I can't seem to find many sleevers who had their surgery more than 5 years ago. Where are you all? I just want to hear success stories from people who have had their surgery many years ago. I've just cancelled my sleeve surgery as I am no longer fully convinced it works long term. I've had a gastric balloon last year and before I got that I was on another forum and everyone said how the balloons worked wonders. Yes, it did work wonders and I've lost over 25kg but have gained half of that back over the last 10 months. Looking back, I realise that I hadn't really seen many posts on the other forum of people a couple of years after they had their balloon out. Now that same thing seems to happen with the sleeve. Most of the stuff on the Internet is from people who have just recently had their surgery. Can anyone help?

Hello,

I do not have an answer for you as I have not yet had the procedure, but I will say that this is a "newer" surgery as a stand-alone procedure and my understanding is that, scientifically speaking, they now have short- and medium- term data in for the sleeve (both good), and are still waiting for long term data to be published. This is according to my surgeon, anyway.

I know that there is a ton of long term data out there for bypass. It seems like there are some people that choose that procedure over the sleeve mainly for that reason because it makes them feel more comfortable.

I am around 2 and a half years out, so only half way to your 5 year veteran request, but I can give you some of my experience thus far.

My highest weight was just over 300 pounds with a BMI right at 40. I went into maintenance mode 8 months post at 175 pounds. I exercised and followed all guidelines pretty well during this time. At this point, I was eating about 2,000 calories a day and maintaining fine. About 8 months later, I need back surgery due to a ruptured disc on L4/5 followed by another back surgery 3 months later. This sidelined my activity and due to my inactivity and NOT changing my eating habits, I quickly gained 10 pounds.

The good news for me, and I think those with the sleeve is, though, is that I saw that 10 pounds and went back to the basic guidelines of eating as I did when I first had the sleeve: eating lean Protein first, not drinking with meals and chewing well. I also dropped my calorie intake to about 1,500. I quickly dropped 5 of those pounds.

I am now 1 year past my first surgery and am back to exercising. I have lost the other 5 pounds and am back to the 2,000 calorie mark. I have excellent restriction when I follow the guidelines. I have no doubt that at any time I should gain weight for whatever reason, I will be able to drop that weight with the assistance this tool (sleeve) gives me. I totally understand your hesitance as we have all lost weight only to regain it and then some. I can say, for myself, the sleeve gives me the power to not abuse food the way I used to. I know that any failure in maintaining my current weight will be attributed to what is happening between my ears and not the failure of the VSG.

I think the reason why you don't see many people talking about their life 5 years post is because they have moved on. They are living their life. There are many out there as this was (is) the first step of a duodenal switch, which has been done for years. Many of those patients just never got the second half of the surgery because they had reached their goal.

Of course, do your research, but I think it will show you there is a trend moving towards the sleeve. I know I love mine and how it has empowered me regarding my relationship with food.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

My program said that the data for 5 years is just being completed. If you look at when the procedure was first approved and paid for by an ins co, you might not find many cases to follow.

Why don't you just ignore all the outside interference and do your own soul searching. What do YOU think is the best bet for YOU.

Ultimately this choice needs to be personal and for your own reasons. Not because of data or what the Internet says.

Afterall, if we had all followed what the Internet said years ago, we would've all been thin from a miracle pill in just 6 short weeks.