Gastric Sleeve Experts... Please Chime In!

[Nicey2u 228]

I was 270 in feb... 250 surgery weight... I was sleeved on 4/23... I am now 195... Have lost 75 lbs and I intend to drop at least another 30 to 40 ponds. It has slowed a bit... But as long as you are watching what you eat... Keeping your calories low... Carbs low... Protein high... Excersize... You will keep losing!!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

My expectations are very high as well. I just had a weigh in on Thursday and only 3lbs gone. I made the comment at least I lost some but I'm frustrated. Two months post-op and I've started walking more and I'm back at school so I figure it's taking a little more to keep me going. I'm doing many small snack/meals, because I can't seem to eat very much, through out the day which helps when dinner comes around. But like you I feel like I'm always thirsty and I have a water bottle with me always....I wonder why this is?? I live down here near Mt.Hood and know of the hot weather you speak of, normally I would be drenched going from class to class but like you said with that extra weight on I'm sure I would be sweating like crazy and I'm not now....I think of all the frustration we are all going thru and I have to remember what our outcomes will be....THINNER for life and more control over food....Amazing!!!

Hi oolismom, you are doing great!. Just a little heads up here... you guys, THINNER for life and more control over food... looks like the truth when you begin this journey, but veteran after veteran say this is work forever. After some or much of your hunger comes back, and you can eat more, and the routine may get boring... weight gain is a very real possibility. It is important to learn new routines, and remain vigilant every day. Maintinaning is the hardest part for many. I did not even get to maintenance until almost 3 years out, and at this point am considered one of the centers most successful patients. You do not get to goal and then cruse. Do follow your docs advice, and keep aware of changes back to old behavior, and you will do fine! I love my sleeve and it makes it possible to live at goal, with all the work I did during the losing phase still in place.

Edited August 23, 2014 by feedyoureye

[Healthier2day1227 326]

I lost 100% of excess weight, but I was very vigilant and tracked everything. I didn't just let my sleeve be my guide. I have to tell you maintenance is no different than losing. I do everything the same. I eat 1200 cal a day and exercise every day. When I first went into maintenance I thought oh good I can take in more cals but that wasn't the case. When I did that I gained. And my hunger is back and I can eat more so I combat that with fruits high on Fiber because they are filling or Snacks of string cheese and deli meat. Everyone's different, just find what works for you.

[DawnM123 1]

I am 1 month post-op on the 12th and have lost 25 lbs.. I didn't follow the rules of all liquid and payed for it dearly... Heart burn and throwing up!! I'm happy with a 25 lb loss for 1st month... Don't be discouraged just stay on track and it will come off.

[deehall 7]

I had my surgery this past Tuesday, 9/2/14. I am feeling better physically each day, but just weak. I am supposed to go back to work this upcoming week on Wednesday and I am afraid it is too soon. My surgeon said I could, but I can't imagine working when I feel so weak. I am also starting to feel a bit depressed. I just feel so "different" from everyone else in my life and as though no one understands what I am going through. I also know a lot about nutrition and exercise, so I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am losing weight so fast and not getting much nutrition and how this could possibly be healthy for me. Has anyone else gone through this?

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Deehall, I felt the same way, it's like you are in a whole different world and can't explain it to anyone. That lasted about 8 days for me. Feeling better now, I had my surgery on 8/25 I have to go back to work tomorrow. I am still weak also.

[pataroony 6]

Hi There: I went back to work after 2 weeks...I was feeling quite lethargic but didn't fight it...I missed my coffee but had to accept I wasn't super energetic...GET ENOUGH Protein and eat/drink regularly...have 3 oz sips of Protein Shake every hour.

It's weird when everyone around you seems to be eating or talking about eating...distract yourself - read inspirational stories...once you're a ways along, you will be eating normal foods but in very small quantities and no one will notice and you'll feel great...and get enough sleep.< /p>

[oolismom 30]

Hey everyone...Oh man I just read all of these posts on this page and there wasn't one I could disagree with at all....It took us all a long time to put this weight on, some of us all our lives, so I know it's gonna take time to get it off and try to maintain....

I saw my Doc this past Wednesday and he released me to eat whatever except carbonation and sweets of course...No problem there, I told him about how sickening sweet the Protein Shakes were and my Ranch dressing on salads tasted so garlicy, here's an FYI guys....He said that he didn't know why but that some people have experienced the change in their "tasters", our taste buds change. He said that sometimes what we've loved for years can no longer taste any good to us, that he wasn't sure why only that it may be metobolic changes. I got in trouble because I'm not getting enough Protein in so that is my new challenge 60-100grams a day....

deehall- I feel like you.."No one knows what I'm going thru" etc.. I have used my Facebook friends as my support group, so all my friends and my school friends that wanna go out after class I have to tell them...Some of my Professors have seen me nibble on cheese and crackers between class and wonder if I'm diabetic, which I'm not, so they get curious and I tell them....I started this process with my folks as a support group and my mom has slowly started to lose her memory and my dad thinks that I was crazy to do the surgery, in fact he said if he would of know how much of my stomach was going to be removed he would of tried to talk me out of it.....So needless to say I have all of you here and my dear friends on FB and myself and my brother he and his family are excited for me and are here but I guess we all have to decide when and who needs to know when we're ready...I think everyone here has made a HUGE life desicion and we are a select group but I see it as them and us..lol...If I don't get picked for the team I will start my own team...

