I Will Ask Lots Of Questions (sorry To Be A Pest)

[jillbeme 0]

I am considering having the vsg surgery. I have had the lap band previously with no luck (small loss of 25lbs) immediate regain after removal plus some. My husband says he doesn't understand the issue. He loves me the way I am. Coming from someone who hasn't gained a pound since we have been married 7 years ago. He hated me having the lap band because all I did was throw up over and over and over.....

I guess you would call me the grazer type personality. I don't eat a lot all at once but I eat constantly. Not that I am hungry but because its there. With the lap band I was taught to eat small amounts through out the day. Well since the removal of the lap band I eat larger amounts through out the day.

I guess what I am trying to ask is will the sleeve work for me. I can not even think about the rny because I take time released medications that I am not willing to give up and also ostioperosis runs in my family and I don't won't to increase my chances.

Let me know your thoughts...

Thanks, Jill

[clk 3,519]

It's almost impossible for the sleeve not to work. I mean, you'd have to try awfully hard eating absolutely terrible foods to actually GAIN with 85% of your stomach gone.

Now, does that mean you'll reach goal? No. You have to do the head work to get the eating under control. Grazing isn't good behavior, but if you choose the sleeve and continue to graze I'd highly suggest you be doubly diligent about logging your food. You MUST log your food or it's easy not to realize how much you're eating and to live in total denial about your food choices.

The VSG will remove 85% of your stomach and leave your entire brain behind. So any food addictions, overeating problems, coping mechanisms - any food issues you have are still going to be there. The sleeve is going to keep you from sucking down a Big Gulp slurpee in one shot. It's going to keep you from eating half a pizza. But it's not going to choose healthy food choices for you or make you stop bad habits. So you have to really evaluate what's going on when you eat before you can stop that. Yes, you can "abuse" the sleeve and not lose weight. I think it would be a real challenge. I'm no role model. I follow the rules about 60% of the time. I'm a SLOW loser as a result but I don't gain weight. So to me, imagining someone actually gaining back is bizarre. But yeah, you could easily eat such crap, even in small portions, that you won't lose. So if you think this will be an issue, I recommend some counseling or support group time before you opt for surgery again.

I was in absolute denial about my overeating and my food behaviors until post op. It's been a struggle at times but I wouldn't trade my surgery for anything. I'm totally happy with my choice.

Now, about your husband. Look, my husband was the exact same way before my sleeve. He liked me bigger, has never been attracted to skinny women, etc. Once I told him how I feel and why I want this surgery he was supportive. We've still had some tug-o-war over the fact that I'm now thinner than he prefers. But as long as I've given him the option to vent he's felt like I'm taking his opinion into consideration, too.

I won't lie - your lack of success with the band is already going to be an issue. He didn't want you to lose weight and now he's watched you struggle post op. Convincing him to jump on board for another surgery will not be easy. I hope that you'll do what's best for you but also try to take his feelings into consideration. Sometimes if both partners aren't on the same page it can get ugly as the weight falls off. I don't say that to worry you. It's a very real thing. I recommend you search the forums here for more posts about this post op relationship stuff. But the general rule seems to be that if you're on the same page and doing well before the sleeve you do great post op. If you're not both on the same page it sometimes causes friction.

Look. It is genuinely hard for our husbands to understand WHY we feel the need to lose weight. My husband took it as a sign that his love and acceptance of me just wasn't enough. Communicate and figure out where you both stand on this before charging ahead and you should be fine.

Good luck. Do lots of research and scope out this board for a good long while before making a choice. I think I watched the boards for five months before even creating an account, and watched another seven months after that before having surgery. I wanted to see the real story about the sleeve and feel like I knew what to expect after surgery. It worked really well for me.

~Cheri

[iegal 460]

Like any WLS, you will need to make VSG work for you. Grazing can kill your weight loss, don't be fooled. I graze now I am at goal, but prior to hitting goal I was vigilant not to do anything other than my surgeons diet plan.

May I suggest you look in the Revision LapBand to VSG surgery forum? I think you will find a lot of people in your situation...maybe with real life responses since they can not only emphathize but sympathize with obstacles and choices ahead.

My sleeve is amazing and I have no regrets.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Grazing can definitely be a problem. It's easy to lose weight with the sleeve in the beginning. You can barely eat a few bites.

As time goes on, and you're past the post op phase, junk food goes down very easily. If you like chips and want to graze on chips all day, you'll be able to do just that. Have a cookie now, have a cookie later, have another cookie later on, no problem.

As far as living with the sleeve and the band, it's like night and day. With the sleeve, you can eat anything you want, in small portions. Read the band to sleeve revision forum.

Cheri's post is excellent. If you want to eat around the sleeve, you'll gain weight back plain and simple. You'll need to evaluate how badly you want to lose the weight and keep it off.

[Becca 108]

I had a band and I will say the sleeve is entirely different. I have been amazingly successful with the sleeve. The sleeve does give you restriction. The band never did that for me. The restriction is constant. You do have to make good food choices. Protein fills you up and keeps you full. If you eat junk, you don't get the restriction and you will be hungry again soon. Having the ghrelin reduced has helped me not be obsessed about food anymore. For the most part, I want healthy foods. I do have a couple of trigger foods that I just avoid (peanut butter makes my head hunger go crazy for example). I am thankful each and every day for the sleeve. It has given me my life back. We will be here to support you. I think you will be successful. Most do very well with the sleeve.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Wow, excellent advice! I can't add much more - except that if you won't change the habit of grazing, you'll likely have issues down the line. That is a way to cheat the sleeve and though you will more than likely post much better weight loss results than you did with your band ( I know I was previously banded ) once you get over a certain thresh hold, its much easier to graze and eat more.

That said, I used to be a grazer too when I was banded. I think when it's hard to eat like with the band, your brain goes a little crazy and convinces you to eat unhealthy. I was able to break this habit, so it is possible. :smile1:

HTH

[gastricsleeve1-16-2012 0]

little miss diva can you explain how i can post things where people are asking for mentors. i live in a very small community and would love to have a mentor / friend that has been through this

thanks heather

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

little miss diva can you explain how i can post things where people are asking for mentors. i live in a very small community and would love to have a mentor / friend that has been through this

thanks heather

Here's the link to the "buddies/mentors" section: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/17-vsg-buddiesmentors/

Just click on the "start new topic" button

HTH