I had my 18 month checkup and it went really well. My labs are great, my blood pressure is great, maintaining my weight so surgeon is very pleased that I have been able to effectively work that sleeve and am enjoying very good health. What I think is sorta funny on my labs is that I take way less Vit D then I used to - but instead of being deficient, I am now slightly higher then normal. I don't take Iron, but my iron levels are slightly above the "normal" range.

We talked about a couple of things that I thought might have broader interest. I was a band to sleeve revision and some don't do very well. He felt that some of that has to do with the scar tissue and how it limits what the surgeon can do.. ie in some cases they can't make the stomach "just right" but in my case that was possible so it helped me be successful in spite of being a revision.

We also talked about the basic idea that I have the disease of obesity and right now I am effectively managing the symptoms but to never forget that my body has been morbidly obese for so much of my life - that is it's more "natural state". Emphasizes how for many (most, all?) of us, that maintenance is an ever vigilent watch to keep the weight from coming back.

Another comment he made that i am still thinking about, but I thought was very insightful, that recovering from being morbidly obese is like recovering from a "trauma" in some ways. I was in a bad physical state for so long, it takes awhile for the mind to adjust to being normal. I notice for myself how much different my own thinking about myself has changed in the last 6 months so I think there is truth to this.

I told him I get a minimum of 60g of Protein a day and he advised that current thinking is higher then that - even for maintenance, especially if you are active/excercise to shoot for more like 80g. In truth, i probably do get more like 80g a day since I stop counting when i hit 60!

ETA: I almost forgot the most important part! We talked about whether the sleeve physically stretches - and absolutely it can. So, from the very beginning and continuing into maintenance, do not eat to "full" or "over full" - protect that feeling of restriction to help with the long term success.

It was inspiring to see him. This maintenance thing can feel hard at times, but the visit re-emphasized what i need to keep on doing!

Congrats to you Jane for doing such an amazing job with your first 18 months.

And I'm so jealous of your doctor visit...at my 12 month visit my doctor weighed me...did a little happy dance...gave me a high five...and sent me on my way. No blood work, not even a blood pressure check. I tried to ask him about maintenance. He basically said ...yes, do that. Duh...thanks.

Thank you for sharing all the pearls of wisdom. I think your elevated d levels may be from all the horseback riding and other outside activities you do! Again, congratulations on a job well done. I hope to have your level of success when I reach 18 months.

Thanks Jane! Glad you got a good report. I'm still searching what causes many to gain after year 3. Maybe stretching contributes to that.

Lynda

Congrats on your awesome check up!!! I hope to be doing as well as you when I'm a vet!

After hearing the doc say stretching is possible and those who are trying the 5/2, do you notice increased restriction the day after your fast day?

I'm a ways away from trying that since I still can only do 1/3 cup dense Protein and have a ways before maintenance. Just wondering if the 5/2 is kind of helping keep that feeling of restriction fresh for lack of a better word.

Wow Jane!

That was a great visit. Thanks for posting about your conversation. Definitely more insightful than some of my visits.

You know I wondered the same thing about the band to sleeve revisions... From reading here it sounds like they sometimes have a harder time losing the weight. Glad yours went well though.

Scary stuff about stretching but I believe it. I can even tell by adjusting my food a couple days a week.

I had my 18 month checkup and it went really well. My labs are great' date=' my blood pressure is great, maintaining my weight so surgeon is very pleased that I have been able to effectively work that sleeve and am enjoying very good health. What I think is sorta funny on my labs is that I take way less Vit D then I used to - but instead of being deficient, I am now slightly higher then normal. I don't take Iron, but my iron levels are slightly above the "normal" range.

We talked about a couple of things that I thought might have broader interest. I was a band to sleeve revision and some don't do very well. He felt that some of that has to do with the scar tissue and how it limits what the surgeon can do.. ie in some cases they can't make the stomach "just right" but in my case that was possible so it helped me be successful in spite of being a revision.

