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Losing weight when you’re disabled



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Is anyone that is disabled get the gastric sleeve and lost a lot of weight without having to exercise too much I talk to my surgeon about my disability and I can’t really walk or stand or anything for too long and I was worried that I would be wasting my time getting the surgery and not lose any weight but he encouraged me that he has patients that can’t exercise and they’ve lost weight so I just want someone to confirm that this is possible.

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While I didn't have the gastric sleeve specifically (my surgery has a VSG stomach, but it also has the intestinal bypass bit because it's the Loop Duodenal Switch/SADI-S/SIPS) I AM disabled due to two back injuries and osteoarthritis in my knees, back, hips, ankles, etc. that make it to where I can't really exercise. I was told that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise and after having lost a grand total of 204 pounds (136 pounds of that since my surgery. The other 68 pounds was my monitored weight loss before my surgery) I agree with that statement. I WISH that I was more mobile because I KNOW I would have lost more, but I'm incredibly happy with my results. I mean, I'd like to lose the last 5 pounds to my goal weight, but if I hit maintenance I'd be okay where I'm at (lost 1 pound this month after a 30-odd day stall. Lost 4 pounds last month and 1 the month before that after a 30 day stall. I'm getting closer and closer to maintenance, I think).

Edited by NovaLuna
spelling :P

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I did very little exercise while in the weight loss phase because I needed a hip replacement and could barely walk. I had my hip replacement when I was about 130 lbs ( 2 yrs ago today!) I can now walk as far as I want to and have no problem maintaining my weight at 108 lbs. I had the gastric bypass. I walk every day and have no problem doing 6-7 miles.

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yes - I know of several people who did with with little to no exercise. Like NovaLuna said above weight loss is 80% diet, so you'll be able to lose quite a bit of weight even if you can't exercise.

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Yes, diet is the much bigger portion of weight loss compared with exercise, but exercise is considered important for weight maintenance, so it may be a good idea to think of ways to exercise that don't involve standing or walking. For example, are you able to swim or do Water aerobics? What about an exercise bike? I don't know what your disability is, but there are physical therapists who work with people with many disabilities who can help you develop a program of exercise suited to your abilities and limitations. I wouldn't give up on WLS just because you have limited mobility, but I would talk to your treatment team about what your options are - in any case, moving in the immediate period after surgery is important to avoid blood clots, even if it's just for a few minutes at a time.

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Thank you so much this really helped me feel more confident about continuing the process towards the weight loss surgery. I can definitely do Water aerobics it’s just hard for me to be able to get to the pool most days I might consider getting one of those therapy pools that could fit in to my Florida room.

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I had the gastric sleeve and am disabled. I did not exercise and lost 131lbs the first year by sticking to the plan. I did however have to revise due to GERD last year.

Edited by Tracyringo

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I am disabled and limited in exercise options. What I did is get a script for PT to show me exercises and moves that I could safely do at home without further injuring myself. As I progressed, I did the same.

With the sleeve, I've gone from about 275# to 119# this morning. I've been maintaining since 2013.

Remember, where there's a will, there's a way!

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

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      · 2 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

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      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

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      · 0 replies
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