I need some straight talk. I'm considering getting the sleeve, but I'm worried about whether or not I will be able to live with it. while I do want t lose weight, I can't even imagine it so it is hard to have an attitude that I will sacrifice anything for it.

One concern is the food. If you are a foodie like me (I love food but I'm good with small amounts of it), how hard is it to live with this surgery? There is a lot of confusing information around. My potential surgeon says after 2 months, you can eat "normally" just smaller amounts. That sounds fantastic, but it doesn't jive with a lot of what I've read/heard. Some people indicate that they can't have carbs like bread. Others talk about having the kind of meat they eat severely restricted. What is the truth? I'm fine with restricting calories, etc., but I still want to be able to enjoy food.

Another concern is "accidents". One lady I know talks a lot about all of the diarrhea accidents she had after surgery, particularly in the first year. She did have the full bypass, so maybe that is part of it, but I also know a woman who had the sleeve and talks about how she can never be far from a bathroom. I already have some irritable bowel issues (which is part of why I am considering the sleeve rather than bypass), and I really won't be pleased if that is going to get even worse.

I want to have a realistic view of what life would be like post surgery. I really appreciate anything anyone is willing to share.

Either surgery does take work to be successful. That is a fact.

I am more than a year out from sleeve and I have never had any stomach or bowel issues. I have made online friends that have had the same surgery and none of them have had these issues either.

I love to cook and I also love to eat. I do not eat many carbs while in weight loss mode but I do know that I am able to eat small amounts if I so desire. EAting more than just a small portion of anything sweet makes me a bit nauseous.

I think that once you reach maintenance you will be ok eating small amounts of carbs. What may surprise you is that once you go without them for awhile you may no longer crave them.

If sugar is your thing you may need to keep it to something like special occasions only.

Once I started eating better quality food and started losing weight, the “junk” food lost its appeal.

This is all honest and true for me.

Goid luck!

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by Losingit2018

One more thing. The folks that have issues with meat may be speaking of dry meat. It is important to keep the meat tender and juicy. If it is chewed well before swallowing, there really should be no issues at all. I have not had issues with any meat that I have tried. But I always make sure that the meat is moist and tender.

Nope, it still doesn't work for me, even moist, even chewed up to a grayish mouth, goes down and less than 30 minutes, she's all packed to wait me out.

I'm still very early days post op, but I think it's important to consider why you're thinking about surgery in the first place.

I'm known for being a foodie, an adventurous eater, and honestly a damn good cook. All that said, I had to decide if that part of myself was more important than my long term health. Diabetes was my motivation and my family was the match that lit the spark. What wouldn't I give up for a better chance to see my wee-lings grow up and to grow old with my husband?

Now that I'm on the far side of surgery, I'm finding myself excited by the prospect of experimenting and coming up with tasty combinations of foods that will fuel my body and still feed my desire for creativity in the kitchen.

I don't think it had to be an either/or situation.

21 minutes ago, MrsGamgee said:

I'm still very early days post op, but I think it's important to consider why you're thinking about surgery in the first place.

I'm known for being a foodie, an adventurous eater, and honestly a damn good cook. All that said, I had to decide if that part of myself was more important than my long term health. Diabetes was my motivation and my family was the match that lit the spark. What wouldn't I give up for a better chance to see my wee-lings grow up and to grow old with my husband?

Now that I'm on the far side of surgery, I'm finding myself excited by the prospect of experimenting and coming up with tasty combinations of foods that will fuel my body and still feed my desire for creativity in the kitchen.

I don't think it had to be an either/or situation.

I agree completely. I am a former chef (went to the cia etc) and even if i hadn't been in the food and bev field - for my family and friends food is a huge huge deal.

The pre-op diet and the first month in my opinion was the hardest for me. May i never have to be on a life time pureed diet ( it wasn't that bad - it only lasts a few weeks).

You won't know until you have the surgery what your experience will be. Will you have complications (rare), will you not eventually be able to stomach red meat...will you be a slow loser (holla to all the slow losers like me)...will you wake up hungry?

You might for a while think i just don't care about food but it will pass for most people. Take up bridge or some other new hobby in the interim.

I say all of this because I think expectations pre-surgery aren't talked about enough. We are all special snowflakes.

You are going to have to decide whether or not being a foodie trumps being healthy.

For me, the fear of becoming diabetic, having to take hypertension medication, etc. Took priority over anything i could put into my mouth, no matter how delicious.

Being a foodie doesn't have to stop because of the fact you have a new normal.

Your new lifestyle will take some time to, just to but last night i made a Sicilian meatball recipe with sauce over mashed cauliflower. I ate about a 1/4 cup of meatballs and sauce and whatever left of the mashed cauliflower until I am full ( like 1/8th of a cup). It was great. I am a little over six weeks out and should be in the 600-800 calorie range.

