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Hi! My names Jason, or Kai. I am transgender (MtF) and I am getting Gastric Sleeve soon. In about 2 years is when i’d be scheduled to see a surgeon about reassignment surgery. Id have to get my BMI down to 30, or at my height (6’1), 225 pounds. I am 18, CW/SW 460, Male, etc (can provide any info). I was wondering if, with the sleeve, can I reach my GW of 225 in 2 years? I know this is a tool, i’m planning on treating it as such. I plan not to stray from my diet and spend 10+ hours in the gym a week. I was just wondering if that was possible.

I think it's the same as a gyro. They call them doeners in Turkey and gyros in Greece. well, I just googled it and I stand corrected. There are some slight differences (doener is spelled "doner" in Turkey - but I think there's a umlaut over the "o" (or some other symbol), so you sometimes see it spelled doener in other languages). But for practical purposes, they call similar sandwiches doners in some countries in gyros in others. People are usually referring to the same type of sandwich. https://www.travelwrite.guru/2019/02/14/greek-gyro-versus-doner-kebab/

Some questions: 1) How tall are you? 2) Does your daily exercise include more than 10K steps a day? 3) Do you know how many calories you consume daily? (on average) 4) When you had the metabolism study done 10 yrs ago, do you know how much you weighed a the time?

For treating a regain problem, I prefer the DS as it is stronger metabolically than either the VSG or RNY - the RNY is too close to the VSG in strength to reliably offer a significant improvement in weight loss, from what I have seen over the years. Figure maybe 20lb loss on average - about what one would expect from going through all the intense dieting associated with going through surgery again. (There are some who do significantly better, bit it seems to be more a function of their determination to "make this work" or "not screw it up again" than the actual surgery itself. Call it something like a surgical placebo, lol.) By your surgeons not finding the codes for the DS implies that they are talking about the newer SIPS/SADI/"loop DS" which is a single anastomosis adaptation of the traditional BPD/DS (biliopancreatic diversion) which has been routinely covered by US insurance and Medicare for the past 14-15 years, but is a more complex procedure that relatively few bariatric surgeons perform. Some practices that do the SIPS/SADI use the BPD/DS billing codes which is technically insurance fraud, but if they're comfortable doing it, that's their concern. Revising the VSG to a DS, of either flavor, is straightforward as each use the VSG as its basis (some don't even consider it a revision, more a "completion" of the ultimate configuration.) The strong point of the BPD/DS is its regain resistance - regain is possible as it is with any of these procedures, but it is harder. I know many with the DS who are 10-20 years out (my wife included) who are still maintaining a healthy weight; some are up a bit more and working on losing their "Covid 19" - just like "normal" people but major regains are relatively uncommon. The SIPS/SADI type of DS seems to fall somewhere in between the VSG/RNY and the BPD/DS - I have seen a few in the various forums who have had it and seem to be doing well with it, but it doesn't have as long a history. Any of these procedures - the RNY, DS or SIPS - will be somewhat fussier and less care-free than your VSG when it comes to supplements and follow up; the RNY is maybe a bit less so, but one can get into some serious trouble with any of them if one slacks off. If keeping up with supplements and annual labs is not an issue with you, then any of them should be fine.

HW 333 LW 170 CW 220 Surgery date was 6/2000 i am 21 yrs out and a daily exerciser. My step are always over 10k a day. Very active. My pouch has stretched for sure. In July 2020 I had a stomach ablation done where they go down the throat and zap the pouch to try to create some scar tissue to try to shrink the pouch to give you a feeling of fullness as if he just had surgery. I was on liquids for two weeks and lost 12 pounds. I went crazy not having solid foods. I’ve gained six of those pounds back over the holidays. I’m currently sitting in about 221 I want to be at least 180. My biggest challenge is I can’t seem to stick to any food plan. After the ablation the doctor had me doing 800 g of fruits and vegetables a day. No he’s a gastroenterologist and he supposed to know that we are to eat protein first. He disagrees. I’m in a major metro of San Diego so it’s not like he’s a fly-by-night doctor. About 10 years ago I had a metabolism study done at Scripps hospital in la Jolla and they said metabolism had really slowed and my resting metabolism was about 1486 cal a day. I’m not sure what that equates to but they said I should eat under 1200 cal a day. I’m just really struggling getting this weight off I keep starting the five day restart pouch thing and then I’ll eat pizza… Chocolate seems to be in the mix every night. I am extremely frustrated and can’t seem to get any of this weight off on my own. About five years out from my by pass I turned alcohol and became an alcoholic. That was crazy! I am 8 yrs sober and 59 yrs old! Help please! I wish I could get the surgery all over again !