Anyway.....good reading from all as I said....Hope my Doc info helps someone...I can't tell y'all how many times you've helped me....Have a great day and will check back later...

[deehall 7]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. I am feeling better today. I know this is going to be a tough journey. It's as though I feel like my life has been turned upside down, but everyone else is just going about doing their thing. I think I took too much on at one time. I just got engaged on 8/27/14 and then had the surgery 9/2/14 and I am going on a cruise on 11/15/14. It is a bit overwhelming, especially financially. I had planned on having the surgery before I got the engaged. The engagement was a total surprise. I thought my fiancé was going to propose while we were on our cruise. It was a terrific surprise, but everyone kept asking me a million questions about wedding plans and all I could focus on was having the surgery. I know there are definitely going to be snarky people at my work, one in particular who is going to make this journey for me miserable. I am trying to figure out how to deal with her before I go back to work. I have a very stressful job and the last thing I need is her adding more stress.

oolismom- I heard that about the tastebuds too. So weird how so many different things about ourselves can change after surgery!

tabhm- Good luck at work today! I hope you have a great day!

[Vdubs 19]

I am no expert, but I waited until I was 67 to take a surgical approach to a life long SICKNESS. For anyone who thinks that what I did was either crazy or an easy way out, think about a disorder you may have and what you are doing about it. Whatever you are doing, nothing or a lot, someone will say you are taking the easy way out.

Making this decision was the hardest of my life. Look how long it took me. A year later and 150 pounds lighter (6.0 feet 200lbs) I feel better than I ever have. I speed walk (4.2 mph) four to five miles a day and have taken up boxing twice a week. Easy no, required for me to maintain, yes!

For me, in the proper order, there is only 60+ grams of Protein a day, then veggies or fruit and then very limited carbs maybe once a week (maybe whole wheat pasta). The other big deal for me is eating something every 3 hours (Danon light & Fit Greek Yogurt 80 calories is the best followed by Humus and baby carrots). I also drink as much as I can, even though it is not even close to that recommended 64 ounces a day.

This is the best decision I ever made and I have no problem telling this to anyone.

[oolismom 30]

Hey dee....

For those snarky people, get them a huge jar of M&M's and watch their ass' grow in their chairs....Ours won't be but then we can sit back and laugh.....being nice but getting even....heheeee.....Take it when you go back and tell this person you were thinking of her....lolol

Good luck.....

[deehall 7]

Thank you! You are too funny! There is just this one particular woman who is fixated on weight in my office and she has made very snarky comments to me in the past when I lost weight and then every second of every day she asks me what I have done to lose weight. I lost 93 pounds starting in 2008 and it took me about a year and a half to lose it. I kept it off for a year and a half and then gained 30 pounds back due to bad stress eating and inactivity. I then gained back 40 more pounds due to injuries and the medications they gave me for the medications. She would make comments like "Oh you have less cottage cheese on your as$ now." She is just very difficult to deal with I have to not allow her to get me because stress is no friend in the weight loss department and my job is stressful enough....I am a psychologist.

[oolismom 30]

Holy Mackrel Dee....

That would be stressful....I think this woman needs some help and at the very least an attitude adjustment....Someone did that to me one time, made some dumbass comment, I stood there and looked at them like, you didn't really just say that did you??

Some guy told me one time I was intimidating. I use that when needed, that day I needed a little restraint along with the intimidation factor. But too, I was in an abusive relationship, mostly verbal but still and when I left I took my guts with me. It seems everytime I've had to have any surgery, I don't know why but I've gained more balls than any guy. I try to be a lady but if it comes out of me verbally I do not apologize if I mean it.....So let her have it Dee, you are not a door mat any more and I'm sharing my guts with you....Let her have it....

[deehall 7]

@oolismom- You crack me up! Thanks for the words of encouragement. Yes, this woman has a lot of issues/problems. I have to remember that when she makes her snarky comments, it is more about her and her paranoia and insecurities rather than anything about me. She is so jealous of everyone else and is a miserable person.

Thank you for sharing your guts with me! I need them as I head back to work tomorrow! I hate confrontation and conflict and confrontation, but I have definitely gotten better with age! I will have to try your look out!

[bikrchk 1,313]

My Doc also stated that a WLS patient is considered a "success" if 60% of the excess weight comes off. Like you, I was not going to be satisfied with a grade equivalent to a "D" after going through surgery and achieving a total lifestyle change! He told me I was a "success" at my 6 months follow up when I was still in the "overweight" category by the BMI scale and that if no more weight came off, not to be concerned. I guess I'm an over achiever because nothing short of the healthy BMI range was going to do it for me! I'm 47 and 5'6" tall. I started out at 235 and we'd originally talked about my needing to lose 100 pounds. A goal of 135 pounds (right smack in the middle of healthy BMI) seemed inconceivable to me at that time. I'd never experienced being a healthy weight in my lifetime having been overweight since about age 8.

So I kept doing what I was doing. 75g of Protein per day, Vitamins, protein first, small meals and exercise 5x per week. Guess what? When I got down to 145 pounds and was wearing a size 4 skinny jean I decided it might be okay to adjust up by 10 pounds. So I've been trying to maintain now for the last 7 weeks. I've adjusted my calories up, my cardio down, (just a little) and added strength training to the routine. Weight is still coming off. Slowly. My guess is that I will make that 100 pound loss yet. As long as I stay within the healthy BMI zone, I figure I'm doing okay!

Everyone's journey is different, but don't let your doc's "statistics" distract you from your goal of achieving excellence! It IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE!