Asked For About 65 - 70% Removal Rather Then Standard 80 To 85 Percent

[Butterthebean 8,146]

It's not that I'm scared about the idea of not having the capacity to eat as much as I currently do' date=' it's the idea that I will be relegated to such a super extreme version of this. Taking 30 minutes to eat 2 oz. of meat and a 1/3 cup of veggies seems pretty absurd "no offense." The thing is, I do have poor eating habits and unfortunately I'm a quantity eater. I would just like to have a smaller stomach that limits me, but not to such an extreme amount.[/quote']

Yes, but the "30 minutes to eat 2 oz of meat " IS the extreme case, not the normal case. Not after you're fully healed. I can eat a 6 oz bowl of chili, or a 5 oz ribeye no problem. I can drink a 16 oz bottle of Water in 5 minutes comfortably. My starting stats were very similar to yours. Now I eat 1200 calories a day, and it seems like I eat all day long. I don't go hungry, and my food doesn't get cold waiting for me to eat it.

I'll tell you what is extreme.....extreme is dying of a heart attack when you're 40 years old.

[ArtSong 291]

So' date=' I asked my Surgeon if I could have only 65 to 70 percent of my stomach removed rather then the standard 80 to 85 percent. He said he will honor my request, but would like to talk about it more during pre-op.

Has anyone else made requests like this? I know a lot of folks are completely happy and okay with the much smaller sleeve, but the idea of it taking me 25 minutes to finish 1 packet of oatmeal or 10 minutes to finish an 8 oz glass of Water is pretty extreme...

I know I'll probably get flamed for this, especially considering my current size and the fact that the lifestyle that led to me being over 400 lbs is pretty extreme also. I'm aware of all of this and I'm aware that it may make it more difficult to lose weight... I'll lose weight regardless, it's still 2/3 of my stomach gone. I'm sure that and a high Protein, low carb diet along with the modified VSG will suffice.

I'm curious to know if others have asked for a modified surgery or what you might think about this.

Thanks,

Bryan [/quote']

I was sleeved 4 weeks ago I take 5/10 mins to eat my food and my nut has said that is fine. The eat fast for me is no bigy at all. I don't get sick it don't hurt. I have had no complications. I'm on normal food. Cleared for all exercise. My incisions fully healed on the outside. It really is an individual thing. Even if you are only 65% there's nothing to say that you won't still have a hard time with eating your meals or still might have to take a longer time.

[desertmom 297]

Bryan,honestly,it never took me that long to eat anything.

I eat at a pretty normal rate.Always have.And if I eat way to fast,which I sometimes do,the sleeve lets me know.

My surgeon told me after my surgery that my capacity might seem more than some of my friends that had the surgery and the reason is my stomach is longer than theirs.I am tall and didnt know this could make a difference.He said some have shorter stomachs and some longer ones.

I am 7,5 months out,on holiday at the moment and this morning had a great Breakfast.I decided to add a piece of flat bread and I realized again that if I add carbs I can actually eat way more than I think.But my weight loss also stalls completely when I do that.

What I am trying to say is when we have a lot of weight to lose we need all the help we can get from the surgery as it does not work by itself and if you can eat too much,you most propably will,like most of us.

Start reading regain posts as well as longer post hunger posts.Also read anything you can find on struggling to reach goal posts.

It is really only for the first 5 months that eating is really a bit different.After that you are just eating a lot less.I am always finished wifh my family and they are not slow eaters.For me it is not about how long I eat but when I am full and mostly it takes just 10 minutes unless I put my fork down between bites.Which I do when I eat with anyone.

Another thing,your eating habits will have to change quite drastically to lose and to keep the weight off and with a nice tight sleeve,it will have to.

Some things are very individual with the sleeve but some things are very standard.We need real restriction to lose the weight.

My opinion and others may differ...the individual part...lol

I had much the same thought than you and I was a binge eater myself.Now as it becomes increasingly difficult to lose,I wish my sleeve was even smaller.There is also a time after surgery that some have said their capacity to eat have increased.So you will be able to eat.It is not as bad as we sometimes make it sound like.

