Looking For People Who Have At Least Two Years Out..regrets?

[MrsM 31]

Hi everyone,

I am tentatively scheduled for the sleeve at the end of next month so I have been researching like crazy. I love the fast weight loss and support of all the people on here, but have noticed it's very difficult to find people two years plus...I have found posts elsewhere on other sites and it seems many start complaining that it was a mistake or health issues as the years progress, along with gaining alot of weight back. I don't want to be a downer at all as I love hearing all the positive stories, but I'm scared about the future, and since I still have time to call it off, I keep questioning if this is right for me. I have tried every diet imaginable, I'm 48 years old, and have several health issues related to the obesity already, but I don't want to trade ailments! Anyone have an opinion on this or advice? Thank you all!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

I am about 1 year out and I know that I can gain weight if I eat the wrong foods. The sleeve is a great tool to help us eat less and maintain when eating a healthy diet. there are numerous people on here that are over 2 years out and they are maintaining their weight very well. This is such a learning process. I love my sleeve and am so thankful that I have chosen to have it. It is a life changer.

[MrsM 31]

Thanks Dorrie...congratulations on your weight loss! I haven't seen too many people though with several years on here behind their belt so to speak! I just wonder if it's because things aren't going well, or if it's become a non issue anymore after so much time has passed, you know? Hopefully I will hear from some!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

MonicaM

there are people that are on this board w/the sleeve behind them for at least 2 years - sometimes a little more. - they are doing terrific, maintaining weight, health and happiness

they only make good comments on working with their sleeve - being successful,

if someone does on a rare occasion/slip up - gain some weight back for various personal/physical problems - they have to get back to basics/better eating with the sleeve. - then loosing damn bloody weight

is it ok if i say "Damn", or will the sleeve police come after me and force sugar down my throat

you can't only thank the sleeve for your weight loss - and you can't only blame the sleeve for your weight gain

we're all using this wonderful "tool" of the sleeve - you need to be accountable for yourself too.

not much in the world is free - you can't expect to be sleeved, then the next day sit back and wait for your extra weight to melt off

the sleeve will be there for us, but we must co-operate with the rules - drinking etc.

any 2 year veterans or more, or less - come out, come out, wherever you are - show other newbies and all of us how terrific your life is

Newbies, in a couple of years you can be the veterans that come out and tell your story about your successes with the sleeve for the next batch of Newbies, and onward, and onward, we're always here to help and support others

[coops 1,790]

Hiya... I'm two years and two months out now... I haven't got to goal, I am just 9lbs away from my surgeon's goal! I haven't given up cos I think that there is no expiry date to my sleeve... and one day I will get there. However, I have lost 75% of my excess weight (as defined by my surgeon, not the BMI - he doesn't agree with that as a marker of health) and from that stat, I am considered a success!

I have easily maintained the weight I am at now for nearly a year - since last Oct I've lost a pound - but that isn't down to me eating the wrong foods. It is a combination of many things, the main being I went on HRT and it messed with my body, I'm off it now! I also suffered a back problem and I haven't been to the boxing gym or done any sort of exercise since March - I am released from physio now, so next week I am going to get back to the gym in work.

I haven't got any problems with nutrition or any health issues other than the ones I have mentioned and they are not sleeve related... I feel great! I am not perfect, I don't want to be perfect! I am healthy and I am beginning to accept that I am a success regardless of what the scale tells me.

I have gone done from a UK22-24 to a UK 14 (my original goal size - but I think I want to go to a 12 now...lol)

Good luck with your upcoming surgery and your weight loss journey... if you have any questions, please feel free to ask... =]

[MrsM 31]

Thank you coops and likeasulema for responding. I am very cautious by nature I guess (comes with getting older cuz I never used to be!!!) and just so worried as to whether this is the right decision or not for me. Congratulations with the weight loss....great job! I would be THRILLED with the weight loss you both have experienced!! Terrific!!

[clk 3,519]

I'm two years out. I'm currently pregnant, but prior to this I was easily maintaining my loss despite eating pretty much whatever I want, within reason. I weigh daily to keep myself accountable and gauge my leeway each day based upon what the scale says and I've had no real problems.

I have zero regrets with my sleeve. I only wish I had known about the surgery and chosen to have it done sooner.

It is always possible to eat around any WLS, so yes, you could gain weight once you're at goal if you aren't careful. For me, the best approach was to NOT use the sleeve like a diet, but instead to incorporate moderation and variety (and carbs!) into my diet long before I reached goal. Everyone is different, but in my case, I would have viewed reaching goal differently if I had spent the previous seventeen months restricting carbs and calories down to nothing. I would have gone on a hell of a binge, I know that from past experience. Doing the head work and eliminating my poor eating habits and emotional eating prior to goal is what I credit for my easy time in maintenance.

I have seen nobody gain all of their weight back with the sleeve. I have never seen a total regain post, EVER, and I've been here more than three years (I lurked a long while before making a profile).

