Hi all, very new to this site so here it goes.......

I'm in the process of getting WLS, I originaly wanted the lapband but my Dr. is REALLY pushing the gastric bypass. I have no interest in that surgery at all but I am considering the VSG instead of the lapband. but I have concerns........

I'm mid 40's with type 2 diabetes, way to high cholesterol, degenerative disk disease, back problems bad knees and SEVERAL other medical issuse.

My concerns with VSG is; how do you keep your Protein up after the surgery, is there dehydration concerns with this surgery, how big is the subject eating in general, do you get enough Vitamins from the amount of food you now can eat. Is it possible to put on some muscle after/during weightloss. Do the cravings go away after a while.....

I sure I'll have more questions as I get further along, thanks for your time

My concerns with VSG is; how do you keep your Protein up after the surgery,

Currently I am drinking two Protein shakes a day, but then I was only sleeved on 11/22 and I am still on liquids. Many people farther out are able to get in their protein through food, or just one supplemental shake.

is there dehydration concerns with this surgery,

I have heard of some people dehydrating when they refuse to drink. You have to drink 1 ounce every 10 to 15 min all day after surgery until you can drink more in a sitting.

how big is the subject eating in general,

I am not sure I understand this question?

do you get enough Vitamins from the amount of food you now can eat.

It is recommended that you always take vitamins, but there is not the malabsorption problem that there is with the RNY.

Is it possible to put on some muscle after/during weightloss.

I think this question is better answered by people further down the track, but I would guess yes. You are restricted, but again there is not the malabsorption. You should be able to take in enough calories and protein to build muscle after you have fully healed.

Do the cravings go away after a while.....

Well, at only 2 days out, I have yet to be hungry. I have wanted to eat a couple of times. One night my husband was eating chips, and I imagined attacking him like a pouncing tiger for some, but I don't think it was hunger, just my love of potato chips. Right now I have to make myself eat (drink) because it would be so easy to go all day without. I count calories on fatsecret.com and can't believe how little I can get in each day.

I think that you need to hear from some people further down the road though.

Good luck

My concerns with VSG is; how do you keep your Protein up after the surgery,

Currently I am drinking two protein shakes a day, but then I was only sleeved on 11/22 and I am still on liquids. Many people farther out are able to get in their protein through food, or just one supplemental shake.

is there dehydration concerns with this surgery,

I have heard of some people dehydrating when they refuse to drink. You have to drink 1 ounce every 10 to 15 min all day after surgery until you can drink more in a sitting.

how big is the subject eating in general,

I am not sure I understand this question?

do you get enough Vitamins from the amount of food you now can eat.

It is recommended that you always take vitamins, but there is not the malabsorption problem that there is with the RNY.

Is it possible to put on some muscle after/during weightloss.

I think this question is better answered by people further down the track, but I would guess yes. You are restricted, but again there is not the malabsorption. You should be able to take in enough calories and protein to build muscle after you have fully healed.

Do the cravings go away after a while.....

Well, at only 2 days out, I have yet to be hungry. I have wanted to eat a couple of times. One night my husband was eating chips, and I imagined attacking him like a pouncing tiger for some, but I don't think it was hunger, just my love of potato chips. Right now I have to make myself eat (drink) because it would be so easy to go all day without. I count calories on fatsecret.com and can't believe how little I can get in each day.

I think that you need to hear from some people further down the road though.

Good luck

Thanks for your reply, it helps to hear such positive feedback about your VSG, I hope the rest is smooth sailing....

how big is the subject eating in general,

I am not sure I understand this question?

what I mean is,some people are emotional eaters along with social eaters, family, friends. How much a problem is the whole holiday season? (if at all, yes, I'm paranoid)

My concerns with VSG is; how do you keep your Protein up after the surgery,

Currently I am drinking two protein shakes a day, but then I was only sleeved on 11/22 and I am still on liquids. Many people farther out are able to get in their protein through food, or just one supplemental shake.

is there dehydration concerns with this surgery,

I have heard of some people dehydrating when they refuse to drink. You have to drink 1 ounce every 10 to 15 min all day after surgery until you can drink more in a sitting.

how big is the subject eating in general,

I am not sure I understand this question?

do you get enough Vitamins from the amount of food you now can eat.

It is recommended that you always take vitamins, but there is not the malabsorption problem that there is with the RNY.

Is it possible to put on some muscle after/during weightloss.

I think this question is better answered by people further down the track, but I would guess yes. You are restricted, but again there is not the malabsorption. You should be able to take in enough calories and protein to build muscle after you have fully healed.

Do the cravings go away after a while.....

Well, at only 2 days out, I have yet to be hungry. I have wanted to eat a couple of times. One night my husband was eating chips, and I imagined attacking him like a pouncing tiger for some, but I don't think it was hunger, just my love of potato chips. Right now I have to make myself eat (drink) because it would be so easy to go all day without. I count calories on fatsecret.com and can't believe how little I can get in each day.

I think that you need to hear from some people further down the road though.

Good luck

how do you keep your Protein up after the surgery

I had no problems with that once I was on the "mushy food" stage: you can pureé almost anything in a blender, like chicken. I had a lot of cottage cheese, too, which is good in protein. I never had protein shakes but did use a vanilla flavoured Protein powder in my yoghurts. I used an online calculator to count the protein and calorie intake: basically I just entered everything I ate and drank (other than water) and it kept track for me. Easy.

is there dehydration concerns with this surgery

Sure, if you don't drink enough I didn't and had a kidney stone episode: very very painful and I learned to drink enough after that! You cannot drink with meals so it takes a while to learn to drink at all other times. But if you keep at it, you shouldn't get dehydrated.

how big is the subject eating in general

This depends on the kind of eater you are. At least here I had to do an assessment to find out if I had any kind of eating disorder other than eating too much and too unhealthily: the only complications they have had at the hospital I was was with someone eating a huge meal too soon after surgery. If you have a true bulimia type problem then there might be problems. I "only" had carb cravings (which have 99% disappeared after my sleeve) and ate far too big portions so for me there was never any problems. The sleeve also makes it easy: you get nauseous if you eat too much or too fast so you learn quickly. And once you've learned, you can eat everything, but just a little of it. I love it.

do you get enough Vitamins from the amount of food you now can eat

I wouldn't trust it, simply because you eat so much less after WLS. I take a multi Vitamin, also salmon oil, folic acid, extra Vitamin D (no sun here for 6 months of the year, almost) and extra Calcium.

Is it possible to put on some muscle after/during weightloss.

Yes, I have definitely done that. I do Pilates twice a week and it's made a huge difference.

Do the cravings go away after a while.....

For me, they did. Not for everyone. I still have hormonal carb cravings about 3-4 days a month, but they've been no trouble. I give into them and eat some more carbs those days, and that's it. It hasn't interfered with my weight loss at all.