Sleeve is the most performed surgery. It’s the flavor of the month. I’m concerned if its being performed like a surgery mill. I would love your feedback. Please give the date you had surgery and State or country you had the procedure done:

Questions for sleeves:

• Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op?
• Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away?
• Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan?
• Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery?
• Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful?
• Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do?
• If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful?

Surgery performed in Louisville, KY, USA 12/11/18.

Questions for sleeves:

• Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op? YES
• Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away? YES
• Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan? YES
• Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery? JUST FINE
• Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful? YES
• Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do? YES
• If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful? N/A

I would love your feedback. Please give the date you had surgery and State or country you had the procedure done:

June 2014 Idaho

Questions for sleeves:

Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op?

I had my pre op seminar. They were excellent in going over all the type of surgeries. The positives and down sides of each. My surgeon and I went over which surgeries would fit my medical issues best.

Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger go’s away?

I was told real and head hunger would still happen. That it would be less than pre op.

Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan?

Yes, I had a pre op class, instructions in writing sent home, one on ones with my dietitian in the first months. Cooking class and a behavior change class.

Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery?

It was just a hoop. Not much depth in the questions. It honestly felt like a step to release the surgeon from liability. I did some weight loss related counseling during the process it was helpful.

Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful?

No I was weighed and told I was doing great and sent on my way. Three appointments the first year and one every year to track success rates. I stopped going my third year.

Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do and to contact them if you had any issues?

Yes, I was given the information that this is a tool and I had to do the work.

If you had regained or other issues, did you contact your team and were they helpful?

I contacted them about some diet issues. They were not helpful. They did not know how to address someone who had a higher fitness level. They would not go off the bariatric cookie cutter instructions. The result was I was not healthy, I burnt muscle and my blood sugar was low (type one diabetic)

1 hour ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Questions for sleeves:

VSG 8/18 Illinois

• Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op?
• For the most part yes.
• Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away?
• I don’t recall being told about head hunger. I was told my appetite would decrease and it varied for everyone.
• Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan?
• Yes, for the first few months more than further down the road. However recently the clinic started using their teaching kitchen and hold cooking classes with the nutritionist for free. It’s a great setting to chat and learn.
• Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery?
• My psych evaluation was just a hoop, but I didn’t feel like I needed more therapy.
• Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful?
• Very much so. I am going to a newer practice and they have a lot of resources at our disposal. I feel like they are on a bit of a learning curve and keep improving. My 9 month follow up is Wednesday.
• Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Yes
• Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do?
• Not a list, but a binder filled with a bunch of information for each stage at least through the first few months post op. We also get a 3 month gym membership at the hospital pre and post op for $100.
• If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful?
• N/A Although they made it clear from day one that they consider us lifelong patients and expect to see us on a regular basis.

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by Cheeseburgh

Questions for sleeves:

• Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op? More then enough.
• Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away? Yes, said I had to really becareful because I will be losing weight regardless of my diet for a while, but it will soon all catch up and unless I really watch what I am eating, it will all be gained back.
• Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan? Yes, 6 meetings with a nut, 2 with PT, 1 with the surgeon and a class pre op.
• Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery? I saw it as really unnecessary, personally I could see the trap questions so I really could answer to whatever I wanted them to think.
• Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful? Sofar, I am only 1 month out. next app is in 2 weeks
• Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do? Yes
• If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful? N/A

VSG 11/17 NY

Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op?

yes I went to the 3 required teaching pre op info sessions and monthly post op support groups. They were repetitive but drilled the info in.

Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away?

I don't think I ever really bought into the bargain of never feeling hunger again so I didnt count on that. It seemed like a fairly tale. I wasn't banking on that helping me personally. And they always reinforced the fact that *some people* experienced it. I was just hoping for reduced capacity and restriction honestly.

Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan?

yes they provided clear personalized information, especially since I was hell bent on going vegan again... Settled on flexible vegetarianism, thank goodness ?

Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery?

Initially I worried because I've never seen a therapist prior and thought Damnit this is going to make or break it all, then when I arrived at the office i thought piece of pie piece of cake I'll ace this... They want to get people in and out. But surprisingly during my singular session when I didn't have the answers to some unexpected questions (which I freely admitted... Rookie move) the therapist in his elder wisdom suggested I watch some more YouTubes and join an online support group or two! I think it was just the right amount of sessions for me.

Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful?

