I think I have made the decision to get a sleeve. I was leaning toward a Lap Band because I don't like the thought of making permanent changes to my stomach. After reading into it, I'm not sure that will work for me and am leaning towards the sleeve. I have my first appointment with a surgeon set up for April 25th.

In high school I started to gain weight and by my early 20's was 350 pounds. I lost over 100 pounds and was down to 240 by age 22. My gallbladder gave out and I had that removed. The weight gain started slowly there after. By the time I was 30, I weighed 470 pounds. Not only did I gain the 100 back, I gained an additional 100. I started to lose again but it seemed much harder at 30 than it was at 20. The weight didn't come off as fast as it did and it seemed like I had a harder time controlling my appetite. I did lose 50 pounds and was down to 420 but gained 30 back and am at 450. Now 31, I'm already developing high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and gout. No sense putting it off.

I'm wondering how the sleeve will work for me. I can eat a meal, a fairly large meal, and feel full but in about 30 minutes I'm ready to go again. It's my understand that the sleeve will simply not allow you to overeat or else it will cause you to vomit. Does the full feeling last more than 30 minutes? How many calories does one typically eat? I at times struggled to stay at 2,000 calories because I didn't feel full or sustained. I have made some lifestyle changes. The problem is, I can eat a piece of fruit and that isn't enough. I eat a Protein bar but then go back for another one or a 3rd. I would love to be able to eat one Protein Bar or a banana and feel satisfied.

Edited March 18, 201610 yr by sgc

Quest Bars are the ones I eat. Problem is, I can eat two at a time with no problem. I also used to make shakes. Used some Quest powder, little skim milk, crushed ice, and a banana. I actually found those shakes rather filling.

Also read a lot of people eat eggs as part of their diet. I can eat about 3 or 4 large eggs in one sitting. I'm hoping the surgery can help me reduce my portion size and frequency. Eating lean meats and Protein is great if you eat the appropriate amounts.

If you get sleeved, it will be a LONG time before you can eat two Quest bars in a sitting! I remember trying to eat my first post-op Protein Bar once I was cleared for solid foods. It took me 55 minutes to eat one bar and I finally had to give up! Of course, it gets easier to eat as you heal up and recover. So I would say around 2 months post-op, I could eat a protein bar in under 10 minutes, but even now, 19 months post-op, one is PLENTY at a time.

As for eggs, it's similar. Most people are allowed eggs in their "soft food" stage post-op. My first day on soft foods I tried to eat my first scrambled egg and 45 minutes later, I was lying on the floor in pain from how full I felt with egg still left on my plate. I had to reheat it 3-4 times over those 45 minutes too! That got much easier eventually as well and now I can eat an egg with some cheese melted in and a link or two of breakfast sausage in one sitting and feel contently, but not overly full.

I would love to be able to get up in the morning and make one scrambled egg and be good to go. I think the sleeve will be helpful for me. I noticed to when I go to restaurants with people, they can't finish their plates and I can finish the plate and want more. I can diet and lose weight but eventually I start getting cravings and just start eating more. When I eat and gain, I lose energy and my exercise decreases.

I would love to be able to get up in the morning and make one scrambled egg and be good to go. I think the sleeve will be helpful for me. I noticed to when I go to restaurants with people, they can't finish their plates and I can finish the plate and want more. I can diet and lose weight but eventually I start getting cravings and just start eating more. When I eat and gain, I lose energy and my exercise decreases.

I had the same experience pre-op. I could eat MASSIVE amounts of food in one sitting. Like an entire large pizza by myself. Then pint of Ben & Jerry's right after. Now the idea makes me laugh! I'm 19 months post-op and I can eat ONE slice of pizza and the toppings (cheese and meat) off of one or two more slices at best. Definitely no ice cream after! And even when I try to eat ice cream on it's own I'd be impressed to get down half a pint!

And definitely eating crap makes you want to work out less. It weighs you down instead of fueling your body. I find that the more I work out, the BETTER I want to eat and the better I eat, the more I want to work out. So it's a nice little cycle to get into.

Edit: Oh and that one piece of pizza I can eat now is from a thin crust medium pizza, not a thick crust large!

I would love to be able to get up in the morning and make one scrambled egg and be good to go. I think the sleeve will be helpful for me. I noticed to when I go to restaurants with people, they can't finish their plates and I can finish the plate and want more. I can diet and lose weight but eventually I start getting cravings and just start eating more. When I eat and gain, I lose energy and my exercise decreases.

I had the same experience pre-op. I could eat MASSIVE amounts of food in one sitting. Like an entire large pizza by myself. Then pint of Ben & Jerry's right after. Now the idea makes me laugh! I'm 19 months post-op and I can eat ONE slice of pizza and the toppings (cheese and meat) off of one or two more slices at best. Definitely no ice cream after! And even when I try to eat ice cream on it's own I'd be impressed to get down half a pint!

