Will the "biggest losers" pls tell your story?

[pjb84 16]

Hi,

I'm trying to make the right decision for myself and am going back & forth between Bypass & Sleeve.

Please bombard me with your encouraging stories of large weight losses!

Thank you!

I love this forum - you all have so much to share & bring me great inspiration everytime I read about you!

[patsybrown 20]

Sleeve! It's much less complicated for your system. The second day I thought I was going to die. But, 4.5 months and 50 pounds later I know it's the best decision I have ever made!

[MandaPanda 173]

If you are conflicted, I would get a few second opinions from doctors to see what they recommend for you. I chose the sleeve because I did not want a foreign object/ band in my body and didn't want the bypass because I didn't want my intestines rerouted and all the malabsorptive issues that come with it. I am only 5 weeks out but I am so happy with my decision. Before I never felt full or satisfied, now I eat a few bites and I am done. No longer a member of clean the plate club. I am down 25 pounds from 246. I feel so much better already, and the best thing is that I know I won't ever go back!!

[Michellemo 161]

I've lost 165 pounds in a year. Surgery and recovery was super easy and I love my sleeve!

[buplee 556]

I am 6.5 months out and 90lbs down. I did not like the re-routing and malabsorption issues related to a bypass. My brother in law got a bypass 7 weeks ahead of me and lost 105lbs but had some issues. I have almost caught up with him 7 weeks ahead of schedule. I also know three people who initially went with the LapBand and two have had serious complications. Two are having the band removed and will get revisions to the sleeve in the next few weeks. Good luck on your journey no matter what you choose.

[theoldmusicbox 399]

My aunt had bypass 2 years ago, I was sleeved a little over a year ago. She lost about 100 and has that 'sickly' look that I think was from malabsorbtion. I lost 183 pounds, mostly in he first 7 months, other than a bit of sagging (that anyone who loses 50% of their body weight will have) I look normal, not sickly. I choose the sleeve because everything still works like it was designed to. And some other personal reasons. Mostly, you need to look at all of the possible followup that is required for both, and see what you are most likely to do. My aunt said that she wishes she would have done what I did. Go with what seems best for you. Good luck on your journey

[Sydney Susan 333]

If you are conflicted' date=' I would get a few second opinions from doctors to see what they recommend for you.

[/quote']

I agree with this advice, although be aware that some drs specialise in one procedure and tend to "push" that one. A friend and I - living in different states - approached surgeons separately re bariatric surgery. My dr offers band and sleeve and didn't try to dissuade me at all when I said I preferred the sleeve despite having a BMI of only 36 (I had a lot of co-morbidities). My friend's dr specialises in band and she accepted his recommendation and is quite negative about my sleeve, although just this week she had her first complication surgery, after 6 months of pain. She still won't consider the sleeve despite having lost heaps less weight than me (and she had a much higher BMI to start with), regaining some and being in pain for such a long time. I don't know what her dr told her about the sleeve but she is utterly convinced I'll end up with horrendous imbalances.

I feel so much better already' date=' and the best thing is that I know I won't ever go back!![/quote']

I'd be really cautious about this sort of thinking. I'm 5 months out and 22 kg down but can already tell that I am still capable of doing serious "damage" to my weight. The sleeve is not a cure all!!

Booze, cheese, chocolate, cream, fatty meats, ice cream, milkshakes and a thousand other high-calorie, low-nutrient value foods slide down very nicely thank you. I can still choose to eat when I'm not hungry and I can graze all day. I still look to food when I'm miserable, and forget to "count" when I'm happy. If I eat carbs it boosts my cravings like it always did (not as much as before but enough to be challenging).

Yes things are much better, with less hunger (particularly if I stay low carb) and restriction on eating dense foods, but I am still me in both good and not-so-good ways. There are plenty of stories of long term weight regain on these pages - and those are just from folks desperately trying to get back on track.

First thing I think all potential bariatric surgery patients need to do is take a good long look inside their own head... And at the very least acknowledge you will have to do some hard work to STAY where you want to be, as well as get there.

I don't regret my sleeve at all. But I don't take my good surgery outcome for granted and I am very aware that I am still a "work in progress".

To the OP and MandaPanda, good luck with it all.

[frpringle 53]

I recommend the sleeve. I have several family members and friends who had the bypass and have had a far more difficult time adjusting to the new lifestyle, as well as keeping the weight off. I had my surgery 2 months shy of 2 years ago, and as of right now I'm at 220 lbs. down. Good luck with your decision and I hope all goes well!

[SleeveNZ 219]

10 months out & down 110lbs and at goal by month 8. My surgeon says my rate of loss is the same if not better than bypass patients. Advocate for the sleeve for sure! I wouldnt want the embarrassment of having to deal with dumping!

