My concerns so far

[Periquin77 0]

Hi everyone.

First I have to apologize for my english, I'm Spanish and I'm doing my best writing this in english :blushing:

I don't have a story myself at the moment, at least I don't have it regarding being sleeved, because I'm not.

I am 32 years old, and I weight 145Kg (about 319 pounds), and my height is 1.76cm (about 5'9" if I am not mistaken :thumbup:), so my IMC is about 46%.

For at least three years I've been strugling with the idea of the surgery, because I've been dieting my whole life and I recover every pound lost, and then some... What can I tell you about that, it's an everyday story here :crying:

But I can't make up my mind, I'm too frightened, or concerned about the long term issues that it's begining to be a real headache for me!

I know that I shouldn't be worried because the issues that I will get being obese are bigger than those that I'd get with the surgery... but... i don't know why I keep thinking about that.

In this three years I've read every study that I got handed on, no matter what the surgery tecnique was... VSG, RnY, DS, band...

I think that my option would be VSG, just because the band is not an option for me (too many re-intervention probabilities and the "thing" being inside forever :S) and the malabsorption scaries me in the long term.

But I really don't know if the VSG would work for me since I have an excess weight of 150 pounds. And plus i have a family member who has more weight to lose than me who is considering the same surgery as me (VSG), and I don't know if it would also work for him (though he says that he should be happy even resulting overweight with the VSG rather than morbidly obese).

Another concern for me is that my intention... or my desire if you have to name it, is to start training at the gym after losing some pounds (a lot of them actually :biggrin0:), and... if I can... try to train my muscles a bit and do a lot of cardio.

So, Why I'm telling that's a concern for me? Because I think that when/if I'll be in my weight and training I would need a lot more calories and Proteins that I would be able to eat because of the surgery.

Maybe it's an impossible desire, maybe it's the surgery without gym at that level or no-surgery and being obese (I'll take the first :wink0:)

Do you know if iit's possible to train at that level with the surgery done? Tha's my concern (sorry for the letter...)

I think that's all, and I think it's enough for a presentation hehehe

If some of you have understood what I wrote (sorry again for my english :blushing:) I'd appreciate some answer, or some experience...

Thanks to all

[SIZE SEVEN 0]

Buena Suerte with your decision Peri77. It is not an easy one. My surgery is coming up (June 17) so I can't speak from experience. I commend you for considering making healthy choices for yourself. It's the first step in the process. Keep your focus on your health and the right decision will come to you.

It is amazing how even the smallest effort at exercise has shown results for me.

I cut out sugar, caffiene and high carbs for the past two weeks and just "moved around" alot more by 20 minutes and have lost 8 pounds pre op. I'm still doing the surgery because I need the life change. Your English is muy buena!

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hi everyone.

First I have to apologize for my english, I'm Spanish and I'm doing my best writing this in english :blushing:

I don't have a story myself at the moment, at least I don't have it regarding being sleeved, because I'm not.

I am 32 years old, and I weight 145Kg (about 319 pounds), and my height is 1.76cm (about 5'9" if I am not mistaken :thumbup:), so my IMC is about 46%.

For at least three years I've been strugling with the idea of the surgery, because I've been dieting my whole life and I recover every pound lost, and then some... What can I tell you about that, it's an everyday story here :crying:

But I can't make up my mind, I'm too frightened, or concerned about the long term issues that it's begining to be a real headache for me!

I know that I shouldn't be worried because the issues that I will get being obese are bigger than those that I'd get with the surgery... but... i don't know why I keep thinking about that.

In this three years I've read every study that I got handed on, no matter what the surgery tecnique was... VSG, RnY, DS, band...

I think that my option would be VSG, just because the band is not an option for me (too many re-intervention probabilities and the "thing" being inside forever :S) and the malabsorption scaries me in the long term.

But I really don't know if the VSG would work for me since I have an excess weight of 150 pounds. And plus i have a family member who has more weight to lose than me who is considering the same surgery as me (VSG), and I don't know if it would also work for him (though he says that he should be happy even resulting overweight with the VSG rather than morbidly obese).

Another concern for me is that my intention... or my desire if you have to name it, is to start training at the gym after losing some pounds (a lot of them actually :biggrin0:), and... if I can... try to train my muscles a bit and do a lot of cardio.

So, Why I'm telling that's a concern for me? Because I think that when/if I'll be in my weight and training I would need a lot more calories and Proteins that I would be able to eat because of the surgery.

Maybe it's an impossible desire, maybe it's the surgery without gym at that level or no-surgery and being obese (I'll take the first :wink0:)

Do you know if iit's possible to train at that level with the surgery done? Tha's my concern (sorry for the letter...)

I think that's all, and I think it's enough for a presentation hehehe

If some of you have understood what I wrote (sorry again for my english :blushing:) I'd appreciate some answer, or some experience...