Hi everyone! I've been so busy with kids, work, school, and just life! Weight loss has slowed down some, but still 10 lbs in the last month, so way better than I would have ever done on my own! Friday I had a dr appointment with my PCP for a referral about a cyst I have on my forehead... as I lose weight, it's becoming more noticable. I also mentioned I think I had a UTI. So did the customary pee in a cup. She said that the urine showed signs of liver issues... like too much urobilinogen and bilirubin in my urine, as well as ketones. So she ordered blood tests. The blood tests aren't exactly normal either, but of course I haven't heard from her because the test came back after office hours, and she's off on monday and tuesdays. A friend said it may have been because I had fatty liver... but wouldn't someone have said something throughout the whole prep for surgery process if that was the case?

at 2-3 years out, many of us put on 10-20 lbs, unfortunately (some gain much more, but that 10-20 lb bounce back happens to most of us, it seems). I gained 10 during that period, and then put on 10 more over the last year or two. I'm trying to lose that last 10 (I don't want to take off all 20 because I got too thin for awhile). The simple answer is to cut calories and/or increase your activity (and preferable both) - but I know that's easier said than done. I still track my food at almost six years out. I know from tracking that if I stay within the 1500-1700 calorie range, I can maintain my weight. So to lose weight, I have to eat around 1500 pretty consistently (or better yet, under it - but that's tough). Looking back at my records, I'd been eating at the high end of that pretty consistently, and often a bit over. So I had to gradually pull myself back. It's easiest to do it if you just cut 100 calories at a time - do that for two or three weeks, and then cut another 100. You don't notice the drop as much if you do it gradually.

I feel like I need to share my experience with others, as I wish someone would have shared the same with me years ago. My weight loss started over 20 years ago, never stopped since, culminating with a gastric sleeve in 2017 (SW 360, CW 250, GW<200). After the WLS I've lost about 70 lbs and hit the plateau which lasted a few months. I tried breaking it with intensive gym, calories counting, but no real impact. As a result, I've lost motivation, and over the next 2 years gained about 30 lb back (late night snacks, sugary treats), which was a huge frustration. Having a sleeve - the best WL tool one may ever have - I felt like being a "regain" statistics, not an individual with life and willpower. I still had my "pouch" restriction, but after 30-40 minutes after having a meal I was ready to eat again. It lasted till last November, when I hit 290 lbs. The frustration turned into anger. I spent days to research diets and practices. As a result, I'm back on track, losing rapidly about 3-4 lbs a week, full of energy. Here are my 3 key pillars, which brought me back: 1. Low carb diet. After researching multiple trendy diets, KETO seemed to be the most promising one. But I didn't like the idea to consume lots of fats, and avoid vegetables. I'm an old-fashioned guy. So I adjusted the KETO idea by adding a decent daily portion of green veggies (zucchinis, asparagus, green pepper, kale - those which have nearly no sugars, but lots of fibers), and limited my fats to avocados, brazil nuts, eggs and fatty fish (salmon) - no huge amounts of bacon, butter, cheese and oils. For protein those above also provided enough, plus I have some lean pork, beef or chicken. That type of diet keeps my in permanent ketosis, while I still have a decent amount of fibers and healthy protein. My nutrients are around 50-60% of fats, 25-30% of proteins and 10-15% of carbs. 2. Intermittent fasting (IF), 18:6. It means my eating "window" is 1pm - 7pm, during which I have 3 meals. Personally I believe that low carbs diet and IF are made for each other. Being in ketosis I feel no hunger at all, as my insulin is very low. That makes IF a simple task. Also once a week I do a 42 hours fast by skipping meals on Sundays - right before my weight check on Monday morning! ). IF is also a solution to plateaus. I adjust the fasting time to 12:12 for a few days and do a long fast after (48+ hours) to reset. 3. CICO (calories in, calories out) is the 3rd pillar. Keeping everything written down is not just a good habit, but also makes me feel I control the process better. My daily intake is around 1,100-1,300 calories, which creates a huge weekly calories deficit for weight loss. One may consider it's a bit too low, and I would rather agree. I'll certainly increase my calories after hitting my goal. A few more tips from my experience: - After 40+ gym can't be the only solution. Keeping yourself active (especially with this pandemic) is important for general health, but unless I'm a professional athlete, 1-1.5 hour walk every day (outside or a treadmill) is good enough. - Staying hydrated is a must, healthy weight loss won't work without it. Tracking water was always a pain for me, I was forgetting to do that. Now I have 6 magnets next to my water cooler. Each time I refill my bottle, I move one magnet to the other side, which helps me to see how many refills left. No fuss with writing down, takes a fraction of a second to move the magnet - while keeps me fully informed. Helps a lot! - Supplements!!! Lots of them! Since I'm restricted and have rather a distorted diet, I need to fill the gap of minerals and nutrients. Multivitamins, husk fiber, omega-3, collagen, cumin, ox bile, Vitamin D, electrolytes etc. It's 18 pills per day, in 2 batches! My latest blood work returned perfect results - no deficiencies, and the lowest sugar level I ever had in my life. As a conclusion - no hunger, no frustration, no cravings, energetic, clear mind, active, positive - and still losing weight! I even think that it would be very doable without my WLS, but in fact a restricted stomach makes everything much easier. So much easier, then it feels sometimes I'm actually cheating in this weight-loss game! I do hope someone will find it helpful. I wish I knew that years ago, but better late than never.