[kyllfalcon 768]

It has never taken me that long to eat anything after the surgery. I eat at my usual pace, which was fast. I drink normally. I can chug. At first all the pills were an issue, but now not even that. When I eat with a crowd, no one notices anything out of the ordinary, because there is nothing to notice. And everyone knows I had the surgery.

I am happy with the amount I can eat. I am satisfied mentally, emotionally and physically. It's like gmanbat indicated, the satisfaction is in the taste, not the quantity.

Most everyone gets back to eating and drinking normally. Don't allow yourself to be misinformed. Don't allow that misinformation to cause you to make a poor decision.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

It's not that I'm scared about the idea of not having the capacity to eat as much as I currently do, it's the idea that I will be relegated to such a super extreme version of this. Taking 30 minutes to eat 2 oz. of meat and a 1/3 cup of veggies seems pretty absurd "no offense." The thing is, I do have poor eating habits and unfortunately I'm a quantity eater. I would just like to have a smaller stomach that limits me, but not to such an extreme amount.

Well Bryan Whitson I don't think that there is any halfway. It will be all the way with the sleeve or nothing. The halfway point to me sounds like a "diet plan" that will restrict your calories but won't be extreme. Maybe try a diet first: weight watchers, jenny craig, nutrisystem, something that can get you regulated to eat less and see how you do. This sleeve journey is not an easy road, or for everyone. This doesn't mean it's not for you but maybe take a slower approach and see if you can handle it then progress on.

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

I'm satisfied completely after about 5-10 minutes of eatting.

It takes my family (normal tummies) forever to eat.

I'm faster, better, stronger, than I ever was

I used to spend too much time at the table.

Not anymore, I'm satisfied happy and on my way in minutes

[iggychic 1,405]

First and foremost, I'd ask...why are you having this surgery Bryan? Risking your life to lose weight indicates to me a desire not to weigh 400lbs? But your words belie your actions. You don't want to deal with extreme, yet you will undergo a life threatening surgery (anyone would have to say that this surgery is extreme). I'm totally confused as to the "why" at this point when reading your posts.

Bryan, the plain facts are that 400lbs is an extreme weight to have reached isn't it?

So let's talk about the extremes....

If you have major heart surgery you will find it can take up to 20 mins to roll over and get out of bed after surgery, with your heart racing you will slowly pull yourself up to a seated position, breath deeply for a few mins after that to slow your heart beat, then work your way up to a stand, only to have to pause to breath deeply...perhaps sit again, and start all over.

If they cut half your leg off it may take you months to learn how to walk again on prosthetics. Cut half your arm off and you may take the same time to learn how to write again. Eventually with all of these, you'll regain your normal speed likely, but it takes time because you've had major surgery...something extreme, and your body has to heal.

Cut out the majority of your stomach....and you can't wolf down a burger. See the correlation? It takes time to heal and for many that can be weeks and others months.

I'm assuming you feel that you want the surgery to lose weight? Here's the deal...studies show that you need to leave a sleeve...just a sleeve, or the surgery is wasted. (Learned from studying cancer patients...the worse the cancer, the more stomach they took...the ones with "sleeves" saw the side effect of weight loss and lack of regain after 2 years, the ones who lost less of their stomach saw significant regain and didn't lose as much). The sleeve is hard muscle and the balance of your stomach is soft and flexible...it stretches to contain ridiculous amounts of food (ie thanksgiving dinner). If you leave part of that stretchy stomach, you leave the ability to over eat. If you want to over eat, well that's fine, but then why have the surgery?

I'm three and a half weeks out from my second surgery, two months out from my first. I enjoy food and the social aspect of eating. We are big foodies and I don't expect this to change. I sat through a 4 1/2 hour, seven course dinner last weekend and enjoyed every min of it, even though I wasn't finishing each course. You can do this too. But it will take time to get your sleeve to the point where it's comfortable with larger amounts of food after the surgery. At the end of that meal people were groaning about how full they were. I was comfortable, enjoyed all but the raw vegis, and lost two pounds that weekend.

