I have been reading these forums for a month but this is my first post. I'm looking for some guidance/opinions from people that have been through similar situations because I am torn about all this. Despite that fact that I am over 435 pounds my insurance company won't pay for anything related to obesity treatment - they actually have a specific obesity exclusion (United). I have tried literally everything except surgery and I don't have over $20k sitting around so I am considering going to Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana (which from all indications is a great surgeon) and getting sleeved in December. My internal debate is if this surgery is part of a lifestyle change which requires me to adhere to a strict diet and be more consistent at exercise what does the surgery actually do for me? Does it simply force me to adhere to this diet or be sick or worse? If I had more will power could I just follow the diet and exercise program and lose the same amount of weight?

If you have been sleeved:

Do you feel like sleeve was the MAKE in a make or break moment for you? Is it worth it? Could you have lost your weight without it? Would you do it again?

Thank you!

CB

I'm sure you will get responses from folks much farther out than me, but for me personally this has been the best decision I could have made. I was 320 at my highest, right before the start of my 2 week preop diet in June. I was sleeved on June 19th & I'm down about 73 lbs so far. I have mobility issues & I used to be in pain every day. Now I can walk and move much better. I have about 70-80 more pounds to go, but the difference is already quite significant. I enjoy the foods that fit into my high protein, low(er) carb eating plan. I feel full & satisfied after I eat, and I'm very surprised at how much I am genuinely enjoying exercise. There is no way I could have lost this much weight in the amount of time on my own. My ongoing progress keeps me motivated & keeps me mostly on track, food-wise. It is absolutely a lifestyle change...and one that was very much needed in order to improve the quality of my life. Good luck to you!

I have to agree with Southernsoul, I could never have lost the weight on my own, I did try every diet and exercise program out there, but with the restriction that the sleeve provides I feel full after I eat. That is a totally new sensation for me, I was always hungry but with the sleeve I'm not constantly looking for my next snack/meal. And I don't know about anyone else but if I had enough will power to just eat less I would have done it,.... but I couldn't and this is what's working for me when nothing else did.Good luck to you!

For me, it is not, and was never about "will power." No amount of will power seemed to be sufficient to shut off the part of my brain that demanded that I eat as much as possible, as often as possible.

For me, the surgery dd much more than just "force me" to adhere to a careful diet program. It forced me to learn to accept small portions and small meals as a "good amount" of food. After eating those small portions, I feel a sensation of fullness unlike anything I ever felt before the surgery. For me, that was the difference I needed to finally start to eat small meals instead of suffer and feel hungry all the time.

There were times, historically, where I used to suffer because I would succeed at short-term weight loss, but would be hungry all the time, and it was really tough for me. That doesn't happen anymore with the sleeve.

My favorite thing about the sleeve is this: when I'm hungry, I eat!!! I swear, I've already lost over 40lbs and I had surgery about 2 months ago. And my "secret" is that I eat when I'm hungry. Eating high-protein foods can still taste really good to me!!!! I like all kinds of things like chicken and fish (not fried) and I also enjoy some of those "veggie" options like Boca Burgers. So when I get hungry, I eat food. And then I'm not hungry anymore, but I know I get to eat again the next time I feel hungry.

Never in my life could I have possibly imagined that I could experience true health in a way where I didn't have to feel hungry all the time. I assumed it was just my burden to deal with as a "big person." Not any more. That's why I am glad I had the surgery, and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner!!!!

I lost over 150# since my vsg and have been maintaining since feb 2013. I could not have done it without the surgery, but it DID require major lifestyle improvements. I eat much less quantity and much higher quality of food. I have changed my life from being food centered to food being fuel. I am active.

I have to tell you, the last 40-50# required alot of diligence and just plain hard work, but even if I had only lost 100# of my excess I would still be better off.

I have spent literally decades and who knows how much money trying to lose and maintain the lose via other methods (including thelapband) and was never able to make it work. Part of it I was more then ready, I was just DONE with junky eating and part of it was I needed the sleeve to control myappetite and be tht "tool" for weight loss.

In the beginning I would say it is 80% sleeve... for me that started changing around 8-9 months post op an now I would say it is 80% my effort and 20% sleeve but it is alot easier to live a healthy lifestyle at 150# then it was at 300++++++

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My internal debate is if this surgery is part of a lifestyle change which requires me to adhere to a strict diet and be more consistent at exercise what does the surgery actually do for me? Does it simply force me to adhere to this diet or be sick or worse?

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You still have to stick to a diet and you should exercise. It will be easier to stick to the diet than if you hadn't had the surgery, but it still takes some effort. After the first several months after surgery it doesn't force you to adhere to the diet, you can "eat around it," but it does make it easier to comply with the diet than if you hadn't had the surgery.

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If I had more will power could I just follow the diet and exercise program and lose the same amount of weight?

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Without the surgery, but with enough willpower, you might be able to lose a lot of weight, but the issue would be keeping it off. It's possible to muster a lot of will and lose a lot of weight. Besides the sleeve, I have lost over 70 pounds at least three other times in my life, but after each time, I eventually gained the weight back, usually with some additional pounds to go along with it.

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If you have been sleeved:

Do you feel like sleeve was the MAKE in a make or break moment for you? Is it worth it? Could you have lost your weight without it? Would you do it again?

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I would do it again in a heartbeat. It has made it so much easier to lose weight, and it has given me a fighting chance to keep the weight off.

Here's one way you should think about the sleeve. Imagine that your car had no engine, and you had to push it everywhere you went. That would be tough, and you probably wouldn't ever go anywhere. That's like your body without the sleeve. Now imagine that your car now has an engine. It can take you places, but if you don't step on the gas, or brakes, or steer the car, the car still won't take you anywhere. That's like your body with the sleeve. It has much more capability, but you have to steer it (eat the right foods), and apply the brakes (avoid the wrong foods) and step on the gas (exercise). It's not a magical car that just drives itself, but it gives you a reasonable way to get where you want to be. But if you take your eyes off the road, you just might end up in a ditch (regaining weight).

Thank you all! I'm going for it!