I'm still in the early stages of getting approval for surgery but there is one question I would like to ask sleevers. I see on this message board how successful many of you are after surgery. That takes determination and willpower! I've been able to do that on and off for at most 6-9 months at any given time...but gain the weight back. How will I know that after surgery I will suddenly be able to do what I have not done successfully before on my own?

What is it about the surgery as a tool helped you make that switch or connection to that determination/willpower?

_{I personally have not had the surgery. I am a pre-opper too awaiting insurance approval.}

_{Here are my thoughts on how people are successful:}

_{1) You physically will no longer be able to take in the amount of volume you used to}

_{2) You go through all the pre-op testing, dietician classes, removing 85% of your stomach, etc - you want and will pretty much do anything to be successful}

_{3) I hear your tastebuds change. What once was your kryptonite you probably won't like as much.}

_{4) Having the consistent wins on the scale will stoke your mental weight loss fire}

_{5) Mentally you kind of know...this is it...if you don't succeed with 85% of your stomach removed their are no other options}

_{I am with you on the fear of failure, but honestly I think as morbidly obese individuals we are desensitized to believing ourselves. We haven't been successful long-term. Why would this be any different?}

_{I just know in my heart this is my time and after reading all the positive, optimistic success stories on this forum I am looking forward to being the next one.}

_{Just my 2 cents...}

I think you hit the nail on the head with my real issue: "I am with you on the fear of failure, but honestly I think as morbidly obese individuals we are desensitized to believing ourselves. We haven't been successful long-term. Why would this be any different?"

I truly appreciate all your ideas above. My husband and I were discussing this question tonight so I thought I would post it to the group. Got to start believing in myself! Thank you!

You can't eat as much, you aren't as hungry. Sounds like that lasts 6 months to two years plus.

The way I look at it, you have that period to change your eating habits and start exercising. After that initial time period the effectiveness sounds like it decreases: a little for some, a lot for others.

So, now you have a fresh start. You've lost weight, and you can choose to keep applying your new habits, or not.

I'm about six weeks in, and I think this is actually the easy part. The harder part will be continuing better habits once the weight is off and the novelty of the sleeve wears off physically and mentally.

At 19 months post-op I'm one of those who lost my hunger, so that's a huge advantage to a woman who was never "full" and who had to have dessert after every meal. It's hard to be enthusiastic about food when you're not hungry. What I have done, besides modifying what I eat is that I do not eat until I'm full. I measure my portions and undereat my capacity. The few times I have felt full were those occasions when I couldn't measure and ate more than I realized and it hurt. Finally, I don't know what happens in the brain but for me there was a big change in how I viewed food. Food is fuel for me--it's not love, it's not a tranquilizer, it's not a rush of pleasure, it's not the focus of my day anymore. It is so freeing, not being a slave to food.