I finally got the call around 3:10 pm today that my insurance has approved my surgery and I am going in on Monday. I have to be there at 5:30 am. I am excited and terrified at the same time. My hubby is just dropping me off since there is a no visitor policy in place. No point in missing a days work.

Feb 2 is my date. I am doing the pre-op diet and have lost 10 lbs. Talked to the anesthesiologist yesterday and have my COVID test lined up early on the 1st. I got some library books to keep me easy in the days afterward.

Weight loss varies for everyone, but I have seen/read from 10 to 12 is average . 15 lbs. is great! Remember your body is going thru a lot of adjustments. Be patient and follow the plan. You are doing GREAT! 😃

I lost 15 pounds on my two week pre-op diet. I lost 15 pounds my first month post-op. Then another 15 the second month. And another 15 each, months 3 & 4. Slowed down to around 10 after that. I was also disappointed with my weight loss that first month, but boy did it add up quick. I am a bit shy of 7 months post-op and a bit shy of my first goal weight. Just stick with the plan, and be kind to yourself! 💕

I'm feeling the same way! I've lost about 10 pounds on the pre-op diet and it has me second-guessing myself; maybe this time I could do it on my own.....But how many times have I been here....too many to count! 10 days til surgery!

yep - the IV fluids. Some people gain as much as 10 lbs from it! Should be gone sometime within the first week.

This is the most recent comparison that I have. SW (5/1/19) 327, VSG (12/17/19)- 264, RNY revision (8/11/20)- 211, Thanksgiving weight- 185 I had emergency surgery 12/26/20 so I haven’t taken a current photo lately but my current weight is 157, so 7lbs from goal.

I started my weight loss journey of August 1, 2019 it has been a year I was losing weight for a while now all of a sudden I stopped I don't if it is because I stopped the slim fast at breakfast and lunch metancil 3 times a day with a 8 oz glass water 3 teaspoons of metancil I went from a big plate and a big bowl to a small bowl and I cut my portions I may have 3 snacks day any suggestions let me know The pictures of me now with a blue shirt the one silky black white was a year ago Sent from my moto e6 using BariatricPal mobile app

Sounds like you may need to call your surgeon especially with the low grade fever just in case you're getting an infection. I think the one normal common thing is feeling tired and ran down at your stage. I did a lot of sleeping the first 6 weeks. Between healing from surgery to the restriction of calories,it doesn't give you a lot of energy. I'm 10 weeks and started to feel a lot more energy about 8 weeks out. If I do a lot one day the next day I'm usually wiped out. My doctor said that's normal till around 6 months out. I hope you feel better and they can get to the bottom of why you don't feel good