We also talked about the basic idea that I have the disease of obesity and right now I am effectively managing the symptoms but to never forget that my body has been morbidly obese for so much of my life - that is it's more "natural state". Emphasizes how for many (most, all?) of us, that maintenance is an ever vigilent watch to keep the weight from coming back.

Another comment he made that i am still thinking about, but I thought was very insightful, that recovering from being morbidly obese is like recovering from a "trauma" in some ways. I was in a bad physical state for so long, it takes awhile for the mind to adjust to being normal. I notice for myself how much different my own thinking about myself has changed in the last 6 months so I think there is truth to this.

I told him I get a minimum of 60g of Protein a day and he advised that current thinking is higher then that - even for maintenance, especially if you are active/excercise to shoot for more like 80g. In truth, i probably do get more like 80g a day since I stop counting when i hit 60!

ETA: I almost forgot the most important part! We talked about whether the sleeve physically stretches - and absolutely it can. So, from the very beginning and continuing into maintenance, do not eat to "full" or "over full" - protect that feeling of restriction to help with the long term success.

It was inspiring to see him. This maintenance thing can feel hard at times, but the visit re-emphasized what i need to keep on doing![/quote']

This is a wonderful post. What a great doctor you have!!

Thank you all. I want to especially thank you who recognized what a great doctor/practice I chose. I went to Puget Sound Surgical Center and feel like they really brought so much together for me - not just the surgery, the whole education and support "package" that I felt I needed. It was a Godsend to literally stumble across them after the first surgeon I went to told me I should get the rny since i failed with the lapband. I wrestled with that and then ruled out the rny and was exploring nonsurgical weight loss solutions when THAT center told me to talk to the good docs at PSSC.

I have been at times quiet about singing their praises because there was a very active poster on VST who went to that center and had a leak. She did not have a positive experience and unleashed alot of her frustration and anger right here on this forum which tended to make me sorta feel ... well I don't know how it made me feel. Without disrespecting her point of view, my experience was over the top positve and I think the surgeons were awesome and I trust their integrity and committment to their patients like I have never trusted another doctor. I honestly feel that I had good results because I went to them - I don't know the nuts and bolts of why - maybe surgical technique, alot of hand holding and a huge amount of education combined with really believing in me. Somehow, that team was just exactly what I needed.

Anyway, my level of gratefulness is probably so off the scale because i failed with the lapband and failing at weight loss after bariatric surgery is a heartbreak that I hope no one goes through... it is emotionally devastating and makes you question yourself. You question your own abilities and mental health at a pretty freaking deep level - like what is wrong with me that I can have WLS and still be fat? To be finally free from carrying around basically two people (I lost 150#) is both a release of a physical, but also emotional burden.

Jane you have done a fantastic job! Congrats! I love that your surgeon gave you all the information you shared with us. The part about stretching our sleeves scare me. Sometimes I have over eaten and feel miserable. I do notice more restriction after a fast day too.

Congrats to you Jane for doing such an amazing job with your first 18 months.

And I'm so jealous of your doctor visit...at my 12 month visit my doctor weighed me...did a little happy dance...gave me a high five...and sent me on my way. No blood work, not even a blood pressure check. I tried to ask him about maintenance. He basically said ...yes, do that. Duh...thanks.

Sounds similar to mine! Love my surgeon - highly respected - but it's a 5 minute "you are doing great, see you in a year!" He does do blookwork but not much support at all. Glad for VST community!

_{ETA: I almost forgot the most important part! We talked about whether the sleeve physically stretches - and absolutely it can. So, from the very beginning and continuing into maintenance, do not eat to "full" or "over full" - protect that feeling of restriction to help with the long term success.}

_{This scares me too! AND makes me feel that there are so many different opinions out there. My suregon flat out says NO, can't stretch - will relax so that once completely healed etc can eat a lot more. Thankfully, I am 3 years out and have great restriction IF I eat correctly!!! Junk, lots and lot can go down. chicken, dense Protein, dense veggies - very little amount! I DID end my lifelong relationship with carbonated beverages (Diet Coke) which I was told was a no no and could help relax it and I've heard people say that they can drink a glass of wine and then eat more! No idea about that.}

_{BUT, CGJ, I'm very jealous of such a great organization and support network! And all I know is I sure don't want my sleeve to stretch!!!!!! You rock!}

Just wondering if the 5/2 is kind of helping keep that feeling of restriction fresh for lack of a better word.