You may have to be a bit more creative if you aren't used to watching your carb intake, but over time, I believe it does get easier.

I regret I didn't have the surgery before my umpteenth yoyo dieting attempt , hich I believed was the 'last time'. I lost 65 pounds and put on 72 pounds over a year and some change. I swear if i could add all the weight i loss together over the years, i am sure it would be around what i weigh currently 238.

Good health, whatever you choose.

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by Aprilgal

2 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

Nope, it still doesn't work for me, even moist, even chewed up to a grayish mouth, goes down and less than 30 minutes, she's all packed to wait me out.

God I wish you would quit scaring people. You are SUCH AN OUTLIER, you're in a different universe. I've ignored and ignored your posts. But YOU are not the reality. Period.

I'm sorry your life is so tragic. But you are not an expected outcome. You are one of the .01%.

first, diarrhea is really uncommon (unless you're talking about the DS, which is not a common surgery. The vast majority of us are sleeve or gastric bypass patients). Most of us struggle with the opposite problem - constipation. It's due mostly to the diet (high protein, low carb) and the supplements (iron and calcium), not the surgery per se. So I personally wouldn't worry about that.

I'm also a bit of a foodie. You're pretty restricted the first few months after surgery, but I can eat anything now (albeit in smaller portions) except for really high-fat meals. Going into it, though, I wasn't sure how it would turn out for me. I, too, like an above poster, had to make the decision of losing my excess weight vs. eating what I wanted. The older I got and the more my weight started affecting my health, the clearer the decision became.

The first few months can be difficult as you cycle through the different phases while your body heals. Expect it. That way you won't be disappointed. I had the sleeve, no accidents. A few times early on dry meat (chicken) didn't agree with me but I can honestly eat anything now. I limit my carbs and sugar because they are a slippery slope for me. Surgery or not, I think everyone should limit carbs and sugar.

I loved to cook for my family and friends before surgery and still do. I think the surgery has made me an even better cook, insisting on only the best ingredients! I'm not wasting my small capacity on something that tastes like crap, it is going to be spectacular. Last week my husband actually said, "You've become an even better cook the last couple years." I swear he said it, and he didn't even want anything

I want to lead off by saying I am an outlier. I had a very easy surgery and recovery. I have an iron sleeve, almost nothing bothers it, and hasn't from the beginning. I have lost 100% of my excess weight, am below my goal weight, and have maintained for nearly 6 months now. So, take what I say with a grain of salt, knowing that I have been supremely lucky, and the stars have aligned for me, for now (who knows what the future holds though).

I am also a foodie. I eat out very frequently, both for business, and just as my personal lifestyle. I have not have any issue eating a very wide range of food (with one exception, I'll get to later).

My first business trip was 3 weeks post op. It was a week long wine and dine event, with elaborate meals, dinners being upwards of 20 courses. I ate ahead of my plan, and had little tiny bits of just about everything. I don't recommend this, but it caused no issue for me, other than a weight gain of 3 lbs when I returned.

I have been on multiple international trips post op. I ate meat pies and drank beer in Scotland. I ate pasta and drank wine in Italy. I ate falafel and drank tea in Egypt.

BUT, it wasn't all just eat whatever I want, but smaller portions. I balanced "off plan" meals with being very disciplined, especially when I was home. For many months, until my hunger returned, I was routinely under 500 cals a day. I took advantage of not being hungry, and not having head hunger triggers, by eating to only get my required protein in, and therefore consuming very few cals, many days.

Now that I am in maintenance, I have been fortunate so far. My BMR appear to be north of 1500 cals a day. I still have a fair amount of restriction, so I am able to eat relatively freely. But I log everything I eat and weigh myself nearly everyday I am home. I am willing to adjust my diet and cals in order to maintain at a weight I'm happy with (which may eventually end up higher than my current weight). But even if I do end up having to be more careful with my diet, it will always be a combo of disciplined and splurge meals. It will just be about finding the balance between the two.

On the topic of digestive issues, I have had no accidents, no diarrhea (other than the occasional that everyone gets from time to time). I was constipated early post op, and added Benefiber to every non-water liquid I ingested. I can get nausea if I over eat, but it passes quickly. I have only gotten sick twice, and it was vitamins on too empty of a stomach.

The only negative consequence I have had, is dumping-ish symptoms, from time to time. Occasionally it is random, but the most common trigger is liquid sugar, such as Vietnamese coffee, or Baileys Irish Cream for example. I just get extreme nausea and my heart races. So I've given up any large quantities of sweet beverages, or anything similar, like ice cream, pudding.