And definitely eating crap makes you want to work out less. It weighs you down instead of fueling your body. I find that the more I work out, the BETTER I want to eat and the better I eat, the more I want to work out. So it's a nice little cycle to get into.

Edit: Oh and that one piece of pizza I can eat now is from a thin crust medium pizza, not a thick crust large!

I can definitely put away an entire pizza and usually some breadsticks. Since I can eat an entire pizza, I usually order one. If I'm only able to eat a slice, I would only order a slice. I quit eating pizza but that is just an example.

This is going to drive me crazy waiting until April 25th to meet with the doctor. I keep thinking about the surgery and get new thoughts in my head. I now worry about getting surgery having a BMI over 60 and if I will survive the surgery. I'm also worried about post op complications and the effectiveness. I'm 31 so is this going to last for the next 30,40, even 50 years? I guess on the flip side if I don't do it, I will assure myself I would last for 30+ years.

This is going to drive me crazy waiting until April 25th to meet with the doctor. I keep thinking about the surgery and get new thoughts in my head. I now worry about getting surgery having a BMI over 60 and if I will survive the surgery. I'm also worried about post op complications and the effectiveness. I'm 31 so is this going to last for the next 30,40, even 50 years? I guess on the flip side if I don't do it, I will assure myself I would last for 30+ years.

You don't have to decide today. Just do the next right thing and take on day at a time.

If it helps, my BMI was literally off the charts and I was successfully sleeved April 20, 2015 with no complications. I have already lost more than I could have dreamed and am still going strong.

I am regaining my mobility and getting my life back.

Miracles do happen.

@@sgc,

Good for you for asking these questions.

The sleeve can help you feel full and keep you from being starving right after your meal. It can also help prevent you from eating at that 30-minute post-meal mark because by that time, you’ll probably start drinking fluids, and you can’t drink fluids while you eat solid foods.

The thing that you need to think about if you haven’t already is the difference between hunger and satisfaction. You mostly talk about hunger in your post, but then end by saying you’re not satisfied. It’s possible (likely) that the sleeve will reduce hunger because you’ll have lower levels of hunger hormones and your sleeve will be smaller (and fuller).

It’s also possible (maybe even likely) that you won’t be satisfied – that you’ll still want to eat, even if you don’t need it. Maybe you’ve heard people here talking about head hunger. That’s just wanting to eat, but not being physiologically hungry. So, I don’t know if you’ll be able to eat a protein bar and feel satisfied.

The others here have some good points. Slider foods can get past the sleeve and interfere with weight loss. Like they pointed out, a protein bar may not be part of your post-op life. Maybe you could even experiment by eating more veggies now and seeing if you’re still hunger and going back for more when your only option is a veggie, not a sweetened protein bar.

It sounds like you’re set on surgery, so good luck! Keep posting about which one you choose and how the journey goes for you!

I always have an empty feeling in my stomach unless I gorge myself. My stomach starts to rumble and make noise and I give in and start to eat until I can't ingest anything anymore. For dinner today, I had two boneless skinless chicken thighs and a bowl of tomato soup and it seems as if I didn't eat anything.

I always have an empty feeling in my stomach unless I gorge myself. My stomach starts to rumble and make noise and I give in and start to eat until I can't ingest anything anymore. For dinner today, I had two boneless skinless chicken thighs and a bowl of tomato soup and it seems as if I didn't eat anything.

Are you taking a PPI?

Post-op, many of us take a PPI, at least for a few months because stomach acid can mimic hunger.

I was on Prilosec for a while. My doctor said I had silent reflux that was causing me to cough a lot. I was on it and the symptoms went away and she took me off it and the symptoms stayed away. I really didn't notice a difference in hunger before, during, or after taking Prilosec.

The surgeon I'm going to see works out of multiple hospitals. How do I pick what hospital to have it done at? What am I supposed to be looking for in the hospital?

The surgeon I'm going to see works out of multiple hospitals. How do I pick what hospital to have it done at? What am I supposed to be looking for in the hospital?

Make sure the hospital you choose is covered by your insurance and is a Bariatric Center of Excellence.

Unless I'm not looking at the right place, it appears there is only one hospital in the state that is a center of excellence.

Where do you verify a center of excellence? I happened to stumble ironically on a letter written by the surgeon I'm going to see about how one hospital he works at is a center of excellence and the other isn't. Not sure how to verify this.

Where do you verify a center of excellence? I happened to stumble ironically on a letter written by the surgeon I'm going to see about how one hospital he works at is a center of excellence and the other isn't. Not sure how to verify this.

It should be posted prominently at the facility and on their website.