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I'm 7 years out. I'm 116 pounds. My body picked my goal weight for me and really likes it here, so maintaining is easier than it could be. But I do have rules I live by. I weigh at least weekly. I do not worry about tiny fluctuations but nip anything out of my maintenance window immediately. Complacency leads to larger regain. I don't avoid food groups, but I do put protein first. I will usually choose a protein snack. I indulge when I want, because I believe forbidden foods lead to binges. I don't want the yo-yo. It works for me. I never graze. I either portion food out and eat it, or I don't, but no mindless or emotional eating. I still have a ton of restriction, so maybe that's made my journey easier. And my tastes changed a lot. I don't care for potatoes, or sweets. I can't have milk or eat ice cream due to lactose intolerance. But just being mindful is what keeps me successful. I think before I eat. I don't have to track anymore, it's just second nature. The scale is my tracker. And it hardly moves. I think this is the ideal. I'm happy, can't complain. Cheri

I am 3 years and 4 months post op so not quite 4 years yet. My situation is probably different from most people. I had a severe spine injury before the revision surgery. I can't exercise very much to help burn calories. So now I have leveled off. I haven't lost any weight in over a year but I haven't gained any either. I eat everyday until I'm full. I don't deprive myself of any food that I want. Breakfast is usually a small amount of cereal with fruit in it, or a bowl of watermelon or some other tasty fruit, or sometimes I skip the food, and drink something with protein. Or I'll have bacon and eggs and toast. Or French toast with butter and syrup. During the day I'll snack on vegetables or cheese or fruit or almonds. Maybe half a sandwich. I can eat a small portion of steak and about a quarter of a baked potato with butter and sour cream and a couple spears of asparagus. I love seafood. Any food that I want. The good thing is that I can't eat very much of it. I don't feel any discomfort unless I eat too much then there is a nausea kind of sick feeling and some pain from my abdomen for about a half hour until some of the food digests then I feel normal again, so I don't overeat anymore. I don't like that feeling. I still eat the same portion size but sometimes I still feel hungry after the meal so I will drink some water and that stops the hunger immediately. So far I haven't had any issues with the surgery. I had a very painful post-op recovery for about a week but now my stomach feels good. I haven't been to the weight loss surgeon for 2 years, but I do see my other gastroenterologist regularly for other problems, and he has checked me out through an upper GI endoscopy twice since the revision, and says everything looks fine. I think differently about food. Socializing with family and friends used to be a whole lot of eating. Now it's more talking and sipping on a beverage. Wine or Tea and even a margarita or a Jack and Coke. This surgery is dangerous. You need to really think about it and make sure it's right for you. I'm glad that I had it but I really wish that I could have solved the problem on my own. I know that there are quite a few people that have had a nightmare experience with this and I feel bad for them, but for me it has turned out very positive so far. I will need to have upper endoscopy's every 3 years for the rest of my life. Not because of this revision but for something else. My stomach acid has an effect on my other problem so this surgery has helped with that also. I also have to take a nexium pill everyday for the rest of my life. These are issues that I already had prior to the sleeve surgery, and were considered co-morbidity problems that were the main reasons for my insurance company approving the revision. Good luck to you.

The waiting game will kill you. My doctors office and myself called my insurance for a week and a half finally I got approved. I have tricare and they said usually it only take three or less days to approve. Im guessing they got tired of fighting and approved it. Im going in August 16!

I definitely struggled. I was petrified of complications and would convince myself I could do it without surgery. Then I'd change my mind. Right up until surgery I was a nervous wreck. But I did it and I'm so glad. Good luck!

As long as you get the sleeve instead of gastric bypass, there shouldn't be a problem. My mom got the bypass and because it shortens the intestines, you absorb fewer calories so you tend to lose more weight. With the sleeve, if you feel like you are losing too much weight, all you would have to do is adjust the types of foods you are eating and lean towards higher calorie foods and you would be fine. I have actually never heard of anyone becoming too thin from either surgery unless they develop post-op anorexia. Post op anorexia is super rare because instead of obsessing about food after your surgery, it kind of become in consequential.

The low carb, low fat preop diet was the pits. I was constantly crying! Postop, once I got onto full liquids, it was much better

This surgery is such a blessing from God, of course the enemy is going to try to block it. I hope all went well. Stay strong. May he favor of the lord surround you as a shield.

I was back in the gym three weeks after surgery doing my full routine. My team just told me to listen to my body and be careful with lifting that involved my core. I was doing 45 minutes to an hour on the recumbent bike and then a full weight circuit on the machines (not much by way of free weights until I was 6 weeks out.) If you do it and your body feels oK, then do it more. Just be careful with any abdominal stretching. If it hurts, stop.

i want to fall in love with my body but the more i stand in front of the mirror i notice things i'm not starting to like. I'm only 24 and my breasts are starting to sag and it's turning into an insecurity. I totally forgot about those arm shapers so i'm definetly going to look into those. Good luck with everything! thanks so much for your input!

The sleeve would work perfectly if I didn't like to snack! OMG, it's tough. I am at my heaviest since surgery :-( I am thinking of doing a re-set of such even though it's a "fad" but sometimes you need to try whatever you think might work for you. I kept my weight off for the most part with a ten pound leeway for 5 years. I recently had to return to the bakery which my husband and I own and the snacking seems to be a little out of control (as I am sure many of you can imagine!) As I have said before, be strong if you would like to snack - that is what has sabotaged me. I think I can still go down to maybe 160/165, but aren't we all just tired of diets? The whole point to this surgery for me. But we can do it!