I am one year and 2 months out. I must say it has not been very good for me.I started this journey at 210 lbs and now weigh 171 lbs. That is only a 39 lb weight loss in a year. To me this is a FAIL...I will say that 6 months post op I took a drink of a soda for the first time and missed it so I started drinking them again. I knew it was a no, no but was never really told why. I have since found out that the carbination will expand your pouch and it will NOT shrink back to the small size it was. So you can bet I have not had a soda since. I have been frustrated since about 2 months out. I never really felt restriction, although I can not eat as much as I could, I can eat way more than 6-8 oz. Which is what they told me my max would be 6 oz. I do feel like I have kinda given up. I stopped working out and started to eat whatever about 2 months ago, after my 1 year follow up. I have since gained 8 lbs. So on Monday I deceided to go back to 2 shakes a day and 1 low cal, low fat high protein meal and lost 7 lbs. But I should be down at least 50+ pounds by now per my DR. My goal weight is 130, and I really really want to get there. I spent way to much money, blood, sweat and tears to only loose 39 lbs and not get my life back. If anything I feel worse. I have such horrible pain in both my knees that started 4 months post op, and on some days I can hardly walk. (which has been part of the lack in exercise). If there is anyone out there who has had trouble from day one or not, that might have some words of encouragment or a better way to make this work I am all ears. I hate to sound like a cry baby, but I am desperate.

Just wanted to send my support you can do this. Be proud and keep going.

About the knee pain, I have a lot of pain in my body from nerve damage and what I learned was to exercise in water! I go the to pool and walk and do all sorts of work out you can even get wts to train with in the water... no pain...love it!

Aloha Skinnyagain (and also to K33)

First, I think this was a great post to read so thank you for posting it......it shows the support of this forum and reminded me that this isn't a free ride. I personally felt that dieting was HELL and this has, not been easy, but so much more effective that I sometimes forget that even though I eat small amounts, I still need to eat healthy.

As for K33, this surgery is a very personal decision, but do keep in mind the possible downsides of the surgery to me, are far less than the risks of being and staying overweight.

Congrats Skinnyagain on getting back on track and being strong.....love this forum.

• Good for you for realizing your downfalls and getting back on the right track. Everyone here supports you and is wishing you the best. Since I am a sucker for motivational quotes I thought this one appropriate...
  
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• “To succeed you must first improve, to improve you must first practice, to practice you must first learn, to learn you must first fail.” ~Wesley Woo
  

OMG! Skinnyagain, I feel the same way! I'm a year and few weeks out and have only lost 50lbs... I was 230 and I'm 180... I'm getting tired, but I'm not giving up... I'm also going to go back to my basics... it's like when I start eating sweets, I can't stop....

You can do this, and be 100% successful, but you must do what we know we are suppose to do. I don't know about the cokes stretching our new little tummies. Tiffikns seems to do fine with them.....but according to almost every single doctor, they are off limits, if for no other reason than they are empty calories or As a gym teacher use to say to her girls....just paste it on your hips.

Protein, protein!! at 23 months out, I still weigh and measure my food when I'm home. Hang in there, you have a great tool, use it to it's fullest extent

I am one year and 2 months out. I must say it has not been very good for me.I started this journey at 210 lbs and now weigh 171 lbs. That is only a 39 lb weight loss in a year. To me this is a FAIL...I will say that 6 months post op I took a drink of a soda for the first time and missed it so I started drinking them again. I knew it was a no, no but was never really told why. I have since found out that the carbination will expand your pouch and it will NOT shrink back to the small size it was. So you can bet I have not had a soda since. I have been frustrated since about 2 months out. I never really felt restriction, although I can not eat as much as I could, I can eat way more than 6-8 oz. Which is what they told me my max would be 6 oz. I do feel like I have kinda given up. I stopped working out and started to eat whatever about 2 months ago, after my 1 year follow up. I have since gained 8 lbs. So on Monday I deceided to go back to 2 shakes a day and 1 low cal, low fat high protein meal and lost 7 lbs. But I should be down at least 50+ pounds by now per my DR. My goal weight is 130, and I really really want to get there. I spent way to much money, blood, sweat and tears to only loose 39 lbs and not get my life back. If anything I feel worse. I have such horrible pain in both my knees that started 4 months post op, and on some days I can hardly walk. (which has been part of the lack in exercise). If there is anyone out there who has had trouble from day one or not, that might have some words of encouragment or a better way to make this work I am all ears. I hate to sound like a cry baby, but I am desperate.

