Hello all!,

I have been considering lap band for a little over a year now. I recently changed my mind, and am now considering the sleeve. I would love to hear from those who have had both. Can you give me your opinions about the two? So far my research has shown that the sleeve has better results, and less complications than the lap band. Thanks for your input! :lol0:

As strange as it seems, too, if you're having a sweet craving and you eat some cheese, it generally satisfies the sweet craving. I crave sweets at times and at different times, I crave salty. I don't keep candy or chips in the house for that reason.

Hey VAngel.

I have a question for you. Since you are still on the post op diet thing, are you experiencing a tremendous amount of hunger? Ive heard that since the ghrelin hormone thing is gone--you dont have much hunger pangs. However, I just cannot imagine in my pre-sleeve mind how I Could not be hungry?? Thats too good to be true. LOL

Hey VAngel.

I have a question for you. Since you are still on the post op diet thing, are you experiencing a tremendous amount of hunger? Ive heard that since the ghrelin hormone thing is gone--you dont have much hunger pangs. However, I just cannot imagine in my pre-sleeve mind how I Could not be hungry?? Thats too good to be true. LOL

No, not having any hunger pains ... Tuesday, when I was still having a difficult time finding something I could stand the taste of, I remember saying to my Fiance that evening... WOW, I think I'm actually hungry.

I've had a few "I think I'm actually hungry" moments since, however I wouldn't say it's a tremendous amout by any stretch of the imagination, and after a few sips of Water, broth or a popsicle, the feeling is gone.

OregonDaisy says she NEVER feels hungry and could probably go all day without eating and that when she does eat because she thinks she "should" she's stuffed on 5 bites.

Dr. A wants you to eat 3 meals every day - no snacking - whether you're hungry or not. 70 gms. Protein, 600-800 calories and 64 oz. of water ... I still am not able to get all of that in ... I think at this point in order to do so I'd have to have a straw in my mouth all day long and sip sip sip. I'm not dehydrated however, so every day I just try to get in more than the day before.

I had my surgery the same day as Vangel and I can honestly say that I have not felt hungry, but.....head hunger is totally a different thing. I want to eat. I am not hungry but I want food. I cant even watch the food channel or a food commercial since that adds to the food craving. The mind is a wierd and wonderful thing isnt it?

I felt hungry the first few days on the clear liquid diet. WASa insisted it was not hunger I was feeling. She said it was air in my stomach. It felt like hunger pains to me. You know, stomach growling type hunger pains.

That went away after a few days.

I have not been hungry at all since moving to full liquids. Head hunger is another story.

Hunger is tricky. There is hunger, there is "hunger" and there is appetite.

Hunger is your body's signals to you that you need fuel. You very well may feel these and, IMO, that's a good thing. I have felt them and most times upping my daily allotment of Protein and not going more than four hours without eating takes care of it. Some people don't seem to have strong signals this way though and can go for hours without eating... like eating Breakfast and not eating again until dinner. Personally, I think that's a bad thing, but that's me.

"Hunger" is when you think you want food but there is no physiological basis for it. Head hunger is another name for it, but I think it also has other forms that maybe don't play out like the traditional head hunger. Such as experiencing any body pang as "hunger."

Appetite is what ghrelin gives you. It's not just regular hunger. It's a DRIVE to eat. In normal people, the drive to eat and the real hunger go hand-in-hand, but for us MO people, that drive to eat is often there 24/7 and it drives us to overeat. You shouldn't really have that after surgery because your ghrelin levels are so low.

So even when you have hunger and even "hunger", it should be easier to control than it was pre-op. If it's not, then there is usually some sort of psychological stuff going on and counseling can help.

Oh and lots of people experience hunger while on liquids. It can just be head hunger, but I was only consuming 450 calories a day during that time. So I suspect at least some of it was hunger, too. My body needed more fuel than it was getting. But liquids pass through you so they don't trigger the satiety mechanism like solids do. So it was also head hunger.

I felt hungry the first few days on the clear liquid diet. WASa insisted it was not hunger I was feeling. She said it was air in my stomach. It felt like hunger pains to me. You know, stomach growling type hunger pains.

That went away after a few days.

I have not been hungry at all since moving to full liquids. Head hunger is another story.

Noooooo, what I wrote was that the SOUNDS you were hearing were not hunger, it was air in your stomach. ;o)

I wonder if sweets and fats will always make us sick.

They say it's not dumping, like the dumping with RNY, but I definitely feel nauseous if I eat more than a little bit of something sweet. It might be the combination of sweet and fat that makes me so sick when I eat ice cream. It's really stopped my cravings for ice cream though!

I felt hungry the first few days on the clear liquid diet. WASa insisted it was not hunger I was feeling. She said it was air in my stomach. It felt like hunger pains to me. You know, stomach growling type hunger pains.

That went away after a few days.

I have not been hungry at all since moving to full liquids. Head hunger is another story.

I have that same thing -- like right now I feel as though I'm starving and so am fixing some beef broth ... that will be great if that feeling goes away on full liquids.