I don't know if I have better restriction after fast days, but I can tell head hunger from real hunger much better/clearer. This helps a lot to keep me away from junk and impulsive eating. This is mostly on the day following fasting, but generally is helping me to tell the difference. I also still can feel restriction when I eat the right things. 2 1/2 years out.

Great account of your checkup, Jane.

I have not had my labs done since my 18 month checkup. My surgeon was so happy with them he didn't even want to see my labs at my 2 year. Now I'm getting ready to have my 3 year and I'm excited for labs because I want to "know" they are ok instead of just assuming they are.

I really like the comment about obesity = trauma. Not only physical but mental as well. That is so interesting and I wish more surgeons focused on this and could make recommendations/help the bariatric community with this. I think generally the normal comment is trauma = therapy. But I think there are smaller ways to heal from that trauma (of course depending on how bad it is, some absolutely NEED therapy as treatment.) But it is most definitely a "process" and I know of some bariatric patients who still struggle with the mental aspect years later.

Edited to add: I was just scrolling through the list of post-op classes my surgeon offers and saw this:

Moving Forward in the New Year Redefining the History of YOU!

In this class you learn how to:

• Become conscious of unconscious thoughts leading to negative, self sabotaging behaviors
  
• Identify and diminish the power of the critic/the voice inside your head (the one that tells you how rotten you are)
  
• Deciphering bodily hunger from emotional hunger
  
• Become the “observer” of your emotions without acting on them
  
• Change the channel on YOUR emotional dial
  
• Connect with your power and create a plan to move forward
  

I might try taking this class!

Loks like a good one M2G!

Great account of your checkup' date=' Jane.

I have not had my labs done since my 18 month checkup. My surgeon was so happy with them he didn't even want to see my labs at my 2 year. Now I'm getting ready to have my 3 year and I'm excited for labs because I want to "know" they are ok instead of just assuming they are.

I really like the comment about obesity = trauma. Not only physical but mental as well. That is so interesting and I wish more surgeons focused on this and could make recommendations/help the bariatric community with this. I think generally the normal comment is trauma = therapy. But I think there are smaller ways to heal from that trauma (of course depending on how bad it is, some absolutely NEED therapy as treatment.) But it is most definitely a "process" and I know of some bariatric patients who still struggle with the mental aspect years later.

Edited to add: I was just scrolling through the list of post-op classes my surgeon offers and saw this:

Moving Forward in the New Year Redefining the History of YOU!

In this class you learn how to:

[*']Become conscious of unconscious thoughts leading to negative, self sabotaging behaviors

[*]Identify and diminish the power of the critic/the voice inside your head (the one that tells you how rotten you are)

[*]Deciphering bodily hunger from emotional hunger

[*]Become the “observer” of your emotions without acting on them

[*]Change the channel on YOUR emotional dial

[*]Connect with your power and create a plan to move forward

I might try taking this class!

This is UNBELIEVABLE to me. I have nothing offered to me of any kind. 3 years out and what I've gained, learned and re-learned bad been from road of hard Knocks and all of You guys! What a wonderful organization. Sigh!

This is UNBELIEVABLE to me. I have nothing offered to me of any kind. 3 years out and what I've gained, learned and re-learned bad been from road of hard Knocks and all of You guys! What a wonderful organization. Sigh!

Georgia...you have mentioned that before. Wow! I'm so sorry that there is just nothing offered post-surgery in the way of classes, healing, teaching, etc. Thank goodness for this forum, right? You have done an amazing job considering post-surgery, post-weight loss, there is so much confusing, misleading information. I think you deserve a pat on the back for that!

I really should take this class, it would be silly not to!