So, it is possible to live a normal foodie life, post sleeve. But this journey is very, very individual. It is a true YMMV situation. So just as there are outliers who have lots of complications & food sensitivities, I am an outlier that has had practically none. I am at one extreme of the bell curve.

Hope that helps!

Of course there is the risk of side effects with either procedure. From what I've read and what I know though, dumping, which is having to run to the bathroom after you eat, is more common with the bypass. I had the sleeve, and it's happened to me once or twice in 14 months. You will eventually be able to physically eat whatever you want; now, the issue is: will those foods help you reach your weight loss goals? I usually eat really well; for instance, an egg and a couple of bacon for breakfast, fruit for a snack, grilled chicken for lunch, etc.... but every now and then I allow myself to have something I really want...maybe a donut even, but it's not all the time and it's not regularly. You can have the foods you love, but you may not be able to have them everyday if you want to lose weight.

54 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

I want to lead off by saying I am an outlier. I had a very easy surgery and recovery. I have an Iron sleeve, almost nothing bothers it, and hasn't from the beginning. I have lost 100% of my excess weight, am below my goal weight, and have maintained for nearly 6 months now. So, take what I say with a grain of salt, knowing that I have been supremely lucky, and the stars have aligned for me, for now (who knows what the future holds though).

I am also a foodie. I eat out very frequently, both for business, and just as my personal lifestyle. I have not have any issue eating a very wide range of food (with one exception, I'll get to later).

My first business trip was 3 weeks post op. It was a week long wine and dine event, with elaborate meals, dinners being upwards of 20 courses. I ate ahead of my plan, and had little tiny bits of just about everything. I don't recommend this, but it caused no issue for me, other than a weight gain of 3 lbs when I returned.

I have been on multiple international trips post op. I ate meat pies and drank beer in Scotland. I ate Pasta and drank wine in Italy. I ate falafel and drank tea in Egypt.

BUT, it wasn't all just eat whatever I want, but smaller portions. I balanced "off plan" meals with being very disciplined, especially when I was home. For many months, until my hunger returned, I was routinely under 500 cals a day. I took advantage of not being hungry, and not having head hunger triggers, by eating to only get my required Protein in, and therefore consuming very few cals, many days.

Now that I am in maintenance, I have been fortunate so far. My BMR appear to be north of 1500 cals a day. I still have a fair amount of restriction, so I am able to eat relatively freely. But I log everything I eat and weigh myself nearly everyday I am home. I am willing to adjust my diet and cals in order to maintain at a weight I'm happy with (which may eventually end up higher than my current weight). But even if I do end up having to be more careful with my diet, it will always be a combo of disciplined and splurge meals. It will just be about finding the balance between the two.

On the topic of digestive issues, I have had no accidents, no diarrhea (other than the occasional that everyone gets from time to time). I was constipated early post op, and added Benefiber to every non-water liquid I ingested. I can get nausea if I over eat, but it passes quickly. I have only gotten sick twice, and it was Vitamins on too empty of a stomach.

The only negative consequence I have had, is dumping-ish symptoms, from time to time. Occasionally it is random, but the most common trigger is liquid sugar, such as Vietnamese coffee, or Baileys Irish Cream for example. I just get extreme nausea and my heart races. So I've given up any large quantities of sweet beverages, or anything similar, like ice cream, pudding.

So, it is possible to live a normal foodie life, post sleeve. But this journey is very, very individual. It is a true YMMV situation. So just as there are outliers who have lots of complications & food sensitivities, I am an outlier that has had practically none. I am at one extreme of the bell curve.

Hope that helps!

Just wish to say you seem to have everything down pat.

Great attitude! Is it possible to get a little more detail?

What was your pre-op weight, how long did it take to lose all your weight and how much did you lose? Was it consistent losses every month or all over the place? I'm going for RNY but you seem to have everything in order so you are an inspiration!

7 minutes ago, Mikeyy said:

Just wish to say you seem to have everything down pat.

Great attitude! Is it possible to get a little more detail?

What was your pre-op weight, how long did it take to lose all your weight and how much did you lose? Was it consistent losses every month or all over the place? I'm going for RNY but you seem to have everything in order so you are an inspiration!

I wouldn't say I have everything down pat, more than anything I've been lucky! ?

I started at 243 lbs, I currently float between 125-130 lbs. My total loss is about 115 lbs. It took me 9.5 months to hit goal, and then continued to lose below my goal weight.

