SteveT74

Before: After:

Liquid is suppose to pass through or you wouldn't get hydrated properly. If you're able to drink without discomfort, that's a good thing. You'll see the difference once you start eating solid foods. I sometimes wonder whether my stomach was made small enough since I feel like I still can eat a lot---but then I try to east a burger and I am full after 6oz (I am 7 months post-op). I can still eat plenty, which is a good thing to be honest. You want to be able to eat healthy foods and have a healthy lifestyle. The biggest changes are hormonal and that's what really drives weight loss. The mechanical restriction is only a part of the process. In the end, I can't argue with the results. I am down almost 80 pounds in seven months and I am in the best shape of my life! No regrets here!!

I am totally with you guys. There are some days where I feel no restriction and can eat a 12oz steak and other days when I am stuffed after 4oz of hamburger. There's no real rhyme or reason. Nevertheless, eating heavier foods like chicken or steak will fill you up faster than other foods like salad, nuts etc. (which I slider foods). If you watch your calories and make sure you are sticking to a healthy diet, it's not a big deal though. As much as we may think that the weight loss is a result of the restriction from our sleeved stomachs, I am convinced that most of the weight loss is caused by metabolic and hormonal changes caused by the surgery (and lifestyle changes that we make along the way if we are making the most of this opportunity).

Honestly, there is really nothing to be scared about. If you read some of these posts on the forums, you'll read some people that are having bad post-op experiences etc. Those experiences are far and few between. Most people that have an easy recovery don't post to forum because everything is going smooth as silk. Of all the surgeries I had in my life, this was one of the easiest recoveries. I had no real pain after the surgery at all. If anything, I felt like I had a serious ab workout at the gym and was sore--but nothing more than that. I had some discomfort from gas for a couple of days, but again--nothing crazy. I have had much worse!! For the slight discomfort (and mean slight!!!!), the benefits have been unbelievable. This surgery gave me my life back!!!!! Well, I should say it helped me get my life back. The surgery helps, but I had to put a lot of effort in on my part. I stick to my new healthy lifestyle religiously! I am very careful about what I eat and I work out a lot. I don't mind at all because, unlike past experiences with diet and exercise, this time I actually see the results big time!!! If you qualify for the surgery, you really should have it--and commit to changing your lifestyle so you never have to go back to where you were before. This surgery can be the opportunity of a life time if you are willing to make the most of it.

I really don't think eating too fast is really going to be much of an issue for your (at least not as much as you think). During the first few weeks/months post op, you'll eat slowly--because if you don't you're feel like total crap and puke. Maybe you'll do that once or twice and you'll change your behavior to avoid the consequences. Later on--after you heal--and are able to eat normal food, eating fast won't cause you to feel sick--then it's the same as it is now. You need to change your behavior so you can recognize when you're full and not eat so quickly that your brain doesn't have time to register what's going on in your stomach. This is just something that takes practice. If you're a fast eater, it's also something you may screw up from time to time. You'll be ok though. You need to follow the rules, but if you screw up a few every now and then--no biggie. It's only when you ignore them altogether that you will have significant problems.

Agree... go for compression shorts. I also use a compression shirt. It holds everything together--no jiggling. You look pretty good in them too. You can put your regular clothes over them. It may feel a little weird for the first 20 minutes or so, then you forget they are on.

That's terrific. Sixty pounds down is awesome!

Great job Brenttx!!!! That quite an accomplishment. You're unrecognizable from where you started. You must feel sooo much better!!!

I have 11 to go, but I also just changed my goal from 170 to 174.5. I guess that's cheating???? JK, I think I would look sickly at 170 and frankly 174,5 probably wouldn't be sustainable for me (despite what that stupid BMI chart says). At this point, I am not actively trying to lose weight. If it happens, it happens. I was actually consciously increasing my calorie intake (planned out using MFP) to find a level where I am comfortable and maintain my current weight. Ironically, as I increased my calorie intake, I think that broke me out of the stall I must have been in (didn't really bother me since I was happy where I was) and I started losing again. Go figure! I am not used to losing weight without making a herculean effort. We'll see where things end up.

Weight loss with VSG isn't suppose to be super fast. The honeymoon period with VSG is believed to be between 18 months and 3 years (most of falling somewhere between 18 and 3 years--so don't think at the 18 month mark you're done losing). In short, most VSG patients aren't hitting their goal weight until they are 18-36 months post-op. If you're a December 2018 Sleever you're still very much at the beginning of the journey. Those are of that may be closer to the end (or so we may think) probably started out with lower BMIs to begin with. I was a 38 to start (something aroudn there). I didn't have as far to go, so I guess I had a head start. If you started out with a BMI over 40 or over 50, you're going to have a longer journey to goal. That's a good thing. If you need to lose 120 pounds, you really don't want it to all come off in 6 months. Even with bariatric surgery, that would be an excessive rate of lose and probably not healthy.

Hello there skinny!!! Huge difference!!!!!! Night and day!!!! You must be over the moon!!

You aren't going to see the pounds falling off everyday. It just doesn't work like that. You just need to stick to your program. You' have a diet and you need to follow it. You're working out 4 days a week, which is great. Keep at it and when you exercise make sure you are giving it 100% effort. Dial up you effort on the diet to 100% going forward. You can't worry about what you did yesterday, worry about what you're going to do tomorrow. Plan your meals in advance and track your calories. You're body is going to stall. I had a 2 month stall on the scale, but during that time I lost 1.5" off my waist and 1.8% body fat. Eventually the scale started to move in the right direction again. The one thing you can't afford to do is to let the scale discourage you and react by getting depressed and blowing your diet. Pizza is definitely not your friend!!!

This seems like sensible advice. With respect to some people giving advice that are still only 5 or 6 months post-op (like me), telling someone that is 7 years post op to drop down to 800 calories a day is not good advice and it's not reasonable. It's easy to say that when you have lots of restriction. I am 5 months out and I couldn't live on 800 calories at this point--no f--ing way!!! I am eating at least 1500 a day, but I am eating healthy and I am working out 2 hours a day. It's working well for me and I am pretty much where I want to be in terms of weight and health. However, I know that if I am not careful I could end up back where I was before surgery and I would want to get back to where I am now by any means necessary. As for the pouch reset, I guess it can't hurt. However, there's no evidence that the so-called "pouch reset" actually does anything to reset your "pouch"--which we don't even have since that is a RNY thing. Also, to say it's OP's fault for not following the guidelines after 7 years is very unfair. Sh!t happens!!! 7 years is a long time and any of us can end up in OP's position. The fact is the VSG is great, but it's not enough for everyone. There are other procedures that may be better for OP and that's for her and her doctor to discuss. Revision exists because a high percentage of bariatric patients regain for lots of different reasons.

Funny, I don't really feel much restriction. I was able to easily eat a 12oz steak last week (16oz on the bone). I guess I do have restriction, since that did fill me up and before the surgery I could have probably eaten two steaks. :-) I have been complaining about the lack of restriction since after the surgery, but I guess everyone is different. The weight came off so something is working for me. @TaeRenee Keep up the great work!! Big difference!!! 75 pounds is a lot of weight!!!!

You may want to try Naked PB powder. Naked PB Just add a little water and you can get the PB fix without the guilt. It's loaded with branch amino acids that are really good for you!!!