Hello all, I am new to this site and wanted to know if there was anyone who started at 450 + lbs and was able to achieve long term success? I am a 33 yr old female and my VSG is scheduled for July 22, 2014 with Dr. Thomas Lavin (The Surgical Specialist of Louisiana) and the surgery will take place at Crescent City Surgical Center. I am not nervous at all about the procedure. However I am concerned about maintaining weight loss. Whenever I have lost weight in the past, it has been easy for the weight to come off ( was able to lose 100lbs). But months later it comes back double. At 450lbs I don't want to say that I am healthy, but I only take 1 Rx for hypertension. I am hoping to get rid of this Rx post surgery. I am just so worried that I will lose lots of weight and years later gain it all back. Does anyone else have this concern at the magnitude that it bothers me?

Hi VSGJourney,

Welcome to the site!

I think to an extent we have all wondered whether we will be able to keep the weight loss or not. I think the answer is yes!

One of the beautiful things abt the VSG is the elimination of most of the gastric hormones that cause hunger. Believe it or not, hunger can be very mental, and this surgery really helps you out with this.

Of course one has to get into a psychological state of mind, that you will be fit for life. Surround yourself with people that are trying to achieve the same goal as you, a.k.a. your bariatric pal friends . Most surgeons will provide you information about post-op support groups, use them to your advantage.

Overall, remember that even if you were not as successful with the VSG as you imagined, this is not the end of the magic of weight loss surgery for you. Options like gastric bypass and duodenal switch exist.

You will do great dear!

XO

VVV

I was just sleeved on the 1st of July and I started out at 414.I was 397 day of surgery I am now 2 wks post op and down to 373.I am very happy I made the decision but its not easy you still have to watch what you eat.Yes you eat less and get full fast but I know some sleevers who have reverted back to old habits. I don't plan to do that. I am going to do my best to follow the plans.I believe success depends on the individual.

you are, I think, going to have to go into it resolved to loose the weight, but also open to change, and exploring your habits, studying what happens to yourself when you slide backwards, and in general prepared to work on it everyday - sometimes more, sometimes less - for the rest of your life.

I suggest reading a book called The Power of Habit by Dughill.

Good luck!

I sure hope so because that's about where I started out earlier in the year. I was 446 pounds when I started a diet the first day I saw the surgeon. I had my surgery 4 months later, 85 pounds lighter from my dieting, and I'm hoping I can make this work.

To give myself the best chance I've decided to not just work on what goes in me, but what's already here - in my head. I've got books to read and I'm going to do support groups in person and online, and I'm going to see a therapist who has some experience with weight loss patients.

I truly believe that nobody gets as big as I was without having some issues to work out and I intend to do my best to work them out. I also think that at my size I was nearly disabled and not really living so we may (just maybe) have that advantage over someone a lot smaller. We know what it's like to have our weight REALLY affect our lives in big ways so we have to protect this sleeve we've been given so we can't ever go back to that way of living.

Good luck. I know we can do it!