I've seen people that stall out and stop losing, but even most of those folks maintain the loss and don't regain. They get about halfway to goal and peter out and fall back into bad habits and stop losing as a consequence.

But the good news is that it's very easy to not only pick it back up at any point after surgery, but to lose any regained weight very quickly.

Because the sleeve is NOT a bypass, with a limited window of malabsoption and a stretchy pouch. Once you remove 85% of your stomach, it's gone forever. Through real effort (and pain) you might be able to stretch it out about an ounce or two, but it's not giving more than that. It will never, ever hold a massive plate of food again. It's possible to eat around it, but it takes dedication and around the clock snacking on slider foods to do it.

A sleeve is just as restrictive more than two years out as it was at one year out. There's no reason you can't lose weight on it, provided your body doesn't have something else going on, no matter how far out from surgery you get.

~Cheri

[Liamlover2011 66]

Check out utube I have seen alot of people few yrs out...

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[Sleeved&Hopeful 182]

My dear lady--I've seen a few regain posts on another forum. One of the ladies had a horrible life changing event as her husband had end stage cancer and gained a significant amount of weight due to the stress and not being able to exercise for months and months. That would likely cause quite a few people to regain. She was back on the wagon last I heard from her. A few of the other ladies had let the worst carbs that are extremely easy to eat with the sleeve--such as chips and Cookies and ice cream--heavily back into their diets and gained about 30% back. They were also posting about getting back into the Protein first as if they had just had surgery. Once you are sleeved, you will realize that protein is very filling and you can't eat much of it. That leaves a bit of room for healthy veggies or other carbs. Ice cream and chips and cookies etc are VERY easy to eat once you are about 5 months out or so and that is something that must be dealt with. If you can moderate yourself to a few bites--that's fine. But the ladies I read about were able to eat lots of them and didn't stop at a reasonable amount. Finding a good healthy alternative really really helps. I have chosen beef Jerky and mushrooms for good Snacks to replace the carb-sugary foods for when I'm very hungry. I have made mistakes and eaten things I shouldn't since being sleeved and it is a lesson learned. When it's my time of the month--lol--I have to be really careful! I crave carbs a lot and I just have to get a good healthy alternative instead of reaching for those easy sliders. Find some alternatives you can live with to make it easier.

[Sannah 258]

Hello!

I am pre op as well and I also wanted to hear about someone who is far out!! I found AMYSDMOM on YouTube you can watch her journey (tons of honest videos).

I hope this is a helpful resource!!

Best

Sannah

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[MrsM 31]

Thanks everyone! Wow, great advice and interesting stuff too! Yes, I have been checking out youtube ALOT, and practically all other sites that people discuss this surgery! haha I don't have much time left to make my final decision as to whether or not go through with it, so I am feeling the pressure now. I really didn't even question it at all, but I will admit I wasn't informed enough in the beginning (my own fault 5 months ago). Now that I am, my head is spinning! Anyways, thanks everybody, it has def helped hearing what you each have said and this site in general is great

[Teriiann 34]

Me too, I have been searching for others who are 2 plus years out. I have been lurking around here for a while now. I really checked into it a while back, but my insurance will only pay for the gastric bypass and that I do not want. I think the sleeve is a much better choice for me and my doctor agrees. I thought I would wait till our insurance rolls around again so that I can change my plan to 100% paid and only paying very little in copays, and see if they changed it and is allowing the sleeve to be covered, if not then I'll just write a letter explaining why I think its best and cross my fingers they approve. Its nice to see that someone else is searching for the same thing. I think about this everyday, I could actually say I am obbessed with it, but yet at the same time I am so affraid of having it done.

[MrsM 31]

I am obsessed with it as well...I'm so afraid I don't have the right personality to be successful afterwards! I'm not even WORRIED about the actual surgery...all I think about is down the road stuff...I'm a picky eater, and no willpower...I would guess many people who are overweight have these traits too and probably had the surgery, but just wondering if they were the unsuccessful ones? Then I feel hopeful that many say their taste for different foods change! haha Oh geez...my brain hurts!

[Teriiann 34]

Ha ha me too, its all I think about, sometimes I'm like I can do this, then other times I am just scared I will never be able to taste the things I like. Its all the what ifs....... I got word today my insurance changed their policy and the sleeve is now covered! I have my first Nut appt this month to get the ball rolling.....

I'm tired of being FAT!

[SouthernSleever 228]

Hi gals! I'll be 2 years out in October so almost there As far as weight, been there and maintaining SO easily. What can I say about my journey? These have been the best two years of my life What can I say about day to day life? It's amazing. I'd have my sleeve every month if I had to. I started out at 22/24 and now I'm a 4/6. I can only eat a little more than I could a year ago. For dinner I had 1 chicken leg, a bite of green Beans and a bite of potatoes. I have sweets when I want them, I eat whatever I want I just never have those CRAVINGS anymore. I am satisfied with small amounts. So in conclusion, LIFE IS GREAT!