60.7%

[goodlife 3]

Chilo...the new site will take some getting used to. I liked it the way it was just fine myself!

But it's all the same people with just a new look to the site. So please don't feel like you can't rely on everybody for support!

In a few months we'll probably have forgotten what the old site looked like or how it worked!

I've been there and done that on other sites...lol

We're here for you!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Chilo...the new site will take some getting used to. I liked it the way it was just fine myself!

But it's all the same people with just a new look to the site. So please don't feel like you can't rely on everybody for support!

In a few months we'll probably have forgotten what the old site looked like or how it worked!

I've been there and done that on other sites...lol

We're here for you!

The colors look like the color of a bruise! yuck! Oh well, hopefully alex is working the bugs out. He must have his hands full. there have been so many complaints. I like this site so much too, and really come to it to keep my mind streight and on track. I hope it gets better too. Lets hang in there folks! I think beign involved in an active group like this does help us keep our eye on the prize and make it to goal and beyond.

[MS LISA 1]

I think the studies that are out for the 3-5+ yr single stage VSG patients are based on the bigger sleeves that were used before the technique was adjusted.

I lost 100%+ of my EWL, and I know many others that are 2-4 years out, and easily maintaining their loss. There's a few long termers on here, but they rarely post. I'm just over a year, and honestly, I really don't see myself ever gaining more than 5-10 pounds back over the next few years. I'm not naive to believe that I won't see a regain of some sort, but I also know myself better than any statistical study could predict. Losing isn't difficult with the sleeve, it's the maintenance that is tricky. So far though, I've found a really great balance and hover within a 5lb loss/gain on any given day.

I KNOW THIS IS A OLD POST BUT I WAS WONDERING YOU HAD SURGERY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO NOW AND I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH CAN YOU EAT NOW?? CAN YOU TELL THAT YOUR RESTRICTION HAS CHANGED?? IF I REMEMBER RIGHT YOU HAD A 32 BOUGIE THAT IS THE SAME AS ME AND I CAN EAT ABOUT 7 BITES OF SOMETHING AND IM FULL I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH YOU CAN EAT NOW AND IF YOU ARE STILL MAINTAINING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS???

THANKS LISA

[Tiffykins 673]

I KNOW THIS IS A OLD POST BUT I WAS WONDERING YOU HAD SURGERY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO NOW AND I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH CAN YOU EAT NOW?? CAN YOU TELL THAT YOUR RESTRICTION HAS CHANGED?? IF I REMEMBER RIGHT YOU HAD A 32 BOUGIE THAT IS THE SAME AS ME AND I CAN EAT ABOUT 7 BITES OF SOMETHING AND IM FULL I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH YOU CAN EAT NOW AND IF YOU ARE STILL MAINTAINING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS???

THANKS LISA

It completely depends on what I'm eating. I measured everything early out so I can not relate to "7 bites" of anything. Slider foods such as chips, pretzels, nuts, bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, chili, yogurt etc I can eat 6-8oz. For dense Protein such as steak, chicken, ribs, I max out at about 3-5oz. To this day, I can not eat an entire chicken breast. Like the ones that are served with a grilled chicken salad at restaurants. I can eat 3-5slices of the chicken breast, but that's all I can get in.

Taco Bell- 1 soft taco minus the top part of the tortilla

pizza Hut (or at home Frozen Pizza) - I can eat 1-1.5 slice of pizza minus the top crust, and it depends on the amount of toppings and sauce.

Chilis- I can eat 3 Southwest eggrolls or 3 slider burgers without the top bun and a few bites of whatever side dish I want

As far as a steak, I order an 8oz ribeye, cooked medium, I can eat almost half of it, if I eat super slow, I can have a few bites of veggies/starches.

If I add bread or sliders to any of my Protein foods, I can fit a bit more in. If I stretch my meal out over more than 30-45 minutes I can fit in a couple more ounces, if I stretch it over an hour (like social situations, dinners out with group of friends/families), I can quite a bit more, but I still can not eat what I ate pre-op. If I add Condiments such as A1 steak sauce, ranch dressing, gravies, sauces of any sort (this is called food LUBE), I can eat more.

