Is weight gain and negative effects inevitable after VSG?

[BGLady 3]

I have not had VSG yet. I am in the beginning stages. I will be going to my second appointment soon. I have to be on a weight loss program for 6 months. I have been trying to research this surgery. Somewhat obsessively.... From my research, it appears the majority of people gain weight back. I hear alot about 5:2 diets, lots of exercise, lots of Protein and Water. I hear repeatedly that this is just a tool. But what is our stomach before the surgery. I would think it is a tool to begin with. I am not very good with the tool that I currently have. I would think if I would cut out my calories drastically and start exercising, drinking Water, stop caffeine and carbonation that I would probably lose a substantial amount of weight, for a while... I'm really confused as to how the sleeve is different. It seems from my research that the sleeve jumpstarts weight loss for about 2 years and after that most people are struggling to keep weight off or trying to lose the many pounds that they have gained. I have been watching videos on you-tube and many people have negative things to say. The last I watched was about how bad the Vitamin deficiencies made her feel. Most people seem very happy for the first two years but after that it seems I'm finding a lot of negativity. I would like to have more input from some people that have had surgery a few years out. I am currently 5'7" and 250 pounds. I told my doctor my concerns. He assured me that I would lose to 150 and as I get older I might put on 10 pounds. He said I would need to exercise, but walking around my neighborhood 3-4 times a week would be sufficient. I'm not sure this is accurate, bariatric surgeons do make their living by performing surgeries so he may tell me this because I will easily qualify and have good insurance. Please give me feedback!!!!

[ad1203 85]

Funny that you posted this today. I am at the same stage you are and have been obsessive about this. I read these posts and all I hear are how sick people are after surgery. But all of them have said they would do it again. I am on you tube constantly following "sleevers" who just seem to be so happy with their results. But I, too, cannot find any people who have had the surgery more than 3 or 4 years ago. I am really concerned with what happens later on, after we lose the weight. I know it is a lifestyle change and I was hoping by then I could live the lifestyle, but what if I can't and regret this surgery? There is no going back.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

my hospital's stats are 80% success rate with wls. (they define success as losing and keeping off 75% of the excess weight for 3 years) think its all about how well prepared you are. if you are able to see how you need to change your relationship with food and how you move your body BEFORE the surgery, you stand a good chance of being successful. the thing is, people fail because they are non compliant with food and exercise. usually because you were not prepared to make these changes when you had the surgery. you can demonstrate this readiness by behavioral changes, saying you are ready and actually being ready are two different things. i see people who are still eating the same crap food, not exercising and still using food to cope with life. and a lot of them are still losing weight since its early in the game... eventually this will catch up with them OR they will change. there is an old saying in 12 step groups... grow or go, meaning if you dont change, both internally and externally you will continue down the same path you were on, no matter how sincere you are.

i hope this is helpful. the sleeve will force you to make some changes, but in the long run, if you dont work at making more significant changes, you will regain.

[JerseyGirl68 1,172]

You bring up very valid concerns.

The biggest difference is the quantity of food you can take in at one time. Everything else is up to the individual.

I don't think anyone regained weight by staying on plan - smaller portions, focusing on Protein first, then veg, then carbs. There is no magic pill to get us to stop eating the wrong things.

Speaking for myself, in my experience with long-term dieting, what always got in my way was ME. I got bored with what I was eating, I got tired of feeling deprived, tired of feeling hungry. I like feeling full when I have a meal. The sleeve provides me with that.

Anyone can eat around it, you can fill it with ice cream and chips and gain easily. You can decide that you dont' need to exercise and gain.

I really believe that those of us with life-long weight issues are wired differently, we have a different relationship with food than other folks. We can either get it under control on our own or go another route, for me that route was surgery.

I don't have a crystal ball, this may not work for me long term either, but I do know that this time around I feel differently. It has been easier for me to lose the weight. I don't feel deprived and I am never hungry. I stay on plan, I work my favorite foods into that plan and I can do this because Portion Control is built in. I have altered my recipes to be a bit more healthy overall. But my goal was not just to be a smaller size, it was to get healthier. I like how I feel now, more than I want a snickers bar.

Keep in mind that a lot of folks that are doing well don't post every day, they don't tell cautionary tales because they don't' have any. I respond to posts daily, but I never really start any because I'm not having any issues that I need to address. I am so thankful that those who have had complications post as much as they do. I knew the risks going in. It should be very telling to you that even though some had complications, they would still opt for the surgery.

My main food issue was portion size, the sleeve was a perfect fit for me in that regard. I can imagine that if a person's issue is they binge on chocolate and chips that they may have different success after getting sleeved. For any weight loss effort to be successful we have to come to terms with what our issues are and tackle them. Emotional eating is another issue for me. The sleeve does not take away those impulses. Reminding myself that I had 80% of my stomach removed to get healthier snaps me out of it most times. It was a drastic step. But drastic times call for drastic measures.

