Just Wondering?

[thinoneday 445]

I was just wondering if there have been any people who have failed miserably with the sleeve? I mean the whole thing . . . very little weight loss, regaining weight, anything? No leaks or other complications, just that the surgery didn't work at all for them? I realize those people may not be on this forum but I was wondering nevertheless. . . thanks!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I've heard rumors of people who fall into that category, I think most of us don't like to think about that possibility because it is so so frightening.

[thinoneday 445]

I know but it would be interesting to hear and i'm finding so many "different" things occuring at amazing rates now. . .I realize that the sleeve was experimental and that there are not too many long term outcomes recorded because of this, but i would like to know what happens when you are elderly and as we know the elderly don't eat much WITH stomaches, what happens to those with the surgery? If we are having malabsorption problems now what will happen when we're elderly? I've heard of those folks losing way under their goals even while trying to maintain, the "cold" factors? It's all just reality and it would be good to know fear or no fear. . . I think alot about these things now and am kinda worried about my golden years? This isn't like a tattoo that just sags south when we're older? Just a thought to throw out there. . .

[juliarh 35]

My surgeon told me one of his patients gained back all her weight because she ate slider foods non-stop. She's still morbidly obese, apparently. (Even the nurses at the hospital talked about her!) So it was my warning not to let myself slide (no pun intended) down that slippery slope -- I've got this real fear of slowly allowing slider foods and slowly gaining weight. Yikes!

[juliarh 35]

I know but it would be interesting to hear and i'm finding so many "different" things occuring at amazing rates now. . .I realize that the sleeve was experimental and that there are not too many long term outcomes recorded because of this, but i would like to know what happens when you are elderly and as we know the elderly don't eat much WITH stomaches, what happens to those with the surgery? If we are having malabsorption problems now what will happen when we're elderly? I've heard of those folks losing way under their goals even while trying to maintain, the "cold" factors? It's all just reality and it would be good to know fear or no fear. . . I think alot about these things now and am kinda worried about my golden years? This isn't like a tattoo that just sags south when we're older? Just a thought to throw out there. . .

It would be nice to hear about people who have had their stomachs removed for other reasons too -- maybe cancer or ulcers?? Maybe there's some research on how their smaller stomachs have reacted with time . . ..

[thinoneday 445]

It would be nice to hear about people who have had their stomachs removed for other reasons too -- maybe cancer or ulcers?? Maybe there's some research on how their smaller stomachs have reacted with time . . ..

Excellent! My stepdad had part of his stomach removed back in the 1960's due to ulcers, but to me he always was thinner, he lived well into his 80's, smoked like a chimney, and had no real problems. . . he ate like a trooper too, no holding him back from food! I remember him eating all his fish and chips dinner plus desert and coffee, go home and still have a sandwich and coffee with cake for later. . . no problems there! Rest his soul

[Stacy160 201]

Anyone CAN gain it all back, by eating crappy, sugary slider foods constantly, as Julia mentioned above. I'm sure it happens, but the percentage of people who do it must be SO small, and I don't think very many of them around here to talk about it.

I had a patient last year who'd gotten a VSG a year before... she'd lost well over 100 lbs., but was still very obese and had at least another hundred to go, but she hadn't lost anything in months. I got the impression from talking with her that she had no idea what she was supposed to be eating, or how much of any of the nutrients, what to shoot for calorie-wise... it sounded like she'd either been given the "There ya go, good luck!" treatment with no instructions, or had completely disregarded and forgotten about them. I wrote down what my guidelines were and she said she'd try again....I wonder about her sometimes. We had her husband as a patient a couple of months ago, but I just couldn't find a way to ask him if she'd lost any more weight (plus he's really weird and I didn't exactly want to converse with him any more than necessary LOL).

Anyway, she's the only person I've met in "real life" who'd been sleeved and while I wouldn't call her a failure, based on where she was I wouldn't call her a success either.

OH has a Failed WLS board but I've never looked at it... partly because the other boards (other than the LW board) tend to be so nasty and partly because I don't WANT to know, ya know!?

