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Great you are doing your research. Typically average excess weight loss with ESG is lower than the surgical options as the volume of the stomach remaining is a bit greater than the surgical options, so I think you should be fine for not getting too skinny too fast. Some people lose more than the average of course, and vice versa.

Thank you for the advice Hop_Scotch. I am looking into Dr. McGowan as he seems to do a lot of them. According to this video he created some of the success rate has a lot to do with using full thickness sutures. But also most doctors are like salesmen. One will try to convince you their procedure is better and neglect to emphasize the negative points. I am not saying that he is like that. It is just my general opinion of all doctors. I am afraid of getting too skinny too fast with the regular sleeve and I like the idea of the slow progression with ESG but the odds of losing weight are certainly better with VSG. I realize both will require lots of work on my end. Either way, I need to do something. I have been saying I was going to do something for almost a year now. I have talked so much about weight loss surgery that I somehow convinced a friend to go through with getting the sleeve and I started the process way before her.

I do take small sips and I try to take them frequently too. I emailed my bari coordinator and she told me I was going too fast. But what I’m not understanding is that she said 4 to 5oz per hour. But meals should take a 1/2 hour to eat. Well is my protein shake a meal? Or is it supposed to take me 2 hours. She said that I need to create satiety. I agree i definitely don’t want to strain or stretch it. Im not one to really swell a lot so that is possible as well. I felt swollen the first 2 days. And now it feels normal. Im hoping that i feel full when I switch to the puréed stage!!

I'm in the same boat! I haven't struggled to get in my fluids, and the only reason I struggle with the protein shakes is because they taste disgusting. I can get down a full Slim Fast bottle in about 10 minutes. I take tiny little sips but they go through quickly. I have been super careful about taking tiny sips and tiny bites, so I haven't felt any pain or restriction yet (12 days post op). The only reason I am stopping at 2oz to 3 oz per pureed meal is because I don't want to strain my sleeve, although I haven't felt close to straining it. Maybe it is because we have not had a lot of swelling in our stomach? I feel like I healed up really quickly. Do you feel that way too? I think a lot of the early restriction is from swelling in the stomach area as it recuperates. So I guess that's a good thing!

I’m 11 days post op, had my sleeve on July 14th and I’m starting to feel a little sad and question my decision even though I’m trying very hard not to. So everything has gone great as far as my recovery , I’m in absolutely no pain, incisions healing great, I’ve already been cleared for soft foods and I was SOOO excited. I have tried eating ground beef with tomato sauce , eggs , mashed potato’s , and meatballs. I chew them all until it’s an applesauce consistency which honestly disgust me, I try to take dime size bites , I eat at the table and put my fork down after every bite and yet…. When I’m done I still get severe chest pain as if the food is stuck. Which I’ve researched means you didn’t chew enough or your eating too fast… I guess I’m asking all of this to say does it eventually get better? Once you heal, are you able to eat without chest pain? Are you going to be able to take normal bites vs dime size ? At this point , the excitement that I had to be able to eat soft foods have now be turned into a daily challenge of forcing myself to eat. Without realizing until today, I noticed that I’ve gone 2 days without food because I’m so afraid of the pain that it will bring . Does it ever get better ?

Can totally relate ( I am now 6mth post op vsg) at 6 weeks it felt I was working hard and getting no where. Try taking your measurements Even when I am not loosing inches have definitely gone. My weight pre pre op! 135 ( fast forward 1 year delay due to no ops covid) At surgery 119 At 6 weeks post op 111 I have just started lap swimming 1 hr 4 times a week and am at 107 Not earth shattering but circulation bp and liver have improved so that's good Slow its much harder to binge when I'm down (I've tried!!) My advice ( for what it's worth!) Is look for the positives!! Protein is a ( insert appropriate word!) I've taken to using unflavoured whey protein powder in soup coffee and orange juice 2 or 3 times a day as mini meals ( not sure of kosher status of whey powder that would be an added problem) Then one proper food meal What was your pre op surgery and current weight

03 29 2021 @ 242( day of surgery) 07 24 2021 @163 800 cal >80g protien *0* sugar Cardio and light lifting 4 days a week. Physical at work also. I also noticed all dr. Have different food guidelines. I did stall and then dropped fast. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Self pay.. consultation 2nd Feb 2021.. surgery date was 27th Feb 2021. In hindsight I think that turn around was too fast. Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

I had two separate surgeries. Medicare covered the take-out, but I had to qualify for the sleeve. It was about 6 months. It went by fast.

rate of weight loss depends on so many factors, many of which you have little or no control over (like age, gender, starting BMI, metabolic rate, genetics...). The two factors you DO have a lot of control over are your activity level and your level of commitment to your food plan, so if you're good with those and your overall weight trend is downward, you're good. I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out at over 300 lbs. I don't know you're starting BMI, but based on your profile picture, I'd guess that you started at a much lower BMI than I did. you don't necessarily need to exercise to lose weight, although it does help a bit (and of course it's great for your health). But being tired all the time is a common problem the first month or two after surgery. I do know people who rarely/never exercised after surgery and ended up losing a lot of weight regardless, so it's not really necessary to lose weight. Just do it when you can and stick to your clinic's plan and the weight WILL come off, whether fast or slow.

