Benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy Wane at 5 Years

[CowgirlJane 14,261]

I revised from band to sleeve in 2011. Best decision EVER. I have been maintaining a 150# loss! However, I am concerned about long term statistics regarding GERD. Just because I have won the bariatric lottery (no reflux, great results, no complications) - as an objective person, I think the bypass should be seriously considered. I don't really understand the risks of the bypass, but I do know as a procedure it is being improved all the time.

Listen to surgeon and do your research. Not just reading forums, but actual scientific studies of outcomes. When I was sleeved the data was all very short term....I would be looking for studies at the 5 year plus mark.

I don't bother looking - I am fully committed to my sleeve and have no regrets!

I find this information interesting. However I am trying to decide whether to convert to sleeve or bypass. I had a band in 2008 and lost over 60lb. I have regained 40

Because I am afraid of future erosion from the band I want it out. I doubt I can lose what I have gained without help of sleeve or bypass. I am currently leaning towards bypass. Am seeing a surgeon in May to discuss.

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[feedyoureye 3,087]

I started at 306 lbs w/ my journey and currently at 280. My doctor also said both procedures would work great for me but of course the bypass would give me more weight loss. But I don't want to lose that much, I would love to get to 170/180. What made you decide to do the VSG? What type of issues do you currently have, that suggests to maintain weight?

@@feedyoureye Thanks for the post. I think the numbers are fairly consistent with what I was told to expect, and it makes sense that comorbidities would also return if people gain weight. I was one with a lot of weight to lose, and my surgeon told me the bypass would probably be better, but I was a candidate for either.

I often think I could have lost that last 10 pounds if I'd had bypass, but I'm still not sorry I made this choice (sleeve). I think the outcome would be the same in the long term for me. I am currently struggling a lot to not gain. It's getting harder and harder, and I really wasn't prepared for this. Either way, I lost over 90% of my excess weight, and at nearly three years out, I find it's 90% me, and 10% sleeve.

When I went into this, I knew long term I might settle at a 60% reduction from where I started. Now that I've lost so much and gotten to a normal size, the idea of that much regain is devastating to me. I'm going to do my best to not become a statistic!

AT 5+ years, I am still a work in progress. I still maintain at 55% EWL. I gained over 35 pounds in the last year+. Easy as pie. Literally. I can eat anything, and in large amounts if spread over time. I still do not drink with meals unless I have Breakfast out which is not often. I reach for food when emotional or stressful situations come up. I know it... I watch it, I work on it. I mostly write down what I eat, and watch Protein, but those weeks that I don't, I gain. It is not easy to get off. Yes the sleeve still works. I eat less at any sitting... Protein first really makes me feel full faster. I continue exercise, and recommitted again.... just finished the 5 day "pouch" test with a 5 pound loss and a lowering of the Carb addiction. One step at a time. The head has to be in the game, just like before weight loss surgery. The sleeve helps... it is a tool, just like they say, and has helped me to maintain at least 50 pound loss for 5 years. I had a weight gain at 2+ years and worked to get to goal after that... so I know I can do it. I think for me, this is something I need to watch and plan every day.... when I don't I gain. I am very happy I got the sleeve though.... VERY HAPPY. Kindle, so true! I didn't see that.

Please consider the statistical validity of this one study and its conclusions before getting your panties in a wad.....

"In their retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of 443 patients who underwent bariatric surgery at the university hospital between 2006 and 2013, the percentage of excess body weight lost had dropped from 77% in 241 patients with available data at 1 year to 56% among 39 at 5"

Which means they are basing their "findings" on just 39 out of 443 patients from ONE hospital. That's not even a 10% followup rate of their own patients. What happened to the other 90% at 5 years out? Tens of thousands of people have had VSG and they are telling us what happened to 39 of them! It's more than laughable as far as statistically relevant conclusions are concerned.

[nyseness 76]

I started at 306 lbs w/ my journey and currently at 280. My doctor also said both procedures would work great for me but of course the bypass would give me more weight loss. But I don't want to lose that much, I would love to get to 170/180. What made you decide to do the VSG? What type of issues do you currently have, that suggests to maintain weight?

@@feedyoureye Thanks for the post. I think the numbers are fairly consistent with what I was told to expect, and it makes sense that comorbidities would also return if people gain weight. I was one with a lot of weight to lose, and my surgeon told me the bypass would probably be better, but I was a candidate for either.