[TijuanaPlication 87]

I've read of one VSGer on this forum that didn't really lose. I can't remember her name I'm afraid, the surgery didn't help her with restriction or her hunger, but I've not read too many VSGers with this issue. I guess most are likely to keep it to themselves if they're not doing well, as nobody wants to advertise lack of success.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

It's so scary, I've been in a stall for 12 days now and the idea of gaining back or not losing more is a nightmare. I've discovered, to my horror, that Protein Shakes - Protein shakes!!- are sliders for me that create more hunger!! How messed up is that! I couldn't figure out why I have been a seemingly bottomless pit lately until I realized that it started when I started relying on a shake for Breakfast. Something about the sweet liquid nature of it just encourages me to feel like I could/want to keep eating. =C =C. A lot of my go-to Proteins are turning into sliders, which scares me. tuna salad, turkey cream cheese roll ups, the protein shakes, boo.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I have a good friend who around 17 years ago was in an auto accident where she was extremely injured. Lots of internal injuries. When I started talking to her about me getting the sleeve, she told me that a bunch of her stomach was removed during surgery after her accident. She said that she lost lots of weight after surgery, but no one ever talked to her about it, or clued her into the why she lost weight or anything. She just figured it was the accident somehow. For many years she kept the weight off. She was/is a quad in a wheelchair, but worked out at the gym, ate well and was over all active. She got married to a guy that is a fantastic cook, she became more sedentary and ate more and gained weight. For a while she just ate a tiny amount of food each day, cheese, cold cuts, olives and a few fresh veggies, and did manage to lose quite a bit of weight. I was always worried about her eating so little, but after I found out about her stomach removal, it made more sense. So she didn't have the sleeve for weight loss, but something similar, that resulted in weight loss, then after eating lots of rich and carb loaded foods gained the weight back, (and exercising less too) I think if she would have known more about having a smaller stomach, and been prepared, she would have kept the weight off. But she was never informed. I am trying to encouraging her to use her sleeve as a tool again... I don't know how big her stomach is, or if it might have stretched, but she might be successful again. And more exercise! Her example is more complex because of all the drugs shes on and such.

[chilo1 62]

It's so scary, I've been in a stall for 12 days now and the idea of gaining back or not losing more is a nightmare. I've discovered, to my horror, that Protein shakes - Protein shakes!!- are sliders for me that create more hunger!! How messed up is that! I couldn't figure out why I have been a seemingly bottomless pit lately until I realized that it started when I started relying on a shake for Breakfast. Something about the sweet liquid nature of it just encourages me to feel like I could/want to keep eating. =C =C. A lot of my go-to Proteins are turning into sliders, which scares me. tuna salad, turkey cream cheese roll ups, the Protein Shakes, boo.

You know I've stoped the Protein Shakes and lost 2 pounds in a week, I also replaced most of my milk consumption by soya milk, so who knows, cause I couldn't keep my carbs as low as I first intended to

[sleeve 4 me 910]

GREAT QUESTION!!!! And it is scarrrry! I haven't read any of the above posts yet, but I'm sure there are folks out there...I got scared straight on Thursday night. I went to a support group (mostly gastric bypass peeps) and a lot of them were gaining back weight, and some of them never got to goal it was a wake up call for me to stop fooling around (eating junk) and get with the program seriously.

[sleeve 4 me 910]

My surgeon told me one of his patients gained back all her weight because she ate slider foods non-stop. She's still morbidly obese, apparently. (Even the nurses at the hospital talked about her!) So it was my warning not to let myself slide (no pun intended) down that slippery slope -- I've got this real fear of slowly allowing slider foods and slowly gaining weight. Yikes!

Well there it is...as I always say DIETS work, it's keeping OFF the weight that is the challenge...most people think wls is a CURE, and that's so not true, it's a huge TOOL, but we (I speak for myself) will ALWAYS have to watch what we eat, etc. etc. etc. (big sigh)...and I think that's what I reallllllly realized on Thursday night (bigger sigh) .

[klus263 9]

GREAT QUESTION!!!! And it is scarrrry! I haven't read any of the above posts yet, but I'm sure there are folks out there...I got scared straight on Thursday night. I went to a support group (mostly gastric bypass peeps) and a lot of them were gaining back weight, and some of them never got to goal it was a wake up call for me to stop fooling around (eating junk) and get with the program seriously.

In my last support group, we had one person who gained back all her weight, she had some emotional problems which got the best of her but she admitted it and was back in support group to get back on track. Accountability...that is why I am planning to keep going to support group. Once I was able to eat meat, I focused on getting all of my Proteins from real food and not to rely on Protein shakes. Another no no that many do is drinking soda. I have not had a soda in over 3 months so I don't want to even try it as I may not be able to stop. I have yet to eat anything considered junk. I am working hard to make it to my goal.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Through bad choices and head hunger issues I have discovered that, should I reach goal and enter into maintenance phase, 1100 calories will do it. I have eaten between 1000-1200 calories for most days in the past 2 weeks and have not lost an ounce. I now know that I cannot have food around me at all, beyond what is meant to be eaten for that meal alone, otherwise, I will eat it. Clearly I will have to join a support group or something when I get home. I'm so scared of not making goal, of gaining, of this not working, it's miserable to feel this way.