It does not have to happen to you.....When I went to the seminar, they said this was to give us a way of life, where we never have to diet again. That's well and fine, but until I reached goal, I treated this as THE most important diet of my life....and since I had forced portion control, no hunger, true motivation etc.....it was NOT difficult at all. My daughter popped two yogurt covered cheerios in my mouth to try before I reached goal, neither of us were thinking. The minute I tasted 'sweet' - they came out like I'd taken a drink of sour milk! I mean I was a straight arrow!!!! My nurse said I was 'rigid' and followed that up with.....'it works for you'. I reached goal in just under five months. Slowly but surely I started tip toeing into eating like a real person. Now I think I eat like a naturally think person. Life is good. Good luck!!!

Oh gosh I'm sp afraid this will happen to me!!!!

I am APPALLED at the fact that your surgeon didn't see you for an entire YEAR. He made buckets of money off of you and can't be bothered to check in? How on earth is he measuring his success with his procedures? There are some things that can't be found in a med chart. Oh, I am so mad. I had surgery on 4/10 and have seen my surgeon 8 times since. 4 of those visits when I was put back in the hospital for some issues, but he visited every day, sometimes twice a day.

In about three weeks I'll be 2 years out. I was very strict with myself until I reached goal, but without hunger and the restriction.....this has seriously been the easiest thing I've ever set out to do and accomplished! I am still uncomfortable if I eat too much. I weigh every single day, when I'm home, I weigh and measure all my food. I use an on line program to keep track of Protein and calories. I seldom miss a day, at least not during the week. Saturday and Sundays are a little more hectic. Just to give you an idea of what I can eat at almost two years post op. Tonight I had 3 oz of chicken breast cooked in cream of mushroom Soup. 1/2 of a small new red potato, .125 cup of 1% cottage cheese and .125 cup of pork and Beans. To me this seems like a lot of food, compared to what I could eat a year ago, but when I think about what I use to eat and look at what other people eat.....it is very little. I use a salad plate, so a lot is visual!! Don't worry, this is a wonderful tool.....I haven't had one minute of buyer's remorse!! I love my sleeve!!

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am pre-op with 4# before I can get a date. Hearing what happens 2-3 years out causes me concern, too. In fact so much so I wonder if I will have the vsg surgery at all. Seems like a big sacrifice for uncertain benefits. Hope I don't put a damper on this post. Forgive me.

I am wondering if I have the stamina and patience for this marathon journey. Why did you want surgery in the first place?

Ur doc never came back to see u post op????? Holy crap i saw mine 2 x a day!!! And when i was in for my blood clots i saw him at least 1 x a day if mot more. Thats nuts!!!

Im 2 months post op I also was 210 pre op and Im 178 now Im so glad you said something about the soda because I just started slowly drink them again diet though. My goal is also 130. Like the lady above said 39 pounds is 39 pounds! Also my Dr told me to allow up to eighteen months for full weight loss hang in there!!

You've gotten lots of good advice already. I just wanted to stop by and say hi to another patient of.Dr. Nicholson's. I'm preop still and although I've heard wonderful things about Dr. Nick and staff I have heard your complaint quite a bit and truthfully, it bothers me a bit that he isn't more involved. Though not enough to go elsewhere due to the fact he seems to be one of the "top dogs" in WLS. BTW, where do you live?

Best of luck to you in your journey!

~Amy

SkinnyAgain, I just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am! You've done great at getting yourself back on track and your scale results show that you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing! You go girl!! You've got this!!

I just want to say I'm sending best wishes to you!!!! Hugs!!!

@amy I live in rockwall. And to everyone else, hugs I just love you guys. Thanks.