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.

I know a person who's had a sleeve for six years and couldn't be happier.

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.

There is a lot of debate about carbonated beverages and the sleeve. Nothing will cause your sleeve to expand. Not even carbonation. The CO2 comes out of solution in your stomach and you burp and the pressure is relieved. There is no science I could find supporting the elimination of carbonated beverages. I believe it's probably a carry over rule from the bypass and the band procedure where the stomach can still stretch. I don't know if it's any comfort to you but your sleeve won't stretch. Your lack of weight loss is probably due to the sugar in the soda and other things you shouldn't have been eating.

I have learned so much and been reminded of so much by reading this thread! Thank you skinny for being honest with us! Praying for success for you.

Skinny can you please share exactly what your eating that has started to shift your weight... a days menu maybe.

Thanks in advance

My nutrionist say our stomache can stretch back out.

Valerie - they can stretch to a certain extent over time, but my surgeon said they can never stretch to be like they were before because they remove the more stretchy part anyway. From what I've read from other stories, it can accommodate more food long-term and people can gain weight back by making poor choices, but we're never gonna be able to eat 6+ pieces of pizza in one sitting like most of us could before surgery. The stomach just won't allow it.

To Amy---

I live close to Northpark Mall in Dallas. The fact that I only see The PA makes me wish I had chosen Dr Davidson at Presby. I was torn b/t the 2 & chose Dr Nick. Feel like a number in the sweatshop of VSG. Just my .02 cents. Technically he is very competent & would recommend him for that reason alone. But I think it is CRAZY I never saw him after surgery....cannot wrap my brain around that. Need to move on but it makes me angry that he never came by----

I am in florida and had my surgery done by dr john koppman at us bariatrics..all i can say is he is amazing. They dont even have PAs here. One day dr koppman was out and his sr and founding partner came to see me. I had pulmonary embolisms 5 days post op and was back in hospital for 7 days. The hematologist did something he didnt approve of and he grabbed my chart my scans and tracked down my primary the hematologist and my pulmonologist pulling him out of the micu to discuss my case and then he came down to my room and spent an hour with me. Im appalled at what ur surgeon has done to u! Proper follow up cud have helped u through all of this. My surgeon even came in on a weekend to see me and i wasnt on his service he was just so concerned about me that he came in. And a lil fyi he cant bill my insurance for ANY follow up until im 6 months post op...its a reg of my insurance..so all those visits he made were because he is a damn fine surgeon. In my opinion urs has been negligent bordering on malpractice. Stick with this u r doing great get back to basics and u will get thru this. Good luck to u.

To AmyL and Jwowens,

I am a surgical PA and have been for 17 years.. I was educated and did work n the State of Florida so I can testify that they do have PA's in Florida. Currently I work with one general surgeon and have worked with him for ten years. We work as a team. He knows about every patient I see, and how they are doing. I do see all of the postops. It is our policy that if our patients do not want to see the PA, they can see the doctor.. All you have to do is ask..I can assure you that you are not being slighted by seeing the PA, actually you are probably spending more time with a provider than you would if you were seeing the dr..

To AmyL and Jwowens' date='

I am a surgical PA and have been for 17 years.. I was educated and did work n the State of Florida so I can testify that they do have PA's in Florida. Currently I work with one general surgeon and have worked with him for ten years. We work as a team. He knows about every patient I see, and how they are doing. I do see all of the postops. It is our policy that if our patients do not want to see the PA, they can see the doctor.. All you have to do is ask..I can assure you that you are not being slighted by seeing the PA, actually you are probably spending more time with a provider than you would if you were seeing the dr..[/quote']

I'm not AmyL but am the other Amy that has responded in this thread who is also using Dr. Nicholson. I never thought that Dr. Nicholson not seeing more of his patients bordered in malpractice as someone above did, but the lack of seeing the doctor did bother me. I've given it a lot of though and came to the conclusion that there is no reason a PA can't follow me. I'm sure she would have the doctor involved for anything she felt he needed to be. Dr. Nicholson and his PA both have an awesome reputation. And, to be honest, I've been seeing only the PA at my regular doctor for years and I totally respect and trust her. Oh, and you make a good point that the PA will probably spend more time with us. Dr. Nicholson's PA has already done that. Thanks for your post. I really do appreciate it. It even more validates what I already came to in my head.

~Amy

thetrishah, my daily menu would be as follows: I usually have a black bean spicy burger patty by morning star, I think it is 120 cals and 11 grams of protein. I will also have a small egg microwaved. If not that I will have a 45 gram protein shake. For lunch I have the same shake. For dinner I have salmon, talapia or chicken. (4oz) if I need a snack I will have greek yougart 4oz with 1/4 cup gluten free granola. I will also have water all day and after dinner unsweet tea. I will have on the side steamed veggies but rarely have room for them. I would also like to mention that when I was drinking soda it was always diet soda, no sugar. Infact I never had sugar when I was messing up my diet. It was more the carbs and slider foods. And drinking with my meals. I was diabetic and could not have sugar I always use splenda for sugar. I hope this was helpful.

Skinnyagain, I just wanted to let you know that you are inspiring. You got back on track!

I am so glad you eliminated your diabetes. That is incredible in itself, but when you first started this discussion you had also lost and kept off 40 pounds and that is also great. We have all lost weight but gained it back. That is why I value every lost pound, even though I wish I was further along by now. At least I haven't gained it back and I really don't think I can at this point, but I won't be testing that theory.

We have remarkably similar stats. I am also in the Dallas area, but north.

Question -- are we allowed "diet" soda if we can tolerate it? Does diet soda too make you gain weight? I started drinking some diet Sprite Zero, and have not had any bad reactions to the "carbonation", but am wondering if by chance diet soda can make you hit a "stall" in that I have noticed in the past week or two I have "stalled" in my weight loss (and even went up a lb or two, but now back down) ... anyone know??? I know I can't have regular soda, but are we allowed diet soda if we can tolerate the bubbles?

I wanted to throw my 2 cents in. Congrats Skinnyagain!!! You realized what you needed to do and you did it the point that you are having great results!! I am pre-op still, super duper nervous but curious about situations such as yours. Thank you for sharing and good luck!!!

I don't know anything about this doctor, but there are plenty of us who have had no followup by our surgeons. Dr. Aceves and his assistant surgeon Dr. Campos come to see his patients 3 x per day for the 3 days we are hospitalized in Mexico. He goes over everything carefully before we go home. They are available by email or telephone, but it's pretty rare for anyone to go back there for any kind of followup. Dr. Aceves' patients have an incredible track record getting to goal too though.

There's a lot of controversery about soda. I personally don't see how it could stretch the sleeve since liquid flows right out . The sleeve does stretch on it's own. At 3 years post op, I can eat quite a bit more than I could at one year. I am still never hungry, so it's easy to still eat small portions.

We all know what kinds of things make us gain weight. It's not true that this is a lifestyle change that will last forever if you take it for granted. There are weddings, baby showers, parties, BBQs etc. it takes willpower to stay away from all the snack foods involved in social occations. We are all still living our lives in the world of temptations. I could easily eat an entire bag of chips if that is what I chose to do.

All I am saying is that if you want to keep the weight off after the losing stage, it takes dedication to coninue to follow all the rules and maintain weight loss.