Thanks to all

Welcome to the forum!

Any surgery is a spooky thing but once you have it you look back and wonder what the big deal is. ;o) It's not a horribly dangerous surgery and as a matter of fact, as far as surgery goes it is pretty safe.

When I was losing I was banded. I revised to a sleeve at goal. I was doing 1-2 hours of hard cardio daily and keeping calories at 600. I was able to get all my Protein in with no problem.

In the beginning you can't really get all the Protein you need in solid food but you can supplement with Protein shakes. Protein is not a problem while doing muscle work. And besides, if you don't get surgery you can't do the muscle work, right?

You have to be ready for a life style change, you can't just jump into WLS. If you aren't ready it won't work, you'll learn to eat around your surgery type.

I totally relate to your feelings about not wanting a band due to all the problems, I lived it! ;o) I relate to not wanting malabsorption. I don't remember to take a Vitamin daily let alone a fist full of supplements. I am just not bypass material, never have been. I'm good to go with restriction alone.

When you are ready you'll do it. Don't let anyone push you into something you do not want to do. On the same token, please do remember you get your life back with WLS. You'll hear everyone saying that. It's a great feeling to be able to lose weight and know it is staying off this time.

Good luck to you!

[Elisabethsew 50]

Your English is wonderful. If you look at my signature, you'll see that I was once 440 pounds and got the sleeve surgery when I was 285 pounds. Any weight loss surgery requires you to make life long changes in order to be successful and requires eating healthier and exercising. As you lose weight, exercising becomes more achievable and as you lose weight, you learn new ways of eating to keep it off.

One of our members here runs marathons and is training for a triathalon after losing to goal weight with the sleeve. Do a lot of research, ask a lot of questions, and make the decision that's right for you when you feel ready.

[Eyfura 3]

Because no one has really brought it up I thought you would like to know what I have been told. I have surgery in 2 days, I weight lift and play volleyball regularly, I was very concerned that I would not be able to continue as hard after the surgery. I was told that I needed to wait a month to do the weightlifting, but volleyball and other cardio was recommended as soon as you felt well enough. My advice would be yes do it, but at first don't push yourself too hard, give it a month then have at it! My friend is a trainer and after a month I plan to start working with him. The more muscle you have the more fat you burn!

[Elisabethsew 50]

Dr. Aceves advises no heavy lifting (>15 pounds) for 6 weeks post-op.

[Eyfura 3]

Renee told me that I would be fine starting to weight lift at a month. So I dont know, I have not gotten paperwork stating either way, I can only go by what she says, if Dr. Aceves says not for 6 weeks then that is the law. :-)

[Periquin77 0]

Thank you all for your support :biggrin2:

I really appreciatte your help and your comments, because they come from experience!

I think that I need some more time to think about this surgery... I still have second thoughts about the long-term of the VSG. Will I be able to maintain the weight loss without the malabsorption?

The more muscle you have the more fat you burn!

True! But it' continues :confused1: "... and the more fat you burn the more calories you need to take". That's the part that concerns me...

I've been obese my whole life (as the most of you, I guess), and I know that if I could be "near" my ideal weight i would train hard in order to be the fitter that I could. But for that, the surgery has to work for me.... and, well, you already know what my concerns are :biggrin0:

Another issue is/will be the skin. But that's what it is and only time will tell...

Thank you again.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thank you all for your support :biggrin0:

I really appreciatte your help and your comments, because they come from experience!

I think that I need some more time to think about this surgery... I still have second thoughts about the long-term of the VSG. Will I be able to maintain the weight loss without the malabsorption?

Are you aware that you do not malabsorb much after about 1.5 years with bypass? There is something called Villa in your small intestine and that is what absorbs calories and nutrition. When people are bypassed their body begins to compensate for the bypassed intestine by growing more villa. So you start absorbing fat and calories again but sadly, not your Vitamins. That's why WLS really *is* all about a life style change.

True! But it' continues :confused1: "... and the more fat you burn the more calories you need to take". That's the part that concerns me...

Why would you need to increase calories because you are burning fat?

[Periquin77 0]

Are you aware that you do not malabsorb much after about 1.5 years with bypass? There is something called Villa in your small intestine and that is what absorbs calories and nutrition. When people are bypassed their body begins to compensate for the bypassed intestine by growing more villa. So you start absorbing fat and calories again but sadly, not your Vitamins. That's why WLS really *is* all about a life style change.

No, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you really much!. Another reason against malabsorption for me :confused1:

Why would you need to increase calories because you are burning fat?

Well, you burn more fat because you have more muscle, and if you have more muscle, you need more energy just "to be there". Your basal requirements of energy are higher, so you need more calories in your diet. That's why most of sportsmen eat such a big plates of food, usually Pasta because of their carbs. That's what I think...