I often think I could have lost that last 10 pounds if I'd had bypass, but I'm still not sorry I made this choice (sleeve). I think the outcome would be the same in the long term for me. I am currently struggling a lot to not gain. It's getting harder and harder, and I really wasn't prepared for this. Either way, I lost over 90% of my excess weight, and at nearly three years out, I find it's 90% me, and 10% sleeve.

When I went into this, I knew long term I might settle at a 60% reduction from where I started. Now that I've lost so much and gotten to a normal size, the idea of that much regain is devastating to me. I'm going to do my best to not become a statistic!

AT 5+ years, I am still a work in progress. I still maintain at 55% EWL. I gained over 35 pounds in the last year+. Easy as pie. Literally. I can eat anything, and in large amounts if spread over time. I still do not drink with meals unless I have Breakfast out which is not often. I reach for food when emotional or stressful situations come up. I know it... I watch it, I work on it. I mostly write down what I eat, and watch Protein, but those weeks that I don't, I gain. It is not easy to get off. Yes the sleeve still works. I eat less at any sitting... Protein first really makes me feel full faster. I continue exercise, and recommitted again.... just finished the 5 day "pouch" test with a 5 pound loss and a lowering of the Carb addiction. One step at a time. The head has to be in the game, just like before weight loss surgery. The sleeve helps... it is a tool, just like they say, and has helped me to maintain at least 50 pound loss for 5 years. I had a weight gain at 2+ years and worked to get to goal after that... so I know I can do it. I think for me, this is something I need to watch and plan every day.... when I don't I gain. I am very happy I got the sleeve though.... VERY HAPPY. Kindle, so true! I didn't see that.

>Please consider the statistical validity of this one study and its conclusions before getting your panties in a wad.....

"In their retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of 443 patients who underwent bariatric surgery at the university hospital between 2006 and 2013, the percentage of excess body weight lost had dropped from 77% in 241 patients with available data at 1 year to 56% among 39 at 5"

Which means they are basing their "findings" on just 39 out of 443 patients from ONE hospital. That's not even a 10% followup rate of their own patients. What happened to the other 90% at 5 years out? Tens of thousands of people have had VSG and they are telling us what happened to 39 of them! It's more than laughable as far as statistically relevant conclusions are concerned.

@@feedyoureye - Is putting on the weight post-op much easier than it was pre-op? During the week I'm pretty structured but on the weekends I tend to be a little more relax. I normally eat whatever I want, but I still have been losing weight. I think it's because I walk an hour each day. I'm still in the pre-op stage but I was recently approved for the Bypass. I'm thinking of having the approval changed to the VSG because the RNY scares me.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I started at 306 lbs w/ my journey and currently at 280. My doctor also said both procedures would work great for me but of course the bypass would give me more weight loss. But I don't want to lose that much, I would love to get to 170/180. What made you decide to do the VSG? What type of issues do you currently have, that suggests to maintain weight?

@@feedyoureye Thanks for the post. I think the numbers are fairly consistent with what I was told to expect, and it makes sense that comorbidities would also return if people gain weight. I was one with a lot of weight to lose, and my surgeon told me the bypass would probably be better, but I was a candidate for either.

I often think I could have lost that last 10 pounds if I'd had bypass, but I'm still not sorry I made this choice (sleeve). I think the outcome would be the same in the long term for me. I am currently struggling a lot to not gain. It's getting harder and harder, and I really wasn't prepared for this. Either way, I lost over 90% of my excess weight, and at nearly three years out, I find it's 90% me, and 10% sleeve.

When I went into this, I knew long term I might settle at a 60% reduction from where I started. Now that I've lost so much and gotten to a normal size, the idea of that much regain is devastating to me. I'm going to do my best to not become a statistic!

AT 5+ years, I am still a work in progress. I still maintain at 55% EWL. I gained over 35 pounds in the last year+. Easy as pie. Literally. I can eat anything, and in large amounts if spread over time. I still do not drink with meals unless I have Breakfast out which is not often. I reach for food when emotional or stressful situations come up. I know it... I watch it, I work on it. I mostly write down what I eat, and watch Protein, but those weeks that I don't, I gain. It is not easy to get off. Yes the sleeve still works. I eat less at any sitting... Protein first really makes me feel full faster. I continue exercise, and recommitted again.... just finished the 5 day "pouch" test with a 5 pound loss and a lowering of the Carb addiction. One step at a time. The head has to be in the game, just like before weight loss surgery. The sleeve helps... it is a tool, just like they say, and has helped me to maintain at least 50 pound loss for 5 years. I had a weight gain at 2+ years and worked to get to goal after that... so I know I can do it. I think for me, this is something I need to watch and plan every day.... when I don't I gain. I am very happy I got the sleeve though.... VERY HAPPY. Kindle, so true! I didn't see that.

>Please consider the statistical validity of this one study and its conclusions before getting your panties in a wad.....

"In their retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of 443 patients who underwent bariatric surgery at the university hospital between 2006 and 2013, the percentage of excess body weight lost had dropped from 77% in 241 patients with available data at 1 year to 56% among 39 at 5"

Which means they are basing their "findings" on just 39 out of 443 patients from ONE hospital. That's not even a 10% followup rate of their own patients. What happened to the other 90% at 5 years out? Tens of thousands of people have had VSG and they are telling us what happened to 39 of them! It's more than laughable as far as statistically relevant conclusions are conc

erned.

@@feedyoureye - Is putting on the weight post-op much easier than it was pre-op? During the week I'm pretty structured but on the weekends I tend to be a little more relax. I normally eat whatever I want, but I still have been losing weight. I think it's because I walk an hour each day. I'm still in the pre-op stage but I was recently approved for the Bypass. I'm thinking of having the approval changed to the VSG because the RNY scares me.

I can gain weight like I did before surgery at the same rate as I did after losing weight after dieting. It is easier to eat less now though... when I set my mind to it.

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

Thank you for this article.

Even though the study was done in a country with cutting edge medical care and techniques, the number of patients are a little small and there are a few variables which could lead to erroneous results.

I agree with the doctor's comments that there aren't enough long term studies to fully understand this procedure.

I wonder how many of these patients regain the weight due to complacency, exercising less, going back to old habits, not following their post-WLS plans?

Also regarding diabetes, etc., I wonder if the years of stressing their endocrinological system due to obesity and just being predestined to developing it due to genetics (although the onslaught of it could have been delayed) was factored in -if it could be.

The other thing is I wonder how in a different Westernized society, such as the United States, with our abundance of food, especially cheap unhealthy ones and different socio-economic issues, would the results would be different?

[Cari Dickenson 148]

Remember that that's only what statistics say. We can choose to fight those and Be where we want. This is just a tool to help us get to a fairly normal weight. In the end it really is up to us! Congratulations!

When I went into this, I knew long term I might settle at a 60% reduction from where I started. Now that I've lost so much and gotten to a normal size, the idea of that much regain is devastating to me. I'm going to do my best to not become a statistic!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Take this and chew on it:

I will be 5yrs out on June 6th. I did not acknowledge my WLS until this past Jan.

I have discovered that my sleeve is still viable and working now that I am mentally prepared to work with it.

I have lost 30# since Feb 20th.-- not as rapid a weight loss as most sleevers lose at first, I am delighted that my sleeve and I are working in harmony--at last.

I truly believe that a sleeve with work with a body and long as the mind is also prepared to work with it.

This is so great.

I think there are just too many holes and uncertainties in the article to make absolute pronouncements.

[clk 3,519]

I'm more than six years out. I still have a huge amount of restriction. I eat a few ounces of Protein, my veggies, and some carbs at a meal. I still can't drink when I eat. I still forget to eat because I don't feel hungry.

If I ate utter crap, I could gain. We all could. But last year I lost fourteen pounds. Five years out, I lost more weight, effortlessly.

My sleeve works. Because it's the same size it was roughly a year out. So my ability to work it is what it comes down to, and I've done it all, including having a child post op.

The stats also say a lot of us will only lose 50% of our excess weight, but we prove that wrong all the time.

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[BigJohn58 135]

I'm more than six years out. I still have a huge amount of restriction. I eat a few ounces of Protein, my veggies, and some carbs at a meal. I still can't drink when I eat. I still forget to eat because I don't feel hungry.

If I ate utter crap, I could gain. We all could. But last year I lost fourteen pounds. Five years out, I lost more weight, effortlessly.

