Trying to get a 'family loan' for WLS as my insurance is as bad as my credit. As a result, my dad is reading reading about the Sleeve. He has noticed that many people only lose about 60-75% of their excess weight, and later gain even some of that back, still battle food, supplements and exercise-but add on GERD & other lifetime issues. It appears that the weight loss the first year is from the shock of the surgery and when your body bounces back, so do all the old issues-so why have surgery?

The usual question of, "If you have to do all that, then why have the surgery and the "All you have to do is..." followed by, since you can't do xyz now, what makes you think you can later."

I have of course gained and lost forever. Carbs are the death of me.

Old Timer thoughts? Thoughts in general?

WLS is only a tool. I realized last night that I am going through a break up with the greatest "love of my life" - food. I will NEVER be able to eat the way I did before. I was a binger, until the last year leading up to the surgery. I could stop at three fast food places on the way home and eat it all in one sitting. I would forego dates or nights with my boyfriend, just to be with my food. I was in a real relationship with food. Now I know I can't do that because in order to fuel my body, I need Protein first. I'm sure I'll be full after a few bites of protein and veggies. It is an emotional ride, I am aware, but it's the best tool I could have used.

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Like @@VSGAnn2014, Jane13 and InnerSurferGirl, I too am a little concerned about a loan from your father. I have been in therapy a long time trying so hard to rid the effects of my father's control of my weight. It began at the age of 11 and continued unitl the age of 30. I physically moved 1000 miles away to California, but mentally the baggage came with me. I am almost 50, and still 1000 miles away. He does not know I had the surgery, nor will he ever know. If you have a healthy relationship with your father and have no other options, a contract of sorts might be a good idea. Guidelines, boundaries and a re-payment schedule. I am only 3 months out and can't speak to what happens after goal is met or the maintenance phase. I will take a 40%, 50% or any percent weight loss over how I felt at the beginning of this process one year ago.

Re Protein intake -- I'm in maintenance and still eating a lot of protein -- 90 to 100 grams a day most days. Right now, my protein comes mostly from animal sources (poultry, fish, beef, dairy, eggs), but also plant protein (vegetables, whole grains, Beans and other legumes).

For what it's worth (?), I hardly ever have a planned snack without including some protein -- even if it's only an ounce of cheese.

Like @@Inner Surfer Girl I now eat more protein than I did before having WLS.

I do keep an eye on my levels of creatinine (which reflect the health of my kidneys). So far, no problemos. I don't recall having even a UTI in the last couple of years.

EDIT: To be clear, I don't eat low-carb. I eat protein, carbs and fats -- most of which is pretty darned nutritious stuff. I also (now that I'm in maintenance) do have a little alcohol and treats, but only if my weight is holding steady at 135 pounds.

Approaching three years- work the plan - watch what you eat and stay away from carbs and sugar 108 lost and holding

Edited May 16, 201610 yr by Yoga-lady

I am not an old timer but I'd still like to answer your question. I've lost 25 pounds so far. If I lose 60% of my excess weight I will still live longer than I would have otherwise. Heck, if I never lose more than this first 25 pounds, I'll still live longer. Before surgery, my heart hurt. It would jackhammer at night. I couldn't walk up and down steps properly when I woke up in the morning and my hands would be numb. My blood pressure would skyrocket most afternoons. I had shortness of breath frequently. Today, after just 25 pounds, that's all gone. My hands aren't numb when I wake up. I can walk up and down stairs. My chest no longer hurts. My blood pressure is normal.

It's not just about weight loss it's about gaining years on your life. Your father wants you around as long as possible. The surgery will help with that.

I may never be thin - although I'm working hard to lose more - but I feel like I'll live to see my family grow up and get old. It's absolutely worth it.

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I am not an old timer but the way surgery helps if you follow the plan is, you learn to eat again like a baby. It gives you a chance to start over and teach yourself to eat health. Learning to eat like this is easy after surgery. It is all, mapped out for you. When you haven't had solid food in weeks, a bite of baked fish tastes like heaven. Now baked fish is your new fav. This is totally a mental game.

The hunger most people battle is head hunger. Once you heal you can eat almost anything, the fear and anxiety of eating something that will make you sick lessens. Yes hunger comes bsck but the level of hunger from a tiny tummy compared to a normal one is like comparing a kitten to a Lion. There are some other issues like a lot of people confuse acid or digestion in their intestines with hunger. If you eat 4-6 small meals a day it is basically impossible to be hungry. This is how eating Protein every time you eat and having a high protein goal helps.

Why not just save your own money while working on you food issues instead of borrowing from your dad. That seems like hel, having to justify your life choices.

I know someone who had bypass and is 3.5 years out from surgery. They have regained and can't get it off because they never learned to eat right and didn't follow their plan. They followed a fad diet plan and now they are lost and unable to make a change.

There is a surgeon, Dr. Matthew Weiner, who has produced a very good series of videos on YouTube that provide a great deal of information about the surgery and weight loss. One of them discusses the changes that occur in our metabolic setpoint after weight loss surgery (can't remember exactly which one it was).