In maintenance, I eat an average of 1500-1800 calories per day. I no longer count anything other than protein and calories. I eat anything and everything I want, and yes, I eat white carbs, and drink soda and have for over a year in maintenance with zero effects on my weight. But, this is my experience, and others have found that they can not eat like I do in maintenance. I do steer clear of candy, ice cream, cakes etc because I just don't like those things on a regular basis. My weakness is chips and crackers, and I do eat them, I just don't eat huge amounts of them. I can not eat biscuits or pancakes this far out, but I can eat 1 small Eggo waffle if I really want to have something like that.

Restriction changes for just about everyone the further out we get, but there is a max capacity. At 2-3 months out, I was good to get in 1-2oz of dense protein with zero room for veggies. Rice, Pasta, bread, tortillas all hurt my sleeve and now those are all slider foods. But, I'm nearly 2 years out, and I've been eating roughly the same amounts since I was 8-9 months out. I've found ways to cheat the sleeve, and I do use those tactics occasionally to get in extra calories. Some days, I just want veggies, and I believe my body tells me to eat what it needs. There are plenty of days when I do not get in my protein, and then there are other days when I all I want is meat, cheeses, eggs. I've found a balance with what works for my body, and my nutritional needs.

And, no I'm not maintaining my weight loss anymore because I'm pregnant. I maintained my loss for a year before I started gaining a few pounds with the pregnancy.

[MS LISA 1]

It completely depends on what I'm eating. I measured everything early out so I can not relate to "7 bites" of anything. Slider foods such as chips, pretzels, nuts, bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, chili, yogurt etc I can eat 6-8oz. For dense Protein such as steak, chicken, ribs, I max out at about 3-5oz. To this day, I can not eat an entire chicken breast. Like the ones that are served with a grilled chicken salad at restaurants. I can eat 3-5slices of the chicken breast, but that's all I can get in.

Taco Bell- 1 soft taco minus the top part of the tortilla

pizza Hut (or at home Frozen Pizza) - I can eat 1-1.5 slice of pizza minus the top crust, and it depends on the amount of toppings and sauce.

Chilis- I can eat 3 Southwest eggrolls or 3 slider burgers without the top bun and a few bites of whatever side dish I want

As far as a steak, I order an 8oz ribeye, cooked medium, I can eat almost half of it, if I eat super slow, I can have a few bites of veggies/starches.

If I add bread or sliders to any of my Protein foods, I can fit a bit more in. If I stretch my meal out over more than 30-45 minutes I can fit in a couple more ounces, if I stretch it over an hour (like social situations, dinners out with group of friends/families), I can quite a bit more, but I still can not eat what I ate pre-op. If I add Condiments such as A1 steak sauce, ranch dressing, gravies, sauces of any sort (this is called food LUBE), I can eat more.

In maintenance, I eat an average of 1500-1800 calories per day. I no longer count anything other than protein and calories. I eat anything and everything I want, and yes, I eat white carbs, and drink soda and have for over a year in maintenance with zero effects on my weight. But, this is my experience, and others have found that they can not eat like I do in maintenance. I do steer clear of candy, ice cream, cakes etc because I just don't like those things on a regular basis. My weakness is chips and crackers, and I do eat them, I just don't eat huge amounts of them. I can not eat biscuits or pancakes this far out, but I can eat 1 small Eggo waffle if I really want to have something like that.

Restriction changes for just about everyone the further out we get, but there is a max capacity. At 2-3 months out, I was good to get in 1-2oz of dense protein with zero room for veggies. Rice, Pasta, bread, tortillas all hurt my sleeve and now those are all slider foods. But, I'm nearly 2 years out, and I've been eating roughly the same amounts since I was 8-9 months out. I've found ways to cheat the sleeve, and I do use those tactics occasionally to get in extra calories. Some days, I just want veggies, and I believe my body tells me to eat what it needs. There are plenty of days when I do not get in my protein, and then there are other days when I all I want is meat, cheeses, eggs. I've found a balance with what works for my body, and my nutritional needs.

And, no I'm not maintaining my weight loss anymore because I'm pregnant. I maintained my loss for a year before I started gaining a few pounds with the pregnancy.

Thank you so much for your reply, It is good info for me Congrats on your new baby!!!!!

[lob1999 0]

I think the studies that are out for the 3-5+ yr single stage VSG patients are based on the bigger sleeves that were used before the technique was adjusted.

