I am a 50-year-old man who struggled with my weight most of my life, starting with being an overweight kid. No diet or exercise program produced tangible, good results. At my annual physical in March I weighed in at 405 pounds. I take no meds, and up to this point, my most serious health issue has been sleep apnea that I was trying to handle with CPAP (mostly unsuccessfully). Given my alarmingly high weight, my doctor recommended that I look into the bariatric surgery option.

I eagerly started the process, looking at it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for getting back to normal body weight and gaining a quality of life I have not enjoyed for a long time.

The bariatric program I joined requires that patients lose 10% of their weight before even being scheduled for surgery. Insurance also requires at least 3 months of engagement with a managed weight loss program. I was determined that despite my past struggles with diets, I will do whatever it takes to make the cut.

I met with the program's nutritionist and had a very nice discussion with her. Then I went home, and threw out the materials she gave me (calorie counting book, etc), and ignored all her directions and advice. I dove into reading and research and started implementing a diet largely based on Matthew Weiner's A Pound of Cure vegetable-focused program. I had immediate success, losing 20 lbs in the first month (guaranteed, a lot of that may have been water weight held onto by insulin). I kept reading and experimenting, incorporating advice from Sten Ekberg (Master Your Health), Eric Berg, Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Diet), Jason Fung (fasting strategies), and many others.

At this point, I am three months into my pre-op personally directed diet. I have

• lost a total of 70 pounds
• have a current weight loss rate of 1 lb / day
• feeling great
• COMPLETE resolution of my sleep apnea issues
• 120/80 blood pressure (was somewhat high at the beginning of the program)
• went from a size 4XL to wearing 2XL (depending on cut of clothing)
• 48 inch waist to 42 inch waist
• not counting calories
• no hunger or craving issues

I am just starting to discover the research (a recent Nobel Prize-winning one) regarding Autophagy and its related health benefits brought about by intermittent fasting, and many other possibilities.

Next week I am scheduled to meet with the bariatric program's PA, do my weigh-in, and (pending insurance approval) schedule the surgery.

I am torn and in doubt.

The last few months have been some of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Gaining control of my body and my overall health in the way I have done in such a short period of time is amazing.

The bariatric surgery option, which just a short while ago seemed like a Holy Grail lifesaver to me, seems full of pitfalls and restrictions on the methods I can do to manage my body weight and health. I was looking forward to trying out possibilities with time-restricted eating, and using longer fasts (triggering autophagy) to eliminate loose, hanging skin that might come about otherwise with significant weight loss.

On the other hand, I still weigh 335 pounds and am nowhere near my goal of a healthy 200. What if my weight loss stalls out well short of that goal?

The sensible answer might be to simply wait, see what happens, and re-engage with the program if it seems necessary to keep pushing past a stall point.

However, for reasons I do not want to detail, I might not have this option after this year. Under these circumstances, if this was your only chance to move ahead with a Gastric Sleeve operation, would you do it? Any other thoughts?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

7 hours ago, Barrr said:

Thank you for your reply. Can you provide some details? What specifically are you finding as the most negative aspects of the sleeve?

Rough recovery?

Difficulty in losing weight?

Overly restrictive diet?

Something else?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Recovery was/ is rough however not physically but mentally, it feels like being on a super restrictive diet 24/7 that you can never cheat on, separating eating and drinking is also very hard. Loosing weight has happened because of the difficulties i have had eating which i just dont feel like doing. I had no comprehension of how hard this would be, the chew chew chew and sip sip sip drive me crazy. I really regret having this surgery and i am now struggling mentally. You really need to be very disciplined with meal prep, planning and to be able to eat for the sake of eating no matter whether you will enjoy it or not. I am finding it difficult because i cant eat something if i dont like the taste of it. I thought it would be a case of eating my old diet but in smaller portions, but no its not. It is so hard and this is what we dont see, we look at others and see a new slim person, we dont hear how hard it is or the struggles they face. I also feel let down by the whole process i started at 100kg my gp gave me a referral without giving me options or discussing how serious the surgery was, the dietian asked me questions to which i responded in a way she should have seen i wasnt suitable no meal prep, working odd hours, etc. The surgeon well no surgery no pay so once again no patient care. All in all considering i didnt have that much to loose other options should have been presented but it was made all to easy to get a surgery that is forever going to change the way you eat and drink. All I can say is if you go ahead get councilling before lots of it and after surgery, practice taking smal bites and chewing 30 plus times before swallowing, dont drink 30 mins before or after eating, drink only water. But even when you practice this its different to the real deal. Oh i nearly forgot, if you enjoy a good BM that changes too a tiny little poop every couple of days ? and i havent had a decent burp since surgery just these gurgling throat noises.