I never saw a nutritionist before I contemplated surgery. I wish I had, maybe things would have been different for me. My NUT is another tool crucial to my continued success. My doctors are all working together to give me the best shot at staying healthy. I get blood work done every 3 months so I don't let a deficiency catch me off guard. But I need to stay diligent. I need to keep taking my Vitamins. Today I'm committed to doing everything I need to do. I don't' pretend that one wave of a magic scalpel changed who I am and what my issues have been. I need to stay on top of things, I need stay focused. It is up to me and me alone to determine if I succeed.

I'm armed with a tool that gives me the edge I need.

Keep asking the questions you need to, and make the best decision for you.

Best of luck to you going forward!

[PdxMan 4,292]

Have you ever gone searching for reviews for a product and it seems all you find are negative reviews? "I bought this knife and after a month, it can't slice a tomato!!" Though some folks do take the time to write good reviews, it seems the negative really stand out.

I think this is true here, too. You are not going to find a lot of videos out there on YouTube from folks several years out posting about how everything is going along just fine. I don't believe it is because they don't exist, but rather, these people have moved on with their lives.

I am just over two and half years out. I reached my goal weight 8 months post op and have been maintaining since. I have a 5 pound "bounce" range that I am comfortable with.

So, to address some of your concerns directly ... the Vitamin thing ... I haven't really heard of this complaint. The regain can happen, but let's talk about that for a second. Why was I morbidly obese to begin with? I abused food. I used food as a crutch and a reward. I loved the feeling of being full and wanted to feel that way all the time. I did not eat to nourish my body's needs, but rather my demon's in my head. So, if I don't do some work on myself, is this type of thinking going to change post-surgery? If two years post op I use food as my coping mechanism, am I going to regain? I think we all know the answer to this.

But here is my take on this. The sleeve folks I follow have made a choice to be healthier in their lives. They take their Vitamins because they know their body needs them. A lot of them also exercise. Wow! Just like people with normal BMI's do who never had WLS surgery.

*** DISCLAIMER ***

I know FAR more people who haven't had WLS surgery who also take Vitamins. They exercise and don't use food as a coping mechanism.

So, what is my point? You said it ... it is a tool. My sleeve has forced me to recognize my pattern of abusing food. It has helped me develop new habits of eating slower, taking smaller bites and nourishing my body with food. Self-sabotage is nothing new to me. If I choose to ignore everything I have learned over the past 2 and half years, then yes, I can regain.

If I didn't want to make a fundamental change with my relationship with food, then I would take a deeper look at whether WLS was for me. I believe THIS is the question everyone pre-op needs to ask themselves and take the time to get honest with themselves before answering.

[lsereno 2,525]

I'll be three years in May. I got to goal in in nine months and have stayed at goal. I'm 5'6. Start weight 254 and goal at 135.

WLS offers the best odds of taking weight off and keeping it off, but it is still takes effort. Anyone can continue to eat slider foods ( most white carbs and sugary treats) and gain weight back. It takes commitment to eat the right foods and avoid the wrong ones to get to goal and stay there. For me and many others, the months following surgery, when it's difficult to overeat, are a time to come to grips with emotional eating and develop new, healthier habits.

For me, the difference is I don't have an all-day every-day raging hunger. For example, instead of eating a sandwich with two slices of bread, four ounces of meat and a large salad too to feel full, I now eat one slice of bread, two or three ounces of meat and a few bites of veggies for a very filling lunch. I still have to choose NOT to eat a large amount of sweets, high calorie coffee drinks, chips, etc.

If you look in the vets forum and in other online groups you will find people who have gotten to goal and are staying there.

Best wishes on your journey!

Lynda

[BGLady 3]

Thank you for your comments. I am reading on this forum everyday. I want to lose weight and be able to keep it off. I am not very confident with being able to keep it off. I have lost 50 pounds (more than once) in the past, through diet and exercise - then I fell off the wagon (imagine that) and gained it all back!! I am just soooo concerned I will lose weight and fall off the wagon again after surgery. That would be so disappointing to have the majority of my stomach removed and to regain weight. Losing 75% of my weight would be great - I am in my 40's and not trying to be a super model. I want to be able to get up from the floor after playing with my grandkids without so much difficulty. I want to be able to pick things up that I drop without feeling I'm going to pass out because it is hard to bend down.

[BGLady 3]

Thank you all for your comments. I really needed some encouragement, today!!

[PdxMan 4,292]

Thank you for your comments. I am reading on this forum everyday. I want to lose weight and be able to keep it off. I am not very confident with being able to keep it off. I have lost 50 pounds (more than once) in the past, through diet and exercise - then I fell off the wagon (imagine that) and gained it all back!! I am just soooo concerned I will lose weight and fall off the wagon again after surgery. That would be so disappointing to have the majority of my stomach removed and to regain weight. Losing 75% of my weight would be great - I am in my 40's and not trying to be a super model. I want to be able to get up from the floor after playing with my grandkids without so much difficulty. I want to be able to pick things up that I drop without feeling I'm going to pass out because it is hard to bend down.