Hello, I also posted this on the sleeve page, FYI. I have been a lurker here for awhile and appreciate everyone's insight. I had VSG surgery on 1-19-21, so 9 days ago. Things have been going really well for the most part. I'm getting over 100 ounces of hydration daily and 60-75 g of protein. Yesterday afternoon I started not feeling great. Run down, tired, a little light headed. Today I've fell bad pretty much all day, and I noticed that my left shoulder has started to hurt. I did not have any of that pain right after surgery, which I know is common. I have low grade fever and my stomach feels sick. I have taken Zofran and it hasn't helped much. I'm curious on anyone's thoughts on my situation. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello, I have been a lurker here for awhile and appreciate everyone's insight. I had VSG surgery on 1-19-21, so 9 days ago. Things have been going really well for the most part. I'm getting over 100 ounces of hydration daily and 60-75 g of protein. Yesterday afternoon I started not feeling great. Run down, tired, a little light headed. Today I've felt bad pretty much all day, and I noticed that my left shoulder has started to hurt. I did not have any of that pain right after surgery, which I know is common. I do not have a fever, but my stomach feels sick. I have taken Zofran and it hasn't helped much. I'm curious on anyone's thoughts on my situation. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

I feeling like I’m messing up my surgery date is feb 10 I started my pre op diet Jan 26 I had lunch turkey sandwich just now I just had bagel some protein shakes is not making me full I’m nervous

I needed to read this today! I had my surgery on 5/18/19 and lost 77 lbs, I stopped losing after 6 months but maintained around 195 which though it wasn’t my goal I was happy with now covid came along, I stopped exercising, started eating like crazy out of boredom and I’ve regained 19 lbs. I felt like I could almost eat as much as I did prior to surgery. Something changed last night though and I woke up ready to get back on track and I was shocked that after starting my day with a good amount of protein I felt full faster and ready to tackle the day. You’re right this is a tool and it’s time to start using it again! I’m rooting for you!

It’s so normal to have these fears! I was close to having WLS about 10 years ago, but cancelled due to fear. I’m now about a year and a half out, and only regret not doing it sooner. My recovery was a breeze. I took 3 weeks off work, but could have gone back after two. Pain was minimal, more fatigue than anything else. I carefully followed my team’s plan and have lost at a steady rate. I started at 286 and am now at my doctor’s goal of 155. Loose skin was definitely a thing, and I had plastic surgery to take care of that two weeks ago. Even if I hadn’t been able to have PS, I would take the loose skin over the 131 extra pounds any day! The process isn’t easy, but so very worth it. I can walk, run, hike, bike, and dance with my husband. I can walk in to any store and buy clothes that I love rather than trying to find something that fits me. I’m so glad I conquered my fear to do this, it is worth it in every way.

Hey. Sure it's absolutely ok with me. I'm 10 weeks out now and lost 33lbs. I'm losing slower than many others here but as far as its going downwards I'm happy. I have had my periods twice in last 2 months and a cycle of about 40 days. Which was not normal for me, not to forget. Plus they stopped by themselves, which never happened usually. Always had to take some hormone tablets to regulate or even stop the bleeding. The blood flow was very heavy though but hopefully it will settle down too. It's really working for me. There are certain times when I feel low and think things might not work out but then I embrace the situation try to work through it. Just as we do in normal situations [emoji18] Wish you all the best for your surgery and hope things work out for you too. Always here if you would like to hear more. Take care xx Sent from my SM-N960F using BariatricPal mobile app

I set my initial weight goals based upon the gross assumption that all my loss would be fat, and needed to get to a healthy body composition, and then reworked that as I got closer and got better figures on what was actually happening (hey, we engineers do that all the time, making assumptions to get us in the ball park, and then circling around to get a closer solution as more information is gathered.) As it turned out, I lost about 10 lb of lean mass in the process and adjusted the scale weight goal accordingly; the body composition goals remained the same (for me, a mid-teens fat percentage, which is on the leaner side of normal for men, depending upon whose chart one uses.)

I feel sorry for you as I know what you are dealing with. Having three surgeries back to back is so hard, I can only imagine. I had to do a endoscopy and had a 2 days rest and then went in for surgery. I think you can get PTSD from all of this, and it hurts to know that this is a elective surgery. We all went into this with high hopes and dreams of changing our life for the better and instead we dealt with more trauma. I had a spinal surgery in 2019 and I developed a drop foot, which was a complication from the surgery, which I still deal with. I have struggled with depression prior to this and it just hurts. I have went back to the ER and I get good support there but where I live it is overrun with covid patients, so it isn't the best place to go. My surgeon is very kind and I have his number. He comes to see me in the hospital every morning. I am doing a bit better but I still stay in bed most of the days. Your advice is great and I agree that I need to get back to a routine. I am less emotional now, I also think the meds they us on make us more emotional. I wish you a speedy recovery!