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I have been doing a lot of research lately about healthy living. Plant based foods etc. I am worrying myself sick about the what if's. I just wish there was more data out there about your health 10-20 years down the road with VSG. I don't want to trade my current health issues for a different set of health issues. I currently have sleep apnea, diabetes and high cholesterol. Just so confused if i could turn all these health issues around with plant based foods etc. I guess what i'm searching for is people that have tried these options and decided on VSG anyway. Regrets? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.

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My thoughts about results 10- 20 years later are that...at least I will be alive that long in the future. The road I was headed down led to a casket by the time I was 40! Now I know that I will be around for weddings of my children and to see the birth of my grandchildren. Before I had this surgery I was buying life insurance for me for when I died....because I had no doubt that I would be dead within a few years. My only regret=not doing this surgery sooner!

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My thoughts about results 10- 20 years later are that...at least I will be alive that long in the future. The road I was headed down led to a casket by the time I was 40! Now I know that I will be around for weddings of my children and to see the birth of my grandchildren. Before I had this surgery I was buying life insurance for me for when I died....because I had no doubt that I would be dead within a few years. My only regret=not doing this surgery sooner!

Sassy, I agree!

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My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I had all the issues that you list and I was probably going to die, go blind or have a major body part lopped off due to the diabetes. I didn't have 20 years left in my life to figure out if the surgery was going to work or not. I've done every diet you could think of. I've taken the pills and the shots. I even did it the old fashioned way and ate less and worked out more. In the end the weight always came back. A plant based only diet comes with its own set of issues, lack of Proteins, Iron and Vitamins, for instance. They can be handled of course, but I'm not sure that you end up any more healthy than going the sleeve route. There's a fair amount of empirical data that supports VSG surgery being a good avenue to take. Realistically, there's a pretty good chance that some weight will return, IF you don't work the plan. What the surgery gives you in the short term, is the opportunity to rebuild your eating habits and reconcile your relationship with food in general. Some folks take advantage of that, and lose their desired amount of weight. Some think that the surgery alone is the magic star that will get them to their goal weight. It's mainly just a tool that will help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, if you pay attention to what your Dr. and nutritionist tell you. Good luck with your journey, I hope that you find what you are looking for.

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My thoughts exactly.... don't think I would have had 20 years to worry about it without the surgery.

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Besides there is documentation for gastric bypass.

the sleeve is not as drastic as it is

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I have researched VSG thouroughly especially doctors opinions on the procedure and what the future holds. There is a video on YouTube with two of the worlds most famous bariatric surgeons and they are asked what the future holds in regards to WLS. There response was that the band will be obsolete because it is not meant for long term and Sleeve will increase by 40% along with 30% of RNY.. They go into detail about why they think this is the case and I tend to agree with this concept.. As long as you take your supplements and get in your Protein then 10-20 years from now we will be here to see the latest WLS gatchet... they are always pioneering old procedures with more advanced. Soon the sleeve will be just as common as insulin, as treatment for obesity.. i'm glad to get in on it now.

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I have been doing a lot of research lately about healthy living. Plant based foods etc. I am worrying myself sick about the what if's. I just wish there was more data out there about your health 10-20 years down the road with VSG. I don't want to trade my current health issues for a different set of health issues. I currently have sleep apnea, diabetes and high cholesterol. Just so confused if i could turn all these health issues around with plant based foods etc. I guess what i'm searching for is people that have tried these options and decided on VSG anyway. Regrets? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.

I'm gonna chime in with something that brought me comfort as I was "battling" out this decision myself...I, like you, was freaking out because its so new and whats the future look like of those patients, etc. Then I had a conversation with a friend of mine about my fears, she told me that her mother had to have about half of her stomach removed due to an ulcer that ruptured and that she never had any problems, she even lost weight as a result. So that got me thinking...true enough they haven't been doing the VSG for long, but they have been removing portions of peoples stomachs for other reasons for YEARS. I asked my surgeon if it was fair to compare the two, he said "absolutely, thats how we learned about the VSG was by seeing other patients lose weight as a result of having portions of their stomachs removed for other reasons ie ulcers, phase one of bypass for patients who weren't healthy enough to undergo the bypass all at once" this knowledge brought me great peace in it...knowing that the procedure indeed has been done for alot longer than 10-15 years just with different purposes :) Hope this helps ya think about it differently maybe :)

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I would say that you have to do what's best for you. The sleeve was the way to go for me because, going back and forth on different fad diets, etc. was not for me. I would lose, but it would come back. This is a way to help me ensure that I could lessen the opportunities drastically that the weight would not come back. And as my surgeon told me: "We know everything there is to know about the stomach! We've been removing it for years! Just this time, its to lose weight, its for your health." That really put me at ease. I was just sleeved on 02/01, and 14 days in, I've lost -19lbs! So excited about the future!

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Not one single regret. The procedure has been done for years, just not as a 'stand alone' procedure. I love how my future looks - it looks long & healthy.

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:) Thank you Ladies for your responses. Tomorrow I have my 4th appointment at the surgeons office. 2 more then the big submit! Looking forward to the future and god willing see my 2 yr. old daughter have kids of her own.

I feel at peace with my decision to have the surgery. Thank you all again.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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