I haven't had a desire for sweet things but that was never my problem pre-op. I have dark chocolate in the house and have a small piece if I crave it but that's not often. The way I lost weight prior to WLS was through healthy eating and that's what I am back to now. Eating small portions of healthy food is what I observe "naturally" thin people doing. Making that a habit, and my way of living, plus the effects of the VSG surgery is my recipe to get to goal and STAY there. LOL.

Thank you everyone for all of your help. :thumbup:

How have your tastes changed? Any regrets on having VSG? I'm terrified I'll really miss food. I love going out to lunch or dinner and am afraid I'll feel really deprived. I still don't understand why you have to eat so little even once you have reached your goal.

Do you end up feeling tired because you take in so little calories? Is it really worth it to give up enjoying food forever?

How have your tastes changed? Any regrets on having VSG? I'm terrified I'll really miss food. I love going out to lunch or dinner and am afraid I'll feel really deprived. I still don't understand why you have to eat so little even once you have reached your goa.

Do you end up feeling tired because you take in so little calories? Is it really worth it to give up enjoying food forever?

My tastes changed for a few months, but then returned to normal. I couldn't tolerate super sweetened stuff especially stuff sweetened with aspartame (Sweet N Low). Splenda sweetened stuff worked great for me. I still don't like aspartame so I stick with splenda.

I don't miss food because I literally eat anything and everything I want just in smaller quantities. Because of where I am at in my journey, I don't feel like I'm dieting. I'm full of energy, and don't feel exhausted or tired on my 1200-1300 calories I consume every day. I really didn't feel like I was dieting during my losing stage either. The greatest thing about the sleeve is literally I am never hungry. Food is just fuel, and I didn't have the urge to snack or overeat. I just eat until I'm satisfied, and move on about my day.

It's not that you have to eat so little once you are at goal. This is a lifestyle change, and breaking bad habits. If you choose to look at the temporary negative, then it doesn't look like a very appealing lifestyle. But, for me, being huge, fat and miserable wasn't very appealing either.

I eat out with my girlfriends 2-3 times a week, go out with my family often, and never have any issues. A couple nights ago, my husband and I went to the chinese buffet. I had 2 nuggets of General Tso chicken, about 1/2-3/4 cup of wonton Soup broth, coffee to drink, then I had noodles from the mongolian grill. It took me a little over an hour to eat because I drank coffee, and the broth to relax my stomach because I knew I wanted noodles. I ate almost 1.5 cups of noodles flavored with chinese hot sauce, minced garlic, loads of teriyaki sauce, garlic sauce, bean sprouts and cabbage, and I ate the inside of a veggie spring roll with dumpling sauce as well. I was absolutely stuffed, and I rarely eat like that, but it's what I wanted. I order whatever I want, eat what I can and bring home the leftovers for the next day, or even eat more a couple of hours later. My son and I often times share an entree with 2 sides when we go out. I've become the cheap date.

If you have this many concerns, maybe talking to a trained professional counselor that has experience with bariatric patients will help you learn new coping skills, and to deal with the relationship you have with food.

I enjoy food just like I did pre-op. Actually, I think I enjoy it more now because I actually taste it, and enjoy different flavors rather than just shoveling food into my piehole as quick and as much volume as possible.

I eat a huge variety of foods. I eat Pringles, and Snickers miniatures. I eat varied chicken, beef recipes. I enjoy rice, potatoes, and all veggies. The big difference is that I can't eat huge quantities of any specific food. I indulge occasionally in a little ice cream. I drink wine a couple times a week. I honestly don't feel deprived or that I'm missing out on anything. Of course, it's different when you are in the losing stage, and you will always have to be mindful of what you choose to put in your mouth. I don't eat chips and Snickers every day, but if I want to have them, then I eat a few and am completely done. I didn't believe it when I talked to other post-ops with more experience when they said I wouldn't be hungry, or that a small amount would satisfy me. It really does work, and you just have to be willing to accept the changes that come with the surgery. For me the results are extremely worth the little changes I've made in the last 9 months.

I have absolutely ZERO regrets. Not a single solitary regret with my decision to have the sleeve. It's changed my life, my relationship with food, my entire outlook on eating. My family now eats healthier because I eat healthier. My husband's cholesterol dropped, even though it wasn't high, but it still dropped after 6 months of eating our better planned out meals.

Edited March 21, 201016 yr by Tiffykins

Wow! Y'll are amazing. Thank you for the quick responses. I didn't mean to sound so negative, but living in the great food capital of the US, I do enjoy my food:) Your answers are really encouraging. I guess I still can't get my head around the not feeling cravings and feeling full so quickly. I snack before going out to dinner b/c I'm afraid I won't feel full and then will go home and binge.

When I finally relax at the end of the day and sit down to read or watch T.V. food "calls out" to me. If I could suppress or not have that craving to munch, I think I could be a smaller person. Does the VSG surgery really quell that voice inside that says, "This is great, eat some more," and "Gee a piece of choclate sounds good" and I end up eating several pieces. I guess what I'm asking is does this surgery boost your willpower?

Also, do you feel the negative reinforcement of feeling bad is the main reason you don't overeat or is it that you just don't want food the way you used to?

