Does it ALWAYS work?

[indy sleever 6]

Going in for surgery on Thursday this week. To say I am nervous would be a huge understatement at this point. My biggest worry? This procedure not working for me. I will follow the diet to a T. I will exercise. I will eat Protein first and be careful with carbs. But what if after all that this doesn't work? Is that possible? My hopes and dreams are big. I am so excited and so afraid this dream will be crushed. I am sure that comes from years and years of failing at weight loss. At this point I am not backing out! I guess I am looking to be reassured that some of you out there thought this same thing before your surgery and you have proven yourself wrong.

[To Be Thin 2011 80]

You will do just fine! It is not uncommon to question or wonder on the "what if's"...

Good Luck, you follow your doctors plan and you will be just fine!

[Last Chance Lil 1]

I'm one of the extremely rare "failures" of the sleeve and even I would say YES, it ALWAYS works! It worked for me, I lost over 100 lbs in six months. But then I deviated from my plan, and the advice of my surgeon, and I started to have problems. You have the right attitude, so if you maintain that you will be FINE !!

I've been sleeved nearly four years and I've seen SO MANY sleevers get to goal weight or very close. Your chances are extremely good of being one of them so don't worry.

[iegal 460]

Hi Indysleever;

Ah - the what if's before surgery. I was a self payer for VSG surgery here in US and paid a boatload of $$$$$ for this. Had the same concerns as you...what if this doesn;t work for me...because of all the diets before, all of the efforts, nothing ever worked. Was determined, like you, to follow surgeons diet to the letter.

Guess what? Sleeve worked. I was at goal in 5 months. I never dreamed this big and yet here I am - below my surgeons goal, below my goal and feeling great, healthy and looking so much better than before. Today I weight just 5 lbs more than I did in college as a freshman and I weigh less than when I got married.

Now saying this, ALWAYS is a big big word. No absolutes in this world of VSG surgery but for most of us on this site VSG has worked. Some are fast losers others are slower losers. No matter which you are - VSG works as long as you work it.

No regrets.

[SouthernSleever 228]

If you work it, it will work

[HDubSleevery 25]

If you bulld it they will come. Sorry just kidding. I believe the sleeve works because I have seen so many successes. Yes other diets have spokespeople and that is great, but here in was we just have our real people experiences to depend on. I have never seen any "plan" have so many successes with people with higher bmis consistently. Be positive. If you work it, you will lose.

[Tiffykins 673]

My thought process on any bariatric surgery is that if you put in the work, not just the physical changes, but the behavioral/mental work, surgery will work. Identifying, and resolving your own food issues will serve you well long term. That means not just cutting calories, watching carbs, exercising, it means true behavioral changes that revolve around your own personal eating habits and behaviors. It's been well established that the sleeve works, but patient compliance is the highest contributor to long term success.

I really had to face the facts when it came to what contributed to my obesity. I was not an emotional eater, nor did I have compulsive tendencies. BUT, I love food, all foods, and none of that has changed in maintenance. I still love food, I love going out to eat, I love social events that revolve around food, and the only thing that keeps me in check is the fear of getting fat again. I tow a thin line of "normalcy" and life post-VSG. I do eat anything and everything I want. However, I still eat Protein first 85-90% of the time. I have indulgences, but I keep them in moderation. It's something that I'll have to do to maintain my loss. The restriction of the sleeve is still very present to this day, but I can eat around my sleeve. I've found this to be true since being maintenance. Since being pregnant, I have to eat more calories/carbs/protein than I ate in maintenance, and for me to hit those goals, I have to eat more frequently, and cheat the sleeve to some extent.

In the beginning, I never allowed any doubts stand in my way. I wasn't willing to accept failure again. So, I pushed out all the negative thoughts, stuck to my plan, and was hellbent on achieving my goals.