This is why I chose VSG. I was 45 when I had my surgery with two kids under 10. Like you, I had been successful with diets in the past, but I was not successful in maintaining that lifestyle. The restriction the sleeve gives me provides a constant reminder of what I need to do. Remember those other programs where you had the rubber band around your wrist and you snapped yourself any time you had a craving? It is WAAAAY better than that

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I think it is a little irresponsible to assure you that you will lose to 150#. There are no guarantees, the sleeve is a tool. You will lose weight pretty easily at first, but over time it becomes more about your choices with the tool supporting you.

Having said that, I could have NEVER lost 160# to get to 150# current weight without the sleeve. I am a big advocate - don't get me wrong - but it takes lifestyle changes, focus and long term committment. Everyone is different, but for me, I had to realize that I can NEVER eat like someone who was never obese even after losing all that weight. Weight just finds me - I can't eat the typical 2000 calorie a day average woman's diet.

[plantosleeve67 12]

My understanding, and Im only 6 weeks post op (so someone correct me if I am wrong), is that the greater curvature of the stomach that is removed is the "stretchy" part, so eating around the sleeve is possible, but actually stretching the stomach is not a great risk.

I also view this as a tool, a jump start if you will...it is working for me. I ate for many years and gorged myself in the evenings. I no longer feel the need to do that, and I am almost never really hungry. The "Reset" I received from the surgery has been awesome, I feel like a new person.

As someone else said, sure, you can eat high fat foods and keep the weight on, but you cannot eat much at a time. Hopefully each of us will be able to maintain this loss through breaking old habits and building new ones!

All the best to you

[Recycled 2,182]

PDXman said it perfectly. It doesn't matter what the forum, the dissatisfied or unsuccessful vent in forums and the others move on and enjoy new leases on life.

I belong to a forum about knee and hip replacements. Reading the forum, I figured the success of my knee replacements was not much more than a crap shoot. Mine went very well and I tried to stay with the forum to assure others. Needless to say, I now rarely visit the forum as my knees are no longer any concern to me. It just happens.

My Sleeve surgery couldn't have gone any better and my weight loss is progressing well. I intend to take all I can get from this forum and again, I will try to offer encouragement to others. But alas, I am already excited about getting smaller and what lies ahead, so I expect I will visit here less frequently as well. Good luck with your decision.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

Thank you for your comments. I am reading on this forum everyday. I want to lose weight and be able to keep it off. I am not very confident with being able to keep it off. I have lost 50 pounds (more than once) in the past, through diet and exercise - then I fell off the wagon (imagine that) and gained it all back!! I am just soooo concerned I will lose weight and fall off the wagon again after surgery. That would be so disappointing to have the majority of my stomach removed and to regain weight. Losing 75% of my weight would be great - I am in my 40's and not trying to be a super model. I want to be able to get up from the floor after playing with my grandkids without so much difficulty. I want to be able to pick things up that I drop without feeling I'm going to pass out because it is hard to bend down.

the thing you will need to get straight in you head is WHY you "fell off the wagon." (for purposes of not white washing your journey with obesity, you might want to start talking about this in more specific terms... ie "i started eating huge portions again. i stopped eating a salad for dinner. i stopped exercising 4 times a week." whatever it was that lead you to regain. saying "i fell off the wagon" doesnt really mean anything, since you werent abstaining from food, right?)

understanding WHY you stopped choosing healthy behaviors knowing you would gain your weight back will prob go a long way in being able to plan what you need to do post op. some people know they need to not eat fast food or sugary carbs ever. these are trigger food for them. some people know they have to have a trainer, or be able to exercise at home. or whatever. knowing, understanding and planning for your personal triggers will make you successful. a therapist who specializes in eating disorders can help you.

choose a center of excellence that requires you to do a lot of preparation ahead of surgery... nutrition appts, psych eval, etc. be honest, ask for help, learn your own story about your relationship with food. imagine who you will be without food as the single biggest coping skill in your life. going into this with eyes wide open will go a long way to make sure you are successful.

[ad1203 85]

Very encouraging responses and just what I needed to hear, as well. Thanks. That is why this site is so invaluable to me!

[Beachbum2017 108]

Everyone is different and you have to figure out what your issues are that make you "fall off the wagon". I had to do 6 months of dieting, nutrition classes, psych evals, etc. before I could get approved for my surgery. I think having that time to focus on what I was about to do was extremely beneficial. Part of what I did was try to figure out WHY I ate so much and was always hungry - I went and bought myself a journal and everytime that I thought that I was hungry I would write down what I was thinking about, what I was doing, etc. After a couple of months of this - it became very, very clear to me that I would eat when I was bored or stressed - now I find that writing in my journal helps relieve the boredom and the stress! I also know that if I think I'm feeling hungry if I get up and do something else I completely forget about it. The sleeve helps most people not feel any hunger for the 1st few months and to learn when their body is truly hungry not just head hungry. I'm 6 months out and have lost over a hundred pounds and have 18 lbs to go to goal. I find that making better food decisions just comes easy to me now - I won't tell you that it's a cure all but it is a heck of a lot easier for me than it used to be. Somehow - all those things that I used to crave - chocolate, pizza, junk food just don't have the same appeal and honestly, the few times that I've had a small taste - didn't taste very good either. Good luck to you - do your homework and you'll figure out what is best for you.