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

No, I wasn't aware of that. Thank you really much!. Another reason against malabsorption for me :confused1:

Well, you burn more fat because you have more muscle, and if you have more muscle, you need more energy just "to be there". Your basal requirements of energy are higher, so you need more calories in your diet. That's why most of sportsmen eat such a big plates of food, usually Pasta because of their carbs. That's what I think...

Fat *is* stored energy. You consume Protein to maintain muscle mass, not additional calories. You are comparing an existing body builder with an obese person trying to lose weight. The LAST thing we need is a plate of Pasta. We need high quality carbs with limits. You already have a great deal of muscle in all likelihood. You are male and you are carrying around excess weight. Your job during weight loss is to maintain your current muscle mass.

We do things MUCH differently from a body builder. We are looking for two very different goals. Ignore everything you hear from a body builder! We are working for very different things.

Bodybuilders do not have a great deal of stored fat, we do. Our diets are very different.

The more calories you consume the more you have to burn.

[Periquin77 0]

Fat *is* stored energy. You consume Protein to maintain muscle mass, not additional calories. You are comparing an existing body builder with an obese person trying to lose weight. The LAST thing we need is a plate of Pasta. We need high quality carbs with limits. You already have a great deal of muscle in all likelihood. You are male and you are carrying around excess weight. Your job during weight loss is to maintain your current muscle mass.

We do things MUCH differently from a body builder. We are looking for two very different goals. Ignore everything you hear from a body builder! We are working for very different things.

Bodybuilders do not have a great deal of stored fat, we do. Our diets are very different.

The more calories you consume the more you have to burn.

I think you misunderstood me :S. I agree completely with you, but I was talking about after the weight loss. Once I'm in the plateau I intend to train to build muscle (not much, I don't want to be big, just fit) and that's when I'm saying that I will need more calories... with no fat to burn. In theory there will be more muscle than now, but no fat, so my body will require a lot of calories... and that's my concern :S Obviously, as you said before, when I'm losing weight my energy will come from the fat stored... but after?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I think you misunderstood me :S. I agree completely with you, but I was talking about after the weight loss. Once I'm in the plateau I intend to train to build muscle (not much, I don't want to be big, just fit) and that's when I'm saying that I will need more calories... with no fat to burn. In theory there will be more muscle than now, but no fat, so my body will require a lot of calories... and that's my concern :S Obviously, as you said before, when I'm losing weight my energy will come from the fat stored... but after?

Ahhh, yes, I did misunderstand. I thought you meant that you needed more calories to burn fat. I didn't understand what you meant by that.

You'll find that you can get the foods in that you need to in order to meet your caloric needs. Maybe you'll have to increase the number of meals you eat a day. Is that bad? ;o)

[aceduece 0]

Speaking from the sleeve experience as I am sleeved now and have been for over a year now, I was 389 at surgery, 1 year later I am 197 or a little less, There is a gland in your stomach called Grehllin or however it is spelled that sends a signal to your brain telling you when your hungary and also slowing your metabolism. (once removed it was like a miracle) (For example myself, I unfortunately have not worked out since surgery, just normal routine work walking around at different facilities) Yes I have lost some muscle mass. I find it hard to intake the amount of Protein without tasting horrible Protein Shakes or shots and so on. I eat probably 6 times a day in small portions About the size of half a happy meal but of pure protein like chicken or fish. I have been very successful with my sleeve and feel confident that anyone who is sleeved will have some success if not meet their goal except with excessive obesity. The VSG is step 1 of a 2 step surgery for those who need it. I was told no heavy lifting after surgery so I didnt. I was also told to walk alot, no running for at least 6 weeks, I would advise against volleyball for a while :cool0:. The best advice is to let the sleeve heal inside of you, dont hurt it. I was soooo careful drinking and eating after surgery for so long because I didnt want or need complications. (word of advise to anyone.. When they tell you to go to the hotel and wash your wounds I wouldnt do that, Take some Neosporin spray, alcohol wipes and completely cover your wounds while in the shower anywhere in Mexico. I look at it like this, If it is not safe enough to drink it isnt safe at all) You can wait till you are back in the states to wash them hehe. Just make sure that you clean them with the alcohol wipes and neosporin spray :car: .. Not knocking mexico or anything, this is where I had my surgery performed in Tijuana Mexico at Hospital Angeles. I hope my post is somewhat helpful if not feel free to contact me if you would like to ask specific questions I will be more than happy to support you all in anyway I can :car: I also apologize if my typing is wrong, I am super tired from working all day in the heat but wanted to post

Edited June 10, 2009 by aceduece

[Elisabethsew 50]

I'm an RN who also had surgery in Mexico. I showered every AM while in Mexico and washed with soap and Water as instructed. I had no problems and have never heard of anyone having any.