I had the surgery and still regret the risks I took. I had severe complications and am still waiting to find out if more surgery is necessary. So understand that I get a bit of a chip on my shoulder when I think of people taking these risks without being committed to change their life even a little. I don't want to see one single person who ends up in a life or death struggle because they had to have that half a cheese burger too early. (Which can happen if you don't follow the program, eat smaller amounts and slower at first). My leak was not self caused...a horrible product of an internal bleed most likely, but no matter how a leak is caused, the recovery is hell. And some people don't recover.

Don't have this surgery until YOU are ready for it Bryan. You're not right now, that's very clear. Don't take these risks for no reason. You'll just have to do it again (to get a real sleeve) later when you are ready, if you ever are. You need to wrap your head around the risks. You might be one of the people who, a year out, only can eat slowly (half an hour for a meal by the way is what normal people do). You will likely never have a huge plate of lasagna, half a loaf of french bread and a couple of beers in one sitting. Is that a bad thing???? Well in some minds it is, and if that's where you are, you need to walk past this weight loss option and look to something else.

I probably sound half way flamming. I'm not trying to be a flamer. I'm trying to impart the reality of this surgery into your head. And yes, to talk you out of it now, at this point in your life. Later, when you're ready, it could work wonders, but not now. It's not your time I think.

[traceyc 89]

It was only in the beginning that I ate super slow. Now 8 months out I feel normal eating and drinking. I can sip Water or if I am super thirsty I can down an 8 oz glass in a few minutes. Which is really mostly restricted by the fact that I could never drink liquids fast. I eat my dinner in about the same time as my husband except I am eating 1/4 of the food he is. I eat healthy most of the time, but I don't deprive myself. A bite of something "sinful" once and awhile isn't going to make me gain all the weight back. I am a foodie and love trying new things. I have never once thrown up since surgery.

It is up to you as you will be the one going through with it as to how much to remove, but I would suggest going with the standard. I think once you are fully healed, you will be happy with the time and portions you are getting. There is a certain amount of patience needed at first and a lot to learn, but this is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

[ArcusX 216]

It's my understanding there's a slight difference in bougie size, the individual's natural stomach size and the surgeon's own technique. I had a 36 bougie. Many ppl get the 34.

Not to derail OP, but this is the first time I've seen the term "bougie." What is it, please?

[Bryan Whitson 7]

First and foremost, I'd ask...why are you having this surgery Bryan? Risking your life to lose weight indicates to me a desire not to weigh 400lbs? But your words belie your actions. You don't want to deal with extreme, yet you will undergo a life threatening surgery (anyone would have to say that this surgery is extreme). I'm totally confused as to the "why" at this point when reading your posts.

Bryan, the plain facts are that 400lbs is an extreme weight to have reached isn't it?

So let's talk about the extremes....

If you have major heart surgery you will find it can take up to 20 mins to roll over and get out of bed after surgery, with your heart racing you will slowly pull yourself up to a seated position, breath deeply for a few mins after that to slow your heart beat, then work your way up to a stand, only to have to pause to breath deeply...perhaps sit again, and start all over.

If they cut half your leg off it may take you months to learn how to walk again on prosthetics. Cut half your arm off and you may take the same time to learn how to write again. Eventually with all of these, you'll regain your normal speed likely, but it takes time because you've had major surgery...something extreme, and your body has to heal.

Cut out the majority of your stomach....and you can't wolf down a burger. See the correlation? It takes time to heal and for many that can be weeks and others months.