	Each Month	Total loss
Month 1	-17.6	-17.6
Month 2	-16.2	-33.8
Month 3	-14.2	-48
Month 4	-8.4	-56.4
Month 5	-12.6	-69
Month 6	-9.4	-78.4
Month 7	-12.2	-90.6
Month 8	2.8	-87.8
Month 9	-10	-97.8
Month 10	-6.4	-104.2
Month 11	-6.6	-110.8
Month 12	-1.4	-112.2
Month 13	-2.2	-114.4
Month 14	0	-114.4
Month 15	-0.6	-115

As you can see my losses were overall pretty predictable, larger losses at the beginning, then slowing down as I got closer to goal. I had one month with gains because I had a hard time getting back on track after vacation, combined with my hunger monster being awakened again.

Good luck!

1 hour ago, sillykitty said:

I wouldn't say I have everything down pat, more than anything I've been lucky! ?

I started at 243 lbs, I currently float between 125-130 lbs. My total loss is about 115 lbs. It took me 9.5 months to hit goal, and then continued to lose below my goal weight.

	Each Month	Total loss
Month 1	-17.6	-17.6
Month 2	-16.2	-33.8
Month 3	-14.2	-48
Month 4	-8.4	-56.4
Month 5	-12.6	-69
Month 6	-9.4	-78.4
Month 7	-12.2	-90.6
Month 8	2.8	-87.8
Month 9	-10	-97.8
Month 10	-6.4	-104.2
Month 11	-6.6	-110.8
Month 12	-1.4	-112.2
Month 13	-2.2	-114.4
Month 14	0	-114.4
Month 15	-0.6	-115

As you can see my losses were overall pretty predictable, larger losses at the beginning, then slowing down as I got closer to goal. I had one month with gains because I had a hard time getting back on track after vacation, combined with my hunger monster being awakened again.

Good luck!

You're a rock star girlie!!! Woot!!!

12 hours ago, Ruth9454 said:

I need some straight talk. I'm considering getting the sleeve, but I'm worried about whether or not I will be able to live with it. while I do want t lose weight, I can't even imagine it so it is hard to have an attitude that I will sacrifice anything for it.

One concern is the food. If you are a foodie like me (I love food but I'm good with small amounts of it), how hard is it to live with this surgery? There is a lot of confusing information around. My potential surgeon says after 2 months, you can eat "normally" just smaller amounts. That sounds fantastic, but it doesn't jive with a lot of what I've read/heard. Some people indicate that they can't have carbs like bread. Others talk about having the kind of meat they eat severely restricted. What is the truth? I'm fine with restricting calories, etc., but I still want to be able to enjoy food.

Another concern is "accidents". One lady I know talks a lot about all of the diarrhea accidents she had after surgery, particularly in the first year. She did have the full bypass, so maybe that is part of it, but I also know a woman who had the sleeve and talks about how she can never be far from a bathroom. I already have some irritable bowel issues (which is part of why I am considering the sleeve rather than bypass), and I really won't be pleased if that is going to get even worse.

I want to have a realistic view of what life would be like post surgery. I really appreciate anything anyone is willing to share.

Straight talk…Get a copy of your surgeons/directions plan and food progression for clarification. You need to know if this is something you can stick to. You have to want this enough to change.

I hope you go into this with realistic expectations. Just because a few people on this site can eat anything and not gain weight does not mean that will be your personal experience. Many don’t keep the weight off long term eating what they want and relying on restriction alone. If you eat off plan and notice it slows/stops your weight loss you many need to stick to your dietician food plan. (read all the posts on regain and revision)

I’m five years out. I maintain in the 130’s. I had to work for this. I followed my plan. I was consistent not perfect. I got to goal in six months ( not the norm with the sleeve)

How bad is it if you enjoy food?

I love food and I don’t feel deprived. I enjoy trying new recipes and ingredients. I make healthy versions of old favorites. I go to restaurants and social events. It easy to find protein and veggies and other items on my plan that keep me in weight loss mode. I also stay within my weight loss/ maintaining calories and macros. Your diet will change when you go into maintenance mode. You will be adding more carbs and can indulge within reason.

Stomach issues:

Most sleeves can tolerate anything without dumping syndrome (sleeve surgery intestines are not altered) Other surgeries once sugar hits the intestine they dump. Only my opinion. If you can’t control sugar and food choices, the sleeve many not be a good fit for you.

This whole post has been good to read. I'm having surgery in 2 weeks. I have IBS and already have issues. However, I've been on medication and I've been taking a probiotic. It seems to help a lot and ever since I started doing that I have rarely had any IBS issues. My friend takes the same probiotic and has had improvement...so I think that might be important. I also took peppermint oil for awhile. That was helpful. Anyways, I keep seeing that everyone is different, and I hope to not have as much aggravation. Put I'm thinking the probiotics are a big help. I never believed in them until my nutritionist recommended me trying them.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to cooking with better ingredients. I've already figured that I'll be saving money on food by not eating out that often and buying less...so I might as well buy better quality food.