I've seen many success stories with the gastric sleeve. Many post-op sleevers have lost at least 150 pounds. My weight is 383 and I'm 6 feet tall. My surgeon says my BMI is 54 and that I need the VSG with the duodenal switch but I'm reconsidering because there's a lot of people with my BMI that are really dropping it and are happy with the results. Are there any post-op sleevers here that are at least 5+ years out. If so, I'd like to hear your story. Thank you.

I'm not 5 years out, but I am three years. It took me about 14 months to lose 145 pounds, and I've kept it off for nearly 2. I'm happy with my success. I have to work hard to maintain it, but it is doable. For it me it was the right choice, and I wouldn't have wanted a DS because of the greater malabsorption associated with it. At this point, I am pretty much normal, and can eat pretty much normal food in small but normal quantities. I definitely have to watch it, but so worth it!

What foods do you have to watch? What's a normal meal for you?

I'm not 5 years out, but I am three years. It took me about 14 months to lose 145 pounds, and I've kept it off for nearly 2. I'm happy with my success. I have to work hard to maintain it, but it is doable. For it me it was the right choice, and I wouldn't have wanted a DS because of the greater malabsorption associated with it. At this point, I am pretty much normal, and can eat pretty much normal food in small but normal quantities. I definitely have to watch it, but so worth it!

The way I understand it, the VSG was actually the 1st step in a 2-step operation for the super obese, and they found that a lot of people were very successful on it alone. Can you just have the VSG now and then if you don't lose enough add the DS part?

Hi. I have heard of people doing that but unfortunately Medicare does not do revisions or additions. So, I'm kind of forced into having 1 surgery.

The way I understand it, the VSG was actually the 1st step in a 2-step operation for the super obese, and they found that a lot of people were very successful on it alone. Can you just have the VSG now and then if you don't lose enough add the DS part?

Edited November 1, 201510 yr by Craig Wallace