I am attending a support group for VSG patients the second Monday in April (the first one I could find in my area). I know talking to others will help. Until then, and I'm sure after, thanks for being so helpful and informative.

It's great to have someone who has been through this to "talk" to.

Your getting back to me so quickly, assures me that there will be someone to talk to when I go through the tough times. The pre-op sure does not sound like fun. But hey, I can do anything (short of eating less:)) if it makes me feel better about myself. You are absolutely right, being overweight is no fun either.

I look forward to the day I am in your shoes. The thought of not having to shop in the Plus size department alone, puts a smile on my face.

Thanks for being here for me.

Does the VSG surgery really quell that voice inside that says, "This is great, eat some more," and "Gee a piece of choclate sounds good" and I end up eating several pieces. I guess what I'm asking is does this surgery boost your willpower?

Also, do you feel the negative reinforcement of feeling bad is the main reason you don't overeat or is it that you just don't want food the way you used to?

I have to say thank you for asking these questions. These are the exact same things I have been wondering, and not been able to put into words so well. I look forward to the feed back you will receive from these questions.

Does the VSG surgery really quell that voice inside that says, "This is great, eat some more," and "Gee a piece of choclate sounds good" and I end up eating several pieces. I guess what I'm asking is does this surgery boost your willpower?

Also, do you feel the negative reinforcement of feeling bad is the main reason you don't overeat or is it that you just don't want food the way you used to?

I am attending a support group for VSG patients the second Monday in April (the first one I could find in my area). I know talking to others will help. Until then, and I'm sure after, thanks for being so helpful and informative.

It's great to have someone who has been through this to "talk" to.

Your getting back to me so quickly, assures me that there will be someone to talk to when I go through the tough times. The pre-op sure does not sound like fun. But hey, I can do anything (short of eating less:)) if it makes me feel better about myself. You are absolutely right, being overweight is no fun either.

I look forward to the day I am in your shoes. The thought of not having to shop in the Plus size department alone, puts a smile on my face.

Thanks for being here for me.

For me, and my experience, honestly the sleeve made making better choices easier. Cravings still happen because they operate on our stomachs, not our brains. The greatest aspect of the sleeve is that if I do have a craving, I can eat a small amount, and truly be satisfied.

Perfect example: For the last week, I've had a craving for sushi or veggie rolls. I've avoided it because honestly they are not the "best" choice to fill up my sleeve. Well, yesterday, I caved and had my veggie rolls. You know how many I had, 2, that's right just 2 little avocado, cucumber with a little sliver of cream cheese with some soy sauce. Before, I would have eaten all 6-8 little servings, but 2 and I was done. The kiddo ate one, and the rest are in the fridge that I can eat later today. When did we ever leave sushi for leftovers? For me, NEVER. I always ate it all and then would get more LOL.

As for things tasting good and wanting one more bite, it happens. I've found that if I eat super slow, I can fit more in. If I take a break, and just socialize with my family or friends during dinner, I can wait 10 minutes and have another bite or two. I figure that is better than eating from the food trough that I ate from before.

I haven't overeaten to the point of having pain or vomiting in months. There's a learning curve, and I had it kind of beat because I had the band first. But, the sleeve really won't allow you to overeat. Also, vomiting with the sleeve is different than vomiting pre-op. If you happen to take one too many bites, or eat too fast (especially early out), that last bite will typically come up. It's not the wretching, gagging, pukey feeling you get when you have a stomach bug, or a hangover vomiting episode. It's like this creeper feeling up your esophagus. My mouth fills up with saliva right before this happens, and I once that last bite comes up, it's instant relief.

Even though I am in the maintenance stage, I still have to make good choices. I have found that crackers, Pasta, rice, potatoes, chips, essentially simple carbs, have become slider foods. That means I can eat a lot more of them than I could before. If I choose to eat them, I don't have any room for Protein which is not the best choice. Are there days when I eat 1 slice of deli meat with some cheese and chips/dip, yeppers. I really should have had 2-3 slices of deli meat, and no chips, but I also know how I feel when I'm deprived. I'll binge and eat an entire bag of cheesy poofs. So, it's all about finding a balance.

The sleeve definitely helps your willpower. If you can change your mindset to protein first, veggies 2nd, and then if you have room, carbs, you'll be able to change those years of habits. I was a huge volume eater pre-op. Literally, I could pack away an entire large Papa John's barbque chicken pizza by myself, and 1/2 of a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper in one setting. Now, I can barely eat an entire piece of pizza if it's on regular crust. But, that little piece of pizza is so satisfying, and I'm done. I honestly just don't want food like I did anymore. If I overeat on carbs, I am immediately exhausted. It's like a carb induced coma, and I feel pretty fatigued. So, there are definitely consequences to making not so great choices.

You taking the pro-active steps of getting into a support group will serve you well during your journey. But, also remember everyone's experience is different. It's the same way here on this forum. There are different opinions and experiences with each different member, and you'll have to find your own path. The best thing about here, and a support group is that you'll have someone to turn to that can truly be your cheerleader. There will be struggles, and hurdles, but the victories, and wow moments will outweigh those ten fold.