Extremely. They always always always felr accessible and helpful. Listened to my concerns, ran the proper tests ,called me tiny, ran extras if i had a concern, answered emails, told me I was pretty, said I could eat fun food abroad, shot straight with me if I was behind the losing curve, told me to try to give up coffee for GERD's sake (and I did... no impact)

They have been amazing amd I'm so sorry if anyone has anything less

Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do?

Yes. But I think I began to worry like 6 months post when i started seeing post floating around stating that it was inevitable. Like a natural law. That absolutely everyone will regain a certain amount and just prepare for it. And it felt so contradictory to what i was being taught. I was in contact with sone people in support group who regained but they were honest about why... They ate stuff that caused it. And others that didn't regain. They did not eat stuff. Sure medical issue can attribute to regain but none of the 20+ people on either side of maintaining said that. It was always just food.

but back to the question yes they were very clear about portion control and sustainable lifestyle changes.

If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful?

I have had regain already its usually a few lbs. Never more that 7-8lbs from my lowest ever. I do feel like I could come up with a plan which involve my Team. For now im still closely working the plan they gave me. They gave me instructions into the 2yr period. They said be vigilant. Don't start making continuous poor overall choices (like rice/bread/pasta/chips daily - this may work for some but will not work for me at all especially since I dont really eat animal protein so I'm hardly ever dense protein forward)

Edited May 20, 20197 yr by GreenTealael

1 hour ago, GreenTealael said:

post when i started seeing post floating around stating that it was inevitable

I was told by my team that a 15/20 pound gain is a expected occurrence years out but, it won’t happen to everyone. Anyone else’ hear about the dreaded 15/20 pound gain?????

14 minutes ago, Healthy_life2 said:

I was told by my team that a 15/20 pound gain is a expected occurrence years out but, it won’t happen to everyone. Anyone else’ hear about the dreaded 15/20 pound gain?????

I didn't hear a specific number at all ?

I'm not gaining 20lbs of anything... I can no longer carry an extra 5lbs of groceries in my hands from the car to the house... That's my incentive ?

14 minutes ago, Healthy_life2 said:

I was told by my team that a 15/20 pound gain is a expected occurrence years out but, it won’t happen to everyone. Anyone else’ hear about the dreaded 15/20 pound gain?????

No, but I’ll ask when I go in for my follow up this week.

• Do you feel you were given enough information on this procedure pre op and post op?

Yes. I could have had more information had I attended the seminars and support groups pre-op. I did, however, perform tons of research and went into my surgical consult with lots of questions in mind.

• Did they explain that you will still feel real and head hunger with any surgery procedure? Or tell you hunger will go away?

My nutritionist explained "head hunger" and told me I would not feel real hunger immediately after surgery but couldn't give me an exact time frame as to when real hunger would return because it's different with everyone.

• Did they give you clear instructions on how to work your plan?

Yes, but not as clear as some. My plan is structured by weeks and under each week is a list of foods along with how much protein and water I should consume each day. By week 6, I have guidance on how many calories, carbs, protein and fat I could consume each day for long term weight loss. Some people's surgeons provided a day by day timeline, which I think is nice.

• Was the psych evaluation just a hoop to jump through? Would you have benefited doing more therapy before surgery?

My psych evaluation was a joke. It was computer based and.... honestly, I shouldn't even answer this question. lol.

• Were your follow up appointments with your surgeons and dietician helpful?

I've only had one follow-up so far, but it was quite helpful. I plan to meet with the nutritionist at least 3 more times over the next 9 months and will continue with the surgeon's follow-ups as required.

• Did you understand that you can gain weight back? Did they help with a list of instructions and things to do and not to do?

Yes, I fully understood weight regain is possible. Yes, they provided instructions on what to do and not do, which is the same instructions for weight loss pre-op. The difference is if I want to take full advantage of the tool, I have to do what it takes to permanently make a lifestyle change. This is my opportunity to make the changes stick this time.

• If you had regain, did you contact your team and were they helpful?

NA - I'm too new

** typos expected. I don't proof before hitting submit. lol

On 5/20/2019 at 4:34 PM, Healthy_life2 said:

I was told by my team that a 15/20 pound gain is a expected occurrence years out but, it won’t happen to everyone. Anyone else’ hear about the dreaded 15/20 pound gain?????

I asked at my 9 month follow up today. Response: If you continue to work out and stay active you should not expect to gain weight, however some people might gain 5 or so pounds from their low weight even if they are active because their body just wants to settle there. I was told if I stop exercising regularly then yes I should expect to gain 10-20 pounds.

I hope that helps. It isn’t a perfect science!