Edited September 25, 20214 yr by SleeverSk
Added more info

I’m sorry you’re feeling this way @SleeverSk. Your surgeon, doctor & medical team really should have discussed your lifestyle & how the surgery might impact it with you so you would have been better informed - it is your body & your life. I’m sorry you weren’t better prepared by your team.

The first couple of months can be challenging - a restrictive diet, changed eating habits, fussy tummy, hormonal changes causing emotional upsets, etc. & your body just not letting you do what you want to & used to do. But a lot of the things you’ve mentioned like chewing & sipping do get better. You won’t need to chew, chew chew forever. (I never did at all.) Will you need to still eat slowly & take smaller bites? Yes. But how large a bite & how much time you will take to eat is individual. (I still eat slowly & take small bites but some of that is my choice.) Like some people can go back to gulping fluids & taking multiple sips at a time. Some not so much. (I’m a 2 mouthful person.) My tummy gurgles but not all the time. I find it happens more after I eat dairy or if I put pressure on my chest (like my iPad resting on my chest when I read in bed). It’s not uncommon for people to experience changes in their taste &/or smell after surgery But this is a short term affect. Cutting some foods out of your diet for a period of time may make you more sensitive to them like sweet things may become too sweet. Some develop food sensitivities or intolerances like to lactose. Oh & yes you will becoming more regular with your BMs as you start to eat more & a broader range of food types. Add some soluble (non swelling) fibre to your diet to help in the meantime.

Will you go back to eating exactly the same way you did before? No. But do you want to? I mean look where that got you before. Part of this process is examining your food choices & making better, more nutritious choices so you can enjoy a healthier life. Does that mean you’ll never eat pizza, burgers, ice cream or whatever you enjoyed? No. Many do eat foods that would be considerate less nutritious, high fat, high sugar, etc. It’s just not every day or every week & yes, portion control is important. Working out how you manage your eating (when & what) does take time. There are many people in this forum who work long hours, night shifts, etc. in a range of occupations & they have devised eating routines that complement their job demands & limitations & lifestyles & still meet all their nutrient needs. It just takes time. I frequently freeze single serve portions of meals I make & leftovers. Makes it easy to grab a meal out of the freezer & reheat at work or on those occasions you don’t feel like cooking.

The surgery isn’t a magical fix. Changing a lifetime of habits isn’t easy. And life often throws a truck load of crap at you at times. It’s why some regain part or most of their weight back. I doubt anyone on this forum would say it is a totally easy journey though some find aspects smoother than others but we’re different people. Most are positive because when they reflect on all their experiences they see how it’s made their life better & decide it was worth the hard work & any challenges or struggles. I certainly do. I hope you can find peace with your surgery & feel more confident about managing the changes soon.

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I hope you are right, but right now I am not feeling it. You are right i was let down by my surgical team badly and i now know this surgery wasnt right for me but its done now and i have to manage it best i can. ❤❤

8 hours ago, SleeverSk said:

Recovery was/ is rough however not physically but mentally, it feels like being on a super restrictive diet 24/7 that you can never cheat on, separating eating and drinking is also very hard. Loosing weight has happened because of the difficulties i have had eating which i just dont feel like doing. I had no comprehension of how hard this would be, the chew chew chew and sip sip sip drive me crazy. I really regret having this surgery and i am now struggling mentally. You really need to be very disciplined with meal prep, planning and to be able to eat for the sake of eating no matter whether you will enjoy it or not. I am finding it difficult because i cant eat something if i dont like the taste of it. I thought it would be a case of eating my old diet but in smaller portions, but no its not. It is so hard and this is what we dont see, we look at others and see a new slim person, we dont hear how hard it is or the struggles they face. I also feel let down by the whole process i started at 100kg my gp gave me a referral without giving me options or discussing how serious the surgery was, the dietian asked me questions to which i responded in a way she should have seen i wasnt suitable no meal prep, working odd hours, etc. The surgeon well no surgery no pay so once again no patient care. All in all considering i didnt have that much to loose other options should have been presented but it was made all to easy to get a surgery that is forever going to change the way you eat and drink. All I can say is if you go ahead get councilling before lots of it and after surgery, practice taking smal bites and chewing 30 plus times before swallowing, dont drink 30 mins before or after eating, drink only Water. But even when you practice this its different to the real deal. Oh i nearly forgot, if you enjoy a good BM that changes too a tiny little poop every couple of days ? and i havent had a decent burp since surgery just these gurgling throat noises.

Sorry for your experience.

But I do think it’s helpful that you highlighted some of the serious questions about preparedness to consider before surgery.

Hopefully all goes well for you.

On 9/23/2021 at 12:20 PM, Barrr said:

I am a 50-year-old man who struggled with my weight most of my life, starting with being an overweight kid. No diet or exercise program produced tangible, good results. At my annual physical in March I weighed in at 405 pounds. I take no meds, and up to this point, my most serious health issue has been sleep apnea that I was trying to handle with CPAP (mostly unsuccessfully). Given my alarmingly high weight, my doctor recommended that I look into the bariatric surgery option.

I eagerly started the process, looking at it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for getting back to normal body weight and gaining a quality of life I have not enjoyed for a long time.

The bariatric program I joined requires that patients lose 10% of their weight before even being scheduled for surgery. Insurance also requires at least 3 months of engagement with a managed weight loss program. I was determined that despite my past struggles with diets, I will do whatever it takes to make the cut.

I met with the program's nutritionist and had a very nice discussion with her. Then I went home, and threw out the materials she gave me (calorie counting book, etc), and ignored all her directions and advice. I dove into reading and research and started implementing a diet largely based on Matthew Weiner's A Pound of Cure vegetable-focused program. I had immediate success, losing 20 lbs in the first month (guaranteed, a lot of that may have been Water weight held onto by insulin). I kept reading and experimenting, incorporating advice from Sten Ekberg (Master Your Health), Eric Berg, Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Diet), Jason Fung (fasting strategies), and many others.

At this point, I am three months into my pre-op personally directed diet. I have

• lost a total of 70 pounds
• have a current weight loss rate of 1 lb / day
• feeling great
• COMPLETE resolution of my sleep apnea issues
• 120/80 blood pressure (was somewhat high at the beginning of the program)
• went from a size 4XL to wearing 2XL (depending on cut of clothing)
• 48 inch waist to 42 inch waist
• not counting calories
• no hunger or craving issues

I am just starting to discover the research (a recent Nobel Prize-winning one) regarding Autophagy and its related health benefits brought about by intermittent fasting, and many other possibilities.

Next week I am scheduled to meet with the bariatric program's PA, do my weigh-in, and (pending insurance approval) schedule the surgery.

I am torn and in doubt.

The last few months have been some of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Gaining control of my body and my overall health in the way I have done in such a short period of time is amazing.

The bariatric surgery option, which just a short while ago seemed like a Holy Grail lifesaver to me, seems full of pitfalls and restrictions on the methods I can do to manage my body weight and health. I was looking forward to trying out possibilities with time-restricted eating, and using longer fasts (triggering autophagy) to eliminate loose, hanging skin that might come about otherwise with significant weight loss.

On the other hand, I still weigh 335 pounds and am nowhere near my goal of a healthy 200. What if my weight loss stalls out well short of that goal?

The sensible answer might be to simply wait, see what happens, and re-engage with the program if it seems necessary to keep pushing past a stall point.

However, for reasons I do not want to detail, I might not have this option after this year. Under these circumstances, if this was your only chance to move ahead with a Gastric Sleeve operation, would you do it? Any other thoughts?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Take it from me you have done amazing on your own,if you are having doubts about the surgery dont do it. I had doubts but did it anyway now i wish i hadnt. I hate my post op stomach and the changes i have had to make. I wish i had continued with " traditional " weightloss strategies