Today is my 3 year sleeve anniversary. I feel somewhat obligated to share an update, for those curious about the sleeve's effectiveness a little more down the road. I was what most would call a "slow loser" during the initial post-sleeve weight loss stage, mostly due to being somewhat of a low BMI'er to begin with as I was around a 38 or so BMI before the sleeve.

My restriction was very noticeable the first several months and then I was able to slowly eat more and more as the months have gone by and then it has mostly plateaued the past year and a half to 2 years. At the 3 year mark, I am able to eat a good bit more than I could the first few months post-op, but still significantly less than pre-sleeve. I feel I can easily add on another 20-30 pounds if I don't watch what I eat. Though I give the sleeve a lot of credit for the weight/fat loss I've had (especially initially), I think the fact that I've been able to keep it in check now is mostly due to a combination of restriction, and also just being better informed and eating to support my goals and less for pleasure....eating smart and exericise.

I'm still very happy that I've had this done and would do it all over again as it has been a true blessing. Is it an easy fix or easy way out? No. Is it a great tool for eating better? Absolutely. Will it help me keep the weight off for good if I still want to eat whatever I want? Not a chance. This is just my experience as I realize others at the same time frame post op may have differing experiences, and those further out than myself can probably be a much better gauge as to the long term effectiveness of the sleeve. But I still like to come on here and give any feedback that I have and coming back here helps to keep me motivated due to receiving positive feedback, reading other's trials/errors and seeing their benefits as well.

I guess that's all for now and I will try to check back in at 4 or 5 years, or if something else comes up. Wish everyone the best!

Thanks for posting your experiences. It really helps knowing what you will be up against in the future. I feel like this will be my do over and I sure don't want to blow it.

Thanks for sharing. It helps to have read about the experience and insights of those who are ahead of some us. Just curious, did you achieve your goal weight or are you still loosing? Congrats

Thanks and I did eventually achieve my goal weight almost a year and a half post-op. It was never a huge goal of mine to begin with since the term "weight" is very general. I've always been into lifting weights and very much wanted to keep my strength and muscle. But I wanted to lose as much fat as I could and wanted to be healthy. My body fat got down to around 13/14% at one point and has now settled in around 15/16%. So I'm good with that and I am also off my meds, which was my main goal. I'm now a bit above my goal weight, but as you can see from my original goals, I'm not too terribly worried about that if the others (body fat and health/meds) are still in check. I know my Dr would have rather me lost more weight since it's good for their results and numbers, but I didn't do it for them.

Thanks for sharing. I like hearing from people who are further down the road. I am determined to be a success story and it helps to hear how others did it.

Thank you! Great to hear and keep on going. Happy for you.

Today is my 3 year sleeve anniversary. I feel somewhat obligated to share an update, for those curious about the sleeve's effectiveness a little more down the road. I was what most would call a "slow loser" during the initial post-sleeve weight loss stage, mostly due to being somewhat of a low BMI'er to begin with as I was around a 38 or so BMI before the sleeve.

My restriction was very noticeable the first several months and then I was able to slowly eat more and more as the months have gone by and then it has mostly plateaued the past year and a half to 2 years. At the 3 year mark, I am able to eat a good bit more than I could the first few months post-op, but still significantly less than pre-sleeve. I feel I can easily add on another 20-30 pounds if I don't watch what I eat. Though I give the sleeve a lot of credit for the weight/fat loss I've had (especially initially), I think the fact that I've been able to keep it in check now is mostly due to a combination of restriction, and also just being better informed and eating to support my goals and less for pleasure....eating smart and exericise.

I'm still very happy that I've had this done and would do it all over again as it has been a true blessing. Is it an easy fix or easy way out? No. Is it a great tool for eating better? Absolutely. Will it help me keep the weight off for good if I still want to eat whatever I want? Not a chance. This is just my experience as I realize others at the same time frame post op may have differing experiences, and those further out than myself can probably be a much better gauge as to the long term effectiveness of the sleeve. But I still like to come on here and give any feedback that I have and coming back here helps to keep me motivated due to receiving positive feedback, reading other's trials/errors and seeing their benefits as well.

I guess that's all for now and I will try to check back in at 4 or 5 years, or if something else comes up. Wish everyone the best!

Congrats Mark on your success w/the sleeve. I think most people lose the weight and they forget about the people who loved them when they carried all the excess weight and they find men/women giving them attention they didnt have before and they tend to cheat on their loved ones instead of hugging their loved ones and thanking them for being there thru this difficult journey. Hopefully you have learned a lot thru your journey and hug Debi more and more and appreciate her and her patience and stay faithful and true.

Your pictures show amazing results and I'm sure you hear that from all the ladies but you don't need a site like this one to feel good about your progress. Look in a mirror and thank God you are where you are.

Good luck!