46 year old male here, 13 months post op. BMI was just over 40, now it’s under 25. Starting weight 334, currently 195. Short answer: I wish I did this years ago, it’s been stupid easy for me. 1) It depends. I had no problem drinking water right away. Cold water bothered me for a few weeks but room temp water was fine. I was a chugger and drink in my sleep, I was worried about this but I’ve adjusted. I know exactly how many mini sips I can take (8) in a row and do it instinctively. 2) I’m a year post op and I haven’t thrown up. I’ve been close I think. Twice I ate way too fast without thinking. I said I’d never do it again after the first time…. and the second. Never had nausea or “x food doesn’t agree with me.” I can literally eat anything I used to with no difference in taste, smell or tolerances. Just less. Much much less. 3) I was given a giant antibiotic pill in the hospital right after my surgery. It was an inch long and thicker than a pencil. It caused no issues (took one each day for ten days). I also had no problem taking my regular BP meds, which now I no longer need anyway. 4) possibly. I probably had a two weeks or so after where I felt just tired but very shortly after my energy levels went way way up and I feel like I can work harder and longer each day. I haven’t had this much energy since I was a kid, and my calorie count is still around 1000-1500 a day depending on what I eat. 5) I’ve never dumped and now that I’m trying to find my maintenance calorie levels I’ve been eating high calorie foods (to keep volume minimal) without issue (peanut M&Ms). 6) I never had heartburn in my life. Until after surgery. They put me on… omeprazle or something like that… right in the hospital. It’s a PPI and I stopped taking it after a couple weeks (I’ve never had heartburn, didn’t after surgery so why keep taking it?) I got heartburn!! It sucked, I was scared, omg my first negative side effect!! so I took it again and it went away. When I stopped taking it it came back… so I took it again. Turns out it can have a rebound effect for some people. Once I read about that I just stopped it altogether and the heartburn went away after about five days or so and I haven’t had a single reoccurrence since. Am I unusual because I’ve had a really easy go of this? I don’t know. I know there ARE others out there who have also said it was easy. I do know is this (and I’ve said this before… sorry for repeating to those who have read my previous posts)… this forum is a wonderful resource for people to get info pre op, and to get help post op. That second part is a blessing and a curse. It’s easy to read all these posts where people having issues are trying to find help…. and to get a false impression of how frequently serious problems arise. Not too many people create a new thread to say “hey I’ve had no problems, this was so easy and I’ve been wildly successful beyond my even most optimistic goals… ok carry on.” But we are out there. Most people who fall into this category are probably just out in the wild, living their best life, this forum not anything they think about because they don’t need it. I’m sticking around to make sure people in your situation know that we’re out here. It can be easy, problem free, life changing, exciting, etc. On the flip side my wife also had the sleeve and has had a hell of a time. No problems from the procedure, no gerd or vomiting… just near zero weight loss but you can read my other posts for the specifics. Then there are those who do have medical issues from this, do have problems of all sorts of things. They’re real and I’m so sorry for them, and they do need this forum for advice and comfort and just to vent. I am in no way knocking them for doing what they have to do, but their collective voice is much louder then people like me and it skews perception. No one can tell you where on the spectrum you’ll land. If you take it seriously, know that it’s a just a tool to help you lose weight, make better choices, and are ok with the idea that you may have some ups and downs to cope with, you’re off to a great start. Me? I’d do this 100 times over just to feel the way I do today. I wish you the best. No matter what you decide. From a purely statistical point of view problems from being obese far outweigh problems related to getting sleeved. And unfortunately with statistics there are the outliers. But it isn’t a coin flip.

How is everyone doing? Sadly, my hunger has come back much quicker than expected as have my cravings for carbs and I am HUNGRY! I simply make sure I have protein close by or veggies or fruit. It is difficult some days. I had my yearly physical yesterday and my primary care said she was concerned I was loosing to much weight too fast. Just curious what everyone else is experiencing. I do find I am following exactly what my dr and dietician recommended.

He could have cancellations and they are trying to fill them fast. It happens all the time really. Good luck with everything!!!!!

I'm down 30 since end of May. Started regular vitamins (not chewable) today, those things are huge! (Bariatric Advantage) Got them down, but definitely felt it. No food issues, still "full" after 3-4 oz. Have not incorporated grains yet, as I still can't eat all my vegetable portion. Full after the protein. I really have to watch myself to make sure I don't eat too fast, especially with snacks.

