I was recently watching an episode of My 600lbs Life and the doctor made a comment that really surprised me. He told his patient that after five years the effects of gastric bypass are gone. I got the impression that after five years the pouch has stretched to the size of a normal size stomach. Has anyone else have heard this? Is this true for the sleeve?

@@lunarose

in 5 years the body is adjusted to the malabsorbtion, and it has decreased to almost nothing. The intestinal track adjusts. That is why it is important to develop healthy eating habits because you can't rely on malabsoprtion forever. This is why long term, the sleeve and the bypass have the same results.

It isn't about the stomach stretching, it is about people falling back into old habits. The pouch can stretch more than the sleeve, but that isn't the issue. Success of failure is about people making real, lasting lifestyle changes.

Yup, the effectiveness of both surgeries wane over time. My husband is 10 years out RNY and can now eat normal portions. He no longer counts on the restriction or malabsorbtion to maintain his weight, it's pretty much all on him now. It is with sleeve patients years out, also.

I look at the first couple of years after surgery as our training wheels. Soon after, the training wheels come off and we either fall or keep riding

I had wrote this exact post earlier with a different title, sorry all if that considered a double post... I was binge watching the show this morning.

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Thanks all. I am just shy of six years out and I still feel the restriction, last month I actually got sick when I ate too much too fast. I was just surprised to hear it but it makes sense.

I'm 4 years out. I started feeling hungry 6 months after surgery. Constant struggle. Cant eat big portions but hungry every two hours. Its terrible.

Oh my?! The whole reason I am getting the sleeve is to stop the hunger level?

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@@beachbum64

Your hunger levels decrease and still stay decreased for a long time. This gives you a chance to develop healthy habits. It isn't a forever thing, just like the initial restriction isn't forever.

Wow! Thanks for the information. I can see how many gain weight back. Thank you for taking the time to respond. It's very much appreciated. I do not have a surgery date yet.

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I was recently watching an episode of My 600lbs Life and the doctor made a comment that really surprised me. He told his patient that after five years the effects of gastric bypass are gone. I got the impression that after five years the pouch has stretched to the size of a normal size stomach. Has anyone else have heard this? Is this true for the sleeve?

I remember this episode and it had me thinking "Should I really do this?"

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Me too audaciousmarie

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Oh my?! The whole reason I am getting the sleeve is to stop the hunger level?

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I suppose there is a small hunger reduction, but after 9 months, it's mainly the restriction.

I avoid hunger the same way I did pre-surgery, avoid sugar and white carbs as long as possible each day. Protein and fat keep my appetite at bay.

The effect wears off five to six years later? I'm scheduled for VSG consult next week. I will ask about this. I have successfully lost weight and maintained it for over a year a couple of times. I know there is no such thing as "retraining my eating habits" long-term without the added aid of surgery. I am deeply concerned of the surgery wearing off. Please share more experiences.

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Edited July 5, 201610 yr by sunny145

@@sunny145

Surgery doesn't wear off. People that have RNY/Bypass, their malabsorption does not last forever. If they don't learn to eat properly, when their body finally adjusts to it, they will stop losing and start regaining if they don't have a healthy lifestyle.

A properly formed sleeve does not stretch, you keep your restriction. What wears off mostly is people motivation and desire to lose weight and keep it off. People lose weight and small things creep into their diet and then become big things. Overall, it is natural to gain weight as you age. If you make real lifestyle changes, it is easier to keep weight off, too many people treat surgery just like a diet.

And at 11.5 months, I basically have no physical hunger unless I forget to eat for 12 hours or more. My head hunger is more like a soft faint whisper in the wind, instead of a loud shouting Drill Sergeant.

My father had bypass about ten years ago, he has regained a little weight so he is not super skinny anymore but it is nothing like he was before, he weighed over 450 pounds then. He goes back and forth he gains some and then loses some but is still healthy. He still feels the effect of surgery, he still gets the dumping syndrome. I myself am going to have the sleeve I think but I just thought I would share my fathers story with you

My personal experience:

I am over 5yrs out.

I still have a well healed restriction

I still experience dumping syndrome

I have absolutely NO hunger. I set my cell phone to remind me to eat.

I am content.