I lost 100%+ of my EWL, and I know many others that are 2-4 years out, and easily maintaining their loss. There's a few long termers on here, but they rarely post. I'm just over a year, and honestly, I really don't see myself ever gaining more than 5-10 pounds back over the next few years. I'm not naive to believe that I won't see a regain of some sort, but I also know myself better than any statistical study could predict. Losing isn't difficult with the sleeve, it's the maintenance that is tricky. So far though, I've found a really great balance and hover within a 5lb loss/gain on any given day.

The ~60% figure, I believe, includes an older procedure that was not as effective. Also, Tiffykins is right (as usual :thumbup: -- the numbers quoted also roll in the VERY large Bougie sizes that were initially used.

So I'm bringing this thread back from the dead for a question. I hope someone is still around reading this. (And hello! )

So if I understand these posts correctly, there have been changes to VSG in the last few years that may have better results than older methods.

But as I understand it, even using the older statistics puts VSG pretty close to RNY in terms of weight loss.

So does this mean that it's possible that VSG, under the new methodologies, could be MORE effective than RNY?

Has RNY experienced similar improvements recently, such that the statistics for it may be on the low side?

[MeMeMEEE 206]

Here is a new study I came across and it does say it is comparable to RNY - somewhere in there....

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/matrix/bt_supp0511/index.php?startid=3#/10

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I think that reading message boards is the personal aneddote method of "research" - it is an important component but may not accurately reflect "averages". Also, the techhniques are evolving, and the studies cover longer term... there is a chance that the current procedures are different then they were 5 years ago. Another point is that it is pretty well known that if you are lower BMI, you have very good chance of losing 100% of excess, if you are heavier, not so much. That study seems to reflect that, the average BMIs were 46-60 for the three data sets.

My surgeon says his patients that are in the 30s range of BMI tend to lose 100% of their excess, but people who are higher lose more like 70-80%. His data I believe is only 3 years so I am guessing his long term stats will show something less then that.

When I was banded 10 years ago, the EWL% for gastric band was reported at around 60-65% - I don't know what the current studies show. What I think happened with the band is that maybe 20-30% of people did lose 100%; alot of others lost maybe 40-60% of excess and a pretty significant number really didn't do very well. What those stats didn't reflect back when I was banded were the long term (5-10+ years) issues and how many people would need to have the band removed.

Of course the sleeve is totally different, but I think the harsh reality is that much like band and even the RNY, there will be many people who regain.. over the long haul. You know what, my sleep apnea doctor who was the one that kicked my butt to explore this surgery had a good answer to that "argument". His point was that being trim and healthy for 10 years, even if I DID regain would be 10 years with less weight on my joints, 10 years of better quality life, 10 years of better health. When I look at where I am at now, and the path I am on... well... I see his point even if the we don't really know the long term yet. I personally am still grappling with the studies that show reflux gets much worse at 6+ years out. scares me as I have hated it with the band

A few other factors:

-people that don't get satisfactory results tend to fade away from message boards because it kinda hurts feeling like the only failure

-people who convert to a DS or RNY likely move away from this message board

-people who have alot of health problems... well, they sometimes die or otherwise become unavailable to post. I am not saying necessarily sick from the WLS, I mean just in general.

[lob1999 0]

If I were to speculate why some people regain after WLS, I suspect it's for the same reasons why regular dieters eventually regain weight: they're pushing their body past their new set point.

WLS changes the weight your body wants to be at. But that new set point isn't necessarily 100% of EWL. So lets say you have WLS and your new set point is, say, 40 pounds above your target weight. You eventually reach this level and try to move past it the same way most people try to lose weight: semi-starvation diets and exercise. And it works, but as with normal dieters, it only works for a while. Eventually your hormones win out and you give back some of the weight you lost.

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

I have kind of a skewed perspective on the sleeve for my long term health. My family has an abismal record of heart problems - and my doctor told me that if I didn't do some about the excess (125) extra pounds I was carrying around, it was not a matter of IF I would have a heart attack, but WHEN.

So, if the sleeve gives me 5 to 10 years of thin healthier living - great! If I end up with bad reflux - I can deal with it. I will have lived to retire and spend some quality relaxation time with my husband. I will have lived to watch my grandchildren grow up from the baby / toddler stage to people that might remember me.

I think every day I live thinner and healthier with the sleeve is a day I might otherwise not lived to enjoy.