I'm assuming you feel that you want the surgery to lose weight? Here's the deal...studies show that you need to leave a sleeve...just a sleeve, or the surgery is wasted. (Learned from studying cancer patients...the worse the cancer, the more stomach they took...the ones with "sleeves" saw the side effect of weight loss and lack of regain after 2 years, the ones who lost less of their stomach saw significant regain and didn't lose as much). The sleeve is hard muscle and the balance of your stomach is soft and flexible...it stretches to contain ridiculous amounts of food (ie thanksgiving dinner). If you leave part of that stretchy stomach, you leave the ability to over eat. If you want to over eat, well that's fine, but then why have the surgery?

I'm three and a half weeks out from my second surgery, two months out from my first. I enjoy food and the social aspect of eating. We are big foodies and I don't expect this to change. I sat through a 4 1/2 hour, seven course dinner last weekend and enjoyed every min of it, even though I wasn't finishing each course. You can do this too. But it will take time to get your sleeve to the point where it's comfortable with larger amounts of food after the surgery. At the end of that meal people were groaning about how full they were. I was comfortable, enjoyed all but the raw vegis, and lost two pounds that weekend.

I had the surgery and still regret the risks I took. I had severe complications and am still waiting to find out if more surgery is necessary. So understand that I get a bit of a chip on my shoulder when I think of people taking these risks without being committed to change their life even a little. I don't want to see one single person who ends up in a life or death struggle because they had to have that half a cheese burger too early. (Which can happen if you don't follow the program, eat smaller amounts and slower at first). My leak was not self caused...a horrible product of an internal bleed most likely, but no matter how a leak is caused, the recovery is hell. And some people don't recover.

Don't have this surgery until YOU are ready for it Bryan. You're not right now, that's very clear. Don't take these risks for no reason. You'll just have to do it again (to get a real sleeve) later when you are ready, if you ever are. You need to wrap your head around the risks. You might be one of the people who, a year out, only can eat slowly (half an hour for a meal by the way is what normal people do). You will likely never have a huge plate of lasagna, half a loaf of french bread and a couple of beers in one sitting. Is that a bad thing???? Well in some minds it is, and if that's where you are, you need to walk past this weight loss option and look to something else.

I probably sound half way flamming. I'm not trying to be a flamer. I'm trying to impart the reality of this surgery into your head. And yes, to talk you out of it now, at this point in your life. Later, when you're ready, it could work wonders, but not now. It's not your time I think.

So, because I don't want to do the sleeve surgery the same way most others do it means it won't work for me? How do you know? I absolutely understand the risks of being morbidly obese, and the extreme health effects that it causes. I also understand that this is an extreme surgery, I would have to be an idiot not to.

Maybe I'm ready to lose weight, but not have a super restrictive sleeve versus one that's a little bit larger. Couldn't it be beneficial both ways? I'm very active for a big fat guy and I like to work out and lift weights, so I'm trying to take this into consideration also. Why does it have to be super restrictive or not at all? Couldn't there be a more comfortable middle ground such as 70 percent removal versus 85 percent?

[ArcusX 216]

Bryan, have you considered that maybe another surgery option like the Band would be a better option for you?

I can definitely see the amount of time to eat being a concern. I'm near the end of the first month of the NUT phase (maybe 2 months pre-op?), and I've sort of put myself on a fairly strict diet. I find myself eating every two hours, and that takes a lot of extra time. Not that each meal or snack in itself takes a long time, but i'm starving every 2 hours, and I've got to make the time to get up and do something about it. Multiple trips to the refrigerator to grab that hard boiled egg, or more Water, etc. Man, this is a drain on my time!!

Good luck to you, what ever you should decide.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

So' date=' because I don't want to do the sleeve surgery the same way most others do it means it won't work for me? How do you know? I absolutely understand the risks of being morbidly obese, and the extreme health effects that it causes. I also understand that this is an extreme surgery, I would have to be an idiot not to.