[ATTACH]18091[/ATTACH]

[MandaPanda 173]

I agree with this advice' date=' although be aware that some drs specialise in one procedure and tend to "push" that one. A friend and I - living in different states - approached surgeons separately re bariatric surgery. My dr offers band and sleeve and didn't try to dissuade me at all when I said I preferred the sleeve despite having a BMI of only 36 (I had a lot of co-morbidities). My friend's dr specialises in band and she accepted his recommendation and is quite negative about my sleeve, although just this week she had her first complication surgery, after 6 months of pain. She still won't consider the sleeve despite having lost heaps less weight than me (and she had a much higher BMI to start with), regaining some and being in pain for such a long time. I don't know what her dr told her about the sleeve but she is utterly convinced I'll end up with horrendous imbalances.

I'd be really cautious about this sort of thinking. I'm 5 months out and 22 kg down but can already tell that I am still capable of doing serious "damage" to my weight. The sleeve is not a cure all!!

Booze, cheese, chocolate, cream, fatty meats, ice cream, milkshakes and a thousand other high-calorie, low-nutrient value foods slide down very nicely thank you. I can still choose to eat when I'm not hungry and I can graze all day. I still look to food when I'm miserable, and forget to "count" when I'm happy. If I eat carbs it boosts my cravings like it always did (not as much as before but enough to be challenging).

Yes things are much better, with less hunger (particularly if I stay low carb) and restriction on eating dense foods, but I am still me in both good and not-so-good ways. There are plenty of stories of long term weight regain on these pages - and those are just from folks desperately trying to get back on track.

First thing I think all potential bariatric surgery patients need to do is take a good long look inside their own head... And at the very least acknowledge you will have to do some hard work to STAY where you want to be, as well as get there.

I don't regret my sleeve at all. But I don't take my good surgery outcome for granted and I am very aware that I am still a "work in progress".

To the OP and MandaPanda, good luck with it all.

[/quote']

I know I can still gain it back with bad foods , but I won't because my whole mindset has changed and I don't want those things anymore. I have had a few tastes of not so healthy things but overall I eat to live now, not live to eat. I am not eating any bread, rice or Pasta and am choosing to stay that way indefinitely. It all depends on the person, I guess.

[swizzly 901]

Over 2.5 years out and still loving it! It's NOT a cure-all, but it's a great tool and does not cause side effects as Band and RnY/DS do! I do love it.

[AshleyMidwife 189]

I'd be really cautious about this sort of thinking. I'm 5 months out and 22 kg down but can already tell that I am still capable of doing serious "damage" to my weight. The sleeve is not a cure all!!

Booze' date=' cheese, chocolate, cream, fatty meats, ice cream, milkshakes and a thousand other high-calorie, low-nutrient value foods slide down very nicely thank you. I can still choose to eat when I'm not hungry and I can graze all day. I still look to food when I'm miserable, and forget to "count" when I'm happy. If I eat carbs it boosts my cravings like it always did (not as much as before but enough to be challenging).

Yes things are much better, with less hunger (particularly if I stay low carb) and restriction on eating dense foods, but I am still me in both good and not-so-good ways. There are plenty of stories of long term weight regain on these pages - and those are just from folks desperately trying to get back on track.

First thing I think all potential bariatric surgery patients need to do is take a good long look inside their own head... And at the very least acknowledge you will have to do some hard work to STAY where you want to be, as well as get there.

I don't regret my sleeve at all. But I don't take my good surgery outcome for granted and I am very aware that I am still a "work in progress".

To the OP and MandaPanda, good luck with it all.

[/quote']

I've only been using this forum for a week or two, but have been researching and reading about the sleeve procedure for months. I am not yet sleeved, but looking at surgery in December. Let me say, it is so refreshing to read about the very real challenges that come with being sleeved. Short term, long term and in between. I LOVE reading about all the success stories too. They are very encouraging and and reassuring to my choice for the surgery, but I am in the medical field. I know there can be complications and failures with this and any bariatric procedure. Thank you for being real. Thank you for putting out there that there are challenges with this procedure...physically and especially mentally. We need to remember this is only a tool. If we use it to its fullest, we will be successful and healthy for the rest of our lives. Than, you! Where can I read more about challenges with the sleeve? Anyone care to post?

[sherri scheffler 10]

Hi' date='

I'm trying to make the right decision for myself and am going back & forth between Bypass & Sleeve.

Please bombard me with your encouraging stories of large weight losses!

Thank you!

I love this forum - you all have so much to share & bring me great inspiration everytime I read about you![/quote']

If you have reflux issues rny will cure them but sleeve can make it worse from a medical stand point

[Sydney Susan 333]

Where can I read more about challenges with the sleeve?

Try searching on "regrets", "complications" and "failure" and you'll get a good range of responses that show the less talked about outcomes of being sleeved. The Vets forum is not one we can post in, but reading it is worthwhile. People don't keep on posting for years to say "everything is easy still". Poster Lauraven is always worth reading and starts and contributes to the more interesting discussions, but there are others too.

Good luck with it all.

[pasquini 369]

Im just gonna say....