Hi Soonlee, I did the same thing! I looked for signs that GOD didn't want me to take this route and got nothing! So on July 12th, I had my surgery. It was awful the first 3 days due to the drugs they had me on. Once I got home, things got better fast. I've been back at work since Monday and I feel great. I make sure I have 3 protein drinks a day and a couple servings of soup. Good luck of your surgery!

My insurance required 6 months in a medical weight loss program. I met with the PA and dietician alternating months. I had to have the psych eval and some bloodwork and when the PA felt I was ready I met with the surgeon. I actually met with the surgeon last week Thursday, they sent everything to the insurance for approval, I got an approval letter in the mail on Monday and scheduled my surgery on Tuesday. The whole process was actually pretty easy and seemed to go really fast!

I am 5 weeks out from bypass and I get hunger pains too but the worst is for some reason I never threw up up until now. I've thrown up 3x in the last 5 days. I think it's bc I ate too fast and too much:( so just dont do what I did lol Sent from my SM-G981U using BariatricPal mobile app

I have been craving chili cheese ALL the things the last week. Working nights means I usually don’t stop for fast food on the days I worked but today I stayed up to have a chili cheese burrito, a beef burrito, and cheese fiesta potatoes from Taco Bell. They left the rice out of my been burrito so I’ve only taken a bite from that and 2 (maybe it was 3?) for the chili cheese burrito I added extra ground beef to. Didn’t even touch the potatoes. In a past life I’d have eaten it all and then more. Today though restriction kicked in HARD and I’m SO ready for bed now. 😴

My 15 year old neighbor had sleeve surgery after years of therapy, "fat camps" and depression. Three months after surgery and a pretty significant weight loss, I actually saw her smile for the first time! She began walking, working out and would actually engage in lengthy conversations. Fast forward 5 years...…she's in college, enjoys hiking, is in a serious relationships and looks wonderful. Her parents had to go through a lot of family counseling and do a lot of research to find a surgeon who performed bariatric procedures on children. But they knew it was in the best interest of their child to set her up for a healthy adult life. So in answer to your question, you should have the surgery when you are mentally ready to commit to a healthy future. Sleeve surgery only works in the long term if you make the necessary life style changes in that first year after surgery. If not, the weight gain will put you right back where you are now. So I would suggest that age isn't as important as attitude. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

Stalls happen. We do say the first one happens at week three but it can be before week 3 or after. They can last one to three weeks. They do pass & you don’t have to do anything different. Your body just needs a break from all the changes - your body has shut the door & said nope, no more, I’m not moving & am just staying here for a while. You’ll also likely experience a couple of stalls along the way. We all lose at our own rate. Some fast, some slow. There are many factors at influence that rate: age, gender, starting weight, genetics, weight loss history… You’ve lost 26lbs - that’s great. Stick to what your doing. You’ll reach your goal.

I had terrible hair loss so started maintenance early. Now I'm struggling to get back on program. I wish I'd stayed on program but was freaked out and didn't know how long the hair loss would last. It was severe and lasted 7 months. I'm older so my hair doesn't grow very fast anymore.

I was self pay. My initial consult was in January 2020 and my surgery date was scheduled for March 2020. So it can happen pretty fast, depending on the facility (I used Cleveland Clinic) (Of course, COVID happened, and the surgery got postponed 4 months, but that is not likely the case now)

I agree with what’s been written. In addition, my dietitian told me that when it’s dumping, the urge will be for things to come out the bottom end. When you’ve eaten too much or too fast, the urge will be for it to come up and out. The first time is very scary. I, too, wondered if I needed to go to the hospital. I thought I was chewing enough and eating slowly enough. I wasn’t. I also needed to pause longer between bites and wait until the recommended 30 minutes after a meal before drinking (sometimes longer). It took me more times than I care to admit to really slow down as much as I needed to and to stop sooner. I learned to recognize that as soon as there was the slightest gurgle from my stomach, it was time to stop. A runny nose or hiccup is a sure sign of having gone too far. Also, since this can feel like something is stuck, my first reaction was to take a drink to wash it down. Don’t do it, it only makes it worse.

About half of that weight was lost in the preop diet phase. The other half was lost after the surgery. I just completed week 5. Had a pretty good normal stall at 3 weeks that lasted about a week. I follow the diet strictly, and i walk 3 to 6 miles a day. I avoid carbs as much as i can. Lots and lots of water. Just giving you some perspective to my numbers. Everyone is different. We are all losers, but the good kind. Whether it comes off fast or slow life is better 1 lb at a time.

What you describe is not dumping. It sounds like you ate too fast, you probably didn't chew well enough, and your pouch was mildly blocked. The dry-heaving is you trying to get rid of the blockage. Dumping occurs after you've eaten. It is your bodies response to eating too much sugar or fat in some cases. Your stomach / intestines put out a "We need water here" which your body responds dramatically. All this fluid in your intestines are what cause the Dumping symptoms. The symptoms include sweating, heart palpitations, nausea, gastric distress, cramps, and the forever popular diarrhea. Good luck. Tek