If I remember correctly the videos all advertise his book "A Pound of Cure", but looking past that they are full of good information about the surgery, the body's reaction to it, and how to be successful with it. You can search YouTube for "Matthew Weiner" and go to his channel, where you will find all of the videos.

In a nutshell, the sleeve resets our metabolic setpoint. Instead of your body striving constantly to retain fat, it now strives to lose fat to bring itself to it's new, more normal target. As long as we work with it by eating enough Protein, limiting carbs, sugar and alcohol, and provide some moderate exercise it works. This is why they say the sleeve is a tool... you need to make the behavioral changes to go along with it to allow your body to be successful.

To understand why resetting the metabolic setpoint is important, look at the recent articles published about The Biggest Loser contestants. They all lost great amounts of weight through diet and exercise. Many of them have gained it back. Diet and exercise alone don't work long term because they don't change the metabolic setpoint. When your body loses weight it goes into survival response mode and does all it can to restore the lost weight. We must change the setpoint for long term weight loss success. Changing the setpoint is the equivalent of changing the thermostat in your house. This is the key metabolic benefit of VSG.

Researchers believe your metabolic setpoint is controlled by the leptin-ghrelin-insulin balance in your system. VSG removes most of the stomach tissue that generates ghrelin (hunger hormone). This is why we aren't very hungry, except for head hunger, after surgery. Removing most of the ghrelin also affects the leptin (fat storage hormone) level, causing the body to want to reduce leptin levels and release fat. The change in both of these also impacts insulin levels, which reduces insulin resistance and in many cases immediately resolves type II diabetes. Endocrinologists don't know exactly why and how all of this works yet, but it does. In fact the ASMBS has reclassified the sleeve from a "restrictive" procedure to a "metabolic" procedure due to the impact it has on our metabolism.

I believe those that have not been successful believed that the surgery was all they needed, and didn't change their lifestyle, food selection or habits. The sleeve should be a catalyst to change to a new, healthier behavior.

@@shriner37

Dr Weiner is awesome! I've seen all his videos on YouTube.

@@Anna Nim I've got no good reason why WLS allows some people to keep the weight off. It's obvious why it doesn't work for a lot of people.....they don't follow the rules, they go back to old eating habits, they basically don't make the necessary lifestyle changes. But why can some people do these things? How are previously fat folks who were never successful losing (and keeping off) weight through traditional diets "magically" able to succeed with WLS? Why couldn't they log their food and eat more Protein and make better choices and not use food as an emotional crutch before surgery? I seriously don't know.

For me, I think it was because surgery allowed me a second chance at finally doing things right. The strict diet and sleeve restriction in the beginning allowed me to lose more weight than any diet ever has. I became a thin person for the first time in my life. I was given a "get out of jail free" card and it was up to me whether I wanted to put in the work to stay out of jail or did I want to make the same mistakes that landed me there in the first place. I chose the former. And let me tell you, the psychological aspect far outweighs the physical aspect of surgery when it comes to long term success. But I knew that going into this so I was prepared. When life started slamming me with stress, I sought the help of a therapist rather than turning back to my old comfort buddies, food and alcohol.

The statistics of how many people lost how much weight or regained X number of pounds has absolutely nothing to do with me.....or you. You can do whatever you want with your sleeve. The choices that determine success or failure are yours. But you have to commit to serious change....including giving up the carbs..... and if you aren't ready or mentally prepared to do that then no, surgery is not the answer for your weight problems.

@@Kindle I really like your response. It is what I have been kinda hoping to hear. A get out of jail free card indeed. I know that some people have regained massive amounts of weight after loosing it, but not ness with the sleeve. I think the damn smaller stomach coupled with the choice (cause by Golly, you did something real serious) to eat less carbs & crap might be the ticket to success!

I'm not really an old timer, but my surgery was in September 2013, I hit goal of 129 in April of 2015, and it is now may of 2016 and I am still semi-at goal. I fluctuate between 129-133 and I have stayed mostly in this range for the last year. I am lucky that my sleeve hates food. I have no real interest in eating anything bad for me because it just makes me sick. It took awhile to get past eating stuff anyway, but I have largely lost my relationship with food as an emotional connection. Food is now just fuel- I eat when I need it and I don't think about it much otherwise. The sleeve gave me the chance to focus on something in life other than my weight. I hope I don't gain weight back, but for now I am happy with my choice.

UPDATE: After researching a lot on the internet, my Dad has agreed to loan me 50% (repay at $250 a month) and give me the other 50% towards LGS surgery.

The caveat is that I have to spend at least three months in a post-WLS diet. Basically eating good, low carb, organic high Protein, no sodas, booze, Cookies or crap and take the supplements from Life Extension that are reported to help with appetite and general nutrition, that he has already sent to me.

The carrot is that if after three months, if I decide not to have WLS surgery, I can use the 5K gift towards a Physical Trainer, Gym Membership, supplements, etc and if I lose 100 lbs all on my own, he will gift me an additional 5K towards a tummy tuck (which as low as I carried my son all those years ago, I will need). Basically a 5k carrot to not have surgery.

His hope is that I may decide not to have the surgery, that I will find the key to keep off the weight.

