Hi there,

My name is Sheryl and I just completed my one day workup before surgery. I don't have a date yet, but I'm interested if there's anyone out there who, like me, has a LOT of weight to lose (or if you're a lucky dog who's already lost a lot of weight...if so, PROUDYA!!)

I am worried because I've been hearing a lot of stats that say you lose 60% of your excess weight...which is just ducky, but I kinda would like to be on the downside of 200 lbs. before I die...even if it does take me 2 years or so to get there.

If anyone out there has anything to share, please do so..would love to hear from you!

Sheryl in NY

I know someone who lost 200 lb. with a band. She's got another 100 to go and is getting there slowly. OTOH, she told our support group that she's sorry she didn't get a sleeve like her surgeon recommended.

Average EWL is a good stat to compare two surgeries against each other. But it says nothing about what an individual's weight loss will be. If the ELW is 60%, some people lose 100%, some lose 0% and everything in between. So to get an idea of where you'll fall in the continuum, you need to know if the band is going to solve your own food issues or if another surgery will do a better job.

This chart gives an intro to all four WLS types recognized by the ASMBS:

Weight-Loss Surgeries Compared

It's a good starting place for deciding which ones to look into more thoroughly.

Can someone tell me what a sleeve is?:cool:

Thanks for the info, Mac. I appreciate it!

A sleeve is a nickname for the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It's a restrictive procedure where the fundus and the stretchy part of your stomach is removed leaving a portion that is shaped like a banana (or sleeve).

The fundus is where ghrelin is made so removing that takes away your appetite. The stretchy part is what lets you over-eat so taking that away means you can only eat about 4-5 oz at a time and also means it's unlikely that your sleeve will stretch out much over time (which is an issue with bypass and duodenal switch).

It's more permanent than a band, obviously, by the long-term complications are close to nil. Mainly you need to take extra calcium and some people need to take extra B12.