her band! And so has Alex Brecher. This thread may be helpful: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/329363-why-did-you-choose-your-specific-type-of-weight-loss-surgery/page-6?hl=%2Bband+%2Bsleeve#entry3729353 Wishing you the best! And I agree wih Gowalking that you should post in the main discussion rooms - start a new thread.

Really gets those creative juices flowing!

I've heard talk of rolls of quarters in pockets, ankle weights, heavy clothes/boots, and drinking lots of Water before weigh in. Good luck!

Hi Pac-woman - I can eat a rotisserie chicken thigh plus about 1/4 cup of veggies and sometimes about 1/3 cup of brown rice. Sometimes I have to pause for 10 mins or so before I finish, but I can easily in that in about a half hour. I will caveat though, that I was a band to sleeve revision, and so my sleeve is just a tiny big bigger than most. My surgeon used a 40 bougie vs I think 36 that she uses usually for virgin sleevers. Other surgeons use even smaller ones than that. I didn't have trouble getting in liquids my first week, so you may be different from me still when you're 7 months out, like I am now. But I'm quite sure you'll be able to eat much more easily! And in the end you may have an easier time than I will maintaining your weight loss, so it should all work out and be worth it in the end.

My experience is much like cowgirljane's. I haven't ever gotten stuck or thrown up with the sleeve. I can eat anything - no issues with sweets or dense foods (a bummer in a way but overall good). It does just feel like I have a smaller stomach/appetite and fullness just feels natural - like I've had enough rather than I cant eat more even though I want to (like band can feel like). As Jane also mentioned it's not as restrictive as a tight band, so if I don't watch my eating I can easily eat more calories than I should to even just maintain. Perhaps it's because my surgeon used a slightly larger bougie on me (40) due to band history and potential scar tissue. But if I focus on Proteins and veggies it's easy for me to keep overall calories down while feeling satisfied. I'm nervous about the long term, but optimistic that I'll be able to maintain a much lower weight than I would have if I didn't have this surgery - even if I don't get "skinny".

No regrets here, but I couldn't tolerate fill in my band for years, so I was essentially unbanded when I had my revision. I've heard that for some people it's a struggle to get away from eating the slider foods they got into the habit of eating with a finicky band - and these same foods can prevent success with the sleeve. So it's important to make a fresh start with the sleeve and get into the habit of eating dense proteins and veggies.

Good for you for getting yourself back in the game before you've strayed too far! I find that when I make protein and veggies the main (or only) component of a meal I get full sooner than when I eat more carbs. Just doing that may help you feel that restriction again. Not everyone likes to track, but I find it so useful. I have to be conscious about every bite and choice, and I can also notice trends - for example when I eat a higher carb meal I get hungry sooner and end up eating more calories overall that day. It's important to find foods that you enjoy and also work with your plan. For me salmon and rotisserie chicken are fixtures that I love. You can find things that work for you that don't feel like a diet.

Love this thread! I'm with you all. I don't eat diet food either. I eat foods that are yummy and enjoyable. I think that's critical to my long-term success. I do track my foods and make sure to meet Protein goals, keep carbs low, and avoid too many sweets. But yes to healthy fats! Veggies sautéed with olive oil and garlic, fatty delicious salmon, etc. One of my faves, especially after a workout is rotisserie chicken - and yes I eat the skin! Also - while I track my eating, I don't deny myself a little extra if I'm hungry. I want to maintain a healthy relationship with food, and for me that means not depriving myself.

I assume this is directed at me... As you've written your response - yes of course that's not true. And you certainly don't have to be "sorry" for saying so. Just for the record what I said had many more caveats than what you've said below (the tests to rule out safety concerns and malpractice concerns represent many ways in which docs will rule out surgery for any individual). My point was that it's more about insurance and established practices than the doctor's personal feeling is about the individual patient. EDIT - and that surgeons are financially motivated to help patients get approved for surgery.

Hi - I did great with the band at first, but then had a slip, and a revision surgery (just readjusted the band) and still had major issues after the revision and couldn't tolerate a fill. Gained all the weight back. Revised to sleeve in June and am down almost 90 pounds! About 10 less than the lowest I reached with band so far. Hoping to lose some more. My recovery from sleeve surgery wasn't much different from my two prior surgeries. Good luck

I agree with above. Perhaps I'm cynical, but I generally assume that the surgeons will be glad to operate on any willing patient as long as insurance (or the patient) will pay for it. Of course with all tests and precautions to avoid any malpractice claims etc. as well. I think it's all about what insurance requires, but your surgeon should be able to partner with you on that and advise you on the best way to approach.

Congrats! So happy for you! I love my (revision to) sleeve too!

Congrats BloomingLotus!! It was great to meet everyone! Great discussions.

Today's weight: 176. Lost the holiday regain - yay!