He is making it as supportive as possible to either do or not do surgery.

He has come to the realization, like I have, that at age 46 (as of yesterday) and 285 with a bum knee and overweight since forever that the "all you have to" 's are not working now. Of course he is concerned about such a very serious surgery.

While it is really good news, I was hoping that I could have surgery in the summer. As a teacher, it is the best time. I would have to have the surgery no earlier than Thanksgiving (which is about 6 months from now). I could have off two, maybe three days of leave, plus the week/weekends of Thanksgiving-giving me at total of 11-12 days off work. Then, I would be back for three weeks to trudge thru before the Holiday Break of 16 days.

On the plus size, at least getting into a healthy, lower carb mindset for the next 6 months (as if we haven't all done this in the past), will at least get some of the weight off pre-surgery and make me feel like I tried "one more time" before going under the knife. My Dad didn't say "until surgery' but "3 months", but clearly with Thanksgiving being my planned date, I might as well keep up the good work. Maybe I will lose 50 pounds!

I do admit I really wanted to have surgery this summer. I just took a double walk around the school with some AU kiddos and realized how incredibly out of shape I am.

UPDATE: After researching a lot on the internet, my Dad has agreed to loan me 50% (repay at $250 a month) and give me the other 50% towards LGS surgery.

The caveat is that I have to spend at least three months in a post-WLS diet. Basically eating good, low carb, organic high Protein, no sodas, booze, Cookies or crap and take the supplements from Life Extension that are reported to help with appetite and general nutrition, that he has already sent to me.

The carrot is that if after three months, if I decide not to have WLS surgery, I can use the 5K gift towards a Physical Trainer, Gym Membership, supplements, etc and if I lose 100 lbs all on my own, he will gift me an additional 5K towards a tummy tuck (which as low as I carried my son all those years ago, I will need). Basically a 5k carrot to not have surgery.

His hope is that I may decide not to have the surgery, that I will find the key to keep off the weight.

He is making it as supportive as possible to either do or not do surgery.

He has come to the realization, like I have, that at age 46 (as of yesterday) and 285 with a bum knee and overweight since forever that the "all you have to" 's are not working now. Of course he is concerned about such a very serious surgery.

While it is really good news, I was hoping that I could have surgery in the summer. As a teacher, it is the best time. I would have to have the surgery no earlier than Thanksgiving (which is about 6 months from now). I could have off two, maybe three days of leave, plus the week/weekends of Thanksgiving-giving me at total of 11-12 days off work. Then, I would be back for three weeks to trudge thru before the Holiday Break of 16 days.

On the plus size, at least getting into a healthy, lower carb mindset for the next 6 months (as if we haven't all done this in the past), will at least get some of the weight off pre-surgery and make me feel like I tried "one more time" before going under the knife. My Dad didn't say "until surgery' but "3 months", but clearly with Thanksgiving being my planned date, I might as well keep up the good work. Maybe I will lose 50 pounds!

I do admit I really wanted to have surgery this summer. I just took a double walk around the school with some AU kiddos and realized how incredibly out of shape I am.

This sounds great (mostly). I would recommend that you work with your programs NUT for your self-styled pre-op diet 1) just in case your surgeon has a requirement for a supervised diet, and 2) to make sure it is healthy -- I would definitely run this appetite suppressant/supplement by your medical team.

Best of luck, the next few months are going to be an adventure!

Jeez. This actually sounds pretty sane.

Well done to you both.

And very, very best wishes.

At 4 years out (in July) I have a little different take. I was able to lose hundreds of pounds over the years, 50 -100 pounds at a time starting when I went over the 200 mark at about age 12. As my surgeon put it, I dieted myself right up to 321 pounds and he assured me that I would eventually diet myself to 400. He explained the addictions and the heredity and many other factors that lead to this in some of us. I was on depression medication and blood pressure medication, had severe sleep apnea and was a miserable human being who made many excuses to not go to events because (although I would have never admitted it to anyone) I was afraid of the sitting accomodations, how people would look at me, what I would wear, etc. My life was literally passing by while I sat on the sidelines too miserable to participate. For 10 years after my brother had successful surgery, I still said it was the "easy way out" and I had proved I could do it and I would do it again! HOW STUPID I WAS!! While I proclaimed this and damaged my body, I could have taken "the easy way out" (which I do not agree with by the way) and participated in 10 more years of my life than I did! This surgery changed my life!!! Think about it... when you are looking at needing to lose 100-150 pounds, you feel defeated right from the beginning and it makes you discouraged just thinking about it. Since I had the surgery and went from a size 26 to a size 6 I now go in 5 pound increments. It is a lot easier to look at losing that 5 pounds than it was 150! Don't get me wrong, there is nothing easy about this and at about 2 years out, the struggle is real! You better have learned a lot on the journey because all those old feelings and habits come back to haunt you and you find yourself battling all your old demons. My one saving grace is that I refuse to go back to that miserable person I was who couldn't do anything. I am very active now and I have to exercise DAILY to maintain my weight even though I rarely ever eat anything unhealthy. I will continue to do that because it is worth it!! As someone said, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. I would do it all over and do it much sooner!