Maybe I'm ready to lose weight, but not have a super restrictive sleeve versus one that's a little bit larger. Couldn't it be beneficial both ways? I'm very active for a big fat guy and I like to work out and lift weights, so I'm trying to take this into consideration also. Why does it have to be super restrictive or not at all? Couldn't there be a more comfortable middle ground such as 70 percent removal versus 85 percent?[/quote']

As she pointed out, the case histories confirm that those who did not have the full sleeve done were able to resume full eating eventually. The big problem with that is by the time that happens, your metabolism will be greatly reduced because of the recovery period and when you start eating again the pounds will come back on even faster than they did before.

This is the point where you have to put some faith in the fact that the people who developed the VSG know more about what they're doing than you.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Not to derail OP' date=' but this is the first time I've seen the term "bougie." What is it, please?[/quote']

Bougie is the tube most surgeons put down your throat and into your stomach. Then they use it as a guide to form your new sleeve around.

[mufasas-mom 170]

Yes, but the "30 minutes to eat 2 oz of meat " IS the extreme case, not the normal case. Not after you're fully healed. I can eat a 6 oz bowl of chili, or a 5 oz ribeye no problem. I can drink a 16 oz bottle of Water in 5 minutes comfortably. My starting stats were very similar to yours. Now I eat 1200 calories a day, and it seems like I eat all day long. I don't go hungry, and my food doesn't get cold waiting for me to eat it.

I'll tell you what is extreme.....extreme is dying of a heart attack when you're 40 years old.

I am only 7 weeks out - but I eat really quick - it takes me about 10 min to eat my meals and I can pretty much gulp any drink down - I have had absolutely NO issues and with the hunger hormone gone I have to remind myself to eat. But I still get in the required amount of Protein without shakes - all from food. I know that my sleeve is pretty small as I've seen it on the X-Ray when I had to drink that nasty barium stuff - however I am completely SATISFIED with the amount of food I take in - I was shocked as I thought I'd be starving 24/7 compared to how I ate before....but it's all good. I would be afraid of failure if I only had a little more than 1/2 removed and maintenance would concern me down the road if I had more of a stomach than I currently do....

it's your decision and one not to be taken lightly - do your homework!! Good luck to you.

[Katie713 423]

So, I asked my Surgeon if I could have only 65 to 70 percent of my stomach removed rather then the standard 80 to 85 percent. He said he will honor my request, but would like to talk about it more during pre-op.

Has anyone else made requests like this? I know a lot of folks are completely happy and okay with the much smaller sleeve, but the idea of it taking me 25 minutes to finish 1 packet of oatmeal or 10 minutes to finish an 8 oz glass of Water is pretty extreme...

I know I'll probably get flamed for this, especially considering my current size and the fact that the lifestyle that led to me being over 400 lbs is pretty extreme also. I'm aware of all of this and I'm aware that it may make it more difficult to lose weight... I'll lose weight regardless, it's still 2/3 of my stomach gone. I'm sure that and a high Protein, low carb diet along with the modified VSG will suffice.

I'm curious to know if others have asked for a modified surgery or what you might think about this.

Thanks,

Bryan

Bryan....here's the lowdown on bougie size in relation to your sleeve size. I pasted a very educational link at the bottom of this post.

My surgeon did the standard 32 french bougie. I am 6 months out and I can eat pretty much normally and I have about 8 oz capacity. I do feel the restriction especially when eating a firm Protein and that is such a useful tool in managing your weight. During the losing phase, if you concentrate on that, you simply have that feeling of satiety much sooner than you ever did. I am very happy with the size of my sleeved stomach, I don't feel starving, I don't feel weird going out to eat with family and friends, and I am easily satisfied. If I want a little indulgence, I have a few bites and I'm good.

Good luck on your journey...but as so many have said, you have to be willing to go all the way...there is no half-way in this game. When people talk about eating 2 oz in 30 min...that is usually right after surgery when your stomach is healing and may be swollen. That might still happen to you...but soon thereafter, it is much easier to enjoy your meals, you just eat so much less than you ever did before. I may crave an In-N-Out double double, but my tummy only allows me a slider!! But I get full and enjoy every bite!!

Here's the link....http://www.obesityhe.../2011/03/31/-2/