My sleeve works. Because it's the same size it was roughly a year out. So my ability to work it is what it comes down to, and I've done it all, including having a child post op.

The stats also say a lot of us will only lose 50% of our excess weight, but we prove that wrong all the time.

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Very inspirational thanks for sharing

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[theantichick 2,204]

Also remember that statistics are usually dealing with averages. Almost no one is the average, LOL. I like to think I have a say over which side of the average I fall, based on my choices.

[Dairymary 533]

I was a little surprised to see the title of this post so I had to check it out. I agree with some of the others that this study is statistically Irrelevant. Too few participants to mean anything. I actually think any of the statistics surrounding WLS in general are meaningless when it comes to any one individual's chances at long term success. It's not like this is cancer or some other physical illness that we have no control over.

Each and every one of us has the opportunity to be 100% successful. It may take more than just surgery....in my case, surgery + 3 years therapy + 6 years support group + diligent, mindful choices every single day....but it is doable. There are very very few cases where regain, or failure to lose to goal, were the result of anything but poor food choices and returning to the habits and behaviors that made us fat in the first place. The importance of creating a new lifestyle and learning new ways to deal with life ups and downs cannot be stressed enough. The mental changes you make are far more important than the physical changes from surgery when it comes to long term success.

You don't have to settle for average results and the benefits of gastric sleeve only wane after 5 years if you let them. BTW, I'm six years out and am still maintaining over 100% EWL with the help of my sleeve.

[gl12282 15]

Some great posts here. I'm only 6 months out and still losing but I'm extremely aware of just how easy it could be to regain weight in the long term. Although those statistics are very difficult to interpret because of the low numbers in the 5 yr follow up group, I'm personally pretty certain that if they were able to find those patients, the trend would be similar (maybe even more so ???).

At the end of the day, as a few people have pointed out, this is 90% us, 10% sleeve. I am very aware even at 'only' 6 months, how easy it is to 'cheat' the sleeve by eating the wrong things. I am still fairly restricted, I can 'get away' with having pudding/'treats' and still lose weight. But this is only for now. If I continue to do that, I know this sleeve can't help me. This is very much still my long term challenge that I continue to fight and will do for ever. It has taken away some of my issues but I will continue to work at the others for the rest of my life. I try to make sensible food choices all of the time. Mostly I do but sometimes I don't. Sometimes I fail completely and just eat rubbish but when I do, my sleeve restricts the damage I can do then. Ultimately my sleeve is likely to continue to help me at those times but without my own effort to seriously limit those occasions, I may not succeed.

I look at the successful long term posters here (who are inspirational) and I am pretty certain that almost all of them work very hard at that. I aspire to be that person but know that I will have to continue to work hard in order to achieve that. Thank you to all of those people for inspiring the rest of us.

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[Aggiemae 739]

Yes, many people regain as much of half their starting weight but that's not because the sleeve "failed". The sleeve is the same sizevfive years after surgery as it was 5 weeks after surgery.

As so many have already said it's a TOOL. You are the one who decides how to use it. If you push food through by drinking so you can eat more your going to gain weight. Don't want to gain weight? Don't do this.

Seems to me that better pre operative education and more post op counseling around eating disorders would improve outcomes.

[RedCheeks 16]

I'm more than six years out. I still have a huge amount of restriction. I eat a few ounces of Protein, my veggies, and some carbs at a meal. I still can't drink when I eat. I still forget to eat because I don't feel hungry.

If I ate utter crap, I could gain. We all could. But last year I lost fourteen pounds. Five years out, I lost more weight, effortlessly.

My sleeve works. Because it's the same size it was roughly a year out. So my ability to work it is what it comes down to, and I've done it all, including having a child post op.

The stats also say a lot of us will only lose 50% of our excess weight, but we prove that wrong all the time.

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I noticed you said you had a child post op... how long did you wait? I want 2 have 1 more child, but at 270 i want this surgery. My fear is gaining all the weight back again. And then it would all be for nothing.

What was pregnancy like?

How much did you gain during pregnancy?

How much did the baby weight?

Did you go full term?

Did you lose all the pregnancy weight, how?

Was it harder?

How much have you lost since day one 6 years ago.?

What's your current weight?

I'm sorry for a million questions. I'm choosing the sleeve as opposed to RNY because i want to have a baby in 2 to 3 years.

Can you message me? I'd love to pick your brain?

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